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Staff Writer

Illya Ovchar

Munich, DE
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Articles from Illya Ovchar

Shooting a Full Fashion Editorial With Just One Light Modifier

A while back I was very focused on having complex lighting for my editorial work. I would often create precise setups with many light sources. Yet, as time went on, my setups became simpler. So much so that my recent editorial for Numéro was done with only one light. Here is how.

The Secret Weapon Behind My Best Editorial Work

If you could only have two lights for the rest of your career, what would they be? Having used everything from the sun to niche '80s modifiers that predate dinosaurs, I can swear by two light modifiers: the Briese Focus.2 77 and 180.

Why I Stopped Fearing AI and Started Using It

Photographers are worried about AI coming to take their jobs. Fair enough, with all the new tools out there you might very well think that. Yet, it is simply impossible, and Aftershoot has finally proven that. Aftershoot AI works for you, not against you. 

Is the Canon G7 X Mark III Making Film Cameras Obsolete (Again)?

There has been a lot of hype around the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. With phone cameras getting better than ever, it’s a fair question to ask who would even want a pocket-sized camera that takes up extra space. The answer, it seems, is a lot of people. The G7 X Mark III has become one of the hottest compact cameras again, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

The Case That Carries an Entire Studio: A Year With the Production Manager 50

Possibly the ultimate equipment bag, it does not compromise on security, size, or much of anything. Take your entire studio with you if you wish. Have a flight to a remote location and can’t rent equipment? The Think Tank Production Manager 50 has you covered. It is the bag to end all bags.

Can Capture One’s New Retouching Tools Replace Photoshop?

Capture One recently came out with a pretty significant update, making retouching as well as organizing your digital assets a lot easier. With the new update, you can make pretty impressive adjustments to people’s faces without ever having to open Photoshop. But just how impressive are they? I tested it on my own images.

Caught in the Fast Lane: Terramaster D1 SSD Plus

The need for fast external storage is not going down anytime soon; it is only growing higher, especially when your shoot includes both photos and video content. Memory cards fill up faster than ever, making it inevitable to have SSDs to store the footage securely. The TerraMaster D1 SSD Plus does just that, but maybe even more.

Dell UltraSharp U3224KB Review: A 6K Powerhouse for Creators

Most photographers and videographers spend as much (if not more) time editing as they do shooting. This is simply how the digital workflow is. It is nearly impossible to work from a laptop, so many of us end up buying monitors. Having a monitor that can do it all is hard to find, but the Dell UltraSharp U3224KB comes close. It’s a jack of all trades, but is it a master of any?

Portfoliobox: A Website Builder Designed for Photographers and Creatives

At a certain point in your career, you inevitably decide that it’s time to show your portfolio online. An Instagram grid simply does not cut it. What you need is a professional website builder that can showcase your work in the best way possible. A website is one of the things that clients expect you to have when they look for a photographer. Bonus points go to those whose websites load quickly, have clean navigation, and a dedicated domain.

TerraMaster F4 SSD NAS: Compact, Affordable Storage for Creatives

For most of us, storage is an unavoidable part of the workflow. Many creatives don’t see having a NAS as a luxury, but rather as a necessity. Small studios and teams rely on having a server to be able to access shared files fast and on the go. Having an SSD-powered NAS can be the heart of a small production, but can it handle what is needed from a modern team? I tested it out.

Why This Black Friday Is the Perfect Time to Upgrade Your Light

Light is one of the most crucial elements of photography. Without it, there can’t be a picture. I never skimp on lighting equipment and have used Profoto equipment since the dawn of my career. This Black Friday, it’s cheaper than ever — here’s why you shouldn’t miss out.

The Hidden Value Sitting on Your Shelf

If you’ve been a photographer for any amount of time, you know very well how quickly gear can depreciate. You, much like every other photographer, likely have gear that has been collecting dust for far too long. Recently, I went through my stockpiles and realized that this has never been more true for me—so I decided to sell it. Here is how I made money with gear that I’m not using.

How Imagen Is Transforming Editing Workflows: A Conversation With Miles Witt Boyer

In the world of photography, few things inspire as much love and hate as post-production. Some photographers trust this as the place where the vision comes alive. Others (myself, for example) dread it and put it away for months at a time. AI has promised to make editing faster but was met with criticism from artists who are afraid to lose creative control. I spoke with Miles Witt Boyer, a pioneer in the world of AI editing, about this and much more.

A $269 Tripod That Can Do This?

Tripods get super expensive very quickly, and if you are a full-time pro, you will most definitely be familiar with the price tags. If video is something you are trying out, or just doing for fun, you may also need a tripod—a tripod that is lightweight and has enough features.

Buying a Full Frame Camera in 2025? Start With These Affordable Picks

Full frame cameras are known for two things: their incredible performance and their high price tag. I have pretty much always owned a full frame camera, but never paid full price for such a camera. In this article, I will share some options for those of us who want to go full frame but don’t want to pay full price.

