Has the Backpack Ecosystem Arrived? Nanuk’s N-PVD 30L Backpack Reviewed

After 10+ years, I’ve realized no single camera bag is perfect, but some get close. The Nanuk N-PVD 30L combines a high-quality bag with a useful storage system. In this review, I’ll go through what I loved and explain how it fits into Nanuk’s broader “N-CUBIK ecosystem.”

Joe McNally on Creating Lighting That Matches the Character of Your Location

Joe McNally does it again with a great video on making sure you're lighting for your overall scene. He breaks down the editorial by first discussing the message he wants to communicate, and then goes on to explain the whys and hows for lighting to achieve that vision. McNally is a great teacher and is able to convey these ideas in a way that even those new

Nine Tips to Create a Killer Silhouette

Southern California photography team Brett and Tori love shooting silhouettes and over the years have picked up some simple tips that help them nail killer shots time and time again. Read on to discover 9 of their great tips you can use on your next shoot and see some of the beautiful silhouettes shot by Brett and Tori.

Top Wedding Photography Skills to Learn and Develop

So you’re trying to develop your wedding photography skills? Let’s talk through some of the photography skills you need to learn and develop. My advice is to pick one thing at a time to focus on, perfect that and then move on.

New Canon DSLRs?

Canon has a few things on the horizon, potentially. One thing is for sure, there's some kind of high-megapixel camera like the Nikon D800. But recent rumors prove this could up the game to an entirely new level...

Nikon Announces Z 6II and Z 7II: Small But Meaningful Improvements

Nikon has just announced the second generation of their full-frame mirrorless bodies, updating the Z 6 and Z 7 to Z 6II and Z 7II. These feature updates improve some crucial areas of camera performance, but is it enough to keep them competitive? Check out the features that have changed and decide for yourself.

Why You Should Accept Bitcoin For at Least One Job

If you haven't heard about Bitcoin yet then you really should pay attention to this because in the long run it could make you a lot of money. Before we get into the whys and hows and what it means for photographers though, you need to know what it is in the first place. Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency designed around the idea of using cryptography to control the creation and transfer of money

Preproduction: All the Things You Need to Do Before Every Video or Photo Job

Whether you’re about to head out for a day of shooting some corporate videos, producing a multiday lifestyle photoshoot, or even traveling abroad for a project, as a filmmaker or photographer you’ll likely have to do a fair amount of prep, called preproduction. This article will summarize a number of things that you should think about and probably not forget to do before leaving for your next job.

Fstoppers Reviews the Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 APS-C: The Perfect X-Mount Portrait Lens?

A portrait lens is up there as one of the key acquisitions in pretty much every photographer's lens collection. The release of Viltrox's auto-focus 56mm f/1.4 in Fuji X-mount is therefore highly anticipated because it combines AF and a fast aperture all at a highly economical price point. Is it worth the money?

Will the Electronic Shutter Ever Truly Replace the Mechanical Shutter?

This week, I acquired a shiny new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, which surpasses all cameras in its class when it comes to speed. This is thanks to the advanced silent electronic shutter mode. And this got me thinking, will there come a day when the electronic shutter will ever fully replace the mechanical shutter? And do we want it to?

Fstoppers Reviews the Selens Parabolic Softbox: Parabolic Goodness on a Budget

Parabolic softboxes are all the rage in the lighting world. It seems like you can't check out lighting videos on Youtube without coming across one. But with price points all over the place, I was reluctant to pick one up for fear of spending too much money on a modifier I wouldn't like or use. Then, I came across the budget-priced Selens Parabolic Softbox. With a price of about $100 and good reviews, I was ready to pull the trigger. Here are my thoughts and video review.

On Set With Macklemore and Sexy Grandmas

A year ago, I had the pleasure of filming Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in my hometown of Victoria, British Columbia. At that point, the underground Seattle based duo was unheard of by many and confidently rocked the smaller side stage at our local music festival. To put it in perspective, there were a few hundred people there and the majority of the crowd was hearing songs like “Thrift Shop”, “Can’t Hold Us” and “Same Love” for the first time.

