Trending Photography News and Reviews

Discovering Zoner Photo Studio X Pro's New and Attractive Functionality

Since HDR has been used (wrongly) so much in the past, it's a good time to make people aware of the changes happening in the industry. Zoner Photo Studio X Pro's latest update includes its new True HDR process. This comprehensive software has much to offer, not least an end to overblown HDR photos.

Streamline Your Photo Editing Workflow in Lightroom Classic With These Tips

Editing photographs, particularly in bulk, can often be a time-consuming endeavor that tests even the most patient photographers. Recognizing the importance of efficiency is crucial. Lightroom Classic offers features designed to streamline the editing process, a boon for professionals and hobbyists alike who seek to maintain a seamless workflow that doesn't waste their time, and this helpful video tutorial will show you how to take advantage of them.

Mastering Off-Camera Flash: Avoid These Common Mistakes

Learning to shoot with off-camera flash brings a whole new level of control and creativity to photography. But along with the endless possibilities comes ample room for slip-ups. This fantastic video tutorial outlines the five most common mistakes people make when first stepping into off-camera lighting, along with fixes to set you up for success.

Why Limiting Your Gear Can Enhance Your Photography Skills

As photographers, it's easy to fall into the trap of believing that the latest and greatest gear will instantly improve our skills and creativity. However, this mindset can often hold us back from truly growing as artists and honing our craft.

Using a Nikon Z30 for Landscape Photography

Everyone likes to talk about gear, moving to a full frame camera, getting the newest camera, more megapixels, and so on. It is easy to think that you can’t take good pictures without the right gear. In this video, we see someone move from using their Nikon Z7 to using their Nikon Z30 more often.

A Review of the Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens

Wide angle zoom lenses with an aperture of f/2.8 are often considered the standard for professionals, but there are many genres for which that wide aperture is not really needed, and photographers can take advantage of lighter, more affordable, and more capable lenses if they are willing to use an f/4 lens. One such lens is the Canon RF 14-35mm f/4L IS USM, and this great video review takes a look at the kind of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

Art and Advocacy: A Chat With Lindsay Adler on Her Psoriasis Awareness Campaign and Life Behind the Lens

What do you get when you pair an industry titan in creative beauty images with a campaign promoting psoriasis awareness? You get images you're anxiously curious to see, and an interview you want to watch. For the lucky New Yorkers, you also get the perfect outing for this weekend. I sat down with Adler to talk about the “Clearly Me” campaign she shot, which will be on display this weekend at Nine Line Galleries, NYC. If you follow my writing, you know we took rabbit trails into all kinds of tangents that will keep you learning, laughing, and hopefully leave you inspired with takeaways that will apply to your own photographic journey.

How Photoshop's Generative AI Can Help You Edit Portraits

Photoshop's new Generative Fill tool has generated a lot of buzz for its ability to transform images and manufacture ideas with just the click of a button. One genre it has a lot of potential in is portrait photography, and this great video tutorial will show you some of those applications.

The True Journey of Mastering Photography Goes Beyond Seeking Instant Results

Photography is an art form that blends creativity with technical skill and constantly evolves with new techniques and technologies. For those eager to refine their craft, understanding that the journey of learning and growth in photography is anything but quick and straight is essential. It's not just about capturing the perfect shot, but also about the process and the personal development that comes with it.

Why It's Important to Challenge Ourselves in Photography

As a landscape photographer, the chase to capture stunning images of breathtaking scenes is a continuous journey. Yet, in the middle of this mission for the perfect shot, lies a crucial aspect often overlooked—the necessity of challenging ourselves and getting out of our comfort zone. In this article, let’s dive into why pushing our boundaries and embracing discomfort is vital in the journey of landscape photography.

Why Cheap Clients Will Bury You: The False Economy of Anything Over Nothing

When you first start monetizing your photography or videography, you may quickly fall into the desperate scramble for jobs, particularly if you're looking to do it full-time. There is an issue that arises if you aren't selective with your work going forward, however, and it can be seriously damaging.
Debunking Photography Myths: A Realistic Look at the Profession

Photography as a profession is often met with skepticism and discouragement, overshadowed by warnings of financial instability and market saturation. Such pervasive negativity can deter aspiring photographers from pursuing their passion, despite the evolving opportunities within the industry.

