Photography News

As photographers, every so often, we will hit the dreaded brick wall of creativity. The tank goes empty, and we feel about as imaginative as a sack of rocks. There are few things more frustrating than being in the middle of an assignment and feeling that wave of doom come over you, taking away what little inspiration you had left as it recedes. In order to combat this malaise, Ted Forbes over at "Art of Photography" has introduced his new Photo Assignments series.

The new MacBook Pro's release has stirred the Internet with a mix of positive and negative reactions. We've seen praising and hating. We've seen reviews claiming faulty ports, cables, and adaptors. We've seen the fancy videos. However, there are still few real-life experience reviews from working pros. Here's one of them. It's quite intriguing.

Affinity Photo was released over a year ago on Mac OS X. Its success on the App Store definitely shows how great the software truly is. It is also proof that people are looking at different options than the traditional Adobe workflow. Until now, one thing refrained many: Affinity Photo was available only on the Apple platform. But today is a new day and the software is now Windows compatible.

It's not your average audio editor. Adobe is working on a piece of audio manipulation software that has a peculiar artificial intelligence built in. It's so smart that it allows you to fix verbal mistakes in a way never seen before. This functionality can be so helpful and, at the same time, massively abused.

Alex Bartsch has done the incredible. Through a lot of research and after climbing over fences and onto roofs, he sought out 42 locations where reggae artists had photos taken for their album artwork. He even got into the living room of former Trojan label owner Marcel Rodd in Hampstead to take a photo in front of the fireplace. His work documents an era of London's reggae scene between 1967 and 1987.

Bartsch's series looks like it took a lot of hard work. Either the artists, label owners, or photographers had to be tracked down to get...

The original MōVI M10 shook the filmmaking world, liberating camera movement and taking the Steadicam head-on. Three years on, Freefly Systems is ready to take on the market again – the market they arguably helped create – with the MōVI Pro.

Apple has been causing controversy within the world of "working professionals" after releasing the new Macbook Pro laptops and replacing all old ports including USB, HDMI, power, and MiniDisplay, with Thunderbolt 3 ports. To use almost any accessory with your laptop you'll now need to buy a dongle... but the dongle doesn't even work.

Kirk Mastin and Mastin Labs are the creators of some of the better known (and more highly regarded) sets of develop presets for digital images to emulate the look of film. Kirk has been working on a mobile app to achieve similar results on the go for a while now, and that app has finally been released. Meet Filmborn.

For better or worse, Apple ditched almost every port on its latest MacBook Pro lineup, opting instead for a single audio jack and four Thunderbolt 3 ports with the new USB-C connector. While there are inherent advantages to such a setup, it is true that users will need to invest in a series of adapters to connect their devices. Starting today, through December 31, nearly all of Apple's adapters and cables featuring USB-C are discounted 24-52 percent, depending on the cable.

Everyone might not be familiar or privy to the changes that Instagram has made over the last couple years, but one thing is for sure, they are doing some great things when dealing with brands and how they feed ads to their consumers. Next week, they will begin to roll out a feature in which select brands will be able to tag specific products for people to click through and purchase with one click, all in-app.

Those of us working within the creative industry are often held captive to an unwritten rule: working for free. No other field suffers the same stigma; we don’t expect our laywers, our handymen, or our child-minders to work without payment. So, why is it so often expected that we will?

Adobe concentrated its Creative Cloud 2017 updates heavily in newer media areas as it announced an After Effects improvement to render 3D elements up to 20 times faster, a Premier Pro update that automatically detect and create settings for different types of virtual reality content, and a new project, Project Felix, to aid in the creation of photo-realistic images by combining 2D and 3D assets. Meanwhile, cloud-based document collaboration across Creative Cloud, universal search in Photoshop, and other new features improve usability across a number of applications.

There's an Adobe Max every year. The conference will start on the 2nd of November and goes on for two days. The first day will be about the Future of Creativity and Design, and day two will be based on how Community Inspires Community.

If it works, GearEye's new RFID tagging system for your gear could change the way you pack for your shoots forever. Thin stickers in three versions allow you to tag all kinds of gear from memory cards to camera bodies and lenses, while an additional accessory scans a nearby area to verify if those items are in your bag, ensuring you never forget a piece of gear (and, alternatively, ensuring that you're never carrying more than you need).

