Mid-Movember Check-In: See the Fstoppers' Team Stache Growth

On November 1st, I let you know that the Fstoppers team was participating in Movember, and asked for you guys to join us. The month is half over, and we wanted to share some of our spectacular facial growth. Check out how Blair, Lee, Mike and I have been doing, and lend us your support!

Why Do Photo Apps Keep Going With the Subscription Model?

When Adobe changed its Creative Suite software to a subscription-based Creative Cloud a few years ago, there was much gnashing of teeth and consternation amongst the photo community. We were used to paying a one-time payment for software to use for many years, without being forced to upgrade. So why is it that photo apps get a pass for doing the same thing when it comes to subscription models?

iPhone 5 Keeps The Same Camera And Lens, Adds New Features

Most of us have been waiting since the day the iPhone 4s came out to hear what the iPhone 5 was going to be like. Well it is finally here. Today Apple officially announced the new iPhone 5 and my oh my does it look nice. A new 4 inch screen which is rated the most saturated and accurate screen on the market today to deliver the richest looking and highest quality images and movies.

Fstoppers Reviews the WANDRD HEXAD 45L Duffel Bag

In every photographer’s ongoing search for the perfect bag, until recently it seemed there was a gaping hole: a 45-liter bag suitable as hand luggage on short-haul flights, offering the possibility to combine camera gear with a few days’ worth of clothes. The HEXAD Access Duffel from WANDRD fills that gap and does an incredibly good job of it.

[Video] "Out Of Tunes" Shot for Canon On The New C300

This short film, Out of Tunes, was commissioned by Canon for the launch of its new EOS C300 camera. Canon’s only criterion for creator Sébastien Devaud was that the video must not be tied to a certain time or place. Other than that, he was free to let his creativity run loose.

Using the Clone Stamp: An Fstoppers Post Production Tutorial by Sean Armenta

Hello Fstoppers! My name is Sean Armenta, and this is my little spot on Fstoppers called The Post Production Tutorial. If you enjoy these videos, feel free to subscribe to my new Fstoppers PPT Youtube Channel for the latest updates. In this episode, I discuss one of my most used Photoshop tools - the Clone Stamp. You may think there is no longer a use for this old school instrument what with the availability of the more sophisticated healing brush and its content aware amazingness, but it is still quite relevant for beauty retouching. For those of you interested, I have a 2-day workshop coming up at the end of this month, where I will be discussing my experience when executing a fashion editorial from start to finish. Everything from conceptualization to post production will be explained. I will also be donating $10 towards Earthquake and Tsunami Relief for Japan for each person that attends For more info, please visit http://preptopost.com.
Shooting Insects On Seamless For Conservation

South Carolina photographer Clay Bolt is a professional nature photographer who has taken his love for the environment in an interesting direction. Clay started a program called Meet Your Neighbours which has inspired photographers all around the world to shoot small local animals on a mobile seamless white background. You probably don't have to travel far to take amazing nature photography.

Clay Cook Q&A on Fashion and Editorial Photography This Thursday

Mark your calendars for this Thursday, March 23 at 2 p.m. EST for a chance to talk with Clay Cook, the instructor of our newest tutorial covering fashion and editorial photography. This is a great chance to ask Clay anything you want to know about shooting, lighting, post-processing, and the business side of his work. The event will be held over Facebook live on the Fstoppers Facebook page.

Lowel Now Has Three Pro-Level LED Light Banks

Lowel makes a lot of lighting products, some of which like the Tota have been used in mobile pro video for what seems like ages. Lowel has completed a line of LED light panels that are designed to bring studio quality to productions of all types and sizes. They recently announced the Lowel Prime LED Model 800 to go along with the Model 200 and 400.

Just Announced: The HERO+ LCD - GoPro Adds a Touch Screen to Its Entry Level Camera

The latest round of GoPro HERO4 cameras have been a big hit. Though one of the surprising outcomes with the recent release was the addition of a touch screen to the Silver edition and lack of screen on the higher-end Black edition. In many reviews and ratings, the ability to see your framing and review images and video from the device gave the Silver edition a leg-up over the Black. GoPro has now taken the overwhelming approval of the touch screen into account and has just announced the new Hero+ LCD.

What I Did When My Photos and Articles Were Stolen

Occasionally, it’s worth Googling your name to see what turns up. When I did it, it showed that a website was plagiarizing Fstoppers articles and stealing my photos too. This is what I did about it.

Beware of This NFT Scam

In this article, I share my experience with a new NFT marketplace called Fantasea.io. There's not much information available about it online. The domain has been registered just a little over a month ago, and the homepage currently feels like a work in progress. Because more and more photographers seem to get contacted to sell NFTs on this site, it's important to determine if it's legit.

Will Modern Lenses Have an Increased Dependence on Lens Corrections?

