Is Documentary Photography More Trustworthy Than Documentary Films?
Documentary movies and photography aim at creating plausible images of certain events and phenomena. But what is plausible? Can we even catch an unaltered scene?
Documentary movies and photography aim at creating plausible images of certain events and phenomena. But what is plausible? Can we even catch an unaltered scene?
Documenting births is definitely not the type of photography that suits each and every one of us, but for those who are interested, here are a few things I learned from shooting it.
Traditionally, the most extreme supertelephoto lenses have mostly remained the purview of first-party manufacturers aside from a few exceptions, but Sigma recently dipped its toes back into the waters with the 500mm f/4 DG OS HSM Sports lens. Can it keep up with Canon and Nikon's variants? This great review will answer that question for you.
Rich people spending money on frivolous things is not exactly new, but this Instagram account seems to take it to a new level, allowing users to buy a post for at least $1,000 purely to show that they can afford to. The amount users chose to pay is even showcased on the accompanying website for bragging purposes.
Canon's mirrorless lenses have been met with much acclaim, but many photographers are anxiously awaiting a truly professional level body to accompany them. A Japanese newspaper is reporting that that camera, equivalent to a 1D flagship body, will be announced sometime in 2021.
The most advanced Nikon camera ever created is right around the corner. But does anyone care?
New gear always excites any photographer like a kid gifted with a new toy. More often than not, we always just end up taking random photos of a cup of coffee or even the lens cap on a table to test out the new camera. So, I challenged a friend to kick it up a notch when we got to unbox the new Sony A7R IV.
In this video, I look at the difference between 17 of the modifiers in my studio. With such a huge selection of modifiers out there, it is often hard to work out what you need. Hopefully, this video helps.
When it comes to light modifiers, there are hundreds if not thousands of options: soft boxes, beauty dishes, grids, umbrellas, etc. After all is said and done, I truly think that I have finally found the perfect modifier.
Based on feedback I received about my article investigating the most expensive photobooks ever sold, I reached out to the two largest auction houses in the World to provide a more authoritative list of photobooks sold at auction. What do you expect to see in this list?
The cult of celebrity is alive and kicking, now seemingly the domain of the "influencer". However history is littered with photographers who attained celebrity status — step back 80 years and Weegee made the unusual step from press photographer to, well, influencer! This was long after the second of our two articles, which looks at the wet collodion plate process.
Digital photography has changed the way we take pictures. We care able to shoot, and shoot, and never run out of storage space. But at the other hand, it did not change the way we treat all those photos. So I wonder: what are you doing with all the photos you took over the last year?
A Grammy-winning country music star visiting LA has re-ignited interest in a struggling photo shop in Koreatown after stopping by to develop some film. She ended up doing a shoot with the owner against his custom-made backdrops, before plugging the shop to her hundreds of thousands of followers.
A stranger on a subway car in New York City did her own full-on selfie photoshoot without a care in the world about people watching.
Last year, Sony’s Alpha Female made its debut, and the result was a talent-quake. The thousands of qualified applicants proved something. All those individuals and companies who (I AM sure you know who) explained away the lack of female creatives in their organizations or departments by saying: "we just can’t seem to find qualified female talent" simply weren’t looking. Because it’s there, in spades.
Pricing your work is an incredibly tricky game. In this video, I go over how I price my work, how I progressed to that point as well as the calculator that I use to work out my usage license fees.
One of the best ways to get better as a photographer is to watch good movies. While the aspect ratio might be different, the same rules of composition and style apply. Here are some of my favorite films that will make you a better photographer to get you started.
Steven Holleran has been interviewed for the Fstoppers before … twice, actually. But, with good reason: His approach to cinematography and his work behind the lens is constantly pushing the boundaries of creative, thoughtful filmmaking. Read more to learn of Holleran’s most recent accomplishment.
I am a big advocate of calibrating equipment. For this reason, I regularly make sure my monitors, cameras and, lenses are calibrated and working correctly. Printers, on the other hand, are a device that I've never done anything beyond using the factory settings. I figured it might be a good idea to reconsider that.
There are a couple of ways for models to get into an agency, including hiring a photographer to take photos of them and using those to show an agency their range. This requires the photographer to work quickly and efficiently to get as many different looks as possible in a compressed amount of time to save them money.
Crazy high shutter speeds can lead to some pretty awesome photos as you capture things that simply happen too fast for our eyes and brains. This video brings some simple, easy, and fun shots your way using those super quick shutter speeds.
Following its younger predecessors, C100 and C300, the C500 gets an upgrade that is not just a face-lift, but an arsenal of new features that are aiming to satisfy today's filmmaker's standards and demands.
Whether you love watches, rings, or everything in between, as a photographer, you're going to want to take a picture of them at some point. What might seem straightforward can actually prove rather tricky.
Every well-known movie has specific scenes it is famous for. This is the case with the bike fight scene in John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum, where we take a glimpse behind the scenes to see how the production team made that action choreography.