74,545 miles, 25 flights, 93 days of travel. Mike Kelley's passion and dedication to his "AIRPORTRAITS" project is astounding, as are the results. Take some time to admire the beauty and variety of planes as they traverse airports across the world.

We've all attempted multiple exposures. We do it when we want to create a specific feeling when shooting portraits, and we do it when we want to expose correctly for an architectural photograph client, to correct in post. We use a tripod, to make sure the images are identical, and we either use the camera's automatic stop metering to compensate and expose all the needed information correctly. And then Grant Legassick goes and changes the way I always considered multiple exposures and how they can be used.

Most of us in the photography and videography world have seen, used, or at least heard of Yongnuo flashes, wireless transmitters, and even those handy little video LED lights and light bars. Well Yongnuo is slowly making their mark in the camera lens world as well with their already released 50mm f/1.8 and 35mm f/2 for both Canon and Nikon. Newly spotted at the Photokina Expo is the upcoming Yongnuo 100mm f/2. Yes, the price-cutting camera accessory makers are currently in preproduction of a 100mm f/2 lens that will have a version compatible with only Canon cameras for now.

Publishing high definition pictures on the web always seemed to be an issue. Both in terms of speed and quality. Full-resolution files could never really be enjoyed through the Internet without having to compromise either on the quality or the experience for the viewer. But that is about to be a thing of the past! A solution finally exists, and it solves pretty much all the problems we used to have on the web and our 20-plus-megapixel pictures.

It's always fun to track how various Fstoppers writers grow in their career and undertake new challenges. Mike Kelley has been one of my favorites to watch with the success of his first and second architectural photography tutorials, as well as his expanding aerial photography work. He successfully created and promoted a book featuring his aerial work of Los Angeles. Now, Mike is helping to judge a new aerial photography contest being put on by SkyPixel. If you'd like to participate, check out the details below.

The guys that brought you the Lume Cube are at it again with a Kickstarter to bring an even more powerful and portable light source for on the go photographers. The original Lume Cube is waterproof, features Bluetooth syncing, and has a build quality easily giving GoPro a run for its money. The Life Lite is all that but in an even smaller package at an incredibly enticing price point.

In the history of modern portraiture, few images have stuck in the collective consciousness of the photography world as firmly as the "Afghan Girl" portrait by Steve McCurry. The photo, taken in 1984 in the Nasir Bagh refugee camp, has become a lasting portrayal of innocence in a heartbreaking circumstance, as relevant today as it was over 30 years ago.

I don't care much for Halloween; as a miserable Brit, it's all a bit odd to me. However, if Canon is going to offer a 15 percent off coupon code, I'll dress up in costume (read I'll wear a hat or non-matching socks) and celebrate with the best of you. The code is at the bottom of the page; please pretend to read my words while en route to it. I'll know if you don't.

I have been using the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 for quite some time now. It has been my go-to computer for pretty much all the editing I do. It really is an amazing computer. But if I had to pick one of the downsides, it would be the small screen. Enter the Microsoft Surface Studio.

Since 2012, when the Apple Retina MacBook Pro’s introduction set a new standard for laptop displays and did away with the DVD drive, not much has changed in the way of your standard laptop — especially for Apple. Four years before that, Apple simply moved to the now-ubiquitous unibody design. But after well over a year since the last refresh, Apple is back with a generational update that millions have not-so-patiently awaited. It’s about time. Let’s jump right in with the newest features of the latest Apple MacBook Pro range.

Like most parameters in photography, resolution has an upper limit dictated by the laws of physics. However, a team of clever scientists have discovered a way around that fundamental bound, creating new possibilities for imaging in many realms.

While there are many insurance companies that are out there for photographers and drone pilots, Verifly is the first drone liability insurance company that protects pilots and allows them to pay on demand. I recently interviewed Verifly CEO Jay Bregman to find out more about his new company and what they are doing to help drone pilots all around the country. One of the first things you will see about Verifly is that they cover up to $1,000,000 in liability within a flight radius of a quarter of a mile with any drone under 15 pounds. All operators have to do is select their area, after which they are instantly approved and provided with on-the-spot insurance to fly and proof of coverage to show to anyone who needs to see it.

