Fstoppers Original Articles

When I started photography, one of the hardest things for me was to pick the editing software I should use. Indeed, a lot of photographers face the same problem every day. Looking beyond the classic choices, there is arguably much better software you can choose: ACDSee Gemstone Photo Editor 12. It combines the functionality of several Adobe products into one affordable and intuitive software.

In-camera special effects are a great and fun way to emphasize a story in photography. Many of these special effects that seem high production are actually quite easy to accomplish using the tools we already have or are easy to get. Today, I'll be showing you how to create one of my signature portraits, the Day vs. Night.

Today, we will have a brief battle between the two most compact prime lenses for the Fuji GFX system.

Lately, I've been in somewhat of a slump. For a couple of months, I haven't shot very much other than products in my office studio.

The late summer moors, hills, and mountain areas are turning purple with blooming heather; Now is time to photograph it.

The top question that haunts wedding photographers is: how do I get more clients? When it comes to wedding photography, get creative with your marketing tactics. These ideas to attract wedding photography clients will refresh your routine and expose you to clients you may not otherwise reach.

When Adobe changed its Creative Suite software to a subscription-based Creative Cloud a few years ago, there was much gnashing of teeth and consternation amongst the photo community. We were used to paying a one-time payment for software to use for many years, without being forced to upgrade. So why is it that photo apps get a pass for doing the same thing when it comes to subscription models?

Sometimes the who, what, and how is surpassed by the when. Timing can be everything. It’s a fact of life, even if a rather cruel one.

Mark your calendars for this Thursday, March 23 at 2 p.m. EST for a chance to talk with Clay Cook, the instructor of our newest tutorial covering fashion and editorial photography. This is a great chance to ask Clay anything you want to know about shooting, lighting, post-processing, and the business side of his work. The event will be held over Facebook live on the Fstoppers Facebook page.

I see a growing number of new lenses hitting the market that rely on lens correction. These lenses have some benefits, but are lens manufacturers taking shortcuts with these lens designs? Will we be seeing more and more lenses with this reliance on lens correction in the near future?

In this article, I share my experience with a new NFT marketplace called Fantasea.io. There's not much information available about it online. The domain has been registered just a little over a month ago, and the homepage currently feels like a work in progress. Because more and more photographers seem to get contacted to sell NFTs on this site, it's important to determine if it's legit.

Occasionally, it’s worth Googling your name to see what turns up. When I did it, it showed that a website was plagiarizing Fstoppers articles and stealing my photos too. This is what I did about it.

Are you tired of always leaving your personal projects unfinished? Or do you lose your motivation halfway through? Here are some tips to see you from start to finish, whatever your project is about!

GuruShots, creator of "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” hosts hundreds of various themed challenges open for anyone to enter. They recently hosted a challenge entitled "World of Water" that received thousands of entries and had millions of votes. Check out the three winners of the challenge below as well as the 100 top rated images.

A week and a half ago we asked the community to submit their best environmental portraits to be critiqued by Lee and Patrick. We got some awesome submissions and one lucky entrant won a free Fstoppers tutorial.

I experienced one of the photographic highlights of my life capturing the beauty of the midnight sun on my recent trip to the Lofoten Islands in Norway. Here are three tips on how to make the most of your next summer journey north of the Arctic Circle.

There is a bamboozling range of different camera bags on the market, and deciding which to buy is a veritable minefield. Here are some explanations of the various bags, their purposes, and what to look for when choosing yours.

Iceland is the land of fire and ice, but what happens when there's neither? Travel plans can change at the last minute due to many factors, the weather being a big one, lost luggage another. So, how do you adapt and make even a short trip memorable? Do you push your creative boundaries and try something new, or do you just step back and enjoy experiencing each new adventure?

World-renowned travel and landscape photographer Elia Locardi has teamed up with Skylum Global to bring you a creative editing challenge, editing Elia's images.

Art mimicked life and photography captured it. Then photography mimicked art until it too became an art form. But will it follow the trajectory of paint and canvas trends?

An updated version of the Biotar 58mm f2 will join the already announced Biotar 75mm f1.5, as the first two pieces in Oprema Jena’s lineup of modern remakes of classic lenses, the company announced today. Oprema is offering 58 people the chance to get the Biotar 75 and Biotar 58 – both originally produced by Carl Zeiss -- as part of a special rewards bundle in the current Kickstarter campaign for the Biotar 75. The 58 Biotar 58s will be pre-production models with serial numbers between 1 and 58. A pledge of $1,999 USD would allow someone to get both lenses at $2,500 less than the combined projected retail price for the lenses. The Biotar 75 is expected to go on the market next summer at a projected retail price of $2,499, with the Biotar 58 following by the end of 2018 at a projected retail price of $1,999.

A few months ago, I explored a new photography challenge and invested in an infrared filter for landscape photography. I could've bought an already converted used camera, but after looking at what was available on the used market and specialist conversion services, investing in a filter seemed to be at a more appealing price point and the best of both worlds. After several trials and tribulations, I became hooked on this newly discovered world of infrared photography.

Digital cameras are so pervasive in photography that it is difficult to remember a time when it was only possible to shoot on film. Yet as pervasive they are with the market is only about 30 years young, what are the six greatest "firsts" that we have seen in that time?

As the stigma around discussing mental health begins to improve, join me in this article to learn about how I have used photography over the years to help with my fight against PTSD and depression. Trigger warning: this article contains references to suicide, which some may find upsetting.

