Has Photography Sold Its Soul?
Is it just me, or has there been a seismic shift in how people consume landscape photography—and even how they approach it?
Is it just me, or has there been a seismic shift in how people consume landscape photography—and even how they approach it?
Some good-looking gear released lately is a welcome change from the soulless and ghoulish-looking models that have haunted the camera industry since the dawn of digital photography. This cute flash is designed for those who want to have fun.
Welcome to the March 2025 Critique the Community Contest! For this month's contest we want to see your best images taken with an older camera you've owned.
Photography is often seen as an active profession—booking clients, traveling to locations, and spending hours editing images. But what if your past work could continue making money long after the shoot? That’s where licensing comes in.
Photo books provide a curated, immersive experience that allows viewers to engage with photographs at a slower and more deliberate pace. So what happens when one challenges your perspective on your own photography?
The new Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z lens is designed specifically for Canon's mirrorless EOS R cameras, promising improved optics and advanced video features. Here's a look at just how special it is.
Creating an HDR image isn't just about capturing a wider range of light—it's about achieving control over detail and exposure that your camera can't manage in one shot. Whether you're working in challenging lighting situations, like interiors with bright windows or landscapes with intense contrasts, HDR blending can significantly improve your final images.
After making headlines for producing one of the slimmest full frame mirrorless autofocus lenses last year, Viltrox has made a bold move by making it available for the Fujifilm X-mount as well to fill a market gap. Introducing the Viltrox 28mm f/4.5 Fujifilm X-Mount, also known as a “chip” lens, resembling a potato chip—a reference to how thin the lens is. This Chinese lens maker even carries on the humor by featuring a bag of chips in the lens announcement poster, which was published on their Chinese social media.
Choosing the right photography specialization is more complex than picking something enjoyable or familiar. Getting it right can be the difference between making money and losing enthusiasm quickly.
Capturing compelling seascapes involves more than pointing your camera at pretty waves and waiting for good light. Getting powerful images at the coast comes down to timing, perspective, and understanding how the water interacts with your camera settings.
Rolling shutter is one of those camera specs everyone mentions but few fully understand. Knowing exactly how rolling shutter impacts your shooting can significantly improve the quality of your footage.
According to a report from Semafor and other media outlets, Patrick Witty, who has worked for National Geographic, The New York Times and Time, amongst others, has been tapped for the job of Chief Photographer, though Witty hasn't replied to queries confirming the role.
Viltrox’s AF 25mm f/1.7 Air lens was only just released on February 28, 2025, and after using a pre-release copy for my APS-C camera, I’ve come away impressed by how much performance it delivers at a $176 / €189 / £165 price point.
It takes a combination of courage, self-confidence, and a relaxed, easygoing nature to feel comfortable approaching and photographing strangers. For some of us, this comes more naturally than for others, but is this a skill that we can develop with a view to becoming better street photographers?
Color can transform your images from flat captures into vibrant, eye-catching scenes. Knowing how to use simple yet precise Lightroom adjustments to enhance color and detail can significantly elevate the impact of your photos.
Capturing that soft, golden light of spring can instantly elevate your photos—but knowing exactly how to bring it out during editing is crucial.
I recently read an article that highlights three different types of hobbies you need to live an enriching life. Photography is surely one of the most popular hobbies today, practiced as it is by a huge number of people around the world. So how does photography enrich your life?
Capturing accurate color in real estate photography isn't as straightforward as tweaking white balance sliders. Colors often trick your eyes, impacting your photos more than you realize.
Removing unwanted objects from your photos is now easier than ever thanks to Lightroom's new AI-powered removal tool. Knowing how to properly use this tool can quickly elevate your editing skills and save you significant time during post-processing.
You've probably wondered whether investing in a specialized lens for astrophotography will significantly boost your results. According to this veteran, however, there's something else far more important that beginners should focus on first.
People may be scrambling to find the automated AI holy grail of one-touch, realistic, high-end skin retouching, but you can have my dodge and burn technique when you pry it from my cold, dead Wacom tablet.
Back button focus was once the default choice for photographers shooting fast-moving subjects, but advanced subject detection technology has some questioning its relevance today. Is it still useful?
Adjusting colors in your images can transform a good photo into one that's genuinely striking. Mastering the art of color grading allows you to personalize your photos, making them stand out with intentional style.
The right 35mm lens can elevate your photography by blending wide angle versatility with striking depth-of-field control. Here's a look at Nikon's best.
As a professional photographer and newsprint journalist, I’m constantly searching for gear that enhances my work—and that includes more than just cameras and lenses. Sunglasses play a surprisingly important role in my day-to-day shooting, and I’ve found the Adidas SP0101 to be an excellent choice for active photographers. I have always loved the Adidas brand, especially the shoes, so I was very much on board with trying these out.
Using v-flats creatively can significantly expand your lighting options during portrait shoots. Knowing how to position and manipulate these simple tools helps you shape light in ways standard modifiers often can’t.
Photoshop just got a powerful update, particularly useful if you regularly work deeply with colors. The revamped Hue/Saturation adjustment now provides a significantly smoother way to isolate and adjust colors directly within your images.