Bad news for drone owners in Sweden! The country has now effectively ban camera drones in its airspace. And if you thought you could bring your drone on your next trip to Sweden, well you better think twice unless you’ve got a permit.

It's already Tuesday, but if you're like me – always open to sponge up as much learning and information as possible – you'll still be in time to get on with a free course on LinkedIn through their "Week of Learning," available until October 31. Last year, LinkedIn bought educational site, Lynda.com, one of the largest online training and tutorial networks. Even though LinkedIn isn't one of the networks that members of the creative industries are most active on, there's still a lot of useful information, and the workshops and tutorials are actually very well produced.

Depth of field fakers rejoice, Apple has just released the official build of iOS 10.1. This update notably includes the heretofore beta Portrait Mode for owners of the iPhone 7 Plus, allowing users to simulate depth of field effects on photos taken with the 7 Plus' new secondary camera. The update is available now via over-the-air download or by updating your phone via iTunes.

Vimeo is a great platform for uploading and showcasing your videos. Although YouTube is still the reigning leader, Vimeo has been the way for many movie-makers to show the world what they have to offer.

Since I fell in love with portraiture I've daydreamed about traveling the world to take pictures of people. It's not a unique dream and it's not an overly farfetched dream, but it isn't a job that often comes up. One of the ways in which artists get commissioned to do something along those lines, however, is the Lavazza Calendar. It has seen the likes of Mark Seliger, Annie Leibovitz, and Steve McCurry behind the camera for them in recent years and this year, Joey L got the nod.

The entire Fstoppers office and many of the Fstoppers writers are at PPE this year. Today we will be wandering around the convention center and we hope you'll come say hello. Tonight at 8pm we're throwing a small get-together with a few big names in the industry.

Eastman Kodak and UK-based Bullitt Group yesterday announced a new smartphone which capitalizes on image-making. The 21-megapixel Kodak Ektra comes with a 6-axis optically stabilized f/2 front camera which sports a 26.5mm equivalent lens and uses a 1/2.4-inch Sony Exmor RS IMX230 sensor.

Snapchat is fun and all, but Instagram is better. Well, in my eyes, Instagram is better for a few reasons, and I quickly deleted the face-filter app that took up just shy of 1 GB of space on my iPhone because I felt Instagram's version of stories had the greater potential. One of the largest reasons I see more potential in Instagram Stories over Snapchat is the virality and reach my Story can have. Today, Instagram announced they will be adding people's public stories to the Explore page, which will essentially let them be seen by more people. If you have not caught on, this means there's more potential for my stuff to go viral.

We have two, fantastic reasons to be happy today in the form of two, long-awaited lenses. First, Nikon announced an update to its flagship 70-200mm f/2.8 professional zoom that features fluorite lens components, an electromagnetic diaphragm, and a slew of other quality and durability improvements. Meanwhile, a new PC 19mm f/4E tilt-shift also features Nikon's latest electromagnetic diaphragm and fills a wide-angle tilt-shift gap where Canon has held an advantage for years.

We know that if something is narrated by David Attenborough, it's going to be special. And to make it even more of a go-see, the original score is produced by award-winning Hans Zimmer who gave us the score to Lion King, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Inception to name a few. BBC used the latest filming technologies to get up close and personal to these creatures we seldom see or think about as being part of this eco-system on Earth.

Famed landscape photographer Ansel Adams' Arca-Swiss 4x5 camera that he personally owned and used from 1964 to 1968 will go up for auction at the end of this month via Heritage Auctions in New York. Bidding will open at a staring price of $35,000 on October 27th, so if you have some extra change lying around, you can bid on this one-of-a-kind piece of photographic history.

The 5 Day Deal team is back again with another giant pack of photography resources. Included this time are materials from Trey Ratcliff, Nicole S. Young, Lindsay Adler, Joel Grimes, and a host of other educators and resource creators. If you haven't checked them out before, this is a great time to get on board and score a huge collection of photo swag while supporting some great charities. As an added bonus, they're also running a giveaway that is sponsored by industry giants like Adobe and Fujifilm.

