[Opinion] The Best Free & Pay Music Websites For Video Editors

Great music can take a video edit to the next level, but music that doesn’t fit, or is cheesy stock-quality can make even the most awesome video seem like something your uncle put together after a few beers. I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite places to get FREE music for low/no-budget video projects, as well as some pay sites. Check out the list in the full post.
Three Unknown Tips for Exporting Video

Encoding video files can become a crazy technical feat. I don’t blame people for using the preset options, even if they’re usually rubbish. Here’s how to fix three common problems, in unusually clever ways.

How to Reduce Distractions in Landscape Photos

A question to ask yourself before composing your landscape photos is: what's the subject? Having a clear answer to that will help you create good photographs. But there are situations where no matter how you position your camera, some elements in the frame will distract from the main subject. In this article, I share editing techniques you can use to alleviate that problem.

Incredible BTS Video on How They Created the Film 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

As a huge movie car buff and lover of the original "Mad Max" films, it goes without saying that I am more than excited for the release of the latest iteration of the series. I'm going to assume statistically that you are too because it is rating incredibly well among most of the movie reviewers. One of their biggest compliments toward the film? The stunning energetic visuals, and I would agree. What's even more stunning? Most of the stunts were done with practical effects! Check out 18 minutes of pure stunt-making glory.

Four Ways to Connect With Your Model

So you found the perfect model for your concept, reached out to him or her, agreed on a date, showed up at the location, and are about ready to shoot. You have never met this person in your life. Now what? We have all seen those unfortunate shots taken by our fellow photographers where the client or model looks wildly uncomfortable. We want our models to look at ease in every frame, and this can be accomplished by following these four simple steps.

Why Instagram is Crucial to Lead Generation for Photographers

There is a lot of debate within the photo community on the importance of a social media presence. As social media has increasingly evolved as an essential in daily life, it’s time for photographers to stop fighting against the current. No matter your niche, there is value in participating in an online presence. Instagram is a particularly important tool for photographers to generate leads.

Raw Comparison: Magic Lantern Canon 5D VS Black Magic Cinema Camera

Still hot with news on the Canon 5D Mark III being able to shoot continuous raw video footage with Magic Lantern, comparison videos are starting to hit the net. In this video, you'll see the Black Magic Cinema Camera footage alongside the hacked 5D, with ISO information to give you a better idea of the noise difference. Even with Vimeo's compression, you can see the difference for yourself.

The 7 Mistakes to Avoid That Can Destroy Your Photography Business

Let’s address the elephant in the room: there are probably 1.2 trillion pieces of content about running a business. I’ve read maybe half of them myself, and there’s some outstanding information available, but let’s set a goal to create the top mistakes to avoid when you decide to go from hobbyist to professional.

Adobe Photoshop CC Adds 10 Sweet New Features

Photoshop has become a powerhouse in terms of editing software, easily the number one choice in the industry. They haven’t gotten there by being complacent, and Photoshop CC introduces new and awesome features that expand the power of the biggest name in post production such as Camera Shake Reduction, Camera RAW as a filter, and their new Smart Sharpen.

Canon Announces Pro-Level Video Camcorder Trio Without 4K

This month, Canon announced three new options for pro-level and enthusiast videographers. These new camcorders are lightweight and compact. They all offer a 20x optical zoom lens, record full HD 1080p video, and range in price from $999 to $1,899. The lack of 4K capabilities has many consumers wondering who will buy and use these products.

5 Things Your Phone Does Better Than Your Camera

The cameras in phones aren’t working with much. Between small sensors and simple lenses, it’s impressive they can produce the level of quality that the most recent flagships phones are capable of. But there’s more to an image than just pure image quality. Do you want to know the 5 things cameras could learn from phones?

Why It Is Generally Insane to Arbitrarily Switch Camera Brands on a Whim

If I had a nickel for every time I encounter a photographer who is preparing to sell all their gear and jump ship to another camera brand I would actually be able to do so myself. Except I wouldn't. Swapping out camera brands based on some ill-conceived belief that it is the brand of gear you use that is holding you back will do nothing more than lighten your wallet and force you to spend a chunk of time relearning a new interface.

Fstoppers Reviews the DJI Osmo X5R: Stabilized Raw Video in the Palm of Your Hand

Stabilizing a video camera used to be a heavy, cumbersome, and expensive task. Today, with the help of smaller cameras and electronic gimbals, stable 4K footage has becoming increasingly affordable and compact. DJI has taken this idea to the max and created a handheld stabilized camera that can shoot 4K raw footage.

