Fstoppers Original Articles

Let’s address the elephant in the room: there are probably 1.2 trillion pieces of content about running a business. I’ve read maybe half of them myself, and there’s some outstanding information available, but let’s set a goal to create the top mistakes to avoid when you decide to go from hobbyist to professional.

What constitutes photographic success? What is success for you? I’ve been asking these questions myself from the day I started taking images professionally. Here is what success in photography is.

After nearly 15 years of being a photographer — or rather, actively practicing the craft — I had a sudden realization as to what drew me into photography in the first place. It may not be the most common attraction, but I doubt I am alone.

I recently wrote about shooting on film, and the dangers of that. One of the reasons was that no one sees my work right away. In this article, I will break down why shooting tethered has completely changed my workflow and improved my photography beyond imaginable.

Globe-trotting ocean photographer George Karbus shares some of his near-20 years of experience in photography, including how he found using the new Nikon Z fc, and what advice he’d give to those looking to turn professional.

You could be forgiven for believing that the requirement for instant gratification is a rather new affliction. However, it's more likely that swift results were gated behind technology and that the few inventions that provided it were well placed for unprecedented success, like the instant camera.

Film photography has been making a steady, slightly unexpected comeback for the past few years. In this article, I break down some of the reasons why that is happening, as well as say why it may be slightly dangerous for creatives.

Let's face it, we photographers like shiny objects. Especially when first starting out, it’s always tempting to find some new camera, lens, or other tool we can put in our tool belt that is going to help us be a better photographer. Sadly, that cool new piece of gear is not really going to make you a better photographer, but here are a few things that might.

As photographers, we are bombarded by thousands of courses, books, and educational materials. But, what if I told you that before you learn photography you must, really must, learn something else? Well, you must know this one thing well before you even start taking pictures.

Art either has extremely high value or no value at all. Getting from one to the other can take decades. Some never make it to the other end. The same is true for photography. At the start of your career, you will surely create art for free. But should you?

Often caused by polarizer filters, lens vignetting, or side-lit scenes, gradients can be a pain to handle in post-processing. Follow these simple steps in Photoshop to gain control over gradients commonly found in blue sky images.

From novelty to must-have, the phone camera has brought serious photography tools to everyday life.

What comes to mind when you think about fashion photography? If you are aware of the stereotypes surrounding fashion, then it’s certainly something along the lines of young, sexy models in revealing clothes. In this article, I will try to explain why fashion is so much more than that.

Landscape Photographers Worldwide is a dedicated Discord channel for landscape photographers to come together and discuss the tools of the trade. Whether you are looking to discuss gear and locations, share your images, or receive direct feedback from your peers, this community delivers immense benefit for landscape photographers looking to connect and collaborate with like-minded creatives, and it is entirely free to join!

At the start of March 2020, I found myself at a photography convention in Cape Town, South Africa, to present a workshop on travel photography. The central theme of my presentation was the notion that it isn't necessary to travel to be a successful travel photographer. Little did I know that within a couple of weeks of that presentation, I would be putting my advice into practice as the borders of the world slammed shut virtually overnight.

Intention in filmmaking has the potential to elevate movies. As a photographer, watching a movie with thoughtful cinematography is my favorite way to pass a Friday night. Maz Makhani’s work on The Guilty, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Antoine Fuqua, is an example of realizing this potential.

Ash wants to take up photography. Never having owned a camera, besides the one on their phone, it’s something they have always had a hankering to do, especially after seeing all those great photos on Instagram. This is a cautionary tale, telling what can go horribly wrong for photographers.

After the honeymoon period, where we obsess over every new technological innovation the camera market has provided, what matters when we get to set?

Photographers have gear, and gear needs to be packed without being forgotten. If you’re like us, you obsess about systems that will make sure you have everything you need to create the work you want. Packaroo is an app we have been using to streamline this process.

Two successful SpaceX missions last week, one on each coast, prompted me to review my rocket launch photo procedures, particularly since the Monday (Sept. 13) launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base was the first after a long hiatus. For those of us in southern California, it was a photo op we were eagerly awaiting since it was scheduled for after sunset.

iOS 15, the next major update of the operating system, is available today, and it brings with it a lot of exciting and useful features, particularly for photographers. Let's dive in and see what you can expect when you upgrade.

Do you consider this an art form separate from photography, or do you consider this an extension of photography?

Now and again, we all get the desire to buy new kit; it’s only to be expected with the way new tech is marketed, combined with our desire to improve our craft. Do you need that new piece of equipment? Is it time to jump from a cropped sensor to a full frame? Should you move from DSLR to mirrorless? Will it improve your photography?

You've probably seen the photos featuring a landscape with an intense red sky. There is a simple but effective way of achieving such a photo even when the colors are only a small band at the horizon.

Nikon quietly — or maybe not so quietly given the press — announced the demise of the innocuously named Coolpix B600, a product name that just trips off the tongue and screams cheap and cheerful. What is startling about this camera is that it only hit the market in December 2020. Some eight months later it has bitten the dust. Why is this and what does it say about the camera market?

