11 Easy Ways to Improve Your Sports Photography

With our current sports-focused Critique the Community, now seems like a great time to share some tips and best practices to help you improve your sports and action photography in 2016. Read on for 11 solid suggestions to help you become a better shooter.

Photographer Clashes with Weddings Unveiled Magazine Over Same-Sex Marriage Ad

At Fstoppers, we do our best to stay away from topics that are strictly political in nature. Generally speaking, it's not our place. We are a blog for creative professionals, not any number of sites that poke at hot button issues for the sake of sensationalism. However, once in a while, a situation arises that directly affects photographers and their decisions. One such situation occurred when Weddings Unveiled Magazine rejected a photographer's paid advertisement.

Proper Networking Technique by British Model Jen Brook

I’ve been sent a few messages asking how to get noticed by the people we want to work with and how to approach them. I’m never sure I can help because I’m no expert, but I do try as best as I can. In order to keep my advice consistent, this article sets about the rules I made for myself. By no means are they perfect, you may not agree with many of the points and I know for a fact that I sometimes fail in following them myself. But in general they work for me and I don’t mind sharing what I’ve found.

MagMod - Magnetic Speedlite Modifiers

I rarely use gels or modifiers on my speedlites because I am lazy and in a hurry on wedding days. I just fix the color issues in post. However today I was notified that a new product was posted on Kickstarter. Meet the MagMod, a simple magnetic band that mounts to your flash allowing modifiers to be slapped on and off. Check it out, I just backed the project myself.

Three of My Favorite Things About the Nikon Z 7II

Having now had at least one of the second generation of Nikon Z cameras, either the Z 6II or Z 7II, in my possession for almost a year now, I thought I would share three of my favorite things about the cameras so far.

5 Star Images - Lee and Patrick Critique the Best from the Community

Every couple weeks we release a new episode of Critique the Community where Fstoppers members can submit their best images to a genre specific contest for a chance to receive feedback and win a free Fstoppers original tutorial. This week, we changed things up and selected only 5 star images to discuss.

Lenses Are About to Get Smaller and Better Thanks to Harvard's New Flat Optics

Leave it to the same university that would probably save our world from an apocalypse to, until that need arises, create better, smaller lenses. Harvard’s School for Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) recently expanded on a previous design for flat optics by adding nano silicone antennae that actually bend the light. The result is an incredibly thin and completely flat glass lens capable of the same light bending properties as our current lenses, but with virtually zero chromatic aberration.

Zuckerberg's Photographer Also Caught Off-Guard by Wedding

Like him or not, Mark Zuckerberg has become wildly successful with the social media giant, Facebook. After the IPO hit Wall Street, Zuck surprised his friends and family with an unannounced wedding to his long time girlfriend. His photographer Allyson Magda was caught off guard by the switcheroo of events, but according to Forbes, was able to keep it all together despite the craziness of the day.

Good Technique for Backing Up a Lightroom Catalog

In the last article I shared, "The Most Important Setting in Lightroom is Set To Off By Default", I believe there was a misunderstanding because while talking about auto-saving your edits, I didn't also discuss backing up your Lightroom Catalogs. It is important to back up your catalog and as you will see in this video I'd even highly recommend changing the Lightroom default location for a more secure backup.

Easy and Elegant Ring Shots in Under 3 Minutes

One essential part of almost every wedding day is the rings. Not only are the rings a symbol of a couple's love and commitment to one another, they also usually cost a good deal of money. Capturing an amazing picture of the rings can not only wow your clients, it also adds great value to your portfolio. The best part is, getting a fantastic ring shot can be simple and quick.

Worldwide Camera Sales Take Another Tumble

CIPA, the Camera and Imaging Products Association, which tracks global camera and lens sales by major manufacturers, has released their report for June 2019, and it shows another significant drop in sales as compared to past years.

6 Reasons to Choose the New Canon EOS M50 Mark II

It’s all about full frame mirrorless cameras nowadays. If you don’t go for such a camera, you are not taken seriously. Why not choose a mirrorless crop camera? I have six reasons to go for the new Canon EOS M50 Mark II.

Is Sony About to Announce the a9 II?

