Most of us edit in Lightroom using the numerous sliders, and while those are perfectly fine the vast majority of the time, a tool that contains the power of many sliders all in one is hiding in plain sight: the tone curve. If you have not used it before, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to use it for everything from adding contrast to color grading.
Use your next five minutes effectively and learn how to create faded, filmic photo edits with nothing more than a few tweaks in Lightroom.
Even if you are not a landscape photographer, it can be a fantastic genre to engage in casually simply for the joy of it. If you have been feeling stressed lately, check out why you might want to grab your camera and go for a hike.
In this video tutorial, watch as Dean Samed shows you how to create shadows in Photoshop by showing you three tips and mistakes to avoid.
In this video tutorial watch as I show you how to turn skin pale and hair gray in Photoshop. I have used these two techniques on many images now, and this way is far more adaptable than simply using a desaturate filter.
Unfortunately, photography is very a much a case of who you know. You could be the best photographer in the world, but if no one knows you, it won't get you very far.
Composition is one of the trickier parts of landscape photography, and it helps to have a variety of tips and ideas ready to go when you are out in the field. This helpful video tutorial will give you a wide variety of compositional ideas to improve your landscape photography.
Portraiture doesn't require complicated, multi-light setups to pull off beautiful and striking images. Here are four one-light setups you can learn in ten minutes.
For the past several years, I have done this one thing at the end of the year, and it has been responsible for my improvement more than anything else.
2020 was quite the year, starting relatively normal and then spiraling quickly out of control as few have seen before. Plans were shredded, and normal daily life was abruptly changed like a cold bucket of water to the face.
At first glance, the vibrance and saturation sliders might seem like they do the same thing, and while they do operate in similar manners, they are fundamentally different in their functions. This excellent video tutorial will show you the difference between the two so you can take better control of the color in your images.
In this video tutorial, watch as Abbey Esparza shows you all about Smart Objects in Photoshop and why you need to use them. This is definitely a good tutorial for those who still work destructively.
In this video tutorial, watch as Dean Samed shows you how the top three hacks for cutting out hair in Photoshop. Each one is a great way to get those tricky hair cutouts mastered.
Photo edits can often become very complicated, time-intensive things, but they don't always have to be. This great video discusses the common trap of being overly complicated in your image editing.
Lighting equipment can quickly add up in cost, but you do not always need top-level equipment and multi-light setups with esoteric modifiers to get great results. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to get professional portraits using nothing more than a simple speedlight and an umbrella.
So much of photography is about capturing a moment, a place, a person, a glance, a tiny slice of history that is impossible to recreate. When we've only got one shot, we want to make sure we get it right. In this series, we’re examining 11 things that can lead to a loss of image sharpness, what causes them, how to recognize them, and what to do about them!
The way you edit your work can be the difference between a good and a great image. Master these five creative tips to take your photography to the next level.
The look of natural sunlight streaming through a window is a classic and a great way to create both mood and visual interest in a shot. However, a window with sunlight streaming through it is not always available to us. This great video tutorial will show you how to recreate the look using cheap mirrors.
Photographing the night sky can be very frustrating if there is a lot of light pollution. That is when a light pollution filter may come in handy. I reviewed the Haida Clear Night filter for the Haida M10 filter system.
Growing as a photographer is a tricky thing, as it takes continual development and mastery of numerous technical skills along with simultaneously growing as a creative and finding your voice. If that is something you are struggling with, this excellent video essay discusses five mistakes you might be making that could be holding you back.
We all hear photographers lamenting about how great things were in the film days before just anyone could easily buy a camera and take a good photo, but are the golden days of this profession really behind us?
Tis the season to not only reflect on your photographic year just passed, but also to do some planning for the future.
It takes the mastery of a lot of different skills and techniques to produce a proficient landscape photograph, and it can take a long time to get them all down. This excellent video will help you get there faster, however, with seven great tips to improve your landscape photography.
In this video tutorial watch as Abbey Esparza shows you how to create a digital face paint effect in Photoshop. There are many ways to do this, but this is one way I have not come across before.
A winter frost can give the most amazing nature photos, from dewy spider webs to seemingly diamond-encrusted berries. Find out how to capture those frosty shots with this method that can help you get great shots every time.
The histogram can be one of the most useful tools at a photographer's disposal for dialing in the correct exposure and taking greater control of your edits. If you are unfamiliar with how a histogram works, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you both what a histogram is and how to use it to create better edits of your images.
What are the things that hinder you from being a better landscape photographer?
