Fstoppers Original Articles

I remember one of my first introductions to branding. I was sitting in a workshop and the Nike logo popped up on the screen and then Mercedes and then Coca Cola. It’s the most common way to explain branding. Showing popular logos and letting the audience realize they have a connection to that logo, good or bad, and therefore a connection to that company and their product. That is branding, but that’s not all that branding is.

About a year and a half ago, I was walking on a local beach and realized that for a few weeks of the year, the sun would set in a perfect line of sight down the beach. I thought it might be a fun photographic challenge to create a super telephoto picture with a body builder "holding" the sun in an Atlas style pose. In my mind, the entire scene would be lit rather than have a typical sun silhouette image. Little did I realize how much work I was getting myself into.

Christmas is two weeks away and you are probably starting to panic about your lack of gift buying progress. Have no fear, Fstoppers is here! The stocking is a perfect opportunity to make your resident portrait photographer's Christmas magnificently jolly as there are so many wonderful little toys that fit into an oversized sock. In this post you will find an assortment of fantastic small pieces of gear that will stuff any photographer's heart full of joy this holiday season.

So how do you make that mountain appear as large to the viewer as it does to you? How do you get rid of noise in your nightscape images? And how can you get everything in perfect focus, front to back? This might as well be titled “5 Things you can’t do in one shot,” since each technique in this essay relies heavily on layering multiple exposures of a given landscape scene. I’ll show you the techniques I often use to translate my vision to the image. Let’s go.

For the past month, the Fstoppers team has been working with Clay Cook filming a new original tutorial on Editorial Photography. While we were filming, we used some of our time with Clay to offer feedback to a variety of images submitted by the Fstoppers community. We chose 20 images to critique. Check out our selections below and add your thoughts and ratings to the comments below. If you want to learn more about the new tutorial with Clay Cook, be sure to signup below to receive more information and an early bird discount.

Three years ago Yulia Taits fell in love with the process of conceptual photography. The hard work of planning, searching for the perfect location, and matching styles to create something beautiful and magical fascinated her. Yulia was hypnotized by the pure and almost fairy tale beauty of people having Albinism since she remembers herself. Yulia always knew that she will make a project dedicated to them one day.

Adobe is known as being the creator of Photoshop. Then, they went and bought Macromedia in 2005 which changed the game a lot for the creative industry. Since then, apps were bundled, we’ve moved to a subscription model with Creative Cloud, and all the apps now work together intuitively. I have a great respect for the company that makes the software I use every day. But there are certain workflows that I think can improve.

I recently upgraded my Canon 5D Mark III to a 5D Mark IV, and a new feature that was added to the camera line, that I thought I would have no use for whatsoever, was WiFi. I knew it was going to be in the camera beforehand, but I really did believe I would have no use for it at all, Now after using it for two months, I am hooked. Being able to quickly and easily transfer photos to my cell phone via the built-in WiFi has been really incredible for me, and now not a day goes by that I do not use it. So I would just like to just walk you through briefly how simple it is to set up and use.

Apple MacBook Pro is without a doubt the laptop of choice for most photographers on the go. However, I've heard of many encountering heat issues when working on it for a prolonged period of time. After recently experiencing this problem myself and having my computer shutting down on its own, I started looking for a solution. It turns out that it's not complicated to control the heat. If you retouch or edit videos quite often on your Apple laptop, you should definitely read the following article.

I'm no audiophile but I do appreciate high quality sound. I can't count how many different amps, speakers, and headphones I've purchased over the past 20 years. It seems like I'm always searching for something just a little bit better. Finally though, after years of searching, I feel like I've found the best audio setup for the money.

Old and damaged photographs are easy to come by. Most have been stored in boxes in the back of a closet left to dust and wither without a second thought. That is until said person goes to tidy up one day and finds an invaluable treasure trove long forgotten.

When it comes to Olympic venues no other event goes so far to create such a theatrical experience for the attendees while also making for some of the most dynamic Olympic photographs as fencing.

It’s been a week or so since San Fran-based photographer Scott Borrero was crowned the winner of Adorama and Nigel Barker’s new series "Top Photographer." The series saw five hopefuls take on a number of weekly photo challenges – including action sports, landscapes, and fashion editorials - to prove they were an all-rounder. Here, Borrero chats exclusively to Fstoppers about the experience and what’s coming next.

Many photographers who are beginning to dabble in pet photography ask about the best lens to use when photographing pets. While there is no right or wrong answer, as a dog photographer who primarily specializes in outdoor sessions, I use a telephoto lens for the majority of photos I take. If I were limited to just a single focal length to use for photographing dogs, I’d go with 200mm, and there are several reasons for this decision.

