Fstoppers Original Articles

Every winter, plenty of articles appear suggesting cheap gifts for photographers. However, the best presents are those where the giver has carefully considered the wants or needs of the recipient. Furthermore, let’s be honest, they are also where the giver has spent a bit more money.

I spent over $4,000 on the new M3 Max MacBook Pro. It's amazing, but after directly comparing it to my M1 MacBook Pro, I've realized it's probably not worth upgrading.

It's 6 AM, and I find myself gazing through my kitchen window at the dawn breaking over the city, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. The socialist architecture outside casts a gloomy gray hue.

Looking for a camera that can serve many purposes, but not sure where to look? The Nikon Z f might be the right place to start.

Since the introduction of AI-generated headshots, many have been lamenting the inevitable end of our industry, forecasting doom and gloom across every online forum almost on a daily basis. But one photographer isn’t afraid, and in fact, he believes that AI technology is actually good for headshot photographers and ultimately will strengthen our industry.

There are many options out there for printing and presenting your images. In this article, we look at the multitude of benefits of creating a Layflat Photo Book and shed light on why they are fast becoming a favorite amongst professional photographers looking for a budget-minded alternative to Flush Mount Albums.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max could possibly be considered one of the best mobile phone cameras for modern photography and videography. With a sophisticated camera system, and when paired with the Reeflex Pro app, it becomes even more powerful. This app unlocks the full potential of iPhone photography, allowing users to have complete control over their shots.

Shooting interiors can be a daunting task for an unprepared photographer. No matter how big or small the space is, there will be challenges that you need to face and problems you need to solve. Here are some ideas to get you started.

In the digital age of photography, the imaging process has almost become effortless. Professional photographers can struggle to stand out in the crowded market. Although creating outstanding images is crucial to succeed in this craft of photography, photographers should take into consideration the business side of this profession, especially in increasing revenues. One of the potential ways to increase revenue is through the sale of albums and print sets.

There is nothing quite as misleading in the photography internet as exposure guides, triangles, life hacks, and all that noise of information. There isn’t a topic that is as widely discussed as exposure. In this article, I will describe my method of exposing images, which has not yet failed me.

In part one, I looked at the preparation up to and including the wedding day itself. But much of the work happens after the event in front of a computer.

When it comes to telephoto lenses, most people think the main use is to take photos in situations where you can't get close to the subject, things like being stuck at the back of the chapel during a wedding ceremony. And while this reason is valid, there are more uses than just that.

With the latest Capture One, you get an incredible level of control over your images. I’ve already been a fan of the layers and masks in Capture One for a while, but with the new update, the software can create those for you. This, and so much more, is why you should try out the new Capture One.

In this second article about image sharpness, we will look at some more reasons why your photos may not be as sharp as you would wish.

Have you ever cut out an object in Photoshop, put it on a new background, added a “drop shadow” effect, and sat in front of your monitor thinking, “This just looks so Photoshopped”? I’m here to help! Here are five easy steps to creating realistic drop shadows in Photoshop.

I've been using both standard and programmable shutter release cables for ages. With the built-in interval option in modern cameras, these remote cables have become almost obsolete. Just remember one setting when using the interval option: the length of the exposure.

This is one of my most favourite test shoots I’ve done to this date, not only based on how we got the shot but also how they turned out. Here’s how we shot it, how it was lit, and everything that came together to make this shot happen.

The Fstoppers community is brimming with creative vision and talent. Every day, we comb through your work, looking for images to feature as the Photo of the Day or simply to admire your creativity and technical prowess. In 2023, we're featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

For some very good reasons, I have decided to stop photographing weddings. There are many lessons I learned from the challenges of weddings that may be useful to all photographers.

The frenetic final months of the year tempt photographers with screaming deals on cameras, lenses, software, supports, accessories, and more. However, the most tempting bargains also invite increased perils around online fraud, box damage, counterfeit risks, and problematic used gear. As eager shoppers hungry for savings paired with prudent consumers, here is how to diligently navigate both established retailers along with secondary marketplaces to avoid financial headaches and make well-informed purchases.

The Sony World Photography Awards, a recognized platform for emerging talents, has come under scrutiny for its age limit policies within its Student award category. There's a growing concern about the fairness of age limits that exclude mature students, with questions raised about imposing an upper age limit of 30 years for participants in the student category.

Here's the thing, they don't really teach SEO in school, do they? You can read about SEO until you're blue in the face, but the real learning? That happens when you're actually in the trenches, optimizing websites, figuring out what clicks and what flops.

The new year is right around the corner. While many are rushing to buy things for Black Friday, I am waiting patiently for January and February. There are two reasons behind this choice: financials and availability. But enough about timing. Here is the gear I will upgrade in 2024.

What percentage of your photos do you discard because they are blurry? The most common question I get asked by photographers is why so many of their images are not sharp. There can be a myriad of reasons, and here are the most common issues photographers face.

As photographers, we just want to photograph. But if you want to make a living in the world of photography, you need to know how to work the business side of things as well. This often means dealing with clients, understanding marketing concepts, and learning how to create and optimize websites.

As a working photographer, I often receive messages from beginners who need camera-buying advice. While I do write for a photography outlet, I am not as updated with the latest camera tech as you might first assume.

