Check Out These Hi-Res Samples Taken With Sigma's New 35mm f/1.4

Many of you were clamoring for some samples taken with the new Sigma 35mm f/1.4, and we got them for you. These six images, all taken with the new lens, show a lot of promise. I'm not going to say much more of my opinion here. I want to hear from you guys. Do you like what you see?

Three Ways to Separate Yourself From Other Photographers

Social media consumption is at an all-time high and is on pace to increase at an exponential pace for the foreseeable future. We all seem to have capable technology on us always, whether it be a cell phone or dedicated interchangeable lens camera. With this rapid rate of consumption and the accessibility of technology we are living in a world saturated with quality content everywhere we look. Standing out among other photographers is getting more challenging daily and that’s why I put together these three ways to help separate yourself from other photographers.

DVLOP Releases New Lightroom Feature: Leaks and Tweaks

In the latest version of Lightroom, Adobe has implemented a new profile browser inside the Develop module. The team over at DVLOP has already put this feature to work with some awesome new ways to edit your images.

How I Edited One of My Favorite Wildlife Images in Lightroom

For many, wildlife photography is all about natural colors and objective realism. The light, composition, and behavior captured should do all the talking. And for the most part, I agree — for that other tiny little bit, though, I beg to differ. Please allow me to elaborate in more ways than one.

The Whip Pan: A Creative Off-Camera Flash Night Portrait Technique

Don't get me wrong, natural light and golden hour are gorgeous and a huge part of what we do. But, in addition to these types of photographs, we have built our name on imagery that differs from the typical wedding or couples photograph. Our studio (Lin and Jirsa Photography) has become known for unique and epic environmental portraits. While almost every client wants golden hour imagery, these stand-out epics help draw clients to our brand in the first place.

The Sigma 85mm 1.4: One Year Later

About this time last year, the Sigma 85mm 1.4 Art series lens was released and I went ahead and decided to pull the trigger and invest in the new glass. I had heard great things about other entries in the art lineup and understandably Sigma's new 85mm focal length was getting a solid amount of hype. For the past year, I have been shooting exclusively with Sigma's 85mm. It's been the only lens in my camera bag and the only lens I've used for a straight year. What follows are my impressions after a solid year of use; what I like about the lens and what I don't like.

True Lifestyle Photography and How to Get the Most Out of Your Session

According to Wikipedia lifestyle photography is "a style of portrait / people photography which aims to capture and document real-life events, situations, or milestones in an artistic manner and the art of the everyday." Photographers every day are advertising sessions as lifestyle photography, but in reality, are totally missing the mark.

Christa Meola's Boudoir Photography Two Light Setup: NSFW

I have been following the amazing work of boudoir photographer Christa Meola for a couple of years now. Just a quick look at her portfolio and you will agree that her boudoir work is some of the best out there. Recently she posted a lighting diagram for a two light setup she has been using. Christa happens to use a nude model for the lighting setup so heads up.

The Funky Bokeh King: Fstoppers Reviews the Zenit Helios 40-2 85mm f/1.5

Some photographers value the technical aspects of a lens above all else. Others prefer lenses that create unique, if not technically perfect photos. The Helios 40-2 85mm f/1.5 is for those in the latter camp. This lens is famous for its characteristic swirly bokeh, and in that it does not fail to disappoint.

Part 2 | Using Levels To Add Color In Photoshop

In part 1 I covered the process of building the best panoramas with little distortion by finding the no parallax spot in your lens. In part 2 we add in our model and use curves and levels to colorize the sky in Photoshop. In addition, this tutorial builds on utilizing the combination of plugins and Photoshop to target specific tones of your image, which is a great technique when building a dramatic environment.

Nikon Is No Longer Accepting Equipment for Repair

As coronavirus continues to cause shutdowns across many industries around the globe, the camera world is feeling the effects too. Nikon is the latest to announce restrictions, as they have shut down their repair program for the time being and will not be accepting any gear.

Secure Your Photo Gear or Lose It

A little over a year ago, I got to live out one of my worst nightmares. I had a day where the personification of my anxiety sprouted legs and ambled right into the middle of a wedding ceremony that I was photographing. Mr. Anxiety-Incarnate snuck into a church, and like a biblical plague, snuck right back out and took something precious with him. Never to be seen again was $12,000 worth of gear that was stored in my roller bag. That’s right, I lived out the photographer’s terrifying dream equivalent to showing up to a high school class naked.

