Flash Sale: Save up to 75% on Complete LR, PS, Capture One Guides

photography software guides

These are the lowest prices we’ve ever seen for these photography software guides. Hurry though because the sale ends on July 18th!

Lightroom, Photoshop, and Capture One 12 are immense programs that can do so much, and honestly, they can be a little overwhelming at times. While we all know the basics of the software, I’m sure we would all love to know how to get the most out of our chosen software. Photography software guides are often expensive, but right now you can get the very best guides on the planet from Creative Live for up to 75% off. The Complete Adobe Lightroom CC guide is just $49 (Reg $199). The Complete Photoshop CC guide is only $49 (reg $199), and the Complete Capture One 12 Guide is only $59 (reg $99). The sale ends on July 18th, so hurry and snap up these deals and become editing masters on the cheap. We have more details after the break. Continue reading…

The Sony 35mm F1.8 FE Has Generous Amounts of Weather Sealing

You won’t have to worry about your Sony 35mm f1.8 FE out in the wind, rain, or snow.

We recently reviewed the new Sony 35mm f1.8 FE, and we quickly fell in love with this lens thanks to its fantastic image quality, gorgeous color reproduction, and excellent overall performance. This lens is also weather-sealed, which is a nice feature seeing as this lens will retail for under $1,000. A recently revealed schematic shows just how much weather sealing this lens has, and we have to say we’re impressed. Join us after the break for all the details. Continue reading…

Lomography Unveils New LomoChrome Metropolis Film on Kickstarter

Lomography dubbed their latest release, the LomoChrome Metropolis XR 100-400, the first new color negative film in over five years.

Film photographers looking for more quirky emulsions to try will be delighted to learn about the latest Lomography release: the LomoChrome Metropolis XR 100-400. The newest member of the experimental film line, according to Lomography, is the first new color negative film in over five years and comes after tons of requests for their popular LomoChrome films. As with many of the company’s past releases, this new film is currently being funded on Kickstarter.

Continue reading…

Fantasy Meets the Mundane in Georg Aamodt’s Cosplay Series

All cosplay images by Georg Aamodt. Used with permission.

“When I’m photographing people, I tend to let them be aware of their own emotions,” says Georg Aamodt as he describes how he connects with his subjects. A versatile photographer, Georg regularly shoots fashion, editorial, and portraiture. But it was one of his personal projects we found ourselves drawn to. COSPLAY: Ideality of Reality experiments with the realms of fantasy and the everyday world. Suspending the otherwise mundane, he captures his larger than life subjects in a way that tells an intriguing story. From his own admission, the work wasn’t only a showcase of his creative capabilities, but also a journey of his own exploration.

Continue reading…

Opinion: We Really Need to Stop Saying ‘Gear Doesn’t Matter’

Cameras and lenses may just be tools, but the belief that gear doesn’t matter is ludicrous.

As photographers, we’ve likely said, or have heard someone telling a new photographer, or perhaps even an experienced photographer, that ‘gear doesn’t matter.’ Those four little words that are so quickly spoken can be some of the worst advice you or any other photographer can give or receive because ultimately gear does matter in photography, just like the type of equipment for many different activities matters. Continue reading…

Tobias Friedrich Reveals the Surreal Creatures of the Deep in “Blackwater”

All photos by Tobias Friedrich. Used with Creative Commons permission.

We often hear that we’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to exploring the depths of our oceans. That statement can easily make anyone with a wild imagination and penchant for fantasy imagine just what kind of creatures lurk in the darkest depths of our oceans. Fortunately for us, there are bright and brave minds like German underwater photographer Tobias Friedrich, who work hard to show us some of what we can find down there.

Continue reading…

Gallery: Sony a7r IV Extra Image Samples (Portraiture)

We used the Sony a7r IV on our own portrait shoot and got some pretty impressive results.

We’re currently at a press event with the new Sony a7r IV, working with the camera and putting it through its paces. Sony has told us that the image quality is final. With a 61MP full-frame sensor at heart, we’re amazed at what it’s capable of doing. While other journalists were hanging out, we took it into the streets of NYC with a model, the Profoto B10, and a few lenses to find out what it’s capable of doing. With a claim of 15 stops of dynamic range and a lot more autofocus points, you’re not going to believe what we’re finding to be the most significant fault.

