In the relentless pursuit of pixel-peeping perfection, it's easy for photographers to get caught up chasing the latest ultra-sharp lenses engineered to neutral precision. While these impressive modern optics have their place, an increasing number of photographers are finding magic in the flaws and imperfections of vintage glass.
Wide-aperture 50mm lenses are some of the most popular out there, with their versatility making them at home in a huge range of genres and applications. For APS-C shooters, the Brightin Star 35mm f/0.95 offers that classic combination at an extremely affordable price, and it surprises with some impressive results. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Mastering tone curves in Lightroom is a rite of passage for many photo editors. This great video tutorial makes the notoriously tricky technique approachable for beginners and experts alike.
Many photographers seek a versatile "do-it-all" zoom lens to use for the variety of shooting scenarios they face, keeping it mounted to their camera at all times. This type of lens tends to offer a useful zoom range as well as a moderately fast aperture around f/2.8 or f/4. For Fujifilm shooters looking for this kind of walkaround optic, this helpful video review examines the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it practice.
It has been 60 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, and the event remains etched in America's national memory. In this fascinating video, CBS News revisits that fateful day in Dallas through the eyes of photographer Bob Jackson, who was assigned to cover JFK's visit for the Dallas Times Herald and who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work related to the event.
Retro camera designs can stir nostalgia, but when investing in high-end gear, photographers need more than appearance. Functionality, versatility, and innovation must also be of a high level. So, does Nikon's Zf mirrorless camera deliver substantive performance to match its throwback aesthetic? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.
One of the most difficult yet critical questions for aspiring photography pros is: how do you set your prices the right way? While many have methods based on costs, time, or arbitrary tiers, this great video tutorial outlines a market-driven approach rooted in financial sustainability.
In the realm of photography, images possess a transcendent power. They freeze moments, tell stories, and most importantly, drive change. For environmental activism, this power is not just artistic; it's transformative and essential.
It is a photo almost everyone knows, but do you know the story of where the iconic Windows XP wallpaper, "Bliss," came from? This fantastic video takes a deep dive into the story behind what is arguably the world's most-seen image.
While many photographers shy away from hard light, thinking it is unflattering, portraits can benefit from judicious application of hard shadows and contrast. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to use hard light to create a dramatic and dynamic portrait.
Tamron has become one of the industry's favorite brands, creating a range of lenses that offer impressive performance and image quality at highly competitive prices. One such lens is the 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD, which offers very practical capabilities that make it a nice option for landscape and architectural photographers. This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
When it comes to artificial lighting, while technical skills are critical, even more important is learning to light scenes in service of the narrative rather than conspicuous lighting for its own sake. This great video demonstrates that concept and offers five useful steps to put you on the path to success.
Released between 1987 and 2007, the GX680 is most well known for its sheer size and weight. It lives up to its "beast" reputation, with many photographers feeling it was far too large to use outside of a controlled studio environment. However, as demonstrated in this video, the GX680 can in fact be used in the field for select applications like landscape photography.
In an increasingly polarized world, one of photography’s most profound strengths is its ability to cultivate empathy and compassion across cultures. At its best, photography can transport us into unfamiliar environments, activities, and viewpoints. It reveals the humanity in people whose lives and backgrounds differ vastly from our own. Photography has a transcendent way of building understanding and sympathy by showing us new perspectives.
While simply photographing whatever you would like whenever the inspiration strikes is a perfectly fine way to enjoy the craft, one of the best ways to improve is to undertake a structured project that progressively grows in difficulty. This six-week challenge is one such project, and it is the perfect way to close out the year.
Learning how to apply batch edits to your images is one of the best ways to increase the efficiency of your workflow. This great video tutorial will show you one such Lightroom tool for doing that.
Good audio is essential for producing quality videos, yet it's something that's often overlooked by beginner and hobbyist content creators. One of the easiest and most effective ways to instantly upgrade your videos is by investing in a dedicated microphone rather than solely relying on your camera's built-in mic.
If you shoot in raw, you will need to sharpen your images in post-processing, but with literally dozens of approaches to doing this, it can be tricky to know the best way to go about such a crucial step. If you would like to improve your landscape images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing his approach.
Voigtlander is known for creating manual focus lenses that offer excellent image quality and robust build quality. The MACRO APO-LANTHAR 110mm f/2.5 offers a focal length useful for portraiture in tandem with 1:1 macro capabilities, making it an especially versatile option. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.
The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM and Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS are two of the most extreme new lenses on the market right now, meant to help professional sports, wildlife, and bird photographers capture stunning images no matter how demanding the conditions. How do these two top-shelf options compare? This excellent video comparison puts them both to the test.
