Articles written by Patrick Hall

One of the joys of running a site like Fstoppers as a full time photographer is learning all the little tricks that helps make a high traffic site run smoothly. We recently ran a poll to see how often our readers were visiting our site, and we were shocked to learn how many of you are staying updated through our RSS feed. We were also shocked by the amount of emails we received from readers who were having problems with their feed. Long story short, we updated the RSS feed a few times and 90% of our readers are subscribed to our initial feed which is bogging down our server, a few are subscribed to a feed that is not sending out every post, and if you recently found Fstoppers you are probably subscribed to the current feed we just launched 10 days ago. So in an effort to standardize everything and help relieve stress on our server we'd appreciate it if you could follow the Updated Fstoppers RSS Feed located on the top of the site. If you have to type in the link into your reader it is http://feeds.feedburner.com/fstoppersfeed

In an age where digital has all but put film in the grave, commercial and wedding photographer Harrison Hurwitz has continued to build his business around the organic medium. As a young photographer knowing only digital imaging, I always find it interesting and enlightening to hear from the older pros who may have started with film or actually prefer still shooting film. The argument Harrison makes about film already being color corrected resonates well with me since I'm a jpeg shooter and prefer the color/tones my camera burns into the files vs digitally manipulating it. I can only imagine how much more expensive it is to shoot film and pay for the processing/scanning compared to the digital alternative; that aspect I do not miss. Are any of our readers also film shooters who have a perspective on this and if so we'd love to hear from you below.

Camera and Video equipment is expensive! Whether you are just getting into digital media or are a seasoned professional, we are all looking for bargains and ways to justify dropping even more coin on photography gear. Everyday our email is full of readers asking about what gear we use/recommend and if there are any deals out there to be had. So we have created an Fstoppers Gear Guide that includes every piece of equipment we use for both photos and video separated into categories. You can also check out the latest Canon rebates (most end Jan 8) and Nikon rebates (expires Nov 20) through BHvideo.com which we find to have the best prices online. So check out the Fstoppers Gear Guide and if you want to get some new toys for Christmas, don't miss out on these Holiday rebates through Nikon and Canon.

Some musicians release a new album with a mediocre cd booklet or no booklet at all. But when country star Taylor Swift releases an album she sets out to create photographs that depict her songs in cinematic fashion. Taylor and Nashville musician photographer Joseph Anthony Baker work together to create very stylized sets which are often as tongue-in-cheek as some of the lyrical content in her songs. Shooting these sort of fantasy images requires a lot of art direction and a mastery of set design and elaborate lighting but the results are truly amazing! Click the full post for part 2 of the series (part 3 requires a comcast login) and head over to Taylor's website to see the final images.

Congratulations to Justin Trapp for winning the Sports Themed October Fstoppers Forum Contest! Each month we host a photo contest over at FstoppersForum.com where the winner gets their photography on the top banner of Fstoppers.com as well as a nice piece of lighting equipment from the good folks at Photoflex. This month Photoflex is giving away an OctoDome: Extra Small Basic Kit. If you win you will also get to pick the theme for the next month's contest as well as choose the winner. This month Justin will be our guest judge. So if you think you have what it takes to compete, head over to the Contest and post your best EMOTION themed photo.

Like many of you, the most telephoto I typically shoot is 200mm. If you are David Bergman then you probably shoot at 600mm. But what if that still isn't enough? Well you need to buy the Canon 1200mm lens duh! And if this lens does not get you close enough to the action then you probably need to read the full post to view your last option. <

Beauty Confessional is a fashion based blog out of the UK but that doesn't mean that their tough motion photos shouldn't be appreciated world wide! I love what photographer Piers Vernon Kell has done with these images and the editing reminds me of something you'd see in a Hitchcock or Woody Allen opener. If you are looking to add a twist to your own photography or simply advertise your own creativity in a new fashion take notes from this video! <

If you have ever been in front of the camera you know how difficult it can be to remember your thoughts and speak them as naturally as you do in normal conversation. But what you may not know is most news personalities you see on television are actually cheating! Check out this behind the scenes video on how newscasters use autocues to present the news both clearly and accurately. I may have to invest in one of these for my own camera appearances! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUMjD5_5eHE<

The newest promo video for the incredible GoPro HD camera has me wanting to get out of the house and do something exciting! We are big supports of what Gopro is doing and can't speak highly enough of these little cameras. If you enjoy adding a unique perspective to your own videos or want a small time lapse camera, you can't go wrong with these...well unless you destroy them :) <