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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

Contre-Jour Photography: A Detailed Guide

Contre-jour photography offers a dramatic and challenging way to add depth and impact to your images. This style, which involves backlighting your subject, demands an understanding of lighting, exposure, and post-processing. It’s a versatile technique that works across subjects like landscapes, portraits, and nature.

Mastering Curves Across Platforms: Essential Techniques for Creators

Learning how to use curves is crucial if you want full control over tonal values and color adjustments in your images. Whether you’re editing photos in Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or even working on video in Premiere or DaVinci Resolve, understanding curves allows you to fine-tune brightness, contrast, and color with precision.

Shooting Modern Film on a 120-Year-Old Camera

The Kodak Brownie No. 2 is more than a vintage collectible—it’s a piece of photographic history. Released in 1901, this camera not only introduced the world to 120 film but also made photography more accessible.

Lighting Techniques for Full-Length and Three-Quarter Portraits

Lighting full-length or three-quarter body shots can be tricky but is essential for creating polished portraits, whether for business or creative use. These setups need to balance even illumination across the subject while preserving depth and natural shadows. Achieving this doesn’t always require expensive equipment, and understanding how to adapt based on your resources can help you create stunning results.

Can You Stay Creative Later in Life?

Creativity often feels elusive, especially as you grow older and life becomes more structured. This video explores the science and experience of staying creative later in life and questions whether breaking into a new field, like photography, is truly possible at any age.

10 Instagram Mistakes to Avoid in 2025

Navigating Instagram’s ever-evolving platform is no small feat, especially if you’re trying to grow your audience or showcase your work. Knowing what’s holding you back is essential for improving your strategy and reaching more people.

Why 40mm Could Be the Perfect Everyday Lens

The 40mm focal length occupies a unique space, sitting neatly between the popular 35mm and 50mm options. It offers a natural field of view that closely resembles how we see the world, making it an appealing choice for a wide range of situations.

Save Time and Create Consistent Edits With Lightroom Presets

Consistency in your photo edits can elevate your work and save time, especially when working with a large number of images. Lightroom presets are a practical way to develop a style and apply it across multiple photos, streamlining your workflow and maintaining your unique visual identity.

Advanced Lightroom Masking Made Simple

Lightroom Classic offers tools that can elevate your photo editing significantly, but some of the most powerful features remain underused. One of these tools, intersecting masks, allows you to refine your edits with precision. It’s versatile, easy to use, and adaptable to almost any photography genre, from portraits to landscapes.

How One Light Can Create Three Dramatic Photo Styles

Lighting is the backbone of photography. It determines mood, color, and texture in your images. Without the right lighting, even the best model and location won’t translate into the shot you envision. Learning to control and experiment with light is one of the most impactful ways to elevate your work.

Is Turning Your Passion for Photography into a Career the Right Move?

Many of us dream of transforming our hobbies into full-time careers, especially when it comes to something as fulfilling as photography. But making the leap can fundamentally change your relationship with your craft, and it’s worth considering whether the tradeoffs align with your goals.

How Wedding Photographers Jump From $3,000 to $10,000 Per Wedding

Understanding what separates a wedding photographer charging $3,000 from one charging $10,000 (or even more) is crucial if you want to elevate your work and income. This difference isn’t just about skill or experience; it’s about strategy, branding, and perception.

Streamline Your Edits with Adobe Camera Raw's AI Tools

Editing in Adobe Camera Raw has become more powerful with the addition of new AI-driven tools, but these features also introduce complexities that can trip you up. To get the most out of your workflow, you need to understand how these tools interact and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Overcoming Barriers in Landscape Photography: Insights and Tips

Landscape photography presents unique challenges, but mastering them can lead to stunning results. One of the biggest hurdles isn’t technical—it’s psychological. Many struggle with motivation, making it hard to leave the house and commit to a shoot. Whether it’s the early mornings or the uncertainty of success, the mental barriers often outweigh the physical ones.

Mastering Telephoto Lenses for Landscape Photography

A telephoto lens opens up unique opportunities in landscape photography. Its ability to isolate subjects and create compression makes it an invaluable tool, especially for capturing distant elements with dramatic impact.

Five Ways to Grow as a Landscape Photographer

Exploring landscapes goes beyond simply capturing a beautiful scene. To develop your craft, you need to balance creativity, mindfulness, and experimentation. This process isn’t just about technical skills but about shifting how you interact with your environment and your art.

How to Price Your Food Photography Projects Accurately

Understanding how to price your food photography projects is key to running a sustainable business. It’s not just about the time spent shooting; a lot more goes into each job than you might initially think.

A Beginner's Guide to Core Photoshop Concepts

When you first start using Photoshop, understanding the basics of its interface can set the foundation for everything you’ll do. Photoshop's layout consists of two main views: the Home Screen and the Workspace. Each plays a crucial role in organizing your projects and tools efficiently.

Why Photography Is About the Process, Not Just the Picture

Photography happens in fleeting moments, often shaped by the mood and mindset of the person behind the lens. Stress, boredom, or pressure to perform can influence the results, making even the most beautiful locations feel uninspiring.