WordPress is turning 20 years old

Being a professional Graphic Designer I utilize WordPress’s powerful features and tools to create website for a living. It is definitely an amazing tool that has change the way websites are created. See the article snippet and link to full article below.

WordPress is turning 20 years old, and we can’t help but reminisce on all the years so far. Our favorite CMS has come a long way since its beginning, celebrating its 20th anniversary on May 27, 2023. A content management system (CMS) can help its users create a great website, and WordPress is the one we keep returning to. This blog post offers a brief history of WordPress and describes Yoast’s significant role in the WordPress project and community.

History of WordPress

Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little started and announced WordPress on May 27, 2003. In those days, it was a simple blogging platform built on the b2/cafelog software. Its popularity grew due to its user-friendly interface, customizability, and flexibility, letting users easily create custom themes and plugins. This made it a top choice for bloggers, freelancers, and small businesses. This was when competitors like Joomla and Drupal were doing pretty well.

See full article by Edwin Toonen on yoast.

A few links to get more info on WordPress.

Celebrating 20 Years of WordPress

WordPress: Grow your business

The post WordPress at 20: The CMS that revolutionized the web! first appeared on scotthillDesign Photography.

See article by Alex Cooke on Fstoppers.

It’s no secret that the smartphone has decimated the camera industry for the past decade, but according to Canon, the market may have finally bottomed out, and there might now be reason to look up. It turns out even DSLRs aren’t dead just yet.

Canon recently released their Q2 2022 financial report, and in it, there appears to be some good news. In the report, the company says that the overall camera market has:

…largely bottomed out at its current size. Going forward, we expect the professional and advanced amateur segment to expand further and that products will become more highly developed. Accordingly, we expect the overall market to grow from now on.

This is certainly excellent news, as demand has been on a long and often steep decline, and some have worried that it would hit so low a level as to fundamentally reshape the industry. While smartphones have reached quite advanced levels, it seems that Canon sees them as a gateway to more advanced equipment for many users. Other brands have shown similar thoughts in the last few years, as we have seen an increasing number of lower-level products focused on integrating social media features and increasing the ease of creating ready-to-post content.

Furthermore, Canon says they will continue to supply DSLRs as long as demand exists. It’s important to distinguish this from saying that new DSLRs will be developed and released. I would be extraordinarily surprised to see a new DSLR from the company, but many pros continue to use cameras like the 1D X Mark III, and I suspect demand for such cameras will remain relatively high for at least a few more years.

The post Canon Says the Camera Market Is Looking Up, Shares Plan for Canon DSLRs first appeared on scotthillDesign Photography.

Santa’s coming! And for many photography enthusiasts, that means gear! For the luckiest amongst you, it might mean lenses and bodies. Others might be looking forward to a Loupedeck Live or Simplr Strap. That stuff is fantastic, too. For me, though, wedding photography is my job, and I don’t ask Santa for gadgets because I buy them when needed. Instead, my family now usually asks: “which book do you want for Christmas?”

My books are my small luxury in life. Some people love fast cars and designer handbags. I like to sit at my table with a fresh coffee and a photo book. When I’m out and about, I also prefer reading from paper books rather than endlessly scrolling Instagram.

And so, you could put all of my books into two vast categories. Books I look at, and books I read.

The first group, photo books, is filled with nostalgic, thought-provoking, and beautiful photography books. I will often pick one up, flick through the pages for 10 minutes, and then pop it back on my shelf. I may not touch it again for months, but I usually see or absorb something different each time. Some of them are substantial coffee table books.

My reading books are still photography-related. These are often instructional books by authors like Brian Lloyd Ducket or David Gibson. They may also be inspirational or just pleasant to read. These smaller books slide into a bag and come with me everywhere I go until I’ve read them cover to cover.

You may be different than me. Perhaps you don’t want to collect many books. You may want one book that will take you a year to read in your spare time. On the other hand, you might be looking for a big book to sit on your desk and inspire you in times of boredom. Or, just like me, you want all the books you can get your hands on.