Continue reading…

Around $500: 7 Primes for Sony E Mount That Overperform

sony e mount

These Sony E Mount lenses perform miracles and prove that you don’t have go bankrupt to own one.

There are many photographers who scoff at the idea of purchasing cheap lenses. These photographers also look down upon anyone who uses anything but glass that can cost thousands of dollars. They believe that in order to create mind-blowing images you must spend beyond your means to get truly fantastic glass, but that is so far from the truth. The Sony E Mount system has been blessed with many first and third-party lenses capable of producing razor sharp images with gorgeous colors for around $500. After the break, we will take a look at seven Sony E Mount prime lenses that perform well above their weight. Continue reading…

This Adobe Lightroom Shelter Pets Campaign Is Super Adorable

Sheltered pets deserve glamour snaps too, so we tip our hats off to Adobe for taking the initiative to do this super adorable campaign!

We spot a lot of cool photography projects during our usual rounds on Behance. But once in a while, we come across projects that just makes us go “awww!” We recently came across the Picture Me Rescued campaign Adobe Lightroom did in collaboration with talented photographers and set designers for this year’s National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day last April 30th. Los Angeles-based Julia Galdo shared some of the snaps they took, and we’re sure you’ll love the fun and energy in this project!

Continue reading…

First Impressions: Sony a7R IV (The 61MP Full Frame Beast)

The Sony a7R IV packs a brand new sensor that resolves a whopping 61 Megapixels.

Sony announced the brand new Sony a7R IV today in New York City and we got to spend some quick hands-on time with it during the press launch event. Slated to be released in September, the A7RIV features a new 61MP sensor, the largest currently available in a Full Frame Interchangeable Lens Camera, and Sony claims to have improved the weather sealing as well. They’re targeting it very much to the professional market, evident in the $3,500 price tag. Beyond this, the new Sony a7R IV has 567 autofocus points that cover 99.7% of the image area vertically and 74% horizontally.

Continue reading…

The Sony a7r IV Has a 61MP Full Frame Sensor (And There’s More)

The new Sony a7r IV is probably going to make you drool. 

Sony Electronics President and COO Mike Fasulo presented some of the company’s latest products for the Digital Imaging Division. Amongst those products is the new Sony a7r IV that includes features like a new 61MP full-frame sensor at heart. It has a whole lot of great features for professional photographers. At $3,500 it’s going to include things like upgraded weather sealing, wireless tethering capabilities, a ton of autofocus points, and much more.

CHECK OUT OUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS!

Continue reading…

The American Photographic Artists Calls for Support for the CASE Act

The American Photographic Artists (APA) encourages photographers to add their voice to the CASE Act advocacy for an alternative to filing expensive copyright claims.

Photographers are frequent victims of copyright infringement cases, but we are also no strangers to the fact that pursuing legal action can get complicated and expensive. The American Photographic Artists (APA) seeks to help address this with our support for the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2019, better known as the CASE Act. The aim is of this bill is to create a copyright small claims board within the US Copyright Office.

Continue reading…

Mini Photo Printers: Why Photographers Should Consider Having One

If you’ve never thought about getting one of those mini photo printers, now would be a good time to consider adding it to your creative tools.

It may seem easy to dismiss them as fads or trendy gadgets, but mini photo printers have been getting pretty popular in recent years. There are now a lot of options out there, among the latest being Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay Camera and Smartphone Printer and Kodak SMILE Instant Digital Printer. It also seems that major smartphone and camera brands are jumping on the bandwagon: popping out their own versions. Pocket-sized, stylish, and playful, they seem to be targeted toward the Instax-smitten youth and mobile photographers. But should you bother getting one as well? There are a handful of reasons why it could well be worth it.

Continue reading…

ILFORD Shares How Their Prized Black and White Films are Made

If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite 35mm and 120 ILFORD black and white films are made, the company shares it all in their recent short film.

It’s always fascinating to learn about how our favorite things and everyday tools are made. For some photographers that includes their go-to film stocks. Black and white film photographers are definitely in for a treat, as ILFORD recently shared an official peek inside the HARMAN technology factory in Mobberley, England, where the ILFORD and Kentmere product lines are made.

Continue reading…

Review: Smartframe (A More Secure Way to Share Your Images)

Smartframe

The goal of Smartframe is to make your digital images more secure on the Web, but does it work?

