Photography with a Conscience

It's been 3 years since Fstoppers' Patrick Hall posted on the Midway project, where Seattle-based photographer Chris Jordan made us aware of the horrific plight of albatrosses living on the Midway Atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Since then Chris and his team have put together this short film documenting the tragedy that plagues the inhabitants of the island, where the Great Pacific Garbage Patch continues to kill. This short is a bit of a teaser for their featured film due to be released later this year.

Which Sensor Size Suits Your Type of Photography the Best?

There are different sensor sizes in existence. This is common knowledge for most photo enthusiasts, and often it is said a full frame sensor is the professional choice. Let’s see if size makes a difference for your type of photography.

Six Ways to Remove Practically Anything in Photoshop

It doesn't matter what kind of photography you do, there will be times when an unwanted element in one of your pictures needs to be taken out in Photoshop. Here are six different techniques to use to remove practically anything from your images.

New Instagram Tool That Suggests What Hashtags to Use Based on Your Photo

Whether you like it or not, Instagram has become a big part of our life. And not just for seeing what our friends are up to, but also networking and showcasing our work as photographers, models, and other industry people. Using hashtags can help your photo come across new eyes as they search the countless numbers of photos on the social media platform, but which ones should you use?

How I Broke the New Leica SL2 and Why I Think It's Amazing

A recent launch event in Paris gave me the opportunity to hold a Leica for the very first time, and I quickly broke it. Leica’s brand new SL2 is a 47-megapixel beast that shoots 20 frames per second. Despite my capacity for crippling technology, I learned that there’s a lot to love about this camera and that Leica — with the SL2 in particular — might be more than a luxury brand for those with too much money.

Facebook Changes Trouble Business Page Owners

Recently Facebook made some changes to it’s Edgerank algorithm and in so doing, without warning might have just killed your reach on your posts by 50% or more. I witnessed the change when on October 4th I posted an album from a shoot and expected the current expected reach of 3000-4000 views but after 24 hours the album had only 86 total views. I was quite concerned by the news and thought at first it must have been a glitch before actually discovering Facebook had changed things up yet again and business page owners are in an uproar about it. I'll share my experience below, some interesting finds and what I am doing about it to continue reaching my fans.

Watch the First Full Lesson of 'Photographing the World' for Free

Last year we teamed up with Elia Locardi, one of the most followed landscape photographers in the world, to film "Photographing The World: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing." This is a 12-hour video tutorial on landscape photography, and today, we are releasing the first lesson for free.

Why It’s Still Important to Shoot In Black And White

I’ve just read a comment from a photographer who said it’s time to stop shooting in black and white. He claimed we don’t see the world in black and white and it was something only done in the past due to the limitations at the time and it’s time to move on. Here’s a number of reasons why I think it’s critical to shoot black and white from time to time, and how it can help nurture your photographic eye.

3 Pieces of Camera Gear That Surprised Me

I have owned, reviewed, or tested an inordinate amount of camera gear over the years — cameras, lenses, bags, lighting — and as a result, I'm not easily surprised. That isn't to say I'm never surprised, however, and here are a few times I was.
Every Landscape Photographer Should Know This

This editing technique is something every landscape photographer should learn. It can be especially helpful when you're approaching an image with a few technical flaws.

Watch How This Photographer Successfully Interacts With People On The Street

We have featured Brandon Stanton and his Humans of New York Project a couple times here on Fstoppers (here, and here.) However, after watching the latest video of him produced by the team at Facebook I just had to share. What I love most about this video is watching Stanton have genuine conversations with people on the street before and after photographing them.

This GoPro Video Of A Biker Going Down A Ridge Line Will Leave Your Palms Sweaty

Kelly McGarry is a freeride mountain biker who strapped a GoPro to his helmet and rode away down a narrow ridge. On either side, he would have been met with a steep fall. As if this wasn't amazing enough, he proceeds to do a backflip over a 72-foot canyon gap along the way! He only came up with second place, even with such a great run.

Here's How Your Histograms Should Look

One question I often get from my photography students is: "What the heck is that graph?" I often enjoy teaching photography even more than creating it, but explaining concepts like the histogram is one of the tougher parts of teaching photography.

Nikon's New AF-S Nikkor 105mm f/1.4E ED Lens Is Probably the New Bokeh King

Nikon has announced the AF-S 105mm f/1.4E ED. Yes, that wide aperture is real. And yes, at $2,196.95, it's as expensive as anyone thought it might be. The good news is that optical quality is supposed to be at the top of its segment. With a relatively long focal length of 105mm, the f/1.4 maximum aperture is impressive regardless of the price. Also featuring Nikon's latest nano and fluorine coatings, this is bound to be a new favorite lens for many portrait and wedding photographers.

Why Purchasing a Neutral Density Filter Holder Set is Your Better Option

Earlier this year, Patrick Hall did a thorough comparison of a variety of neutral density filter brands. The test included findings on color cast, vignetting, exposure, and sharpness. The goal was to find the best and most cost efficient neutral density filter available. In an effort to dig a little deeper into the question which filter is best for your gear set, I decided to add on a test of a similar product that photographers may prefer, filter holder sets.

Determining If A Photo Should Be Left In Color Or Converted To Black And White

After a recent trip abroad, I was excited to go through and process my images. I came across an image that I felt looked great in both color and black and white. Unsure of what to do, I started questioning the criteria that I use to determine if a photo should be left in color or converted to black and white. In the process, I decided to ask my colleagues and came up with a guide.

Flash Photography for Beginners: How to Take Amazing Portraits With On-Camera Flash

Shooting with flash can seem daunting at times, but it also opens up a whole new world of possibilities to take some truly epic photos that just wouldn't be possible with natural light. As a minor control freak, I was drawn to shooting with flash pretty early on in my career because I wanted to have control of the elements that made up my image. I didn't like the idea having to rely on what the sun was doing to determine whether or not I would be able to create the image that I envisioned. I wanted control so I took it. If you’re on the fence about whether or not you should start shooting with flash, this tutorial is for you.

Should You Still Be Chimping?

In digital photography, chimping is when you take a photograph, look at the LCD screen, and then adjust your exposure settings (ISO, aperture, shutter speed) if they are a bit off. In this article, I will tell you why you shouldn’t be doing this.

A Beast for Serious Photographers: We Review the Nikon Z 8

Many of us have been waiting for it for years now. A serious and capable mirrorless successor of one of the best DSLRs ever, the brilliant Nikon D850, has finally been unveiled and it comes packing a serious punch. How does it feel to use one? And is it worth the upgrade? Well, I’ve had it for a week and I love it.