Everything You Need to Know About Lightroom Masking (Part 2)

Adobe released version 11 of Lightroom a little over a month ago and with it came a lot of new features. In this part of the guide, we'll go over the new sky selection tool, how to apply color or luminance masks, and how to use intersections.

How Commercial Photographer Corey Rich Shot CrossFit

Guest writer, Corey Rich is primarily an outdoor/adventure photographer, but last winter he decided to do something totally different and shoot CrossFit—the masochistic athletic craze sweeping the nation. More than anything, he was keen to experiment with heavy-duty artificial lighting in an indoor environment–not exactly what he's known for. His goals were simply to elevate his lighting skills, unlock his creativity in different ways, learn some new things, and have fun in the process.

Five Tips for Better Autumn Photos

Now is the time to head out and capture beautiful fall colors, and in this article, I give you five tips on how to do so.

Cinematic Industrial Video Shows How Kessler Products Are Made

Cinescapes Collective is a Saskatchewan, Canada based production group that has been putting together unique documentary content that has a dramatic and cinematic aesthetic. Their most recent short tells the story of Kessler, the creators of popular video production gear like sliders, cranes, and now motion control products.

Pentax Continues to March to Their Own Beat

Two years ago, Ricoh executives claimed that most users would return to DSLRs in one or two years. Two years later, that has not happened, but it has not stopped the company from continuing to march to their own unique beat, as this interview reveals.

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.

Vertical Horizon: A Series of Hong Kong From a New Perspective

Maybe it is because I live in the dust bowl of Phoenix AZ, but seeing the ever-growing empire of buildings in Hong Kong strikes me as quite a remarkable sight. Photographer Romain Jacquet-Lagreze visited Hong Kong in 2009 and became obsessed with its marvel. As he began to explore the unique city, he realized each part he visited had an atmosphere individually unique. Wanting to show what it's like to be on the ground in each special place, Romain pointed his camera upward to share the awe one feels when gazing up at the sky between the huge buildings.

This Short Film Perfectly Captures Everything it Means to Be a Photographer

My friend Mykii Liu shared this video on his Facebook this morning and I really felt like I had to pass it on. This film focuses on a young woman who talks about the simple things she has, why she has them and what they mean to her. Not only is the message great, but the manner in which this is filmed is also fantastic.

Going to a Photography Workshop? Read This First

The thing you should know before you ever attend a photography workshop, spend money on one tutorial, or invest in even one single conference is this: You are going to be your own greatest roadblock to success.

5 Questions Every Photographer Should Ask Themselves at Least Once

Feeling lost on your photographic journey is common. So are being in a creative rut or having periods of low motivation. At times, we can all struggle to feel inspired to pick up the camera and get out there. A lack of direction, purpose, and reason can be the culprit for these aforementioned photography ailments. So, let’s dig into these questions and uncover the possible “whys” behind your keen need to capture.

UK Advertising Standards Authority Bans New Dior Ads

The ever vigilant UK watchdog group the Advertising Standards Authority has banned yet another advertisement from appearing in any UK markets. The offending Dior Ad, featuring Natalie Portman was cited for being over photoshopped and Dior has agreed to withdraw the ad without a fight. This is probably due to the fact that if they were to stage a formal appeal, they would be forced to argue that they didn't over retouch the image in the ad.

The Story of How Law Enforcement Uses Photoshop to Fight Crime

Though we all are pretty familiar with how Photoshop has helped make us better photographers and digital artists, what we don't often think about is how the program has affected non-artistic segments of society. Today, in honor of National Police Week, Adobe has decided to show how law enforcement uses Adobe Photoshop to help combat crime. It's the kind of thing we all have seen on the television series CSI for years, but never really believed was real.

How to Really Start Your Learning Journey in Photography and Have Your Work Evolve

The beauty of art… there are no rules, no curriculum, no set path that you must follow in order achieve what you aspire to be. While the freedom to learn as you wish at your own pace is great, a little guidance and direction didn't hurt anyone. In this article, I’ll explain further. I’d like to share some thoughts looking back on past experiences when I started to learn photography for those beginning in photography that may find useful.

