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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

What a Landscape Photographer Has Learned After Two Decades in the Craft

Landscape photography can be a lonely genre, and it can be easy to fall into seeking external validation and creating the same images over and over. However, living fully in the present, trying new things, and taking risks leads to photographic growth. That's one of the most important lessons an experienced landscape photographer has learned over 20 years.

Do You Really Need a 4K Monitor?

Should you get a high-resolution 4K monitor or will a lower-resolution display be sufficient? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, as it depends on several factors like your vision, editing needs, and display size. However, this helpful video will help you decide.

A First Look at the New and Affordable Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens

The Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens replaces a hidden gem in the older EF-S lineup, giving APS-C shooters a very affordable wide angle zoom lens suitable for a variety of applications. This excellent first look video takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality one can expect from it.

Airplane Makes Forced Landing After Film Shoot Melts Windows

An Airbus A321 suffered significant damage to its cabin windows due to excess heat from film lights used the previous day, according to a report from the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). The damage was discovered shortly after takeoff on a flight from London Stansted Airport to Florida, forcing the aircraft to return to Stansted.

Is Micro Four Thirds Useful for Landscape Photography?

When it comes to landscape photography, there are generally three sensor sizes: APS-C, full frame, and medium format, but even smaller than APS-C is micro four thirds. In a genre that often requires significant physical exertion, such portable cameras can be quite attractive, but can those especially small sensors keep up with the demands of professionals and enthusiasts? This great video takes a look.

A Review of the Leica Q3 Camera

The Leica Q3 smashes a ton of modern features into a tiny body and pairs it all with an impressive sensor, making it an attractive option for anyone who wants a portable device that does not sacrifice quality. This excellent video review takes a look at the Q3 and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

3 Steps for Better Seascape Photos

The sea is constantly changing, and that means you always have opportunities to create unique images just about whenever you are ready to pull out your camera. If you would like you create better seascape photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing three steps that will help you improve your shots.

A Review of the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.0 Aspherical Lens

50mm lenses with wide apertures tend to be quite popular, as their neutral focal length and versatile light-gathering power make them useful for a wide variety of applications ranging from portraits to events coverage and much more. The Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.0 Aspherical lens offers a particularly wide maximum aperture, making it an intriguing option, and this great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

Luck and Opportunity in Photography

A good photographer prepares and prepares some more, but things are rarely totally in our control. And so, there is often an element of luck involved in the craft. Why is it the best photographers seem to be some of the luckiest? This great video follows a photographer working through some images and discussing why luck often isn't really luck at all.

Important Truths About Being a Professional Photographer

Being a photographer can be a challenging but rewarding career, but it is not without risks one should be aware of before they choose to enter it. This fantastic video essay features an experienced commercial photographer discussing some important truths about being a professional that every creative should be aware of.

Sony Just Revolutionized Professional Photography

Sony's new a9 III camera is set to revolutionize professional photography. With the world's first full frame global shutter sensor, this remarkable technology eliminates historic limitations to unlock astounding new creative possibilities.

How to Get Started in Large Format Photography

Large format photography is unlike nothing else you have seen before, allowing you to create humongous negatives full of incredible levels of detail and creative renderings not possible with 35mm or even medium format. However, large format photography requires an entirely different approach and set of techniques, which can make it a bit intimidating. Don't fear, though, as this fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to get started.

A Review of the Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/0.9 Lens

Generally, any aperture wider than f/1.4 is considered particularly wide, which makes the Voigtlander Nokton 35mm f/0.9 for Fujifilm X Series cameras a particularly noteworthy offering. With a maximum aperture over a stop wider than f/1.4, bokeh fanatics and anyone who needs a lot of light-gathering power should be interested. 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.

Evolving as a Landscape Photographer

One of the best parts of landscape photography is that you can return to a location over and over as you grow as a photographer and see how your technique has progressed and your creative tastes have grown. This great video features an experienced photographer discussing evolution as a creative and sharing some of his experiences along the way.

Should You Use Manual Mode or Aperture Priority?

Manual and aperture priority are two of the most common modes photographers use, but when you are new to the craft, it might be difficult to know when to use which. This excellent video tutorial discusses manual and aperture priority modes, including how they work and when each is appropriate.

The Power of Tone Curves in Lightroom

Tone curves can be a rather intimidating tool for many photographers, and as such, many users avoid using them, opting instead for the editing sliders in Lightroom. However, curves are a tremendously powerful, precise, and versatile tool for performing a ton of editing tasks, and it is well worth learning them. This helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to take full advantage of curves in Lightroom.

The New M3 MacBook Pro: One Photographer's View After 3 Days

The 2023 MacBook Pro is the latest evolution of Apple's iconic pro laptop lineup. The 2023 redesign brings some major changes, including the new M3 family of Apple silicon chips, a refined design now available in Space Black, and an upgraded display, camera, and connectivity. In this review, we take a deep dive into the latest model and its powerful features.

How to Deal With Harsh Sunlight in Portrait Photography

The beauty of working with flash is that you can walk into any lighting situation and shape it to your creative vision and needs, and that frees you from relying on the sun to cooperate and to dictate your shoot's timing and location. Perhaps no scenario is more challenging than harsh midday light. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to use off-camera flash to work with that harsh light to create compelling portraits.