Digital images have really revolutionized how we share our work. Today we are able to snap a picture, edit it, and post it online within just a few short minutes. Before you know it your work is in front of millions of eyes around the globe. As amazing as this is, it doesn’t come without its problems and the biggest problem is image theft. The moment your image is online it can take just seconds for someone to right click and save your pictures to their computer. They can also screenshot the image if you have right click disabled on your blog or website. This has been a problem for as long as I can remember. Enter Smartframe. Continue reading…

Concert Photography: These Cameras and Lenses are Real Rockstars

If you want to try your hands at concert photography, just know that these cameras and lenses will help you score incredible images.

As we head deeper into summer, more and more concerts come to our cities, and that means that more and more photographers try their hands at concert photography. This exciting, yet challenging genre of photography requires fast lenses so that you can shoot in low light, and it requires cameras that can handle high ISOs easily.  There are plenty of cameras and lenses on the market that are suitable for concert photography, but this roundup will focus on our favorite cameras and lenses that will help you capture all of the on-stage antics. Continue reading…

Aperture Lesson: Shooting Portraits Wide Open vs. Stopped Down

Here’s a quick portrait photography tutorial that demonstrates how different aperture settings affect your shots. 

Remember all those manual photography cheat sheets that we’ve been sharing recently? Here’s how you can apply what you’ve learned about aperture when shooting portraits. In a quick video tutorial by Sony Artisan Miguel Quiles for Adorama, we see the results of shooting with the aperture wide open and stepped down, and when to pick one over the other.

Continue reading…

Weighing in on Photographer Jason Lanier’s Sexual Assault Allegations

“When you get pregnant – not by me – when your life that you were doing with my company ends, and you become bitter, stop taking it out on me” – Jason Lanier, 50:40)

Former Sony Artisan Jason Lanier (who was dismissed for undisclosed reasons) is now facing multiple accusations of sexual misconduct from several models who have previously worked with him. To engage in this discussion, we need to break a few things down first; one is the importance of power dynamics at play in a situation like a photographer/model relationship. One woman’s video speaks to character assassination on multiple, professional levels – a fear so many of us deal with when faced with these situations.

Continue reading…

More Wedding Photos Get Ruined by a Selfish Smartphone Photographer

How many times do we have to say ‘don’t take wedding photos if you’re not the photographer?’

Look we get it, you have a camera in your pocket all the time thanks to smartphones, and we understand that your desire to take pictures of every single moment of your life can be hard overcome, but it’s time to learn some restraint. Yet another wedding photographer has taken to the web to discuss just how damaging it can be for you, the guest, to take out your cell phone to snap pics of the bride and groom. Join us after the break to see how a selfish act ruined this couple’s wedding photos. Continue reading…

How Using Unsplash Got This Photographer Into Legal Trouble

We’ve been warning photographers about losing rights to their work when they upload photos on Unsplash. Now, a photographer and business owner tell us about the legal issue he could be facing after using one such photo from the platform. 

If you’ve been considering posting stuff on Unsplash to get traction for your work, we’ve been very vocal about what you stand to lose. This time, we want to share what it’s like when you’re on the other side of the fence, and the legal problem you could find yourself grappling with when you source a photo from Unsplash for use on your blog or website. Simon Palmer, a photographer, cameraman, and business owner, recently shared with us an unsavory experience that unfolded after using a photo from Unsplash for a blog. His marketing team has been instructed to use only copyright-cleared images for this purpose, so they thought it wouldn’t be an issue. However, sometime later, they were contacted by international copyright enforcer Copytrack with a copyright infringement notice, requesting a license fee. He double-checked the image on their blog and was sure they downloaded the photo from Unsplash and credited the photographer as was indicated on the site.

Continue reading…

Doll Photographer Sharon Marie Wright Brings Her Subjects to Life

All images by Sharon Marie Wright. Used with permission. “They either think I’m crazy or are fascinated and we end up chatting,” explains Sharon Marie Wright as we discuss the response people have to her art. “I’m okay with either scenario: you have to be if you are in public playing with dolls, right?” Doll photography may be quite a niche, but for Sharon, it has become her bread and butter. Through her powerful and creative photography, she has managed to bring her dolls to life. She makes them part of a story, gives them a narrative, and allows the viewer to be fully immersed in the fantasy. Her series, Zombies + Dolls = Your Worst Nightmare, is a surreal take on blood and gore. She has taken a child’s plaything and turned it into a monster – and we love it! Continue reading…