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.

Quick Tips With Luminar 4: Night Sky Replacements

We photographers don’t always get the perfect sunset or clear starry night sky every time we head out to photograph desolate areas or national parks. This is when we can take a little post production know-how and can still create other worldly and dreamy images that capture the viewer’s eye. Skylum Software's Luminar 4 has just made that scenario easier and faster to do with its all-in-one software and very powerful artificial intelligence.

Are Your Photographs Aesthetic?

Do you want your images to look “good”? Aesthetics will help you understand the value of an image beyond its informative and representative character. Let's ask some great philosophers what they think about it.

Photojournalism Is (Still) for White Men, as Revealed by a Stunning New York Times Photograph

There’s no question that the New York Times photo of American diplomats William Taylor and George Kent, where they detailed their uncomfortable and suspect dealings with President Donald Trump’s handling of a phone call with the president of Ukraine, is going to be one of the iconic ones of our time. There’s also no question about who overwhelmingly seems to dominate the photojournalism field based on this photo: white men.

What Should You Look for in a Monitor?

The holiday season is the best time to buy a new monitor; with Black Friday right around the corner, now is the perfect time to update your most important tool for editing. But do you know what to look for? Let's discuss what important qualities you should be watching for and go over some highly rated monitors for photo editing.

Lindsay Adler on Developing a Personal Style: From Good to Great

Since the mid-2010s, there have been more photographs taken each year than existed in the history of photography. The democratization of photography and the removal of barriers to entry means there are also more professional photographers than ever before in history. Given this steep competitive curve, how is it possible to stand out? 

Seven Annoying Things That Clients Do to Harm Photographers

The moment you start working as a photographer for money everything changes. While there are many positives when it comes to being paid to shoot, there are lots of headaches along the way too. Here are seven annoying things that clients will try to do to you, and how best to keep the upper hand in those situations.

Is Canon Actually Ready To Produce a Pro Level Mirrorless Camera?

A recent article by boss man Cookie reported how the demand of DSLR cameras may delay a professional mirrorless camera from Canon. It makes some sense that Canon would concentrate efforts on a system that still has a great deal of demand, however, I wonder if this an excuse or a mistake? 

The Ultimate Backup: Insurance for Photographers

The Oxford English Dictionary defines accident as “an unpleasant event that happens unexpectedly and causes injury or damage.” Accidents happen. It doesn’t matter how careful you are or how much common sense you have. That’s why they’re called accidents.

Photography and Video Backup with the QNAP TR-004

As creatives, finding a cost and time-efficient way to keep our files safe is possibly one of our more mundane but necessary tasks. For years, I have been purchasing hard drives and running my backups manually for the most part with Backblaze being used for off-site backups. As my archive grew, however, this became cumbersome. After much searching, I settled on the QNAP TR-004 as my new solution and I’d like to share my experience with you today. 

Why I Still Prefer Hot Lights to LEDs

There are numerous articles that are discussing the advantages and disadvantages of hot lights and LEDs. Knowing these, I want to share my opinion from a practical standpoint.

What Are the Best Ways to Send Traffic to Your Photography Website?

For the last month, we've teamed up with Wix for a series called "How to Build a Website." In this series, Lee and I talk about some of the advantages and mistakes photographers make when creating their own website. Today, we are releasing the last video in the series, and it might be the most important information in making sure your photography business becomes a success financially.

How to Manage Your Gear Acquisition Syndrome This Black Friday

Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is something photographers deal with all the time: that feeling you get by purchasing something that you think might be the one tool you need to really upgrade your work. Here are some ways to manage these impulses and stop you from buying unnecessary gear.

The Best Images from GuruShots "Amazing Men" Challenge

GuruShots is a website that hosts, "The World’s Greatest Photo Game,” in which it invites participants to submit their best photos to various challenges. They have receive thousands of entries and millions of votes and recently hosted the "Amazing Men" challenge. Check out the three winners of the challenge below as well as the 100 top rated images below.

Has There Ever Been a Better Time to Buy Third Party Lenses?

Sigma has recently announced that it will be releasing a brand new 24-70mm f/2.8 Art for Sony full-frame cameras, and the price is quite remarkable. Given the sudden shift from DSLR to mirrorless cameras, you’d think that lens manufacturers would be struggling to keep up, but despite that, there’s probably never been a better time to buy third party glass.