Should I Upgrade My Camera Equipment?
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Being a professional photographer is an expensive game. Even really basic equipment is hard on the pocket. A lot of us (myself included) get this nagging doubt that our current kit is holding us back. I'm also guilty of getting gear envy when I see other photographers behind the scenes shots on instagram. However, professional photography is a business just like any other and it needs to make a profit, meaning spending on kit needs to be proportionate to your profit.

Using Instagram Stories as a Marketing Tool for Photographers
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Are you using Instagram Stories in your marketing? Are you wondering how photographers are using Stories? With new features like tagging and Boomerang being added this week as well as the possibility of links being added in the near future, Instagram Stories is quickly becoming a great tool for marketing that every photographer should take advantage of. Here is a list of ways you can start using Stories for your business today.

Explaining the Different Types of Lens Autofocus Motor
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While every lens design may or or less look the same, the technology and components contained inside can be very different, particularly the autofocus motors. When it comes to autofocus (AF) systems in camera lenses, there are several types of autofocus motors used to achieve fast and accurate focusing. The decision on which autofocus motor to be used will depend on the lens manufacturer, lens type, and price range. Dive deeper into this article as we explore the most common types of autofocus motors found in lenses.
Fstoppers Reviews: The Platypod Pro Max Camera Support
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Announced on Fstoppers a while back, the Platypod Pro Max Camera Support is one of my favorite recent additions to my primary camera kit. The Platypod Pro Max Camera Support is a wide, stable, and ultra low-profile platform that allows you to set up a large tripod head, camera, and lens on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. The larger platform is solid and even more stable than it’s predecessor for better results.

Restaurant Serves Food On Plates That Help Patrons Take Better Pictures Of Their Food
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Here is an odd story coming out of Tel Aviv. The Israeli restaurant Catit has begun serving their food on a new set of plates which have been specifically designed to help their patrons take better images of their food. They have even created a specific menu which focuses on color and presentation to bring out the best in your Instagram photos.

Shooting A Champagne Toast On A Budget
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A champagne toast at midnight. There is no more iconic way to make the transition from one year to the next. To celebrate the beginning of 2014, I decided to shoot a glass of champagne. Let me show you how I created this shot with items I had laying around my garage.

VSCO Releases Film 07 – The Eclectic Films Collection
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Today the crew at Visual Supply Co. revealed the seventh film pack iteration, VSCO Film 07 - The Eclectic Films Collection. This pack has a refined, cleaner, less gritty feel with focus on the nuances of color.

Renting Photography Equipment Instead of Buying
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Photography as a hobby can be rather expensive, especially when you want a high-quality camera and lenses. You can spend thousands and thousands of dollars without blinking. But you can also rent equipment, and there might be a few good reasons to do so.

Fstoppers Interviews Professional Action Photographer Dave Lehl
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If you aren’t familiar with the work of Dave Lehl, it’s about time that you change that. Dave is not only one of the top photographers in the snowboard industry, but he consistently creates work that transcends genres and has landed him gigs shooting for a list of clients that includes the likes of Red Bull, Nike, and Lamborghini. He has been published in nearly every major snowboard magazine including the covers of Pleasure Mag and Transworld Japan’s photo annuals.

Four Ways to Improve Your Customer Service
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When dealing with clients every little thing we do or don't do can affect whether or not they will refer us on to their friends or colleagues. The digital age not only helps us communicate and run our business but sometimes it is a hindrance to our ability to run a successful and personable business. Taking a step back and looking at the things you are doing currently and how they come across to your clients is your best form of action.

The ARGUS-IS, a 1.8 Gigapixel Spycam
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Welcome to the future. The video posted is a look into the ARGUS-IS, a spy camera used in UAV's capable of capturing movement in an area of 15 miles. The information this camera is capable of seeing is both fascinating and scary. On one hand, its a modern marvel, capable of capturing the movement of an entire small city. On the other hand, its a big brother camera capable of capturing the movement of an entire small city.

Protecting Your Camera Gear After Shooting in the Cold
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Baby it’s cold outside, just look at that ice beard! Only in Northern Michigan would you find someone actually surfing in this kind of cold. But, that’s what a Marquette local, Daniel Schetter or “Surfer Dan,” does. On Christmas day, Photographer Devon Hains ventured out into the cold to photograph Schetter out on Lake Superior. If you’re thinking at all about venturing out in the cold after the next fluffy snowfall to take some shots (and you should), you need to take the appropriate actions to protect your gear. In this article, I’ll share a tip on how not to completely ruin your gear after shooting in the cold.

