Recent Education Articles

Gradient Map For Perfect Skin Color

When retouching, it is not rare to come across color problems on a model’s skin. Whether it is from a sun tan, dodge & burn, spots or skin discoloration issues, it can be really painful to treat it in post. Despite being all about having it right in camera and doing as little as possible in post, there is an easy way to correct this in Photoshop -- a method that is going to make your makeup artist want to stop correcting redness, yellowness or under-eye bags. It is so easy to use you are going to wonder why you did not think of it earlier!

Your Photography Is Worthless: This Is Why!

The concept of working for “credit” is not a new one, nor is it unique to photography. Yet, it is one of the few industries that everyone thinks should work for free.

A Beginner's Guide to White Balance in Photography

Along with shutter speed, aperture, and ISO, white balance is one of the most fundamental settings on your camera and something you will want to consider before you take a photo. So, what is white balance and why does it matter? This excellent video tutorial will introduce you to white balance, what it is, and how to control it for better images.

ISO Is Totally Fake

ISO is known as one of the exposure factors. The higher the ISO the more brightness. Camera manufacturers are even boasting about how high their ISO is going when they want to sell you a camera.

5 Tips for Shooting Backlit Portraits

Backlit portraits can be a fantastic way to add drama and visual interest to a photo, but they also require some special considerations to get the effect you want and to maintain the best possible image quality. If you would like to improve your backlit portraits, check out this great video tutorial that features five excellent tips to help you get your photos just right.

The Worst Question You Can Ask When Learning Photography

When you're first starting out in photography, it can be difficult knowing which questions to ask, especially given the multiple facets of the pursuit. However, there seems to be one question that both beginners and professionals seem to fall into asking, and it's way less important than we make it seem to be.

The Truth About F-Stops and Aperture

Most photographers learn the basics of aperture in regards to depth of field and light-gathering ability, but some of what you learned is probably wrong, particularly when it comes to f-stops. If you're ready to get geeky, check out this great video that explains the truth behind it all.

The Complete Guide to Color Management: Color Made Easy

Color management can be one of the most boring topics to learn as a photographer, right up there with topics like digital asset management and accounting. They all have one thing in common, however: they’re important parts of being a photographer. Learning how to manage color doesn’t have to be difficult, however. Consider this your crash course introduction in learning how.

A Technically Perfect Photo is Meaningless

As a viewer, you rarely look at a photo and say “wow, that shutter speed and ISO really moved me,” right? The most memorable and moving photos may not be technically perfect at all. Adrian McDonald is the quintessential photographer, with photos that resonate with the viewers because of the way it makes them feel. That’s how you remember a photo.

Using an Anamorphic Lens - Sam Hurd Is at It Again!

Photographer Sam Hurd is sharing yet another one of his artistic photography techniques with his followers. He mastered The Brenizer Method, he basically had all of Amazon on backorder for Prisming, he ripped the lens mount right off his 50mm for Freelensing, and then he did some convex Lens Chimping. This time around, Sam attached an old anamorphic movie lens to his 85mm in order to shoot a very cinematic wide field of view. Take a look at how it works!

Lindsay Adler's Fine Art Nude - 3 Go-to Poses

Fine art nude photography is unique in that the nude form is your blank canvas. The possibilities for expression are endless. There is no clothing to detract from the subject, just the model in all their purity. This is why posing, one of your strongest elements for expressions, is of the utmost importance when it comes to creating beautiful fine art nude images. Here I will show you three go-to poses when working with fine art nudes and how to vary them for endless possibilities.

How to Upload Photos From PC to Instagram

As photographers, it’s important to use all social media platforms as a marketing tool. Instagram is a personal favorite, but the upload process is by far the most annoying. There aren’t many options to upload images, but here is the most efficient workflow from resizing to uploading.

