Heartsapart:  Creating Stunning Military Portraits

Rob Moody, a good friend of ours at Fstoppers, has been working on an interesting video project with Heartsapart.org. Heartsapart has made it their mission to capture military soldiers and their families before they are separated through deployment. Photographers from all over the Southeast have come together to help this in this cause, and Rob has done a great job bringing this story to the public. I can really appreciate this because I grew up in a military family, and I know how important a photograph can be for those who are stationed overseas for extended periods of time. Check out this great video as past Fstoppers spotlight photographer Brownie Harris takes you in his studio to photograph several families.
Amazing Photo Locations in Greece

Greece is not only a country of rich history and culture, but it's also full of stunning landscapes and picturesque islands. This makes it a great place for photography, and in this article, I share some of the best photo spots Greece has to offer.

Win an $18,000 Iceland Voyage and an OM-5 During OM SYSTEM Week

On their second anniversary, from today, the OM Digital Solutions Corporation is celebrating the successful launch of the OM SYSTEM brand with a series of events celebrating that milestone with the beauty of nature. That includes a chance to win an $18,000 voyage around Iceland.

How to Pick the Right Wedding Photographer: 7 Tips You Should Know

If you're looking into hiring a wedding photographer, you may not have much experience with the profession. Although you can pick photographers you like, there is more to the story than just that. So, how can you make sure you're hiring the right photographer? Here are seven tips that can help ensure you aren't disappointed.

Kodak Discontinues BW400CN Film

With Kodak's release of another discontinuation notice, one more high profile film bites the proverbial dust. BW400CN has a reputation for being a creamy toned, tight grained film. The smooth grain is a nice balance to the Tri-X stock, admittedly I prefer the latter but still sad to see it go. A collective sigh was seen throughout film shooter groups, some even soliciting Kodak reps for stockpiles of the film.

Why Networking With Other Photographers Is Important

Running a photography business can be a lonely job. When you take the plunge into running a small business full-time, you quickly realize how solitary the work can be. Here’s why it’s so important to meet and build relationships with other photographers.

12.5 Years Of Self Portraits

Photographer Noah Kalina was one of the first people to make a viral video on Youtube, back in 2006, when he posted a clip made out of self-portraits he took of himself for 6 years. He called it "Everyday", and got over 23 Million views. It got so big back in 2006, even the Simpsons made a parody about it. Today, Noah uploaded a new version of the video, this time it includes 12.5 years of self-portraits. Every day, for 12.5 years. crazy.

The Perfect Canvas: We Review the Huion Kamvas Pro 13 2.5K

Designed for professional artists, graphic designers, and digital creators, the Huion Kamvas Pro 13 2.5K is a digital drawing pen display with some impressive features, and exceptional performance and all at a very affordable price. Whether you are one of the aforementioned or simply trying to streamline and find a pen display that has a whole host of features to suit your budget, this might just be the one for you.

Samsung NX1000 and NX210 Mirrorless Review

These cameras are incredibly similar. In fact, I’m going to treat this as the same camera review while pointing out differences as we go along. So why the $200 difference between the NX1000 and NX210? Let’s see if what's up and how these systems compare with the competition.

A Touching Veteran Portrait Series In Honor Of D-Day

My buddy and DC photographer Willis Bretz has been busy working on a personal portrait series in honor of the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Mixing his history degree and his flourishing photography career, he wanted to create something that reflects his love for both. Learn more below about this personal series that was even picked up by The Washington Post for their coverage for the 70th Anniversary of D-Day.

Frequency Separation Made Easy With ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018

Frequency separation has long been a popular technique for skin retouching. However, for a lot of photographers new to photo editing, beauty retouching, and ACDSee, it can seem like a very difficult process. Within ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018, the process has been made easier with the addition of an automated frequency separation tool.

Heads Up! Possible Meteor Storm on May 30-31

The month of May closes out with a New Moon (moonless sky), to which deep sky astrophotographers always look forward. This month brings a potential bonus of an intense burst of meteors, perfectly timed for North American astrophotographers. In fact, it’s so perfectly timed (for U.S. residents) that it falls on a Monday evening of a U.S. three-day holiday weekend.

The New Panasonic GH3 Has Impressive Specs, See It In Action With Philip Bloom

Amidst all of the hype over the new DSLRs from Canon and Nikon (the 6D, 5DMIII, D800) Panasonic seems to have slipped under the radar with some still shooters, and I don't think this is one that us video people should simply brush off. This new camera body comes equipped with wifi, a weather sealed body, and In this video, see Philip Bloom using preproduction GH3 on a short film shoot...

Kevin Reed Exposes Fashion In 5 mins

Kevin Reed is a fantastic fashion photographer based out in LA and also NYC. He also has an excellent blog called Exposing Fashion where he has posted lots of tips, BTS, and bits of inspiration. Each year Kevin creates a new image to include in his holiday newsletter and this year he even filmed a fast behind the scenes video outlining the entire shoot. The lighting is pretty straightforward but it's always interesting to see how much work goes into the details. Usually it's these details that help separate the typical fashion or beauty images from the really great ones. Hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did.
Humans of New York's Brandon Stanton to Premiere TV Series - Watch the Trailer Here

I'm sure by now everyone reading this is familiar with the work of photographer and interviewer Brandon Stanton and his long-running project Humans of New York. His crisp, shallow depth of field portraits and poignant interviews have gained international attention since the project's start in 2010. For the last four years, Stanton has quietly been filming his interviews, saving the footage for "something special." Now, that special something has arrived, in the form of a video series which will premiere next week on Facebook's Watch platform.

