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Articles from Dusty Wooddell

The Ultimate Travel Tripod – Fstoppers' Initial Impression of the Gitzo Series 1 Traveler Carbon Fiber Tripod

If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent hours browsing sites like B&H Photo Video comparing different tripods, tripod heads, and their features. You may also take it a step further by watching reviews until your eyes burn before you decide to finally make that decisive click and add one to your shopping cart. It’s an understandable practice if you ask me.

Photographer Recreates Civil War Era Portraits

Motivated by a passion for Civil War era photography, photographer Willis Bretz spent nearly two years researching battles and individuals specific to the United States Civil War in order to create a set of portraits that pay homage to those created by war photographers more than 150 years ago. 

How To Take Advantage of Windy Weather To Create Beautiful Portraits

When life serves you lemons, make lemonade. At least that’s what I was always told when I was younger. Now as a professional photographer, I’m sometimes dealt lemons in terms of weather conditions. How do you make lemonade out of less than perfect weather so it benefits your set? 

Artist Photographs Toy Figurines to Recreate Scenes From Star Wars

I have a confession to make: I’m not a huge "Star Wars" fan. In fact, it’s best that no one ask me any questions about the series because I’d likely embarrass myself. Sebastien Del Grosso on the other hand may be able to provide more insight, or rather, some impressive images that pay tribute to the iconic series known across the globe by so many. 

Can Iconic Photography Be Passed From Father To Son?

Can iconic photography be passed from father to son? This was the question that caught my attention at the beginning of this short film. Los Angeles-based street photographer Estevan Oriol’s style is intense. It’s raw and it’s edgy. It depicts a side of street culture that isn’t always positive, yet within the images a captivating reflection of humanity can be witnessed. 

Candid Letter to Squarespace From a Professional Photographer

While many of us have grown to love the services offered by the web giant Squarespace, their e-commerce options have been seriously lacking one important feature needed for professional photographers. In this candid letter to Squarespace, I pose a couple of questions that I feel the company may not be listening to. 

Dearest Squarespace,

Five Photography Series and Documentaries to Help You Out of Turkey Coma

Need a few suggestions to help you take full advantage of that inevitable Turkey-coma that's sure to set in at some point this Thanksgiving? Fstoppers compiled a few photography-related shows and documentaries for you to comb over – just in case you need some “Netflix-and-chill” time while all of that tryptophan hits your system. 

First Ever 360-Degree View of Earth From Inside the International Space Station

When guests aboard the International Space Station look for a place to escape for a little rest and relaxation, options can obviously be limited. The “Cupola” was built in 2010 to provide astronauts with the best view possible while operating the ISS’s Mobile Services System’s robotic arm (the Canadarm2).

Teaching Your Child To Use a DSLR Camera

Think back to the first time you experienced the world through a viewfinder. The moment you found focus on whatever it was that caught your eye, and the excitement that followed hearing the mechanical slap of the shutter, there to verify that you’ve captured that specific moment in time forever.

Photographer Creates Eye-Catching Organic Portraits Using Plant Life

French photographer and digital artist Cal Redback has been creating images that bring new meaning to the term, "organic portraits." Sparked by a fascination with double exposures, Redback began to photograph friends along with local plant life, blending the two together to create a unique set of portraits that seem to take on a life of their own.  

This or That? How to Spend Your Hard-earned Cash

You may not realize it, but by now you could have financed your very own all inclusive one week stay in the Caribbean, BBQ'd for over 500 friends, and still had money to spare. Maybe you already have all of the equipment you need, but can't avoid the hype surrounding all of the latest photo-gear. Set your G.A.S.

The Ultimate Adventure Photography Vehicle

One of a photographer's least talked about yet most important tools is the horse he rides in on. Okay, so I doubt many photographers are still riding horses, but the concept is the same: a trusty companion that will take you from point A to point B safely and in many cases with style.

Photographing Sovereign Nations with Respect

One could say that it’s taken the last thirty years to gain a type of access to a sovereign nation that I’ve been privileged and honored to obtain. I say it’s taken that long for me to prove myself to a people that don’t take lightly to disrespect, and recall vivid memories of a time that people with my colored skin acted in unfathomable ways - and access is limited. 

The Future of Photography

According to my extensive research (Back to the Future Part One, Two, and Three), we should be in an age of flying cars, sneakers with power-laces, and hoverboards by now. We all know that life often imitates art, but let’s expand on that for a moment and take a stab at how photography may advance in the future. 

5 Tips for You and Your Modern Photography Business

It's common as professional photographers to spend so much time researching the latest technical tips and advice that the space within our mental hard drives originally intended for common sense runs low. We can become so focused on the latest and greatest that mundane day-to-day tasks sometimes suffer.

A Hard Camera Case Tough Enough To Take On The Desert

I recently made a request to the Camera Gods (B&H Photo) for a case for my equipment, rugged enough to take on the Mojave and Sonoran Desert along with brutal Arizona summers. What I received was the Pelican 1510SC.  Durable Pelican has been around protecting valuables for long enough now to develop a great reputation regarding their durability.