The new Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens is here, and it brings with it the promise of some of the most uncompromising optical performance ever seen from the company. Can it live up to that promise in practice, though? This excellent video review takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Though the words only differ by a single letter, the difference between making and taking an image could not be more immense. One is a passive approach meant to capture what occurs in front of the camera should something interesting cross its view, while the other is an active engagement in the creative process that draws on the technique, imagination, and foresight of the photographer. This great video takes you behind the scenes of a stunning wildlife image to show you the difference and why it matters.
A creative and well-executed edit can take a modest snapshot and turn it into an eye-catching image. Lightroom's new masking features contain some impressively powerful tools that allow you to quickly and accurately select and edit different parts of your image, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to take advantage of them to create a moody, dark-toned edit that helps your subject pop out from that atmosphere.
The Canon EOS R50 is here, and it brings with it a lot of Canon's advanced mirrorless camera features at a very affordable price. This great video review takes a look at what you can expect.
The Canon EOS R8 is here. Here is what you can expect.
Though it fell out of use for a while, the Fresnel lens has regained popularity for portraiture work, where it can provide a sharp and impactful light quality that is still flattering on the subject's facial features. If you have not used a Fresnel before and want to learn how to employ one to create compelling portraits, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.
Samsung's latest update to its flagship phone is here, and the Galaxy S23 Ulta brings with it a range of improvements and new features, including new camera modules led by a 200-megapixel wide angle camera. This great video review takes a look at the cameras on the new phone and everything you can expect from them in usage.
Film is enjoying a resurgence right now, and yet, in an age of ever-burgeoning megapixel counts and clinically sharp lenses, it can seem a bit strange to some to purchase an old film camera whose technical image quality could not dream of competing with modern equipment. And yet, that is exactly what you should do, as one photographer argues in this interesting video essay.
Sigma's Art line of lenses have long been popular for offering superlative image quality at prices that are often significantly more affordable than first-party options. Today, the series welcomes its newest member, the 50mm f/1.4 DG DN Art.
In the past couple of years, Viltrox has established themselves as a manufacturer capable of creating lenses at some of the most competitive prices on the market that often outperform their affordable costs. One of their newest offerings, the AF 75mm f/1.2 XF, offers Fujifilm X series users the enticing combination of an ultra-wide aperture, a portrait focal length, and an affordable price. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
Manual mode can be a bit intimidating to a lot of new photographers, but learning how and when to use it will make you a better shooter and give you far more creative control over your images. This helpful video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of manual mode and how to use it to create technically correct and creatively inspired photos.
While many professionals employ the use of complex setups consisting of multiple lights, even just a single source can create vivid and compelling images when in the right hands. This excellent video tutorial will take you behind the scenes to show you how a photographer shot a striking series of full-body portraits using just one light.
The Canon EOS R6 was one of the most well-balanced cameras of the past few years, offering a range of the advanced features found on the EOS R5 without the more extreme specs that most photographers do not need, making it a practical and well-priced option for a huge range of users. The EOS R6 Mark II follows up on the original with a range of improvements and new features, and this great video review takes a look at how it holds up for wedding and travel photography.
Zeiss lenses are loved for their uncompromising image quality, with sharp rendering, deep and contrasty colors, and beautiful bokeh. The Batis 40mm f/2 CF offers the respected Batis design in tandem with a wide aperture and unique focal length. This excellent video review takes a look at the lens and the sort of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.
The Canon EOS R8, the company's latest full frame mirrorless camera, is likely on the way soon, and while we have not learned much about the camera yet, a set of rumored specs have emerged. Take a look at what you can expect.
As advanced as editing tools have become in recent years, dodging and burning remains as one of the most fundamental and powerful techniques for shaping the light in your images, de-emphasizing blemishes, and drawing attention to your subject in a natural but compelling fashion. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to use dodging and burning for editing portraits in Photoshop.
When it comes to learning lighting, we often focus on how to light the subject in a flattering way, but of course, the backdrop deserves attention too. It is about more than just getting the exposure on the background right, however. With a bit of know-how, you can drastically alter the appearance of the background just by how you place your subject and source relative to it. This great video tutorial will show you how to adjust your lighting to take full control of the appearance of your backdrop.
Both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines now feature M2 chipsets, and as such, they all offer powerful performance in tandem with impressively long battery life. Nonetheless, there are many distinguishing features between them. So, which is right for your needs? This great video comparison pits the M2 MacBook Air against the M2 Pro MacBook Pro to help you decide which to get.
One of the challenges of wedding photography is that you are on a tight timeline, and if conditions are not flattering or conducive to portraiture, you have no choice but to power through them and still create the best images you can. So, what can you do when the big day presents with harsh, hard light? This excellent video tutorial features an experienced wedding photographer showing you how she handles harsh light to still create flattering, memorable images.
Time to get excited. New Canon cameras and lenses are on the way soon.
