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Alex Cooke
Cleveland, OH

Articles written by Alex Cooke

A Review of the Panasonic S1's After 10 Months

The Panasonic S1 is a nicely balanced stills and video camera that brings with it quite a few top-shelf features all packaged in a rugged, versatile, and well-designed body. This great video takes a look at how the camera has held up after using it for almost a year.

Learn All About Adjustment Layers in Photoshop

If you are new to Photoshop, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the functionality and wondering what you should focus on learning first. Adjustment layers are one of the most fundamental and flexible tools you will find in the program, and they are tremendously useful for almost any photographer. This helpful video will help you become proficient with them.

DSLR Versus Mirrorless: Which Is Right for You in 2020?

There is certainly no doubt that the photography industry is headed toward mirrorless as the dominant technology, but that does not mean that DSLRs are totally obsolete and gone for good already. In fact, a DSLR is still a better choice for a lot of photographers, and this helpful video takes a look at which is right for you in 2020.

How to Create Great Glassware Photography With Just Two Speedlights

Even if it is not your professional specialty, product photography is a great genre for any photographer to practice simply because of the lighting challenges you will encounter and the problem-solving skills you will develop. This excellent tutorial will show you how to create a great glassware shot using just two speedlights and a bit of Photoshop.

What Makes a Good Photographer?

We all want to be better photographers, but it is not always clear how to go about that or what it is that makes for a good photographer. This interesting video essay examines the difference between good and bad photographers and just what it is we should be looking for in our own work.

Why You Should Consider Shooting Both Film and Digital

There is no doubt that digital is by far the choice of the majority of professionals nowadays, but there is still a contingent of photographers who are avidly devoted to shooting film, either exclusively or in tandem with digital. This interesting video takes a look at using both simultaneously and why that can benefit you as a photographer.

The Super Clamp: One of the Most Useful Tools in a Photographer's Toolkit

It is certainly not the sexiest topic to talk about, but for any photographer or videographer working with any sort of lighting or studio equipment, the super clamp is a highly useful tool that will come in handy over and over again. This great video will introduce you to super clamps and show you some of the many things they are useful for.

10 of the Most Interesting and Entertaining Live Cameras You Can Watch Right Now

Advances in cameras and more readily available internet bandwidth have made it possible for almost anyone to set up live streams of events just about anywhere nowadays, bringing us new and interesting windows on the world. Here are 10 of the most interesting live cameras you can watch right now.

A Comprehensive Guide to Sky Replacement Using Luminar 4

One of Luminar 4's most intriguing features is its AI sky replacement that can convincingly swap the sky in a photo (a task that can be quite tedious otherwise) in just a few clicks. While it is mostly automated, there are still a few tweaks and tips that can help you get the most out of the software. This great video will show you everything you need to know about using the feature.

The Benefits and Creative Opportunities of Hard Light

A lot of the work photographers do in modifying and controlling light for portraiture comes down to softening the light to render facial features in a more flattering way. But that does not mean that hard light does not have its place, and this quick and great video discusses three good reasons to try it out along with showing lots of examples.

Nikon D780 Rumored Specs and Announcement Date Emerge

There is no doubt that camera companies are increasingly moving into the mirrorless realm, but that does not mean DSLRs are totally done for. Fans of Nikon's DSLRs will be happy to hear that the wildly popular D750 is due to get an update fairly soon.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (December 2019): Suvi Sievilä

The Fstoppers community is brimming with creative vision and talent. Every day, we comb through your work, looking for images to feature as the Photo of the Day or simply to admire your creativity and technical prowess. In 2019, we're featuring a new photographer every month, whose portfolio represents both stellar photographic achievement and a high level of involvement within the Fstoppers community.

A Look at the Fascinating Process of Making Photo Books

Even as we are firmly planted in the digital realm, there is really nothing that can replace the tactile sensation of flipping through a photo book. However, they are not as straightforward to create as you might think, taking an impressive dose of precision and attention to detail to create the final product. This excellent video takes a behind the scenes look at the process.

What Photo-Processing Software Is Right for You?

These days, there are numerous options for cataloging and editing your photos, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. This excellent video will give you an overview of the different programs to help you decide which is right for your style and workflow.

How to Turn a White Wall Into a Black Background

When you are new to lighting, you might think you need a black background to take photos with, well, a black background, but you might be surprised to know that with some careful technique, you can make even a white wall into a black background. This great video video will give you a very practical lesson in lighting to show you how it affects the look of your background.

Two Quick and Useful Tips for Using the Radial Filter in Lightroom

Lightroom is full of both global and local adjustment tools for your images, and you might be surprised by just how far you can push an edit without having to jump into Photoshop. This quick and helpful video will show you two great tricks for getting more out of the Radial Filter tool in Lightroom.