Profoto Announces the Profoto B2 Battery Powered Studio Flash
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Back in 2013, Profoto announced the Profoto B1 Studio flash, which would go on to change the world of on location photography. With battery powered TTL, the Profoto B1 was an all in one unit, allowing up to 200+ flashes at full power. Well today, they announced it's sidekick, the B2.

Talking Street Photography with Travis Jensen [NSFW, Language]
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Travis Jensen is easily one of my favorite street photographers. He moved to San Francisco almost 20 years ago with a duffel, a skateboard, and a little cash, and has been beating the pavement ever since. In this video, Jensen talks about street photography, his method of shooting, what makes him tick as a photographer, and gives some advice to people trying to make a go of it themselves.

Urban Hippie Is A Must See Fashion-Short That Is Full Of Life And Energy
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Urban Hippie is an award winning fashion-short film that is also a Vimeo staff pick. I was immediately engaged by the visuals that depict a girl's journey into her imagination. There is so much energy and life in the video that it's a must watch. The way each moment was shot was meticulous and every frame could be a photograph of its own. It recent won the the best experimental film at the LA Cinema Festival and the best visual effects award at the La Jolla Fashion Film Festival.

Hands On with the DJI Inspire Quadcopter, Capturing 4K Aerial Video
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With budget options for aerial video becoming more affordable, while the quality and abilities of the cameras they host getting better, I knew it was only a matter or time until I got my hands on such a system. Even though I was a little skeptical from the onset, I’m pleased to say that the DJI Inspire is a phenomenal drone/quadcopter unit for adding dramatic footage to video or still projects, even for first time users.

Why Better Edges Make Better Photos
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As photographers, it is easy to get caught up on what is in the middle of the frame and ignore what may fall on the edges. But, the edges can actually have a surprising impact on how successful your compositions are, and being more purposeful about that part of the image can really improve your photographs!

The Beauty and Wonder of Iceland's Northern Lights Like Never Experienced Before
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Michigan-based photographer Vincent Brady spent five weeks in Iceland living out the back of a rental car to capture the ethereal footage found in his latest 360-degree time-lapse project “Aurora Panoramas Acoustic Borealis.” The video depicts Iceland in its full fantastic glory, with brightly colored auroras floating above fairytale landscapes. Set to an original mellow acoustic tune by long-time friend Brandon McCoy, this video makes for the perfect 4-minute weekend getaway.

A Few Reasons to Fly FPV or Tiny Drones
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When i think drones, I think of an amazing tool used for photography. However, there are many other uses for drones and FPV is one of them that has slowly been benefiting me when it comes to practicing my flying.

SanDisk's New Serious SD Cards for Extreme Outdoor Photographers
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My favorite part about writing for Fstoppers is the chance to try out new and interesting camera gear. Recently, I got the opportunity to try the latest SD cards from SanDisk, the Outdoors series cards. Available in both SD and Micro SD, these are some of the latest tech for strong, durable memory cards. Let’s see how they performed in the field.

If You're Going to Work for Free, Read This First
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90% of people in the creative industries have worked for free. In the world of photography and filmmaking, it's not unusual to work for nothing in return for exposure, experience, and getting a foot in the door — to the frustration of others. Whether you're the one moaning or the one undercutting, check out these ideas for how we can make things better.

How to Cure Yourself of Gear Acquisition Syndrome
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Gear acquisition syndrome, or G.A.S, is a name for those of us that like to accumulate tech gear, and in this case specifically, photographic equipment, normally in detriment to the learning process. If you struggle with G.A.S, then here are 10 ways to cure yourself.

Affinity Photo 1.5 Update Is Coming - Adds Macros, Batch Processing, Focus Stacking, and More
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Serif has announced that a big update is coming to their Affinity Photo software in early autumn. In a sneak peek video showing off version 1.5, we are shown the software’s new abilities such as HDR image merging, a new tone mapping workspace, and a new way to view and work with 360-degree images. The new update will arrive in early autumn, but today through July 21 you can get Affinity Photo for 20 percent off.