Adobe made a significant update to your ability to tweak colors in the recent version of Lightroom by swapping out Split Toning for Color Grading. Here are five things buried in the interface that you might want to learn about.
There are a ton of different lighting modifiers out there, and as a photographer, you can very quickly end up spending a lot of money building a library of different tools for specific looks and purposes. However, you might be surprised by just how much you can accomplish with the humble and affordable umbrella, and this excellent video tutorial will teach you how to get professional results when using them.
Bad weather can be a pain to work in, but it can also yield powerful and unique images. Before you head out, though, there are a few things worth considering to make sure you can protect your equipment from the elements. This great video discusses both why you should consider photographing in bad weather and how to do it.
Lighting and taking the shot is only half of what it takes to produce a great beauty portrait. The retouching also has to be spot on for the photo to be successful. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to retouch a beauty portrait from start to finish using Photoshop.
Minimalist photography is the type of work that sits quietly on your wall and catches your attention from time to time. However, it doesn't necessarily need to be monochrome, as is shown in this video.
Blown out highlights are a very common issue in a lot of genres, and they can be quite a distraction depending on the image. While it is true that once a highlight is blown, it cannot be recovered, you can perform some work in Photoshop to cover up the area and improve the final image. This great video tutorial will show you how to deal with blown highlights in Photoshop.
There's a lot that can be done with portraiture, even if you don't have an arsenal of studio lights at your disposal. Here's how you can create iconic, black and white portraits with just one light.
Photographer Taylor Jackson shifted his work slightly in the last nine months, and this video gives you a really useful insight into how he has created regular jobs through short photoshoots for local businesses.
One of the trickiest parts of landscape photography is composition, particularly since you cannot control the position of any of the elements in your scene like you can with almost any other genre. A lot of the game is about finding balance between the individual elements, and this fantastic video tutorial discusses some great tips on how you can better achieve that.
Every photographer — every photographer — ought to print their work at least once. But if you want to do it more regularly, what's the best option? Should you buy a proper photo printer, or keep paying printing companies to do it?
Noise is the enemy of photographers everywhere, and we spend a ton of time discussing different post-processing software and techniques for reducing it as much as possible. But reducing noise starts from the moment you choose your camera settings. This fantastically comprehensive video will show you what noise is, why it appears in your photos, and numerous ways you can mitigate it in camera.
Adobe just released the latest version of Lightroom that removes the split toning module and replaces it with an updated version, "Color Grading." In this article and video, I quickly go over how to use the new tool, and I even edit a few photos along the way!
Our local high school had an idea to get senior photos taken for the young adults that have been working their whole life to achieve something, only to have it turn into an afterthought overshadowed by a serious global pandemic.
As photographers, many see assistants as superfluous, expensive, and reserved for those at the highest end of the photography career spectrum. But it could be exactly the move that will help your photography business grow past where you can get it alone.
Creating a panning shot that has a nice blurry background thanks to a slow shutter speed tends to be a combination of skill and luck at the best of times. However, how can you maximize the number of sharp images and how should you focus? This in-depth video gives you all the details.
Whether you're a filmmaker, videographer, or just a stills shooter, there's a lot that can be learned from some of the greats of cinematography.
Black and white and Minimalism is a great style that can be applicable to any genre in photography. It is also a great discipline to practice, especially in landscape photography by maximizing the use of long exposures.
It is always best to start out with one light when you are first learning how to use artificial light, but once you have mastered the basics, you can enter an entirely new world of creativity when you start working with multi-light setups. This fantastic video tutorial will show you a dynamic and professional three-light setup for creating compelling portraits.
It sounds like clickbait, but follow me for a minute. I know what you're thinking: "Oh yes, I do. I back up my catalog and my photos!" That's good, but it may not be good enough.
Back in March, Globe Newswire reported that the global facemask market is expected to reach $21.2 billion in sales by 2026. For many photographers, this represents an opportunity to try out a new revenue stream as other sources of income dry up. So, how do you get started selling face masks featuring your photos? We'll take a look at a few vendors on the market.
When you think of lighting for portraits in a flattering way, you probably do not immediately gravitate toward the harsh contrast of midday sun. However, you might be surprised by just what you can accomplish when shooting in the midday sun, and this great video tutorial will give you three helpful tips for creating better images with it.
Where usually we can only sit in awe of a videographer's creation, this time you can learn exactly how it was done.
You wouldn't necessarily think FBI hostage negotiators and photographers have much in common but they do. These are the psychological techniques they use that photographers should be using too.
