Photographers hear about sensor size all the time, especially when looking to buy a new camera. These include APS-C, Four Thirds, 1", and of course full-frame, the reference format to which all others are compared. But what is a full frame camera and does it make a difference?
As a photographer, you’ve got plenty of opportunities to gain exposure. Many opt for the social media route, and you should certainly consider creating profiles on at least one platform. Building a website to showcase your work is also a good idea, but have you thought about entering photo contests?
If you have ever uploaded a photo to your social media feed and found that the image quality isn’t as good as you’d like it to be, you're not alone. Most sites that allow you to upload images will use their own set of parameters to resize and compress uploaded images to save file space and bandwidth.
The use of strong and complementary colors is an ever-growing trend in photography. Many modern advertising campaigns feature bold and contrasting colors in order to draw your focus to the product or message they are trying to sell. One way to create such vibrant color in your own images is by using colored gels (also known as color filters, filter gels, lighting gels, or simply gels).
If you’ve been outside during a nice sunrise or sunset, chances are good you’ve heard the term “golden hour.” It’s one of the best times to do many types of photography and a beautiful time to be outside. This guide will help you understand golden hour, when it happens, and how to make the most of it through various types of photography.
Neutral density (ND) filters are a must-have for both videographers and landscape photographers, but there are so many options out there of varying cost and quality that choosing the right one can be a daunting task.
Transferring photos from an iPhone to a computer is a common task that doesn't have to feel like a chore, yet sometimes it can be frustrating if something isn't working or seems to be taking longer to complete than it should. Thankfully, Apple provides several solutions to move pictures from an iPhone to a computer.
Photoshop and Lightroom are mainstays in most photographers’ workflows for a reason. While other options abound, no other set of programs matches the popularity and widespread adoption of Adobe’s signature photography software. But while Photoshop’s manipulation capabilities and Lightroom’s processing and editing power are certainly robust, both offer even more power beyond the software itself in the form of plugins.
The rule of thirds is widely considered to be one of the most important first techniques you can learn to create better compositions and help you progress from “taking pictures” to “making photographs.”
So, you have decided you want to take your astrophotography to the next level… maybe you want to capture more detail in the Milky Way core, or perhaps dabble with deep space objects like Andromeda or Orion or maybe you came from my all-in-one astrophotography tutorial. Whatever it is, you know you are looking at buying a star tracker.
Portrait photographers use a myriad of different lights and lighting styles to achieve the results they desire. I’ve seen great portraits done with 10 lights, and even greater portraits done with a single light. The best photographers can do both and play around with lights like tools in their toolbox to create something unique.
Negative space is a powerful concept in art and photography that allows you to say a lot with very little. In this article, we will look at the basics of negative space and how you can use it as a tool for creative and powerful photo compositions.
"Crop factor" is a term that is often heard in the world of digital photography, especially when discussing entry-level cameras. If you have no idea what it means, this article is a basic explanation that should help to fill you in.
With every year that goes past, photography becomes more and more accessible to the average person. Compared to even a decade ago, even the most basic cameras – including those on your smartphone – produce excellent images. Moreover, you can find plenty of free resources and classes that give you all the information you need to succeed.
Every year, millions of dollars in grants are awarded, but most photographers may not know about them. Foundations, non-profits, and private companies are looking for talented photographers with a fresh eye and a new take and are willing to pay them for it. Here are some grants for photographers that are sure to help fund your project in order to tell the story your images will convey, and how to apply for them.
The neutral-density filter, or ND filter, is a powerful lens filter photographers use to reduce the amount of light entering a camera lens in order to select exposure combinations that would otherwise result in overexposed images. This article is a basic guide to ND filters and how they are used.
When you hear “long exposure,” you probably think of a shutter speed that’s too slow to hand-hold and produce a sharp image. It might be something like ¼”, or maybe as long as 30”, which is the most common slowest shutter speed in DSLR and mirrorless cameras. However, shutter speeds slower than 30” can be advantageous in many long-exposure scenarios.
Landscape photography is one of the most popular photographic genres. It's easy to get started with the genre, but it can take a lifetime to master landscape photography skills. You don't need a sophisticated camera or expensive lens, and the skills you learn when doing landscape photography translate to other types of photography.
Photographers who want to expand into videography can often become overwhelmed by the number of terms that are unique to the filmmaking discipline. This glossary of videography terms should help.
Even though the Zone System is over 80 years old, it is still relevant today whether shooting modern films or digital capture. This article is for photographers wanting to learn more about the Zone System for their particular workflow.
Buying a copy of Photoshop back in the day wasn’t cheap, but it used to be easy. One price, one copy. Nowadays, with subscription models dominating the creative software space, things have gotten a bit more complicated. And while photographers may need a bingo card to know how much Photoshop is going to cost, there are a lot more benefits than swinging down to the local computer store and picking up a copy.
Wedding photography is one of the most challenging yet fulfilling genres of photography, one that will challenge your people skills, technical abilities, and physical stamina. To succeed as a wedding photographer, you will need to become an expert in a wide of subjects, from how to work your camera to how to market your business.
You're out in the field, having scouted out a new location to grab a landscape vista. You release the shutter button and then chimp the back of the camera to see what you've captured... the sky's blocked out, blinking back at you. You've got a dreaded case of the blinkies, but does it actually matter?
If you’re a photographer, you’re likely familiar with memory cards. They’re what our photographs are stored on -- removable flash media that we insert into a slot (or slots) in our camera, take photos, and then (sometimes) remove and insert into a card reader or card slot on our computer.
Capturing the expanse of the cosmos is one of the most challenging, yet most rewarding, experiences for a photographer. When the sun goes down, the cameras come out.
