GuruShots, "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” recently asked photographers to participate in a Summer challenge by submitting their best Sunny Summer photo into a worldwide challenge. With thousands of entries were sent in and millions of votes were cast to select the top images from the challenge. Check out the three winners as well as the 60 top rated images below.
I find myself in a grateful mood this week. Well, to be honest, I find myself in a grateful mood every week. Through both times of feast and famine, it is impossible to escape the unbelievable good fortune bestowed on me to allow me live on this earth, to create art, and exist in a world where I am allowed to dream. Whether you win or lose, getting to play the game is a gift and shouldn’t be taken for granted. So this week, between crafting bids, fine-tuning cold calls, and assembling moodboards, I am taking time to do a different sort of brainstorming: how can I give back to a world that has given me so much?
I'm not talking about gear you buy. I'm talking about investing on the stock market. Many of the companies we as photographers use are public companies. For me, it's become a time to consider investing. What would you buy?
Envision flying around with a jet pack creating massive film sets like you are a cinematography superhero. Cinetracer is a realistic cinematography simulator where you play a Director, and your quest is to make an epic movie. The real purpose of this program is to create beautiful storyboards for pitching.
We have all been there! Out and about on a photo shoot, trying to photograph a beautiful landscape or during a portrait session, and then something happens, which annoys you to your core. Join me in this article as I discuss some of the frustrations I have experienced.
Automation is now an integral part of photography. There are innovative ways you can use it to make your workflow run like clockwork and allow you the time to concentrate on your creativity.
It's a trip of a lifetime, after all. You'll to want to make sure you have the right gear with you when the bears start sparring or the leopard seals give chase to an unsuspecting penguin chick out for its first swim. I asked two experts in the field to provide their recommendations: Marius Coetzee, with Oryx Photo Tours, which operates in both northern and southern polar regions and Paul Zizka who runs his own photography workshops as well as working with OFFBEAT, running photo tours in the northern polar regions. I also guide with GAdventures, exploring Antarctica, and Frontiers North Adventures, leading adventures in Canada's sub-Arctic.
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 2021, 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.
It's been a while since we've sat down to critique of the Fstoppers images but we're back with the series for our 30 videos in 30 days challenge. To commemorate our recent tutorial with Monte Isom, we filmed a new episode of Critique the Community which will focus on commercial images. A few days ago, we asked the community to submit their work for us to choose from. Since the definition of commercial imagery encompasses a wide variety of subject matters, we chose 20 varied images to give some feedback to. Do you agree with Chelsey and Lee's commentary on the images below?
It always surprises me in photography that the sector as a whole seems wedded to spending money. Not content with the affliction of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) across amateurs and professionals, the sector likes nothing more than a few extra bags, filters, albums, prints, and yes, software.
I recently had the chance to speak with Chris Menges about his newest project, "Waiting for the Barbarians." Menges’ insights into the art (and underlying politics) of filmmaking are a must-read for anyone looking to tell stories with film.
As the old year rolls into the new, it’s that time again to make a few photographic resolutions.
Ten years ago, I attended my first PhotoPlus Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. No other event each year brings as much opportunity to learn, check out new gear, speak with other photographers, editors, manufacturers, meeting folks outside of the matrix of social media. Here's a brief round-up of the 2018 PhotoPlus Expo from a different take than simply the latest gear.
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 2024, 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.
The annual Lyrid Meteor Shower is nearly upon us, peaking on the evening of April 21-22. While it’s not the best of the annual meteor showers, it is a good opportunity to try your hand at the challenge of capturing an image of a meteor. And even better, you may already have all of the equipment on hand: tripod, DSLR or mirrorless camera, and wide angle lens.
The traditional route for startups to bring great product ideas to market was to fund them directly or find willing venture capitalists to invest. The advent of crowd platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo have dramatically changed the product funding landscape, and this is as true for photography as elsewhere. So, should you buy products from the likes of Kickstarter?