I see a growing number of new lenses hitting the market that rely on lens correction. These lenses have some benefits, but are lens manufacturers taking shortcuts with these lens designs? Will we be seeing more and more lenses with this reliance on lens correction in the near future?

Go Behind the Scenes of Tom van Schelven's Molton Brown Christmas 2014 Campaign Shoot

U.K. based cosmetic firm Molton Brown is known for spectacular, over-the-top photography particularly in their annual Christmas catalog. This recently released video takes us behind the scenes on the set of their 2014 holiday catalog with photographer Tom van Schelven as he and his crew transform a forest into an enchanted outdoor holiday banquet.

The Changing Face of the Music Video and What We Can All Learn From It

The music we use in our work, whether for videos or slide shows for stills images, is an integral part of the narrative and story we are trying tell. The genre, artist and music track we choose, sets the tone for the entire story we wish to tell. I treat music as the keystone that underpins the visual story of a BTS video, commercial work, documentary piece or creative editorial shoot that I am working on.

How to Nail Every Personal Photography Project

Are you tired of always leaving your personal projects unfinished? Or do you lose your motivation halfway through? Here are some tips to see you from start to finish, whatever your project is about!

The Best Images from GuruShots "World of Water" Challenge

GuruShots, creator of "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” hosts hundreds of various themed challenges open for anyone to enter. They recently hosted a challenge entitled "World of Water" that received thousands of entries and had millions of votes. Check out the three winners of the challenge below as well as the 100 top rated images.

Radiant Photo 2 Arrives, Promising Next-Generation Photo Editing

Just when you thought you'd seen just about every editing tool, Radiant Photo comes along with a solid update to its Radiant Photo Editor that I first took a look at in 2022. Since then there have been many improvements and new tools.

Critique the Community Episode 25: Environmental Portraits

A week and a half ago we asked the community to submit their best environmental portraits to be critiqued by Lee and Patrick. We got some awesome submissions and one lucky entrant won a free Fstoppers tutorial.

Reserve Your Seat At The Fstoppers Workshops 2015 for $500

The Fstoppers Workshops is back again for 2015 with the best photography workshops on the incredible island of Nassau in the Bahamas. If you are planning on coming but do not have the full amount saved, you can reserve all of your photography workshops for just $500 before they sell out.

The Ultimate Guide to Finding a Makeup, Hair, and Wardrobe Stylist

If you’re interested in shooting production sets, like with fashion photography, you’re going to need to build a team beyond yourself. The truth of the matter is that your success will depend on who you know and what they can do for you. As blatant as that sounds, it’s the nitty-gritty truth about building a team.

Three Tips for Photographing the Midnight Sun

I experienced one of the photographic highlights of my life capturing the beauty of the midnight sun on my recent trip to the Lofoten Islands in Norway. Here are three tips on how to make the most of your next summer journey north of the Arctic Circle.

Important Things to Look For When You Choose a Camera Bag

There is a bamboozling range of different camera bags on the market, and deciding which to buy is a veritable minefield. Here are some explanations of the various bags, their purposes, and what to look for when choosing yours.

When Your Photography Plan Changes, Change Your Plan

Iceland is the land of fire and ice, but what happens when there's neither? Travel plans can change at the last minute due to many factors, the weather being a big one, lost luggage another. So, how do you adapt and make even a short trip memorable? Do you push your creative boundaries and try something new, or do you just step back and enjoy experiencing each new adventure?

[BTS Video] Joe McNally's Epson Photograph Is A Circus In The Air

Most people know Joe McNally for his photojournalism or his editorial work. Others know him as the author of some of the best photography books on lighting. But Joe "numnuts" McNally is also one heck of an advertising photographer too. Recently Joe photographed the Anti-Gravity Dancers in an ad campaign for Epson's new R3000 printers. By using huge Octobanks and powerful gridded rim lights, McNally and his team were able to create some dramatic portraits of the dancers flipping and soaring above the New York City skyline. Click the full post to see the final image and a BTS lighting setup and head over to Joe McNally's Blog to view a ton of images throughout the day. This shoot looks like a ton of fun and has my wheels turning a bit!
[UPDATE] Oprema Jena: New Zeiss Biotar 75mm f/1.5 Joined by Biotar 58mm f2

An updated version of the Biotar 58mm f2 will join the already announced Biotar 75mm f1.5, as the first two pieces in Oprema Jena’s lineup of modern remakes of classic lenses, the company announced today. Oprema is offering 58 people the chance to get the Biotar 75 and Biotar 58 – both originally produced by Carl Zeiss -- as part of a special rewards bundle in the current Kickstarter campaign for the Biotar 75. The 58 Biotar 58s will be pre-production models with serial numbers between 1 and 58. A pledge of $1,999 USD would allow someone to get both lenses at $2,500 less than the combined projected retail price for the lenses. The Biotar 75 is expected to go on the market next summer at a projected retail price of $2,499, with the Biotar 58 following by the end of 2018 at a projected retail price of $1,999.