Fstoppers Originals

Dear Instagram. Here are ten things that would make Instagram that little bit better and keep your users happy. Thanks for your attention. 

Today I want to talk about business maintenance and some of the less fun aspects of your business but important nonetheless. New Year's is a great time to go through and look at all your channels, social media, website, etc and see if there's anything that needs cleaning up or adjusting. 

This past October award-winning photographer Jérôme Brunet published his 20-year retrospective coffee table book "Into The Light" that collects over 150 of his amazing music images. 

When you think of the elements of an image that make it successful and interesting most photographers immediately refer to the powers of color, form, texture, light/dark, and visual rhythm. There is another that is often overlooked: gesture. Unlike the other elements, gesture can't easily be preplanned into your composition; it's a fleeting thing.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has developed new rules that stand to unlock all sorts of unique drone photos.  Newly proposed rules from the U.S. Department of Transportation will allow flights over crowds and at night, subject to safety precautions.

I've heard several arguments in the past against cropping images. But in my opinion cropping is OK. Here's why.  

Whenever updating software, it is wise to be careful and make sure everything works as expected. Updating Photoshop had recently caused me a pretty serious issue that reminds us of how much our workflow can be affected by something as simple as a software update. 

One small piece of gear is an essential buy for landscape, travel, and adventure photographers. Even if you already own one, a number of recent developments may mean it is time to update. For me, a bright, reliable flashlight is one of the first things I pack for any hike or backpacking trip.

I shoot for a clothing boutique and we shoot outside at the same area weekly. To say I have overused the available locations is an understatement. Sometimes I find myself on the side of the road, next to a rundown building I’ve shot at 20 times already, and think to myself, how in the world can I make this different? I’ll bet most of us have been there at some point. 

Dear Sony, why is it so difficult for you to get the flip-out screen right? It's as though you're trying to do absolutely everything you can with your screen except give us what we've been asking for. How many times do we have to ask you Sony? Almost everyone asked for the flip-out touch screen, instead, you gave us a completely useless flip-up screen.  

What caused my obsession with camera bags? It was a simple question I asked myself to prepare for this article. The answer was much easier to find in my head and I didn't have to dig as deep as I thought. It was Indiana Jones. 

We’re calling it now: 2019 will be the year of new voices. In 2018, younger generations have been the force behind social movements and social change.  

More often than not, we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to landing the types of jobs we long to be hired for. Are you making it more difficult than it should be for potential clients to hire you for those photo jobs you keep waiting on? 

It's probably happened to you: you're shooting away and someone, usually the venue owner, approaches you. You get that sinking feeling hearing those dreaded five words: "Can I get a copy?"

With the US government shutdown extending into a fourth week, some of photographer’s favorite destinations are starting to see the impact. There are some important considerations specific to photographers during the shutdown. 

Convincing potential clients that you’re worth what you charge is a scary prospect. It means believing in yourself enough to stick to your guns. If you’ve had a hard time convincing clients to pay what you charge, here are a few ways that may help raise your success rate when asking for a sale.

Do you often think about the significance of the subject you are photographing? What if you knew it would be gone forever someday? Though we don’t always realize it in the moment the shutter clicks, the images we capture with our cameras become more precious when the subjects in those images no longer exist.

I'm not talking about image resolution. I'm talking about the things you want to achieve in 2019. Here's a great way to do it.  

With photographic lighting, there is plenty to learn. Each surface requires its own type of light and every modifier produces its own signature light. One other element we must always consider, though, is the photographer’s intent. 

Christmas is over, New Year has come and gone and the frenzy of gastronomic and financial excess has given way to the cold harsh reality of, well, a cold harsh January! It's time to get away for some of that southern summer sun. Here are my top tips for making the most of your winter vacation when hitting that bright sunshine.

Nikon and Canon have both introduced mirrorless bodies using new mounts, and the industry is at a crossroads. The new lenses that were introduced lack any promise or justification for their existence, and are more expensive while offering less useful features than past generations. Most lenses introduced in the last few years have been a disappointment.

Posting consistently is one of the most recommended tasks you can do to grow organically on Instagram. What happens when you stop posting all together? 

Mirrorless is the new hype but is it absolutely necessary for budget-conscious photographers? At the moment, the last Canon 6D cameras are heavily discounted and can be found brand new for $999. A great bargain. 

A photographer based between LA and NYC has fallen victim to an “international travel scam” on a huge scale, which saw her end up in Indonesia and down thousands of dollars, in what she believes may have been part of a larger kidnapping plot.

I have been shooting concerts for many years. These are mostly bands in small, dark, and obscure venues with not much light to work with. But eventually a lot of bands started to use lasers as a part of their show. That resulted once in a damaged sensor. I believe today there is a greater risk with mirrorless cameras and lasers.