The Sony World Photography Awards has unveiled the 10 category winners and shortlisted photographers for its 2025 Open competition, celebrating the most striking single images captured in 2024. Recognizing the power of a single photograph to tell a compelling story, the competition attracted an astounding 419,000 submissions from over 200 countries and territories.
After four years, Canon released the EOS R5 Mark II. The second iteration of the successful EOS R5 has received many upgrades. Is it enough for existing EOS R5 owners to make the jump to this newer model? Being such a photographer, I had a look.
Landscape photography is often about knowing what not to do as much as knowing what works. Avoiding common pitfalls can help you produce stronger, clearer images right from the start.
Accurate color control can transform average photos into striking images. Lightroom’s color adjustment tools helps you emphasize specific elements, making your pictures more vibrant without compromising realism.
Telephoto lenses aren't always the first thing you think of when photographing landscapes, but they're crucial if you want to simplify scenes and highlight what's truly compelling. Landscapes aren’t just wide, sweeping vistas—they’re also about selecting elements that tell a clearer story.
I recently wrote a review of the new OM-3 camera and said I would write more about its technical aspects. Here is a deeper dive into what it can do because there is so much more to it than its sleek body.
Fine art photography isn't just about capturing images; it’s equally about how you shape those images afterward. This type of editing transforms your work from ordinary captures into striking, artistic visuals that truly stand out.
Canon's EOS R1 stirred up debate upon release, partly because it felt like a modest upgrade over the R3 rather than a revolutionary flagship. If precision, speed, and handling can make or break your work, this is the review for you.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my own journey in photography, questioning why progress sometimes feels stagnant. After speaking to a few industry experts, I have come to realize that there’s an awkward stage every creative reaches. A plateau where inspiration seems to dry up, and even slight growth feels like an impossible uphill battle. The more I think about it, the more I realize that this plateau isn’t just about skill or talent but about two fundamental limitations involving effort and money. Both demand deeper commitment, and without that, breaking through the stagnation feels impossible.
Editing landscapes in Lightroom involves multiple techniques, but understanding how to combine these steps effectively is where the real improvement happens. Seeing a complete edit, start to finish, helps clarify how these individual tools actually work together.
Developing a photographic style is often treated as a critical milestone, but it's worth questioning whether having a defined style actually benefits your photography. Photographers frequently chase consistency, yet sometimes variety or unpredictability might be exactly what's needed to keep your creativity fresh.
Improving your photography often involves mastering composition by limiting yourself to a single or narrow range of focal lengths. Committing to a consistent focal length encourages you to engage more actively with your subject and surroundings, transforming how you see potential photographs.
What do you do when your heart wants a Sony RX10 IV, but your stock portfolio just took a beating since the start of the year? You turn to superzooms of yesteryear, and that's where I've come up with this interesting specimen from 2006: the Panasonic Lumix FZ50.
Lightroom’s Object Selection Mask dramatically simplifies complex edits, saving you from hours spent meticulously brushing or correcting adjustments. For anyone editing landscapes, particularly those with intricate details or multiple layers, this tool can make your workflow more precise and efficient.
Cropping, straightening, and transforming images might seem basic, but mastering these techniques can significantly boost the quality of your photographs. These adjustments are crucial because they ensure your compositions look deliberate, professional, and visually appealing.
When it comes to affordable prime lenses, Meike has been steadily refining its offerings. The new Meike 55mm f/1.8 Pro is the latest in their lineup, and it aims to challenge not only budget-friendly competitors like the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 but even premium, older options like the Zeiss 55mm f/1.8. With an attractive price tag, competent autofocus capabilities, and image quality not often found in lenses at this price point, does it live up to the "Pro" designation?
Getting better with your drone involves more than basic flying skills—small details matter. Adjusting settings, planning for safety, and preparing for the unexpected can significantly improve your results.
KEKS has announced their new M-Meter, a modernized version of the old analog Leica M-Meters, and I can’t help but think of that line from the Bob Fosse biopic All That Jazz: “Everything old is new again.”
Learning how to use masking in Lightroom Classic unlocks precise editing possibilities, allowing you to enhance specific parts of your images independently. It’s a practical skill that transforms your workflow and improves photo quality.
Most modern lenses provide astounding image quality. The image is sharp from corner to corner, and any chromatic aberration is kept to a minimum. Flares are suppressed by smartly designed coatings. But you probably don’t need such high-quality lenses for your photography.
Aperture isn't just about controlling how much light enters your camera; it’s a powerful creative tool that directly shapes how your images look. Getting comfortable using aperture correctly lets you decide exactly what stands out sharply and what's gently blurred.
Early mornings test your photography skills, pushing you to think fast and frame carefully when conditions shift unexpectedly.
Improving your landscape photography often involves a combination of strategy and persistence. Simply owning quality equipment isn't enough—success also depends heavily on how you approach a location and manage your gear.
Vivo’s new V50 smartphone is making a point: great photography doesn’t have to come from expensive camera gear.