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David Strauss
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Articles written by David Strauss

The Sony Alpha a7S II Mirrorless Digital Camera Now Available for Pre-Order

With all the hype surrounding the release of the Sony a7SII, the wait to order it is finally over. Sony has created this camera body to revolutionize the way cinematographers shoot with DSLRs. Although the cameras probably won't ship for another month or so, this camera is worth being first in line for.

Critique the Community Episode 6a: Un-posed Wedding Photographs

Last week, we asked the community to submit their un-posed wedding images to be critiqued here at Fstoppers. Unlike past episodes, we promised to give feedback to EVERY image that was correctly submitted. Thank you everyone for all for posting your pictures! We had a total of 49 images that we covered in two separate videos. If you don't see your image in today's video, stay tuned for tomorrow's post.

Critique the Community: Submit Your "Un-Posed" Wedding Photographs Now

Through September 13th, you have a chance to submit any un-posed wedding photos to be critiqued by the Fstoppers team in a new episode of "Critique the Community." What do I mean by un-posed? Your submissions need to be candid moments of people that you captured, detail shots, locations, or any other picture where you did not position or pose your subjects. This episode we promise to critique EVERY submission, even if it takes a few videos to do so. However, to qualify you must follow the submission rules below.

Intense Dedication Led to the Creation of This North American Timelapse

When Ronald Soethje sent me the details of his timelapse project that spans the North American continent, I was simultaneously jealous of his experience and completely impressed by the outcome. Ronald spent three years giving up his vacation time to shoot over 108,000 raw images. He slept in tents for weeks at a time and drove over 18,000 miles to capture dozens of locations. The outcome is nothing less than admirable.

Learn How to Create a Quick DIY Reflector to Improve Your Lighting Set Up

When it comes to shooting photography and video, reflectors fall into the "basic need" category. Whether you're dabbling in the craft for fun or shooting professionally, everyone should own and have a basic understanding of how to use a reflector. If you think standard reflectors are too expensive or just want a fun project check out this quick DIY video by J.P. Morgan from the Slanted Lens on making your own reflector out of bead foam.

Critique the Community Episode 4:  Landscapes with Elia Locardi

Last week, we asked the community to submit their landscape photographs to be critiqued by Elia Locardi and Fstoppers. Thank you everyone for all for posting your pictures! Since we only had time to critique a limited number of submissions, we selected a range which covers different skill levels and types of landscape scenes. Check out the images we've selected.

An Easy, Quick, and Consistent Way to Light Your Ring and Detail Shots

When you're shooting a wedding, every minute is valuable. There is often a compromise between the amount of time you spend on a shot and the level of quality you can achieve from that shot. That's partly what makes Fstoppers member Paul Keppel's ring shots so great. They take him almost no time to shoot and they look fantastic.

Critique the Community: Submit your Landscape Photos to be Critiqued by Elia Locardi

Over the next two days, you have a chance to submit your landscape photos to be critiqued by Elia Locardi and Fstoppers in a new episode of "Critique the Community." Our last Critique the Community with Elia Locardi included some great thoughts and advice on improving your images. If you would like another chance to have your picture reviewed by Elia, upload your landscape image of choice to your Fstoppers account, then paste the URL of the image in the comments below.

Victoria - An Entire 140 minute Action Movie Shot in One Take

I'm not usually one to watch indie films or go to film festivals. However, when I watched the trailer for "Victoria" recently, I was blown away by the technical difficulty of what the production crew had accomplished. This Berlin made movie has now been featured in dozens of film festivals and has won some big awards. Why? All 140 minutes of action throughout the film were shot in a single take.

Huge 70% Discount on Comodo Orbit Handheld Stabilization Rig - $900 Off

B&H is offering a pretty hefty discount on the Comodo Orbit Handheld Stabilization Rig at $900 off their normal price. The unit normally has a whopping price tag of $1,299. The Orbit is designed to carry up to 11 pounds, meaning it works will with just about every DSLR/lens combination and most light to medium weight camcorders.

Cinetics Axis360 Review: A Flexible Option for Smooth Timelapse and Video

Ten years ago, time-lapse photography wasn't really a big thing. Fast forward to now, and it's everywhere. GoPros and point and shoot cameras come equipped with easy options and can be stuck on anything from panning egg timers to $6000+ time lapse rigs. In a market full of options, Cinetics Axis360 is forging a new niche that any photographer interested in the genre should take a look at.

Easy and Elegant Ring Shots in Under 3 Minutes

One essential part of almost every wedding day is the rings. Not only are the rings a symbol of a couple's love and commitment to one another, they also usually cost a good deal of money. Capturing an amazing picture of the rings can not only wow your clients, it also adds great value to your portfolio. The best part is, getting a fantastic ring shot can be simple and quick.

Compare Any Camera With One Click - Body Shopping Has Never Been Easier

How many times have you wondered which model or brand of camera is the best one to fit your needs and budget? Every photographer has had to go through the frustrating process of slogging through reviews and websites trying to get a feel for how they should use their money. Now there's an incredibly easy website to compare any camera with the click of a button.

THIS is Why You Need Insurance - Don't Risk Your Livelihood

The likelihood of this experience ever happening to you is pretty small, however, while you may never make the same mistakes I made, this story is a reflection of the stupid decisions that tend to tag along with us as people. The same warnings and lessons that I'm about to share apply to everyone.

Sofles Infinite - Hyper Time Lapse Music Video Through Abandoned Buildings

With a brilliant display and talent and planning, street artist Sofles and Selina Miles from Unity Sound and Visual joined efforts to create an epic dubstep music video. While Sofles spray paints the walls of abandoned buildings, a hyper time lapse precedes him, wrapping around walls as he works through different areas. How did they do it?

Romantic Short Shows Off Getty's 63,103,983 Seconds of Video

Several months ago, Brazilian ad agency AlmapBBDO teamed up with Getty images to produce 'From Love to Bingo in 873 Images.' The ad showed off the extensive photographic library Getty has to offer with a creative story of boy meets girl. Recently, the same creative team came up with a similar concept to advertise Getty's video library.

Group Shots - Sometimes You Should Leave Your Wide Angle in the Bag

When you think group shots, what lens immediately comes to your mind? Often, the initial reaction to a "group picture" is to reach for the widest lens in your bag. It's a safe option that makes sure you'll fit everyone in the frame. It could be said group shots are more about accounting for everyone who was present rather than being a work of art. However, if you care about the quality of images you're creating, maybe your widest option shouldn't be your default.

Do You Have Enough Gear to be a Professional?

The longer I've been a photographer, the more I've come to realize that the quality of the camera you own is far less important than how you shoot. The iPhone fashion shoot, now an iconic post on Fstoppers, showed that quality images can be taken without the biggest or latest camera body. While I'll affirm that shooting professionally shouldn't be determined by what kind of cameras you have, I think professionalism should be somewhat defined by how many cameras (and lenses) you have.

Mark Rober Shows Us Some Creative DIY Rotational Filming

Do you remember 14 years ago when the Matrix came out and blew some of our minds with filming techniques? One of the most ingenious scenes at the time was the wrap around bullet shot where the camera spun around the actors on a large dolly while they were suspended in mid air. Popular Youtuber Mark Rober has come up a really simple and cheap way to replicate the rotational filming effect of that scene.

To see more of his creative videos, check out his channel.

via Awesomer

Hilarious New Animal Species Created in Photoshop

Thanks to redditor Gypp and his amazing sense of humor and creativity in photoshop, the world now has an abundant new array of animals to appreciate. How would you like a Guinea Lion or a Purilla to be roaming in your neighborhood? Which one would you keep as a pet?