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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

A Review of the Sigma 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports Lens
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Usually, if you want to use a supertelephoto prime lens for things like wildlife or sports photography, you have to use first-party options. However, Sigma offers a rare exception to that rule, the 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports, and it offers that combination of extra-long focal length and wide aperture sought after by many professionals at a significantly more affordable price. Can it match pace with the likes of Canon and Nikon? This great video review takes a look at the lens to answer that question.

Check Out This Amazing DIY Pond for Filming Wildlife
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One of the most difficult aspects of wildlife and bird photography is finding your subjects and having the patience to wait for them to come into position in frame. So, what if you could make your own spot that you knew would attract wildlife? This photographer and filmmaker designed and built his own pond for bird and wildlife photography, and this awesome video shows the location and the beautiful footage he gets there.

How You Should Edit Your Landscape Photos
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Rarely is a compelling landscape photo made entirely in camera; the majority of such images require at least some degree of editing to be complete, and this is your chance to show off both your technique and your creative vision. So, how do you actually approach the edit? This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer discussing how to edit your images properly.

How to Take Good Photos in Bad Light
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One of the most challenging and often frustrating parts of landscape photography is that you do not get any control over the light. While you can do your best to predict the conditions, nature will not always cooperate. So, can you create good photos in boring light? Absolutely, and this great video will show you some of what you can accomplish and how to go about it.

A Review of the Insta360 ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition Camera
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Consumer 360 cameras have come quite a long way in the last few years, and you can now get professional-level video and photos from many models. Well-known manufacturer Insta360 recently released the ONE RS 1-Inch 360 Edition in collaboration with Leica, and this excellent video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

A Review of the Fujifilm X-H2S Mirrorless Camera
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The Fujifilm X-H2S is the company's newest mirrorless camera in the renowned X Series, and it comes with a variety of new features and improvements over its predecessor. If you are interested in the camera, check out this great video review that takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

How to Import and Export Images in Lightroom More Efficiently
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Two of the most fundamental tasks you will perform in Lightroom are importing and exporting images. When you are working with large batches, both processes can take a significant amount of time, and as such, it is well worth taking the time to establish a consistent and efficient system. This excellent video tutorial will show you an effective system to ensure that you are not wasting any time when importing and exporting photos in Lightroom.

Is the 50mm Lens the Test of a Good Photographer?
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The 50mm lens is one of the most common lenses out there, and yet, it can be a weirdly challenging one to use. Why is it so difficult to master, and how can you create better photos with one? This excellent video takes a look at the 50mm lens, why it is tough to work with, and what you can do to improve your shots.

A Review of the Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 SE Lens
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35mm lenses with wide maximum apertures are some of the most popular and versatile out there, suitable for a huge range of applications, from events coverage to portraits, astrophotography, and more. The Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.2 SE is quite an interesting alternative to many mainstream options, and this excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

How to Get More Gigs as a Wedding Second Shooter
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If you are looking to break into the wedding industry, one of the best things you can do is become a second shooter. If you are ready to start picking up more second shooter gigs, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced wedding photographer offering seven tips to help land more bookings.

Portable Connectivity: We Review the Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
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While the ports on modern laptops are enough for most users, photographers and filmmakers have much higher connectivity demands than the average person. A portable hub can be a lifesaver for a creative on the go. In this review, we take a look at the Anker 555 USB-C 8-in-1 Hub and if it can provide both the ports and performance a demanding workflow requires.

The Lightroom Features a Professional Photographer Uses Most
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Lightroom is the sort of program that you can spend years using, only to discover something you had never seen before. Whether you are new to the program or a seasoned user, this great video tutorial is likely to have a useful nugget of information in it sure to improve your images and make your workflow easier and more efficient.

How to Create Three Distinctive Looks Using One Octabox
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The octabox is one of the most fundamental and useful lighting modifiers out there, able to provide a wide variety of looks for portraiture while remaining relatively easy to set up and master, making it an ideal first choice for anyone working on learning artificial lighting. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to take one octabox and get three distinctive lighting styles from it, giving you a lot of versatility without a lot of work.

How to Create Compelling Woodland Photos
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Woodland photography is an interesting and challenging sub-genre of landscape work that requires a bit of a different approach in order to create successful images. If you would like to improve your forest photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced landscape photographer discussing some helpful advice for taking better landscape images.

A Review of Sigma's 105mm f/1.4 Art Lens
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Sigma's Art series of lenses features some of the most highly regarded options in the industry, offering impressive image quality at prices that often significantly undercut those of first-party options. The 105mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is the longest focal length in the lineup with an f/1.4 maximum aperture, making it an intriguing option for portrait and wedding shooters. 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 Long-Awaited Canon Lens Is on the Way
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Canon's RF lens library has been steadily growing, with a wide variety of standard lenses and more extreme options for a range of photographers' needs. Nonetheless, there are still a few lenses that professionals are looking for, and thankfully, another one will likely be on its way soon, with some major improvements in tow.

Should You Specialize or Be a Generalist Photographer?
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When most photographers start out, they photograph a wide range of genres and eventually find one or a few genres they enjoy and would like to specialize in. If you want to start making money from your photography, you will encounter an important question: should you specialize or be a generalist? This excellent video features an experienced photographer discussing the question and offerings some useful advice.

Who Makes the Best 85mm Lens? Samyang, Sony, or Sigma?
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An 85mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is the tool of choice for countless portrait and wedding photographers, offering a classic, flattering focal length in tandem with shallow depth of field and plenty of low-light capabilities. Such lenses run a wide gamut of prices, however. This excellent video comparison takes a look at three options with a $1,000 price difference between them, the Samyang AF 85mm f/1.4 FE II, Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM, and Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art.

7 Tips for Better Flower Macro Photography
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Flowers are some of the best subjects for macro photography, offering an almost endless range of looks and opportunities to expand your portfolio. If you are interested in your improving your flower macro imagery, check out this excellent video tutorial that will show you seven useful tips sure to put you on the track to better photos.