Use These Photography Tricks to Create Some Cool Results

We’re sure this post will get you wondering where these photography tricks were all your life.

In our quest to look for the coolest and most useful photography tips and tricks to share, we came across some really unexpected ones. Take, for example, a video showing some fun, out of the box ideas for creating cool effects and tapping unique angles. As with many things shared on the Reddit community where we spotted the video, it’s oddly satisfying to see these tricks produce some pretty cool images!

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The Power and Importance of Mentorship in the Photographic Community

We’ve all found our way into the photographic community at different times, in different ways, with enormous hurdles to surpass, no matter which way we found ourselves falling into this passion and career path.

Whether college-educated, self-taught, or anywhere in between, it’s undeniable that the barriers of entry to our community can at times seem insurmountable. Regardless of how spectacular your undergraduate program, the dedication of your instructors, or your determination to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible, inevitably we’ve all discovered roadblocks, gotten stuck, or were at a loss of where to turn to for help. This is where I believe the most powerful, positive tool available to us can be found when provided ethically, responsibly, and synergistically – mentorship. Continue reading…

Dear Fujifilm: Your Next Camera Will Need Much Better Battery Life

While Fujifilm does a whole lot right, they need to improve on the battery life of their cameras.

The battery life on a Fujifilm camera is pretty bad, and it’s only now that I’ve realized it. Admittedly, it has been a while since I’ve picked up my Fujifilm cameras. The reason for this is because I’ve been exploring who I am as a creative. The other reason is that I’ve needed to test all this additional gear that’s come out. So when pairing the company’s 16-80mm f4 R WR OIS with my X-H1 and X-T2, I was reminded of a problem. The battery life on Fujifilm cameras is pretty awful. It was great for a long time, and then the firmware and tech demanded more juice. Unless you’ve got a vertical grip on your X series camera, I don’t think the battery life is sufficient at all. In one night, I went through two batteries; that’s unacceptable.

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Axibo is Your AI-Powered Camera Assistant for Photos and Videos

Shooting selfies and vlogs? Forget tripods — Axibo promises to be the smart, AI-powered camera assistant that will take photos and videos for you.

Just when you think you’ve seen everything AI-powered that current technology allows, something like the Axibo drops on Kickstarter. This “really, really” smart robotic camera mount can pan, tilt, and, slide your camera as its state-of-the-art AI system tracks just about anything. If automating photo and video shoots are of interest to you, this mount could be just the tool you need. With its patented motor drive technology, Axibo can move on three axes to tilt up and down, pan left and right, and slide left and right up to one meter. Despite the high torque, users don’t have to be concerned about motor sounds in recordings as it makes quiet movements. Made from aircraft-grade aluminum and epoxy-infused carbon fiber, this robotic mount is lightweight enough to carry around but also sturdy enough to support up to 20 pounds of camera equipment.

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Review: Sigma 35mm F1.2 Art DG DN (All of the Bokeh, and Weight)

The Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN is a fantastic lens, but very heavy.

I’m not sure from where Sigma got the memo that making the Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN into a mammoth was a great idea. The last time I knew, mirrorless camera lenses were supposed to be small. However, I have to admit that it seems like only Olympus, Fujifilm, and Sony have been sticking to that philosophy. The tradeoff here is a lens that delivers a look unlike anything else on the market. The Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN is a lens that really chooses to do things differently. It can be used with a click or de-click, has an f1.2 aperture while providing autofocus, adds weather sealing, and is meant to last. With a price tag that will accordingly leave a lasting hole in your wallet, I pondered whether the Sigma 35mm f1.2 Art DG DN is worth purchasing. For the duration of my review, I had a lot of second thoughts. But in this case, I don’t think that it’s Sigma’s fault.

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Cheap Photo: Save $600 on the Nikon Z7, Save on Lighting and More

camera deals

These trade-in camera deals from Nikon and Olympus won’t be around for long so make the most of them and save some mega money.

Nows the time to trade in that old camera of yours and can get something shiny and new. You can get a $600 instant rebate on the Nikon Z7 with a free FTZ adapter, which brings the price of it down to just $2,796.95, and you’ll get up to $200 extra in trade value. The Olympus OM-D E M1 MK II has come down in price to only $1,499, and you can also score an additional $300 in trade-in bonuses too! The Fujifilm X-H1 with grip is still just $999, and the Sony A7 II with kit lens and accessories is only $998. There are fantastic deals on lights like the Flashpoint eVOLV 200 with an accessory kit which you can nab for $329.95, and you can save $387 on a full Elinchrom to-go lighting kit too. Don’t miss out on 14,500 Photoshop actions for just $39 and over 2,500 overlays for only $29 either. Come on in to see all of the camera deals and a whole ton more. Continue reading…

Is Arousal Okay in Fine Art Nude Photography? (NSFW)

The photography world tends to split nude photography into two categories- erotica and fine art. Can arousal exist within them both?

