Michael Zhang

Founder, Editor

Michael is a photography enthusiast, entrepreneur, and programmer based in Northern California near San Francisco. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with two degrees in computer science.

Articles by Michael Zhang

How to Shoot Milky Way Photos with a Crop-Sensor DSLR and Kit Lens

Can you shoot Milky Way photos using an entry-level crop-sensor DSLR and a basic kit lens? Yes, you can, but there are some tips, tricks, and techniques you can use to improve your results. Photographer Michael Ver Sprill (AKA Milky Way Mike) made this 16-minute video tutorial as a basic guide to doing this.

Apple Aperture Won’t Work Anymore After macOS Mojave

Apple killed off Aperture back in 2014, but there are still photographers out there who have opted to continue using the beloved photo editing and management app. If that's you, there's some bad news: Aperture will no longer run on Mac after macOS Mojave.

Samsung Unveils a Vertical TV for Viewing Instagram

Samsung has announced an unusual new TV that's designed for "the millennial generation." It's a 43-inch vertical screen that's optimized for viewing the same social media content you enjoy on your phone. In case, you know, you've always wanted to browse your Instagram feed on the big screen.

Sorry, Leica: ‘Tank Man’ was Shot on Nikon

Leica was at the center of a firestorm of controversy in China earlier this month over a video that dramatized the creation of the iconic photo titled, "Tank Man". Now it turns out that all the well-known "Tank Man" photos were actually shot with Nikon cameras.

Multiple Exposures of Neon Lights and Nature Sights

Finnish photographer Christoffer Relander shot a mesmerizing and surreal series of photos in which he used multiple-exposure photography to blend views of Hong Kong cityscapes and Scandinavian nature. With a focus on neon signs, the project is titled, "Neonland: Urban Overload."

Yashica Unveils Three 35mm Cameras and Two New Films

Yashica's Y35 digiFilm camera drummed up a great deal of excitement on Kickstarter but was universally panned by reviewers and early adopters when it finally launched in 2018. Apparently unfazed, Yashica just returned to Kickstarter with plans to launch three new film cameras and two new films.

Amazon is Bringing One-Day Shipping to Prime Members

Retailers are already having problems competing against Amazon's free two-day shipping for its Prime members, but now the retail juggernaut is planning to cut that standard shipping time in half. That's right: Amazon is planning to offer free default one-day shipping as a Prime perk.

55 Plugins to Up Your Photoshop Game

While developing its Luminar Flex AI-based Photoshop plugin earlier this month, Skylum did research on what plugins are currently available. The software company has now compiled a huge list of 55 Photoshop plugins that photographers may find useful.

Rare Photos of Hitler from Glass Plates by His Personal Photographer

Hitler's personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, was one of the infamous dictator's primary propagandists, and tens of thousands of the photographer's photos exist on glass plate negatives. Now a large number of those rare photos are being revealed with a new level of clarity through a digitization effort by the National Archives.

Adobe Made a Quiz That Reveals What Creative Type You Are

Adobe just launched a fun little online quiz that helps creatives figure out their creative type. The "simple and relatable yet robust and science-informed creative personality assessment" is inspired by popular personality tests such as the Myers-Briggs and the Enneagram.

The Cameras That Shot the Winning Photos of World Press Photo 2019

World Press Photo just announced the winning photos for the 2019 edition of it's world's most prestigious photojournalism contest. Camera metadata shared alongside the top photos is again providing us with an inside look at what gear the world's top photojournalists are using at the moment.

5 Macro Photo Ideas to Shoot at Home

Want to get creative without leaving the comfort of your own home? Here's a 5-minute video by COOPH that contains 5 ideas for macro photographs you can do with a small budget, simple gear, and everyday items.

Instagram Tests Hiding Like Counts

Instagram has internally floated the idea of a small design change that would have a huge impact on the service. Leaked screenshots show mockups of Instagram in which the Like counts on photos and videos are hidden from public view.

This Leica Video Just Got ‘Leica’ Banned in China

Leica has sparked a huge backlash in China over a short film released by its ad agency in Brazil. The video (warning: strong language) depicts a news photographer covering the Chinese government's crackdown during pro-democracy protests in Beijing in 1989.

6 Bad Habits That Photographers Have

Photographer, videographer, and YouTube star Peter McKinnon brainstormed with his photographer and filmmaker friends and came up with 6 common bad habits in photography that photographers should try to avoid having.

Godox V1 vs Profoto A1: A Battle of the Round-Head Flashes

The Godox V1 round-head flash is coming to market despite the loud protests and legal threats of Profoto, which claims its A1 design was stolen (something Godox denies). If you're wondering how the $259 V1 compares to the $995 A1, photographer Robert Hall has a sneak peek for you.

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G Ties Huawei P30 Pro for #1 at DxOMark

Samsung and Huawei are #1 and #2 (respectively) in worldwide smartphone market share, and now they're together at the top of the DxOMark smartphone camera quality test leaderboard. The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G just scored the same best-ever score of 112 as the Huawei P30 Pro.