Yesterday was a really muggy day here in New Jersey and my partner and I both had off. We came downstairs to the office and worked on a few things when I realized we should be going out in this crappy weather and making something of it. We thought of a few ideas together and one stuck with us over the others, that was to shoot a car video using our Sony a7s ii and DJI Ronin M.

One may be the loneliest number, but it may also be all you need. Gear is necessary for photography. Gear is a huge part of the fun of photography for many photographers. And having a variety of lenses at our disposal allows us to get shots in all kinds of circumstances. But when you're not out shooting for money, and instead are trying out a slowed-down approach to photography for a personal project, one prime lens may do nicely.

Time recently announced that it had named Donald Trump its Person of the Year. That's unsurprising when you remember that the title goes to the person who "for better or for worse... has done the most to influence the events of the year." However, the cover photo is peculiar in several ways — enough so to raise the question of if it is an intentional reference to one of history's most evil and infamous figures. The Internet seems to be split on if that's the case.

The race to conquer new frontiers of innovation is not a new event, but it is well known. What can be learnt from history about these types of competitions, however, is that it is not always to the winner go the spoils; the lightbulb and telephone are infamous examples, but the moving picture can be added to that list.

Every photographer worth their salt has had that moment when they get a message from an excited friend who just bought their first camera. That friend is absolutely thrilled with their purchase and has become starry-eyed with the prospect of all the amazing photos they will soon create. There is only one problem: they know nothing about photography. That is where you come in. You have the opportunity to mentor them and create a shooting buddy for the indefinite future, so get it right!

Sometimes, when creativity and inspiration leave us, we have to immerse ourselves in the creativity of another to regain them both. What follows are my ten favorite movies I constantly find myself returning to when in need of inspiration. Whether it be their visual spectacle, their storytelling, or the collective force of their artistry, they always manage to knock the creative block loose.

Our friends at ViewBug teamed up with Discovery Photo Tours to offer an unforgettable Italy photo adventure to one lucky photographer. Submit your image to the completely free “Around the World” photo contest and you could win a seat on Discovery Photo Tours' Spring 2017 Italy Photo Tour! This all-inclusive, eight-day tour will be an incredible journey through the heart of Italy. Start in Rome and wind through the Tuscan countryside, into Florence, and end in Cinque Terre.

When life serves you lemons, make lemonade. At least that’s what I was always told when I was younger. Now as a professional photographer, I’m sometimes dealt lemons in terms of weather conditions. How do you make lemonade out of less than perfect weather so it benefits your set?

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 2016, we'll be featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

Sometimes you just want to shoot midday with a speedlite, in the middle of the forest, on a balmy 80-plus degree day in Florida. OK, those last few statements are purely hypothetical, but as a traveling photographer, I work with what I’ve got.

I don't know about the rest of you, but when it comes to comparing my work to others, I'm a sucker for punishment. Try as I might, I can't help but peruse the latest trade magazines when I'm cruising the bookstore, avoiding the editing I should be doing at home. And without fail, something catches my eye that makes my jaw drop. In this day and age when so much of the great work out there is heavily Photoshopped, should we be so quick to compare our own work to it?

The biggest downside to using a gimbal is losing basic controls of the camera. Sure, you can use a monitor, but you can't actually control the camera. Could your phone fix this problem?

Although you read it on a website related to photography and videography, the information in this article can be applied to many other businesses. What I'm going to share is based on my own experience, not based on marketing books. I will not teach you new psychology tricks on how to sell mediocre products or services, nor will I give you X steps to follow blindly in order to have a successful business. I will try to give you advice to help you correctly estimate your business value and set a price accordingly.

My latest fascination in the photography world has to be toy photography. Not just any toy photography either, I love seeing it mixed with other elements and effects to create a sense of realism to the project. Felix Hernandez of Hernandez Dreamphography is one person in particular that has me in awe.

I promised a while back that I would do a comparison between the Profoto B1 and the Godox AD600 head to head. I have finally had the chance to rent and spend some time with the Profoto B1 again, and I am ready to give my thoughts on the two as they pertain to the way I shoot and the situations I spend my time in.

Over the next few months, Olympus and Panasonic will release their highly anticipated flagship products, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and the Panasonic DMC-GH5. But whereas the E-M1 Mark II has now done the rounds of critically acclaimed reviews, the GH5 is still shrouded in mystery. Of the small list of specs we do know, there is one that will capture the imagination of filmmakers.

This year, October 15 through October 22, was Polaroid Week 2016 (also known, in a somewhat noisier fashion, as 'RoidWeek). On a whim, I decided to join in. Polaroid Week has been going on since 2006, but it has grown in recent years. It is held twice yearly, once in spring and again in fall.

