Photographer Julia Trotti holding a mirrorless camera in a field of purple wildflowers at golden hour

Camera and Lens Reviews · Portrait Photography Tips

Real-world camera and lens reviews, portrait photography tips and travel stories by photographer Julia Trotti. Every review is shot on real portrait sessions, with photo samples from Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, Lumix, Nikon and smartphone cameras. Browse by topic in the Archives or search for a lens or camera.

Lumix L10 vs Fujifilm X100VI compact camera comparison
Lumix L10 vs Fujifilm X100VI: Side-by-Side Photo and Video Comparison
Lumix L10 vs Fujifilm X100VI: side-by-side sample photos from Sydney, specs, prices and the key differences in image quality, autofocus, colour, battery life and video. Read more...
iPhone portrait edited with the Hibiscus Lightroom preset
Best Lightroom Presets for iPhone and Pixel Photos (With Before and After Examples)
The best Lightroom presets for iPhone and Google Pixel photos, with real before and after examples from my phone camera reviews, plus how to use presets in Lightroom Mobile. Read more...
Close-up portrait of a deer in Nara Park, Japan
Nara Day Trip from Kyoto: Deer Park Photography Guide
How to spend an afternoon in Nara from Kyoto: Kasuga Taisha's lanterns, the forest walk, Todai-ji, Nara Park's deer and sunset at Ukimido Pavilion, with tips for photographing the deer. Read more...
Kyoto travel photography: my most used lens in Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto Travel Photography Guide: Best Photo Spots and My Most Used Lens
My Kyoto travel photography guide: Nishiki Market, Uji, the Botanical Gardens, a koi garden, sunrise in Higashiyama, a quiet bamboo grove and Gion in the rain, plus the lens I... Read more...
OM System PEN review: compact Micro Four Thirds camera for everyday photography
OM System PEN Review: Sample Photos, Specs and the New 14-42mm III Lens
My OM System PEN review: real street photography samples from Sydney, full specs, price, build, autofocus, video and the new M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 III kit lens. Read more...
Sharp portrait of a woman, edited with the Earthy Lightroom preset
6 Reasons Your Photos Are Not Sharp (and How to Fix Them)
Why are my photos not sharp? The 6 most common reasons your photos look soft or blurry on any camera, from dirty lenses and filters to aperture, motion blur and... Read more...
Lumix S9, Sony A7C II, Nikon Z5II C and Canon R8 II compared: best beginner camera for portraits
Best Beginner Camera for Portraits: Lumix S9 vs Sony A7C II vs Nikon Z5II C vs Canon R8 II
The best beginner full frame camera for portraits? I compare the Lumix S9, Sony A7C II, Nikon Z5II C and Canon R8 II with real portrait samples, specs, prices in... Read more...
Hands holding the Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 APS-C lens
Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 Review: APS-C Street Photography & Video Samples
My Tamron 16-50mm f/2.8 review for APS-C: real street photos on the Sony A6700, key specs, autofocus and video, and how it compares to the Sony 16-55mm f/2.8 G. Read more...
Julia Trotti holding the red iPhone 18 Pro Max, showing its triple camera
iPhone 18 Pro Max Camera Review: Real Portrait Photoshoot (Photo & Video Samples)
I tested the iPhone 18 Pro Max camera on a real portrait photoshoot: the new variable aperture, Pro Controls, every lens from 0.5x to 8x, the selfie camera and video,... Read more...
Golden hour portrait of a woman in a grassy field, edited in Lightroom by Julia Trotti
Lightroom Presets Not Working? How to Fix Them
Preset looks nothing like the examples on your photo? Here's why it happens and the simple white balance, exposure and colour fixes I use to make any Lightroom preset work. Read more...
Portrait edited with the Meadow natural Lightroom preset by Julia Trotti
Best Lightroom Presets for Portraits: Film, Vintage & Natural Looks (With Before and After Examples)
My favourite Lightroom presets for portraits, grouped by look (natural, film, vintage, cinematic and black and white), with real before and after examples and tips to make any preset look... Read more...
Portrait shot with the Sony G 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 lens in the city, photo 1
Sony G 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 Portrait Photoshoot in the City
This is the Sony G 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 and usually you would use this lens for sports or wildlife photography, but today I’m using it for portraits. When I do portrait... Read more...
Portrait shot on the Sigma 105mm f1.4 DG HSM Art, photo 1
The DREAMIEST Lens I've ever used - Sigma 105mm F1.4 DG HSM + Sony A7IV Photo Samples + A7SIII Video Examples
The 105mm focal length is really interesting to me and I personally love what it looks like. For this photoshoot, I knew I wanted a really dreamy look to the... Read more...
Creative portrait photography idea, photo 1
20 Creative Portrait Photography Ideas
If you’re loking to break out of a creative rut or take your portrait photography to the next level, in this post, I’m sharing 20 unique and inspiring portrait photography... Read more...
35mm film portrait shot on the Olympus AF-1 Twin with Fujifilm Superia 400, photo 1
Olympus AF-1 Twin 35mm Film Photoshoot with Fujifilm Superia 400
The Olympus AF-1 Twin features a dual lens system so that you can switch between a 35mm wide-angle lens and a 70mm telephoto lens at the touch of a button... Read more...