Fstoppers Original Articles

Exclusive articles and expert opinions written by Fstoppers’ talented team of creative professionals. Here we cover everything from the latest photographic techniques to advice on running a successful photography business, to first hand accounts of working in the photography industry.

How to Report an Instagram Copyright Violation in Under Two Minutes

Every day sees tens of thousands of copyright infringements on Instagram, and despite this vast number, reporting violations is very confusing — perhaps deliberately so. While my first attempt took almost 20 minutes, I can now complete a report in under 90 seconds. This quick guide walks you through the process and helps to make it as painless as possible.

Why You Should Prefer a Blog Over Social Media

We live in the social media era and it is the preferred the marketing channel. Why should we talk about blogs? Here are some thoughts on giving more emphasis on your blog than the social networks.

The Five Best Nikkor Lenses for Nikon Full-Frame Cameras

I bet you've always wanted to hold the crispiest glass yourself. Kai Wong is here with his selection of the ultimate lenses for Nikon full-frame cameras. Well, we have a couple of lists ready to compare Wong's choices with some other usual suspects. This is some expensive glass, and perhaps not surprisingly, most of the lenses in this list are prime lenses in the 50-100mm focal range. However, we've also compiled a list of our top choices according to your subject. But let's start by checking out Kai Wong's latest video.

Mastering the Kirlian Photography Technique: A Short Guide

The Kirlian photography technique is still one of the most spectacular ways to shoot different subjects. This method is a bit of a mystery, especially for those who are beginners in the art of photography. Here's how it works.

Adding Tool Selections to Your Photoshop Actions

As I always discuss, I am looking constantly for every way to streamline every little detail of my workflow as much as possible. Today I want to talk about what you do after you run your actions. It's a very simple thing that I rarely see anyone do.

One Thing I Regret Not Starting Sooner as a Photographer

What if I said there was something more useful for our photographic careers than any social network we've ever been on? With the ability to reach many more people than all your followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter combined; no restrictive algorithms, no paying to boost posts, no adverts. Do you want in?

The Importance of Test Shoots

Most of us reach a stage in our career (usually early on) where we feel a bit lost and like we are on the wrong train. If you are stuck in that rut, here are some great reasons to get out there and start collaborating on test shoots.

Social Media Cannot and Will Not Do Your Work Justice

Ask yourself a pretty simple question: how hard do you work? If your honest answer is that you work pretty darn hard then it's important to come to grips with the idea that social media will never be able to showcase that hard work; you need to be printing your images.

Yes: For Professionals, Gear Matters

Let’s not lie to ourselves and try to sugarcoat the issue -- in many circumstances, gear matters. There is no shame in admitting that despite all your talent, some shoots can’t be done without the appropriate hardware. Here is why.

Friendly Reminder: Look at Your Old Work

Like many photographers out there, some days I look at my work and feel disappointed. There are a plethora of reasons you can feel down about where you’re at in your work, even if it’s completely irrational. I’ve found that one of the best things to help in such a slump is to look at my old work.

This Video Trick Will Make Your Time-lapses Look Better

Time-lapses are an easy way to add spice to your video productions, but sometimes parts of your scene look awful when displayed over long periods of time. In this tutorial, I'll show you how you can use real-time video to improve objects with oscillating movements.

The Complete Guide to Wedding Photography Pricing: Part 2

Is your pricing holding you back from your goals? In the second part of this series on wedding photography pricing, we will explain how to create packages that compliment your goals and how to add value to your photography.

The Sony a7 III Might Have Ruined Canon's Plans For Their Mirrorless System

Canon is definitely late to the party when it comes to developing a professional mirrorless system, however, being late isn't always a bad thing. There are advantages to being second or even third to market when it comes to new products. Unfortunately for Canon, Sony seems to have anticipated this with the a7 III and competing is not going to be easy.

Three Huge Reasons Every Photographer Should Be Writing

When the general public picture photographers, they tend to envision a creative individual who goes out and snaps away at anything and everything that inspires them; architecture, nature, sports, or whatever assignment they've been put on. It's likely that they never think of the hours we spend marketing, writing proposals, editing, doing book-keeping, etc.

Creating Space With the Mavic Air: Having More Fun on the Job

A couple weeks ago, I noticed a problem with the camera on my Mavic Pro. It seemed to have a few spots that were blurred and because of that I couldn't use it for work. This was my excuse to buy myself a new drone that I could have some fun with.

Tips for Better Photo Editing Consistency

Consistent photo editing can be a huge factor in ensuring that your brand is cohesive. Knowing how to achieve consistency on a regular basis is a handy tool every photographer should have in their skill set.

John Thomson: The First Travel Photographer?

Imagine a world that, wherever you traveled, you were the first to capture an image. That was the ten year experience of John Thomson, but it was 1862 and he used the wet collodion process with photographic requirements that are about as far removed from today as imaginable. So what were his achievements?