With so much speculation, bookmakers would be delighted over the ever-shifting odds regarding what Sony is going to announce next: will it be the much-delayed a7S III, or the greatly-anticipated a9 II? With the rumor mills in fine fettle after a short summer break, we may have an answer: in the next month, Sony will announce the a9 II. Allegedly.

Eight Reasons Why Your Photography Website Sucks

Your photography website is your storefront. It’s the way your prospective clients meet you, and it’s your chance to make a lasting and convincing first impression. A website is the first step in meeting good clients, getting hired, and getting paid. I’m a wedding photographer, but the list below applies to everyone. Whether you shoot landscapes, weddings, or commercial work, your website is the key to booking business. Here are the top eight reasons why your website sucks.

The Canon EOS R5 Is a Mirrorless Workhorse

Despite being a long-time Nikon shooter and a fan of their latest mirrorless offerings, it’s only fair to keep an eye on what the competition is doing. So, with the right level of begging, I was able to get my hands on the Canon EOS R5 and thought I would offer a few brief thoughts.

Why Magnum Took Its Archive Offline and Why Its Statement Falls Short: We Need Answers

In the early hours of Friday morning U.K. time, Magnum took its entire archive offline. Later that day, it released a statement explaining that it was reviewing its practices following revelations about some of its photographs. Difficult questions still need to be answered and the sequence of events shows how, despite Magnum’s crisis management, they’re not going away.

How to Make The Most Money Selling Your Used Camera Gear

You may have received a new camera or gear for the holidays, or you took advantage of all the deals in December and upgraded your kit with some new toys. But what about your old gear? Well, if you have decided not to keep it as a backup and have emotionally moved on, you might have decided to try and sell your old camera body or lenses. Now, it is time to maximize your selling price and get the most for your old stuff.

How to Give Your Dance Photos a Sense of Motion


My favorite part of the wedding day is the reception. After the traditional first dances, and speeches are done, and the wedding party starts to let loose. The party is in full swing and the best man is giving “The Dougie” his best attempt in an effort to win a dance battle against the bride. While capturing these images I want the viewer to feel like they were in there, in the moment. My goal is to not light up the entire room like a Christmas tree. I want to see the light from the DJ and the motion on the dance floor. This is how I do just that.

Using Drones Without FAA Approval for Photos or Video is Illegal

In the last 12 months I have seen a number of new unmanned aerial vehicles (also known as drones) entering the market with the ability to capture video or photos. It has been something that I have been quite interested in and have intently researched buying one. However my latest findings have convinced me to wait a few more years before I make a purchase as now I realize they are illegal and the FAA can issue large fines and even shut you down if you are caught operating one for your business. Read on to learn more.

Three Questions That New Photographers Should Avoid Asking

Learning photography, especially for beginners, can really be kickstarted by one’s enthusiasm about the craft. In fact, since people have different ways of learning and different paces of learning as well, being able to ask the right questions most of the time gets one on the right track. So, here are a few questions that one should skip entirely.

The Tyranny of the Travel Photographer

Travel photography has to be one of the most rewarding kinds of photography. You get to experience other cultures, places, foods, and parts of human history that you wouldn't otherwise. On top of that, you get to photograph it all. In one day, the variety of amazing new things you get to make pictures of is truly incredible. However, during my travels over the years, I've noticed some extremely disturbing behaviors from "photographers" while traveling.
The 'Photo Brigade' Is One Of The Best Resources For Surviving As A Professional Photographer Today

Almost every single one of you reading this can become a professional, paid photographer. There has never been a lower barrier to entry to starting out with access to masses of free online learning tools, affordable professional quality gear and the ability to market yourself globally. The problem isn’t so much starting, as it is sustaining. Enter, the Photo Brigade, one of the best tools I've come across in months for those looking to sustain their photography business.

A Website Dedicated to Outing "Photographers"

You may find YouAreNotAPhotographer.com (a site dedicated to outing supposed professional photography businesses) entertaining, educational and yes even offensive. But one thing is for sure, if you don't get why these pics should be making you shake your head with the occasional chuckle, then you need to be looking at these photos as examples of things NOT to do or consider a new line of work. Vids, Pics & Comments.