It’s time for something different. Ever have that great idea, but you may just let it fizzle away? Me too. But this one wasn't getting away.
"If your pictures aren't good enough then you aren't close enough" Robert Capa
Our latest series of behind the scenes episodes with Elia Locardi are almost over. In today's episode we continue to explore the rooftops of Dubai in search of the perfect cityscape photograph of the city. We then head out to a remote desert to photograph the stars only to find out our guide had other plans. This is “Photographing the World III” behind the scenes episode 12!
RuPaul’s Drag Race is the Emmy-winning global phenomenon taking reality TV by storm. The show is in its 13th season but boasts several spin-offs including All Stars, as well as localized seasons in Canada, UK, Thailand, Holland, Spain, and Australia. Drag race, as it is called by fans, is a reality competition that challenges contestants to find the drag performer who possesses the perfect blend of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
Last year I got to shoot my first national campaign for Absolut Vodka, it was an incredible, life-changing, experience.
Your social media feeds have probably been full of purple and green night skies that last few days if you're almost anywhere in the United States, or if you have U.S.-based friends. Chances are, they got a good glimpse of and possibly photographed a rare event: Northern Lights.
Suzanne Phoenix is a photographer and artist based in Melbourne, Australia. Her work is primarily portrait based, with a focus on developing and fostering community. We had an opportunity to connect and talk about the importance of relationships and consent in the photography world.
The first gig adventure photographer Curtis Jones ever had was an unsupported kite traverse of the Greenland Polar Ice Cap. Before that, he was a pharmacist on remote Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The surprising jump from pharmacist to adventure photographer actually makes sense when you hear Jones’ story and could give hope to photographers out there who want to make the leap, but aren’t sure where to start.
Our friends over at GuruShots, hosts of "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” recently offered a challenge where particpants submitted their best images "Tell A Story." There were thousands of entries and millions of votes throughout the contest but the top winners have been selected. See who won as well as the 60 top rated images below.
Optical printing is a dirty and time-consuming process. The chemicals involved in printing are bad for you and bad for the environment. Digital printing hasn’t changed much of this impact for the better. The chemicals used to treat photographic printer paper aren’t great for the environment. The paper itself uses a significant amount of resources to cultivate. Do you ever wonder if there is a better alternative?
Why are you a photographer? You probably didn’t get into this thing assuming it was a get rich quick scheme or for status and power. More likely than not, you love taking photos, being around people, and the excitement of running your own business.
The life of an artist is often romanticized as living a dream. But what often gets lost in that framing is that the road to happiness more often resembles a roller coaster than a straight line.
Running a photography business is not as easy as you would like to think it is. A very common misconception starting in this industry would be thinking that you will be successful if you are good at taking photographs. While it was probably true decades ago, the steep competition and the change of industry landscape these days pushes the difficulty to the next level. In this article, we will be discussing an ongoing issue about client ghosting that has become increasingly common and continues to bug the industry as a whole.
In this day and time, virtual conferences are a necessary adaptation to the in-person experiences we all know and love. But even so, do people really like them?
Creating an effective staging plan for property photography involves careful planning, attention to detail, and a focus on highlighting the property's best features. Here's a comprehensive staging plan that I use that includes the use of props and emphasizes cleanliness.
I move a lot. It’s kind of my thing. In the past sixteen years, I’ve called fourteen different places home and I’m currently packing up and getting ready to move again. One thing I’ve discovered over the years is that lightweight, self-contained art — like canvases — is easier and safer to move. I’m always open to trying out different vendors for printed products, so I was excited to give 365Canvas a try and see if their products would work well for my nomadic lifestyle.
Popular music is getting worse, isn’t it? The reason why has an impact on your photography too.
Being an artist means more than just creating the perfect image.
