Fstoppers Original Articles

So you've got a few photos of the same thing and you don't know which one to pick. Do you publish them all? No, you read this and then make a decision.

Ansel Adams is possibly the most recognizable name in photography. Most photographers claim he is the greatest landscape photographer in history. But what if you were shown his photos mixed into a group of other horrible photos? Would you still see the genius?

This lens is an essential part of my photography kit and one, which I would not go out into nature without. In this article, I want to show how you can master and get the most out of your 24-105mm zoom lens and hopefully inspire you to use it more in your landscape photography.

Fuji sits in an odd place in the camera industry — beloved by camera enthusiasts for their retro styling and image quality, they continue to develop desirable cameras, but have never managed to break in to the realms of the top three manufacturers. Is this perceived failing actually a part of their game plan?

With such good deals currently available on the Sony a7 III, buyers are faced with a tough decision: should you take advantage of the low prices to grab yourself a deal, or is it better to hold off until Sony releases the shiny new A7 IV next year?

There are photographers who rely on adding lens corrections in Lightroom for every shot, while there are others who never add them. Why is it so divisive, and should you be adding them or not?

My favorite editing software, DaVinci Resolve, has just released the newest version, and for a limited time, you can get a full license to the latest version and an incredibly powerful keyboard editing interface for just the price of the license alone. The Speed Editor bundle includes a purpose-built portable keyboard with a unique set of features, including dedicated keyboard shortcuts and a weighted search dial. Want to know what makes it such a good value?

What the heck is minimalist photography? How do I take minimalist photos? And what kind of gear do I need to do it? Well, read on to find out the answers to those questions and more.

A photo is a two-dimensional rendering of a three-dimensional world. Although there is no longer any depth present, it is possible to add a sense of depth to it. I have gathered eight methods that can help you to add depth to your landscape photo.

Ever gotten your images off the camera, zoomed into 100%, and been a little disappointed with the results? Ever had a hard time figuring out what went wrong? In this series, we’re looking at 11 common causes of poor clarity and how to address each. With a little practice, you’ll be able to glance at an image and know how to fix it.

I love film photography; there's a special quality that analogue photos have that digital could possibly never match. However, I never shoot with my film camera anymore. Why not?

Would more automated editing speed up your workflow or are you still concerned about the AI role in the subjective world of photo-processing?

When I first started taking digital photos I had no idea what the difference between JPEG and raw was, but now I know I'm never going back to shoot JPEG in-camera for these specific seven reasons.

Just got a new box in the mail with a rather awesome surprise; a loaner Nikon Z 6II. I will have the camera for a couple months to fully put through its paces, but wanted to share some initial thoughts.

Take your winter nature shots to the next level with these techniques that guarantee incredible results. Follow along for an in-depth guide to the best settings and kit to use and up your photo game.

I don't much like being wrong, but it happens and by degrees. Some years ago, I would scoff and tut at adverts and posts purporting to have found a brilliant new plugin for Photoshop, writing them off instantly as a waste of money. But are they?

Starting out in any field can seem daunting, and photography is no exception. There’s so much gear or equipment out there and trying to single-out what you need in your field carry-ons can be quite confusing and difficult, without proper research or guidance.

Most lenses are built to last forever – unless you break them. Hence, buying a used lens is often a good way to save money. In this article, you will learn what you need to check before buying a used lens.

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 2020, 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.

Everyone has the capability to take incredible photos with the phone these days. Yet, most people lack the training of photography fundamentals that would turn their iPhone photos into works of art. Enter the newest landscape photography course from iPhone Photo Academy.

Long exposures and high ISOs can bring out hot pixels. Worse than just regular high ISO noise, hot pixels are those little brightly colored dots that stick out like a sore thumb. Their random nature has made them tough to deal with effectively, until now. Want to know the easiest way to get rid of them?

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.

A winter frost can give the most amazing nature photos, from dewy spider webs to seemingly diamond-encrusted berries. Find out how to capture those frosty shots with this method that can help you get great shots every time.

There are five crucial pieces of kit you should always take with you when heading out with the camera. Read on to find out what they are and if you have them already.

What do you actually need to know to do landscape photography?

If you’re ready to upgrade from your kit lens and you’re wondering what to choose, consider getting yourself a fast — yet affordable — prime lens. Here’s an overview of the most popular options which should give you an idea of what will best suit your photography.

