Articles written by Alex Cooke

Sony users have a ton of choices available when it comes to lenses, with many manufacturers offering a wide range of focal lengths and maximum apertures that can fit just about any budget. If you are wondering how to navigate all those choices, check out this great video that will show you 10 excellent third-party lenses for Sony mirrorless cameras.

When you are learning photography, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to simultaneously balance all of the technical and creative ideas and techniques that go into making a successful photograph. If you are new to the pursuit and wondering how to grow, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced photographer giving 10 tips for improving as a photographer.

When an image has a distinct texture or pattern, cleaning up blemishes or the like can be a bit trickier, as you need to replicate the texture and/or pattern accurately in order to create a convincing replacement. One such example is pristine sand that has been walked upon, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to make it perfect again using Photoshop.

Apple's Mac Studio is ludicrously powerful. It comes in two basic configurations, the M1 Max and M1 Ultra, which might leave you wondering which you should pick for your work. If you are asking yourself that question, check out this excellent video that discusses three options for video editing to help you choose.

35mm lenses are popular for good reason, as they offer a versatile focal length that is neutral enough for a variety of applications, including portraits, street photography, events, astrophotography, and more. The Viltrox 35mm f/1.8 AF is one of the more affordable options out there, but it still offers a range of great features. 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.

During the May 16 Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game, Diamondbacks left fielder David Peralta turned on a Craig Kimbrel fastball, lifting it for a home run over the right field fence. Unfortunately, the ball came down on the head of a camera operator standing on top of the outfield wall.

Samyang has long been known for producing sharp and highly affordable manual focus lenses, but in recent years, they have moved into producing autofocus lenses as well, while still keeping those budget prices that have endeared them to many photographers. At $299, the AF 45mm f/1.8 FE offers a lot of lens for not a lot of money, and this excellent video review takes a long-term look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

Street photography is not the easiest genre to get into, especially if you tend to have a more timid personality or enjoy working alone. However, it can be a tremendously interesting one, and even if it is not your primary pursuit, it can do a lot of good to sharpen your skills in many other genres. If you are interesting in street photography and wondering how to get started, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything from composition and lighting to gear choices and editing.

No doubt, the last few years have been stressful for many of us, and it can be difficult to remember how to destress and find peace and contentment again. Photography should be an escape, however, and this great video reminds us of that.