If you thought this saga was over after my last post, the plot just twisted one last time!

Quick recap: After days of endless "bank issues" over a £50 newborn shoot, the client finally transferred the money. I sent over the gallery link, and literally 15 minutes later, he messaged back saying the photos weren't good and that a few of them looked "weird."

Shortly after complaining about the photos, he sent a text demanding a £40 refund (so basically asking for a 35-image (+5 Free) session for £10). I held my boundary, told him the gallery remains active for 14 days, wished him and his family the best and healthy life (lol i got that from someone on my last post) i achieved the chat but he kept of calling me so i went on to check the chat and he had said "i have many people who want to book for a shoot but i can only send then contact details once we resolve this issue", I didn't reply just blocked his WhatsApp. But then yesterday morning, I got a text message on my regular phone number from a "new client" asking for a family shoot ASAP like Tuesday evening —and when I checked the contact details the client gave me, the phone number linked straight back to his WhatsApp profile picture! He literally tried to use a different phone number to trick me into booking another shoot i honestly dont even know what he was trying to do. When I kept my boundary firm and replied stating I was fully booked, he immediately texted back: "Pay you double"!

I didn't engage with the offer at all ive learned a lot. Both numbers are now blocked, and this project is officially, permanently closed.

Thanks again to everyone on here for helping me navigate this crazy experience. Onwards and upwards to better clients, strict deposits, and higher prices!

I've been thinking about how much of a photograph is reality and how much is the photographer's interpretation.

Exposure, contrast, color grading, cropping, black and white conversion — all of these can completely change how a scene feels without changing what was actually in front of the camera.

But where do we draw the line?

Is a heavily edited landscape still an honest photograph if it captures the emotion the photographer experienced? Or should a photograph preserve the scene as faithfully as possible?

I'd be interested to hear how other photographers approach this, especially when editing becomes part of their creative process.

Hi everyone! I volunteer at a cat shelter, and we’re trying to boost our social media presence. I’m an amateur photographer with a keen interest; I have a Canon EOS Rebel T7 with an EF 18-55mm lens, and I’d really appreciate any tips on shooting in small spaces. I usually decorate the cat cages and then try to take the photos. I need to use artificial lighting, and the space has a yellowish tint throughout.

I’ve attached some Christmas photos to better show the space we have.

Any suggestions?

Thanks! =]

I cannot smile/pose/look normal in photos for the life of me. I’m a female in my twenties and average looking, but all the photos I pose for are awful. I have nice candid photos of me, but any that are staged are horrific, literally from since I was around 5. I look so so awkward, I’ve tried all manner of facial expressions but I always look awful. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for me to be able to get a normal photo. I don’t need it to even be good, I just want to look normal. Sorry if this is the wrong place for this, I’m genuinely a bit desperate after looking back at all my photos from last night. Please help 😭

I'm looking for a new lens for my Nikon D80 to shoot indoor sports.

Right now I have a Sigma 18-200 3.5/6.3 and I've noticed it's not light sensitive enough to shoot indoors. I have been looking for some different lenses but I can't decide on the focal length...

My options right now are a 17-50mm, a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm, all with an aperture of 2.8.

It will depend on the sport on how close I can get to the players (HEMA, boxing, handball and such).
I'll probably buy the 70-200mm either way for the reenactment season in the summer, but for now I'm just looking for something to shoot indoors.

I am a Nikon user who is upgrading from my d7500 to a z6ii with about a $4100 budget. I shoot mainly birds, with sports and event photography on the side, so I am going to buy a new 200-600 or similar lens to replace my current distance lens (100-400).

On one hand, I like the idea of being able to use a new Nikon body with my own lenses, especially a 1.8 that I use for portraits and events for paid gigs. Are the canon R6 Mark II or Sony a6700 worth the switch of brand? Should I consider a different option?

