The Most Important Thing Photographers Need To Schedule

As a wedding photographer I understand the difficulties of running a business, shooting weddings on weekends and editing photos during the week. It can really eat up a lot of time in the schedule and if you let it, it can take priority over your family life. That's why as creatives we have to set limits on ourselves and make sure we always put family first. One photographer that is the perfect example of how to put family first is Vancouver wedding photographer, Matt Kennedy.

We Review the HP Sprocket 3x4: In a Class of Its Own

The title of this article makes it seem like I'm heaping some sort of superlative description upon what is, more or less, a typical Zink-based printer that doesn't require ink or cartridges. And when it comes to this, the $129 HP Sprocket 3x4 Instant Photo Printer, I am. Well, more or less.

The Monday Retouch - How to Retouch Landscapes - Submit Your Image to Be Retouched!

This week's winning image comes from Photographer Daniel Nordholm. It's a stunning landscape image that he captured in Lofoten, a beautiful archipelago in Norway. I was very excited to break from my norm of beauty and fashion retouching to tackle and share a landscape retouch. Many of the techniques and the workflow of a landscape can be very different from portrait retouching, while the philosophy can be quite the same. In this article, you will see the full retouch of the image in the short two-minute video. In all, the retouch took about an hour. I will also share some specific techniques for landscape editing that you can use in your images as well.

Fujifilm Announces X-T2 With Over-Sampled 4K Video, 325-Point Hybrid AF, and a Slew of Requested Improvements

Just announced and already available for pre-order, the X-T2 is Fujifilm's latest and truly greatest mirrorless camera — and it's not even the most expensive. Supporting the latest 24-megapixel X-Trans III sensor are features that include 8 frames-per-second shooting (11 fps with a newly announced power grip), an ISO range of 200-12,800 (up to 100-51,200), and over-sampled video during both 1080p and a Fujifilm mirrorless camera first: 4K recording. If you want the best Fujifilm mirrorless body, this is it. And we're just getting started.

10 Tips for Better Smartphone Photography

They say the best camera you have is the one that's always with you. Almost all of us carry our smartphones everywhere in our pockets, so it's probably a good idea to learn how to make better images with them. Learn from these 10 tips for better smartphone photography.

Every Single Light Modifier Compared: The Ultimate Guide

I notice many guides online for various light modifiers available. What I don’t see as much is a proper comparison of nearly every modifier available. Having sorted through my kit a few days ago, I realized I have numerous modifiers. In this article, we will compare modifiers so that next time you’re selecting one, you understand their functions.

Freelancer? Add Some Structure To Your Life

Being a freelancer means you're in total control of your schedule and tasks. It's great to be your own boss and you have the freedom to focus on the things YOU want to focus on and decide when and how to do them. Being a freelancer also means you have no* real structure or workframe to rely on, nothing to really push you to do what needs to be done. Being your own boss makes it very easy to become a lazy boss-employee. Here are few tips on how to get some structure in your life.

A Statement From the Family of Alyn Wallace

Several days ago, on March 29, the photography world was rocked by the news of Alyn Wallace's sudden passing. The family of Alyn have now released a statement on his Instagram page.

The Nikon Z7 in the Hands of an Urban Photographer

It's been exactly a year since the release of Nikon's flagship full-frame mirrorless camera and the camera has been tested in so many different genres. For this review, I test out this camera for compatibility in the exact kind of photography that I do: urban photography.

VSCO Film Gives Your Digital Images An Authentic Film Look

I have never been a huge preset guy. I love having total control over my images, so presets were never really a big thing to me. I also love shooting film, and no matter what kind of tinkering I do in Photoshop I never really nail that film look with my digital files. Then I discovered VSCO Film.

Photography: A Rich Person’s Sport 

Most of you might be saying: "you're nuts! Haven’t you been sailing? Luxury car driving? Golfing all over the place?" And luckily, I have, and let me tell you, photography is the most expensive sport I have ever practiced.

[BTS] Sasha Leahovcenco Makes A Band Walk On Water

This is another cool video from Sasha Leahovcenco where he shoots a band walking on water using only a single light. This video walks you through the set up and shooting and shows you the awesome final image.

Should You Go to College to Become a Photographer?

As professional photographers, there's no doubt in our minds that making photography into a career should be considered "a real job." However, the path you take to become a professional may make or break your career choice.

