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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For $95,000 You’ll Own a Rare Leica MP Titanium and Black MP-3

Looking for the next rare Leica cameras to add to your collection? This bundle we spotted easily fits the bill — and the hefty price tag that goes along with it.

Leica cameras, especially the rare, limited-edition models, are especially sought after both by rangefinder shooters and camera collectors. The two models in our latest eBay find are no exception, especially for those who have an ardent appreciation for the classic film models. If this sounds like you, here’s your chance to score a rare Leica MP Titanium and limited edition Black Paint MP-3 LHSA together. Of course, providing you have the fortune to spare for them!

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Lighting Review: Fositan FL-1×2 Rollable LED Panel

Fositan’s FL-1×2 Rollable LED Panel is an affordable yet flawed alternative to Westcott’s premium Flex series of LED Panels.

A huge variety of LED lighting has been making its way onto the market in recent years. A lot of photographers have begun utilizing LED lighting as a part of their constant lighting kit thanks to LEDs having power efficiency, increased light output, and generating little to no heat compared to legacy constant lighting options like incandescent or CFL bulbs. Westcott was arguably the first to introduce flexible LED panels to the photography market and, shortly after the Flex series of LED panels were released, a number of knockoffs began flooding the market at lower price points promising similar performance. Fositan’s FL-1×2 Rollable LED panel is one of them.

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Photography Cheat Sheet: Using Lines to Evoke Emotions

Whether you’re drawn to abstracts and patterns or simply want to use leading lines to make your compositions dynamic, this photography cheat sheet brings some ideas to try.

Experimental approaches to photography often borrow from other creative disciplines like cinema, illustration, and painting. With this in mind, we thought it would be interesting to glean from the pages of Creative Illustration by American illustrator, author, and art instructor Andrew Loomis. Today, we invite you to look at his concepts on lines to supplement what we already know about using leading lines and shapes for photography composition.

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Gear Review: X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2

X-Rite’s ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 is a reliable and valuable tool for photographers working with accurate color workflows.

Most modern digital cameras do an excellent job of reproducing the colors of the real world. However, there is arguably still some room for improvement. Most modern sensors only record red, green, and blue, and must interpolate the rest of the colors. Certain workflows, such as those implemented when photographing products or fashion for high-end commercial clients, demand accurate and consistent colors. This is where the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 comes in. The X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 works with their ColorChecker Camera Calibration software. They claim it to be a reliable tool to help photographers create accurate reference images under any lighting condition. But here’s the big question: do you really need it?

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Cheap Photo: These Low Prices May Help Ease Your Fear of Flash

Whether you’re just getting into flash photography, or you’re ready for some new gear, you need to check out these deals on strobes, monolights, and modifiers.

We at The Phoblographer are huge fans of flash photography, and we encourage everyone to give it a shot at some point. There’s no better time to get your flash photography gear: right now there are some deep discounts to be had. You can save $235 on the Rotolight AEOS Ultra-Portable Bi-Color LED Light, and you can save $349 on the Profoto D1 Air Studio Kit. The fantastic Flashpoint XPLOR 400 Pro TTL that comes with a Westcott Octabox is a steal at $649.99 Want something a little smaller? The Flashpoint Zoom Li-Ion (Godox V1) is only $259, and it’s available for all major platforms, and the Flashpoint Li-Ion Mini (Godox TT350) is just $79 for Fujifilm cameras. There are excellent deals on Glow and Westcott modifiers too. See what we found after the break. Continue reading…

Now That the Nikon Z7’s Autofocus Has Improved, You Can Get it Cheaper

The Nikon Z7 has improved with firmware updates and now it’s a pretty great camera that you can get at a discount. 

Since Nikon released the N7 they have been steadily working on improvements to the system. The autofocus has progressed well after some of the latest firmware updates. Currently, there is a Nikon Z7 trade-in event at Adorama that lets photographers save up to $600 on a purchase. And, if you decide to trade-in another product, you can get an additional $200 as a bonus too. Nikon users will appreciate the combination of small size, lightweight, solid build quality, and the autofocus abilities that the N7 offers. Couple this with an adapter for F mount glass, or use Nikon’s Z mount lenses, and you’ve got a winning system with a lot of potential. Be sure to check out our Nikon Z7 review.

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Daniel Anez Discusses His Colorful Street Photography

All street photography images by Daniel Anez. Used with permission. 

“There is value in pushing yourself creatively not just skillfully,” says Daniel Anez. He’s a street photographer who wants to think outside the box. He wants to go beyond the fundamentals and create street photography that encourages his audience to build their own narrative. Through the use of color, varied angles, and story-telling, Daniel has created an aesthetic that belongs to him. It’s his vision of the world, a world that he invites us to explore with him. Although his work suggests otherwise, Daniel is relatively new to the world of street photography. He spoke to us to share what his journey has been like so far.

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Elizaveta Porodina Makes a Mesmerizing Play of Colors in “Colourbook”

All photos by Elizaveta Porodina. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Experimenting with colors is one of the best ways to make portraits interesting. A particular color scheme — or the absence of it — can set the mood and aesthetic of a photo. We see this at work with photography trends like retro, neon, and pastels. Today, we have yet another perfect example of portrait photography made more eye-catching in the latest series of Munich-based fashion and fine art photographer Elizaveta Porodina.

