Trending Photography News and Reviews

Why Breaking Into Photography Is Harder Than Ever

Photography is harder to break into than ever. The cost of living is up, gear is expensive, and opportunities often go to those with connections. If you’ve struggled to get a foothold in the industry, you’re not alone. Many talented creatives find themselves stuck, not because they lack skill or dedication, but because the system favors those with financial backing.

Mastering Foggy Forest Photography: A Simple Approach

Finding the right conditions for photographing forests can make or break an image. Fog, light, and composition all play a role in transforming a chaotic scene into something visually compelling. If you’ve ever struggled to create strong forest images, focusing on these elements can help.

We Review the Zhiyun Cinepeer Crane 4E

Zhiyun has a wide range of gimbals to choose from, and the new offering is the Cinepeer Crane 4E. In this article, I put the gimbal through its paces and give my opinion as a first-time user.

The Three Marketing Tools Every Photographer Needs to Master

Effectively marketing your photography isn’t just about showcasing great images. It’s about understanding the roles of social media, websites, and portfolios, and using them intentionally. Each plays a distinct role in building your visibility, credibility, and appeal to potential clients, and blending their purposes can dilute their impact.

Creating a Dreamy Orton Glow in Lightroom

The Orton glow effect gives landscape photos a soft, ethereal quality that draws viewers in. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to create it in Lightroom.

The Parallel Visions of Mark Rothko and Hiroshi Sugimoto

Abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko and photographer and contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto, though working in different mediums, exhibit strikingly similar artistic sensibilities. Both artists engage deeply with abstraction and the exploration of perception, creating works that transcend their physical forms and can evoke profound emotional and philosophical responses from viewers. Rothko is known for his large-scale color field paintings, while Sugimoto creates photographs that appear simple in approach but capture a sense of stillness in our surroundings.

The Known, The Unknown, and the Transcendent

A few years ago, a friend of mine, a symphony maestro, was walking with me through my studio/gallery and remarked that I should compose a book, the title of which would be “The Known, the Unknown, and the Transcendent.” Tom was a true intellectual, a visionary who never allowed a conversation to descend into petty differences and discussions about equipment, etc. It was always about the art, beauty, and ideas.

Pro Strategies for Sports Photography

When you're shooting sports, knowing the game is key. It's about anticipating the action and being ready to capture those peak moments. Timing is everything, and the better you know the sport, the more consistently you'll make great pictures.

The Fine Line Between Editing and Doing Too Much

Knowing when to stop editing a photo is one of the biggest challenges in photography. With endless tools at your disposal, it’s easy to push an image too far. Colors become unnatural, skin loses texture, and the final result can feel more artificial than real. Understanding when to stop isn’t just about technical limits—it’s about maintaining authenticity in your images.

Exploring Affordable Vintage Medium Format Cameras

Vintage digital medium format cameras are finally starting to drop below $1,000, opening up a new world of opportunities for enthusiasts who’ve always been intrigued by these massive sensors but put off by the price. But are these older systems actually worth the investment, or are they just expensive paperweights?

We Tested the World's Brightest Full Frame Zoom: The Sigma 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art

Firsts are always an exciting thing. Now, world’s first? That's another category in and of itself. At Fstoppers, we had the pleasure of testing Sigma's brand new 28-45mm f/1.8 DG DN Art lens for Sony E mount. A behemoth of specs in a tiny package. So, of course, we had to take it somewhere epic—and what better place than the lush, dark, and moody ancient forests of central Pennsylvania?

Review of the SmallRig VB99 Pro Mini V-Mount Battery

There is a lot of power required for video recordings, often more than a normal camera battery can deliver for an extended period of time. An external battery can be the answer to that problem. I have reviewed the excellent SmallRig VB99 Pro Mini V-Mount battery.

What It’s Like to Use an iPod Nano as an Everyday Camcorder

Five years ago, I suggested that Apple get into the dedicated camera game again by turning its long-neglected (and now officially dead) iPod touch into a sweet connected camera. It didn't happen, but apparently there are some folks who appreciate iPod cameras just the way they are.