As a professional photographer, I have a love-hate relationship with cameras. I love them because they enable me to pursue my passion, but I also find them frustrating at times. However, amid this complex relationship, I've managed to discover one camera that embodies everything I love about photography while sparing me from the aspects I dislike.

It's time for great photography savings with some of the biggest deals of the year. If you happen to be looking for new gear, a faster or easier way to edit your photos, or a more efficient shooting workflow, here are offers that will help.

As the scope of your projects grow, so will your team, and it’s important to surround yourself with the best possible team to ensure the best possible end product. But how do you go about choosing the right people?

There’s nothing worse than seeing wonderful photographers wasting their efforts by hiding stunning images away on dusty, unseen hard drives.

In the realm of photography, images possess a transcendent power. They freeze moments, tell stories, and most importantly, drive change. For environmental activism, this power is not just artistic; it's transformative and essential.

Have you ever wondered what could separate your photography business from the competition, especially in crowded markets like engagement, wedding, and newborn photography? The Fine Art Album from Zno could be your unique selling point to make your business stand out.

We are big fans of SLR Lounge and all they do, especially when it comes to tutorials. If you're not familiar with what they've produced, this week in particular is a great time to take a look as they're offering major discounts with their Black Friday Sale.

Photography is an art form that combines technical skill with creative vision, and among the fundamental principles that every photographer should master is the art of straightening horizons. Yet, it's a common oversight, often dismissed as a minor detail. It's a pet peeve of mine and is something that is easily avoided. Let's delve into the significance of level horizons in photography, explore the reasons why they often go unnoticed, and provide practical tips on how to break the habit of being a lazy photographer by ensuring your horizons are straight.

Over the past decade, the realm of photography has witnessed a rapid transformation driven by rapid technological advancements. Cameras today stand as marvels of innovation, vastly different from their counterparts from just 10 years ago. In this article, let's delve into the technological differences between cameras now and those from the past decade, exploring whether these advancements translate into significantly better image quality and examining how technology has reshaped the landscape of photography.

In an increasingly polarized world, one of photography’s most profound strengths is its ability to cultivate empathy and compassion across cultures. At its best, photography can transport us into unfamiliar environments, activities, and viewpoints. It reveals the humanity in people whose lives and backgrounds differ vastly from our own. Photography has a transcendent way of building understanding and sympathy by showing us new perspectives.

Sony is rapidly rising as a leading camera manufacturer. This article explores how their innovative E mount system and bold approach to features have challenged the Canon and Nikon's duopoly in the photography industry.

Being able to use off-camera lighting is considered a skill only for the pro photographers. When I started out, still in high school, I saw the flash photographers use their cool lights and always thought about how cool they are. Soon after, I bought my first flash. Mistakes followed.

If you want to pack light everyday and still be able to get a lot of work done, a tablet can definitely step up for some of the post-production work that you do. With the help of these tools, you’ll be able to fully utilize the capabilities of your tablet computer.

Photographers today face a troubling predicament – essential software like Adobe Creative Cloud can only be accessed through expensive subscriptions plans. The era of purchasing permanent software licenses has been replaced by never-ending monthly rental payments. While companies tout this as convenient and necessary, the reality is that recurring subscriptions disproportionately squeeze photographers while padding corporate profits.

Focusing on the world of post production today, I’ll share some experiences from the last couple months working with the latest Mac Pro and OWC 32TB Accelsior 8M2 PCIe 4.0 Storage Card.

Please, no more mugs shaped like lenses. No more photography pun t-shirts. Photographers, filmmakers, and content creators; send this article to the gift givers in your life for some handy hints on what gifts you would actually like to receive.

Authenticity is the holy grail of being an artist. If you’ve managed to find your own authentic voice, you’ve achieved more than most photographers will ever do. I won't lie to you: it takes time to find your own authentic voice. Here are some steps that you can take to find yours.

Seattle, WA: Local photographer Wyatt Jones recently decided to switch from shooting in raw to JPEG format in an effort to spend less time editing images. However, he soon discovered he was spending even more time explaining his decision to horrified fellow photographers who were developing negative opinions.

Doing photography full-time is anyone's dream. Full-time is regarded as a sign of making it in the business. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Here are some of the blessings and curses of being a full-time photographer.

Do you remember the excitement and anticipation of dropping off film rolls at the photo development lab, waiting days or even weeks to get your printed photos back? For those of us who grew up in the pre-digital era, film photography was a much more nostalgic experience than the instant images we can take and view today.

A number of years ago, while still an ambassador for Hasselblad, I received a fateful phone call from a gentleman asking if he could pick my brain about the newly released Hasselblad X1D. I agreed, and we proceeded to talk about cameras, both past and present, along with the photos we had taken with them. It was a jovial conversation, but it wasn't until we were talking about the Hasselblad 500 that he said the line: "That is the camera I used to photograph the Mir Space Station."

Photography has always existed in multiple spheres - as an artistic medium, a vehicle for documenting history, a channel for self-expression, a tool for surveillance, and a form of casual communication. With the meteoric rise of social media in the 21st century, however, the ways in which photos are produced, consumed, and understood have profoundly changed. While social media offers photographers unparalleled opportunities for visibility, it has also homogenized photographic styles, marginalized minority voices, and constrained creative freedom.

Cross polarization transforms images of a variety of clear subjects into rainbow, fluorescent works of art with equipment that you probably already have. Learn the easy process behind this clever optical technique to create some masterpieces of your own.