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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

How Much Camera Automation Is Too Much?

Automation can streamline your workflow, but it also has clear limits. Understanding when and how to use automation effectively can significantly impact your final images.

Unlock the Potential of Your 28mm Lens

Unlike the popular 35mm, the 28mm is often misunderstood or underutilized, but with the right approach, it can significantly improve your photography.

The Challenges of Producing Your Own Photography Book

Creating a photo book involves far more than just selecting images; the practicalities of production, publishing, and shipping present significant hurdles. Understanding these challenges can help you realistically plan your own book project.

Mastering the 35mm Lens: Key Composition Tips

The 35mm focal length holds a special place in photography, prized for its natural perspective and storytelling ability. Its strength lies in capturing just enough context without overwhelming or distracting the viewer, striking a balance that feels intuitively right.

Efficient Exposure Control Using Auto ISO

Auto ISO can significantly improve your photography, especially when handling shifting lighting conditions or needing quick adjustments. If used correctly, it helps you maintain consistent aperture and shutter speed settings without constant manual tweaks.

The Art of Creative Photography

Creating powerful photographs often comes down to how deeply you can enter a creative state during a shoot. This state, known as the photography flow state, can significantly improve the quality of your images by letting you focus entirely on composition, lighting, and storytelling elements without distraction.

Photoshop’s Updated Hue/Saturation Tool

Photoshop recently updated its hue/saturation adjustment tool, making it simpler and more intuitive to quickly modify colors in your images. Mastering color adjustment techniques can significantly improve your editing efficiency and image quality, offering precision control without complicated procedures.

How to Precisely Apply Lightroom Gradients

Applying a linear gradient in Lightroom can feel limiting since the effect usually starts strong at one edge and gradually fades out. Here's a better way.

Nikon's New 135mm f/1.8: Worth the Premium?

The Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena lens has sparked considerable attention for its high-end optics and build quality. It's an attractive choice, particularly if you specialize in portrait photography.

The Key to Sustainable Wedding Photography Marketing

Marketing a wedding photography business differs greatly from marketing other businesses. Weddings involve high emotion, significant expense, and one-time events, making client trust and connection crucial.

Simplify Your Scenes for Stronger Photos

Minimalist photography challenges you to see landscapes differently, stripping away complexity to highlight the simplest, most essential aspects of a scene. It's a style that demands thoughtful observation and a willingness to slow down to uncover quieter, more intimate perspectives.

Master Manual Mode With These Outdoor Portrait Tips

Learning to shoot in manual mode gives you greater control over your photography and helps you understand how to adapt to various lighting conditions. Mastering this skill is particularly valuable for outdoor portraits using natural light since you have to constantly adjust settings to match changing circumstances.

How to Use Color Theory to Improve Your Photography

Color impacts your photography more than almost any other factor. It shapes the mood, guides the viewer's attention, and can determine whether your image resonates emotionally or feels disconnected.

Unlocking Better Outdoor Portraits With a Beauty Dish

Using a beauty dish in portrait photography is often misunderstood or avoided because of misconceptions around harsh lighting and challenging shadows. Yet, mastering this lighting tool can elevate your outdoor portraits significantly, creating a natural, defined look that large, soft modifiers can't replicate.

Canon RF-S 14-30mm f/4-6.3: A Video Creator’s Ideal Lens

Canon recently introduced the RF-S 14-30mm f/4-6.3 IS STM PZ lens, a zoom lens tailored specifically for video creators using APS-C sensor RF-S mount cameras. With its power zoom and wide angle coverage, it aims directly at vloggers and video enthusiasts looking for flexibility without sacrificing portability.

Transforming Everyday Landscapes Into Extraordinary Photos

Landscape photography doesn't require faraway places to be compelling. You might overlook your local area, dismissing it as mundane compared to exotic locales you see online. But recognizing the hidden potential around you can transform your creative outlook and lead to exceptional photographs.

Master Sunset Photos With Lightroom

Editing a photo to capture the vibrance and warmth of a sunset is critical if you want images that resonate. Accurate adjustments can elevate your photo significantly, reflecting the true atmosphere of the scene.