gear

Rant: There are Two Kinds of Photographers

I will probably get a bunch of hate for this article, but whatever. Hopefully, my message will help someone. I realize this site is frequented by enthusiasts, professionals, camera geeks, etc. but this post is pointed more at people that want to make it as a portrait or fashion photographer.

Why I Got Rid of My Photography Gear

I had everything I ever needed, all the dream gear: Broncolor lighting, the latest professional Canon cameras, and all the fastest Canon lenses. I had the latest Apple laptop, C-stands, tripods; I had it all, and at the time it was good. So why did I decide to get rid of everything after only a few years?

MyGearVault: Input, Organize, and Insure All Your Gear in a Single App

Even though everybody knows how important it is to insure their photography gear, few people ever get organized enough to actually do it. It's just too much of a pain in the rear... well, it was. A new app called MyGearVault makes organizing and insuring your gear so easy, you're out of excuses.

A Checklist of Things I Bring to Most Photo Shoots

Many of us have done remote shoots where we’re miles from home (or a store) and we forgot one or more key pieces of gear that make or break a shoot. And it’s often the little things: batteries, SD cards, gaff tape/zip ties, plastic bags or specific tools we didn’t think to bring or didn’t think we’d need.

This is the Mother of All Selfie Sticks

While joking around with a friend recently, photographer Ted Forbes of The Art of Photography decided he would try his hand at building the ultimate selfie stick. What resulted is a monster selfie stick that Forbes has named the Stork Mach 1.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Memory Cards: Tips for Photographers

My name is Jeff Cable, and I'm a photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I previously spent many years of my life as Director of Marketing at Lexar dealing with the ins and outs of the memory card business. And in all that time, I have never written about the do's and don'ts of memory cards. Now that I am not on that side of the business any more, I feel that I can write this objective piece for you without any conflict of interest.

This 360° Video Shows the DSLR Wall on the ISS

This video by RT, titled "Space 360," is the first-ever interactive 360-degree video shot on the International Space Station. It's also of special interest for photography enthusiasts: it shows the inside of the service module, where the astronauts' Nikon DSLR cameras and lenses are stored on the walls.

7 Tips That Will Help You Extend Your Camera’s Battery Life

We've all heard or read those tips for getting the most out of your smartphone's limited battery life, but what about us photographers? How do you make sure you're squeezing every last shot out of your DSLR or mirrorless camera? This video will tell you.

Four Dangers of Camera Gear Obsesssion… and One Benefit

Some call it gear obsession, you've probably heard it called Gear Acquisition Syndrome (or GAS), but regardless of the name, there's no better time to discuss the dangers (and potential benefits) of suffering from camera gear obsession then the week after Photokina.

Profoto Reveals the D2, The World’s Fastest TTL Monolight

Holy recycle time batman! Photography speed demons get your bibs out, because Profoto just released a new monolight that'll get the salivary glands going strong. It's the Profoto D2, and it's officially "the world's fastest monolight with TTL."

Venus Optics Unveils World’s Fastest 15mm and World’s Widest MFT Lenses

Venus Optics, creators of the Laowa 12mm f/2.8 with 'close to zero distortion,' are unveiling two new extreme lenses at Photokina. The Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D, the world's fastest 15mm rectilinear lens for full-frame cameras, and the Laowa 7.5mm f/2 MFT, the world’s widest f/2 Lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Rigid vs Collapsible: Comparing Two Types of Beauty Dishes

The Beauty Dish is revered by many photographers for having a soft, but contrasty quality of light. The classic design puts the flash tube behind an opaque or translucent tube cover, which helps eliminate a central hot spot. Like umbrellas, beauty dishes are available with white or silver interiors and can be fitted with a “sock” or grid to control quality and spread of light even more.

The Best Lens for Street Photography

For street photography, the choice of cameras and lenses is, simply put, huge. So where do we start? What IS the best lens for street photography?

My Camera Gear Sucks

I shoot with a Sony a6000, a Sigma 19mm f/2.8, and a vintage Helios 44-6. My entire kit cost me less than $500 (second hand) and technically, it sucks.

Nikon D5 Pro Review: The Batman of the Camera World

Powerful, insanely fast, supremely agile, hauntingly accurate and a master of the dark. The Batman of the camera world.

I could end the review there, but what fun would that be?

Four Dirt Cheap Toy Camera Lenses You Should Try

Want to mix things up a bit, gear-wise, without breaking the bank? Photographer Mathieu Stern has an idea for you. In this short video he shares four cheap toy camera lenses that he thinks are worth your time.

Furs and Fake Blood: How I Planned and Shot an Epic Viking Shoot

One of the most luring aspects of photography, for me, is storytelling. Whether it's weddings, photojournalism, or creative portraiture, the opportunity to engage the viewer and pull them into another world is an incredible thing.

Underdog Rescue: Making a Nasty Old Lens Work Like New Again

What can I say? I’m a sucker for the underdog. My first real underdog came in the form of a 1973 VW Beetle that my Dad bought for me when I turned 15. After we pushed it up the driveway, he gave me a repair manual and told me I had a year to get it going if I wanted wheels.