The Darkroom Trials: What I've Learned So Far

It's been a month or so since I started printing in the darkroom, and what a ride it has been! After going through tons of paper and chemicals, making a mountain of bad prints, and generally messing up in every way possible, I've managed to be able to make some decent prints. Here are a few of most important lessons I've learned so far in my darkroom adventure.

How One Photographer Designed and Built His Own Unique Vlogging Camera

In 2019, a photographer from San Francisco designed, built, and launched one of the most innovative and bizarre cameras of its kind: the Idolcam. While GoPro and DJI rely on sensor stablization and digital wizardry to create smooth footage, Idolcam does something completely different.

The Best Fstoppers' Posts From January 2012

Your "Likes", "Tweets", comments and clicks all help us know which are our best posts of the month. And because we don't want anyone to miss any of Fstoppers' goodness we put "The Best of" in a monthly newsletter for you. So, if you missed anything this January check out the top posts of the month and sign up for our newsletter here.

A New Year, A New Fstoppers Photoshop Contest

Last month we tested out our first ever Photoshop Contest, and it was a great success. So many readers participated that Think Tank has offered up prizes for at least 6 months of photoshop contests. This is your January challenge. This month we challenge you to edit this basketball image from the Pocket Wizard TT5 Test Shoot. If you've watched the video then you know that fellow Fstoppers reader Jaymes Poudrier did a pretty fantastic job of editing my shots but I want to see what you can do. Feel free to manipulate this photograph any way you see fit, and on Jan 15th I will pick a winner. The reward is going to be a new Think Tank Disguise 70 Pro camera bag which is really great for quick on the go shooters. One word to the wise; there are no rules for this contest but I'm a fan of mainstream and marketable photographs. Anyone can participate but if you are outside of North America you will have to pay for any shipping or handling that Think Tank might encounter. Post all your images over at the January 2011 Photoshop Contest Forum and good luck!
Glen Friedman: 80s Skateboarding and Hiphop Photographer

There are so many photographer's who I don't know by name but recognize their work once it pops up. One such name many of you may not be instantly familiar with is cultural photographer Glen Friedman who is most famous for his photographs of early skateboarding pioneers Tony Alva, Jay Adams, and Duane Peters, and rebellious hip hop artists like Ice-T, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, and Run D.M.C. In this video Glenn talks about his work and in the second video he talks about what it was like growing up during one of the creative hot beds of American and World culture. If you are in the San Francisco in the next few days, check out his gallery showing at 941 Geary Gallery before it wraps up the end of the month. Oh and the first words out of this video are "Fuck You All" just as a warning :)
How I Have My Office Set Up to Record and Zoom

In this day and age, more and more people are setting up recording spaces. Whether for simple work meetings, live streaming, or recording content, the need for a good-looking space is in high demand. This is a walkthrough of how I have my space set up and lit.

How to Climb Out of a Creative Rut

If you’ve done photography professionally for any amount of time, you’ve probably found yourself succumbing to the daily grind of the job, and in turn, it becomes an obligation. If this is you and you’ve found yourself in a creative rut, here are a few ways to climb your way out.

50th Anniversary of Moon Landing Inspires Incredible Image

It wasn't easy to put a man on the moon. Just ask photographer Christopher Sherman, who recently set out to pay homage to one of humanity's greatest feats, the Apollo 11 mission, when Neil Armstrong first set foot onto the moon 50 years ago.

Storytelling, Layering, and Gutsy Setups: Tips From Top Women Photographers Today

When I watch events, and the cameras swiftly pan by the crowded photographers trying to get the cover shot, I can’t help but scan for women. I do it when the receiver runs full force out-of-bounds and accidentally crashes into the sideline photographers. “Was there a woman in that crew?" Or on CSPAN when the camera pans back to the counsel’s table and you get that quick glimpse of the photographers sitting like sardines on the floor with their cameras. At the Olympics, especially, I’m always eyeing women. I don’t see them as often as I wish.

Brain Farm Pairs Phantom Flex4K with Aerigon UAV for First-Ever Ultra HD Aerial Drone Footage

Chances are, if you are at all interested in cinematography, you have heard of Brain Farm. Brain Farm is the entertainment and production company that brought you films like The Art of Flight, Jackass 3D, and View From a Blue Moon as well as tons of other film, TV, commercial, and digital content. With credentials like this as well as commercial clients ranging from Nike to Mercedes-Benz, I think it is safe to say these guys know what they are doing. For years, Brain Farm has been pushing the limits of Cinematography. That's why it comes as no surprise to hear that they recently paired a Phantom Flex4K with an Aerigon UAV to shoot the world's first Ultra High Definition, 4K aerial drone footage.

A to Z of Photography: Tilt-Shift and Train Wreck at Montparnasse

This week we turn to a train wreck of an image — yes the iconic photo "Train Wreck at Montparnasse Station"! But before we get to that, step back to the dawn of photography and understand the principles behind tilting and shifting the lens relative to the sensor. Some of the highest profile photographers use tilt-shift lenses in their day-to-day work, so find out why that is.

