Master Image Culling: How to Use Photo Mechanic
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Master Image Culling: How to Use Photo Mechanic

If you regularly take hundreds (or even thousands of photos), you know all too well the frustration of sifting through the images. But what if we told you there was a way to make this task more manageable with a tool called Photo Mechanic? You may be reluctant to add another photo application to your…

What are the Best Nikon Lenses for Portraits?
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What are the Best Nikon Lenses for Portraits?

Who doesn’t love a classic portrait? When you want to snap the ideal shot, you definitely need the right portrait lenses for your camera. For those of you shooting on Nikons, finding the best Nikon lens for portraits could feel like a challenge, but there are plenty of choices to land you that dream portrait….

What is a Contact Sheet and How Do You Make One?
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What is a Contact Sheet and How Do You Make One?

Making a contact sheet isn’t complicated, but whether you’re going through Windows or using options like Contact Sheet II through Adobe Photoshop, creating contact sheets does require a few steps. Here’s your step-by-step guide to how to make contact sheets. Photo by rpavich licensed under CC BY 2.0  How To Make A Contact Sheet Here’s…

Medium Format vs Full Frame Cameras: What are the Differences?
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Medium Format vs Full Frame Cameras: What are the Differences?

  If you’re not very familiar with photography terms and concepts, the question of what’s better in medium format vs full frame might sound utterly foreign for you. Fortunately, with a bit of background information, it’s easy to compare the two structures. In this article, we’ll walk you through the similarities and differences between medium…

Best Lens for Landscape Photography – A Buyer’s Guide for Beginners
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Best Lens for Landscape Photography – A Buyer’s Guide for Beginners

Almost every photographer I know, even those specializing in portraits or action photography, has a soft spot for landscapes.  There’s just something about nature and sunsets and vistas that captures our imagination and prompts creativity.  Even if you just dabble in landscape images, you’ll want a lens to help translate that vision before you into…

How Do I Find the Shutter Count On My Canon Camera?
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How Do I Find the Shutter Count On My Canon Camera?

What is a shutter count, and why is it important?  The shutter count is the number of photos you have taken. While most parts of your device probably won’t damage, the shutter undergoes frequent deterioration throughout its lifetime. Whatever your Canon model, a DSLR can withstand approximately 30,000 to 300,000 shutter actuations before needing a…

How to Apply Sun Rays in Photoshop
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How to Apply Sun Rays in Photoshop

The sun’s rays are one of the most beautiful details about an early morning stroll or a beautiful sunset. Yet despite their beauty, light rays are often challenging to capture with a camera alone, which is why many photographers resort to adding in rays with Photoshop during their editing process.  Creating rays in Adobe Photoshop…

11 Types of Lenses Explained!
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11 Types of Lenses Explained!

Ever get confused when it comes to the many types of lenses? Let’s make it simple! Even if you’ve been in the photography world for years, you may not be experienced with many types of camera lenses. The truth is, many lenses are expensive, so we often choose a type of photography and then pick…

How to Make a Panorama in Photoshop
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How to Make a Panorama in Photoshop

Panoramic photos are a cool way to showcase seamless images of more expansive physical spaces. Traditional panoramic views are typically of landscapes and cityscapes, but you don’t have to limit your photos to just those.  Most photographers create these wider images by stitching together several photos horizontally or vertically from different angles using Adobe Photoshop…

How to Open Raw Files the Easy Way
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How to Open Raw Files the Easy Way

Since the early 2000s, the raw file format has produced some of the highest quality images possible. Digital cameras typically produce images in the JPEG or raw format. Many programs recognize JPEG, but to view raw files is a different story. A raw image is large and stores more information. Different camera brands produce varying…

Best Wildlife Camera for Photographers
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Best Wildlife Camera for Photographers

Wildlife photography is already a challenging discipline. It requires a durable camera that can withstand frequent travel and harsh weather conditions. It also has to be able to deal with rapid movement, make use of inadequate lighting, and capture detail. Even if you know what to look for in a wildlife photography camera, there are…

Nikon 24-120 mm f/4 lens review: Love it or Leave it?
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Nikon 24-120 mm f/4 lens review: Love it or Leave it?

Full-frame glorified kit lens or budget-friendly professional choice?  I weigh in on whether to love or leave the Nikon 24 120mm f/4G ED VR. When I upgraded to a full frame camera, I had the option for purchasing the Nikon 24 120mm f/4G ED at a deep discount if I bundled the Nikon 24 120mm…

The Big Debate: Sony vs Canon
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The Big Debate: Sony vs Canon

Whether you’re just starting your photography career or are a seasoned photographer, having the perfect camera is an absolute must. However, with so much debate between the top two brands, it can be hard to pick between Sony or Canon.  Each camera has its selling points, and it is a very close race between these…

Nikon vs Sony: Which Wins Out?
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Nikon vs Sony: Which Wins Out?

When it comes to cameras, many people experience stress and confusion when trying to decide which camera brand to purchase. Two of the most popular camera brands are Nikon and Sony.  Today, we’re going to look at Nikon against Sony to decide which camera would be better for your needs. We’ll discuss the strengths and…

How to Clean a Camera Sensor (Without Breaking Anything)!
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How to Clean a Camera Sensor (Without Breaking Anything)!

It happens to every photographer. You notice some blurry spots on an image you’re processing in post-production at some point or another. They can only mean one thing: dreaded sensor dust. Sensor dust is an issue that ranges from a minor annoyance to seriously problematic. The bad news is that no matter how careful you…

How to Check the Shutter Count on a Nikon Camera
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How to Check the Shutter Count on a Nikon Camera

How to Check the Shutter Count on a Nikon Camera There may come a time when you need information about your Nikon camera’s shutter actuations. When that time comes, you may be surprised to learn that locating this information is not a simple matter of looking in the Nikon camera menu. The camera menu houses…