Is Your Website Frustrating Potential Clients? Find Out The Truth For Free!

When is the last time you visited a website and thought that there were ways they could improve it so your user experience was better? Do you think it’s possible that the same is true for your website? Maybe you’re losing potential clients because of a small oversight in your website. Here’s how to find out…and it’s FREE!

[Editorial] Hard Drives: What, When, and Where to Buy in a Marked Up Industry

Hard drives are something we all need. But in an industry that advances (i.e. depreciates) so quickly and with increases in price due to flooding in Thailand, how can we be sure we're getting what's right for us? And how can we stay technologically flexible with upcoming releases when we have 'old' hard drives? Do I need Thunderbolt? Do I need more than two hard drives? How can daisy-chaining help me? These are some of the starter questions that lead into an entire breakdown of what you might need in certain situations.

Fstoppers Reviews the Broncolor Siros L 800Ws

Broncolor is often referred as the top high-end flash manufacturer. Their units are all assembled by hand in Switzerland, and the Siros L is no exception to the rule. However, the latest addition to their product line is much cheaper than their other battery-powered flash, and it’s a monobloc unit, just like the Profoto B1. I had the opportunity to use one for a few weeks to give you my impressions!

Reasons You Aren't Landing Photography Gigs: Part 1

Photographers and videographers both tread water in a crowded pool of competition, and often we feel in danger of drowning in that pool. In this week’s and next week’s articles, I will present the most common reasons we lose out on work we otherwise might have won.

How To Create A Two-Light Setup Using 100% Natural Light

Yes, you read that correctly. A two-light setup (one key-light, one back-light) using nothing but natural light. No bounce, no reflectors, nothing. With just you, your subject, and a little knowledge, you can create stunning imagery with even more depth using your surroundings to your advantage. So are you ready? Let's go!

The Problem With Presets

Retouching is an essential part of the photography process. A photo does not get published without some finishing applied in post production. Automation tools such as presets and actions help speed up this process, but there is a danger in using them. This article discusses the problem with presets.

Take Your Time-Lapse to the Next Level by Blending in Real-Time Video

With less expensive gear being introduced all the time, we have seen a boom in time-lapse films in recent years, making it easier for just about anyone to make their own time-lapse clips. But with the deluge of videos comes innovation and the need to differentiate yourself. Filmmakers have used time-lapse in some creative ways with production techniques like multi-axis motion and post-production software like After Effects to achieve wild results. A relatively new approach is compositing live-action footage over time-lapse video, and it is pretty easy to do.

The Next Season Of Fstoppers Behind The Scenes Begins Now

It all started last year when Patrick and I flew around the world twice to create Photographing The World with Elia Locardi. We documented our entire three months of travel and edited it all down into 16 behind the scenes episodes. Earlier this year we created a behind the scenes series with Joey Wright covering our Swimwear Photography tutorial. These series have been so popular that we've decided to continue them.

Stop Making Excuses: Get Out and Shoot Some Photographs

So, what did you photograph in the last seven days? What, you didn’t shoot anything in the previous week? Nothing? Too many times, I hear: “there is nothing interesting to photograph” or “I’ve already photographed everything around me.” Well, to me, that means you just aren’t trying hard enough.

Color Wheels for Photoshop, Finally a Reality Thanks to Retouching Toolkit

It still boggles my mind that Adobe hasn't added color wheels to Photoshop in 2019. It's a tool loved by colorists and video editors, yet photographers are forced to rely solely on curves and sliders instead. Fortunately, the guys at Retouching Toolkit fixed Photoshop once again.

Fstoppers Reviews ProGrade: A New Professional Memory Card Company with Pro-Level Support

ProGrade Digital is a new professional memory card built by former executives and employees from both Lexar and SanDisk. Today, ProGrade Digital launches its first product lines including CFAST 2.0 and SD UHS-II memory cards as well as a dual CFAST 2.0 and SD card reader. But the best part about ProGrade is its professional-level support and rigorous testing.

Photography Compositing Insanity, A Dress Made Of Hands

I ran across the incredibly imaginative portfolio of John Flury a few weeks ago. When I viewed his image "Provincial Uprising" where a womans dress was made of human hands I couldn't figure out how it was made.