How Mindset Mastery Can Elevate Your Photography Business

Mastering photography involves much more than just technical skill; it requires an understanding of the psychological aspects that influence both the photographer and the audience. The mental game, often overlooked, plays a pivotal role in transforming good photographers into exceptional ones.

Capturing Dramatic Landscape Photos in Uncertain Conditions 

Landscape photography often hinges on the ability to capture fleeting moments of dramatic weather. While planning for ideal conditions is important, embracing unpredictable elements can lead to truly unique and impactful images. Understanding how to anticipate and work with challenging weather conditions is a valuable skill for any landscape photographer.

The Boundless Creativity of Your iPhone With The Reeflex Apps

The iPhone 15 Pro Max could possibly be considered one of the best mobile phone cameras for modern photography and videography. With a sophisticated camera system, and when paired with the Reeflex Pro app, it becomes even more powerful. This app unlocks the full potential of iPhone photography, allowing users to have complete control over their shots.

5 Ways to Precisely Undo in Photoshop

As a photographer, you understand the delicate balance between enhancing an image and overdoing it. Too much editing can quickly make a photo appear unnatural and detract from its original beauty. Fortunately, Photoshop offers several tools and techniques to help you maintain control and achieve subtle, realistic edits.

Behind the Scenes: Shooting for the New York Times

The realm of assignment photography presents a unique and exciting challenge for photographers, requiring a blend of technical skill, interpersonal savvy, and adaptability. This insightful video offers a glimpse into the realities of working on assignment, specifically for a prestigious publication like the New York Times.

Social Media Survival Guide for Photographers

Social media has become an indispensable tool for photographers to showcase their work, connect with potential clients, and build a community. However, navigating the complexities of these platforms can be challenging, often leading to frustration and burnout. Understanding the nuances of social media is crucial for photographers to effectively utilize these platforms and avoid common pitfalls.

Megazoom Lens Showdown: Sony vs. Nikon vs. Canon

Selecting the ideal lens for wildlife photography can significantly impact your results, influencing image quality, reach, and overall shooting experience. Long zoom lenses, offering versatile focal lengths, have become increasingly popular among wildlife photographers due to their adaptability in capturing diverse subjects and scenarios.

Why Perfect Photos Are Boring

We often find ourselves chasing perfection, striving for flawless compositions and technically impeccable images. But what if there's more to capturing a moment than achieving technical mastery? What if embracing imperfection is the key to creating truly compelling photographs?

Focus Stacking and Lighting Techniques for Stunning Macro Photos

Macro photography offers a unique perspective, revealing intricate details and hidden worlds often unseen by the naked eye. However, achieving sharp focus throughout the entire image can be challenging due to the inherently shallow depth of field. This is where focus stacking, a technique that merges multiple images with different focus points, becomes invaluable.

Adobe Announces Express Mobile App

While I prefer to use a dedicated camera to capture images and a laptop to edit them, I know that many social media creators prefer using their smartphones for every step of creation and sharing. Smartphone-based platforms like Instagram and TikTok understand this and have allowed users to add animations and text to postings without exiting the app.

Unlocking the Secrets of Impressionistic Photography

Impressionistic photography challenges traditional approaches by emphasizing mood and atmosphere over sharp, detailed imagery. This style captures fleeting moments of light and color, offering a painterly quality that stands out in the digital age.

Navigating the Early Years of a Photography Career

Building a successful career in photography requires more than just technical skills and artistic vision. It demands resilience, adaptability, and a keen understanding of both the creative and business aspects of the industry. For young photographers, especially those in their 20s and 30s, navigating this path can be particularly challenging.

The Best Way To Edit Night Photos

In this article, I share five photo editing techniques in Photoshop you can use to create better night photos.

How to Even Out Skin Texture Using Photoshop

Achieving the right balance and evenness in skin texture is a nuanced skill that significantly enhances the depth and realism of portraits. This challenge, common for portrait photographers, requires a delicate approach to preserve skin texture while ensuring it looks natural and evenly lit. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to achieve that balance in Photoshop.