Make the Photo You Dream of With Preparation and Patience

Growing up along the coast, I became accustomed to beautiful views of the ocean and, of course, lighthouses are an important part of the New England scenery. One lighthouse, in particular, has long been a favorite subject of mine to shoot. I've spent many days and nights shooting the 67-foot-high structure and its surrounding area, and I always envisioned creating the classic image of a massive moon as it rises behind an interesting foreground structure — in this case, the Point Judith Lighthouse on the southern tip of Rhode Island.

The Rise of The Mobile Photography Era - An Interview With Lara Aucamp

Digital photography, especially concerning smartphones, is taking the world by storm these days. It's become the norm to see people whip out their phones when something dreadful happens in public, or when they want to photograph that special moment with their friends while cruising down the freeway at some awful speed. When that wasn't extreme enough, there's the very recent case of the model hanging off the edge of Dubai's 307-meter Cayan Tower.

What the Victorians Did for Photographers

The Victorians ushered in an era of dramatic change, principally in the application of science, but being able to do this (literally) on an industrial scale. The impact upon society was tumultuous - throw science, invention, industrial processes, and money into the mix and the way countries developed forever changed, forming the basis for the world we live in today.

You Will Never Be Ready for Your First Kickstarter Campaign, and That's Okay (Part 2)

It's been a week since we launched a Kickstarter campaign for my first book, and what an interesting week it has been. As expected, I'm learning a ton about myself, about Kickstarter, about living on two hours of sleep, and about how amazing it is to have people that you don't know or have never met before support you right here and now in real time.

Paris In Motion Part 2

Not to long ago we showed you part 1 of Paris in Motion by Mayeul Akpovi along with the behind the scenes of how they did it. Well, Mayeul just released part 2. I still love the look of doing these hyper laps shots. They give a whole other dimension to time-laps photography.

HP Brings Photos to Life

HP may not be making cameras anymore but they still have a strong hold in the printer market and they are still moving. To expand on their existing offering they are trying to build excitement about a new consumer printing experience which embeds a video into a printed photo via augmented reality. So far the app HP Live Photo appears to only be available on the iPhone and uses video (45 seconds or less)

No More Rush To Get Back To The Computer: Invoice With Alto

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to send an invoice to a client, but you were not home? Maybe you are out on another job, shopping, hanging with family, at a friends, or in the other room watching TV. Hopefully you aren’t doing that last one, but Alto is here to help us out. If you don’t have QuickBooks or any other invoicing software, this is the tool for you.

Von Wong Shoots Superbowl Leather Designer

Benjamin Von Wong gives us some tips for shooting with less than optimal conditions as he goes to work on models wearing pieces made by master leather worker Cecilio Martinez. This latest and last installment of Ben's European tour finds him in Spain, without power, light stands, experienced models or the ability to speak Spanish. So check out this video and if you want more then head over to Ben's Blog where he lays out all the juicy details.

Affordable Nikon D800 Grip Option Now Going Pro Route with Magnesium

Phottix has had their BG-D800 grip for the Nikon D800/D800E on the market for a while now. However, a new BG-D800M is now available, featuring a higher-quality magnesium build. While the BG-D800M is currently listed on their site for $200, the BG-D800 (the regular one) is listed for $150, but can be had for $90 on Amazon. The BG-D800M isn't yet available on Amazon, but this post will be updated as soon as it is.

Move Your Image Library From Aperture to Lightroom With Just A Few Clicks

With the announcement of Aperture's retirement, many of Apple's software users are seeking a new home for their image libraries. One of the most obvious choices is Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom. But moving those images from Aperture to Lightroom can be a little tricky. A new app has made it out of Beta and hit the app store that may provide an easier solution.

This Might Be My New Favorite Light Modifier

As photographers, we often go through many modifiers to find the right one, and this may just be my new go-to. With its low cost, portable form factor, and ease of setup, the Aputure Lantern could be right for you too.

Palette Gear Announces New Hardware, Rebranding as "Monogram"

Palette Gear has announced new modular hardware controllers while rebranding to become Monogram. Cited as 40% slimmer compared to the original Palette, Monogram's new and re-engineered modules offer compact yet versatile control and backward compatibility with first-generation modules using the new Monogram core hub.

[News] Fuji XF Lenses for Fuji X-Pro1 Leaked Early -- Available for Pre-order on Amazon!

Most are aware, by now, that 2011 has been dubbed 'the year of the protest.' However, in our corner, it's also the year of the mirrorless camera. As small-sensor image quality is improving and electronics are shrinking, manufacturers are taking advantage of being able to fit slightly larger-than-before sensors into the same pocket-sized cameras. Interchangeable lenses give even more flexibility, and, in the mirrorless format, give consumers a greatly portable system at a relatively low cost. Fuji's new X-Pro 1 mirrorless camera (with a 16-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor that's supposed to rival the quality of full-frame 35mm sensors) is expected to be announced early this coming week, but the new lenses that will be available for the system have already leaked early on Amazon. If you're thinking of getting the system, you may want to consider ringing in the new year's first mirrorless camera by building your lens set in advance. Fujifilm Lens X-Pro1 18mm F2.0 Lens Fujifilm Lens X-Pro1 35mm F1.4 Lens Fujifilm Lens X-Pro1 60mm F2.4 Macro Lens