Camera Settings Every Landscape Photographer Needs to Know

One of the beautiful things about landscape photography is that your camera settings play two roles: providing a technically correct exposure and just as importantly, allowing you to render the frame in the way your creative mind sees fit. There are some camera settings you need to make sure you have down, however, and if you are new to the genre, this helpful video tutorial will make sure you know what they are and how to properly use them.

How to Choose the Right Shutter Speed for Bird in Flight Photos

Getting tack-sharp photos of birds in flight is not easy, but when you get it right, the results can be stunning. One of the most fundamental aspects of this is choosing the correct shutter speed. If you are new to bird photography and wondering how to go about selecting the right shutter speed, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced photographer showing you everything you need to know.

A Seven-Step Process to Sharper Landscape Photographs

Excellent sharpness is one of the top requirements for a successful landscape image, and there are steps you can take all throughout the process of shooting to help ensure that your image is pin-sharp. This excellent video gives a great seven-stop process to help you get those sharp photos.

Helpful Tips for Getting Sharp Landscape Photos With a Telephoto Lens

When you think of landscape photography, you probably think of using a wide angle lens, but a telephoto lens can be an equally effective tool. Nonetheless, it comes with its own set of challenges. One such aspect is the increased difficulty in getting sharp shots. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to use a telephoto lens for landscape photography and give you some useful tips for getting sharp photos when doing so.

5 Lesser-Known Lightroom Tips That Will Improve Your Images

Lightroom can be a more complex program than it seems on the surface, and some of its more hidden features can actually be the most useful, saving you a ton of time in post and increasing the quality of your images. This awesome video tutorial will show you five such lesser-known features and how to use them in your workflow.

Three Simple Landscape Photography Composition Tips

Composition is the most important part of how you design your photo. It cannot be understated how important it is for a good viewer experience. These three tips should help you on your way.

All Photographers Need a Tilt-Shift Lens: Here's Why

One of the biggest misconceptions I have come across in the industry is that tilt-shift lenses are just for people who shoot architecture. Once you understand how these specialist lenses work, you'll realize how big of a deal they can be for almost any genre of photography.

How to Change Eye Color Using Lightroom

Not all of us were born with our preferred eye color, and given that we can't change genetics, you will sometimes have clients who want to change their eye color. It is a pretty straightforward process, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how you can do it without even having to leave Lightroom.

Meet the DJI Simulator

For the past three years I've been flying, I found the only way to really advance my skills with the drone is to go out and actually fly. Sometimes, it's tough to get out there every day for whatever reason, which is where I see the simulator becoming very beneficial for pilots looking to increase their skill level.

What Happens When Four Photographers Shoot the Same Model?

The neat thing about photography is how different photographers can have vastly different creative ideas and interpretations of the same subject. This awesome video follows four photographers as they shoot the same model; see what they came up with!

How Handheld Focus Stacking Works

I always take a tripod with me in addition to my camera when I'm out on a hiking or scouting trip because there can always be an unexpected photo opportunity. And since I apply focus stacking to nearly all of my photos to ensure optimal sharpness, photographing handheld is not an option. Or is it? In this article, I show you how to use the automatic focus bracketing feature of modern cameras to perform handheld focus stacking.

Landscape Photography Dos and Don'ts

If you're just getting into landscape photography, it can be a bit of a different experience from other genres. This great video will help you get oriented and off doing it the right way.

How to Make A Perfect White Background Within Minutes Using Photoshop

If you’re a commercial or fashion photographer, eventually you’ll run into a client who will ask to have their product, model, etc. to be placed on a perfectly white background. This method is very popular in the e-commerce and print industries for many brands, sellers and catalogs. But some techniques in post production cause some headaches and are also time consuming. So what exactly is the best and quickest workflow to get that perfect white background for your client?

The Power of Split Toning in Lightroom

Lightroom has a lot of great tools for editing your photos and putting your creative touch on your work, but one that gets a little less attention than some of the more common functions is the split toning panel. Nonetheless, it is a great way to add a personal touch to your images and develop your own style. This great video will show you how to take advantage of the split toning panel in Lightroom for your landscape images.