Fstoppers Original Articles

I'm going to let you in on a little secret, one that lots of people know, but for some reason, not that many people talk about. You're allowed to take bad photos; it's alright, and your world won't come crashing down.

The best camera is the right one for your particular job. But what are some of the less than obvious reasons why we pick up one camera instead of another?

We've all heard the saying "the grass is greener on the other side", which also applies to photography. Think you need exotic and faraway locations to make you a better photographer? Think again!

Canon’s announcement of the 1D X Mark III has inevitably set the camera world chattering, confirming some rumors (raw video) and debunking others (there is no new battery with a secret new feature). Among the specifications, it’s interesting to see what’s been left out and how this compares to Nikon’s own “announcement” last month, not to mention the Sony a9 II.

As technology advances, the tools photographers can use to create their visions are more accessible, varied, and intuitive than ever before. I have a feeling this means our definition of photography and our uses for it are going to expand like crazy. It may also mean a photographic renaissance.

While Typhoon Hagibis was causing destruction across Japan recently, some adrenaline junkies decided to go surfing at one of the country's most mythical big wave locations. I was there to capture these incredible scenes.

Few photography niches are as difficult and intense as aviation, but British photographer Lloyd Horgan shows that if you can break into it, it can produce some stunning results.

Landscape Photography can be quite intimidating especially to new photographers. Aside from the fact that it entails quite a bit of leg work, it can also seem as if it requires a lot of unique pieces of gear.

What to name your photography business is one of the first questions any entrepreneur has to answer before venturing out into the freelance world. Many photographers simply use their full name as their business name, but could that be the worst decision ever? Today, we discuss some of the most important things to consider before making the jump into being a full-time photographer.

Instagram influencers have been accused, among other things, of caring more about perception than reality. But maybe there's some justification for that and something we can learn from it. The problem may not be the idea itself, but only that it's sometimes taken too far.

GoPro has just launched the GoPro MAX, a 360 camera that’s quite difficult to sum up in a few words. Videographer Claudiu Voicu and I had the opportunity to play with it for a few days last week, and even though we ended up destroying it by accidentally dropping it off a roof, first impressions are that it is a lot of fun, especially for content creators seeking to create interesting footage on the fly.

The best analogy for photographing well-photographed locations is to make covers of famous pieces of music. Just like a musician practices his guitar skills with “Nothing Else Matters” and makes his own version, a landscape photographer might do the same at Skogafoss in Iceland or Mesa Arch in Utah. When you are done practicing, or made enough covers of the same location, you might want to make your own original pieces.

Yes, you read that right. Pye Jirsa is back in Puerto Rico and this time he goes head to head against both Lee and me for the ultimate photography competition. We need your help deciding who took the best image!

Whether you’re using Adobe Lightroom, Capture One, or any other raw-processing software, odds are, the default settings aren’t right for you. By taking just a few minutes to consider what you typically shoot, you can save yourself hours in processing and create better-looking images.

For those interested in landscape photography, you may be selling yourself short by exclusively using wider angle lenses. Telephoto lenses deserve just as much use, if not more.

Many photographers live and breathe by keywording their photos in Lightroom. Keywords can be used both for describing images, as well as combined with other features of Lightroom for organizing, searching, publishing, and exporting photos.

Have you ever heard the argument that photography isn’t art, because everyone can do it? That’s bull. All forms of photography need artistic thinking to some extent.

Transitioning from hobbyist to professional is daunting, but what are good and bad signs for someone looking to make the leap? And what "signs" aren't really signs at all?

Every photographer is different: we all have our own personalities and values. Even with all our differences, there are five key traits that every photographer needs to have no matter what they do.

In 2019, every camera on the market, from action cameras, to 360 cameras, to Interchangeable lens cameras, has WiFi. Unfortunately, that means that every camera requires its own app to make work wirelessly.

In this installment of the Twelve Weeks of Christmas, we have the 11 biggest and boldest possible facts in photography. They don't come any bigger than this!

I am not a big tech fan; I don’t overly get involved in tech reviews, but the death of the DSLR is something that does concern me, and here is why you should be worried to.

If your goal for 2020 is to become a full time professional, make sure that you start doing these things now.

Our histogram shows 256 shades of gray. Besides pure black and pure white Ansel Adams used only nine shades to manipulate the contrast in his famous landscape photos. His zone-system can still be used for our modern digital photography.

Portrait photographers know how overwhelming it can feel to create work that depends on collaboration with a complete stranger. With this in mind, I asked five professional photographers in central Texas for their top portrait photography tips.

