We have known the Nikon Z 9 mirrorless camera is on its way fairly soon for a while now, and specs have been slowly trickling out. Another set of specs have leaked, and it looks like the camera will be quite impressive.
We've all seen behind-the-scenes videos before right? Most are quick little tidbits showing how much fun a shoot is and how amazing the life of a photographer is. Some of them even give you some amazing insight into the techniques used by some of the top pros working today. Well, this is NOT that kind of BTS video. This 16 hour (yes, you read that right) marathon of a video is by far the BEST BTS that I've found that really shows you what the elite in the fashion world actually do to make those amazing editorials we all love.
Camera straps: can’t live with them, can’t live without them. The SpiderLight Backpacker Kit may be the answer to break free.
Storm chasing on the Great Lakes can be a hit-or-miss enterprise. In particular, Lake Michigan presents a formidable challenge because the weather here typically travels west to east across the lake and often changes rapidly once over the water.
Today, Apple has announced their latest MacBook Pro, their popular powerhouse laptop for creatives. Headline features include a new keyboard design, 16-inch Retina display, an 8-core processor, 64 GB of RAM, 8 GB of VRAM, a new thermal management system, faster performance, and longer battery life.
In this article, I share some techniques I used to edit my most popular photo here on Fstoppers. With 4.36 points from 95 votes, it appealed to many of you. But aside from the great subject with Mohamed and his dromedaries and the beautiful, golden evening light, the final image required quite some work to achieve this pristine look.
If you're using the monthly Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop package, make sure you make the most for your money and have looked at the free available resources to help you design, from collages to branding mock-ups.
We all know the classic way to light paint photos, usually with a flashlight or a similar light source, but recently a new technique came to life: Light Stenciling. The idea is simple - instead of moving a flashlight in the frame to create shapes, you use a computer display (iPads, iPhones, Laptops) to add characters and items to the image by placing a graphic on top of a black background. The results are really awesome, so check out some of the best stencils we could find on Flickr.
There's plenty of dumb stuff that people say when they get into photography. So, let's dispel some of the common myths that are floating around.
As a macro photographer, I commonly get asked questions about shooting fast-moving live subjects, as well as how I create my compositions. Many elements come into play when creating these images, and so, I would like to discuss a few macro photography tips, including some that often get overlooked.
When I was new to portrait lighting, I used to blast everything with light with reckless abandon. Although, as I grew as a photographer, I learned that the ability to control the spread of light on a multi-strobe shoot allowed you to not only create something with a more sophisticated appearance, but tell a better story. One of the most affordable ways to accomplish this is with the use of grids. The Slanted Lens put together a great video tutorial on understanding grids. Read below to learn more.
I love Nikon, but for its professional line of cameras (anyone can make the little guys). But I've never been a fan of the Coolpix name. Maybe it reminds me of an era during which plastic boxes that could barely make a file for a 4x6 print were actually cool. So when I first saw the Coolpix A, I didn't think anything of it. But when I really read about it, I realized it's time for me to drop the silly baggage I have with the Coolpix name. This isn't just cool. It's red hot -- for a number of reasons.
Now that the dust has settled on Nikon's big Z 9 announcement and pundits have chewed the cud over the raft of firsts that the announcement heralded, let's pause for a moment and consider some of the reality that will undoubtedly follow this.
It is advised to shoot raw, always. Although many think that is a wise thing to do, a lot of photographers still shoot JPEG only. For those group of photographers I have 10 tips for better photos, and it has nothing to do with raw.
Quite a number of years ago I had a friend that suggested I use Photomechanic to review my photos and pick the ones I want to edit (also known as "culling.") I downloaded the free trial and was immediately turned off by the archaic and confusing menus. Had someone showed me then what I was missing I would have immediately adopted it into my workflow and saved myself lots of time over the years. Hopefully this video will do it justice and show you just how incredible and valuable a tool Photomechanic is for your workflow.
As photographers, we’re constantly re-crafting our portfolios, building new work, and (hopefully) growing as artists. Along the way, many of us will face challenges, get burnt out on locations, and ultimately feel in a rut. Through time and education, we invest so much into our portfolios, however the best advice I can give is to invest financially too.
Whether you’re a film photographer who also shoots digital or a film photographer exclusively, a life after film is on my mind and should be on yours as well.
In this second article about image sharpness, we will look at some more reasons why your photos may not be as sharp as you would wish.
Wedding photographers make the worst wedding guests. I know that when I’m at a friend’s wedding, I have a hard time turning it off. And no one should make me - least of all the hired guns photographing the bride and groom for the day. If that sounds blasphemous, let me explain.
When I watched this video this morning from London-based film production company Make Productions my mind was blown, my jaw dropped and I just kept thinking about all the detailed work that went into creating such an amazing parallax sequence - all of which was executed perfectly. Take 90-seconds today and be sure to check this out then read on below to find out more details about how it was created.
Fujifilm users have had their options rather limited when it came to wide angle fast-aperture zooms. Well, the only option has been the fan-favorite but bulky XF 8-16mm f2/.8 R LM WR, but now, there’s a new kid on the block. How does it compete? Is it worth considering?
Let me tell you: there’s nothing quite like a new camera and a change of scenery to recharge the old creative batteries, especially after a long British winter. I just came back last Sunday from a fantastic three-week trip to Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand and therefore, had plenty of time to intensively test the new Pen-F by Olympus, which I've had since mid-February.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a successful photographer? To determine what creates success, we first have to define success. While success can take many forms, in this case we are referring to it as a healthy coexistence between business life and personal life, while following a profitable career that you love. For each individual the criteria changes, but for the past several months, after lots of reading, listening to podcasts, and through personal experiences, I have compiled a list of five words that describe a successful photographer.
Everyone who has ever picked up a camera has felt the unforgettable feeling of regret when you miss the perfect shot because of a focus problem. It's a gut wrenching feeling because you know you can't do anything about it.
Right?
As a writer for Fstoppers I have seen a lot of behind the scenes (BTS) videos, but some of my favorites are those produced by Simeon Quarrie of Vivida. His videos are always top notch and offer the viewers a wonderful opportunity to see real shoots with actual clients while picking up lots of great tips on how he produces such great photographs.
Photographers often have a hard enough time getting the proper credit and payment they deserve for the images they create. And now, Instagram is enabling brands to make money off your images without you ever even knowing it.
Sony's newly announced a7S is shaping up to be a video behemoth. Yes, this video really impressed me. With its light weight and quality sensor, if they hit the right price point Sony could have the camera I would be tempted to leave Canon for. "Features newly developed, wide dynamic range sensor with awe-inspiring sensitivity.
Anyone getting started out in DSLR video production can tell you that one of the biggest frustrations for them is changing focus during a shot. This is where FocusMaker comes in. It attaches to any lens and in just a few minutes you can have focus points marked on the big ruler, and easily jump back and forth from focus point to focus point.
Joe McNally takes us through his lighting setup for a recent Cowboy portrait he shot. Joe's vision was to have the photo look like it was being lit by daylight coming through a window. He accomplishes this with a set of speed-lights and a 6x6 diffuser. He also adds additional lights to add fill for the shadows that the cowboy hat creates. Joe breaks down the gear...
Trying to capture a perfectly balanced shot during blue hour has its challenges. These three tips will have you capturing more successful images for your portfolio.
