Our 3 Favorite f2.8 Zoom Lenses for Professional Photographers

One of these is bound to be your favorite f2.8 zoom lens after you try them!

The venerable f2.8 zoom lens is one of the darlings of many photographers out there. It’s a staple for portrait photographers, photojournalists, wedding photographers, and more. It’s also a fantastic lens for passionate photographers who do this as a hobby. They prove to be some of the most useful lenses in almost any situation you can name. Better yet, they’ve become more affordable for what they offer of the years. We dove into our Reviews Index and found some of the best f2.8 zoom lenses you can get. You’ll love these!

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Photographers Need More Practical Camera Bags for Women

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The design of many women’s products makes functionality feel like an afterthought. The front pocket of the jeans that I’m wearing won’t even fit half of my hand. (Forget about actually putting anything useful in them, like a phone or keys.) Men’s razors often have more blades for less money. Similarly, the vast majority of camera bags for women puts atheistic over function. I’m bombarded by Facebook ads for purse-like camera bags that place the weight of heavy gear on dainty straps. That’s fine for compact, lightweight gear, but what about a girl with a full-frame camera and an f2.8 zoom? There’s nothing dainty about carrying heavy lenses on a small slice of one shoulder. Women need a practical camera bag that carries lots of gear too. 

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Photographers: Stop Caring What Others Think, Love Your Work

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify! You can also listen to it right here on The Phoblographer.

Photographers can be sensitive souls. It seems being emotionally tender is par for the course when you’re a creative. Why that is, I’ll leave for science to explain. But as someone who has struggled to let go of the validation of others, I can share my journey. And I can share how I let go of allowing the opinion of others to determine my photographic self-worth.

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Bad Photo Tip: How to Get More Wedding Photography Clients

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Every photographer has issues with getting more clients. But it’s especially hard with wedding photography. Wedding photography clients can be some of the toughest to pick up. The statistics read all weird too. For years, folks have been spending less on weddings. Sometimes they also spend less on photographers, while others spend more because the photographs are important to them. Wedding photography clients can also be tough to work with: so too can their parents. But today, we’re presenting a foolproof way to get more wedding photography clients.

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5 Photographers Proving How Awesome the Apple iPhone Truly is!

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The Apple iPhone camera has greatly evolved since it first came into existence. Back in 2007, its far from attractive 2 Megapixel camera had no other purpose than to make snapshots of day-to-day life. Fast forward to the present day, and the cameras packed into the iPhone are nothing short of breathtaking. So much so, many photographers use it for far more than photos of their salad. The skilled photographer is able to maximize the iPhone camera’s potential. Don’t believe us? Well, in this piece, we’re going to prove it!

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6 Photographers Show the World Their Superb Creative Photography

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We love all types of photography here at The Phoblographer. However, we must admit that some of what we see is a bit boring. That’s not to say it’s bad photography, but many photographers do the same thing without pushing their creative boundaries. The good news is, we’re not going to subject you to any of that. We’re going to share a round-up of photographers who think outside the box – a collection of works that shows their artistic flair and creative photography.

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JP Stones Magnificent Photos Offer a Vital Education to Photographers

All images by JP Stones. Used with permission.

“I started looking for answers to the deeper questions in photography,” explains JP Stones. He adds, “questions I had never really had time to accommodate.” He certainly put the global lockdown to good use. Not content with remaining creatively stationary, Stones has instead developed a deeper relationship with his craft. What’s more impressive is how he communicates his thoughts on photography. For anyone looking to develop their skills in the art form, keep reading. Stones offers one of the most insightful and educational interviews we’ve published.

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Female on Film: The Best Women Film Photographers (NSFW)

Let’s take a look at some of the best women film photographers we’ve featured over the years.

If you’re a long time reader of The Phoblographer, you’ll know about our soft spot for film photography. Although we love the world of digital, there’s something about creating an image on analog that excites us! Thankfully, even in the modern era, there are plenty of women picking up a film camera. The best women film photographers have surely made it to our site.

