The Milky Way – Amazing Time-Lapse and Images from Rural Greece

If you've never seen the Milky Way in the skies in any rural part of the world, you have been robbed of one of the most magnificent visions on this planet. I grew up in the southern part of Israel, which is a desert called The Negev. All the kids from my block would gather every summer night, lie down on the ground and just stare at the skies for hours on end. I didn't realize how lucky I was to grow up in that desert.

Fstoppers Reviews the DJI OSMO+: The Most Versatile Camera on the Market?

It's been the nuisance of the modern, technological era: shaky video. Shaky video not only is annoying, but the fix is usually expensive, bulky, and not too practical — until recently. DJI, one of the most innovate companies going right now has the answer to that problem, at a consumer price. It’s called the DJI OSMO.

Five Simple Tips for Cityscape Photography

Shooting cityscapes is something many people never get tired of. The urban jungle is an ever-changing landscape that never ceases to amaze many people with its often grandiose theme and bright, distinct, and often colorful details.

Fujifilm Is Rumored to Have Discontinued the Brilliant GFX 50R

The camera with a rightful place in the hearts of Fujifilm fans and a cemented place in medium format history has been allegedly discontinued. While it's understandable given recent announcements, many of us are sad all the same.

Phase One IQ3 100MP Trichromatic Colors Compared

Medium-format cameras have long been known for being able to produce incredible and vibrant colors. This is one of the main reasons behind why many professionals upgrade and spend so much on these systems. The colors that you can achieve with the 16-bit sensors are very desirable and allow much more flexibility in post. Currently, the 100MP sensor is the only CMOS sensor that is 16-bit capable based on the hardware, and most people who shoot with these cameras are very happy with the results. Phase One, however, decided it wasn't good enough and released their new Trichromatic back.

Review of the Updated “One Man Crew” Automated Slider for Documentary Video Production

I’ve been a user of the original One Man Crew for many different videos. It’s ability to get elegant motion video clips have made it a go-to piece of gear for when I need my interviews to have an interesting look to them. When I heard that an updated version was being released, I was excited to see if a few issues were fixed. In this gear review, I'll break down what is fixed, and what left me wanting more.

David E. Jackson Brings Back The 80's For Roastar Coffee

What happens when you give a photographer free reign to come up with some crazy ideas, access to a ski park and all the day-glo they could stomach? A crazy 80's ski bunny shoot for Roastar Coffee Bags! This behind the scenes shoot from David E. Jackson walks us through the thoughts behind the thought process behind the shoot and we've got two great videos below that explain some of the post processing.

New High-End Remote Trigger Released By Ubertronix

If you think you've got a quick trigger finger, then you haven't used the new Strike Finder Touch (SFT) by Ubertronix. This sleek remote trigger boasts the ability to trigger your camera shutter in less than 1 millisecond. The device has 5 different modes: Time Lapse, Lightning (or high speed flash), laser, sound and motion. All you need is 4 AAA batteries, your camera, and a great subject to get started.

Why Are Sony, Fuji, and Olympus Soaring Ahead?

A camera is only worth what you're willing to pay for it, and the same is true of camera manufacturers. A business is not necessarily the sum of its parts, and its value is reflected in its share price. By this yardstick, Sony is streaking ahead while Nikon is bombing. How do they compare?

Sirui 150mm Anamorphic Lens: The Lens That Rekindled My Passion For Filming

Sirui's launched the Venus 150mm T2.9 1.6x Full-Frame Anamorphic Lens. Beyond its sharp imagery, pleasing bokeh, and unique anamorphic flare, its standout feature is the remarkably close minimum focus distance. This capability sets the lens apart, elevating it to a distinct tier of optical brilliance.

Marketing Tips for Photographers in Small Markets

Marketing your business and your creative work can be tough. Doing it in a small market can be even tougher. It can often seem overwhelming, but with some careful analysis and planning, you can maximize your opportunities. Having worked in sales and marketing for the better part of 18 years, I've picked up a few tips and tricks that I believe would help any photographer struggling to establish themselves in any market.

New Fujifilm Camera and Lenses Available for Preorder

Since the release of the X100, Fujifilm has shown the photography community that they're very much alive, and not going down without a fight. They showed their fight once again today, with the announcement of their new affordable mirrorless camera the Fujifilm X-M1, and an additional prime and zoom lens for their X-Mount lens system.

