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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

How to Deal With Boring Skies in Landscape Photography

We often preach the importance of planning ahead in landscape photography, but the truth remains that nature does not always cooperate, and even if you expected dramatic, interesting skies, even a slight deviation from the weather forecast can leave you with dull monotony overhead. So, what can you do to avoid going home empty-handed? This helpful video tutorial will show you.

Photographer Hit by Errant Golf Tee Shot

On February 9, at the Waste Management Phoenix Open Pro-Am Tournament, a photographer was hit by an errant tee shot, with the event captured on video.

Canon Patents Yet Another Set of Crazy Lenses

It has only been a week since news of exciting Canon lens patents came out, and here we are again with another set of ridiculous lenses emerging from the company. This time, it is for a set of superzooms that stretch beyond the limits of most such lenses we have seen in the past.

Storage Is About to Get More Expensive

Supply shortages have hit many industries quite hard in the last few years, and the camera and computer industries have not been immune. A recent discovery of contaminated materials at two major manufacturing plants has led to significant impacts on the flash memory market, which analysts predict will likely lead to increased prices.

5 Helpful Portrait Photography Tips That Will Improve Your Images

The challenge of portrait photography is that beyond needing to master an array of technical things like lighting setups and often fairly intricate editing techniques, you also need to be able to make your subject comfortable in front of the camera, all while managing the photography side of things. If you are wondering how you can improve your own portraiture, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will give you five tips to help you take better images.

A Review of the New Sigma 20mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens

Years ago, Sigma reinvented themselves with the Art series, which quickly grew into a full line of highly respected lenses, known in particular for their image quality and affordable prices. The company has continued to expand its offerings, which now include the Contemporary line, meant to "achieve a balance between convenience and performance." The 20mm f/2 DG DN is the latest entry in that line, and this excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it.

You Can Always Take a Good Landscape Photo, No Matter What the Conditions Are

If you look at the sort of landscape photos that tend to dominate the popular pages of Instagram and the like, they are often lit with warm, golden rays, augmented by dramatic skies, rich colors, and dramatic contrasts. And of course, those can be incredible images, but the conditions required to create them are often not present, and they are not the only compelling type of landscape photo. This excellent video shows you that you can create good landscape images no matter what the conditions you encounter.

How to Quickly and Easily Remove People From a Crowded Photo Automatically Using Photoshop

There are a ton of beautiful tourist spots out there begging to be photographed, but the problem is that unless you are extremely lucky, you will likely have to deal with people in the shot. You could take a bunch of photographs as people move around and then painstakingly mask in different parts of the image, or you could try this neat method that lets Photoshop take care of it automatically in just a few seconds, as this helpful video tutorial shows.

A Review of the Voigtlander MACRO APO-LANTHAR 65mm f/2 Aspherical Lens

Voigtlander is known for making lenses with rugged build quality and great image quality, and the MACRO APO-LANTHAR 65mm f/2 Aspherical lens is no different. This fantastic image review takes a look at this interesting lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.

Why You Should 'Steal' From Other Photographers

Of course, you should never outright copy or steal the work of other photographers; that is never in question. However, there is something to be said for turning work you know and love into something of your own, and this great video tutorial discusses the merits of doing so.

How to Create Compelling Square Images

In the days of film, the square format used to be more popular, particularly since 6x6 medium format cameras were around. Nowadays, no digital camera has a native 1:1 aspect ratio, and as such, the square format has fallen out of popularity quite a bit. That being said, it is a tremendously interesting and different way to compose and digest images, and this helpful video tutorial will give you some useful advice on creating interesting photos using it.

How to Pitch to Brands and Land Photography Clients

If you want to shoot for brands and land large commercial projects, you have to know how to pitch to brands in a way that matches their expectations while still helping your own work stand apart from the other portfolios they have seen. If that is something you are new to or if you want to improve your chances, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will walk you through the entire process step by step to get you up and running in no time.

How to Easily Turn Your Signature Into a Classy Watermark

Did you have to take cursive in elementary school? Is that ability to write in beautiful, curvy letter lying dormant somewhere in the recesses of your mind after all these years? Why not awaken those skills and use them to create a beautiful custom watermark for your images? This great video tutorial will show you how to do just that quickly and easily using Photoshop.

Would You Pay $5,600 for a Zoom Lens?

Would you pay $5,600 for a zoom lens? And a variable aperture one at that? It sounds crazy, but with the Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 ASPH., you get that beloved Leica look with the convenience of a zoom lens. How good is this premium offering? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.

9 Things You Should Check Before Purchasing a Used Lens

The used market is always full of lenses, and given how well many photographers take care of their gear, you can often save a fair bit of money and still get a quality lens by purchasing preowned. There are a few things you should check before you agree to buy that lens you are eyeing, though, and this quick and helpful video tutorial will take you through them all to make sure you are not wasting your money.

Which Standard Lens Is the Best Option for Nikon Shooters?

One thing is for sure: Nikon mirrorless shooters are not at a loss for choice when it comes to standard zoom lenses. With four native options from Nikon, plus the option to pretty seamlessly adapt F mount options, you might be wondering which lens in the crowded field is right for your needs and budget. This excellent video comparison takes a look at five options and all their pros and cons to help you make the right choice.

A Battle Between the Canon EOS R3, Nikon Z 9, and Sony a1 Mirrorless Cameras

Camera manufacturers have really found another gear the last few years, obliterating the old maxim that you could have things like resolution or shooting speed, but not both, by releasing cameras that can tackle literally any situation you can throw at them. So, who holds the current crown? This excellent video compares the Canon EOS R3, Nikon Z 9, and Sony a1 mirrorless cameras to find out.

Can You Shoot Landscapes at f/1.4?

When it comes to landscape photography, a narrow aperture and large depth of field is the norm, as we generally want to get everything from the foreground to infinity sharp. Of course, that is a creative decision, and just like any other such decision, you can do something else. So, is it worth trying landscape photographs with a narrow depth of field? This great video makes a good case for it.