As an educator working in the college sector, I find this topic incredibly interesting. There is so much information out there that we can digest. So, what's the way forward?

For the longest time, my favorite lens on any camera system was a 35mm wide-aperture prime. The focal length forced me to get "in the action" for impactful portraits, yet it was wide enough to capture wide angle scenes. But a new lens has recently won my heart and assumed the top spot in my kit. In this video and article, I'll be walking through a photoshoot while demonstrating why the Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 lens is my favorite lens of all time.

26-year-old Constantin Schiller was one of very few lucky photographers to trial the newly released Nikon Z fc. Fittingly for him, the new Nikon Z fc was shaped like the FM2 camera of the 1980s, very similar to the FE2 Schiller grew up using. Here, he shares and talks through his experience of the new Nikon camera, including a photo trip to Japan.

Photographers that have true originality in concept and style are few. But Anna Isabella Christensen’s photographs show just that. We discussed her photographic adventure in Iceland, where she took self-portraits to a new level.

A portfolio review is a great way to get feedback and direction for your photographic practice. It’s also a great way to connect with industry professionals. If you have been considering getting your work professionally reviewed, this article can shed some insights on what to expect and how to prepare.

Ever wanted to make a complex mask in Lightroom but haven't had the patience to follow through? Well, using this simple technique, you can do it in just five seconds.

Mirrorless hasn't only won the battle, it's won the war. Last year — 2020 — was a landmark as more mirrorless cameras were shipped than DSLRs. It is the primary design choice for manufacturers and is therefore the future of the camera. However, the future of photography undoubtedly lies with the smartphone.

Non-destructive editing is crucial to preserving original image detail. It keeps the highest quality image available and will allow for countless re-editing in the future, but how do you do it in Photoshop CC?

You shoot perfect pictures. But are they the photographic equivalent of fast food? Maybe it’s time to consider changing the way you shoot and reject sausage machine images.

Both Nikon and Sony have APS-C formats for their mirrorless mounts, so why hasn’t Canon followed suit? Many have speculated over whether an RF APS-C camera is in the pipeline, and Canon’s forthcoming lens might be the best evidence to date.

Editing astrophotographs can be tricky as there's a lot to go wrong, especially when working with the Milky Way. Thankfully, Lightroom has some powerful features that can help transform drab snaps to galactic masterpieces.

There are plenty of articles to give you the basics on how to shoot soccer or baseball, but what about sporting events that are a little more unusual, such as parkour or rock climbing? Here are a number of tips that might well carry over to lots of other different shooting scenarios.

Thanks to a combination of Lightroom and Photoshop, your dog portraits can be drastically improved with a little bit of editing, so follow along.

The act of capturing important moments or creating art is a fulfilling one, scattered with variety and fascinating niches. However, on occasion, people dream up a scenario where they require a photographer to do something... unusual. Here are some of the strangest occurrences of my career.

There is no denying the fact that climate change is a real event happening as you read this. Combating climate change is a monstrous task, however, some say that climate change shouldn’t be combatted. They say the Earth should be healed instead.

If you've ever wanted to inject a sense of speed into your automotive photos but haven't quite nailed the camera settings, then don't worry, because you can edit in some dynamic motion blur to your images with these simple techniques with Photoshop CC.

So, what are the best settings for wildlife photography? Most people would argue that aperture priority would be the best way to tackle shooting fast action like wildlife and sports. It gives you the best balance between automatic camera settings (like picking the correct shutter speed) and manual control (like the ability to compensate for exposure).

Today, I’d like to have a brief word with all the newbie photographers out there.

Did you know that Adobe Photoshop has a great selection of very helpful in-app tutorials for all levels that you can access for free? Here's a run-through of you can get your hands on them all.

Becoming a professional photographer is easy — all you have to do is charge money. With cheaper alternatives for gear and education, here is how the industry has been affected by the lower barrier of entry.

Standing out from your competition can be daunting. One easy way to do this is to make sure your business shows you are inclusive and welcoming. A lot of photographers say they are inclusive, but they are not projecting that. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself to help you figure out where you can improve your business.

One of the photographers that shapes the future of portrait, fashion, and advertising photography is Rankin. His portfolio includes the portrait of HM Queen Elisabeth II and countless images of Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, and A-List celebrities. As a fashion photographer, he has photographed commercially for some of the biggest clients, while his editorial work has been displayed on the covers of most major magazines over and over again.

Do you have a photo that you found totally amazing until you noticed something in the background that ruined everything? If you do, you’re not the only one. When shooting a subject, always keep an eye on your background.

Adding props is a simple and effective way of adding production value to your photographs. Not only do they add additional points of interest, they also can add to the story you're trying to tell. In this video and article, I'll be walking through the creative process of how an image evolves to the final version. To do this, I'll begin with a basic "walk-up" shot. From there, I'll be walking through the step-by-step changes to the shot until we get to the final image using various props.

Wildlife photography can be incredibly rewarding when things go right, but it's incredibly difficult to master. That's why when you have a good photo that's let down by a few of the camera settings, you should use Lightroom to transform that drab shot into something much more beautiful.