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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

How to Take a Great Bird Photo From Start to Finish

Bird photography is a challenging genre, requiring top-level technique, specialized equipment, and an excellent understanding of animal behavior to produce compelling images, but when you get it all right, the results can be stunning. If you would like to improve your bird photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial by an experienced bird photographer that will show you everything that goes into making a compelling bird image from start to finish.

What Is the Best-Handling Camera of All Time?

We often get quite caught up in the headline-grabbing specs of cameras — things like sensor resolution, burst speed, autofocus, and more. However, one thing you will not find on a spec sheet but that can have a huge impact on your quality of life is a camera's handling. Which cameras have been the best? This neat video discusses five top choices.

How to Find Better Landscape Photos

When it comes to landscape photography, you can't control the elements in the frame like you can in just about any other genre, which, of course, means you need to be able to find elegant and compelling images instead of building them. If you want to improve your landscape photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you three helpful tips for finding better landscape photos.

What's the Better Camera: The Sony a7 IV or the Canon EOS R6?

All of the major camera companies have released some incredible cameras in the last few years, but many of us do not need top-shelf features and would rather opt to save thousands of dollars by buying a more generalist option. Such cameras have come quite a way and can handle most demands, and this great video review takes a look at two of the best options, the Canon EOS R6 and the Sony a7 IV.

Should You Use an 85mm or 70-200mm Lens for Portrait Photography?

When it comes to portraiture, the wide-aperture 85mm lens has been the classic choice for years, but zoom lenses have come along quite a bit in the past decade, and with their impressive image quality, you might prefer the versatility of having a variety of focal lengths at your disposal. If you are wondering whether to use an 85mm or 70-200mm lens for your portrait work, check out this excellent video tutorial that will show you the pros and cons of each.

A Beginner's Guide to Choosing the Right Shutter Speed for Your Photography

Along with aperture and ISO, shutter speed is one of the fundamental parameters that control the exposure of your image and give you the creative latitude for rendering the frame as you see fit. If you are new to photography and want to learn how to use shutter speed both to create technically correct photos and to explore your creativity, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.

A Review of the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM Lens

Ultra-wide angle zoom lenses with wide maximum apertures are popular for a variety of uses, ranging from astrophotography to weddings and events work. For Sony shooters looking for professional-level options, there is the FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, and this excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

A Guide to Photographing a Wedding Ceremony

Photographing a wedding is one of the most challenging and high-pressure scenarios a photographer can face, particularly since there are no do-overs, and they require you to balance a wide variety of skills and techniques, all while being creative at the same time. As such, being as prepared as possible before you ever set foot in the venue is crucial. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced wedding shooter guiding you through the process of photographing the ceremony.

Some Helpful Tips for Long Exposures in Landscape Photography

When it comes to landscape photography, long exposures are one of the most ubiquitous techniques you will see. Taking a long exposure involves more than simply cranking up that shutter speed, however. If you would like to improve your own work, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you some great tips for taking long exposures.

Which of These Fujifilm Lenses Will Satisfy Your Bokeh Craving?

Fujifilm makes some pretty impressive lenses, and in between their well-established X Series and the respected GFX medium format line, photographers have a lot of choices when it comes to narrow depth of field and bokeh. This great video compares an option from each line, the GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR lens and the XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR.

The Basics of Photo Licensing for Photographers

Photo licensing is not the most exciting topic, but it is one of the most important and one every photographer should have confidently mastered, as it has significant consequences on both your income and your ability to protect and control the dissemination of your images. If you are a bit unsure of the ins and outs of photo licensing, take a bit of time to watch this informative video tutorial that will help you master the basics.

Are You Improvising in Your Landscape Photography Enough?

When it comes to landscape photography, knowing how to plan in advance will generally yield much more success than simply heading out and winging it. That does not mean you should never just grab your camera and see what you can find, however. In fact, doing that can actually be the better choice in some situations, and this excellent video explores just when you should consider doing so.

How to Fix Clothing Using Photoshop

Clothing can be an annoying finicky thing, bunching up in distracting ways, or getting torn and stained at the most inopportune times. While fixing a stain in Photoshop is often relatively straightforward, dealing with a bunched-up sleeve can be tricky, particularly since clothing often has a fixed pattern you need to keep intact to make the edit believable. This helpful video tutorial from a Photoshop pro will show you everything you need to know to get it done correctly.

Is Leica Worth Five Times the Price of Fuji?

Leica is a legendary brand, well known for a very specific camera experience and a desirable, unique look to their images. Fujifilm has made significant strides in the past decade, though, and their X-Pro series offers an experience similar to a rangefinder with a variety of interesting advanced and hybrid features. So, is Leica worth its significantly higher price? This great video review compares the Leica M11 to the Fujifilm X-Pro3 to find out.

A Review of the Impressive Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM Lens

It used to be that most supertelephoto zoom lenses were significantly below the standards demanded by professionals, leaving you to either buy a stratospherically priced prime or make do. However, in the last few years, we have seen an explosion of better lenses, and one of the most impressive options out there is the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.

6 Tips for Getting More Out of Your Telephoto Lens for Landscape Photography

When it comes to landscape photography, most photographers default to using a wide angle lens, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, a telephoto lens can create equally compelling images, of course, and if you have not tried one for your own work, now is the time to head out and give it a shot. This excellent video tutorial will give you six awesome tips to get the most out of it.

What Is the Difference Between Speedlights, Monolights, and Packs and Heads?

When it comes to lighting, the three main types you can choose from are speedlights, monolights, and packs and heads. These three all have their own merits and drawbacks, and if you are thinking about investing in your own lighting system, it is important to know which is best suited for your work. This excellent video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of all three options and help you decide which to choose.

A Review of the Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR Lens

A good 50mm lens with a wide aperture is by far one of the most versatile a photographer can own, suitable for everything from portraiture to low-light events work and more. For Fuji shooters, there is the XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR, and 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 Look at the Powerful and Rugged New DJI Matrice 30 Enterprise Drone

Most people are familiar with DJI's consumer drones, but beyond those, the company also makes some impressively powerful and specialized enterprise drones. The Matrice 30 Enterprise is the latest at that level, and it offers some impressive new features. This great video takes a first look.

A Friendly Reminder That No One Needs to See Your Photos

No, that title is not meant to insult you. In fact, it is meant to empower you. The vast connectedness of the Internet and social media can be a great thing, but it can also be a highly detrimental thing for creatives. The next time you are preparing to take a photo and wondering what the end product will be, remember that you watched this video and that no one needs to see your photos.