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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

A Review of the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R Lens

A wide-aperture 35mm lens is one of the most versatile a photographer can own, suitable for a huge range of applications from portraiture to astrophotography or even as a walkaround option that lives on your camera. For Fuji shooters, there is the XF 23mm f/1.4 R lens, and this excellent video review takes a look at how it holds up in practice.

Which Canon Mirrorless Camera Is Right for You?

With the release of the EOS R5 and EOS R6 to complement the EOS R and EOS RP, Canon has created a very well-rounded line of full frame mirrorless cameras at a variety of price points. Which is the right one for you? This excellent video discusses the line from a wedding photographer's perspective.

We Haven't Seen the Last High-End Olympus Cameras Yet

When Japan Industrial Partners acquired the Olympus Imaging Division, it wasn't entirely clear what the future would hold for its storied lines of cameras. For fans of the cameras, there is a bit of good news: we can expect to see a new high-end camera from OM Digital Solutions at some point.

Five Helpful Tips for Beginner Portrait Photographers

Portraiture is a challenging genre, as it requires the confluence of creative ideas, solid technique, and the ability to work with and direct people. If you are new to photographing portraits, this great video will give you five tips to improve your work.

How to Quickly and Effectively Whiten Teeth in Photoshop

Whether it is weddings, portraits, or something else, any genre in which you photograph people will require you to whiten a person's teeth at some point. This quick and to-the-point video tutorial will show you to easily and efficiently do that in just a few seconds using Photoshop.

Should You Use ND Filters or High-Speed Sync for Flash Photography?

A lot of photographers like to use a shallow depth of field for portraiture; however, if you are lighting your subject with flash, you will be limited by the flash sync speed of your camera. There are ways around this, however: high-speed sync and ND filters. Both come with their own pros and cons, and this excellent video discusses which is better for your work.

Budget Full Frame Mirrorless: A Review of the Nikon Z 5 Camera

Many newer mirrorless cameras are on the more expensive side, but we have also seen a few budget models that offer affordable entry points into the world of full frame mirrorless. This excellent video review takes a look at one such option, the Nikon Z 5.

A Comprehensive Review of the Sony a1 Mirrorless Camera

The Sony a1 mirrorless camera is here, and it takes a no-compromise approach to its design that is meant to handle whatever photo or video work you can throw at it. This great video review takes a look at the camera for both photo and video applications and discusses the sort of performance you can expect from it in practice.

A Review of the Canon RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM Lens

70-200mm lenses are highly versatile, and though f/2.8 is the professional standard, not everyone needs that wide aperture or wants to spend the money to carry around that sort of bulk. 70-200mm f/4 lenses offer the same focal length range at a more affordable price and in a more portable form, and this great video review takes a look at Canon's mirrorless version, the RF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM.

A Review of the Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S Lens

The 35mm focal length is great for a huge variety of uses and is one of the most often-used lenses in a lot of photographers' bags. For Nikon mirrorless shooters, there is the NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S, and this great video review takes a look at the performance you can expect from it in practice.

Are You Overlooking Superzoom Lenses for Landscape Photography?

Superzoom lenses can be useful in that they cover a huge range of focal lengths without the extra weight and bulk from carrying a bag with lots of more specialized lenses. For landscape photographers, they can be especially useful, and this great video discusses why you should consider adding on to your arsenal.

How to Master Single Light Portraits

A lot of the time, you will see professionals use two- or three-light setups for portraiture, but you might be surprised by the professional results you can get from just a single light. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to master both the technical and creative aspects of a single-light setup for portraiture.

This Video Shows Just How Far Phone Cameras Have Come

Phone cameras have come quite a long way in the past decade, going from an easy way to take casual snapshots that can be quickly shared with family and friends to powerful devices that can produce high-quality results in a wide variety of scenarios. This neat video shows just how far they have come.

Canon's Supertelephoto Mirrorless Lenses Are Coming

Canon's supertelephoto lenses (informally known as the "big whites") are crucial for wildlife, sports, and photojournalism work and are also widely known as some of the best optics the company produces. As Canon continues to build out the RF mirrorless lens lineup, it looks like a lineup of supertelephoto lenses is coming soon.

Medium Format at Full Frame Prices: What Does It Mean for the Future of Photography?

The Fujifilm GFX 100S takes the company's flagship medium format monster and shrinks both its size and price almost by half with very little sacrifice of features. With this and the company's other GFX cameras, we are now seeing medium format prices well into the realm of full frame. What does that mean for the future of photography?

A Stills Review of the Fujifilm X-E4 Mirrorless Camera

The X-E4 is the newest camera in Fujifilm's X Series of cameras, and it brings with it a range of new features and improvements at a very reasonable price. This great video review takes a look at the camera from a stills perspective and the kind of image quality and performance you can expect from it.

Getting Comfortable Is Dangerous in Photography

It is very easy to fall into a routine in photography — taking the same general pictures, applying the same sort of edits, and taking the same opportunities. But stagnation can be a very dangerous thing both in terms of creative growth and professional success. This excellent video essay discusses why you should stop saying no to opportunities just because they might challenge you.

A Beginner's Guide to Long Exposure Photography

One of the most popular techniques for beginners to try with an advanced camera is long exposures, as it allows you to explore a world of new creative ideas. If you are just learning the technique, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you the basics of how it is done.

Being an Introvert as a Photographer

No doubt, a lot of creatives tend to be quite introverted, and that can make it difficult when you are a photographer and need to be able to work with and direct people. If that is something you struggle with, check out this fantastic video essay that discusses being a photographer as an introvert.