Fstoppers Original Articles

Sarah posted another sunset photo from her weekend getaway, carefully edited with warm filters that made the moment look even more magical than it had felt in person. Within minutes, the likes and comments began flowing: "Gorgeous!" "So jealous!" "Living your best life!" Each notification brought a small rush of validation, proof that her 847 followers were watching, appreciating, connecting with her experiences.

Photography can help improve people's mental health. It’s a mindful activity that brings moderate exercise outdoors, which can help our mood. However, with every advantage in photography, there is always a disadvantage, and the damage photography does to our brains is exacerbated by AI.

Maria noticed it first during her daughter's birthday party. She'd positioned herself discreetly across the room with her camera, hoping to capture genuine moments of joy and surprise. But something felt wrong. The children weren't behaving naturally—they kept glancing toward phones, adjusting their positions slightly when they sensed potential photo opportunities. Even the adults unconsciously angled themselves for better documentation.

As landscape photographers, we have all been there—tried to get a shot on many occasions and failed for one reason or another. The most frequent reason is that the weather didn't play by the rules we had in mind; however, sometimes it does, and when it does, it makes it all worthwhile. This is my story about persistence and sticking to my guns to get the dream shot.

Photographers make photographs, right? It’s obvious. And we all regularly share and view images, even as the technology underpinning the craft has changed. But what makes a photograph a “finished” product that we can put out into the world?

Marcus had spent three years perfecting his technical skills. His exposures were mathematically precise, his compositions followed the rule of thirds religiously, and every image emerged from his camera tack-sharp from corner to corner. His Instagram followers praised his "flawless" technique, photography forums celebrated his pixel-perfect images, and his technical knowledge could answer any camera setting question. Yet Marcus felt creatively empty.

Air travel can be filled with uncertainty, and more so with camera gear. I've traveled domestically in the United States and internationally as well, learning a few strategies along the way. I'll share some of these tips to help you fly with photography equipment a little easier.

Jennifer's heart rate spiked the moment she saw the camera. Her shoulders tensed, her smile became forced, and her natural warmth disappeared behind a mask of visible discomfort. The photographer, confused by her sudden transformation, kept shooting while Jennifer grew increasingly rigid and self-conscious. By the session's end, both parties felt frustrated—the photographer couldn't understand why such a vibrant person became wooden in front of the camera, while Jennifer felt embarrassed about her obvious discomfort and disappointed with the stiff, unnatural results.

New York City recently hosted an excellent, two‑day photo expo aimed at photographers, content creators, and filmmakers. Presented by BH Photo, the oddly named BILD Expo hosted presentations and panels featuring photographers from a variety of genres and eras as well as a packed showroom floor with vendors of every level.

Zoner Studio’s Spring 2025 update introduces a smarter, faster way to edit photos, built around a powerful new AI-driven Local Adjustments tool. Formerly known as Zoner Photo Studio X, the software has been renamed to reflect its evolution—but everything familiar is still here, just with more power under the hood.

As a professional photographer, I'm always on the lookout for tools that punch above their weight, especially when it comes to lighting. When I first got my hands on the Viltrox Vintage Z1, I'll admit, its retro aesthetic did scratch an itch for me, being an insufferable vintage aficionado. It's a remarkably lightweight unit, coming in at just 116 grams, and at a mere $50, my expectations were tempered.

Sarah thought she'd found the perfect wedding photographer. The portfolio looked stunning, the price seemed reasonable, and the photographer's enthusiasm during their initial consultation convinced her they were the right choice. She signed the contract and paid the deposit immediately, excited about the beautiful photos she'd receive.

I can already see it. Many of you are clenching your fists and saying, "Never!" Certainly, there are many cases in which it's not acceptable to use AI-generated images for your photography. First, I'm going to discuss several instances of when it might be okay to use AI-generated images for photography. Then we'll examine the not-so-great applications.

The photography industry has convinced beginners that better equipment equals better photographs. Photography forums buzz with gear recommendations that prioritize technical specifications over learning fundamentals. But this advice, however well-intentioned, is fundamentally wrong.

Destin at Smarter Every Day recently released a brutally honest video about attempting and failing to make a simple product in the USA after 4 years. Most people don't understand why it's so hard, and what's wrong with our manufacturing. Let's take a deeper look.