How to Add Fog and Light to Your Landscape Photos

Editing isn’t just about fixing mistakes; it’s an opportunity to add depth and character to your photos. With a few simple tools in Lightroom and Photoshop, you can create dramatic effects that bring your vision to life.

This Photographer Built His Own Lens and The Results Are Gorgeous

Creating your own DIY lens for photography can be both simple and surprisingly effective. With just a few materials—some drainage pipe, magnifying glasses, and a little ingenuity—you can build a lens that opens up new creative possibilities. The idea here isn’t about high-end equipment but rather about experimenting, learning, and having fun with a setup that’s low-cost and custom-made.

We've Used the Zoner Photo Studio X 2024 Update and You Might Want To As Well

When it comes to photo editing software, the selection out there is not huge by any means. However, the programs that are available to us at least stand out from one another in interesting ways. Today we’re going to talk about Zoner Photo Studio X, more specifically the 2024 update.

How to Create an Eclipse Composite in Photoshop

Creating a compelling composite image of an eclipse is an intricate process that combines technical skill with creative vision. Such composites offer a unique storytelling avenue for photographers to showcase the celestial event's phases in a single, cohesive piece.

Essential Lessons for Mastering Studio Portrait Photography

Mastering studio portrait photography requires adapting to controlled environments and understanding how to manipulate lighting and equipment effectively. The transition from outdoor to indoor photography can be challenging, but it offers unique opportunities to refine your skills and produce high-quality images consistently.

Why the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Could Be Your New Favorite Lens

Having a versatile lens that adapts to multiple shooting scenarios can make your work simpler and more enjoyable. Whether you're capturing street scenes, portraits, or lifestyle shots, a lens that balances functionality with image quality is invaluable.

Demystifying Three-Point Lighting: A Practical Guide for Photographers

Understanding and effectively utilizing light is fundamental to creating compelling and impactful portraits. This is where the concept of three-point lighting comes into play, offering a versatile and powerful technique for achieving professional-looking results.

Black vs. White Grids: Do They Really Make a Difference?

Light control is one of the most important aspects of photography. Whether you’re lighting a subject or creating mood through shadows, tools like grids can shape how your final image looks. But not all grids are the same, and subtle differences can affect the results in ways you might not expect.

Is the Fujifilm GFX 100S II the Best Value in Medium Format?

Medium format cameras are often viewed as tools for professionals, but their growing accessibility has broadened their appeal. With the right combination of features and price, they offer stunning image quality for those willing to embrace their unique quirks.

We Review the Insane Viltrox EPIC 75mm T2.0 1.33x Anamorphic Lens

The Viltrox EPIC 75mm T2.0 1.33x Anamorphic Lens is part of a trio of Viltrox Cine lenses that includes a 35mm and 50mm. In terms of build quality, image quality, and performance, does this lens live up to its "Epic" name? Let's find out.
Pick Up Your Cameras: Photography Is Good for Your Health

Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, finding avenues for relaxation, exercise, and enjoyment is crucial for maintaining mental and physical well-being. Photography is a practice that can be more than just a hobby or a profession but also a therapeutic tool. This article discusses how photography can add value, peace, and well-being into your life.

Exploring Large Format Photography With the Intrepid 8x10

Shooting with an 8x10 camera is a bit like entering an exclusive club—one that comes with high costs, steep learning curves, and some serious frustrations. But the rewards? They can be worth every bit of the hassle if you're up for the challenge.

Exploring a Feature Rich Environment for Landscape Photography

Some natural environments are filled with interesting and unique compositions for landscape photographers. It can be like being a kid on a playground. How do you make sense of it all and distill the scenes down to images for your portfolio?

Fate: The Emotional Story Behind a Photographer's Leica Camera

Does the universe have a plan for all of us? For Austrian-born photographer and artist Markus Hofstätter, the stars unexpectedly aligned for him to receive his Leica M2: a camera which seemingly transcended the depths of time and grief to find its way into his hands.

Stop Collecting Lenses and Start Creating Images

The misconception that you need every possible focal length to succeed is costing you thousands in unnecessary gear purchases. Building the perfect lens kit isn't about owning everything - it's about finding the focal lengths that define your unique creative vision.

