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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

Helpful Tips for Landing Videography Jobs

Even when you've got the skills, the equipment, and the creative vision, it can be daunting trying to land a videography gig. This great video will give you some helpful advice to increase your chances of landing that next job.

How to Use the Pen Tool in Photoshop

If you are new to Photoshop, the Pen Tool can be a bit difficult to master. Nevertheless, it is a tremendously useful tool, and it is well worth taking the time to learn how to use it. This helpful tutorial will show you how to get started with it.

Having Fun With an Insane 16-Stop ND Filter

When you think of ND filters, you probably think of 3-stop or 6-stop filters or maybe even a 10-stop if you really want to go extreme. But what about a 16-stop filter? This fun video shows what it's like working with such an insane filter.

How a Professional Landscape Photographer Composes a Photo

One of the more nuanced and difficult aspects of landscape photography is composition. This excellent video features a professional landscape photographer as he talks through how he chose the compositions for two of his images.

The Five Camera Controls a Photographer Should Master

When you are new to photography, the veritable plethora of controls on a modern camera can be a bit overwhelming. This helpful video tutorial will show you which controls and settings you should focus on the most to master your camera and take more ownership of your creative process.

A Review of the Samyang AF 45mm f/1.8 Lens for Sony FE

A few years ago, Samyang was known for producing cheap but quality lenses that used manual focus only and were particularly loved by astrophotographers. Recently, they've started to branch out into creating autofocus lenses. Does their 45mm lens for Sony shooters maintain that optical quality while adding good autofocus performance? This great video review answers that question.

Fstoppers Photographer of the Month (August 2019): Kevin Plovie

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 Review of the Panasonic S1H

The Panasonic S1H is an absolute monster of a camera that's aimed squarely at videographers and filmmakers. And while it looks fantastic on paper, you might be wondering how it holds up in real-world use. This excellent video review answers just that question.

Stop Asking About Camera Settings

Whenever we see a photo we really like and want to recreate ourselves, one of the most tempting things to do is to ask what camera settings the photographer used. Here is why that's actually the wrong question to ask the majority of the time.

When Disaster Strikes and Your Camera Drowns

Some days, you spend the day hiking in beautiful weather, the sun shining on your face and a light breeze dancing through your hair while you capture arresting images of Mother Nature in all her glory. Some days, it rains all day, and your camera falls into a river.

Canon Teases Impressive Firmware Update With Improved AF for EOS R and EOS RP Coming Soon

While Canon's RF lenses have been met with general acclaim, many photographers have been clamoring for a more professionally oriented R mount body from the company. While that camera has not been announced yet, the firmware update recently teased by Canon seems to show a major improvement in autofocus performance on the way for the EOS R and EOS RP.

Common Landscape Photography Composition Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Landscape photography can be very challenging in a lot of ways, particularly when it comes to creating effective and compelling compositions. This excellent video will show you some common compositional mistakes in landscape photography and what you can do to avoid them in the first place.

Is Zeiss' Cheaper 85mm Batis Lens Worth It?

Zeiss is well known for making spectacularly sharp lenses, but with that high optical quality often comes a correspondingly large price tag. However, the Batis 85mm f/1.8 is much cheaper than some of its counterparts, making it an intriguing option for many photographers. This great video review takes a look at the lens to help you decide if it's right for you.

Comparing 85mm to 135mm for Portrait Photography

Most portrait photographers have a preferred focal length that they tend to use for most shoots. Two of the most common focal lengths are 85mm and 135mm, and this great video compares the two to help you choose the right lens for you.

How Good Is Your Eye? Can You Spot the Mistakes in These Films?

Even with their enormous budgets and highly trained crews, Hollywood movies can make filming and editing mistakes that sneak through to the final product. Put on your editor glasses and see if you can spot the mistakes in these films.

Here Come the Canon Mirrorless Lenses

Canon's mirrorless lenses have been esoteric, exquisite, and... expensive. While they're certainly spectacular pieces of glass, some photographers have been waiting for the more standard workhorses to come along. The good news is that they are on their way quite soon.

Learn How to Shoot a Cinematic Headshot

The cinematic headshot is an eye-catching look that can really stand out from the more standard headshot against a normal background. This great video will give you a look at how it is done and the sort of results you can achieve.

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler Tells Fan to Put Their Phone Away and 'F***ing Watch the Show'

The topic of phones at concerts has become quite contentious in the last few years, with some artists even going so far as to ban phones at their shows and eject attendees who violate the rule. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler is the latest to voice his opinion on the matter, telling a fan to put their phone away and "watch the f***ing show."