Alex Cooke's picture
Average rating:
3.2 out of 5
3.2
Alex Cooke
Cleveland, OH

Articles written by Alex Cooke

The Basics of Photo Licensing for Photographers

Photo licensing is not the most exciting topic, but it is one of the most important and one every photographer should have confidently mastered, as it has significant consequences on both your income and your ability to protect and control the dissemination of your images. If you are a bit unsure of the ins and outs of photo licensing, take a bit of time to watch this informative video tutorial that will help you master the basics.

Are You Improvising in Your Landscape Photography Enough?

When it comes to landscape photography, knowing how to plan in advance will generally yield much more success than simply heading out and winging it. That does not mean you should never just grab your camera and see what you can find, however. In fact, doing that can actually be the better choice in some situations, and this excellent video explores just when you should consider doing so.

How to Fix Clothing Using Photoshop

Clothing can be an annoying finicky thing, bunching up in distracting ways, or getting torn and stained at the most inopportune times. While fixing a stain in Photoshop is often relatively straightforward, dealing with a bunched-up sleeve can be tricky, particularly since clothing often has a fixed pattern you need to keep intact to make the edit believable. This helpful video tutorial from a Photoshop pro will show you everything you need to know to get it done correctly.

Is Leica Worth Five Times the Price of Fuji?

Leica is a legendary brand, well known for a very specific camera experience and a desirable, unique look to their images. Fujifilm has made significant strides in the past decade, though, and their X-Pro series offers an experience similar to a rangefinder with a variety of interesting advanced and hybrid features. So, is Leica worth its significantly higher price? This great video review compares the Leica M11 to the Fujifilm X-Pro3 to find out.

A Review of the Impressive Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM Lens

It used to be that most supertelephoto zoom lenses were significantly below the standards demanded by professionals, leaving you to either buy a stratospherically priced prime or make do. However, in the last few years, we have seen an explosion of better lenses, and one of the most impressive options out there is the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.

6 Tips for Getting More Out of Your Telephoto Lens for Landscape Photography

When it comes to landscape photography, most photographers default to using a wide angle lens, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, a telephoto lens can create equally compelling images, of course, and if you have not tried one for your own work, now is the time to head out and give it a shot. This excellent video tutorial will give you six awesome tips to get the most out of it.

What Is the Difference Between Speedlights, Monolights, and Packs and Heads?

When it comes to lighting, the three main types you can choose from are speedlights, monolights, and packs and heads. These three all have their own merits and drawbacks, and if you are thinking about investing in your own lighting system, it is important to know which is best suited for your work. This excellent video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of all three options and help you decide which to choose.

A Review of the Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR Lens

A good 50mm lens with a wide aperture is by far one of the most versatile a photographer can own, suitable for everything from portraiture to low-light events work and more. For Fuji shooters, there is the XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR, and 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 Powerful and Rugged New DJI Matrice 30 Enterprise Drone

Most people are familiar with DJI's consumer drones, but beyond those, the company also makes some impressively powerful and specialized enterprise drones. The Matrice 30 Enterprise is the latest at that level, and it offers some impressive new features. This great video takes a first look.

A Friendly Reminder That No One Needs to See Your Photos

No, that title is not meant to insult you. In fact, it is meant to empower you. The vast connectedness of the Internet and social media can be a great thing, but it can also be a highly detrimental thing for creatives. The next time you are preparing to take a photo and wondering what the end product will be, remember that you watched this video and that no one needs to see your photos.

3 Straightforward Steps to Improve Your Portrait Lighting

Picking up artificial lighting can be a bit daunting for a lot of photographers, but if you want to take complete technical control of your portraits and expand your creativity, it is something you have to master at one time or another. If you are new to artificial lighting and unsure of how to get started, check out this helpful video tutorial that will show you three steps sure to get you on your way to using flash comfortably.

Simple Editing Tips for Better Landscape Photos

Landscape photography often relies on rather complex and involved edits that go deep into Photoshop, but you do not have to make deep edits to create a compelling image. In fact, you can often skip Photoshop altogether and rely solely on Lightroom. This excellent video tutorial shares some simple but helpful tips for creating better landscape image edits using Lightroom.

Are You Finding Photographic Inspiration?

You can spend all the time in the world working on your technique behind the camera and in post-processing, but if you are not feeding your creative mindset in tandem with that technical development, you are going to have trouble creating worthwhile images. This excellent video essay will teach you the importance of finding creative inspiration and its impact on your growth as a photographer.

3 Months With the Sony a7 IV Mirrorless Camera

The Sony a7 IV mirrorless camera was probably one of the most anticipated cameras of the last decade, as the a7 III had set a high bar for versatility, quality, and affordability in a hybrid mirrorless camera. The a7 IV brought with it several new features and upgrades when it finally arrived, and this great video review takes a look at how it has held up after three months of usage.

Is This 50mm Lens Worth Its Modest Price?

Probably no lens runs a wider price range than the 50mm. You can pick up a new wide-aperture 50mm prime for anywhere from under $100 to well over $2,000 and just about everywhere in between. The most affordable options tend to have some serious limitations, though. The Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.8 offers an upgrade over those cheap models without breaking the bank, and this great video review takes a look at the image quality and performance you can expect from it.

Can the New OM System OM-1 Mirrorless Camera Keep Up With the Canon EOS R3?

The OM System OM-1 is here, and with its impressive upgrades and new capabilities, it challenges the paradigm of full frame or even APS-C cameras ruling the sports genre, at least on paper. Can it really keep up with top-level professional cameras, though? This great video review pits the OM-1 against the highly respected Canon EOS R3 to find out.

Which of These 50mm f/0.95 Lenses Is Best?

50mm f/0.95 lens options have exploded in the last few years, all offering an ultra-wide aperture at a versatile focal length in an affordable manual focus design. So, which of the options is best? This excellent video comparison takes a look at four of them: the Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 III, TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95, Brightin Star 50mm f/0.95, and the Venus Optics Laowa Argus 45mm f/0.95.

A Buying Guide for Canon Full Frame Mirrorless Cameras and Lenses

Canon took a bit of time to really hit the gas when it came to professional mirrorless cameras and lenses, but once the EOS R5 and RF 28-70mm f/2 L USM hit the market, the company started running and has not looked back since. Now that the company (and third parties) have a wide variety of cameras and lenses available, knowing what is right for you can be a little tricky. This great video buying guide will help you navigate the world of Canon mirrorless gear to find the best choices for your work.

Which of These Two Impressive Fuji Portrait Lenses Is Better?

Fujifilm's XF 56mm f/1.2 lens has long been one of the most popular portrait lenses out there. However, Sigma lenses recently arrived for XF shooters, creating a new option for X Series shooters, including the 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary. So, how do the two options compare? This excellent video comparison takes a look at both to help you choose the right one for you.

8 Helpful Tips for Natural Light Swimsuit Photography

When it comes to swimsuit photography, Joey Wright is one of the best in the world, and he is a fantastic teacher on top of that. If you would like to improve your work, check out this fantastic video tutorial in which Joey shares eight excellent tips for shooting natural light beach photos.