A lot of professional photographers espouse the use of prime lenses, whether for their sharpness, wider apertures, portability, or for some other reason. And while there are certainly advantages to prime lenses, you should not just automatically shun zooms without a second thought; in fact, they might actually be better for your needs, and this great video essay discusses why.
Manual mode is often held up as the standard measure of a professional photographer, with semiautomatic and automatic modes thought of as crutches upon which a truly competent shooter would never lean. But the truth is far from that black and white; in fact, many professionals frequently use semiautomatic modes like aperture priority and auto ISO. So, when is each appropriate, and when should you switch to manual? This great video discusses just that.
One of the most useful tools for taking greater control of your edits is the luminosity mask, and it can also save you a ton of time. If you have not seen them in action before or are not sure how they are used, check out this great video tutorial that will show you why so many photographers love them.
A good macro lens is one of the most versatile out there, offering you a window into the extraordinary world of the small all around us and doubling as a sharp portrait or all-around lens, depending on the focal length. One such lens is the Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 50mm f/2.8 Macro, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
A 24-70mm f/2.8 is a bread and butter lens for a lot of photographers and videographers, covering a lot of the most commonly needed focal lengths and offering a wide maximum aperture to handle low-light situations. They can be rather expensive, however. Sigma's 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art is significantly more affordable than most first-party options, and this excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Professional-quality supertelephoto zoom lenses have exploded onto the market in the last few years, and one of the most versatile and impressive options out there is the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM. This fantastic video review takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it in real-world usage.
When it comes to editing portraits, you probably think of working in Photoshop over Lightroom, but you can often complete a retouch in Lightroom, particularly if you are working on something like a large batch of headshots that only need light retouching. This awesome video tutorial will give you five helpful tips for editing portraits in Lightroom to get the best results.
Becoming a camera brand ambassador is the dream of a lot of photographers, representing a certain echelon of professional status and of course, meaning you get to use a lot of expensive top-end gear without having to pay for the privilege. However, this photographer made it into the ambassador program of a major brand and then decided to leave it, and this enlightening video features him discussing why he made the decision.
Landscape photography can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be a rather frustrating genre, since unlike most others, you do not get control over the light or a large portion of the scene. So, how do you ensure you find success no matter what nature gives you when you head out with your camera? This great video essay discusses what to do.
Canon has really found a new gear with the RF mount when it comes to lenses, releasing some mightily impressive options that push the boundaries of optical design and offer photographers unique creative opportunities. One of those lenses is the RF 28-70mm f/2L USM, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it.
The new Elinchrom ONE is the company's latest monolight, offering a rechargeable battery that makes it portable and versatile whether you are working in the studio or on location. This great video review takes a look at the light and the sort of performance you can expect from it in real-world usage.
We have known the Nikon Z 9 mirrorless camera is on its way fairly soon for a while now, and specs have been slowly trickling out. Another set of specs have leaked, and it looks like the camera will be quite impressive.
There is a lot of hype in the camera industry, whether over the latest and greatest gear, presets, shortcuts to great images, or something else. Some of it is justified (depending on your perspective), but some of it is nothing more than empty hype. So, what is worth listening to? This interesting video essay discusses nine things one photographer believes are overhyped right now.
Once you have mastered the fundamentals of light and how it behaves, you can start exploring more advanced multi-light setups that allow you make more creative and personal images. If you are ready to level up your portrait lighting, check out this awesome video tutorial that will show you an advanced three-light setup using both v-flats and gels.
Good lenses are rarely affordable; a high-quality professional lens almost always costs thousands of dollars. However, the Tamron 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M 1:2 costs just $199 and offers impressive performance and versatility, especially for its price. Is this the next lens for you? Check out this great video review to find out.
The camera world is absolutely awash in supertelephoto zoom lenses right now, and there are plenty of options out there with varying capabilities and price points. This excellent video comparison takes a look at two of the best options, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports and the Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS.
Sigma's latest lens is the 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports, bringing with it a useful focal length range suitable for anything from sports to wildlife at a decently affordable price. This awesome video review takes a look at the lens and the kind of image quality and performance you can expect from it in practice.
For most photographers, Lightroom is the place where they will start their photos and often where they will finish them. If you are new to photography, you might be surprised by just how much you can do with Lightroom without ever touching Photoshop. This helpful video tutorial will give you seven tips to ensure you are getting the most out of the program and creating high-quality edits.
Landscape photography is a challenging genre that takes the confluence of a lot of techniques, creative ideas, and more to bring an image to fruition, but it is quite rewarding when you see the finished photo. This awesome video tutorial will show you how a professional landscape photographer shoots an image, from choosing the right focal length all the way through the edit.
The Sony a7R IVA was a quiet upgrade to the a7R IV, and though most of the changes it brought were relatively minor, it still offers the highly impressive performance of the original a7R IV along with a few extra refinements. This awesome video review takes a look at the camera and the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it.