Zooms or Primes? I Tried To Solve the Debate

The never-ending debate between the zoom and prime lens users only seems to get more heated with every argument for and against. As a user and enjoyer of both, I figured it would be only natural for me to weigh all the pros and cons of each in a somewhat unbiased article.

5 Cameras That Get a Medium Format User Excited

Medium format is the pinnacle of image quality. You can’t beat the physics of medium format. The price is also hard to beat, but in a bad way. Medium format is notoriously expensive. In this article, we will look at a few cameras that get me, as a medium format user, excited.

Briese Focus 77: My Favorite Light

I have been secretly switching lighting systems. In fact, I would struggle to pinpoint at which point my lights stopped being predominantly Profoto and became Briese. The point is, it happened, and I am not too sad about it. My light of choice has become the Briese Focus 77 reflector.

Why I Needed to Pimp My Gear Cart: LaVa Cart Moti Review

Being mostly a studio photographer, I work as much with my camera as I do with the camera trolley. I have an excellent camera, but my trolley was always lacking a bunch of pro features. While investing in a new cart was never an option, upgrading my current one seemed like the way forward. I looked into the LaVa cart system to see if it was able to pimp my cart.

Terramaster F8 Plus SSD NAS: The Future of Affordable Storage?

I’ve always been interested in setting up my very own NAS server. There are many uses and advantages of a dedicated NAS server as opposed to standalone hard drives. A NAS is not a cheap investment, but TerraMaster aims to change that with their new F8 Plus SSD NAS.

The Future of Streaming: Meet OBSBOT Tail Air

In the post-apocalyptic post-COVID world, video conferencing and streaming have become bigger than ever. The smart features of the OBSBOT Tail Air camera make it far more than just a simple camera with video capability. It has features that you will find in high-end remote cameras. It's small, high quality, and made for everything from large concerts to live interviews.

Learning To Let Go With MPB

It is never easy to let go, whether it’s your favorite camera, light, or shoes that are just beyond repair. I’m the worst at letting go and don’t recall the last time I sold a light, if ever. The process seemed tedious and simply unnecessary. However, letting go can be much easier. Here’s the best way to let go of old equipment.

Polarr Next: Fast and Easy AI Photo Editing You Should Try

Polarr has just announced its new Polarr Next Public Beta 2.0. It is a considerable update, introducing integrated AI culling as well as enhanced AI editing experiences. I took a closer look at the new update to see how it can solve some of the frustrations photographers face in their current workflows.

Why Briese Neos Is a Game-Changer for Studio Photographers

Sometimes, there are images you want to create without knowing how you can create them. The imagination runs wild, while the technical abilities tell you no. One such image was created at Briese Studios with the new Briese Neos, a product of no limits and wild imagination.

Why the Canon R1 and R5 Mark II Aren't for Me

There is quite a lot of excitement about the new Canon cameras. Of course, the much-anticipated Canon flagship is bound to attract attention, as well as the much-improved Canon R5 Mark II, which builds on the legacy of the famous R5. Yet, I am not buying any of these cameras. Here’s why.

PortraitPro 24: Redefining Digital Retouching

Retouching has long been a time-consuming process that not many of us photographers enjoy. Yet, it is inevitable to have to retouch your photos. Fortunately, PortraitPro 24 is introducing more advanced features and capabilities that have further cemented the software’s reputation as a must-have tool for portrait photographers. Read on to find out why.

On Location with NETGEAR M6 Pro: An Essential Tool for Nomad Photographers

For adventure photographers, having reliable internet access in remote locations is a game-changer. Lukas Mann, an adventure photographer based in Vancouver, shared his experiences on how NETGEAR has significantly improved his workflow and client satisfaction. Here's a detailed look at how the NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro mobile hotspot is transforming the way outdoor photographers operate.

Why the Hasselblad 907X and CVF 100C Is the Ultimate Camera for 2024

It's been a long time that I wanted to review a camera so badly. However, when I saw the Hasselblad CVF100C back, I couldn't be more excited. Is there something better than a 100 MP medium format back? How miraculously good can a camera costing $8,000 even be? Well, suffice it to say that it is one of the best medium format cameras available.

Real World M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14” Review: Small Size, Big Power

After about five years of using an Intel MacBook Pro, I made the jump to the M-Series. I bought the M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14” edition. While a downgrade in screen size, it was a huge upgrade pretty much everywhere else. In this article, we will review the new M3 MacBook Pro.

Bad Photo? No Problem, Aftershoot Has Your Back!

Not all photos are created equal. Some are objectively better than others. However, the photos themselves may not necessarily be bad; it may just be that the image is badly exposed or the white balance is off. Fixing bad images quickly can be a hassle for some, but it is a piece of cake for Aftershoot. Read on to find out how to fix your bad images quickly.

picdrop – Photo Gallery Software You Should Try

One of the most common things clients can ask for from photographers is providing photo galleries. This allows you to not only deliver a better customer experience but also to boost sales. Let’s see how picdrop can help you create the best galleries for your clients.