Last month, Instagram went global with hiding like counts. For some of us, it was a welcome change and refreshment of the app. But for others, especially influencers, this was a disaster. But there’s a solution. If you prefer seeing everyone’s like counts, The Return of the Likes comes to the rescue. This browser extension lets you see how many likes there are on other people’s posts, just the way it was before....
We all get that feeling sometimes when we look at our work and we feel we have been creating the same kind of images for too long without experimenting. It is good to create a portfolio of work which showcases your skill in one style, but we as artists still need to experiment to grow and to keep ourselves from going insane. A good way of being inspired to experiment is to look through your body of work, find an area you haven’t really dabbled in then put on your experimenting hat and get stuck in....
Have you ever seen instant aerial photos? I know I haven’t. This is why I was fascinated when I saw a project by aerial cinematographer Trent Siggard. He mounted an instant camera onto a drone and brought the world of instant photography and aerial photography together. In the article below, you can see how he did it and check out the awesome photos he took with this unusual build....
To celebrate Chinese National Day, Viltrox has announced a limited edition series of 23mm, 33mm, and 56mm f/1.4 lenses. It’s the trio they already have in the offer, only they come in red – and photographers don’t seem thrilled about how they look. Viltrox announced the launch of lenses on its social media pages, noting that only 500 pieces will be available worldwide. They only come in XF mount, so they’re only made for Fuji shooters....
It’s been a while since we had any news from VSCO. But now it’s back, and it wants to be your go-to app for mobile editing, inspiration, and connecting to other photographers. The company is relaunching and wants to “return to its roots.” Its aim is to support various creatives, hoping to attract the more serious ones as well. What’s new? VSCO Spaces A new feature of the app called VSCO Spaces has been rolled out to all of the app’s members....
You may not have heard of Thomas Mangelsen, but he is one of the most respected icons in the world of wildlife photography. With an illustrious career that spans forty years, he’s responsible for some of the most popular wildlife photos that include the Catch of the Day, an image you’ve most likely seen of a bear catching a fish jumping out of a raging stream. Last weekend, we got a better glimpse of his life on the award-winning show 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper....
Drone light shows have become all the rage over the last couple of years across the world, but probably no more so than in China, where most of the world’s drones are developed and built. Drone shows have almost become the new fireworks displays in China, with every team attempting to outdo not only each other but their own previous displays. Inevitably, though, something was going to go wrong one day, and it seems that it has....
If you were the world’s most famous portrait photographer, what camera would you take on a job? If you’re Annie Leibovitz the answer is probably all. Annie shot a “roadtrip” commercial for Lincoln Continental featuring quite a few celebs “going on a roadtrip”. Most of the movie is filled with Nikon and Hasselblads (I have no idea how many, but a lot of them), at about 1:50 you can see Annie shooting with a Sony A7-something (I think it’s the A7RII) and a Sony 24-70 F/4 lens....
A few weeks ago, the folks in North and South America, Europe and western Africa were able to see the blood moon lunar eclipse. While the social networks were swarmed with photos, not all of us were able to see the eclipse. You know, clouds and all. So, we decided to make our own moon photos. We asked our friends to take “moon selfies,” and it turned out to be not just amusing, but utterly hilarious!...
Have you ever tried turning your room into a camera obscura? It’s a simple and super-fun project that lets the view of the outside world project onto your wall. But due to camera obscura’s nature, there’s a catch: the image will be upside down. Enter BonfotonUP, a weird and pretty awesome device that hacks camera obscura. By sticking it onto your window, the image rotates and appears on your wall as it does outside....
COVID-19 pandemic has left many creatives without work, forcing thousands of them into bankruptcy. And it’s not only business owners that were hit in the process, but also their clients and customers. This recently happened to a UK-based photography business, affecting all of its clients. Around eight hundred, to be more specific. The photography business declared bankruptcy on 27 July this year, leaving hundreds of couples hanging for their wedding shoot, their money, or their photos....
After finding the perfect wedding videographer, Paula Fries and Katie Brown soon learned that they weren’t the perfect clients – because they are a same-sex couple. The husband and wife team of videographers refused to work with them in order to “stay true to their beliefs.” Fries and Brown spoke about it in the media, and also shared the email they got from the videographers. Fries told CBS19 that Gardenia from Charlottesville, Virginia at first seemed like the perfect match for their wedding....
If you are a commercial photographer, it’s not surprising if you find yourself juggling a good half-dozen tasks. Spreadsheets may keep you organized to a certain degree, but Excel can’t send automated emails to your contacts, invoice clients, or remind you of meetings with vendors. If you are starting to feel overwhelmed, it may be time to consider using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool. A CRM is an application that allows you to manage all the interactions you have with leads, customers, and vendors so you can run your photography business more effectively....
When I was a kid, I dreamed of having that “magical camera that makes photos immediately.” Of course, I’m talking about an instant camera. Nowadays, it seems they are being resurrected. You can buy all kinds of these, or even make them yourself. Photographer and vlogger Josh Katz shares his thoughts on why every photographer should experiment with instant cameras. Even if you otherwise shoot digital, you can learn something new and apply the knowledge to your digital photography....
Recently there has been a spate of very sad, and ultimately defeatist articles decrying the “death of photography”. We have no shortage of examples. Seriously. In all their pain and detailed examples of how the art and business of photography have been “ruined” (their words), I can find little to no examples of the basic, most important reason that photographers are falling behind. And that is; Photographers are wildly devotedly, happily, and ecstatically in LOVE with the processes of photography....
The truth is never easy to swallow. Take for example to answer for the oh-so-popular question, what camera should I buy? Most will suffix this questions with something like “I heard that the new Canon 5dmk4 is awesome” or “I am considering starting with the Sony A7III” to add some background. This is a weird thing to ask, considering that gear does not make your photography better. Sure, some gear makes some types of photography possible, but it rarely makes it better....
I recently read an eye-opening book: “So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love” — in which the author argues against the “passion” hypothesis (the idea that you should follow your passion). The author argues that following your passion often leads to failure. For a long time, I have been a proponent of the “passion” hypothesis. I do believe that by following what you love, you will find your purpose in life, which will help you do personally fulfilling work....
Gender stereotypes exist in all fields of our society, and jobs are no exception. Even Google Image Search separates men and women in different job groups. Photographer Chris Crisman created a project that blurs the traditional line between “men’s” and “women’s” jobs. In a project “Women’s Work”, he created environmental portraits of women in their workplace – and they all work at the positions traditionally held by men. The results are stunning, powerful portraits of equally stunning and powerful women....
Colour management can be such a pain. You’ve got cameras and printers to profile, monitors to calibrate, all in an effort to reproduce accurate colour. To make sure that your camera sees colour the same way you do. And ensure that what ends up on paper is exactly what you see on your monitor. X-Rite are making that a little easier today, though, announcing the new X-Rite i1Studio. It’s essentially two products....
Yongnuo has announced the new Yongnuo YN 16mm f/1.8S DA DSM lens. This autofocus lens is available in both Nikon Z and Sony E mounts. The lens popped up on the Yongnuo website to absolutely no fanfare whatsoever, but it’s also available to pre-order in the USA for $288. It has a very minimal layout with just a single ring for focus, an AF/MF switch, a custom function button and a USB-C socket....
