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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

Everything You Need to Know About Kicker Lights for Portrait Photography
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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.

Bokeh Machine: A Review of the Sony 135mm f/1.8 Lens
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The 85mm lens is generally the most popular choice for portrait photography, but 135mm has long been an alternate favorite of a lot of photographers. Just like the former focal length, there are some impressive 135mm options out there, one being the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM. 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 Review of the Canon EOS R6 Mirrorless Camera
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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.

Portable Power for All Your Devices: We Review the Anker PowerHouse II 300
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If you are someone who spends many hours or even days away from a power source, you know how difficult it can be to keep all your devices properly topped off. With a huge battery and a variety of smart features, the Anker PowerHouse II 300 seeks to remedy that conundrum. In this review, we take a look at the PowerHouse and how it performs.

Is This the Best Landscape Photography Camera Money Can Buy?
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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.

One Charger for All Your Needs: We Review the Ugreen Nexode 200W Charger
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These days, most of us are carrying several battery-powered devices at any given time, and that can add up to a lot of cables to keep track of and a lot of inconvenience if you forget to bring along the right power adapter. That's why with four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, support for a range of fast charging protocols, and an impressive 200 watts of total output, the Ugreen Nexode 200W charger is a fantastic accessory for many creatives. We take a deep look at the device in our review here.

A Review of the Fujifilm X-H2S Mirrorless Camera
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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.

The Importance of Waiting for Good Light in Landscape Photography
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Perhaps the greatest challenge and source of frustration in landscape photography is the fact that we have no control over the light. While we can do our best to predict how things will shape up, nature does not always cooperate. When that happens, a bit of patience can be your best friend. This excellent video details why.

A Creative and Eye-Catching Two-Light Portrait Setup
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When you are new to working with artificial light for portraits, you should generally start with a single source until you are comfortable with all the basic properties and techniques. Once you feel comfortable with those, you can begin to embrace more complex multi-light setups. This excellent video tutorial shows a relatively simple two-light setup that creates an eye-catching spotlight effect.

How to Deal With Dissatisfied Photo Clients
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If you do photography professionally, you are going to eventually have a dissatisfied client. It is something that happens to all of us, and it is not even always your fault. So, what can you do when that happens? This excellent video tutorial offers some helpful advice that will make it easier to handle those difficult situations.

Important Advice on Gear and Photography
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Whether you are a new or highly experienced photographer, the allure of new gear can be strong. And there is nothing wrong with geeking out over the latest and greatest, but when that starts inhibiting your growth as a photographer because you are blaming the tools for a lack of technical or creative growth, it can become a serious problem. This great video discusses the topic and the sort of pitfalls you need to watch out for.

How to Add Atmosphere to a Photo in Lightroom
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It used to be that you generally used Lightroom for organization and light adjustments and Photoshop for heavier editing. However, in recent years, Lightroom has taken some remarkable steps forward, and you can now perform major edits without having to leave the program. This great video tutorial will show you how to use some of Lightroom's tools to add atmosphere to an image.

How to Choose the Right Film Camera for You
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Film photography is experiencing a real surge in popularity, and the beauty of it is that there are decades upon decades of used film cameras available, meaning you have a ton of options in which to find the perfect model for your needs and budget. If you are interested in film photography and ready to purchase a camera, check out this great video that discusses some good options and what to look for.

Can This Sub-$200 85mm f/1.8 Lens Keep Up With More Expensive Options?
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85mm lenses with wide maximum apertures are some of the most popular out there, particularly for portrait photographers, but they can also run well north of $2,000 for a good model. And so, at less than $200, the Meike 85mm f/1.8 is quite the intriguing lens, but do you get much at such a low price? 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.

Creating Stunning Long Exposure Panoramic Photos
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Both long exposures and panoramas are fantastic ways to create eye-catching photos that encourage viewers to stop and really examine every detail in the frame. Combining them takes a bit of careful technique, but the results can be well worth the effort. This great video will show you how to about shooting them and the sort of results you can expect from the process.

Where Should Your Focus Point Be When Photographing People?
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If you are simply photographing a single person and they are occupying the majority of the frame, it is not hard to know where to place your focus point, but things can get a bit more complicated if you are dealing with a group of people or a particularly intricate scene. This helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to make sure you get the best possible results every time.

Is This a Cheap Way to Get Into Macro Photography?
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The wonderful thing about macro photography is that there are always compelling subjects within arm's reach, but on the other hand, it generally requires a dedicated macro lens. If you are interested in macro photography but not ready to invest a lot of money in it, a potentially viable intermediate option is extension tubes. This great video will show you how extension tubes work as well as the pros and cons of using them for macro work.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Professional Photographer?
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Becoming a professional photographer is a dream of many, but the road to getting there is anything but short and straight. So, how long does it take to actually get there? This great video features an experienced photographer discussing the journey and offering some helpful insight and tips for finding success along the way.

How Infrared Photography Can Turn Boring Shots in Entrancing Photos
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Sometimes, the thing you need to break out of a creative rut is a new or unusual way of creating images, and an infrared-modified camera is one such example of that. This great video will show you how an infrared-converted camera can take normal, uninteresting scenes and breathe new creative life into them.

How to Balance Flash and Ambient Light in Portrait Photography
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Whether you are a portrait, wedding, or family photographer, one of the most useful skills you can learn is how to balance ambient light and flash. If you would like to improve your portraiture work, check out this helpful video that will show you a method for balancing flash and ambient light to create more balanced and complete portraits.