This is a short story about a brief moment and the significance of a photograph.

New lenses and cameras are always fun to purchase, but equally important is finding a way to store those photos you’re making with those cameras and lenses. Here’s why you should consider network attached storage before you spend that money on another lens.

For the last few weeks, Fujifilm teamed up with Fstoppers to offer a brand new FUJIFILM X100F Digital Camera to one lucky entrant. The contest has ended and Zeke Moore was randomly selected to win the camera, congratulations! We'll be in touch with you via email.

A long-time friend of Fstoppers Felix Hernandez shoots an out of this world cover for Top Gear Magazine. This project is a perfect example of how brands, publications, and artists can collaborate authentically.

More than ever, people are trying their hand at photography and with it comes a lot of photos meant to emulate the work of others. Do you strive for originality?

The 5th Annual Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Awards is officially open for entries. Submit your creations for a chance to exhibit your work at the world-renowned Aperture Gallery in New York as well as $3,000 cash to pursue your photography projects.

Posting on social media can be tough. Sometimes it feels like there’s nothing new to share at all. Maybe the problem is you’re not using all the opportunities out there. You might be missing some ways to squeeze more juice out of the content orange.

Recently the studio hired a new assistant for the busy holiday season. While the intention was for light assistant work it quickly changed when the applicant mentioned they knew album design, retouching, and much more. Before sitting down with an applicant, have you thought about the possibilities of what more they could do for you?

The targets of many aspiring artists and models have shifted since the rise of social media, and not necessarily for the better.

Canon has officially announced the launch of its new IVY REC wearable “activity camera,” and everything about it is slightly bizarre: the marketing, the design, its purpose, and its intended market. Who is it for, and will you be buying one?

If you're like me and primarily use Lightroom Classic for your photo editing, you probably occasionally edit a photo in Photoshop. If you do, you might be making the same Photoshop file mistakes I made.

Richard Terborg is a conceptual fashion, portrait and fine-art photographer from Holland. Known for his bold and crazy colors, Richard is just as bold and crazy in real life. In a fun way, not a ruin your life way.

Today, cameras are easy to use. The skill of photographers has shifted from learning how to handle a camera to learning how to handle what happens in front of it. Do you have this skill?

Nikon’s newly announced Z50 mirrorless camera may be one of the company’s most important announcements. With sales falling across the industry, product lines will need to consolidate, and the introduction of an entirely new line sets a very significant precedent. Nikon had strong performances in the DSLR era, with cameras like the D3, D300, and D700 as standouts, but were later to the game with significant mirrorless cameras. Is the Z50 the right direction?

There are not a lot of people who are photographing landscapes in black and white. Most of us prefer a nice color presentation of a landscape. Nevertheless, black and white conversion can help a lot when processing a color photo.

It's now officially twelve (shopping) weeks to Christmas and so in the spirit of the 12 Days of Christmas, we start our countdown — not with 12 drummers drumming — with the top 12 ways to pimp your camera.

It's exciting when you are hired for a music video, but you are allowed to film it as a drama short film with elements of musical. In this article I will share the challenges in such a production.

I've seen a lot of changes to cameras since I picked up my first, but one stands far above the rest for me.

The eternal debate: to prime or not to prime. Here are a few thoughts on why less can often be more.

If you have ever wanted to start a YouTube channel, here is my experience of setting up a new channel and giving it a real go for 30 days.

Instagram is a community, and you’re just working inside it. You need to understand that posting a photo with the right hashtags isn’t enough; it’s like putting a flyer on a board with thousands of other flyers. How can you stand out?

No, it’s not a trick question. I recently asked Fstoppers readers about their absolute must-have in a camera, and the clear winner was autofocus. But there is a lot to autofocus, so I want to examine some of its aspects more deeply.

Sony has established the era of the incremental update, offering new bodies at an alarming rate that are putting the old guard to shame. Where flagships used to be replaced every four to five years, Sony has just announced its ultimate camera after the first iteration has been on the market for a mere two-and-a-half. Is this what customers want, and is the a9 II a big disappointment?

For many, wildlife photography is all about natural colors and objective realism. The light, composition, and behavior captured should do all the talking. And for the most part, I agree — for that other tiny little bit, though, I beg to differ. Please allow me to elaborate in more ways than one.

It seems as though almost every time I ask one of my close friends about a particular aspect of their photo, I usually hear the same reply: "I forgot" or "I didn't think of that." My answer is, typically, "make a checklist."