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Alex Cooke
Cleveland, OH

Articles written by Alex Cooke

Photography Rules Are Made to Be Broken

Photography is full of rules regarding every aspect, including composition, lighting, editing, and more. And while those rules can be tremendously useful, adhering to them strictly is likely to handcuff your creativity and limit your growth as a photographer. This interesting video essay discusses the ideas of learning the rules, following them, and then breaking them.

Are Good Sunsets and Sunrises Overrated in Landscape Photography?

No doubt, a sunrise or sunset showering a scene with dramatic golden light is a popular look for a good reason, but it should not be all that we look for in landscape photography, and you could be missing out on great shots if you ignore gray days. This interesting video examines the topic and discusses why there is more to life than obsessing over sunsets.

What Is the Right Focal Length for Portraits?

Focal length is by far one of the most important choices you can make when it comes to portraiture, as it makes a huge difference on how your subject is rendered. This helpful video will show you how five different common focal lengths render the same subject.

A Review of the Venus Optics Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D Lens

Venus Optics is known for producing some rather unique and extreme lens designs, and the Laowa 17mm f/4 GFX Zero-D is no different, offering an extremely wide angle of view for Fujifilm medium format shooters. This great video takes a look at the lens and the kind of performance you can expect from it in the real world.

Some Big Canon Lenses Are Likely Coming Soon

We have recently seen Canon discontinue more and more DSLR lenses as they continue their transition to mirrorless, but thankfully, there are a lot of mirrorless lenses on their way to replace them, and it looks like we will see three more quite soon.

A Review of the Fujifilm GFX 100S Medium Format Mirrorless Camera

The Fujifilm GFX 100 turned a lot of heads upon its release, offering a modern medium format sensor and features normally reserved for full frame cameras, all in a package that cost less than $10,000. Then came the GFX 100S, which kept almost all the features of the GFX 100 and cut its size and price nearly in half. This great video review takes a look at the camera and how it performs in the real world.

A Review of the New Sigma fp L Mirrorless Camera

The Sigma fp L is the latest camera from the company, and it offers a unique design that also makes it the smallest full frame, high-resolution camera available. If you have been interested in the camera, check out this great video review that takes a look at how it performs in the real world.

A Review of the Portable Godox AD100Pro Pocket Flash

When you are working on location, having a lot of flash power is great, but on the other hand, it can mean carrying a lot of heavy and unwieldy equipment. The Godox AD100Pro offers more power than a speedlight, but is lightweight and fits in the palm of your hand, and this great video review takes a look at the way it performs in practice.

Is Light Pollution Destroying Astrophotography?

Light pollution is a widespread problem, not just for astrophotography, but for anyone who simply enjoys looking at the night sky. And unfortunately, it looks like the problem is only getting worse.

5 Common Traps New Wedding Photographers Fall Into

Wedding photography is a challenging genre that requires you to be at the top of your game in every facet. If you are new to it, it can be easy to make mistakes along the way. This excellent video tutorial discusses five common traps new wedding photographers fall into and how to be better by avoiding them.

What You Should Do When You Get a New Camera

Getting a new camera is super exciting, but before you dive into it, there are some things you will want to do to make sure you get the best possible experience. This helpful video tutorial will guide you through how to make sure your new camera is ready to go.

A Review of the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD Lens

While 70-200mm lenses are generally the standard for telephoto zooms, if you do not need a wider aperture, a 70-300mm lens can offer you more reach on the telephoto end and is often far cheaper than a 70-200mm f/2.8 or f/4 lens. Such is the case with the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD, and this excellent video review takes a look at how the lens performs in the real world.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (March 2021): Akis Douzlatzis

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 2021, 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.

What You Need to Know About Traveling With Lithium Ion Batteries

The vast majority of batteries for cameras, computers, and other devices are lithium ion, and the government has very strict regulations on how you can travel with them. If you are headed somewhere soon, check out this helpful video that breaks down what you need to know about traveling with such batteries safely so you can avoid any hassles at the airport.

Comparing 8K Video on the Canon EOS R5 and Sony a1

The Canon EOS R5 and Sony a1 are the talk of the town right now, with their 8K video capabilities turning a lot of heads. If you are wondering which one is right for your own work, check out this great video review that takes a deep look at the video capabilities of both cameras.

7 Common Landscape Photography Myths

Every genre has myths and misunderstandings around it, and landscape photography is no different. Knowing what they are can help you to avoid making common mistakes and to advance more quickly. This helpful video essay discusses seven common landscape photography myths and the truth behind them.

When, Why, and How to Use Focus Stacking for Better Images

When it comes to landscape and macro photography, sometimes, you need more depth of field than you can get in a single exposure. When that is the case, focus stacking can give you more depth of field and sharper images, and it is not a particularly difficult technique either! This helpful video tutorial discusses when and why you should consider using it and two different ways to do it in Photoshop.

A Review of Sony's Premium Ultra-Wide Zoom, the 16-35mm f/2.8 GM

An ultra-wide f/2.8 zoom lens is quite versatile, able to tackle anything from landscapes and astrophotography to events work. For Sony shooters, there is the 16-35mm f/2.8 GM, and this great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.