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Alex Cooke
Cleveland, OH

Articles written by Alex Cooke

Evolving as a Landscape Photographer

One of the best parts of landscape photography is that you can return to a location over and over as you grow as a photographer and see how your technique has progressed and your creative tastes have grown. This great video features an experienced photographer discussing evolution as a creative and sharing some of his experiences along the way.

Should You Use Manual Mode or Aperture Priority?

Manual and aperture priority are two of the most common modes photographers use, but when you are new to the craft, it might be difficult to know when to use which. This excellent video tutorial discusses manual and aperture priority modes, including how they work and when each is appropriate.

The Power of Tone Curves in Lightroom

Tone curves can be a rather intimidating tool for many photographers, and as such, many users avoid using them, opting instead for the editing sliders in Lightroom. However, curves are a tremendously powerful, precise, and versatile tool for performing a ton of editing tasks, and it is well worth learning them. This helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to take full advantage of curves in Lightroom.

The New M3 MacBook Pro: One Photographer's View After 3 Days

The 2023 MacBook Pro is the latest evolution of Apple's iconic pro laptop lineup. The 2023 redesign brings some major changes, including the new M3 family of Apple silicon chips, a refined design now available in Space Black, and an upgraded display, camera, and connectivity. In this review, we take a deep dive into the latest model and its powerful features.

How to Deal With Harsh Sunlight in Portrait Photography

The beauty of working with flash is that you can walk into any lighting situation and shape it to your creative vision and needs, and that frees you from relying on the sun to cooperate and to dictate your shoot's timing and location. Perhaps no scenario is more challenging than harsh midday light. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to use off-camera flash to work with that harsh light to create compelling portraits.

A Review of the Affordable and Portable Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM Lens

Canon's RF 28mm f/2.8 STM lens is impressively portable and will not break the bank, making it a nice option for anyone who wants a lightweight option they can take anywhere without worrying about a stray bump here or there. This excellent video review takes a look at if such a small and affordable lens can provide the sort of performance and image quality moderns users demand.

Is the Retro-Inspired Nikon Zf Mirrorless Camera Worth the Hype?

Retro-inspired tech can be a lot of fun to look at, but when it comes to something as expensive as a professional-level camera, if it is not functional as well, that aesthetic probably is not worth the price. So, can the Nikon Zf mirrorless camera, back up that attractive design with the features and capabilities modern photographers demand? This excellent video review takes a deep look at the camera to help answer that question.

A Review of the Impressive Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena Lens

When Canon and Nikon got serious about their mirrorless platforms, they took opposite approaches to lenses, with Canon opting for extreme, boundary-pushing designs and Nikon opting for more pragmatic workhorses. However, Nikon has begun to complement those earlier offerings with more eye-catching lenses, the latest of which is the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena. How does this impressive-on-paper lens hold up in real-world usage? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you will be able to expect.

A Review of the Fujifilm GFX100 II Mirrorless Medium Format Camera

The latest camera in Fujifilm's lauded line of medium format mirrorless cameras, the GFX100 II, builds on previous cameras in the GF series by adding a wide range of new features and improvements, Yet, it still maintains that impressively competitive price that tempts many users to consider switching away from full frame to medium format. How does it hold up in practice? This great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect.

How to Take Sharper Photos

Of all the qualities a photo can have, almost every photographer strives to create sharp images. A lot of objective and subjective quantities can affect the appearance of sharpness in a shot, and the sooner you can take control of all of them, the better your photos will be. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing a wide range of helpful advice for creating sharp images that pop off the screen.

A Review of the New Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 Lens

Tamron has become a favorite company of many photographers, known for creating both very practical and affordable lenses as well as some of the more innovative options that push into new territory. The 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 belongs in the former camp, offering a common workhorse at a great price. This great video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

A Look at the Ridiculous New RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens

The Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z is here. It is quite possibly one of the most impressive lenses ever seen, being the first full frame lens to ever offer an f/2.8 constant aperture in tandem with a 24-105mm focal length range. Can it offer the sort of performance and image quality needed to back up those impressive specs? This great video takes a first look at what you can expect.

Dealing With Rain in Landscape Photography

Few people enjoy getting soaked in the rain, and as such, it can be tempting to avoid even heading out when the drops start flying. Nonetheless, if you are willing to brave the inclement weather, it can make for some interesting landscape images. This great video follows an experienced landscape photographer as he deals with heavy rain and tries to make worthwhile images.

Canon Announces the RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens

Canon has announced three new lenses tonight, the first of which is the RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM, a small ultra-wide angle zoom for APS-C mirrorless cameras, sure to please landscape photographers, filmmakers, and more.
Canon Announces the RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM Lens

Canon has announced the RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM, a powerful zoom lens for wildlife, sports, and nature photographers that offers a wide range of focal lengths at a reasonable price.

Canon Announces the RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z Lens

You read that right. Canon has announced the RF 24-105mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z lens, the world's first full frame lens offering that range of focal lengths in tandem with an f/2.8 aperture. With some incredible capabilities sure to capture the attention of events, portrait, wedding photographers and more, this looks like quite the exciting lens.

Mistakes That Hold You Back as a Photographer

Becoming a confident and consistently good photographer is a complex and long journey with plenty of stops along the way. If you find yourself at the start of that journey, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced professional discussing some common mistakes that tend to hold back budding photographers and how to get yourself back on the right track.

A Review of Canon's First DSLR, the D30

The year was 2000: the Y2K bug had turned out to be a flop, a man purchased $200 million in Ansel Adams negatives for $45 at a garage sale, and Canon released their first DSLR, the D30, a camera that would go on to have a significant impact on the photography industry. What was the D30 like? This neat video review takes a look at the camera.

A Review of the iPhone 15 Pro Max for Photo and Video Creation

The iPhone 15 Pro Max sits at the top of Apple's popular line of smartphones, offering a wide range of powerful tools and capabilities for photo and video creators alike, making it a compelling option for many users. This excellent video review takes a look at the phone and how its most advanced features perform in the workflow of a professional creative.

Five Mistakes That Ruin the Quality of Your Film Images

Film photography has enjoyed a notable resurgence in recent years, offering users a chance to take part in a different approach to the craft and enjoy a more tactile and nostalgic process. Just like digital, though, there are some common pitfalls that can derail the quality of your images. This excellent video tutorial discusses five such pitfalls and what you can do to improve the quality of your film photos.