Alex Cooke
fstoppers.com
United States
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Past articles by Alex:
How Good Is This Ridiculously Cheap 35mm f/1.4 Lens?
A 35mm lens with a wide maximum aperture is one of the most useful and versatile options a photographer can have in their bag, but such lenses can often be quite expensive, sometimes running north of $2,000. At $129, you probably do not expect much out of the dirt-cheap Pergear 35mm f/1.4 lens, but you might be surprised at the results it can produce. This excellent video → Read More
A Review of the New Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 Lens
Tamron has established themselves as one of the most innovative lens manufacturers in the photo industry, creating a library of lenses that use smart compromises to offer competitive performance and image quality and performance at prices far more affordable than those of most first-party options. The new 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VC VXD G2 continues that tradition, making it a → Read More
A Review of the Incredibly Versatile Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Lens
The Samyang AF 35-150mm f/2-2.8 offers a hugely versatile range of focal lengths in tandem with particularly wide maximum apertures, all at an impressively affordable price, making it attractive for wedding, events, sports, and portrait photographers. How does it perform in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at the sort of performance and image quality you can → Read More
A First Look at the New Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7R WR Lens
Fujifilm recently announced a range of exciting new equipment, including the GF 55mm f/1.7R WR, which offers medium format shooters a remarkably wide maximum aperture paired with a versatile and relatively neutral focal length, making it attractive for a range of applications from portraiture to events. How does it perform in real-world usage? This great first look video takes → Read More
How Do You Get Out of Landscape Photography Ruts?
Landscape photography can take a tremendous commitment of time and effort, and even then, you are not guaranteed to come home with the shot you had hoped for. And so, when that happens, it can be easy to become discouraged and eventually find yourself in a creative rut. What can you do when that happens? This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape → Read More
A Review of the Tiny Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM Lens
The Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM is a truly small lens, which makes it a fantastic option for any creative who want an affordable lens suitable for multi-hour walks or long trips. Can it pack decent image quality and performance into that tiny footprint? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from it in real-world usage. Coming to you from Christopher → Read More
3 Common Posing Mistakes and How to Fix Them
The nice thing about topics like camera settings and lighting is that they are easily quantifiable, which makes learning them easier in some cases. Posing can be a bit trickier and is often one of the last things portrait photographers really master. If you are growing as a portrait photographer and want some useful advice to add to your bag of tools, check out this helpful → Read More
5 Common Printing Mistakes Photographers Make
As much as we view photos on screens nowadays, there really is no replacement for seeing and holding a physical representation of your work. However, printing your photos is a rather delicate process, and mistakes that cause ruined prints can be rather costly. To ensure you get things right the first time, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced → Read More
Hard Truths About Photography in 2023
Photography is a very popular business to get into, but a very difficult one in which to make a stable, successful living. Why is that? What does it take to be a successful professional? This insightful video essay features a seasoned pro discussing what it takes to find success in 2023. Coming to you from Scott Choucino of Tin House Studio, this important video essay → Read More
A Review of the Incredible Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S Lens
The Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S lens offers the promise of being the ultimate portrait lens for Z mount shooters by offering a combination of an extremely wide maximum aperture, top-level image quality, and smooth and buttery bokeh. Can it actually provide those in practice? This excellent video review takes a look at what you can expect from the lens in real-world usage. → Read More
Thoughts on Awakening Creativity
Being stuck in a creative rut can be one of the most frustrating things a photographer can experience, and paradoxically, trying to force your way through it can often only make it worse. This fantastic video essay features a photographer sharing his experience with a creative lull, what worked, what did not, and the most important lessons he took away from the experience. → Read More
How to Use This Powerful Lightroom Feature
Recent versions of Lightroom come with an improved and far more powerful masking panel that allows you to make precise and powerful adjustments with ease. While the purpose of some of these masks is clear, the intersection function is a bit trickier to use. It is well worth learning, though, as it will add even more power to your editing tools. This helpful video tutorial will → Read More
An Important Reminder That The Camera You Have Is Enough
We are absolutely inundated with gear news and discussion every single day from all corners of the internet, and while gear can certainly be a lot of fun, it is important to remember that it is the means, not the end. This important video will show you that you can create fantastic images even with a camera that is 15 years old. Coming to you from Jason Friend Photography, → Read More
A Review of the New Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 Macro G OSS II Lens
A 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is the option of choice for countless photographers, as it can handle a huge variety of situations and needs and produce quality images with a high degree of reliability. That being said, such lenses are often quite expensive, easily topping $2,000. If you do not need that wide aperture, a 70-200mm f/4 can be an excellent alternative. The new Sony FE → Read More
A Look at the Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO Lens
Macro lenses with short telephoto focal lengths are fantastically useful, capable of offering a glimpse into an amazing world all around us and pulling double duty as razor-sharp portrait options. The Venus Optics Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2X Ultra Macro APO offers a particularly high magnification ratio even by macro standards, and this awesome video takes a look at what you can → Read More
Everything You Need to Know About Apple's Exciting Announcements
Apple made a range of exciting announcements, including the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2, as well as the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. Photographers and filmmakers should be particularly excited about the new iPhones, which bring with them some impressive new features sure to please creatives. Here's a nice rundown of everything announced today. This → Read More
Fujifilm Has Had Its Eyes on Full Frame the Whole Time
With its innovative APS-C and medium format cameras, many have long wondered why Fujifilm has steadfastly refused to enter the full frame market. It turns out they have had their eyes on the full frame market the whole time. For a long time, the professional market has mostly been populated by APS-C and full frame bodies, flanked on either side by micro four thirds and medium → Read More
Canon Patents More Interesting Lenses
Canon has produced some mightily innovative and unusual RF mount lenses in the last few years, and it seems they have no intention of stopping. New patents show the company is dreaming up more lenses with extreme designs. → Read More
Are Super-Wide-Aperture Lenses Worth It?
Lenses with wide maximum apertures are extremely popular both for working in conditions with low light and for creating images with very narrow depth of field. In recent years, we have seen an explosion of lenses that push well past traditional thresholds like f/1.4 and into extreme apertures like f/1.0 or even f/0.95 and f/0.85. Are these insanely wide lenses worth it? This → Read More
How to Improve Your Photography
We all want to be better photographers, but the journey to that destination is often anything but straightforward. If you find yourself feeling a bit stuck and unsure of how to move forward, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced photographer sharing some insightful and actionable advice that is sure to put you on the right track. Coming to you from → Read More