Thinking of Doing Some Front Porch Photoshoots? Try This Instead

Photographing people on their porches and front doorsteps has proven a controversial topic, raising money for charity and keeping families entertained while creating questions about whether such practices qualify as “essential.” By contrast, one photographer undertook a different doorstep photoshoot that feels much more viable as a lockdown-inspired project.

The Ultimate Backup: Insurance for Photographers

The Oxford English Dictionary defines accident as “an unpleasant event that happens unexpectedly and causes injury or damage.” Accidents happen. It doesn’t matter how careful you are or how much common sense you have. That’s why they’re called accidents.

The Canon Pro9000 Mark II Is Currently $50 After Rebate

Every once in a while a deal comes a long that is too good not to share. I've owned the Canon Pro9000 printer for years and have never had a problem with it. I paid $450 for it and I thought that was a great deal at the time. Currently BH is selling the Pro9000 for $250 (hit EMAIL ME A BETTER PRICE on the BH page) and after the $200 mail-in rebate, the printer only costs you $50. If you need a printer, you simply cannot beat this deal.
Put More BUSINESS In Your Photo Business

FS reader Jordan Murphy just sent us an email moments ago asking if we would post more videos about the business side of photography. His timing could not have been more perfect because a few days ago I watched a great video on just that by Allen Murabayashi. The video below is not going to be as fun to watch as a fast paced BTS but this is the stuff that will take a hobby and turn it into a profession. Most people think that I am a successful photographer because I take good pictures and that is simply not true. Having a solid product is important but getting it into the hands of a customer is the hard part. How dedicated are you?

Put More Business in Your Photo Business from PhotoShelter.com on Vimeo.

The Awkward Stage in Photography: A Personal Reflection on Creative Plateau, Its Trap, and Solution

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my own journey in photography, questioning why progress sometimes feels stagnant. After speaking to a few industry experts, I have come to realize that there’s an awkward stage every creative reaches. A plateau where inspiration seems to dry up, and even slight growth feels like an impossible uphill battle. The more I think about it, the more I realize that this plateau isn’t just about skill or talent but about two fundamental limitations involving effort and money. Both demand deeper commitment, and without that, breaking through the stagnation feels impossible.

[BTS Video] Contest Entry: a bottle of cold water (product shot)

As more and more jobs pop up for product shooting here in NYC I find myself needing to seriously update my portfolio. Which must be why this latest contest entry from Rui Antunes caught my eye. It's a simple video, that lacks a bit in the way of entertainment value but makes up for it in educational value and a pretty decent final image. Good luck Rui. And remember folks, you only have about a week to get your contest entries in.

A Realistic Holiday Gift Guide for Photographers

Every year, there is a gift guide released that is supposed to help family, friends, and significant others buy something for their budding photographer. The problem is photography is an incredibly specific hobby, and most gifts given unfortunately don’t help. Here is a list of gifts that will appreciated by any photographer.

The Benefits of Interacting with Fellow Photographers Offline

Not long ago, learning and critiquing photography was done almost exclusively in person. With the rise of the Internet, we saw a fundamental shift in how photographers interact with one another. Yet, even with the opportunities afforded by the web, there is so much more to gain by spending time with fellow photographers in the flesh.

Finally a Classy Photography Bag for Us Girls

This is a bag for the females, the girls, the chicks, the ladies. This is a bag made for women. Women photographers. It’s chic and practical, light but resistant, and most of all, adapts to your needs. It’s a great offer for the urban shooter. The very fact that it exists shows how much the photography sector has evolved in the last years.

Some Sound Advice on Making an Independent Movie

Independent Filmmaker Tom Durham recently sat down with the folks over at Red Giant and gave some very great advice on filming your very own independent movie. Tom has spent the last several years creating his newest independent movie, 95ers: Echoes and has endured both the highs and lows of independent filmmaking. Why not learn from his mistakes and successes? His biggest piece of advice when making your own independent movie... 'Whatever you do, don't go into debt!'