In our sensitive times, I feel like arousal has become somewhat of a misconstrued feeling. It’s understandable as to why. Decades of the objectification and over-sexualization of women has led to a cultural revolution. Women – and men – demand a change, and rightly so. But as a consequence of the wrongdoing of men, I feel the honest ones are hesitant to explore and discuss the feeling of arousal. For the most part, this is because they worry people will judge or label them as perverted. Photography is a great playing field to explore this.

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Philipp Apler Reveals the Abstract Charm of Dunes in Monochrome

All photos by Philipp Apler. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Nature never runs out of stuff to amaze us, so we tend to turn to its wonders to fuel our creativity. Dunes and their surrounding landscapes, for example, often provide photographers with inspiration for abstract and conceptual approaches to landscape photography. We’ve featured a good number of works that show this, but if you’re looking for more examples to draw some ideas from, we’re glad to add one more to the list. This time, we put the spotlight on Berlin-based graphic designer Philipp Apler who draws our attention to the abstract beauty of dunes in dramatic black and white.

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This Modified Camera Is a Cool DIY Project for Film Photographers

We recently asked Mark Gotthelf to share his journey in building and shooting with his super cool, DIY medium format camera.

Some of you may already be aware that we regularly prowl Reddit communities, on the lookout for cool film photography stuff. A great example is this homemade camera we recently spotted on r/AnalogCommunity. Curious about the work that went into this project, we got in touch with its maker, Mark Gotthelf, and asked him to tell us about his DIY process.

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Talking About Cameras and Your GAS in Person Is Pedantic and Boring

Gear talk online is fun sometimes but even that gets boring; what’s worse is listening to talk about it in person.

“So it doesn’t bring you joy?” is what Marie Kando would say to me if she were listening to me express my feelings on talking about camera gear in person. The situation typically happens when I’m out and about on a photo walk either testing gear or for the personal joy of it. A person will come up to me to start a discussion that will be about my camera. Then the person will find a way to spew their feelings and some sort of negativity about gear. If this isn’t the case, it will be a conversation that’s not new, or interesting. More often than not, it will be the same conversation happening over and over again. I think this is the problem with the current photography community–conversation centered on the gear you’ve got and nothing about photography as an art form. If anything, those conversations are null.

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Why Haven’t the Megapixel Wars Ended, and Why Do We Care So Much?

The Megapixel wars are alive and well courtesy of camera manufacturers’ marketing departments.

Cameras have been coming out thick and fast over the last few years. Whenever a new body hits the market, it never fails that the standout feature camera manufacturers like to highlight is the Megapixel count of the new sensor. Sony’s A7R IV has a groundbreaking 61 Megapixel sensor. The Canon 90D and M6 Mk II have a 32 Megapixel sensor: the largest ever made for APS-C. As we’ve all heard, a new high-end camera from Canon may well feature an 80+ Megapixel sensor when it hits the streets. But why are we focusing on only that? The one thing all of the announcements have in common is that they center around the Megapixel count. Why do we care so much about this metric, when it’s honestly not that important. Continue reading…

Mette Lampcov Documents How Climate Change Is Destroying California

In her eye-opening, long-term project, Los Angeles-based Mette Lampcov calls our attention to the reality that climate change is a multi-faceted problem that we can no longer afford to ignore.

With wildfires now burning hotter and longer, we can no longer deny or ignore the reality of climate change and its impending aftermath. This is the crux of Los Angeles-based Mette Lampcov’s documentary work in California, one of the hotspots of deadly fires in the United States. Titled Water to Dust, it chronicles how climate change is a two-pronged problem in the state, and aims to open our eyes to the dramatic impact that threatens to spread across the globe.

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9 50mm Prime Lenses with Performance That’s Bigger Than Their Prices

The performance of these 50mm prime lenses is higher than their low price tags would suggest.

From the very start of many journeys in our lives, we’re told, ” you get what you pay for.” Yes, this does ring true with some things: there is no denying that. But it doesn’t apply to absolutely everything. These 50mm prime lenses are (excuse the pun) a prime example of this. The budget (under $400) 50mm prime lenses we have listed in this roundup punch well above their weight. Honestly, they are good enough to not only be used by first-time prime buyers, but also by those who have been around the shutter a few times. Check out our favorite budget 50mm prime lenses after the break. Continue reading…

Check Out the Impressive Winning Photos of the 2019 APA Awards

Get inspired by the winners of this year’s APA Awards, led by Best of Show winner Rebecca Moseman.