Brooke Shaden's "Promoting Passion" Workshop Aims To Inspire In Completely New Ways

Brooke Shaden is an undeniable force of photographic nature. Not only is she well regarded as a pioneer of modern fine art photography with her dream-like compositions and self portraits, she is often as focused with helping us develop our own work as she is with her own. This week, Brooke throws open the doors to her “Promoting Passion Convention”, which aims to more than your ‘typical’ photo workshop. If you’ve been looking to spread your creative wings and be inspired to create by learning from some of the best in the industry, this could be exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

[News] Melissa Rodwell's Free DVD Twitter Contest

Melissa Rodwell's "Fashion Photography Exposed" has started shipping to the hundreds of you who have already pre-ordered. So, to help get things moving along and to thank her fan for all their support, Melissa has decided to give away the original test/prototype DVD that she has signed in silver pen, making this a one of a kind collector's item. Full Details inside .

Fstoppers Reviews the All-Leather Blackforest Vinson Camera Messenger Bag

Early in my photography path, I didn’t pay much attention to the different kind of camera bags that were available. I knew I wanted a bag that could carry everything at the time, and I was looking for a backpack style camera bag. As time passed, my lenses collection grew which I didn't need to carry (or even use) it all. I also didn't want to carry the backpack camera bag with me all the time since it was bulky and heavy. I wanted a second, more mobile-friendly camera bag that could carry my essentials for me and my lightweight "on-the-go" setup if you well.

Getty Images Being Sued Again, Claims of Trying to Profit From Public Domain Images

Getty has found itself in hot water after a class action naming the licensing giant has been brought about. The lawsuit alleges they have been licensing images that are already freely available to the public, as well as using “deceptive techniques” to convince potential buyers that Getty holds the image rights.

Canon 50mm f/1.4 Lens $60 Off Display Price

B&H just updated the price of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens, one of our recommended gifts under $500, and has dropped the price to $299 when it's added to your cart. That's a pretty good discount if you're looking to pick up a normal lens for yourself or for someone on your gift list this holiday season.

The First Look At The Newly Announced Sony Alpha 77

As you may have heard, Sony just announced their new 24mp Alpha 77 DSLR and it is really pushing the limits of technology. I've been a Nikon shooter my whole life and I don't plan to switch any time soon but I still enjoy seeing all of the brands compete. It's also a well known fact that Sony supplies Nikon with their sensors so this chip may show up in the D400 that we are all hoping will be announced the in the next few months. FYI, you will have to read subtitles to make it through this video.
Leaf Credo Digital Backs Now Compatible With the Phase One XF Body

Phase One released its new camera body last year, the XF. However, it was not clear if it would ever be compatible with the Leaf Credo backs. It was first said that it would be, and then, months later, the support told everyone who'd ask about it that they could not give any answer. Well, today we finally have one: Leaf Credo backs are compatible with the XF body.

Awake - A Timelapse of The Northern Lights by Alexis Coram

Last year Alexis Coram's Technicolor Alaska - a mesmerizing time lapse film of the Northern Lights - was shared on Fstoppers along with being showcased in National Geographic's Short Film Showcase of the year. This year, Coram has created a new masterpiece, "Awake." Coram traveled back to Alaska this past February for a long weekend in hopes to catch another glimpse of the Northern Lights.

[Contest] Win a Lowepro DSLR Video Fastpack through Flickr

Hey Fstoppers! We promised a fourth contest this month, and here it is. Through December 20, enter your best image that you feel defines the theme "Reflections" and win a sick new DSLR Video Fastpack 350 AW from Lowepro. Big thanks to our friends at Lowepro for their generosity this month with the great prizes!

How to win: You must submit a photo that portrays your best interpretation of the theme "Reflections" to the discussion in our Flickr group here. The photo must be in your Flickr photostream. You can only post one image to be considered for this contest. If you post more than one submission you will not be in the running until you delete the extra submissions. The contest will come to an end on December 15, 2011 and the winner will be announced on December 20, 2011. It is free to participate and anyone can enter, but all winners outside the U.S. are expected to pay any and all shipping and handling costs associated with shipping the prize.
5 Things You Must Do Before You Press Record On Your Next Youtube Video

A common misconception surrounding success on YouTube is that it all hinges on the best or right gear for the job. A lot of readers of Fstoppers are here to research cameras and lighting to level up the quality of their videos, and rightfully so. But without the right processes in place, no amount of professional quality gear will matter. I can guarantee you that 99% of where content creators go wrong on YouTube is in the planning stages, before they even press record. Trust me.

We Review the Caldigit Tuff Nano 2TB Portable NVMe SSD

The files we create on set are getting larger and larger. With 8K footage and 50+ megapixel stills becoming more common, we need fast portable drives to get our files from set to workstation and for working on the road. Caldigit have just updated their Tuff Nano NVMe drives to a 2TB Tuff Nano Plus to help alleviate this struggle.

Portraits and Projection Mapping in Fashion Photography

We've seen behind the scenes videos of how projection mapping can be used artistically and commercially. Tobias Bjorkgren takes on a slightly different angle and applies the concept to his latest fashion shoot. The use of projection allows him to stand his models in front of varying scenes without having to leave the studio. To see the final images, check out his blog. What do you think of the effect?