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How Portrait Photographer Paul Howard Makes Magic In-Camera

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My name is Paul Howard. I’m a portrait and headshot photographer in Red Deer, Alberta, in Canada. Like many, I find I’m happiest behind the camera. I revel in images of people, particularly faces. The when and where is any time, any place. My “how” is pretty basic, at least I think it is: find or make the light I’m looking for and capture it. The why is a little more difficult to explain.

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Andrei Mihalache Drops Valuable Knowledge For The Budding Photographer

All images by Andrei Mihalache. Used with permission.

“I think it’s the best way I have of expressing myself, and it’s also one of the things that I feel most comfortable doing,” says Andrei Mihalache when asked why he chose photography. He adds, “taking photos helps me disconnect from daily life with all its ups and downs.” Mihalache sent us a very thoughtful submission. He happily shared his personal journey, his creative process, and useful tips for the budding photographer. There’s a lot to get through in this feature. But all of it will add value to your photographic journey, as Mihalache shares the wisdom he’s obtained during a career that’s lasted over a decade.

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5 Premium 50mm Primes for Photographers Who Demand the Best

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When it comes to prime lenses, none are more celebrated than trusty nifty fifties. 50mm primes are loved by the masses thanks to their exceptional ability to comfortably shoot just about any genre you can think of. These versatile lenses are great for street photography, landscapes, portrait photography, event photography, wedding photography, documentary work, and more. The field of view from 50mm primes is also close to what most (but not all) people see with their own eyes. This is just one of the reasons why images shot with these lenses are so pleasing. However, not all 50mm primes are made equal. After the break, we’ll share five premium 50mm primes with you that will delight you image after image.

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Should This Portrait Photographer Offer Their Client a Free Reshoot?

If you’re a portrait photographer, what should you do when you when you’re unhappy with the photos you made for your client?

A portrait photographer that earns money from their work has likely encountered a client that isn’t pleased with the images they paid for. Maybe they don’t like the edits, or sometimes they’re unhappy with the final selection. A client not being happy is part and parcel of being a photographer that charges their skills. But as photographers, we tend to be our own worst critics. And if the occasion arises where we’re not pleased with images we shot for a client, what should we do about it?

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Photographer Ryan Noltemeyer Reflects on Waiting for the Right Light

All images and text by Ryan Noltemeyer. Used with permission.

My name is Ryan Noltemeyer. The people around me got me into photography. In high school, my friends and I started making dumb little movies and photo projects on the weekends and during the summer. That mixed in with my dad was always taking pictures of myself and my brother growing up kept piquing my interest in making images. After high school, my dad gave me his old Nikon FE film camera when he saw I had an interest and I went crazy. I was photographing anything and everything. I invested in an entry-level DSLR and started shooting for my university’s magazine and eventually a few local lifestyle magazines. One thing led to another and I kept chasing the photography rabbit hole. The Phoblographer’s readers would want to see my work to see that photography is not all about grand vistas and moody portraits. Photography (for me) should be a reflection of self and if I can make you feel something through my images I did a good job. I’m pitching a small group of black and white images that have resonated the most with me and the direction I am moving with photography. I strive to capture simple beautiful moments during everyday life. Capturing emotion in an image and then transferring that emotion I feel to my audience is the goal.

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TTL vs Manual Flash: What Photographers Need to Know

Many folks don’t know the difference between TTL vs manual flash, or how it will change the way they create.

Most photographers realize that flash output is still better than constant lighting. But the biggest struggle is with TTL vs. manual flash output. Most people don’t understand it. And to be honest, most experienced photographers are also frustrated with it. But in time, you learn to tell it what to do. Think about it this way. You use your camera in manual mode, right? And if you don’t, then you at least know how to do so. The strobe and flash output that you can get is similar.

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Photographer Kat Grudko Has a Secret for Better Boudoir Photography

All images by Kat Grudko. Used with permission.

