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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

How to Photograph Fireworks

The 4th of July is just about here, and that means fireworks will soon be filling the skies all around the United States. They make for fantastic photography subjects, and they can be a great technical challenge as well. If you are thinking of heading out to capture some images, check out this helpful video tutorial that will give you a range of tips to ensure you come home with the best possible shots.

A Review of the Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless Camera

The Canon EOS R3 has some of the most advanced capabilities and features the company has ever put in a camera, making it an appealing option for a wide range of creatives, particularly sports and wildlife photographers. This great video review takes a look at the camera and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in the field.

Shooting With One of the Most Iconic Cameras in History

There are few camera series more iconic and recognizable than the Hasselblad 500 series, which has become a popular collector's camera that still commands a high price on the used market today. This great video review takes a look at a camera from the series and what it is like to shoot with seven decades after they first hit the market.

How to Shoot and Edit a Powerful Long Exposure Seascape Photo

Few images are more iconic in landscape photography than the long exposure of water. It is about a lot more than simply throwing an ND filter on the front of your lens and going to town, however. This great video follows a photographer as he shoots and edits a long exposure of a seascape and offers a lot of helpful insights into and tips on his creative decisions and process.

The Lesson Every New Photographer Needs to Learn

Being new to photography can be a bit daunting, requiring you to tackle a variety of technical and creative ideas and approaches simultaneously. However, there is one lesson every new photographer should learn as soon as possible, as it will save them a lot of money and headache down the road and help them become better faster. This important video discusses the topic and how to get yourself on the right track.

The Next Hasselblad Mirrorless Camera Looks to Be a Big Upgrade

Hasselblad's X1D and X1D II 50C medium format mirrorless cameras have achieved some popularity for being incredibly portable while still offering extremely high levels of image quality. An updated body is expected fairly soon, and it looks like Hasselblad is planning some major upgrades to the camera.

A Look at the Nikon NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S Lens

Ultra-wide angle zoom lenses are useful for a wide range of applications, with professional models generally employing an f/2.8 aperture. However, not all photographers need to spend the kind of money or lug around the weight that comes with such a lens. Nikon's NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S offers all the benefits of an ultra-wide angle zoom without that bulk or expensive price, and this great video takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it.

How to Edit Portraits in Capture One

While Lightroom and Photoshop are probably the most used post-processing programs, they are far from the only options. Many professionals prefer Capture One for their work, particularly for the way it renders color and for its tethering capabilities. If you are new to the program, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to edit a portrait using it.

How to Make More Compelling Portraits by Framing Your Subject With the Environment

There has been a huge rise in the popularity of portraits with shallow depth of field in the last decade, and while those can be compelling, they are certainly not the only way to shoot. In fact, you can give your images an extra dose of visual interest by integrating the environment around your subject in clever ways. This helpful video tutorial will show you just how to go about doing so.

Which of These Is Canon's Best Portrait Lens?

Canon makes a lot of fantastic portrait lenses that fit a wide range of needs, aesthetic preferences, price ranges, and more. Four of their best are the RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM, RF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM, EF 135mm f/2L USM, and RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, and this excellent video comparison takes a look at all four to help you decide which is right for you.

A Review of the New Samyang 35mm f/1.4 AF II Lens

A 35mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is highly versatile, useful for everything from portraits to landscapes, astrophotography, and more. Such lenses can easily run north of $2,000, which, at $799, is what makes Samyang's 35mm f/1.4 AF II quite the attractive option. 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.

A Review of the New Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Fujifilm X Series Cameras

A standard zoom lens with an f/2.8 aperture is one of the most versatile options a photographer or filmmaker can have in their bag, capable of tackling a multitude of scenarios ranging from wedding coverage to landscape photography. Such lenses are not cheap, though the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD seeks to buck that trend by coming in at just $799. This great video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

How to Create the Film Look in Lightroom

The film look continues to gain popularity, and whether you use it as part of your personal aesthetic or for clients, knowing how to create it from digital images is a good skill to have. This helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to create the look using nothing but Lightroom.

5 Easy Concepts for Portraits in a Park

A park is a fantastic place to shoot portraits, full of interesting architecture, compelling light, and eye-catching foliage. If you would like to explore your creativity a bit, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you five easy concepts for shooting portraits in a park.

A Review of the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR Lens

A 35mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is one of the most useful and versatile optics a photographer can have in their bag, suitable for a huge range of applications, including weddings, astrophotography, portraits, and more. For Fuji shooters, there is the XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR lens, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in real-world usage.

How to Plan a Landscape Photoshoot

You can certainly just head out with your camera and create photos as you happen upon interesting scenes or subjects, but when it comes to shooting things like landscapes and cityscapes, planning ahead can really help you get next-level images. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced photographer discussing how he plans a shoot and showing some useful tools to give you a better chance of coming home with the shot you want.

A Beginner's Guide to Color Grading Photos

Color grading is a good chance to add your personal touch to an image and to take it from good to memorable. It is a deceptively complex thing, though, and it takes a good eye and light touch to do it effectively. This helpful video tutorial will show you some great first steps and techniques for color grading images that are sure to get you up and running in no time.

How to Clean Sensor Dust in Lightroom

Even if you follow all the guidelines for keeping your sensor free of dust, it is something that will probably happen to you at one time or another, and worse yet, you might not notice it until you are at home, looking at your images on your computer. Thankfully, though, it is not very difficult to take care of it using Lightroom, and this helpful video tutorial will show you how to quickly and easily take care of it.

How to Make Your Own Food Photography Backgrounds

Creating an eye-catching and successful food photo is about more than simply lighting and arranging the food in a compelling way; you need to be able to create a set that complements the food and enhances the overall mood of the image. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced food photographer discussing some ways you can go about doing that.

A Review of the New Laowa 90mm f/2.8 APO 2x Lens

Venus Optics has long been known for producing unique and capable lenses that offer impressive performance at quite affordable prices. Their latest lens, the Laowa 90mm f/2.8 APO 2x, offers twice the magnification of a traditional macro lens for not a lot of money, and it is available for all major mirrorless full frame mounts. This great video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.