Forget Nikon. Forget Canon. Meet the Sony a99.

Okay, I feel guilty already. I love Nikon, and Canon has their perks, too. But I really do hope both companies can take a clue from Sony. The a99 is a hell of a camera -- read on...I promise you'll be pleasantly (if oddly) surprised.

Model Claims Terry Richardson Asked For Sex In Exchange For Vogue Shoot

Yes, Terry Richardson is making the headlines AGAIN. But this time, he seems to have outdone himself from the last few times we have wrote about him. According to Jezebel.com, model Emma Appleton shared a screenshot of a message from Terry Richardson which was offering her a chance to have a featured Vogue shoot in exchange for sex.

Chris ODell's Guide To Travel Photography

Guest writer and photographer, Chris O'Dell has an opportunity to travel the world and photograph some of the most beautiful and honest places in the world. With his job as a Minister, Chris often finds himself traveling all over the world, helping local communities and bridging the gaps between cultures and people. Listen closely, as he shares the tips he's learned from over 20 years of experience.

Why I Chose Third Party Speedlights Over the Name Brands

Name brand speedlights — like a lot of things in photography — are absurdly priced, and although they carry the big brand names, they also lack in a number of key areas versus the lower cost, third party alternatives. Take a look at my reasoning for steering clear of the big camera manufactures brand speedlights.

A Free Google Calendar Tool to Meet your Workflow Deadlines

I am a serial procrastinator, I will do it tomorrow is a common theme. However my goal this year is to meet my deadlines! Nothing is more unprofessional than missing a deadline for a client. With Google Calendar and a simple Excel / Google spreadsheet file I am able to schedule a multi-deadline schedule in a few clicks.

The Analog Look in Lightroom: A Review of RNI’s All Films Pack

There’s a lot of options in the preset and profiles space, but in my experience, one has stood above the rest. If you’re looking to bring a bit of analog spirit to your images, here’s why RNI's All Films 5 pack is the product you should get.

First Impressions Are Everything On Your Instagram Profile

A lot of people came to visit when I shared why most of us are not exactly the best at Instagram due to lack of hustle and effort. When someone takes the time to comment or like a few photos I will usually take the few seconds to go see their profile and immediately judge it. We all do it. Sometimes it is a good impression, but often since the majority of us don't plan the posts much, it is not. There are people out there doing it much better than us though. Let me show you some profiles that have a stunning first impression.

Using Magic Lantern With Focus Peaking For Free-lensing

Magic lantern is by far the best thing to happen to the DSLR cameras. It offers so many options not given to you by the normal Canon firmware that it should be sin not to install it. This is a quick little walkthrough on how I use ML for easy, accurate free-lensing.

Where To Find Photography Models and How To Approach Them

Some photographers go their entire career without deliberately photographing people. However, most of us, at some point, will want or need to photograph people in specific situations. If you’re not used to working with models, here’s some helpful advice on how to go about it. Whether you want to learn portraiture or need to shoot a model for a specific job, this guide will be of use.

Review: Fotodiox's LED is a Modular Monobloc-Style Video Light Worth Having

LED has come a long way in the last three years. It was not too long ago that serious photographers and videographers were having a hard time with the idea of LED. They tended to be under powered and cast unattractive shadows. But there was potential, and that potential is beginning to blossom. Fotodiox’s LED100WA monobloc-style heads are one such shining example of how far LED has come and what can be done with it.

How to Set Up Your Wacom Tablet for Capture One and Why You Should

There aren’t many things photographers unanimously agree on, but the desire to improve post-processing results and reduce the time required to do it is one. With so much of a photographer’s time spent behind a computer, anything that not only expedites but enhances the experience is welcomed with open arms, and using a Wacom pen tablet is one such thing. For Capture One, using a Wacom Tablet can be a real boon, and here’s how.

Print Your Photography: Part Three

It turns out that every different kind of paper out there isn't going to be the right choice for every shot that you have. Sometimes, you'll make the wrong choice and the content won't make sense on the type of paper.

[Contest] The Winner Of A Nikon D800 Or Canon 5D Mark III Is

A few weeks ago Fstoppers teamed up with SLR Lounge for a contest giveaway. The contest wasn't just any contest though; we wanted to give one of our lucky readers either a brand new Canon 5D Mark III or Nikon D800 camera of their choosing. All the entries were in by April 30th, and yesterday we picked our lucky winner. Cross your fingers and say a little prayer before you hit the full post...