So, I’ve listed a few below, some from well-established photographers or publishers and a few lesser-known ones. I urge you to also look for your own; it’s a personal journey.

Why You Like This Photo

Unfinished Stories

Where I Find Myself

Street Photography Pocket Guide

100 Great Street Photographs

Europeans

To see the full article  and details on all the books listed above, follow the link below to the post on fstoppers.

Six Photography Books to Add to Your Christmas List

The post Six Photography Books to Add to Your Christmas List first appeared on scotthillDesign Photography.

There is a great article by Dutch photographer Nando Harmsen on fstoppers that goes into great detail on this subject.

The rule of thirds is the first thing that is taught about composition in photography. It seems to have some similarities with the golden ratio, but in reality, it’s something completely different. Let’s have a closer look at the history of these so-called rules to get a better understanding.

The rule of thirds is quite a simple rule. Divide the image in nine equal parts, by drawing two horizontal and two vertical lines at thirds from the edges. Place your subject on one of the lines or at the intersection of the lines, and you’re done. Sort of.

Although this can help to achieve an acceptable composition in some situations, the rule of thirds was never intended that way. In fact, the origin has absolutely nothing to do with drawing lines at thirds of the image. At first look, the similarity with the golden ratio does make it seem the two are related. Nothing is further from the truth. Let me explain why by diving into history.

To continue reading the full article and details on The Golden Ratio, Fibonacci, and Archimedes, Luca Pacioli and the Golden Ratio for Composition and The Rule of Thirds. Visit the link below to see the article on fstoppers.

A Bit of History About the Golden Ratio and Rule of Thirds

The post A Bit of History About the Golden Ratio and Rule of Thirds first appeared on scotthillDesign Photography.

When you first crack open the box on a new DSLR, it can be overwhelming how much control you’ve suddenly got in your hands. Buttons and dials that you’ve never had to deal with on a compact camera: What do they all mean? Let’s dive in!

Understanding your new DSLR camera

A disclaimer before we begin: I shoot with Canon cameras, so some of the settings we’ll discuss here may have different names on other brands. I assure you, though, they all have the same basic functions. You might need to check your manual if you can’t find the setting I’m talking about on your particular camera model.

Also, you can get all the info in this article (and more!) on a handy one-page printable PDF cheat sheet in my Ko-Fi shop. Tuck it into your camera bag and you’ll have the information you need to get out of auto and into manual.

First of all, like a compact camera, DSLRs come with a range of built-in modes.

The built-in modes differ from brand to brand but will generally include a range from fully manual to fully automatic

There are automatic modes (the Basic Zone), semi-auto modes and full manual (the Creative Zone). The Basic Zone usually has a range of preset conditions, such as prioritizing wide aperture for portraits or fast shutter speed for action. The camera chooses the settings for you in the Basic Zone.

That’s about all I’ll say about the Basic Zone. We’re here to learn how to control the camera ourselves, not let it decide for us!

Crash course: Get started with DSLR exposure

Before we proceed, there’s one (or maybe it’s three?) things you need to know: Correct exposure is a balance between the camera’s shutter speed, aperture and ISO. These three things form what’s commonly known as the Exposure Triangle.

Balance these three settings to correctly expose the image

To read the full article and learn how to understand your camera and its settings. Follow the link below the Jemma Pollari’s article on photofocus.

New camera: Now what? Getting started with your DSLR

The post New camera: Now what? Getting started with your DSLR first appeared on scotthillDesign Photography.

Capture One is the choice of a lot of pro photographers, both as a Lightroom and Photoshop replacement. Known for its fantastic color rendering and robust tethering, it also has cataloging and the standard editing tools you would expect, including cloning, healing, sharpening, noise reduction, tonality control, curves, masking, and way more. If you are looking for an industry-standard program, this is the one. You can also buy a version for a specific camera brand for cheaper than the full version.

I found a great resource on Fstoppers with everything you need to know about Capture One. Including helpful tips and guides on all it’s features and how to use them.

Learn more about Capture One Pro on fstoppers.com

The post Capture One Pro – My Preferred Photo Editing Software first appeared on scotthillDesign Photography.