Capturing the right angle while focusing on not being injured while grabbing some air is probably the toughest thing about using an action camera. Sure, there are selfie sticks, or simply just holding the camera, but all too often they get in the way more than they help accurately frame that selfie from a third-person perspective.
Starting in April, the northern hemisphere will be treated to an alignment of up to five planets and the moon, all visible together. Planetary alignments, especially at this scale, aren't common and could prove to be an excellent photo opportunity.
The Internet is a treasure trove of information, but photography books are still a fantastic way to both learn about photography as well as be inspired by the work of leading photographers.
Apple’s Peek Performance event went down with its signature flair and once again surprised the PC industry with a new chip, the M1 Ultra, that looks set to raise the bar on real-world performance and power efficiency. Yet the Apple Studio Display feels like a dud in comparison.
Although timelapse is a genre still largely dominated by men, these five talented women are worthy of your attention, especially today on International Women's Day.
After a camera body and a lens, the next most important thing in a photographer’s kit is their accessories. In this article, we will discuss the most basic and essential accessories that a beginning photographer should look into adding to their collection of gear.
Photography is full of baffling jargon and complex numbers to the uninitiated, and it can be daunting for beginning photographers. If you are just starting out, here is an introductory guide for fundamental things you need to have and know before you jump into the wonderful world of photography.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But I wonder, what else do “they” say? In order to find out, I’ve culled together the best photography quotes on the subjects of photographs, cameras, inspiration, and more, as said by some of history's most famous and talented photographers.
"Flambient" real estate photography involves combining flash and ambient light for beautiful, high-end results. In this article, I will show how you can capture great real estate images using high dynamic range (HDR) and flash techniques.
When is the best time of day to shoot portrait photos outdoors? Should we shoot only during the golden hours and avoid midday altogether, or is it better to use the brightest daylight hours to take our portraits with a few simple light modifiers? In this guide, we explore the best times of day for outdoor portraits.
We photographers generally have long lists of projects we want to do and then we have our bucket list items -- those things we can only hope we someday get a chance to shoot. As a nature and landscape photographer, the big three on my bucket list were the Subway at Zion, Fly Geyser, and Yosemite’s Firefall.
We can spend hours poring over buying guides and recommendations for the fanciest, most expensive pieces of kit to complete our bag as photographers, but in all that excitement, there is one crucial piece of our arsenal that can be overlooked. It hardly qualifies as a bell or a whistle and no one will drool with envy at the sight of it, but it is absolutely one of the most important purchases you will make: the camera strap.
Vintage lenses are more popular than ever, thanks in large part to the mirrorless revolution as well as affordable, high-quality cinema and hybrid video cameras. These lenses are regularly “cine modded” for video use due to their unique character and less clinical rendering, (sometimes) affordable prices compared to cine lenses, helicoid-driven focus with hard stops, and physical aperture rings (which are often de-clicked).
While visiting a friend recently, I noted that his teenage daughter’s walls were lined with Polaroids of her and her friends. I expressed some surprise and inquired about what got her interested in instant photography. She tilted her head and smirked at the question, and I soon understood why. The term “instant photography” struck her as curiously redundant.
Looking to get started in photography but feel overwhelmed at the huge number of different camera models on the market? The daunting feeling can be an obstacle as you try to dive headfirst into the art form, but you have come to the right place: we have selected the best cameras for beginners looking to dip their toes in photography without breaking the bank or getting in over their heads.
One of the many features modern cameras have is a selection of modes for metering exposure. These allow you to choose how the camera measures the brightness of the subject or scene in order to automatically adjust camera settings for optimal exposure.
Many years ago when I was a starry-eyed undergrad I would ask every photographer I came across the same question: "How do I take better photos?" I was extremely lucky to have many talented and generous photographers take me under their wing to show me the ropes. Without their valuable advice, there is no way I would have become the photographer I am today.
The past decade has seen an explosion of film users. Whether this is driven by a sense of nostalgia, or a desire to experience the past (for those too young to have shot film earlier in their life), for the simplicity, or perhaps because some celebrities have taken to shooting film, it doesn’t really matter. The reality is likely a combination of many factors.
Never take a blurry city twilight shot again! If you follow these tips, techniques, and gear recommendations, you'll never be disappointed with your cityscape photos again.
While there are many advantages to buying a brand new camera -- including a manufacturer warranty and, well, the fact that it’s never been used by anyone else -- there are likewise a plethora of reasons to buy cameras on the used market.
Both general consumers and professionals have embraced smartphone photography in an increased capacity because it gives an accessible and convenient way to capture life's memories on the go and can also produce professional-looking work. As good as the stock experience is, there are numerous apps to help improve that shooting experience.
We exist in a constantly churning sea of content: there were 1.4 trillion photos taken in 2021 and an estimated 1.6 trillion shutter buttons will be pressed this year. With so many taken, where is the best place to share photos?
Film has experienced a bit of a resurgence in the past decade and we've seen a proliferation of never-before-made film stocks and even brought some back from the dead. But if you want to get started in film photography now, you'll need a camera. So where should you start?
While full-frame has received the most attention from camera manufacturers in recent years, there are plenty of great reasons to purchase smaller-format sensor systems, including APS-C. These systems can be cheaper, smaller, lighter, and offer greater reach over their full-frame counterparts.
Ever since I became a photographer, most of the cameras and lenses I have purchased have been used. Most cameras and lenses only come with one-year warranties (though there are exceptions), and since some used gear sellers offer 6-month warranties, that extra half-year is often not worth the difference (to me). And, of course, some items -- like vintage or discontinued cameras and lenses -- are only available used.