Boudoir photography at its core is more about the experience the client feels than the reward of the album or other products. When the client steps foot in the door, they have already committed to a life changing event that he or she will be relying on the professional to create for them. One photographer is choosing to create an experience for her clients on a deeper psychological level that is proving to create not only a higher trust but also a connection for loyal returning clients.

While I’ll always try my best to get the shot right in camera, there're occasions, like when I photographed this beauty editorial, when that’s not always feasible. In this short tutorial, I'll show you how to change your background in a few short steps.

When I was considering whether or not I should write this article, I went back and forth between not feeling qualified to write it and knowing that it is an important topic. It’s an article involving sexual assault, and I haven’t been sexually assaulted. But, I know many people who have been, and I know that if there’s any way to help survivors of any type of sexual violence overcome the trauma that comes packaged with that terrible ordeal, it should be made available to them, and it should be talked about. I didn’t ever expect photography to step in to help, yet here we are.

It’s simply impossible to ignore the change our industry is undergoing. The wide availability of industry-standard equipment has seen an uprise of people pursuing photography as a career. Photographers are battling against many threats to their careers; increasingly, celebrities who are trying their luck behind the camera. Be it models, socialites, or the rich and famous, people who are not renown for their photographic skills are increasingly booking jobs ahead of established professionals. So are those of us who work behind the lens full-time being made redundant? Can anyone be a photographer these days? It’s time to discuss.

The arts — very much including photography — under the umbrella of expression and free speech can explore the boundaries of what is acceptable. Often these boundaries are harmless and prompt little more than a debate regarding the meta of the relevant discipline. Occasionally, however, the debate is darker in nature as the boundary being pushed is one of moral significance. The photographer and director David Hamilton was somewhat of a permanent resident of such debate and his suspected suicide recently has brought a number of questions to fruition.

Over the past few months, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota have successfully managed to temporary halt construction of the $3.7 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline. The subject of much debate and media coverage, one incredibly powerful and emotive photo has emerged from the site, encompassing the ongoing battle.

Recently I put my eyes under a lot of pressure. There are habits that anybody should abide by, but sometimes it's not always easy to stick with them. What's the worst that can happen?

While many of us have grown to love the services offered by the web giant Squarespace, their e-commerce options have been seriously lacking one important feature needed for professional photographers. In this candid letter to Squarespace, I pose a couple of questions that I feel the company may not be listening to.

I am a firm believer that the very first minutes of interaction between two people is a breaking point for their collaboration. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you have an obligation to create a trustworthy bond, even if both of you are meant to know each other for only a couple of hours. This is especially crucial for portrait photography. The easiest way to start is being polite. A welcoming smile will break the ice and let you make a comfortable zone for both you and your subject.

Something I get asked often is how to add color tones to your images. Often the easiest option is to use filters either in Lightroom or with a plugin software such as Google Nik. However, as you delve deeper into the world of color grading you will eventually become curious how to create your own effects.

Motion Array has been hard at work adding new features recently. For example, they recently came out with a video portfolio site builder. With this feature, any paid subscriber can create a custom site to show their video work, complete with text, images, and contact information (all editable). Users can even use their own custom domain or have one supplied by Motion Array. But now, Motion Array is at it again with Requests. Essentially, any paid member of the Motion Array community can put in a request for any type of creative asset that Motion Array offers.

One of the most important compositional decisions to make when photographing pets is choosing a focal length. Due to perspective and lens distortion, ultra wide angles (generally considered to be less than 24mm on a full frame camera) can yield unflattering results when photographing humans. However, when photographing pets, shooting with an ultra-wide angle lens can do wonders in making your photos stand out.

Off-camera flash is a great way to augment your existing photographs. There are so many times when existing light just doesn't give you the result you desire, and that flash could be a solution to creating the image you have in your mind. When you first start, however, the options can be quite overwhelming and it can be difficult to know exactly what you'll need. Let's look into a simple but versatile kit that will allow you to stay mobile and work in many different situations.

One of the biggest industries in photography is that of photography education. Photography is a very difficult craft to learn without help, and as a result, almost every aspiring photographer must invest in some sort of education source at some point. Fortunately, this demand has created a massive market of educational content that can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially to new entrants. In this article, we are going to go through the various educational options, including the pros and cons of each.

The weird thing is that I've actually learned something from Snapchat Spectacles, so much so that I actually want to become the Snapchat of my photography brand and industry. Just like Snapchat captures these random moments of your life and broadcasts them into your story for others to enjoy watching, so too have they gone and made it an experience to wear their glasses.

One of the best camera deals is back, and it is just in time for the holidays. Ebay seller BuyDig is selling refurbished Nikon D750 camera bodies again for $1249. We've featured this deal before in the past but this is by far the lowest price we've ever seen on one of the best full frame cameras on the market. It's unclear when Nikon will be updating the D750 camera so this might be the best deal on this camera until 2017.