LinkedIn is not just a platform for jobseekers; it is a powerful networking and marketing channel for entrepreneurs, such as photographers. If you ever serve other businesses with your photography, then LinkedIn is a great place online to find and connect with the right people in your niche. As they say, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

Printing is hard. Rather, printing well is hard. It's been a little bit science. It's been a little bit art. Trying to make digital prints look like traditional darkroom prints is even harder still. But is it possible?

If you pick up a camera, you need to know some things about photography. You need to know how the camera works, and how to acquire the results you have in mind. Are you willing to take the effort to get it right the first time, or do you rely on repairing the errors?

Our new studio in Puerto Rico had so much echo that it was ruining the audio in all of our videos. I'm happy to say that we have finally figured things out, and we've learned a few things that might help you as well.

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.

Why do all lenses, including the one in the human eye, flip an image upside-down? Or do they? It's far easier to understand than you might think.

I’ve been working as a full-time professional photographer — meaning that 100 percent of my income is from photography — for over eight years. For the most part, I know what I’m doing. But I still make the time to assist other photographers when I can, and here’s why.

Over the next couple of months, I am teaming with Jen Basford, owner of 3 girls photography and co-owner of Seniors Ignite. If you aren't familiar with Seniors Ignite, it is one of the best resources out there for senior photographers.

Is this an age-old debate? Probably not, but I hear many voices touting the need for photographers to self-promote in order expand their client base. At the same time, I get many invitations to networking events for photographers with the intention of building their businesses. Are these the same thing, or not

Heritage sites around the world are definitely worth seeing for yourself and photographing. A way to start your list is by visiting and exploring Siem Reap.

Knowing when to buy and when to borrow can make a big difference to the bottom line of your photography business.

Being a photojournalist in the U.S. Air Force, there are often some pretty interesting opportunities to cover situations and events that most other photographers I know would probably never find themselves in. When new opportunities come up, there are usually two big questions to ask. One is, am I prepared for this? The other is, how do I even shoot this?

What if you woke up one morning and found yourself unable to come up with any good ideas on what to shoot next? You spend the entire day scouring the web, reading books, or talking to people and yet you still can’t come up with anything good? You’re so desperate, in the end, you just grab the camera and start shooting, but nothing good comes from it. Everything you shoot feels like it's only halfway there and doesn’t quite meet the standards of your photography or that of your peers. This happens to all of us, and before you think this is just another guide to getting you out of this rut — it isn’t.

As an experienced photographer, I have spent a career focusing on mostly still images, not paying much attention to video. With the help of the Apple ecosystem, I have found an accessible way to say yes to the question, "Do you shoot video?". This article discusses the quality and convenience of an all-Apple workflow, which begins with the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Back in July of 2016 when my daughter was a mere glimmer in my eye, I read Alex Cooke’s excellent article on shooting drone portraits. I was immediately transfixed by this new (new to me, anyway) concept. Some 12 months after first stumbling upon Alex’s article, I have a seven-week-old at home, and my travel photography has come to a halt (at least for a while). But I can always drone the baby! Here are some tips for getting the most out of your newborn drone portrait session.

I believe that upon our journey in whatever craft you choose, we encounter people who not only inspire, but assist in pushing us to grow more, and photographer Lucas Passmore has been exactly that for me. Initially, from the Midwest, Lucas is a fashion photographer living in Los Angeles. His regards for the history of photography, ability to capture a moment, and willingness to give back to those new to the photography community made him the perfect person to highlight in my first interview.

Continuous LED lights have made a ton of progress in the last few years, and they have become more powerful and versatile than ever, making them a viable alternative to strobes in a lot of situations. In this review, we will take a look at the Broncolor LED F160, a compact, high quality option.

You know that someone somewhere did a great job of marketing when it's late at night and something pops into your head, from who knows where, and you find yourself jumping online to make a small new purchase. No, I'm not talking about an expensive new lens or shiny new piece of gear; I'm talking about what amounts to an inexpensive accessory that tags along on your photo sessions. It adds something fun and tangible all while being almost impossible not to have a good time with. I'm talking about those Poloroid-esque mini cameras that seem to be making a big time comeback these days.

Do you charge for your photography? For the photographers who want to use their passion as a revenue opportunity, you will have to figure out what works best for you.

Nebulous cities, misty forests, and magic sunrays make a perfect subject for photography in the cold winter. Here, I share some tips and ideas for shooting mist and fog.

Recently, as I've begun exploring the realm of film photography, my dad pulled out his father's old camera and passed it down to me. I never knew my grandfather, so this feels like a moment to connect where I was never able to.

What do you do when worst-case scenario hits? When even after doing your best to prepare for it, it cripples you, and you feel like you're stuck in a depressive "Groundhog's Day" of going through the motions?

I shot and edited a narrative film in the last month. It was a first for me. I had this scene in my mind of a person burying a suitcase or bag in the woods, like it’s something he or she wanted to hide or get away from. I had a second idea about a guy walking down a long passage way and knocking on a door with no one opening for him. I decided these two contrasting visual ideas will be my story.

Clean up clutter backdrops in macro photographs by recycling the trash into a beautiful close-up DIY backdrop.

At the time this article was written, roughly 35 million Americans were unemployed. Many of the businesses where they once worked do not expect to be able to fully reopen, even after being given the green light by governmental authorities.

Peter Menzel is an award winning photojournalist whose work has appeared in many national and international publications such as: National Geographic, Time, Wired, Geo, Stern, Paris Match, Life, Le Figaro and Forbes. Today his new project: Waste in Focus. A documentary project that profiles eight families in four different cities with one weeks worth of trash.