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Should Sony Release an A99 III or Are DSLRs Dead to Them and Others?

A recent gaffe about a potential Sony A99 III sparked a frenzy in a website’s comment section, and it makes us wonder about the situation DSLRs find themselves in.

The debate about whether or not DSLRs are on their way out seems to be getting louder and louder with every passing day. It’s almost impossible to visit message boards without seeing someone proclaim that Mirrorless is the new king and that DSLRs are dead. However, a recent error on a post about a potentially new Sony A9 II (which was soon fixed by the website) whipped up a frenzy in the comment section there. The title read The Upcoming A99 III, instead of A9 II, and the reaction in the comment section got us thinking about the current situation regarding DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras. Let’s talk about the issue after the break. Continue reading…

8 Lights Perfect for Off-Camera Flash Use by Beginners and Pros

Whether you’re new to lighting and off-camera flash, or you’re an old hat looking for new gear, this roundup is for you.

If you’re ready to take the next steps in your photography journey by adding off-camera flash to your workflow, congratulations! We applaud you for wanting to take this on. A lot of people think mastering flash is hard, but we’re here to tell you that’s a bunch of hogwash. Off-camera flash is an easy way to add drama and extra dimension to your images. The best part is you don’t have to spend a fortune to get started with it. We have rounded up some of our favorite lights that we have reviewed over the years and have put them in one place for you. These lights are great for beginners and even for pros looking for some new gear. Continue reading…

Photography Cheat Sheet: Memorize These Night Photography Settings

There’s more to night photography than shooting star trails or Milky Way photos. This photography cheat sheet will serve as a quick guide for shooting various situations at night.

Thinking of exploring your town tonight for some interesting street stuff to photograph? Night photography comes with its own set of challenges, especially since you’re often forced to work in low light. You’ll also need to adjust your camera settings for every subject or shooting situation. That can be laborious if you’re still getting acquainted with your camera, not yet used to shooting at night. Fortunately, we have a photography cheat sheet ready to help you figure your settings out.

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Cheap Photo: Save on Lenses from Sigma, Tamron, Pentax, and Canon

If you want to save a chunk of change and build up your lens collection, you need to check out the lens deals we’ve found.

There’s some terrific, end of summer and beginning of fall sales going on right now from the likes of Sigma, Tamron, Pentax, and Canon. If you’re looking for lens deals, you’re in the right place. You can pick up the Tamron 70-200 f2.8 G2 lens for just $1,199 on both Canon EF and Nikon F  platforms right now. You can also score the Sigma 35mm f1.4 for only $699 for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts. If you’re a Pentax shooter you can get limited lenses on the cheap with the 77mm on sale at $696.95, the 31mm limited at just $896.95, and the 15mm Limited for only $446.95. There are great deals on Canon RF Mount lenses too. The RF 24-240mm with a huge accessory kit is only $989.98, the RF 24-105mm f4 is just $899, and the RF 35mm f1.8 with a free accessory kit is only $499. Come in and check out all the lens deals after the break. Continue reading…

New X-Rite i1Display Screen Calibrators Make Getting Better Colors Easy

If you plan on printing your images and want to make sure your colors are accurate, you might want to check out the new X-Rite i1Display calibration tools.

X-Rite has been helping photographers, and videographers get their colors right for many years. X-Rite ColorChecker Passports have been an essential tool for many, and now X-Rite is looking to take things further by introducing the X-Rite i1Display screen calibration tools. Join us after the break to find out more about the New Xrite i1Display tools. Continue reading…

Jenna Shouldice’s Powerful Black and White Documentary Photography (NSFW)

All documentary photography by Jenna Shouldice. Used with permission. 

“During labor, I feel like a magnet to the experience,” explains Jenna Shouldice. She’s a documentary photographer based on Vancouver Island. Her curiosity in the human experience has led her to document one of the most emotional moments a person can go through – giving birth. The process of giving birth is often misunderstood. People cringe at the thought of blood, pain, sweat, and tears. But in her series, The Labor Process, Jenna has managed to show the beautiful, gentle, binding journey people go on when moving into parenthood. This project is extremely moving. To see such a moment of vulnerability communicated in a series of powerful images is special. We spoke to Jenna to learn about how she first had the idea, and to understand how the process of putting it all together was for her.

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Photography Cheat Sheet: How to Shoot Sharper Photos

Frustrated with blurry, unfocused, or hazy-looking snaps? This photography cheat sheet has some useful tips to make sure you get sharper photos from now on. 

Among the biggest frustrations of photographers is a well-composed shot ruined by blur or lack of focus. Sometimes, you can get away with it if the blur is only minimal and hardly noticeable. Otherwise, when the shot calls for sharpness, even the slightest blur can throw off the mood or message of the photo. As with many things about photography, there are some big and small changes that you can make to ensure optimum sharpness in your photos. Today’s photography cheat sheet offers some suggestions for this purpose.

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