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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

What Should You Look for in a Pro Camera?

You have carefully perfected your technique, you have developed a creative style, and you are ready to truly invest in a professional-level camera. How do you choose the right one for your work? Before you drop a significant amount of money on one, check out this fantastic video that details what you should be looking for in a professional camera.

Helpful Tips for Selling Landscape Photo Prints

One of the most common ways to make money through landscape photography is to sell prints, but with such a crowded market, it can be tricky to stand out. This excellent tutorial discusses some of the best-selling types of prints as well as some helpful tips for maximizing your sales.

What Level of Photographer Are You?

No matter how good you are, there is always room to learn more and improve as a photographer. There are many different levels you go through in your development as a photographer, and knowing where you are can help you prioritize where to focus your attention next. This insightful video discusses the five levels of proficiency as a photographer and what it means to be at each one.

Are These Strange Lenses Worth Buying?

Canon has been releasing some mightily impressive lenses the last few years, but two of the more unique options we have seen are the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM. They are quite affordable, however, offering photographers the chance to use extreme focal lengths without breaking the bank. How do they hold up in practice? This great video review takes a look at both of the lenses and the images they produce.

Fantastic Posing Ideas for Couples Portraits

Posing is something a lot of us struggle with, and it can be twice as hard when there are two people involved. If you have trouble posing couples, this fantastic video tutorial will show you 10 great poses to add to your playbook.

How to Use Essential Studio Equipment

No doubt, it is fun to learn about cameras, lenses, and editing techniques, and learning how to properly use a C-stand or clamp might not be as immediately alluring, but it is just as important when it comes to working in a studio and accomplishing what you need to. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to use a variety of common studio equipment effectively.

How to Properly Set Up Your New Canon EOS R5 or R6

The Canon EOS R5 and R6 are Canon's newest mirrorless cameras, and they are impressively advanced machines capable of tackling a wide variety of scenarios with ease. But to get the most out of those capabilities, you need to set yours up properly, which is a bit of a complicated process. Whether you just got your camera or you have had it for months, this great video tutorial will run you through all the important menu options and how to set them.

Can an $800 f/0.95 Lens Compete With a $8,000 Option?

No doubt, many of us would love the extremely thin depth of field and light-gathering powers of an f/0.95 lens, and the price range of those options covers a huge range. Can an $800 f/0.95 lens keep up with an $8,000 f/0.95 lens? This great video review compares the Mitakon Zhongyi Speedmaster 50mm f/0.95 III to the Nikon NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens to find out.

A Look at the Filmmaking Capabilities of the Sony a1

The Sony a1 is by far one of the most extreme cameras we have ever seen, with some particularly head-turning video features that make it (at least on paper) ready to tackle just about anything you can throw at it. How does its video performance hold up in the real world? This fantastic video review takes a good look.

This Mind-Blowing Drone Video Is the Most Impressive I've Ever Seen

Drones have enabled incredible creative possibilities that simply would not have been possible just a decade ago, and this might be the most impressive example I have seen. Check out this incredible video that shows jaw-dropping flying skills and creative coordination.

Canon Is Planning to Update One of Its Best Lenses

Canon's 200mm f/2L is known as one of the most impressive lenses out there, and so, it was disappointing not to see it on the company's mirrorless roadmap. That may be changing, however, as a patent for a new version has emerged.

PortraitPro 21 Is Here and Better Than Ever

Retouching portraits is a crucial process, but it is also highly time-consuming, particularly if you are working with a large batch of images. PortraitPro 21 is here, and it brings a wide variety of intelligent features that will streamline your workflow and save you a ton of time.

Off-Camera Flash for Beginners

You can do quite a lot with natural light, but if you want to truly take full control of your photos, learning how to work with artificial light is the way to go. If you are wondering how to get started, this excellent video tutorial will guide you through the process of shooting outdoor portraits using a speedlight and affordable shoot-through umbrella.

How to Create High-Key Portraits With a Mix of Natural and Constant Light

The high-key look is quite popular in a variety of applications, as it produces a bright, punchy image that instantly draws the viewer's eye to the subject. You do not always need powerful strobes to achieve it, however. In fact, you can do it with nothing more than natural light from a window and a constant LED source, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how it is done.

The Sony a1: How Good Is This Mirrorless Flagship Camera for Video?

The Sony a1 is undoubtedly one of the most impressive cameras ever released, and it offers photographers and filmmakers extreme performance and the sort of versatility to tackle just about any project you need to. This excellent video review takes a look at the camera's video performance and if it is the right choice for your work.

Battle of the Premium 35mm Mirrorless Lenses: Sony Versus Sigma

A wide-aperture 35mm lens is a versatile tool, useful for a wide range of genres ranging from portraiture to events coverage and more. For Sony shooters, two of the most premium options are the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN Art, and this excellent video review takes a look at how the two perform for portraiture and which edges out the other.

How to Retouch a Portrait in Photoshop

Knowing how to light, pose, and shoot a portrait is only half of what it takes to create a great image. In order to create a polished, professional portrait, you also need strong editing skills. This excellent video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to professionally retouch a portrait in Photoshop and to also add your own personal style to it.

Adobe Photoshop's Amazing New Super Resolution Feature

Adobe's newest version of Photoshop comes with an intriguing feature in the Camera Raw dialog, Super Resolution, which promises to leverage machine learning trained on millions of images to upsize images to quadruple their original resolution. Does it hold up to its promise? This excellent video takes a look at the new tool and how it performs in the real world.

How to Photograph Eye-Catching Seascapes

Seascapes can be a great alternative to standard landscape images and a way to use the motion and energy of the water to offset stationary objects and create more dynamic visuals for your viewers. This excellent video tutorial will show you a landscape photographer's experience from his point of view as he shoots seascapes.

How to Create Ultra-Soft Portraiture Light

Soft light is great for portraiture, offering a flattering rendering of your subject's features. This great video tutorial will show you how to create ultra-soft light for portraits.