The Gear Fstoppers Used To Film Photographing The World 3

Last year we released Photographing The World 3 with Elia Locardi. To film this tutorial we traveled around the world with Elia for 3 months, and in the process, we used a ton of new gear. In this video, we talk about everything we used to produce this tutorial.

Three Pricing Pitfalls Photographers Should Avoid

Pricing your work is tricky. Whether you're a commercial photographer, portrait shooter, or selling prints of your artwork, your career depends on your ability to price yourself well. Does your rate sheet have any of these mistakes?

Precise Prediction of the Auroras

If you have ever photographed the auroras you know how important it is to know when they will explode in the sky. We actually have data available making that prediction easier than just following the Kp number.

How Motion Array Just Became The Ultimate Video Maker's Platform

Stock video marketplaces are handy little operations. They provide a smorgasbord of top-quality footage and graphics all in one convenient place and all for one very reasonable price. But earlier this month, one marketplace took things to a whole new level.

Travel Photography: Take Home More Images From Vacations

Hey, who doesn't like a good vacation? If you're anything like me then a big part of the vacation is not just going to be what you see and what you eat, but a good portion of it will be what you get to take home with you.

I Spent 50 Dollars on Instagram and This Is What Happened

For those of us trying to expand our social media presence, Instagram has been the king for quite some time. So what happens when you put a little money into promoting yourself on Instagram? I tried it and here are the results.

Six Pieces of Studio Kit I Use Every Day

My studio has become a second home, and I invest a lot of time and money into it. Recently, I have been restocking a few essentials I can’t live without while trying to make my shooting more efficient.

Act Now Before Your Flickr Account Is Transferred

Flickr has been acquired by SmugMug, and the official date for the switchover is looming. Here is why now might be the time to back up everything, reach out to all your followers, and maybe think about deleting your account forever.

Would You Give Commands to Your Camera Gear if You Could?

If you could speak to your camera, your tripod, and drone, what would you say? Would you use this feature? The use of our voices to command our gear is going to become even more important in the future.

Eight Lesser Known Photo Locations in Kyoto and Tokyo

Tourism in Japan is growing, and fast. According to JNTO, the estimated number of international travelers to Japan in March 2018 was about 2.6 million (+18.2 percent from the previous year), making it the biggest March ever. In 2020 the Summer Olympics will be hosted in Tokyo, and the city and country will have to cope with the resulting huge influx of tourists.

Fujifilm X-T2 Firmware 4.00: Do We Have an X-H1?

On May 8th, Fujifilm released their updated firmware for the X-T2 mirrorless camera. This takes the current firmware to version 4.0 and embodies Fujifilm’s Kaizen philosophy by making enormous changes to what the camera is able to do. Let’s take a look at it here.

Top 10 WeeklyFstop Photos: Old

Taking pictures of people or things that are old is a wonderful way to get your photos to tell more of a story. Check out the great finds our readers came up with this week and be sure grab the new theme to join in yourself.

Are You Pricing Your Photography Services Correctly?

One of the biggest questions photographers have when starting their business is if they’re pricing themselves correctly. Even seasoned professionals sometimes question whether their pricing is correct. Here are a few tips to ensure you’re pricing realistically and accurately for your services.

Amazon Boudoir Wardrobe Finds for Under $20

A few months ago I wrote about the higher end luxury finds for your boudoir wardrobe closet. In those instances where a client has either brought unflattering pieces or that she is relying on your to help guide her in looks, having these backups are perfect to get more looks for bigger sales. While having a closet can be helpful, it also does not have to break the bank if you are just starting out or like to change things up constantly.

The Time to Form Your Creative Team Is Before Your Big Break Arrives

As you begin to get bigger and bigger jobs, it will soon be increasingly obvious that much of your success will be derived from the team members you choose to surround yourself with. No matter how good you may be, having an equally if not more qualified team surrounding you can make the difference between an average photograph and a great one.

How to Balance Reality and Creativity in Your Images Using ON1 Photo RAW 2018.1

Through editing photos, many people aim to produce work that remains grounded in truth while still adding a bit of themselves and their personal vision to it. Using ON1 Photo RAW 2018.1 software, a fully featured all-in-one image editor, here’s how to leverage a few of its most powerful tools to tell your story.

Should You Go to College to Become a Photographer?

As professional photographers, there's no doubt in our minds that making photography into a career should be considered "a real job." However, the path you take to become a professional may make or break your career choice.

Tips for Creating Dramatic Seascape Images

Seascapes has always fascinated me!.I do not have a preferred vision for seascapes; I love both minimalistic and simple versions, as well as those highly dramatic ones full of action and movement. Here, I will share some of my tips on creating the latter.