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Articles written by Jason Vinson

Fstoppers Reviews the Fujifilm X-T2 Mirrorless Camera
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In the world of mirrorless cameras, Fujifilm is among the elite. Their cameras have that vintage look and feel along with the performance that shooters require in a professional realm. So, when they announced the new Fujifilm X-T2, a lot of people took notice. It has the latest in sensor and processing tech and boasts a new autofocus system that claims to keep up with high-end DSLR cameras. But just how well does it perform in the real world?

Fstoppers Reviews the Phottix Mitros+ TTL Hotshoe Flash
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When getting into flash photography, it’s easy to look at camera manufacturers' flagship flashes and assume they are the best you can get. When I first started out, I made this exact assumption. But I always wondered how some of the cheaper hotshoe flashes would hold up against these higher priced competitors. So I ordered a few Phottix Mitros+ flashes and put them to work.

The New On1 Photo Raw Software Looks Amazing
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Image processing has always had very specific tools for very specific jobs. You have your raw processor for the basic editing of images, but for things such as layers and cloning, you had to jump to Photoshop. Then we have software such as Nik, On1, and Alien Skin that can be used for creative effects, film simulations, etc. But the new On1 raw processor is looking to combine all these elements into a single platform with no need to jump from program to program.

How The Logitech MX Anywhere 2 Mouse Can Speed Up Your Workflow
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As photographers in a digital era, we all spend a lot more time in front of a computer than we would like to admit to. When a single one-hour photoshoot can lead to multiple hours in front of a computer, we start looking for ways to minimize that time. There are tons of options out there that can help you out too, from Bluetooth controllers to pens and tablets, but what you really need may just be a simple mouse upgrade.

10 Powerful Features of Photoshop Photographers Need to Know
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Photoshop is an amazing tool that most photographers find themselves using on a daily basis. It has countless features, and with the new Photoshop CC, more are added with each update. As a beginner to the program, it can get a little overwhelming on where to start learning all of the complex elements. In this, video you will see 10 of the features you need to know.

Fstoppers Reviews the Open Air Photobooth From Photobooth Supply Co.
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One of the biggest hits at a wedding reception (or any event) is the photobooth. It’s an area where guests can gather around and make ridiculous faces, dress in silly props, and have an overall great time. When running a photography business that shoots events, we are always asked if we offer photobooth services, so I think it's a natural evolution to want to incorporate one into your packages. When I first found the booth from Photobooth Supply Co, it instantly stood out from all the other options.

Fstoppers Reviews the MagBeam Light Modifier from Magmod
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MagMod has quickly become the go to flash modifier for a ton of photographers. Being able to quickly and easily attach grids, gels, and diffusers to your flash via small magnets makes shaping your light super simple. So when MagMod announced the new MagBeam, a lot of people got really excited. So excited that they demolished their $25,000 goal by raising just over $300,000 via their Kickstarter campaign. But does this new modifier live up to the hype?

Fstoppers Reviews the RL Handcrafts Clydesdale Pro-DLX Dual Camera Strap
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A good camera strap is something that a lot of people don't find important until they actually try a good camera strap. I have found that getting the camera off of my neck and onto my shoulders to make a world of difference while shooting and especially the day after shooting. This becomes even more important when you are dealing with the added weight of carrying dual cameras. Enter the Clydesdale Pro-DLX from RL Handcrafts.

Free Today Only: Fearless Photographers Big Critique Day
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If you are in the wedding industry, then I'm sure you have heard of Fearless Photographers. But in case you haven't heard, Fearless Photographers is a wedding directory that specializes in photographers that are not afraid to push their limits. Like most directories, they have awards for the best submitted photos as well as top photographers of the year, but they also do so much more. The founder Huy Nguyen puts a very large emphasis on helping other photographers get better as well as raising money for charities and organizations that help those in need.

How to Shoot a Dramatic One-Light Portrait
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One of the best things a portrait photographer can do is learn how to master a single off-camera light. Most photo shoots don’t allow enough time to set up multiple lights, and when shooting on location, carrying more than one light can be too cumbersome to manage. In this video, we see a very useful way to use one off-camera flash with some simple modifiers to create a dramatic portrait.

