Fstoppers Originals

Exclusive articles and expert opinions written by Fstoppers’ talented team of creative professionals. Here we cover everything from the latest photographic techniques to advice on running a successful photography business, to first hand accounts of working in the photography industry.

Use Multiple Exposures to Have Some Fun With Those Still-Up Christmas Lights

So it’s January and you still haven’t taken the Christmas tree down yet? Perfect. Now’s a great time to play with one of the little-used but most fun modes of that new camera you got for the holidays. And if you didn’t get a camera, you can use the mode to breathe some new life into your old camera and photograph the things you (or in this case, my son) got as gifts.

Getting Started With Pricing Your Photography Services

Whether you know it or not, psychology plays a big role in successful pricing strategies for both products and services. Our brains are wired to pick up on subtle cues when it comes to weighing the value of something. So how do we successfully price our photography services? Here are a few tips to help you restructure your pricing for a successful year. 

Every Photographer Ever: Camera Bags

Somehow, every three months, a new bag manufacturer figures out a way to bend the laws of physics to make a smaller bag that holds even more gear.   

Build Rapport on Your Photography Shoot With the Language of Music

At the onset of a portrait shoot it is important to come packing the usual garden variety of a few safe jokes to lighten the mood, some fail-proof poses to keep things moving, and direction for the model to play off of. It is easy to forget, with all the headspace that pours into reflecting the images from inside of our heads, towards reality, that when the time comes to start working with

The Real-World Nikon D850 Camera Review in Ireland

Recently, Nikon released the D850, which is the latest upgrade to their high-megapixel DSLR line of cameras. Like the models that preceded it, the D850 stands as one of the most groundbreaking cameras in terms of image quality, speed, and resolution. I wanted to take this new camera for a test drive and see just how significant these upgrades actually are.

Canon 6D Mark II: The Worst Camera of 2017

It's the time of the year in which rankings appear all around the Internet spotlighting the best performers of the past 12 months. But what about the worst? As the French writer Beaumarchais once said, “Without Freedom to blame, there is no flatterer's praise.” Here is my take at the worst 2017 camera, the Canon 6D Mark II. 

Photographer Spotlight: Lucas Passmore

I believe that upon our journey in whatever craft you choose, we encounter people who not only inspire, but assist in pushing us to grow more, and photographer Lucas Passmore has been exactly that for me. Initially, from the Midwest, Lucas is a fashion photographer living in Los Angeles.

Ten New Year's Resolutions Worth Making as a Photographer

Clichéd new year resolutions are as much of a tradition of the holidays as building snowmen and eggnog. Why not change things up a bit this year and set yourself a resolution which is related to helping you grow as a photographer. Here are 10 promises worth trying to keep in 2018. 

New Years for Artists: A Time to Reflect

By the time you're reading this, it may already be or soon will be 2018. So first of all, I hope that you have or had a great New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. I hope that creatively, its been a great year for everyone out there and I hope that 2018 has only the best in store for us. This is a fun time of year that offers us a chance to relax a bit and reflect on the year that has past.

You Have Two Days Left to Save a Boatload on Your 2017 Taxes With These Tips

Everywhere I turn, I am hearing about the upcoming tax code change and who it will benefit. Until January 1, my eyes are solely on 2017 income and what advantages photographers can utilize to reduce their tax burden this year. Time is of the essence for what you can do this year to save money before the ball drops on December 31 at midnight. 

Why and How You Should Advertise at Wedding Expos

It’s that time of year. You have probably seen the abundance of marriage proposals on your news feeds, as I have. Before long, these newly engaged couples will be looking to hire a photographer for their weddings. Wedding expos are still an excellent place for these couples to find you, especially this time of year. 

The Number One Camera Bag Staple

We all have a different bag setup. Some prefer to travel light and mobile while others go for a more heavy duty option. Some people want a stylish option that shows off some personal flair while others just want something practical. We each like a different layout and store our gear and accessories in a different way or in a different pocket.

Photographing Infants and Toddlers: Working With Short Attention Spans

Some time earlier this year, I had this idea to try and find my own approach to portraiture solely for children. It was a multi-faceted idea which came to me pretty much at random. I was reviewing some of my recent portrait work when I realized that I had only ever worked with a couple of children as my subjects throughout my entire running career as a photographer.

Top 10 WeeklyFstop Photos: Snow

We asked for snow and we sure got it. I spent the week enjoying the weather with my family. We alternated between outside time in the yard throwing snowballs, building forts, and warming up by the fireplace with hot chocolate. I was too busy having fun to get any photos, but luckily for all of us, our readers were not.

Phase One IQ3 100MP Trichromatic Colors Compared

Medium-format cameras have long been known for being able to produce incredible and vibrant colors. This is one of the main reasons behind why many professionals upgrade and spend so much on these systems. The colors that you can achieve with the 16-bit sensors are very desirable and allow much more flexibility in post.

Get Out There and Shoot

With Christmas solidly in the rearview mirror and that shiny new camera that Santa brought screaming for some action, it is all on you to shake off that excess holiday cheer and head outside to see how you and your gear performs.

You Have Some New Photography Equipment: Why Learning and Using That New Gear Matters

As photographers, our friends, relatives, and significant others sometimes despair at trying to find what may appeal to us and be within their holiday budgets. We may casually let them know that we are super excited about this new gadget that will "really" improve our photography if we only had that one newfangled gizmo.

Photographers Take the Day Off, Happy Festivus!

With the holidays upon us, many photographers (including myself) will want to break out all their gear. In years past I have always planned on what cameras and lens combos to bring, lights, possible modifiers, batteries, and everything in between to photograph Christmas. This year I took on a new approach.