Every photographer today carries in their camera bag technologies that would have seemed like science fiction to previous generations. Features we consider basic—automatic exposure, instant image review, face detection—represent decades of engineering breakthroughs that fundamentally transformed how photography works. Understanding the revolutionary nature of these now-mundane features reveals both how far camera technology has advanced and how quickly we adapt to miracle becoming ordinary.

Photography is an artistic pursuit, and yet shares similarities with sports. While fundamentally an individual activity, there is a necessary social component that enhances the experience. How do these two strains interact in our photographic journey?

Photography has always been a mirror of its time, but the digital age has transformed it from a tool of documentation into a weapon of self-delusion. The camera, once used to capture reality, now serves primarily to manufacture it. What we photograph, how we photograph it, and why we photograph it reveals a society that has lost touch with authentic experience, commodified human connection, and replaced genuine accomplishment with the performance of success.

No matter how meticulously you plan a portrait session, something can still go wrong. This article tells the story of a photoshoot that didn’t go to plan, and why I continued instead of canceling.

Maria Santos learned to stop looking at faces.

The bell above the door hadn't stopped ringing for twenty minutes. It was a Saturday afternoon in March 1985, and Harrison Camera on 47th Street was packed with its usual crowd: wedding photographers arguing about lens choices, art students pawing through used equipment bins, tourists asking endless questions about film types, and the regulars who came not to buy anything but simply to belong somewhere that understood their obsession.

The DJI Mini 4 Pro is undeniably a marvel of modern drone technology. It is currently the best compact sub-250 g drone that money can buy. Packed with tons of new features such as omnidirectional obstacle sensing, true vertical shooting, and 4K video recording up to 120 fps, it is clearly designed for creators who demand both performance and portability—and for working professionals like me who prefer a smaller drone for easier flight access in most areas. It's easy to see why it's a popular choice among drone enthusiasts.

How might you take a night photo of an observatory near the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park? We take you behind the scenes to discuss photographing this image for a local magazine and some quick problem-solving. And you'll learn more about how to create photos such as this.

The chemical stains on Samuel McKinney's hands told the story of his profession before he ever opened his mouth. Fine brown flecks of silver nitrate freckled his fingertips; years of handling pyrogallic developer had yellowed his nails. His clothes reeked faintly of sulfur and ether no matter how many times his wife scrubbed them.

Real estate photography has always been about precision, speed, and aesthetic intuition. Photographers are the unsung heroes behind listings that sell fast and above the asking price. But as the housing market shifts faster than ever, the expectations for visual content have reached new heights. Enter artificial intelligence.

Always photograph with the end in mind. Make life easier for the guy in the darkroom, or the person in Lightroom—usually you.

The photography was stunning—moody, atmospheric, deeply personal. Each image told a story through dramatic lighting and unconventional composition. The photographer's Instagram followers loved it, fellow artists praised the vision, and it even won a local competition. But six months later, the photographer was struggling to book paying clients, questioning whether to continue pursuing photography professionally, and wondering why artistic recognition wasn't translating into business success.

From a frog smaller than a fingernail to a crocodile longer than a boat, here are 10 tips that I remind myself of while photographing herps.

The inquiry email was perfect. The client loved your portfolio, praised your style, and enthusiastically asked about availability for their wedding. You responded within hours with detailed information, pricing, and next steps. Then... silence. Days pass. You send a follow-up. Still nothing. Another potential client has vanished into the digital void, leaving you wondering what went wrong.

Today, we will take a look at new tools inside DaVinci Resolve Studio that help improve efficiency in the early stages of your editing workflow.

Imagine taking a photo and not seeing it for a week. Imagine every click of the shutter costing real money. Imagine gathering your family around the kitchen table to pass around actual printed photographs, holding them up to the light, flipping them over to read date stamps printed in orange numbers.

I’ve always loved wandering around with my camera, looking for interesting things to photograph. Often, I struggled to find interesting things to shoot. Often, I didn’t have the motivation to put in much effort, which was weird because I love photography. And then one day, I learned something, and everything changed. From that point on, there was no looking back, no lack of motivation, and no difficulty in finding things to photograph.

The never-ending debate between the zoom and prime lens users only seems to get more heated with every argument for and against. As a user and enjoyer of both, I figured it would be only natural for me to weigh all the pros and cons of each in a somewhat unbiased article.