“I think I have to go with a conductor of a small orchestra,” explains photographer Kat Grudko when describing her boudoir photography. “I feel like it is this big thing (in terms of how vulnerable the subject needs to be), but at the same time while I am shooting I am so zoned into every little detail of my subject that nothing else outside of that matters.” Kat is an ambassador for Profoto and is based in South Africa where she mostly shoots lifestyle work. On the side, she shoots boudoir. Ms. Grudko explains that she’s a sensitive person who believes most creatives need to tap into that part of themselves. It lets them create from a deeper and more genuine place. This, combined with the vulnerability on a boudoir shoot, are fascinating to us. So we asked Kat to dive deeper, discuss being an empath, and talk a little bit of the cosmos.

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Photographer Evan Baines Studies How to Make a “Good” Military Portrait

All images by Evan Baines. Used with permission. Be sure to follow him on Instagram and check out his website.

“I think the most consistently interesting thing about this project to me is the tension between the individual and the ‘uniform,'” explains photographer Evan Baines. Evan has been shooting military portraits for a long time now. And over the years, he’s had many challenging scenarios. One of the biggest ones is the portrayal of women in uniform. It started out with his infatuation with history, so everything used to be done in black and white. Evan said it helped emphasize medals very well. But then his creative vision and his gear evolved.

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Boudoir Photographer Yolandi Jacobsz Makes the “Moment of Sexy”

All boudoir photography by Yolandi Jacobsz. Used with permission.

To better understand the psychology between a professional and their client, we spoke to boudoir photographer Yolandi Jacobsz. Boudoir photography is an extremely delicate genre. Most of the clients who walk into a photographer’s studio are women. They may bring with them a mixture of emotions and insecurities. A boudoir shoot is an opportunity for the subject to be born into or reinforce confidence. Because it’s so vulnerable, it takes a skilled pro to help a subject truly become themselves.

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Why Prime Lenses Make You a Better Photographer

Prime lenses don’t have the convenience and versatility of zooms, but their limitations can help make you a better photographer.

Primes vs. zooms: it’s a debate almost as old as photography itself. Many photographers prefer prime lenses for their superior optics. Others like zooms because of their versatility. Whether one is better than the other is highly subjective. What sets prime lenses apart, though, is their ability to make us better photographers. Our latest original infographic explores this in detail.

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Toy Story: How This Photographer Brings His Toys to Life

This is some of the best toy photography we’ve seen.

“I confess to having an offbeat sense of humor, and that will often come out in my work,” says photographer Mitchel Wu. If you had never met Mitchel but had only seen his work, you would know immediately that he’s a funny man. And the amount of humor in his toy photography is equaled by an insane amount of skill and talent. His client list is strong enough to make the most well-rounded photographer envious. And his job as a whole, although complex, looks like a hell of a lot of fun – we had just as much fun learning all about it!

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9 Top Drawer 50mm Prime Lenses for Photographers Who Want the Best

These 50mm prime lenses are the cream of the crop.

When it comes to prime lenses, none are celebrated more than the old trusty nifty fifty. 50mm prime lenses are loved by photographers thanks to their exceptional ability to comfortably shoot most genres of photography. We have picked nine fantastic 50mm prime lenses that seriously impressed us during our time with them. There is simply no doubt in our minds that every photographer should have a 50mm prime in their collection, and if you’re the type who needs to have the best of the best, you should take a closer look at the 50mm prime lenses listed after the break.

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We Asked Photographers Why They Bring Their Cameras Everywhere

We wondered why some photographers bring their cameras with them everywhere, so we asked them.

There’s the old idea that photographers should bring their cameras everywhere with them. But of course, not every photographer does that. For the ones that do, we wondered exactly why. For years, I always thought it was just photojournalists who did this. But it’s a lot more than them. We asked a few photographers to tell us why they bring their cameras with them. In some cases, they feel like it’s part of them being their best selves. But it’s also a part of their identity.

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