Shifting From Photographer To Videographer: Where Do You Start?

You’ve been a photographer for many years, and you’re curious about making videos. After all, your camera likely has some amazing video capabilities. But moving to video is daunting; there’s so much more involved than still photography. Here are a few thoughts to help you get started.

Is the TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2 the Best Budget Portrait Lens?

If you’ve been on the lookout for a low-cost portrait lens for your Sony or Nikon camera, the TTArtisan AF 75mm f/2 could be worth your attention. With its f/2 aperture, it offers a combination of smooth background blur and sharp image quality, perfect for portraits.

Zeiss Announces New Otus ML Lens Line for Mirrorless Cameras

Zeiss has introduced the Otus ML series, a new line of manual focus prime lenses designed for professional photographers and high-end visual creators. The Otus ML family brings Zeiss’s signature optical quality to mirrorless mounts, launching with the 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 lenses in 2025.

Mastering Black and White Photography: Essential Techniques

Black and white photography forces you to see light, texture, and form in ways that color photography doesn’t. Stripping away color makes you focus on contrast and composition, helping you create images with depth and mood. If you’ve never spent a day shooting only in black and white, it’s a great way to train your eye.

Affordable Macro Excellence: Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Review

Macro photography opens up a world of detail, from intricate textures to tiny subjects that escape the naked eye. The Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Macro aims to provide stunning image quality for those close-up shots while remaining affordable compared to other options on the market.

How to Fix Bad Sky Selections in Lightroom and Photoshop

Sky selection is often one of the most important steps in editing landscape and outdoor images. Whether you’re adjusting exposure, enhancing colors, or replacing the sky entirely, getting a clean selection makes all the difference. Automated tools help, but they don’t always get it right, so knowing how to refine a mask is essential.

Coming to you from Matt Kloskowski, this practical video breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of different sky selection methods in Adobe’s raw editors. The Select Sky tool is the first stop in most cases, offering quick and accurate...

The Ultimate Photo Editing Workflow

In this article, I share the photo editing workflow I use for all my photos, and if you want to achieve high-quality results, this is for you.

A Better Way to Enhance Contrast and Detail in Lightroom

Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw give you plenty of powerful tools to enhance your images, but some adjustments can do more harm than good if used incorrectly. Over-processing is easy to spot—crushed shadows, unnatural contrast, and an artificial look that takes away from the image instead of improving it. Three sliders in particular tend to cause the most damage when misused.

A Review of the Impressive Canon RF 10-20mm F4 L IS STM Lens

Ultra-wide angle lenses are beloved for their ability to capture expansive scenes. One standout option is the Canon RF 10-20mm F4 L IS STM lens, and this great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it.

How to Edit Dusk Photos for Maximum Impact

Dusk is a short but powerful window of time for photos. Right after sunset, the sky turns deep blue, and city lights start to glow. It’s an ideal moment to capture dramatic scenes, but getting the editing right is key.

Making Film Development Accessible: Kyle McDougall on the AGO Processor

Film has made a bold comeback, grabbing the attention of a new generation of photographers. Imagine being able to develop your film at home. That's possible with the AGO Film Processor.

Kyle McDougall reviews the AGO Film Processor, an at-home film processor that uses standard Patterson tanks. These tanks attach and run horizontally, providing continuous agitation. It does have a unique feature. He highlights a few of the processor’s key features: it uses fewer chemicals. A two-reel tank typically takes 500 milliliters, whereas the processor uses...

2024 Natural Landscape Photography Awards: The Winners

Back for its fourth year, the Natural Landscape Photography Awards has announced the 2024 winners. The competition sets itself apart with an emphasis on its golden rule, “the integrity of the subject should be maintained,” setting the standard for landscape photographers with similar approaches to their photography.

Is the Panasonic S9 the Full Frame GM1 We Always Wanted?

I have spent much (digital) ink on how great a camera the Panasonic GM1 is, even in 2024. Someone at Panasonic must think so too, because the new S9 looks like it’s channeling big GM1 energy, and that’s an awesome thing.