What LED lights are the best tools for you to light paint subjects at night? Let's start with the most inexpensive light painting choices and work our way up.

Photography is a unique profession that combines artistic vision with business operations, but most photography education focuses almost entirely on the creative side. We learn composition, lighting, and technical skills, but rarely study the business systems that could make our creative work more sustainable and profitable.

We’ve all heard a million and one stories about happy endings. But the real success stories lie in the not-always-so-joyful beginnings along the way.

"Your package is exactly what we want, but our budget is only $1,200. Can you work with us on the price?" The email sits in your inbox, and you're tempted to accept. After all, $1,200 is close to your $1,500 rate, and you have an opening that weekend. The client seems nice, they responded quickly, and they said they love your work. What's the harm in being flexible?

Filters are tools that improve landscape photography by controlling light and enhancing details. They help balance exposure, reduce glare, and boost colors in ways cameras alone can’t. This video and article explain how to use graduated neutral density (ND) filters, polarizers, and UV filters effectively, with practical examples to show their impact.

In technology, being first doesn't guarantee success—it often guarantees failure. The photography industry is littered with brilliant innovations that arrived years or even decades before the world was ready for them. These weren't bad ideas executed poorly; they were revolutionary concepts that failed because the supporting ecosystem, consumer behavior, or complementary technologies hadn't caught up yet.

Every photography forum has the same advice: "Start with a cheap tripod and upgrade later when you know what you need." It sounds reasonable—why spend $500 on a tripod when you're not even sure you'll use it regularly? So you buy the $50 Amazon special with 4.5 stars and 10,000 reviews, thinking you've made a smart financial decision.

Let’s face it—AI is here to stay. Whether we like it or not, it’s not going anywhere. When it first emerged a few years back, I have to admit that I didn’t pay much attention to it. It felt like just another tech buzzword because of how immature it seemed. But fast forward to now: it’s evolving faster than most of us can keep up with, and it’s beginning to change the creative industry in a very real way.

You've delivered beautiful photos exactly as promised, but the client is furious. What should have been a celebration of great work becomes a nightmare of disputes, revision requests, and threats of negative reviews.

The Thunderbolt and broader USB-C hub space is crowded with options from budget to premium, offering a dizzying array of ports. ProGrade, makers of excellent high-performance storage, are diving into this space with their first hub: a Thunderbolt 4–based hub designed around their card reader ecosystem. Does this hub have what it takes to stand out from the crowd?

I am not going to lie, I have been stuck in an awful rut for almost a year. My creativity took a dramatic fall, and I had no get-up-and-go when it came to photography. Until now...

Photography didn't just evolve technologically—it fundamentally altered how humans behave, interact, and see themselves. These five moments didn't just introduce new features or platforms; they rewired our brains and created entirely new social behaviors that didn't exist before. Each represents a permanent shift in human psychology that we can never undo.

Ten years ago, I booked a one-way ticket to Australia, packed my camera, and set out with no real plan—just a gut feeling that I wanted to see the world and somehow make photography my life. I didn’t go to film school. I didn’t know what licensing was. And I definitely didn’t understand how hard it would be to build a sustainable creative career while living out of a backpack.

You're halfway through wedding family formals when Grandma starts rearranging everyone's positions because "the boys should be taller in the back." Uncle Bob pulls out his phone to show you better lighting techniques he saw on YouTube. The teenage cousin rolls their eyes and slouches every time you raise your camera. Meanwhile, your actual client—the bride who hired and is paying you—stands helplessly in her wedding dress watching her family hijack the photos she's been dreaming about for months.

You can learn how to light paint subjects in a matter of minutes. You'll learn how to do it well. And you'll learn how to do it inexpensively (if you want). Let's go!

Photography has evolved dramatically over the past 50 years, but certain cameras didn't just capture images—they fundamentally altered the entire medium. These five cameras didn't just introduce new features; they sparked revolutions that are still shaping how we create and consume photography today.

You've been charging the same rates for two years. Your costs have increased, your skills have improved, and your calendar is booked solid—yet you're making less money than ever because inflation has eroded your purchasing power while your prices stayed frozen. You know you need to raise your rates, but every time you think about it, panic sets in. What if clients leave? What if you lose the momentum you've built? What if you price yourself out of the market?