Articles from Wasim Ahmad
We Review the Kandao QooCam 3: Third Time’s the Charm
While 360 cameras haven’t quite entered the mainstream for most photographers, Kandao’s QooCam 3 makes a solid case why they should: Kandao’s third entry into its QooCam lineup is a solid 360 action camera at a bargain price.
Is Stock Photography a Good Source of Passive Income? That Depends on You
While there's been much ado about the death of stock photography in the wake of AI-based imagery, there are still many photographers earning passive income from the trade. Just how are they doing that, though?
How to Make More Compelling Photos Through Compositing
3 Tips to Improve Your Travel Photography
When traveling, it's often the case that photographers zero in on the iconic sights that everyone else gets: the Eiffel Tower in France, Big Ben in London, etc. But instead of capturing what everyone else gets, there are ways to capture the feel of a place without necessarily getting the "standard" shot.
It’s Time to (Judiciously) Embrace the ‘AI Age'
Cameras used to use glass plates and flash used to be controlled explosions. Thankfully, we've embraced the relative safety introduced to the photographic process with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but can we say the same for AI?
Easy Tips to Understand and Improve Contrast Editing in Lightroom
Picking 360 Video Editing Software in 2023
It's still a bit of the wild west for 360 video editors in 2023, but that said, many of the major brands and smaller competitors have made great strides in catching up with their software to cater to this specific niche. If that's you, you'll want to read about these four video editing tools.
One Trick to Get Easy Long Exposures Out of an iPhone
Long exposures are useful to convey a sense of motion in photos, whether that's bodies of water that seemingly look like glass or car taillights whooshing by in a street scene. The iPhone allows you to create scenes like this easily. It's just a bit hidden.
Avoid These 5 Photography Mistakes With One Acronym
When I'm teaching photography, I always suggest to my students that they make checklists of to remember things when they shoot. I'm also a fan of handy acronyms to remember them.
Did You Whiff It on Fireworks Photos? AI Can Help, but Should It?
I set up in my usual spot for fireworks photos this year, but with a bit of a lighter kit than normal, a small mirrorless camera, and a kit lens. With the advent of Photoshop's Generative Fill tool, perhaps I didn't need to even that.
Five Tips for Better Smartphone Filmmaking
Is This Micro Four Thirds Setup the Best for Street Photography?
In the never-ending debate (or is it ever-evolving?) about what makes the best street camera, here's an intriguing suggestion that's worth a look.
The Day the White Balance Died: How Canada’s Wildfires Confused Cameras Along the East Coast
If you're living in the northeastern part of the United States, unless you've been under a rock the last day or two, you've probably noticed that the wildfires from Canada are turning the skies a funky shade of yellowish orange. The thing is, your cameras probably haven't noticed.
Why Camera Maker Lytro Failed Despite Brilliant Technology
4 Habits You Should Practice to Grow as a Photographer
Photography is as much a learned skill as it is a natural talent for some. Whether you fall into the former or the latter category, there are a few practices that you can practice every day that can help you become a better photographer.
Who Is the Canon PowerShot V10 For, Anyway?
Back in the mid-2000s, The Flip Video camera was all the rage, a vertically held, brick of a camera that was purpose-built for easy video in an age where video wasn't easy. With the Canon PowerShot V10, the company seems to want to channel some of that magic, but I have to ask: Why?
Travel Tripod Throwdown: Is Peak Design’s Premium Price Tag Worth It?
For the last many years, I’ve been an avid fan of the burgeoning travel tripod market, mostly because my aging back has demanded it.
The Pros and Cons of Using Flash Versus Natural Light for Portraits
Photographers often segment themselves into flash versus natural light when it comes to portraits, but the truth is, there is merit to both ways of shooting.
Did You Know? Android Began Life as an Operating System for Cameras
Before Android-powered modern smartphones, the company, pre-Google, was focused on making a universal operating system for cameras. It raises the question of an alternate reality that never happened, but what if it did?
Can’t Get a Fujifilm X100V? Try This Instead
I've long been a fan of Fujifilm's X100 series of cameras, the "T" model being my gateway drug into the Fuji X system. Fuji's X100V, the latest and greatest in the lineup, launched in 2020, seems near impossible to find even in 2023. So, what's a photographer to do? Try this instead.
How Can Photographers Leverage AI and What Are the Dangers Ahead?
Artificial intelligence is here to stay, whether photographers like it or not. So, what are some ways photographers can leverage it rather than fear it?
Is It Worth Traveling for Photography if AI Can Do It for You?
I recently posed a challenge to DALL-E 2 (or to myself?) to mimic one of my photos using prompts. I didn't think it was actually going to work, until it did. Almost.
We Review the HP Sprocket Studio Plus: A Capable, if Pricey, Photo Printer
Small, dye-sublimation printers have all but eliminated the need to go to the drugstore to make basic 4x6 prints, and HP’s new Sprocket Studio Plus is a welcome update to this style of printer from a venerable name in printing.
I Subjected Myself to the Cheapest Camera on Amazon so You Don’t Have To
"Vintage" point-and-shoot digital cameras are all the rage among Gen Z today, and while you can cruise eBay to find something used to scratch that itch, what can you get for about the same money new?
Are Samsung’s Phones Fudging It on Moon Photography?
There have been some mighty impressive moon shots taken with cell phones these days, but are they even real? In the case of Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra, the answer is: maybe.
Forget the Vintage Point-and-Shoot, the Barbie Wireless Video Camcorder Is the Retro Handicam of Your Dreams
It's no secret that Gen Z has rediscovered the digital cameras of most millennials' youth. But while 20-year-old point-and-shoot cameras are fun and all, the realest camera of them all just might be the Barbie Wireless Video Camcorder.
How One Photographer Trekked Across New York to Produce a Book of Abandoned Spaces
Despite the deep-freeze of a cold January day, a lone photographer moved swiftly through the graffiti-covered halls of what was once a bustling psychiatric center in the heart of Long Island in New York.
How Well Does the M2 Pro Mac mini Handle Video?
I'm not a novice to the world of computer hardware. I've been building my own Intel-based PCs for the better part of 25 years, but the new world order of Apple Silicon has turned conventional wisdom on its head for those looking to buy a machine for multimedia work.
We Review the Liene Pearl K100 Portable Photo Printer: A Competitive Entry in the Zink Space
While instant photography cameras like Fuji’s Instax series have gained a large following amongst a younger generation discovering the beauty of instant prints, lugging around a sub-par camera just for the hard-copy photos is a drag. That’s where portable photo printers such as Liene’s Pearl K100 Portable Photo Printer come in.
Some Out-of-the-box Ideas From a Photographer With 100,000 Portraits Under His Belt
There are a lot of common rules about portrait photography, but rules are meant to be broken, and one photographer shares how he does that in a meaningful way after shooting more than 100,000 portraits.
AI Will Mean the End of Digital Photography
Artificial intelligence is coming for photographers, just not in the way you're thinking.
What Are the Best Budget Cameras at the Start of 2023?
Everybody's got to start somewhere. The difference these days is about where you want to start. Whether it's vlogging, still photography, or making feature films, beginner cameras have really branched out into specialized tools in recent years.
Post Reels, Not Photos if You Want Any Hope of Success on Instagram
It sounds counterintuitive for the once photo-only Instagram to be minimizing photos in favor of video, but it's exactly what's happening, and if you're not on the bandwagon, your photography brand might get left behind.
Why I Bought Into a Dead-end Mirrorless System for 2023
I’ve always had a set of “work” cameras and “fun” cameras, the former being big, heavy professional tools and the latter being the kind I’d bring on family trips and for street photography.