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Alex Cooke
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Articles written by Alex Cooke

Can AI Make Art?

AI is getting a ton of attention right now. Some of that is excitement, with photographers interested in the ways it can make their workflows more efficient and expand their creative range. Others are worried about the impact it will have on the industry and how it could potentially render some photographers irrelevant. Can AI actually create art, though? This interesting video essay discusses the topic.

Which of These Retro Cameras Is Right for You?

Retro cameras have become highly popular in the last few years, with many championing their tactile mechanical designs that encourage the user to be a more active part of the photographic process rather than someone operating a machine. Two leading options are the highly popular Fujifilm X100V and the new Nikon Zf. Which is right for you? This excellent video comparison takes a look at both cameras to help you choose the option for you.

The Ethics of Landscape Photography

Landscape photography may not involve photographing animals or people, but that does not mean it does not come with its own set of ethics that creatives should consider each time they head out with their cameras. This fantastic video essay features an experienced landscape photographer sharing some of the most common ethical considerations creatives should be aware of and some examples of how violating them can have detrimental effects on the surrounding environment.

Are You Properly Organizing Your Images?

Even after just a few years of photography, your Lightroom catalog will likely have ballooned to several thousand images, and as such, it is crucial to put thought, time, and effort into how your images are organized so that you can work with them as needed. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing his system and offering a wealth of useful advice for keeping your Lightroom catalog neat and tidy.

A Photographer's Review of the New iPhone 15

Apple's new iPhone 15 is here, and the latest model provides some serious upgrades for photographers and filmmakers, making it worth a look for many creatives. What can you expect from these upgrades and new features in real-world usage? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from the phone in practice.

Two Effective Portrait Lighting Setups

Good lighting makes all the difference in a portrait, and knowing the different styles appropriate for different applications will make you a more versatile and capable creative. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced portrait photographer sharing two different lighting setups — a beauty setup and a more dramatic option — and sharing a lot of helpful advice on how to optimize both approaches to produce the best possible results.

10 Tips for Editing Portrait Photos

Lighting, posing, and shooting a portrait is challenging enough, but rarely is the job finished the moment you press the shutter. Almost all portrait images will require some degree of editing to produce a final product. If you would like to improve your portrait shots, check out this fantastic video tutorial that shares 10 great tips on how to improve your editing.

Here Comes Another Canon Lens

Canon has been extremely aggressive in their approach to RF mount lenses, producing a variety of boundary-pushing and capable lenses. However, it seems they plan on introducing a lens that was not on our bingo card for 2024.

How Kodak Could Have Ruled the Photography World

It is hard to believe nowadays, but a few decades ago, Kodak was so dominant in the photography industry that the company's name was synonymous with the image itself — the "Kodak moment." So, why is the company a shell of its former self today? This neat video takes a look at some of the major milestones in the company's history and why, despite being at the forefront of the industry at one point, they are almost totally irrelevant today.

A Review of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD Lens for Nikon Z Mirrorless Cameras

The Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD has been one of the hottest lenses of the last few years, with many creatives clamoring for a tool that can tackle the work of several other lenses in one package, offering unmatched levels of convenience and versatility. How does it hold up in the real world? This excellent video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.

How Are You Doing After COVID?

Thankfully, the worst of COVID seems to be behind us, but its effects are still being felt far and wide in many different ways. If you have had the misfortune to suffer from long-term effects from COVID, it is important to know that you are not alone. This excellent video essay features a landscape photographer discussing his experience with the issue and how he has been coping with it.

A Review of the Sony a7C II Mirrorless Camera

The Sony a7C II mirrorless camera offers a lot of capabilities in a very small body, making it an attractive option for anyone who wants a lot of versatility in a portable package. How does the second generation compare to the first? This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice?

Here's Why Your Photos Aren't Sharp Enough

Of the many things that go into making a good photo, sharpness is one of the most fundamental and impactful. There are many factors, both with the camera and post-processing, that affect sharpness in an image. If you would like to improve your shots, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you many of the most common reasons for photos lacking sharpness and how to fix those issues.

An Advanced Two-Light Setup for Wedding Photography

When it comes to wedding photography, time is almost never a luxury, and as such, the photographer generally has to keep the lighting setups relatively simple to keep things moving. Nonetheless, if you are feeling confident in your abilities and ready to step it up to the next level, a two-light off-camera setup can give you a lot more creative flexibility. This awesome video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer sharing her two-light setup for photographing receptions.

Photography When Life Gets in the Way

Photography can be an unforgiving thing. When you are dependent on the light, the time of day, the weather, and more, life getting in the way even in the slightest can derail your plans. What do you do? This great video follows a photographer as he heads out to shoot with his young son in tow and discusses that tricky balance.

A Look at the New iPhone 15 for Photography

The new iPhone 15 is here, and it brings with it some major camera upgrades that should be quite exciting for photographers and filmmakers alike. How do all these improvements and new features perform in practice? This fantastic video takes a look at how the phone performs for photography work.

The Life of a Creative Photographer

The life of a photographer, professional or hobbyist, has a lot of ups and downs. The creative process is a complicated thing that draws on experience, technique, intuition, and more, and understanding its ebbs and flows can be beneficial not only in maximizing your output but weathering the lulls. This fantastic video interview features a pair of experienced landscape photographers discussing a wide range of meaningful wisdom and advice sure to make you a better creative.

A Review of the New Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 Lens

Tamron has become one of the most respected lens manufacturers in recent years, creating both highly practical and very innovative lenses that both push the boundaries of lens design and that offer affordable alternatives to first-party options. The new 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 is one of those pragmatic options, and 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.

A Review of the Fujifilm GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR Lens

Medium format lenses are rarely cheap or portable, but the Fujifilm GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR is both reasonably priced and rather svelte, at least as these larger optics normally go. Can it still keep up with the demands of a modern medium format camera sensor. This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of image quality you can expect from it.

A Review of the Samyang AF 75mm f/1.8 Lens for Fujifilm X Series Cameras

Samyang has long been known for creating manual focus lenses that offer fantastic image quality and sharpness in tandem with extremely affordable prices. However, in the last few years, the company has moved into producing autofocus options, though their prices have remained highly affordable. This makes the AF 75mm f/1.8 for Fujifilm X Series mirrorless cameras a particularly exciting option, and this excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in usage.