Informative Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L II Sharpness Test

BorrowLenses recently published a test they did looking at the sharpness between Canon's latest 24-70mm f/2.8 L II lens and the original, and were pleased to note several distinct reasons you might want to pick up the new one. The new version two has less chromatic aberrations, less vignetting, and is also sharper than the original. Though we are still testing this lens and haven't yet reached a verdict, their test might help you decide one way or the other.

The Ultimate Trick to Remember What Card Has Been Imported: Remove All Guesswork

Importing files from a memory card onto a computer doesn’t seem to be a complicated task, and it shouldn’t be. However, it’s probably one of the most crucial parts of your workflow. If you forget a file on your card or format and reuse the wrong one, it can generate bigger issues than any photographer would like to face. Because let’s be honest, no one wants to tell a client that files have been lost… let alone a full job! There is a trick to avoid that kind of problem, and if you’ve never heard of it, you may be surprised by how simple it is!

Retouching - Is Credit Due?

In the world of digital photography, retouching often plays just as much of a role in the final image as taking the photo(s). There seems to be an even split of professional photographers who do it all themselves vs those who hire it out, and lately I've been noticing some discussion based around where credit is due when a photo's final appearance relies more on editing than setting up lights and pressing the shutter.

Apple Releases New Promo Video, Band Cries Plagiarism

A few days ago Apple released a new promo video titled "Perspective" which aims to send the message that Apple sees things differently. In an ironic twist, band OK Go is claiming that Apple has stolen the concept from their recent music video "The Writing's On The Wall".

A Week as a Professional Photographer

Before I became a photographer, I had ideas as to what the career might be like, boy was I wrong. Here is what a week as a professional photographer looks like.

Vote for the Winning Image in the Fstoppers Puerto Rico Photo Contest Challenge

This week we continue our Puerto Rican Photo Challenge. In our second challenge, two photographers explore the elaborate cave systems hidden deep within the central hills of Puerto Rico. In the full article, you can vote which image was the best and later this week we will reveal the winning image.

Always Be Patient With Landscapes: Wait for the Right Moment

Everyone who is photographing landscapes knows how important light is. With the right light situations, a boring landscape can transform into something magical. It is not only choosing the golden hour, but also waiting for the right moment. You need to be patient.

Ignorant, Offensive or Over-Sensitive?

I live just a few miles outside of New York City, so when 911 happened, my world was rocked harder than most in the world. After getting my daily dose of hate mail this week about taking pictures at the 911 Memorial at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, I thought I'd write about it.

Why I Love Detroit And Its EPIC Photoshoot Locations

Detroit may be known for things like its extreme crime, car theft, Robocop, and the Detroit Auto Show by the outside world, but it also happens to be a very creative town of possibilities and one of my new favorite places to photograph in. In fact, despite being a Washington DC-based photographer (soon to be relocated to NYC full-time), I've done 4 separate paid photoshoots in Detroit this Spring alone. Detroit has some of the most incredible grand locations, which you will learn about in the blog post below.

DxO PureRAW Just Might Be the Best Way to Start Your Editing

Every photographer has their own workflow, and most of us start by making edits in our raw files. Sometimes, I start in Lightroom Classic; other times, I open them with Photoshop, which takes me to Camera Raw. At times, I use Luminar AI. Now, with the debut today of DxO PureRAW, photographers have a better way to start their editing sessions, with some compelling advantages over what you are using now.

Newly Released Photos Show Reactions of President, Vice-President, to the 9/11 Attacks

A set of over 300 never-before-released photos taken on September 11, 2001 has just been posted on the U.S. National Archives' Flickr page. These images take us right into the middle of meetings between President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and more. They offer us a powerful look at the reactions of our nation's leaders as they are faced with the largest terrorist attack ever on U.S. soil.

Why Do Sony Users Have So Few Options When It Comes to This Basic Lens?

Sony users tend not to struggle when it comes to choosing lenses thanks to a ton of third parties complementing a large offering from the Japanese manufacturer. However, one lens now forms a bizarre gap in the lens lineup and, amazingly, companies are not trying to fill it.