If you want the highest quality final photo for any purpose, you need to be familiar with your post-processing software’s output settings. For many photographers, this means using Lightroom’s “Export” dialog to get the best results. But not all of these settings are completely intuitive, and you certainly don’t want...
Post Archive By Spencer Cox - Page 8
Landscape Photography Case Study
A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to film a tutorial on photographing the Milky Way - but as you may have seen, that didn't quite work out. Our video series took a further hiatus when I lost my voice the following week, but we're back again! Since I still sound...
Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S Review
The Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S was one of the most hotly anticipated Nikon Z lenses, especially given that it is the first ultra-wide for the new mirrorless system. So far, every Z lens has received near-universal praise for its image quality. However, photographers’ initial impressions of the ($1300) Nikon...
A Failed Landscape Photography Expedition
To be brutally honest - some plans are doomed to erupt in flames the moment they meet reality. That isn’t a surprise; the only twisted part is that we almost always know what’s about to happen, yet keep chugging along anyway. I found myself in that position last week while...
PL Chronicles: Nasim and Spencer
Now that we've started posting frequently on our YouTube channel, one overdue video is simply an introduction: who we are (Nasim Mansurov and Spencer Cox), and how we came to be running Photography Life. If you've ever wanted to know how we got started and who's behind the articles you...
Your Favorite Piece of Camera Equipment
Imagine a cascading waterfall, or a sand dune in a storm. A bird hopping in the air; a person stepping into a crosswalk and out of the shade. For photographers, in moments like this, the best camera equipment is invisible. It doesn’t slow you down or require troubleshooting. After a...
Understanding Camera Lenses: A Beginner’s Guide
Lenses. They’re arguably the most important piece of equipment a photographer can buy - even more important than the camera itself. But what makes lenses so useful? Why are some camera lenses so much better than others? The answer goes beyond simple things like sharpness and image quality. Instead, lenses...
Mastering Wide Angle Lenses
The first lens a lot of landscape photographers want to buy is a wide-angle. Intuitively, it makes some sense that the most useful lens at an amazing scene is the one that captures as much of the scene as possible. But that mindset only works so well in practice. So,...
Hyperfocal Distance Explained
Hyperfocal distance can be a confusing topic, both for beginning and expert photographers. However, if you want to take the sharpest possible images, particularly landscape photographs, it is simply invaluable. In this article, I will explain hyperfocal distance and give several methods to get the sharpest possible photographs with maximum...
Hard or Soft Graduated ND Filters? It Depends on Your Lens
One common question I see from photographers about lens filters is whether to get a hard or soft graduated neutral density filter. Which one is better? You’ve probably seen a lot of photographers recommend soft GNDs (if you can only choose one), since they’re more versatile when photographing uneven horizons....