Articles written by Alex Cooke

Photography, like any other art, is a highly subjective pursuit, and as such, it can sometimes be a bit difficult to know if you are doing well or what you can do to improve. So, what is it that makes a good photograph? What does it mean to be a good photographer? This excellent video essay explores those questions and offers some useful insights.

Most of us over 30 have at least one box of old photo prints in a closet somewhere, and digitizing them is a worthwhile if tedious task. The Epson FastFoto FF-680W scanner seeks to make quick and easy work of that task while still producing high-quality results, and in this review, we take a look at what you can expect from it in practice.

Fujifilm's X-H2S is the newest camera in the company's popular X Series line of mirrorless cameras, and with it come a variety of improvements and new features, most notable being a new sensor. This awesome video review takes a look at the camera for photography purposes, including the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

One of the things the pandemic taught us is how important it is to diversify one's income streams, particularly when events entirely outside our control can put those streams in serious jeopardy. The nice thing about photography, though, is that (depending on your genre at bit, admittedly) there are a lot of ways to make money from images besides simply shooting for a client who then pays you for your services. This great video essay features an experienced photographer discussing the importance of income streams.

Leading lines are one of the most powerful compositional tools at a landscape photographer's disposal, allowing you to easily capture the viewer's eye and guide it through the image. Nonetheless, they are not the only compositional tool available to you, and it is important to practice other methods as well. This great video follows an experienced landscape photographer as he explores different ways to create compelling photos besides using leading lines.

While you can absolutely create professional-level portraits with a single light, using multiple lights will allow you create more advanced and precise setups that simply are not possible with just one source. One of the most important secondary lights a portrait photographer can use is the kicker, and this great video tutorial will show you both what they are and how they are used to create more effective images.

The Canon EOS R5 got most of the attention when it was first announced along with the EOS R6, but the latter is an impressively capable camera, and for a lot of creatives, it might actually be the more appropriate choice. This excellent video review takes a look at the ESO R6 and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.

Fujifilm's GFX line of medium format mirrorless cameras rewrote medium format's role in the industry, taking it from a niche tool used by a few studios and rental houses and making it a viable alternative to full frame bodies, particularly for landscape, wedding, and portrait photographers. If you are curious about the camera for landscape work, check out this great video review that discusses the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

The Fujifilm X-H2S is the latest entry in the company's respected X Series line of mirrorless cameras, and it brings along a wide range of new features and improved capabilities. This excellent video review takes a look at the new camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in real-world usage.