Exposure is a key element in photography that greatly influences how we frame our shots. It determines the amount of light reaching the camera sensor, affecting the brightness and overall look of an image. Understanding and controlling exposure is vital for creating well-balanced photos and achieving the desired visual impact. In this article, we'll explore how exposure affects composition and why it's crucial to align your framing with the exposure settings.
With so many images being created and pushed out into the internet it’s starting to look like the Pacific garbage patch. Instagram had so much promise in the early part of its evolution, but hashtags are watered down or filled with ads and mis-labeled images that don’t belong. Where do we go now to look at a tight collection of great photography? Even if I took out the axe and started pruning the people I follow on Instagram the ads and sponsored images would infiltrate my feed and my feed would look no better.
A BBC radio and TV series here in the UK is "Room 101." People argue to send things they dislike into the infamous room from Orwell’s book Nineteen Eighty-Four, where they will never be seen again. What would you send there from the world of photography?
A book is a beautiful thing, both for what it is and what it offers within it's hallowed pages. Meet a small publisher who cares about beauty both outside and in.
Making a living as a photojournalist isn't what it used to be. But making a living is still possible.
Rhy Dyball is a photographer and artist working with themes uncanny and eerie images.
With the holiday season gradually approaching, most of us are beginning to think about our holiday wish lists. For one California-based photographer, a kidney is at the top of that list. Fstoppers recently had the opportunity to interview Michael Anthony Hermogeno and ask him a few questions about his photography career and unique medical condition that leaves him seeking an organ donor.
One of the most beneficial activities I have partaken in in my time as a photographer and something I encourage everyone to do is seek critique of your work. It’s a great way to learn about your own work from others and develop your craft with intention.
Last week I had the pleasure and honor to be interviewed by Clarke Scott whose podcast, Hack The Creative, is a weekly series that dives into the habits, fears, inner-battles, and keys to success from his guests who are creatives from all over the industry. We discussed a wide array of topics including my backstory and career path; practices I use today to sustain and grow my career, as well as what my aspirations as a creative are going forward. I go completely unfiltered and bare all for all of you to listen to as Scott "hacked" me.
Winter photography is a realm where Kevin Bruseby excels, capturing the stark and serene beauty of winter. His journey reflects a blend of discovery and unique challenges associated with capturing the essence of the coldest season. Drawing from the tranquil Scandinavian winters, Bruseby describes his journey as one filled with discovery and challenges.
The European Geoscience Union is the second largest group of geoscientists in the world. So what happens when you throw open a photo competition at its annual conference to over 16,000 participants from 113 countries? Meet two of the winners to find out.
Some of our readers have been sharp to figure it out, but until now we haven’t formally announced that Fstoppers can now be found on Instagram (@officialfstoppers). Follow us for Photo of the Day selections from our impressive community, images from the talented photographers who write for Fstoppers, and some behind-the-scenes shots of what we’re working on. Leave a link to your favorite portfolio image within our community and we’ll pick some to ‘gram over the next few days.
The term "boudoir photography" brings to mind scenes along the lines of a woman dressed in lingerie, standing near a window, adjusting her attire. Perhaps we imagine a woman who is partially nude lying on a bed. However, this interpretation of boudoir photography does not have to be the only way this genre is defined. If you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and expand your interpretation of what a boudoir session looks like, you may be able to dramatically increase your clientele and sales.
You’ve received an enquiry from a potential new client and you’re looking forward to booking them in. Here are five questions to ask on your discovery call to make sure you understand what the client needs and that you can quote for the job accurately.
For many years, manufacturers were quite distant from their consumers, choosing to sell through a series of distributors and dealers. While the last couple years have shown a little change, via developments like roadmaps, influencer connections, and some direct-to-consumer sales, it’s still tough to make your voice heard. A new announcement by Wedio and Cooke Optics shows that you might have a closer connection with the maker of your next lens.
Too often portrait photographers obsess with key and fill lighting, and forget about the light that illuminates the background or rear of a subject. In this piece I discover the power of using the back light as my main light source.
