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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

Tamron Announces Development of Ultra-Versatile 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD Lens

Tamron has reinvented themselves in recent years, releasing highly practical and affordable lenses alongside innovative options like the 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD. They have now announced the development of another lens in the spirit of the latter group, the 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD, expected to arrive later this year.

How to Take Better Portraits in Hard Light

Like it or not, hard light happens a lot outside, and if you are a portrait or wedding photographer, you can't just reschedule the ceremony or session every time you don't have clouds to give you soft light. So, what can you do to still create flattering images? This excellent video tutorial will show you how adding a bit of flash to the scene can be just the solution you are looking for.

Why One Photographer Is Switching Back to Full Frame From Medium Format

Medium format is more affordable than ever, and its resolution, tonality, and dynamic range make it a dream for landscape photographers, who almost always prioritize image quality above anything else in a camera. So, to switch back to full frame from medium format might seem like a strange decision. This interesting video essay features an experienced landscape photographer discussing why he is considering doing just that anyway.

A Beginner's Guide to Editing in Lightroom

Most newer photographers will begin their editing journey in Lightroom rather than Photoshop, and even as you become more advanced, you will notice that you can still do a lot or even most of your editing in the former, only needing to resort to the latter for truly complex post-processing tasks. If you are a beginner and looking to understand how the various editing functions in Lightroom work, check out this great video tutorial that will have you up and running in no time at all.

The Power of Layers in Landscape Photography

A photograph is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional scene, and as such, part of the challenge posed to the photographer is recreating a sense of depth in the image. This is particularly important to holding your viewer's attention in landscape photography, and one of the most effective ways to accomplish this is through the use of layers. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to leverage them to create more effective photos.

5 Reasons You Might Not Be Growing as a Photographer

Becoming a successful photographer takes the confluence of technical aptitude, creative thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and more. This requires you to be able to address multiple aspects of your work simultaneously, sometimes making it a bit tricky to figure out why things might not be going well. If you are struggling to grow as a photographer, check out this great video that discusses five reasons why that might be and what you can do to get back on the right track.

How to Precisely Control Soft Light for a Portrait

Soft light is generally the preferred style for portraits, as it is more flattering on the subject. However, soft light produces more gradual transitions and requires relatively larger sources, which can make it more difficult to precisely control where it is falling in the frame. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to create a portrait using soft but carefully controlled light using flags and v-flats.

Why It's So Difficult to Be Creative in Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a popular yet difficult genre, and while you can learn to create a technically apt photo, finding your creative voice is another issue entirely. Why is it so difficult to be creative in landscape photography? This fantastic video essay looks at the question and offers some useful insights you can apply to your own work.

The Bokeh Machine: A Look at the Leica Noctillux f/1.0

50mm lenses with wide apertures are some of the most popular out there, and you can find options from under $100 to well over $10,000. So, what can you get near the top end of that range? This great video takes a look at the Leica Noctillux f/1.0 to answer that question.

Should You Buy the M2 MacBook Air or M1 Version?

The original M1 MacBook Air was a highly popular model that offered remarkable performance and battery life in the iconic Air chassis. The new M2 model brings with it a new chip, but it also comes with a wide variety of new options and upgrades. So, which is right for you? This excellent video comparison will help you choose.

Helpful Tips to Improve Your Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a challenging genre full of nuance, as it requires a combination of technical aptitude and the ability to work through issues out of your control, such as poor weather or hard light. If you would like to improve your landscape images, check out this excellent video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing a range of helpful tips sure to bring you better shots.

There Is No Such Thing as a Good Photo

It sounds a bit strange or even silly at first, but it is advice that will serve you well, especially in an age where we are inundated by images and unsolicited feedback. This great video features some really important advice that is well worth taking the time to listen to.

A Different Approach to Composition in Landscape Photography

Composition is always a tricky and subtle thing, and in a genre where you do not have control of the physical placement of the elements, like landscape photography, it can be particularly difficult. If composition is something you struggle with in your landscape images, check out this helpful video tutorial that will share some useful advice sure to help you improve your photos.

Should You Get a MacBook Air or iPad Pro?

A few years ago, asking whether one should get a laptop or a tablet for professional work would be a ludicrous question. However, with options like external display support and the same chip used in MacBooks, the iPad Pro is an intriguing option and in some ways, it is even a better one. So, which is right for you, the MacBook Air or the iPad Pro? This great video will help you answer that question.

Is This Rechargeable Blower the Solution for Cleaning Your Gear?

Handheld air blowers are the type of accessory literally every photographer and filmmaker should have in their bag, as they allow you to easily get rid of grit or debris on your camera sensor and lenses without physically touching them and risking a scratch. The Nitecore BlowerBaby upgrades the standard handheld blower by adding a powerful motor and rechargeable battery. Is it worth the higher price? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.

What Proxy Files Are and Why You Should Be Using Them to Edit Video

While there are definitely some similarities, editing video takes some special considerations and adjustments to your workflow that are not necessary when working with photos. A lot of the focus is on efficiency and managing resources effectively, and one of the most powerful tools for achieving that is proxy files. This excellent video tutorial will introduce you to proxy files and show you how to use them when editing your videos in Premiere Pro.

5 Great Tips That Will Make You a Better Photographer

The beauty of any artistic pursuit is that there is always room to grow creatively, to improve technically, and to learn something new. If you would like to improve your photography, check out this fantastic video tutorial that offers five useful tips sure to put you on the track to better images.

The Canon EOS R3 Can Now Shoot an Incredible 195 FPS

The Canon EOS R3 was no slouch to begin with, with the ability to shoot 30 fps continuous bursts. With a new firmware update, however, Canon is blowing the doors off that speed with a new firmware update that allows the EOS R3 to shoot at a whopping 195 fps.

What Should Your First ND Filter Be?

When it comes to landscape photography, few accessories are more useful than the ND filter, which allows you to extend your shutter speed to introduce creative effects in water and the sky. ND filters come in several variants, however. So, which should you buy as your first option? This excellent video tutorial will show you.

How to Quickly Cull Thousands of Photos

There is honestly no task I hate more than culling large image sets, but if you are a sports, events, wildlife, or wedding photographer, you are probably used to coming home with sets of thousands of images. So, how can you make this tedious task as efficient and painless as possible? This excellent video tutorial will show you a fast and effective workflow.