The cult of chasing the most interesting, characterful bokeh is as strong as ever. A trend has begun to take shape that involves feverishly hunting for older, unique lenses to be brought revived with the help of modern optical quality, as an alternative to many mainstream lenses which tend to prioritize optical perfection over distinct character when designing lenses. A month ago Meyer Optik added a new competitor to a quickly growing market by launching a Kickstarter for a 58mm f/1.9 lovingly named the "Wonder Bokeh."

After various setbacks and delays over the past two years, Italy's FILM Ferrania has begun preparations to make slide film for analog still and movie cameras. This puts the company back on track to make a first batch of film for distribution to backers of their Kickstarter project.

Hoya has just debuted a new series of neutral density filters called Solas IRND, bolstering there array of already stellar filters for photography and video. This new line of IRND (Infrared Neutral Density) promises to produce no color casts in your images and videos, which is a very common issue when using ND's.

When LG invited me to their OLED exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, my ears pricked up. This is for two reasons: the first is that a couple of years ago, I wrote a piece on OLED lighting and how I think it will change how photographers light their subjects in the coming years. The second is because, well, I love technology. LG's OLED 4K TVs and monitors are the epitome of digital clarity, and while I suspected that to be the case, seeing it in the flesh did more than confirm my suspicions.

Today Sony announced a new addition to their APS-C E-mount camera line, the a6500. This 24.2-megapixel camera takes over as the flagship model for Sony's crop sensor interchangeable lens system bodies. There are many upgraded features over the a6300 that was first announced just in February of this year, so let's dive right in.

It's difficult to follow every single photographer out of New York City, but one that comes to mind for me has always been Christopher Serrano, also known as Heavy_Minds on Instagram. His photos of feet dangling from rooftops and outstanding vantage points has always helped me visualize all that I believe NYC to be. Sadly, news has broke that Serrano has passed away scaling a train car.

Just as the Digital Bolex is put to bed, Leica announced a new concept camera that's not too far removed. It may be in the land of dreams, but they certainly mean business when it comes down to the future of cameras. Leica's new cinema camera concept debuted at Photokina, and has proved an interesting foray into digital cinema. Although not their first entry into the market by any means, it's certainly eye-catching and hopes to inspire ideas surrounding what consumers want from a camera.

Phase One introduces its third feature update for the XF camera system. The freshly released firmware adds a couple of new features, including the world’s first complete electronic shutter in medium format photography. The Danish manufacturer proves once again its devotion to offering its customers a future-proof system that can evolve with time and professional photographers’ needs.

In the past week or so we have seen a lot of big things happening in the drone industry. It seems that there is almost a battle for portability, where drones should be able to be used anywhere by anyone. That being said, GoPro came out with an awesome new system that packs into one slim bag and can be brought and flown just about anywhere. The GoPro Karma folds up and packs into one small bag fitting the drone with the props on, the batteries, the remote, and the camera attached to the gimbal. On top of their drone idea, they decided a consumer may not always want to fly, but might still want to film some stable footage. In this case, they made the gimbal on the Karma removable so it can also be hand held and steady.

A prominent civil rights attorney and Arkansas state representative who sponsored the passage of a 2015 bill protecting the right of citizens to film events in public places was arrested along with another attorney today while filming police.

Drones are becoming more popular, cheaper, smaller, and overall better than the ones released years ago. Many more are being sold each day. With that comes new experiences for many of us. Recently, Mike Rowe took to Facebook with his recent experience, or should I say recent invasion. We all know when it comes to celebrities, privacy is always being pushed to the limits. They usually experience cameras sneaking into their daily and private lives, but this is a particularly intrusive instance.

For most, light painting photography is out of reach. Usually requiring a DSLR setup, most photographers don’t want to spend the time, energy, or coin to create dynamic images painted with light. But, for those who love the idea of using concentrated light to add flare to their images with little to no effort, Pablo is here. The new app for iOS helps even the most amateur photographer create long exposure photos and video at the touch of a screen.