If you’re in need of some outstanding photography to inspire your own, we bring some of the best you’ll see this year from the American Photographic Artists. The leading national organization recently announced the deserving winners of this year’s APA National Awards, chosen by some of the most talented industry experts. The APA National Awards is an annual competition open to photographers from around the world of all levels, and is just one of the contests and exhibits held by the organization. This year, the APA Awards Committee gathered agency producers, art buyers, curators, and creative directors, consultants, photography directors, and other industry experts to judge the competition. They picked a total of 42 winners in 14 categories, with Rebecca Moseman bagging Best of Show. Her winning image (above) will grace the cover of the Awards book set to be printed by A&I Fine Art + Photography this fall.

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Dillon Marsh Imagines Expressive Faces on Rural Abandoned Houses

All photos by Dillon Marsh. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Like many creatives, photographers are often trained to spot details that can serve as elements of interest in their photos. These often include textures, shapes, and patterns, but it’s also not unheard of to see faces in random places. We have pareidolia, the psychological phenomenon of seeing faces in nature or everyday objects, to thank for making it easier to indulge in this creative exercise. Today’s featured work by Cape Town-based fine art photographer Dillon Marsh is a great application of this phenomenon. So if you’re looking for a fun photography project to boost your creativity, this series could give you some ideas.

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How to Spot a Fake Photographer and Their Smoke and Mirrors

Smoke and mirrors is the concept of misleading people to believing something untrue; lots of photographers use it.

This post isn’t just dedicated to the many photographers on YouTube or Instagram who are trying to become influencers or gain fame: it’s for generally everyone. It has a lot to do with photographers and the type of games they often play. Misleading audiences and telling lies about how an image was created, or how something was done is positively wrong. If anything, you’re simply teaching folks what not to do–and that’s to not be like you. When the truth comes out, everyone is going to remember the lies you told if you’re held to them. It’s a much better idea to burn out your own toxicity and play the long game.

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Photography Cheat Sheet: Camera Resolution x Print Size Chart

Ever wonder how big you can print your digital photos? This infographic will serve as your handy cheat sheet for your next printing project.

We’ve long been advocating printing your precious photos instead of letting them marinate in your hard drives or stay forgotten on your social media accounts. One of the first steps to this is finding out how big you can print your photos. This will give you an idea which spaces in your home or office can house your prints. Today’s featured photography cheat sheet will help you determine the maximum print size for your photo based on the resolution of your camera.

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Review: Wacom Intuos Pro Creative Pen Tablet – Small

Wacom Intuos Pro Small

The Wacom Intuos Pro Small is a powerful tool perfect for creators and photo editors with limited space. 

Wacom has been synonymous with producing tablets for media creators for a long time now, and there is no doubt that their tablets can make editing photographs much easier in post-production. The company introduced their new Pro line of tablets in 2017, but only recently released the new Wacom Intuos Pro Small model. This tablet offers the main features found in the larger models but in a fun-sized, lower-priced package. After the break, we will share our experience with the tablet and let you know if this small package can deliver significant results. Continue reading…

Bang for Your Buck: 7 Cheap Mirrorless Cameras for First Time Buyers

These feature-packed yet affordable Mirrorless cameras are perfect for the first time buyer, hobbyist, or those who need a solid second body.

Buying your first camera can be a daunting experience. The camera market is filled with a whole host of option these days. Honestly, it can be a real pain figuring out what Mirrorless cameras are worth taking a look at; that’s where this roundup comes into play. If you’re looking for your first camera, or need a second body to compliment your existing setup, check out these seven feature-packed Mirrorless cameras that are under $1,000 each. Continue reading…

Sekonic Still Exists, and They’ve Got New Firmware for a Light Meter

Sekonic C-800-u light meter

It’s not every day you see new firmware for a light meter.

Well, file this piece of news under something you don’t see every day. Sekonic just announced that they have been hard at work bringing improvements to a light meter in their line up. The Sekonic Spectromaster C-800-U light meter will have some new features added to it, which will make it even more useful to those who own it. You rarely think about a light meter as a device that can receive a firmware update, but oh what a time we live in. The Digital Age is great for new firmware versions alone. Light meters aren’t exactly cheap (in fact, this one is $1,599) so one would hope that support is there after the sale, but that’s not always the case. It’s great to see companies like Sekonic continuing to improve the performance of their items after the purchase has been made final.

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Street Photographer Beaten and Bloodied at Notting Hill Carnival

In the UK, August Bank Holiday is a vibrant sign-off to the British summer. However, it would become a dark day for this street photographer.

On Monday 26th August, Swansea based street photographer, Math Roberts, was shooting at Nottinghill Carnival. It was the final day of one of the world’s most talked about public events. At around 10:30 pm on Moscow Road, while talking a photo of a couple embracing each other, Math found himself in a violent altercation.

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