I’m new to photography and looking to buy my first camera with a budget of about $800. Based on my research, I’d like to get a used mirrorless camera paired with an all-in-one zoom lens—either new or used—as long as the full setup fits within budget. I’m especially interested in buying through MPB, Amazon, or KEH, but I’m open to other reputable sites if you’d recommend them. Any advice on camera/lens combinations, what condition grade to choose, and what to avoid would be greatly appreciated.

hi, i have an old Minolta Srt-202 here and it works completely fine, with exception to the shutter curtain at lower speeds. As seen in the two photos above, when I press the exposure release button on any speed 8 and below (8,4,2 & 1) it’ll hold the shutter open for the appropriate amount of time, and on the way back to close the shutter, it gets stuck at that same point every time. To reset and fix it i have to turn the film advance lever and put everything back into place, allowing the left side curtain to cover the film. Im worried that shooting on the lower speeds that cause this jam is going to ruin photos when i use the camera. Does anyone know whats going on here and what I can possibly do to remedy this. Any help is very greatly appreciated, thank you

I picked up a used RF70-200 lens from ebay for a price I am satisfied with. I have a 30 day return and received it today. I ran it through its paces and everything seems to be functioning properly. My only issue is what you can see in the image, appear to be dust inside the lens. It doesnt appear to effect the image quality, bit what about over time?

Is this a non-issue or should I return it and keep hunting? I got it for about $1000 less than retail on a new one.

I will add my 24-105 L lens i bought brand new in the 1st comment for comparison.

I’m finally making my way back behind the camera, and I’m excited to rediscover photography. I have experience from before my break, but the industry has changed so much that I’m not even sure where to start catching up.

I love airy, creamy portraits, beautiful natural light, and editing that felt warm and dreamy. I also want to get back into learning the technical side instead of relying entirely on presets.

Who are the photographers, educators, or YouTube creators you’d recommend following in 2026? Especially anyone who shares detailed tutorials or breaks down their shooting and editing process.

I’d love to hear who has genuinely helped you grow as a photographer!

Hello! I know variations of this Q have been asked so many times in this community, but I can't quite seem to find a recommendation for my particular situation

I'm a soon to be parent and would love to capture photos of moments with the new kiddo. I am not a great photographer at all, and realistically won't make use of any features other then: the little window you look through to see the photo you're taking, zooming in, turning flash on/off, and maybe looking at the picture after to see if it took correctly (optional). I don't currently take very much pictures at all. I certainly can't see myself editing anything afterwards, etc.

I know everyone recommends using your phone, but I rarely carry mine (pretty typical that I go 48 hrs + without knowing or caring where it is). I'm much more comfortable with the idea of being tethered to a simple camera than my phone so I'm hoping this camera is something I'm more willing to keep close / take with me when I leave the house.

I've considered the camp snap cameras but those almost seem a little too gimmicky/low quality? The photos seem to have a strange artificial look to them.

TLDR is there a good alternative for an iphone camera for someone who does not carry their iphone around and really really doesn't want to have to start?

Budget is not an issue.

Thank you so much in advance!

ETA: (1) Budget, country, and currency: Flexible, US, USD

(2) What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs?: Nothing

(3) What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot? Kiddo/Family

(4) Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both? Photography

Hello beautiful photographers! I have been using a Nikon D3400 since 2017, so nearly 10 years. It still works just fine, but as I am moving into the professional world I definitely want a camera with more clarity, depth, and overall is just better. What are your recommendations?? I mainly photograph theatre, families, headshots, interior design, and wildlife.

On that same note, would you suggest different kinds of cameras for these different photography styles, or simply changing the lens/settings depending on the shoot? I’m looking for any recommendations or advice, thanks!

1) Budget = $1,000, USA, and USD:
2) Currently using a Nikon D3400; just seeking a more sophisticated, professional, non-entry level camera.
(3) Shooting headshots, theatre (musicals & plays), families/lifestyle/special events, wildlife
(4) Primarily photography

I was editing a photo of the sky above ice today and noticed some vertical lines in the image (see image). I was able to isolate them to see them better, but I have no idea what they are. Is this some kind of sensor artifact? Is it subtly in the background of all my images? I'm using a 7+ year old Canon Rebel T6i. Thanks for any help!

Hello guys,

I'm a complete beginner, at the moment learning about the technical side of things between buying anything. I searched a lot about what to buy as my first camera with my budget in my country. I'm gonna buy used, if that matters.

At the moment, I'm torn between the Canon Rebel i5 and the Nikon D7000. Both are in my range with the canon being a bit cheaper. They seems fairly close in the technical side, nearly as old too and fairly, I'm lost. Do you have any advices to give me ? I'm also open to other suggestion but the Nikon is already at my price limit.

Thanks !