Your First Off-Camera Lighting Kit

Off-camera flash is a great way to augment your existing photographs. There are so many times when existing light just doesn't give you the result you desire, and that flash could be a solution to creating the image you have in your mind. When you first start, however, the options can be quite overwhelming and it can be difficult to know exactly what you'll need. Let's look into a simple but versatile kit that will allow you to stay mobile and work in many different situations.

Fstoppers' Own Rebecca Britt's Fantastic Craigslist Rant

We all get to that point. That point where we can't take it anymore. Where we just have to voice an opinion lest our head explode from the building pressure. Rebecca has just about enough of bad clients searching for free services, and decided to take her stand on Craigslist- the soap box of the internet.

Why Are You Afraid of the Sun?

It seems that a lot of photographers tend to avoid direct sunlight and for a long time, I did too. Occasionally, I would backlight subjects, but I would never dare light them directly with the sun. I decided one day that it was time to embrace the sun. In this article, I break down my methods for achieving a good photograph in direct sunlight, discussing what has helped me and what you should avoid.

UPDATED: I Am Giving Away My Canon 5D Mk2 To You...How You Can Help Others

This is my full-frame Canon 5D Mark II with vertical dual battery grip. It may be worn down to the metal on the edges, but this baby still shoots beautiful 21 megapixel RAW files and 1080p video. It's ridden tanks and supercars and hung out of helicopters and photographed some pretty famous folks for some album and magazine covers. Now, I have decided to give it away to the best cause. Below, you can either learn how to apply or learn how you may help others!

Using A Color Checker Chart

Color reproduction, loading color profiles and calibrating monitors & printers can become an endless tangled mess that leads to frustrating headaches.

Proper use of a color chart can get you a lot closer to actual colors and save you a lot of time dialing in your post production work by adding a simple step to your workflow.

A couple years back I pickup the X-Rite ColorChecker Card and by doing so I have saved a ton of post processing time.

Use These Free Photoshop Templates and Never Make a Bad Print Again

Getting your prints to look exactly how they should is a constant battle for many photographers. Minimize the amount of time and money wasted on reprinting by downloading these free templates and using a traditional technique borrowed from the darkroom.

Is $2,700 Fair for Canon’s New Lens?

Canon’s new RF 85mm f/1.2 L has been officially announced, along with a hefty price tag. Considering the specifications and market this lens will compete in, is the price fair?

Will Photographers Survive the Next Recession?

During the past decade, the world economy has experienced steady, gradual expansion. But what goes up must come down, and the question photographers are wise to consider is: "how will the next recession affect me?"

Photographer Set to Sue SyFy/NBC for Copyright Infringement

It's amazing that large media corporations continue to believe that they can get away with things like what you're about to read. Darrell Ardita, a cosplay photographer, recently discovered that several of his company's images were being used without his permission for the show Heroes of Cosply on SyFy. Yes, a nationally televised show pertaining to a very specific community opted to steal

Canon Professional Services - The Best Tool for Photographers

The Canon/Nikon debate is a Ford vs. Chevy debate for trucks, and a Coke vs. Pepsi debate for sodas. Both systems have their advantages, and their flaws (Come on Canon...make a 14-24mm already!). However, Canon, in my opinion, separates itself with one tool, the Canon Professional Services program.

The Canon EOS R7 Is Likely Coming Next Year

Canon's EOS R5 and R6 cameras have been very popular and well received, while the EOS RP and EOS R help to round out the lower ens of the company's mirrorless lineup. However, besides the upcoming flagship model, one notable absence is an APS-C model, but it now seems likely we will see such a camera next year.

You Don't Need the R5 or R6, Do You?

The buzz around Canon's announcements has been electric and, frankly, invigorating. But before you dive into that riptide of gear acquisition syndrome, you need to ask some hard questions.

DxO PureRAW 2 Can Work From Within Lightroom, Increases Speed, and Adds New Cameras and Lenses

DxO PureRAW is a permanent part of my photographic workflow. Before anything else, I take my raw files from my mirrorless camera and my drone through PureRAW first. It checks my camera and lens data and outputs a raw file with corrections that eliminate lens distortions, vignetting, noise, and a host of other issues specific to my hardware. Here's my review of what was a must-have the last time around.