Caffenol Processing for Micro-Niche Photography

Jaana and Lorenzö of the studio Cahute have put a spin on the digital age of instant viewing by taking a step back into the past with a classic process of portraits on paper. They created a market for themselves that is so micro-niched they have yet to find another studio specializing solely in this process.

You'll Never Be Happy as an Artist If You're Not True to Yourself

The whole "artists don't care what others think" thing is a giant lie. Most artists care what others think of their work more than anyone else in the world. Creativity is an unsure and scary thing, and a little validation makes us feel good. It's poisonous.

Planning and Executing Impromptu Location Portraits

I recently travelled to the local racetrack with my brother for an open track day and decided that while he was out riding, I would try to make a few portraits of the other attending riders. I spent plenty of time ahead of the trip planning lighting, gear, locations, and more. This is a step by step walkthrough of how I created this series of portraits.

Photographer Creates Surreal Images Inspired by Life Events

Like many other members of the Fstoppers community, I’m often inspired and taken back by the images I see shared here. Canadian Fine Art Photographer Micahla Latta is one of those community members posting some incredible conceptual photographs to her portfolio, enriching the community with wonderfully surreal creations.

[Gear] Been Out of the Loop? Catch Up on What's New!

We all fall off the tech wheel every now and then. And lately, it's been anything but easy to keep up with all that's been happening. Well, worry not. We have an update for you on everything that's happened and everything that should happen soon. Read on for info on Canon, Nikon, Leica, and Zeiss...

 Impressive Slow Motion Video Using The Sony FS700

With just $500 and 4 days to film, Luke Neumann of Neumann Films created one heck of a slow motion video with the new Sony NEX-FS700. What sets this video apart from all the others is that in at least every clip something or someone is flying through the air. With 24 frames per second we are able to see a ridiculous amount of detail captured on video. Check out Luke's review below to see what he has to say about rolling shutter performance, low light and resolution capabliiltes.

Photographic Criticasters: Why You Should Not Be One and What to Be Instead

Criticism of photography is commonplace. Sometimes, it is invited and genuine, other times, not. How you decide to give or receive it can affect your self-esteem as a photographer. Moreover, it says much about your own creative abilities. Here's how to appreciate criticism and avoid being a criticaster.

Adaptalux: Portable Mini Studio System for the Macro Shooters

If you're into macro photography, Adaptalux could be your new best friend. The new Kickstarter project is aimed to solve a lot of the lighting issues macro photographers face and offer new ways to light objects in creative ways. The Adaptalux is a small device with five ports and five adjustable LED lighting arms with different color outputs. The device can be mounted on the camera itself for on-the-go outdoors shooting, or can be placed off-camera in more controlled environments.

Using Elements From Other Cultures in Your Images, the Right Way

As Halloween comes to a close and we reflect on all the creative costumes roaming the streets, I think it’s a good time we take a moment to talk about cultural appropriation. We are blessed as photographers to be able to view images from any culture in the world through the Internet. It’s pretty cool that we have access to unlimited inspiration from just about everywhere, something the founding fathers of photography had nothing close to. It's important for photographers to have a vast basic knowledge of cultures, subcultures, and social classes so that we can always use culture with respect and honor in our images.

Standing Out With Photography Work You Care About (Or, Don't Rush to Find a Style)

Every few months I find myself reflecting on my work and career, about where I want it to go and how I want to position myself as a photographer. When I'm doing “work” photography I find that I'm really one among thousands of photographers. So lately I’ve been pondering things like “what do I really care about?” that I can show off through photography that other photographers don't, or can't. What do I have that other's don't?

I Set Up My Content Credentials. You Should Too.

For centuries, art was created in a physical form and limited to one original copy. If an artist wanted attribution, they could sign or carve their name into the artwork. No matter where the art traveled, the attribution traveled with it. Today, much of our work is shared digitally, where watermarks or crediting do not appear alongside the art. Widespread adoption of the new Content Credentials standard may give digital artists the recognition they deserve.