Using a Scrim Net to Control Background Brightness
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One of the best ways to achieve a nice soft light on your subjects is to use a scrim. These scrims can range from large reflectors to giant sheets, but they all perform the same task, and that’s diffusing hard light. The problem with scrims is that while diffusing the light, they also lower the power of that light. This loss in power is dependent on the specific scrim you are using and can range from a quarter stop of light all the way to one and a quarter stop of light. The problem with this is that as you lower the light on your subject, while still getting a proper exposure on them, you are in turn raising the exposure of your background. In this video you can see how Joel Grimes uses a scrim net to help control this added brightness to his background.

How to Create Shafts of Light for Photo and Video
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We have all seen the amazing and dramatic images that have shafts of light streaming through a window. The look seems really easy to reproduce. You buy a fog machine, fill a room with smoke and create amazing images. But like most thing in life, it’s not that simple. In this video we see some key points in how to really make this look work.

Instagram Insights Are Going Live: Here Is What You Can Expect
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A while back, Instagram announced they were going to release a new feature called "Insights.” This new addition is designed to give users a look at how their followers interact with their content. It seems that this is slowly rolling, but as of today, I have access to this new feature, so I thought it would be helpful for everyone to see exactly what they can expect to learn.

Fstoppers Reviews the Novoflex Tripod System
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Tripods are an essential piece of equipment for most photographers. They steady your camera in order to capture the sharpest details, allow you to take exposures with long shutter speeds, make it easier to take multiple images of the same scene for composites, and help create those perfect panoramas. Like most photography equipment though, there are low end tripods and high end tripods. The offerings from Novoflex is on the high end of this spectrum with some really cool features.

Fstoppers Reviews the Barber Shop 'Bob Cut' Messenger Camera Bag
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I have to admit, I have become quite the collector of camera bags. So after entering the world of mirrorless cameras, I thought, what better excuse do I need to get a new, smaller, lighter camera bag? Enter the Bob Cut medium messenger from Barber Shop bags.

Don't Get Stuck on the Rule of Thirds - Lightroom Has a Lot More to Offer
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When starting out in photography, one of the first things we hear about is the rule of thirds. We then venture out into the world, lining up our subjects onto imaginary intersecting lines. When we get home, we open our images into Lightroom and find that the crop tool is already set up to help us maintain this rule. But as we advance in our photography careers, we start to find that there are a lot more ways to compose an image. Luckily for us, there is a somewhat hidden option to change the overlay of the crop tool within Lightroom.

This Amazing Presentation Could Take Your Photography Composition Skills to the Next Level
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I stumbled across this video that was posted by B&H back in 2012 and was quickly amazed by the amount of information I was able to gather in terms of composition techniques. When starting out in photography, most people learn the rule of thirds, take off running, and never look back. Give this video a watch, and you will open an entire new world of tools for your image creation.

How to Fix an Aged Photo in Photoshop
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I’m sure most people have been in this situation: You are going through some old images of you when you were a child and come along an image that you absolutely adore. Maybe you want to share it across social media, or display it on your desk at work. The problem though is that after years of sitting in a box in the attic has taken its toll on the image. You are now left with a scratched up mess of a print. Watch as Aaron Nace from Phlearn walks through the key steps to repairing your tattered image to something you are proud to show off.

Fstoppers Reviews the Wotancraft Commander Backpack
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The Wotancraft bag company is an up and coming brand that has been making a name for themselves. They are most known for their handmade quality and World War II styling, which features a mixture of waxed canvas and leather. The Commander backpack is no different; with enough room to store a full professional kit, this backpack has the looks and features to make any photographer happy. But how does it hold up to real-world use?

How to Create Groups of Friends in Snapchat
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Snapchat has quickly become one of the more popular social networking platforms. Users are no longer following just their close friends, but also movie stars, musicians, comedians, and even popular photographers. But with more and more people to follow, we now have a longer list of friends to sort through. At this current time though, Snapchat doesn't have any sort of way to group friends to allow for easy sending. Luckily there is a trick you can use to make sending snaps to a group of people much easier.