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Top 10 most popular articles on photography in 2021

As we head into 2022, we take a look back at last year’s most read articles on photography.

In case you missed them the first time around, we’ve gathered together our ten most popular articles on photography and Affinity Photo in 2021—a mixture of must-read tips, tutorials and incredible work created in Affinity. There’s plenty to enhance your photo editing skills and inspire your photography projects in the year ahead.

1. 10 Lighting tips to improve your photography

We asked ten photographers from around the world to tell us the secret to great lighting; from using continuous light to experimenting with flash and simplifying your set-up, here are 10 of their best tips.

Max P by Stefan Sappert

2. Creating stunning panoramic images in Affinity Photo

Fay and Matt Doyle of This Expansive Adventure take us behind the scenes on a commissioned trip to Snowdonia, Wales, where they create a series of stunning panoramic images using Affinity Photo.

Panorama by This Expansive Adventure

3. Jump into Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo puts a large amount of image editing power at your fingertips, but it has a few notable differences from other image editing applications. To help you get to grips with everything it has to offer, our in-house product expert James has put together a handy beginner’s guide.

4. Major advantages of astrophotography stacking in Affinity Photo

Astrophotography workflows became more streamlined with the addition of an Astrophotography Stack Persona in Affinity Photo 1.9. Here, James explores some of the app’s key advantages when it comes to stacking and retouching astrophotography images.

5. Inpainting—now you see it, now you don’t!

The Inpainting Brush Tool is perfect for removing unwanted content from a scene—as if by magic! In this article, documentation manager Andy explains how it works and how to achieve the best possible results.

6. Understanding golden hour, blue hour and twilight photography

We asked eight golden hour, blue hour, and twilight photographers to divulge their secrets for making the most of these enchanting times of the day. Read on for their best tips.

Image by Marina Monaco

7. Masking explained

In this article, James explores how masking can help non-destructively edit images, restrict filters and adjustments while looking at some of the ways masks can be used effectively in each Affinity app.

Image by Jonathan Pearce

8. 12 DIY photography hacks to try at home

Over the last couple of years, DIY culture has skyrocketed in popularity. Everywhere from Instagram to TikTok, photographers have shared their out-of-the-box ideas and tricks, using everything from “toilet paper tube lights” to homemade reflectors to create unforgettable images. Here are a few hacks that caught our attention, plus some tips for trying them at home.

Image by Jordan Hefler

9. Vital tips for selling your photography prints online

Selling photography prints online is a great way to generate more income for your business, and it’s never been easier. If you’ve been thinking about selling prints but feel a little overwhelmed by the process of launching such a venture, here are eight vital tips to help.

Image by Christopher Scoonover

10. 1D vs 3D LUTs

Believe it or not, this was one of the first-ever articles published on Affinity Spotlight, but it still attracts many readers each year wanting to know the answer to this burning question: What are LUTs, and what’s the difference between a 1D and a 3D LUT? Do you know the answer? If not, check out the article to find out!


Spotlight editor

As editor of Affinity Spotlight Melanie oversees the stories, interviews and tutorials published on the site. Outside of work she enjoys travelling, reading crime thrillers, Pilates and dabbling in a spot of oil painting. Get in touch with Melanie if you would like to contribute or be featured on Affinity Spotlight.