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Usman Dawood

Batley, GB
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Articles from Usman Dawood

ACD Systems Releases Huge New Update for ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2018

Buying a new camera can be a very exciting thing, and most of us probably can't wait to see how good images from the new camera are compared to the old. The problem is whether or not your current raw editing software supports your new camera. Fortunately, ACD systems have released a great new update to their photo managing and raw editing software, ACDSee Photo Studio.

How to Make a YouTube Video From Start to Finish

As a budding YouTuber myself, every time Peter McKinnon uploads a new video, I'm taking notes. His growth on YouTube has been nothing short of spectacular and a lot of this comes down to his ability to create videos that are visually engaging with great storytelling. 

iPhone X In-Depth Camera Review (Comparisons with Canon 80D and iPhone 7 Plus)

Over the last few years, the iPhone has become more and more a part of our culture and it now holds a strong position in the photography industry and community. The iPhone is no longer just a phone with a camera, it's something that many professionals actually use. You may have read an article on Fstoppers about how even Time Magazine shot 12 of their covers using the iPhone.

Is Peer-to-Peer Renting the Future of Photography?

Peer-to-peer services have become very common these days with companies like Uber, Airbnb, and even eBay demonstrating how popular and huge those respective markets are. Platforms such as these have become a major part of daily life for many of us and the trend for growth seems very positive.

Canon Versus Nikon: An Overview to Help You Decide Which to Buy

Trying to decide between Canon and Nikon may seem like a no-brainer for many professionals with years of experience. For the most part, when a professional picks a certain camera manufacturer it's for the long term and they rarely switch.

Best Gimbal for the GoPro HERO6?

The HERO6 is the latest action camera from GoPro. Although it boasts some pretty cool features and specs, it's missing some much needed optical stabilization. Currently, it only has digital stabilization available which crops the footage slightly, and even then this feature is only available when shooting at 4K 30fps.

New Lenses Announced for the Hasselblad X1D

Hasselblad has announced five new lenses for the X1D. This is fantastic news because ever since the X1D was released, its biggest problem was its lens line up. If you've been considering buying the X1D, now may be the perfect time. 

Getting Paid From Doing Free Photo Work

Working for free can be a little controversial and I'm sure there are many creatives out there that completely disagree with it. There are plenty of reasons as to why someone shouldn't work for free but the debate continues. I, on the other hand, would consider working for free depending on a number of factors.

Five Ways to Get the Cinematic Film Look Using Your DSLR

When it comes to filmmaking, a really popular look is the cinematic look. This is something that can be really difficult to perfect especially when you're first starting out in the industry. Fortunately, Armando Ferreira, a YouTuber and filmmaker has provided some techniques that are relatively easy to implement.

Three Hacks to Take Your Videos and Vlogs to the Next Level

As a YouTuber, I’m always looking at new ways and new techniques to improve my video quality. I’m very passionate about the content I create, and Peter McKinnon has been a huge influence on my channel. There are a number of reasons as to why he’s become such a massive presence on YouTube in a very short period of time, and a previous article on Fstoppers outlines it more effectively.

Critiquing Your Work Does Not Make Someone a Troll

Before it starts to seem like I'm galloping around on my high horse, I'd like to say that this article is more of a reminder to myself than anyone else. I have made the mistake of dismissing someone as a troll just because they disagree with me. In many cases, It's much easier to simply dismiss someone as a troll if they criticize your work instead of taking it on the chin.

Should You Buy Your Next Smartphone Based On DxOMark Ratings?

DxOMark has essentially become mainstream when it comes to providing ratings for cameras and smartphones. Anytime a new smartphone is released now, there’s a good chance that the overall camera rating from DxOMark is provided to demonstrate how much better this latest camera is. A growing number of individuals consider DxOMark to be biased and unscientific in its methods.

Why You Need to Print and What to Print Your Images On

The importance of printing your own images cannot be understated. There are a number of reasons, but I believe that it mostly comes down to perspective. Currently most entry-level cameras have at least 24-megapixel sensors, however, most screens are full HD which is only around 2 megapixels in resolution.

What You Need To Check Before You Hit Record

Preparation is quite possibly the most important part of any project. Before starting anything it's extremely important to prepare and this is one of those things that many people including myself tend to forget. We get caught up in the moment or the excitement and due to this mistakes can occur.