[Editorial] Why The Tamron 24-70mm Matters

When we were told that the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC lens was shipping on April 26, I can't understate how stoked Pat, Lee and myself were. Since we read the press release, we have been itching to get our hands on one. Why? Because this lens fills a void we have been aching for since DSLRs started shooting quality video.

ONA Releases New Bags That Have Serious Visual Appeal

Today ONA released two new bags that, as far as I am concerned, just look freaking sexy: the Brixton and the Palma. Both bags are over-the-shoulder design and seem to be trying to appeal to our desire to not only shoot, but shoot in style. I can't speak to the comfort, usability or lifespan of the product (as I haven't gotten my hands on one of the bags yet), but I can say that they certainly are pleasant to look at. Did I mention they're pretty?

​5 Signs You're Ready to Quit Your Day Job

Many photographers start out as hobbyists and part-time photographers while relying on a day job to pay the bills. Maybe you shoot on the weekends and edit after hours. But at what point should you quit your day job and commit to becoming a full-time professional photographer? Here's how to take that first big step in your photography career.

Why It's Important (and How) to Invest in Yourself by Finding Mentors That Are Worth It

Education is important. That’s no secret. But sometimes, it’s easy to discount the value of furthering education for photography after you’ve completed your undergraduate or graduate degree(s). The fact is, there’s always something more to learn — something that’s worth learning because it will sharpen your skills for the next job while helping you form and evolve your personal style.
Man vs. Drone: How Good Are DJI's Intelligent Flight Modes?

After the release of the new DJI Spark and its ability to fly without a remote, it is believed that DJI has the technology for anybody to fly. Steve Kampff and I decided to put this concept to the test comparing DJI's Intelligent Flight Modes to the Manual Capabilities of the user. In this video, we see that flying can be pretty challenging, but DJI definitely steps up to the plate allowing users to achieve more complex shots with little to no skill or experience.

Hands On With The Phase One IQ4 150MP: Can You Shoot Long Exposures at 1/125s?

Like them or not, medium format cameras are the truth when it comes to image quality. The latest 150 megapixel juggernaut from Phase One is another example of what these systems are capable of, but there's far more to this back than just sheer resolution. Ever shot long exposures at 1/125s?

Around this time last year Phase One released the IQ4 line of digital backs. The IQ4 expanded on the IQ3 and introduced a new Infinity Platform (the UI and operating system in the backs), as well as two brand new sensors: the 151 megapixel full frame medium format IQ4 150MP and 150MP...

Photographer Abe Van Dyke Documents His Mother's Passing

We often look at photojournalists and think, how could you do what they do. How could you stand around taking photos while people are suffering or could benefit from your help? On the other hand, we rarely think about transfering that realm into something tragic that happens in our own eyes, but that is exactly what Abe did.

DJI Unveils New Ronin-S Gimbal

DJI, usually on the forefront of new technology within their specific niche, seems to be looking to compete with the Zhiyun Crane 2 gimbal with the announcement of the new Ronin-S gimbal. The DJI Ronin-S is a handheld gimbal that is large enough for your common DSLR (and mirrorless of course) video configurations without requiring such a payload capacity of the larger gimbals that are much more expensive.

National Monument Restructuring Puts Landscape Photography Treasures at Risk

Photographers across social media channels chimed in late this week as leaked documents were made public by the Washington Post on Thursday detailing the proposed size reductions and restructuring of both the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument as well as the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Create a Digital Masterpiece Composite from Every-Day Images

Sometimes those obligatory travel photos snapped on location are great on their own, but (at least for me) a lot of them aren't visually dazzling. Luckily, that can be rectified. Jonas De Ro recently published an absolutely breathtaking composite image psd.tutsplus that is jaw-droppingly amazing. Best part is, he shows you how to make it so all you Photoshop fans can try a similar project yourself. Turn ordinary into fantasy!

34 Ways to Stay Creative

A while back I was struggling with a creative impasse in my work. I wasn't inspired by anything, and really wasn't motivated to do anything related to photography. So I did what any self-respecting creative would do. I asked Google to help! What it gave me was a poster that listed 33 ways to stay creative! I have no idea who created this nugget of amazing, or where it was originally posted; if you know, fill me in because this person deserves some major credit!