Photography is about telling a story. Sometimes you are easily able to get a location that helps tell that story, other times you have to improvise. If you are looking to shoot a model in a shower, but don't have access to one large enough for a photo shoot with your lighting gear, there are options to reproduce a shower scene.
Shooting cityscapes is something many people never get tired of. The urban jungle is an ever-changing landscape that never ceases to amaze many people with its often grandiose theme and bright, distinct, and often colorful details.
Most of my portraiture work is known for two things, lots of color and using strobes. I love self portraits to try out new techniques; it's actually how I got myself started in photography, so for this self portrait I wanted to go in a totally different direction and take a shot with natural light and push it as far as I could.
If your television has an HDMI port and the abode sports WiFi, I suggest getting a Chromecast and using Google Photos as a modern-day picture frame.
There are a ton of different easy ways to create a video time-lapse. Today, I will teach you the hardest and most time-consuming method that professionals are currently using to get the best results possible.
Spiffy Gear has made a name for itself by creating unique lighting products such as Spekular and the Light Blaster. They are now adding a third exciting solution to their range of products with Lumee.
A wedding photographer has found herself the victim of an “overpayment” scam which has seen her $4,600 out of pocket. The scheme is alleged to have cost people almost $5 million in 2019 alone, with wedding and event photographers being popular targets.
Last week, Sony announced two APS-C cameras and two more G-series lenses for their crop-sensor system. In this first-look review, I share my thoughts after photographing birds with the new a6600 and E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS.
With so much speculation, bookmakers would be delighted over the ever-shifting odds regarding what Sony is going to announce next: will it be the much-delayed a7S III, or the greatly-anticipated a9 II? With the rumor mills in fine fettle after a short summer break, we may have an answer: in the next month, Sony will announce the a9 II. Allegedly.
Following a premature leak via the company’s social media accounts, Nikon has made the official announcement for their new Nikon D6 DSLR. It is being hailed by the Japanese manufacturer as its “most advanced DSLR to date.”
Lightroom is undoubtedly a great tool for Digital Asset Management (DAM). Some people use it for Digital Asset Management and Editing while others use it just for Digital Asset Management and do all of their editing in Photoshop or some other external application.
When I received the RAVPower FileHub my first thought was "This thing is light. It can't be what it says it is." and boy was I wrong. While it definitely is not perfect, the RAVPower FileHub is an extremely versatile, handy, device for those that like to travel light.
A brief personal recollection of a powerful influence in the world of photography.
While the Pixel 4 may soon be upon us, right now, the Pixel 3 and 3a series arguably represent the high-water mark for smartphone photography today through a combination of decent optics and more-than-decent artificial intelligence.
Sigma's Art series of lenses took the photography world by storm a few years ago, and perhaps none was more hotly anticipated than the 85mm f/1.4 Art lens. That lens finally came to the Sony E mount last year, and this great video review takes a look at it to help decide if it is the right portrait lens for you.
The 24-105mm lens is rarely the one you think about first when the subject is landscape photography. However, this lens is one of my most used lenses and has been for several years.
I see a lot of people asking what were the camera settings for this shot? While it differs in each situation, one common setting that seems to matter to many is shooting at ISO 100. Is that really the best setting to be shooting at?
Action cameras are all the rage these days. As cell phones get better, more weather-resistant cameras, some may say that they're past their prime and on the way out. However, Insta360, the makers of the Insta360 One X 360 degree camera, has released a new camera: the Insta360 Go.
Jumping straight into weddings as a lead photographer? Have you considered second shooting first? Find out the reasons why you should in this article!
For this critique the community we are asking to see your most profitable photographs. Please only submit images that have made at least $2000, but the more you've made, the better.
Congrats to our winners! Figure out which tutorial you want from the Fstoppers Store and David will reach out to you soon.
To be a part of the next critique you must only upload images that have made at least $2000 or more. The more money the image has made, the better. You can upload your submissions here: https://fstoppers.com/critique-community/submit-your-most-profitable-photo
While a quick trip to do some shooting in the city might involve little more than throwing a body or two in a duffel bag and heading out — an odd overlap with your average serial killer’s check list — heading off somewhere exotic can require a bit more planning. What else should you throw in the bag?
Today, I thought I’d take you through the sometimes agonizing process of figuring out the best way to light on location and some of the tools and techniques I use to get around the obstacles.
Us photographers love our expensive gear that features the best quality in optics, autofocus, sensor design, and more and offers us the utmost control of every last setting. So, could you take a shooting challenge with the lowest quality camera and absolutely no control over any settings? Check out this fun disposable camera challenge.
One of the most commonly touted features in lens design are aspherical elements, though you might wonder just what that rather technical-sounding name refers to. This excellent video will give you an introduction to aspherical elements, including what they are, how they function, and why they are so highly desired by photographers.
There really is nothing worse than finding that dream photograph you took isn't quite in focus. Use these underrated tips to get more keepers and sharper photos each and every time.