A few days ago Patrick and I posted two images and asked you to vote on your favorite. What we didn't tell you was that one was taken with an iPhone and the other was taken with a Nikon D850. The majority of you chose the iPhone shot as the better photo.

When it comes to photography, there are a few fundamental basics one needs to cover before shooting. Besides needing a camera, decent battery life, and a reliable and solid support system, you need filters to combat the daylight sun's harshness, introduce contrast, remove the annoying infrared noise, and polarize the sky or any reflections. Some filters also allow you to create those beautiful, abstract, long-exposure, misty seascapes with streaky clouds overhead.

A camera is only worth what you're willing to pay for it, and the same is true of camera manufacturers. A business is not necessarily the sum of its parts, and its value is reflected in its share price. By this yardstick, Sony is streaking ahead while Nikon is bombing. How do they compare?

Mirrorless cameras have been taking over the photography scene for quite a few years now, and they're widely heralded as the next step in photographic innovation. But there are quite a few reasons why they're not the game-changer we were expecting.

The end of the year is always a time to both make one final push to close the business year strongly and to reflect on the current state of affairs. As a photographer, it’s also a good time to look back on where you stand as an artist and where you still want to go.

Ever gotten your images off the camera, zoomed in to 100%, and been a little disappointed with the results? Ever had a hard time figuring out what went wrong? In this series, we’ll look at the primary causes of poor clarity and how to address each. With a little practice, you’ll be able to glance at an image and know how to fix it.

Adobe made a significant update to your ability to tweak colors in the recent version of Lightroom by swapping out Split Toning for Color Grading. Here are five things buried in the interface that you might want to learn about.

Black Friday sales are here and we at Fstoppers want to keep the photography community informed of noteworthy deals. Some of these savings are only available for a very limited timeframe, so if there's something that piques your interest, make sure to act on it now!

There is something uniquely hurtful about being mocked. In Sia’s attempt to empower neurodiverse people, she’s hurt and offended many. Was she wrong to try the way she did, or is the world just trolling her?

White balance is very important in many areas of photography, but what about landscapes? In this week's article and video, I dive into why you shouldn't worry about white balance out in the field, but I also go over best practices in deciding how to edit your images.

Update: The results are in. Patrick and I are once again competing to see who can photograph the same model best. It's up to you to decide.

Pre-owned gear can be a great way to save money and enjoy a brand new photography experience. Yet, a good deal also includes proper quality. Here you get to know how to check a second-hand camera body.

The Holidays are here and we are celebrating with our best sale of the year! Right now, all Fstoppers photography and video tutorials on sale to kick off the season. Every course is automatically 30% off but when you add additional products to your cart, you can get up to 60% off each tutorial.

There has never been a better time to stay home and explore your own country. That is what I did and what I found was incredible!

What are the things that hinder you from being a better landscape photographer?

I'm a gadget guy. I always appreciate anything that can make my life easier, safer, or more enjoyable. When I recently acquired a Kywoo3D Tycoon 3D printer, I thought it would be an excellent time to make my photography life easier.

Learn how to become better at landscape photography fast by following these 10 simple steps.

It took the best part of four months to get my hands on the new Canon EOS R5, but the wait is over. After a few days of playing with it, I have to say I'm stunned by its brilliance. Here are my first impressions on a number of topics.

Lightroom isn’t as powerful as Photoshop when it comes to retouching portraits, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it to get good results. This guide will get you started using Lightroom and also give an idea as to why it can be faster and more effective than diving into Photoshop.

I don't know about you, but many of us, your humble author included, had a pretty horrific upgrade to Big Sur, the latest and apparently, not the greatest OS from Apple.

Anyone with a camera can call themselves a photographer, sure. But how many of you can really say you're a professional? Follow along and find out.

Some mistakes you make as a photographer over and over again, learning a little bit each time you make them. But this is one mistake I can't afford to make again.

Lightroom is about 13 years old now, and over the last few major releases, Adobe has added a number of tools you’d previously need Photoshop for. While it’s great to see new features like color grading, luminosity masking, and more make their way to the program, their implementation still leaves them falling far short of just using Photoshop. Here’s why I couldn't ever use Lightroom without Photoshop.

Today, I’ll share with you a brief review, not of a camera, but of the life of a professional photographer.