From Stuck to Inspired: Breaking Free From Photographer's Block

Photographer's block, also known as creative block, is a common challenge that many photographers encounter during their artistic journey. It is a frustrating and sometimes overwhelming feeling of being stuck, unable to find inspiration or ideas for new photographic projects. Photographer's block can affect photographers of all levels, from beginners to seasoned professionals. However, it is essential to recognize that it is a natural part of the creative process. In this article, we will explore the causes of photographer's block and provide practical strategies to unlock creativity and overcome this creative hurdle.

We Review the Zhiyun Molus X100 COB Light

A while back, I found myself in need of continuous lighting for my video work. Initially, I chose for a budget-friendly LED panel. However, I was less than satisfied with the results, which led me to purchase the Zhiyun Molus X100 COB light. In this review, I'd like to share my experiences.

Budget-Friendly Bokeh: A Look at the TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 Lens

The pursuit of unique and captivating bokeh often leads enthusiasts down a path of expensive and specialized lenses. However, TTArtisan offers a refreshing alternative with their 100mm f/2.8 "Bubble Bokeh" lens, providing photographers with an affordable tool to explore creative expression through distinctive bokeh effects.

Finals Days In "Unique Lighting" Contest

We are almost 48 hours from the latest Critique the Community photo contest. The theme for this month's contest is "Unique Lighting" and the prizes include several new products from the lighting company Profoto.

The Viltrox 27mm f/1.2: A Brilliant New Lens With Autofocus

Viltrox has been making some superb lenses of late — affordable, compact, and fast — and they join a growing market of off-brand manufacturers who produce superb glass. This latest offering is another great addition!
How to Become a Commercial Photographer

Have you ever walked by a beauty image on the shelf at ULTA or scrolled by a brilliant shot on Instagram and thought: “I want to make images like that”? Or perhaps you are a photographer who saw a picture and thought: “I could have shot that better!” You have the skills, but you don’t know how to break into the commercial market. In this article, I’ll share about how to break into the market and disclose tips and tricks to succeed in the commercial photography space.

A Long-Term Review of the Hasselblad X2D 100C Medium Format Mirrorless Camera

The Hasselblad X2D 100C is a very portable camera that packs a real punch inside, offering photographers a lot of power in a package that can easily go anywhere. How does it perform in practice, though? This great video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can expect.

Different Key Light Modifiers and How I Use Them for Portraits

Big softbox, little softbox, umbrella, or beauty dish? When choosing a key light modifier for your portraits, it can be daunting to decide which one is the best for the job. I've been working as a portrait photographer for 19 years, so in this article, I'll take you through the modifiers I grab most often for shoots and explain what each one does and the best scenarios to use them.

Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places: A Look at Unique Photography Projects

As a photographer, you're constantly seeking inspiration and exploring new ways to express your vision. Sometimes, the most impactful projects come from unexpected sources, challenging conventional ideas about what makes a compelling subject. This fantastic video explores two such projects that showcase the power of photography to elevate the ordinary and shed light on often-overlooked aspects of our world.

A Nostalgic Look at an Early Digital Camera

Early digital cameras, despite their limitations, were a marvel of their time, offering a glimpse into the future of image capture and paving the way for the advanced technology we enjoy today. This fun video takes a look back at one such camera.

Apple's M3 Macbook Prices Are Diabolical

Every computer company charges more for extra features, but Apple has created the perfect pricing scheme with the new M3 Macbook Pros to fool all of us into paying even more for a new laptop.

A First Look at the New and Affordable Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens

The Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens replaces a hidden gem in the older EF-S lineup, giving APS-C shooters a very affordable wide angle zoom lens suitable for a variety of applications. This excellent first look video takes a look at the new lens and the sort of performance and image quality one can expect from it.

This Camera Makes Me a Better Photographer

As photographers, we are constantly told that our gear or camera does not matter. As someone who has pushed this narrative, it is finally time to admit I've been wrong this entire time.
Two Years With The Nikon Z9

Talking cameras isn’t always about lavishing praise on the most recent release. Nearing two years since I first placed my order, the Nikon Z9 continues to be the best camera I’ve ever owned.

An Ode to the Canon EF-M Mount

Long before the RF mount was even a gleam in Canon's collective eye, they had another mirrorless system: the EF-M mount. Though the mount never really caught on like the RF mount did, it was passionately supported by a group of loyal photographers who loved its small size and surprisingly affordable and capable lenses. Unfortunately, the EF-M mount has now left us, but this great video essay takes a look at the history of the system and why photographers loved it.