Curvature Pen Tool: Adobe Photoshop CC Sneak Peek of an Easier Pen Tool Coming Soon

The Pen tool is incredibly powerful, but not always the easiest to use for newcomers. Even those familiar with other Photoshop features are often less proficient with using the Pen tool to select specific areas or create paths. While it's not meant to replace the original Pen tool, the new Curvature Pen tool previewed in this video helps make a faster and more accurate selection around objects with curved edges in a way that could even be faster for those who are already good with the traditional Pen tool.

Fstoppers Reviews the Benro S2 and S4 Video Monopods

Monopods, once really only useful in a handful of situations, have evolved into irreplaceable members of our creative arsenals due to the advent of high quality video being produced in DSLRs. The idea of a “video monopod” might frighten video purists, but there are those such as Patrick Hall and myself who swear by them. Manfrotto’s version was a fantastic foray into the medium, but slightly pricey. Benro recently released their more affordable versions, and I was more than ready to see if they were able to hold their own.

The Freedom Tower: A View From The Top Of The World

Months of planning, 567 images stitched into a single panorama and a 14.6 gigabyte image results in a breathtaking view of New York City from the top of the Freedom Tower. Deemed as one the tallest skyscrapers in the US, the new Freedom Tower is about one year out from completion.

How to Take More Considerate Senior Portraits

Ever wonder how you can elevate your senior portraits beyond the standard cap and gown pictures? Think about lifestyle photography the next time you book a senior portrait session.

VSCO Cam App Now Available To Android Users

The wildly popular VSCO cam app announced that today, December 3rd, they are releasing an Android version of their app which will be available in Google Play for free download. The app will come with 10 free presets and various editing tools. It will be available for devices running Android 4.0 and above.

A Commercial for a Car Commercial: The CLA Project Update

A few weeks ago we featured an interesting project by Casey Neistat: The CLA Project. Casey was hired by Mercedes Benz to create a new, fresh and creative approach to the typical stock car commercials that you've seen on television for the past twenty years. The final commercial for the new Mercedes Benz CLA has finally been released. I have to say it is definitely creative and unlike any car commercial I've seen before. I love the patriotism and the fun, light-hearted vibe in the commercial.

Beating the Crop Factor

When you are shooting for magazine publication (outside of the medium format realm), one thing you always have to consider is the aspect ratio of your images. Paper sizes, in most cases, do not match up to image size, so there are crop variables you have to constantly keep in mind -- especially for editorials where there will be titles, typography or article copy on the page as well.

[BTS] Annie Leibovitz Shoots "Nice Work If You Can Get It"

Annie Liebovitz is probably the world's best known photographer, and in this video she's working on an assignment for Vanity Fair magazine with Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara for the magazine's April issue.

7 Ways to Capture Blur or the Illusion of Blur in a Photo

Most of the time, we try to avoid blur in a photo. But sometimes, it can be nice to add some kind of blur to make it special. I have listed seven ways to add blur to a photo or the illusion of blur. It may help you find inspiration for your photography.

Retoucher Amy Dresser Speaks About The Various Intentions Of Retouching

Amy Dresser has been an industry established retoucher for at least 10 years now. At Luminance 2012, she spoke about a range of topics including her relationship with other photographers to the basic principles of retouching. Granted that many of it is personal preference, there's a lot of good information to take from her presentation.

How to Manage a Client's Expectations Before and During a Photoshoot

It is a common expectation that when clients hire you, it is because they like your style and think you will help project their brand’s identity. But what do you do when, despite previous exchanges, on the shooting day, you realize that your clients have entirely different expectations. Do you just change everything to adapt to their needs or do you say no?

5 Ways to Improve Your SkyGuider Pro

So, you’ve gone out and bought an iOptron SkyGuider Pro. You’ve assembled it, read the instructions, maybe even watched a YouTube video on how to use it, and you’ve got the basics down. But you find yourself wondering if it could be better. Yes, it can be heaps better.

Has Technology Taken the Fun out of Photography?

Technology is a locomotive moving full speed ahead. From the creation of the first digital SLR almost two decades ago to the mirrorless revolution, the progression of technology in photography has made the craft more accessible, affordable, and reliable than ever. However, even with all of this progress, I can't help but feel that we've lost a little something along the way.

Fstoppers Reviews the Kandao QooCam EGO: Capturing 3D Magic, but With a Fatal Flaw

Anybody of a certain age remembers the ViewMaster, a favorite childhood toy that read circular reels through a bright red stereoscopic viewfinder, rendering images from those reels in vivid, 3D detail. If nothing else, the color of Kandao’s new QooCam EGO viewfinder gives away that someone at that company has fond memories of the ViewMaster.