$80,000 Arri Alexa Kit Vs. Canon 80D Shootout

Is it just me, or is the Canon 80D getting dragged into a lot of comparisons lately? This latest comparison, however, is definitely very interesting and really highlights the gap between the average DSLR and something that costs about the same as a Tesla Model X. Potato Jet, a filmmaker and YouTuber, demonstrates in his video how footage from the Canon 80D compares to the Arri Alexa.

iPhone 8 Plus Vs. Galaxy Note 8 Camera Comparison

DXOmark recently stated that the iPhone 8 Plus was the best smartphone camera they had ever tested, but, does that make it THE best? As of the time of writing this article, it seems DXOmark haven't yet tested the Galaxy Note 8. Many may claim iPhone bias due to this, however, SuperSaf TV — a prominent YouTuber from the U.K — has done the comparison instead.

iPhone 8 Vs. $30,000 RED Camera: Slo-Mo Showdown

The iPhone 8 now shoots 1080p up to 240 fps which is genuinely an impressive feature. This is especially true when you consider the fact that currently there isn't a single DSLR on the market from Canon or Nikon that can shoot at those frame rates.

Canon SL2/200D Vs. Canon 80D: Best Entry-Level Camera Comparison

The latest entry-level DSLR released from Canon, the SL2, is one with some very interesting features. It is now the cheapest DSLR currently available with Dual Pixel autofocus making this a very interesting and capable camera. If you haven't tried Dual Pixel autofocus before, it may just change the way you work because it is simply incredible.

How to Become the Best Headshot Photographer in the World

After a four-hour trip to London and only being able to catch whatever sleep I could during the uncomfortable journey down, I met with Peter Hurley and immediately felt welcome. For those of you who don't know, Peter Hurley is a headshot photographer based in New York City. Hurley once had a career as a model and was also part of the U.S. Olympic sailing team.

30 Days, 80,000 Photos, One Awe-Inspiring Time-Lapse

After seeing the hundredth time-lapse, it can become a little difficult to appreciate the incredible sight of an aurora creeping over hills in Iceland. Do many of us suffer from "art fatigue" where seeing so much great work online can make us a little numb to incredible sights? I admit this was the case for me until I saw this time-lapse from JeffHK.  

Why Can't My DSLR Shoot 4K 60p, but the iPhone Can?

In the last decade, cell phones have made huge leaps forward in technology and capability. It's simply incredible what they are capable of these days, and the amount of processing power and features they have would have been unimaginable not so long ago. The latest iPhones are capable of shooting beautiful images and video up to 4K at 60p.

Is The Nikon D850 The Best Wildlife Camera Too?

When it comes to wildlife photography, high megapixel cameras aren't normally the first kind of cameras that most people tend to think of. Cameras such as the Canon 1DX Mark II, the Nikon D5, and the Sony a9 come to mind, due to their incredible burst rates, rugged build quality, and amazing autofocus systems.

Zero Distortion: A Review of the Laowa 15mm f/2 Lens

In the last few years, Laowa, a Chinese company, released some very interesting lenses. Several of their wide-angle lenses have been praised for excellent performance and can be bought at relatively reasonable prices. The Laowa 15mm f/2 is one of these lenses and is currently the fastest 15mm lens that you can buy.

Nikon D850 Dynamic Range Tested and Compared

It would seem that the Nikon D850 can do no wrong and with this latest test and comparison from Tony Northrup, the results seem even more positive. The dynamic range was something a lot of photographers were concerned about, especially due to the higher megapixel count.

Focusing and Color Issues, Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art vs. Zeiss 135mm f/2 In-Depth Review

EISA recently named the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 Art as the best DSLR lens for 2017-2018, and based on my experience with this lens, I have to agree. It is a fantastic lens and performs at a very high level, with incredible detail rendering capabilities and beautiful bokeh. For the longest time, the 135mm focal length had a little bit of a gap that really needed to be filled.

Canon Picture Profiles, Get The Most Out of Your Video Features

Dynamic range tends to be an important feature for any camera and something many photographers either boast or complain about. Canon cameras aren't really known for their dynamic range performance, but in this "two-minute video," Peter McKinnon explains how you can use the built in Canon picture profiles, to improve performance for video.  

Hasselblad H6D-100c Comparison Review - Full Frame Out-Performs Medium Format

Hasselblad holds a special place in the photography community and is well known for making some of the best cameras currently available. I have been using the H6D-100c camera system for more than a year, and I wanted to see if it holds up to the perception. With its huge 100-megapixel sensor, this camera does produce some very detailed and beautiful images.

Every Architectural and Landscape Photographer Needs This

When it comes to architectural photography, tilt-shift lenses are quite possibly the best option available. The flexibility and amazing image quality make them very popular amongst architectural photographers and even some landscape photographers.

Is Beyoncé's Twins Reveal Image Any Good?

When it comes to deciding how good a particular image is, there are three aspects that I think are most important: composition, lighting, and colors. These three properties could be described as the technical attributes of an image.