Being a professional photographer is an extremely challenging career, and it is important to have a realistic idea of what it entails and how best to get there before you make the dive. If you are considering going into professional work, check out this excellent video essay that features an experienced commercial photographer sharing some hard-earned insights into the industry and life as a professional. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Here they are – my top 10 favorite Masking shortcuts (in no particular order): Shift + O toggles you through the different Mask colors (you’re not stuck with just that red tint overlay). When you’re using the Masking Brush the [ and ] bracket keys (to the right of the letter P) let you change brush sizes. Hitting the left bracket key makes the brush smaller – the right one makes it larger. Press the letter O on your keyboard to hide the red overlay tint on your masked area (as shown below) . Pressing the letter ‘n’ creates a New Mask using the same masking tool you used last, so if you were just using the Linear Gradient Mask tool, it...

Viltrox has continued to establish themselves as one of the leading companies in the industry when it comes to competitively priced lenses that still offer the sort of performance and image quality that pros and advanced hobbyists require. The AF 16mm f/1.8 FE promises to continue that tradition while also offering a range of innovative features in tandem with an ultra-wide focal length and very wide aperture, making it an appealing lens to a wide range of creatives. This great video review takes a look at the how it holds up in practice. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

When you are working in a studio, you can have just about whatever lighting you want at your disposal, no matter how complex and cumbersome the setup. However, when you move to on-location shoots, simplicity and portability are the name of the game. This awesome video tutorial will show you an easy, compact, and effective lighting setup for on-location portraits. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

The latest lens getting all the attention is the Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena, which promises superlative image quality and creamy bokeh. Nonetheless, the portrait lens landscape is perhaps the most competitive of all, and it takes a major achievement to stand at the top. Can the 135mm f/1.8 deliver? This excellent video takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you will be able to expect from the lens in practice. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

For a lot of photographers, the act of traveling is a double-edged sword. We travel to be able to see the world and draw as much inspiration as we can from everything we see and experience. At the same time, the act of traveling often requires pushing out of our comfort zones and leaving behind a lot of the things that allow us to operate with fewer worries and limitations. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Nicco Valenzuela)

Landscape photography can be a real trudge sometimes, both literally and metaphorically, with tremendous amounts of effort exerted for just the chance at the photo you are looking for. And with that can often come frustration and a lack of motivation. Nonetheless, the best landscape photographers often have a few traits in common: they repeat shots and they persevere through challenges. This excellent video essay discusses how those qualities can serve you. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Sony has introduced the second iteration of its popular FE 16-35mm G-master lens. While improvements have been made, the most striking change lies in its reduced size and weight. Sony kindly provided me with this lens for an honest and unbiased review. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Nando Harmsen)

In the past few years, we have seen a real influx of highly affordable lenses that still offer serviceable to even good results, but even by those standards, the new TTArtisan 500mm f/6.3 is really, really cheap. Can it offer good performance and image quality despite that very low price? This excellent video review takes a look at everything you can expect from it in usage. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

Viltrox has been a company on the rise in recent years, establishing a reputation for lenses whose performance and image quality often far exceed what one would expect for their affordable prices. The AF 28mm f/1.8 lens offers a popular alternative focal length in tandem with a wide maximum aperture, again at a competitive price, and this excellent video review takes a look at if it will be another hit for the company. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

The Apple iPhone 15 has been released and its camera is turning a lot of heads, not least because of some new software functionality. In fact, when it comes to videography, it is a serious piece of kit. So, here are some great filmmaking accessories. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Robert K Baggs)

When you think of supertelephoto zoom lenses, you probably think of genres like sports and wildlife photography. No doubt, they are highly useful for such applications, but their value extends far beyond those applications. This great video essay discusses some of the many great ways you can use a supertelephoto zoom in your own work. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but the photography community is an opinionated bunch, and to make matters worse, there are a lot of people outside of the community who are opinionated about it too! So, let's take the edge off by sharing the worst photography opinions and why they should be condemned to history. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Robert K Baggs)

There are numerous applications for soft light, from portraiture to product photography, from macro to fashion. Soft light stands as one of the cornerstones of photographic expertise. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Illya Ovchar)

If you think digital downloads are enough to supply clients with, think again. USB drives are still the standard, and here is why. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Kim Simpson)

The 23mm f/1.4 Contemporary lens is the latest offering in Sigma’s lineup of fast, compact, prime lenses for Fujifilm X Mount cameras. With a 35mm equivalent focal length, the 23mm is sure to be popular for street photography, portraits, landscapes, and more. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Pete Coco)

DxO Labs’ has released its latest raw development and editing tool: Photolab 7. Plus there's an update to its tribute to analog photography: FilmPack 7. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Ivor Rackham)

AI is getting a ton of attention right now. Some of that is excitement, with photographers interested in the ways it can make their workflows more efficient and expand their creative range. Others are worried about the impact it will have on the industry and how it could potentially render some photographers irrelevant. Can AI actually create art, though? This interesting video essay discusses the topic. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)

We have all been there! Out and about on a photo shoot, trying to photograph a beautiful landscape or during a portrait session, and then something happens, which annoys you to your core. Join me in this article as I discuss some of the frustrations I have experienced. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Greg Sheard)

Creating a successful image is almost always a two-step process: shooting and editing. As you grow comfortable with your camera, you should also work on developing your post-processing skills. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced photographer sharing some of the fundamentals of editing photos and offering some helpful advice sure to put you on the right track. [ Read More ]Original link(Originally posted by Alex Cooke)