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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

Nifty Fifty: A Review of the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Lens

A nifty fifty lens is one of the most versatile and useful lenses many photographers can have, and given their generally affordable prices, they make a fantastic first upgrade from a kit lens for newer photographers or a backup lens for pros with more established kits. This excellent video review takes a look at Nikon's version of the lens, the AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G.

Using Fog and Autumn Leaves to Create Stunning Landscape Photos

Fall is a favorite time of many landscape photographers, as the changing leaves transform the outdoors into vibrant washes of color and texture. Fog can be another great addition to the already compelling scenes, and this fantastic video discusses choosing the correct settings and the importance of patience in getting the best possible photos.

How to Use a Reflector to Light Portraits

When you are lighting portraits, you might sometimes notice unflattering shadows created on your subject's face. It does not take much to fix that, however; often, just adding a reflector can fix those issues, and this great video tutorial will show you how to do that.

4 New Camera Features and Improvements in iOS 14

Along with the latest iPhones being recently introduced, we also have the latest version of iOS, version 14, available for installation on several generations of iPhones. And with it comes several new features and upgrades to the camera app, though you might not be aware of all the new capabilities. This great video discusses four new features and improvements that you might have missed in iOS 14.

Helpful Tips and Tricks for Editing Bird Photos in Lightroom

Bird photography is a genre that requires great technique and a heck of a lot of patience, all backed up by good editing skills to create the best possible image. This fantastic video tutorial offers over 20 tips and tricks for editing bird images in Lightroom.

How to Create Dramatic Black and White Portraits With Better Lighting

Good black and white portraits are timeless and will always be in style, but they demand a different approach than color portraits. This fantastic video tutorial will show you a few multi-light setups for shooting compelling black and white portraits with dramatic contrast.

Learn This Great Three-Light Setup in Just a Few Minutes

It is always best to start out with one light when you are first learning how to use artificial light, but once you have mastered the basics, you can enter an entirely new world of creativity when you start working with multi-light setups. This fantastic video tutorial will show you a dynamic and professional three-light setup for creating compelling portraits.

The Fujifilm GFX 100: Can Medium Format Match the Demands of Wedding Photography?

When you think of medium format cameras, you do not generally think of them as working fast enough to keep up with the demands of wedding photography, but on the other hand, the Fujifilm GFX 100 is not a normal medium format camera. This great video discusses how well it performs for wedding photography.

Versatile Reach: A Review of the Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens

Though they simply cannot offer the same level of image quality of less extreme lenses, superzoom lenses can often give you quite good image quality with the added convenience of a very wide range of focal lengths all in one device. This great video review takes a look at one such lens, the Sigma 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports.

How to Decide When It Is Time to Buy a New Camera

Camera technology is moving at quite a fast pace nowadays, and it can be awfully tempting to pick up the latest and greatest gear. But on the other hand, cameras are hardly cheap, and it is the sort of purchase that should be carefully considered. So, how do you decide when it is time to actually buy a new camera? This great video discusses that question.

You've Probably Never Seen Bokeh Like This

Photographers certainly love their bokeh, and not all bokeh is the same, as different lenses can have vastly different character. This neat video shows the kind of crazy bokeh you can get when you put a less common lens on your camera.

How Good Is Photoshop's New Sky Replacement Tool?

One of the marquee features of Skylum's Luminar 4 has been its AI-powered automatic sky replacement, which seriously cuts down the time spent on what is traditionally a very tedious and time-consuming task. Now, Photoshop has caught up with its own sky replacement tool. How does it compare and how can you use it to create your own composites? This great video tutorial will show you the new tool in action and how to take better control of it for your own work.

How to Calibrate Your Autofocus for Ultra-Sharp Portraits

If you still shoot with DSLRs, you might have encountered issues (particularly when you have shot at wide apertures) with your focus missing by just a little bit. If you have experienced this frustration, you might benefit from an autofocus microadjustment, and this excellent video tutorial will show you exactly how it is done.

Is This the Best Kit Lens Out There?

When you think of kit lenses, you generally do not associate them with the kind of image quality you expect to see in professional-level images. But in the last few years, we have seen some remarkably good kit lenses come to the market, and this great video review takes a look at what might be the best yet.

7 Myths and Misconceptions About Being a Wedding Photographer

Wedding photography is one of the most challenging genres out there for a wide variety of reasons, and there are a lot of myths and misunderstands floating around about what it is like to work as one and how you should run your business. This fantastic video features a seasoned wedding photographer discussing seven prominent myths and misconceptions about wedding photography and setting the record straight.

How Good Is the New DJI Pocket 2 Gimbal?

The original DJI Osmo Pocket was quite popular, offering impressive and versatile performance in an extremely compact and literally pocketable package. Now, the Pocket 2 is here, and it brings with it a bevy of worthwhile improvements while remaining at an affordable price. If you have been looking for a pocketable gimbal that will not break the bank, check out this great first look at the Pocket 2.

A Course on Editing in Lightroom for Beginners

When you are new to photography, it is common to think that you need to head over to Photoshop for any sort of serious editing, but you might be surprised by just how much you can accomplish using Lightroom if you know what you are doing and where to look. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to edit a portrait from start to finish using only Lightroom.

How to Create Flattering Portraits in Harsh Sunlight

When you think of lighting for portraits in a flattering way, you probably do not immediately gravitate toward the harsh contrast of midday sun. However, you might be surprised by just what you can accomplish when shooting in the midday sun, and this great video tutorial will give you three helpful tips for creating better images with it.

Here Are the 21 Most Important New Features in Photoshop

The latest version of Photoshop is here, and it brings with it what is probably the most impressive array of new features and improvements to the program in recent memory. With all the new capabilities, you might be wondering what all is now possible. This excellent video will take you through the 21 most important new features and demonstrates what you can do with them.

What Is the Best 85mm Lens for Canon Mirrorless Photographers?

A good 85mm lens is one of the most valuable optics many photographers have in their gear bags, and as such, high demands are placed on manufacturers to produce sharp and fast devices that get the job done reliably. If you are a Canon mirrorless shooter, this great video review will help you choose the right 85mm lens for your work.