:

(1) Budget, country, and currency: : around 250$ in France

(2) What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs? : nothing

(3) What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot? : landscape, animals

(4) Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both? : photography

I own Sony A7V and Nikon Z50II. I wanna start birding for fun, nothing too serious.

I tried renting 200-600mm for sony and it's spectacularly sharp lens, but man, it's so heavy I immediately realized it will heavily discourage me from carrying it around on walks.

So, I am looking for something more compact for either of those two cameras.

Some lenses that immediately come to mind are Nikkor 50-250mm or Tamron 50-400mm for E mount. But I am not sure what would be best choice here. I really don't want to carry lens that will weight much more than a kilogram or cost more than around 2000$.

Any suggestions?

Hey everyone,

I'm building my first mirrorless setup for a photo/video business, roughly 50% photography and 50% videography. My work will mainly involve headshots, couples, families, events, and occasional weddings. I personally enjoy wildlife, landscapes, and travel photography.

I've been shooting Canon since 2010 and recently used the Sony A7 IV and A7 V at events. Both performed well, especially the A7 V. I was pretty much set on buying it until I saw the Nikon Z8 for $3,300, just $400 more.

I also handled the Z8 in-store recently and genuinely loved its ergonomics and build quality.

Here's my dilemma:

• Z8: 45.7MP fully stacked sensor, 8K RAW video, 20fps RAW burst, Pre-Release Capture (JPEG only), excellent ergonomics, but heavier with shorter battery life.
• A7 V: 33MP partially stacked sensor, excellent AF, 4K60, 30fps RAW burst, up to 1-second RAW pre-capture, lighter body, better battery life, mechanical shutter, and a wider third-party lens selection.

I'm starting fresh with no mirrorless lenses. My plan is to buy a good 35mm prime, rent zooms for weddings, and eventually add a telephoto for wildlife. I'll primarily deliver videos in 4K and outsource most of the editing.

A few questions:

1. Is the Z8 still worth buying in 2026, especially for 50/50 photo and video? Is its 8K RAW capability a meaningful advantage if I mainly deliver in 4K, or would the A7 V be more than enough?
2. How do their autofocus, stabilization, rolling shutter, and low-light performance compare in real-world use, particularly for video?
3. How significant is the difference between the Z8's JPEG-only Pre-Release Capture and the A7 V's RAW pre-capture for wildlife and action photography?
4. Z8 owners: have you experienced any issues with LED lighting, Godox flash, or HSS because of the electronic-only shutter?
5. Is the Z8 worth the extra $400 considering its weight, battery life, and long-term lens investment?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who've used both professionally. I'm looking for a system I can stick with for years, so real-world experience matters more to me than spec sheets.

Thanks!

I have a Canon R10 and two MicroSDs that I regularily use. The cards are basically the same, both 128GB, UHS-I, V30. And in the past I've used both with no problem at all. But for some reason one of them suddenly stopped saving correctly. The camera can save the pics, but it takes extremely long. When I switch the camera off, it won't actually turn off, it stays on for minutes to save the pictures. The SD works fine on my PC and I already tried formatting it, but the problem still remains.

Does anyone recognize this behaviour? Is there a fix or is the card fried?

I really want to learn and master these lighting dukes but I have no idea where to start. How is the subject so perfectly exposed and the background isn’t overly bright from the flash or continuous light? Also the skin twitching is incredible. How was this photo achieved?

My brother is getting married next Friday and they hired a photographer, but opted not to hire a videographer because of the price. My plan as the best man and general fillmer for all our family trips was to have someone record the ceremony and later I would film clips of the guests, the evening, etc. I have a Galaxy s24 ultra, so the video will be recorded on that and quality won't be an issue since I will record in UHD at 60 FPS.

I have a basic selfie stick that I've used on trips overseas to Japan and Ireland, but I wanted to some suggestions if there's something better to purchase and use, I was thinking maybe something a little nicer than my generic Bluetooth selfie stick and potentially a mic I could attach for little candid videos I could do of guests and small clips throughout the evening. I can spend up to $400 and was going to order online so it arrives by next week.

Any suggestions? I was thinking Prime for quick delivery but really wasn't sure what to look for exactly.

What are your suggestions on the best photo editing programs and apps for someone who’s taken photos for a long time but, wants to start editing and publishing them to share with others.

Looking for books that have techniques in relation to -for example;unique lighting, composition, image weight -that relate to fine art photography. I want to learn more niche stuff to produce better artful photos.