Recent Education Articles

Conquer the Cold: Shoot Stunning Photos in Winter Weather

For many, the snow is starting to fly, and the temperature is dropping. That isn’t a reason to put your camera into hibernation for the winter and dust off the dust in the spring. Winter can be a great time to create a few new photographs while keeping yourself and your gear protected. Here are five tips for keeping your camera gear safe and yourself warm!

Visual Storytelling Lessons from 10 Iconic Films

Movies often offer a unique perspective on visual storytelling, making them a valuable resource for honing your creative eye. This list of 10 films explores techniques that are especially useful when applied to photography.

Overcoming Street Photography Anxiety

Street photography often presents an unexpected challenge: your own anxiety. The hesitation about being noticed or judged can prevent you from capturing moments you want to freeze in time. This internal struggle is common, and learning to manage it is essential.

How to Use Light and Backgrounds for Better Couple Photos

Finding the right location and light for portraits can transform a photo shoot. Coastal settings, with their natural backdrops and dynamic lighting, are especially versatile. Knowing how to work with these elements effectively ensures your images feel both natural and romantic.

Mastering Bright and Harsh Light for Stunning Photos

Shooting in bright, sunny conditions can be challenging, but mastering this light can add a fresh, vibrant look to your images. While many rely on golden hour’s soft tones, learning how to use harsh sunlight effectively opens new creative opportunities. It’s about working with the light rather than against it.

Why Sound Can Be More Important Than Your Video

As a photographer, I'm starting to use video more often, whether to work on a client's project or promote my work using video. Most, if not all, mirrorless cameras on the market today can also produce high-quality 4K video. However, there is one factor that needs to be taken into account when making a video: sound. Sound is often overlooked, yet it is one of the most essential factors in any video or film.

How to Use Composition to Evoke Emotion in Your Photos

Composition in photography isn’t just about following rules; it’s about creating images that connect with emotions. Understanding how to make your compositions feel natural and meaningful can take your photography from technically correct to truly impactful. This balance between technique and intuition is essential for making images that resonate.

Wide Angle Photography: Tips for Stunning Landscape Shots

Wide angle lenses can capture expansive views, but using them effectively takes practice. Choosing the right focal length and understanding composition techniques can help you elevate your landscape shots and make the most of this versatile tool.

Changing Perspective vs. Cropping: What You Need to Know

The relationship between subject, background, and lens focal length is fundamental to creating compelling images. By learning to adjust perspective instead of relying on zoom, you gain more control over your composition and storytelling.

How to Capture Stunning Images in Overcast Conditions

Exploring new landscapes can be thrilling and challenging, especially in unpredictable weather. Finding the right balance between the effort of getting to the location and the payoff is often the toughest part.

Portrait Editing in Lightroom: Basic to Advanced Techniques

Editing portraits isn’t just about fixing mistakes—it’s about bringing out what’s already great. With the right tools and techniques in Lightroom, you can refine lighting, color, and detail to make your subject stand out.

Tips for Stunning Minimalist Photography

Minimalism in photography is all about simplicity. Negative space, or empty areas in your image, plays a key role in achieving this. It doesn’t need to be complicated—just a flat, solid surface like the sky, a wall, or even a field of snow can provide the clean background that makes your subject stand out.

Photoshop’s New Reflection Removal Tool

Dealing with reflections can be frustrating, especially when shooting through glass. Photoshop’s new reflection removal feature aims to simplify this process. While still in beta, the results it delivers on specific types of reflections are impressive.

Advice Every Photographer Needs to Hear

Starting out in photography can feel daunting. It's easy to get lost in the sea of information, gear, and self-doubt. But some of the most valuable lessons in photography aren't about the latest gear or technical tricks—they're about mindset and approach.

Getting Started with Fujifilm Cameras: Essential Tips and Tricks

When you first pick up a Fujifilm camera, the sheer amount of on-screen information can be overwhelming. These cameras are packed with features, and while many of them are useful, others can distract you from focusing on your shots. Setting up your camera thoughtfully can make a huge difference in how enjoyable and effective it is to use.

Balancing Shutter Speed and Sharpness

The question of how slow you can go with your shutter speed while keeping action shots sharp is a critical one. Shutter speed doesn’t just impact exposure; it defines the way motion appears in your photos. Understanding this balance is key to solving real-world challenges when the light is limited or the action is fast.

Behind the Magic: The Wizard of Oz's Timeless Appeal

Few films have left as indelible a mark on culture as The Wizard of Oz. Released in 1939, it introduced the world to groundbreaking visuals and unforgettable characters, all while delivering a universal message about courage, friendship, and finding your way home.

Mastering Action Shots: Sharp Photos and Smarter Autofocus

Capturing sharp sports shots or detailed portraits of wildlife demands more than pressing the shutter button. Even with advanced autofocus systems, poor technique can ruin your results. To consistently achieve razor-sharp images, you need to follow specific steps that complement your camera's capabilities.

Photoshop’s New Beta Makes Selective Editing Easier Than Ever

Photoshop’s ability to make precise selections has taken another step forward. If you frequently work with portraits or group shots, this new beta update introduces a significant improvement that simplifies editing specific areas of an image.

When to Edit Photos in Black and White or Color

The choice between editing photos in color or black and white can profoundly impact how your images communicate mood, focus, and story. This decision isn't just about aesthetics—it’s a fundamental part of your photographic voice.

How to Create Impactful Real Estate Images

Professional real estate and architecture photography often hinges on creating impactful, visually engaging images. To truly stand out, you need to move beyond technical skills and embrace artistic principles.

Achieve Prime Lens Results Without the Price Tag

Prime lenses are known for their stunning image quality and shallow depth of field, but they can be prohibitively expensive. If you're using a zoom lens, you might wonder if it’s possible to achieve similar results without the hefty price tag. This video explores how to create prime-lens-like subject separation by mastering four key concepts.

Mastering Shutter Speed for Stunning Seascape Photography

Seascape photography offers a unique blend of challenges and opportunities, with the ocean providing dynamic, challenging, and ever-changing scenes. Over the years, I have learned and practiced how different shutter speeds can dramatically alter the mood and feel of your images. Here’s what I’ve learned and some actionable tips to elevate your seascape photography.

How to Use Photography to Tell Better Stories

Photography is more than capturing what’s in front of you. It's about telling a story that resonates. This video explores how the choices you make while shooting and arranging photos can dramatically alter the narrative they tell. Whether it's the raw emotion of a moment or a sense of calm in chaos, these decisions shape the stories your images communicate.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Photos Pop With Lightroom

Editing photos effectively is all about balancing precision and creativity. Small adjustments can bring out details, enhance colors, and shift the viewer's focus. This helpful video demonstrates how to make impactful edits using basic tools, masking, and color grading, showcasing practical techniques for a polished result.

Why You Should Experiment with Black and White Photography

By removing color, you open up new possibilities for storytelling, emotional depth, and composition. It challenges you to think differently and often leads to a more profound connection between the viewer and the subject.

Adding Creativity to Portraits With Affordable Tools

Creating distinctive images can set you apart. Tools like prisms and gels are often overlooked but can add a dynamic flair to your work. By experimenting with these elements, you can provide clients with unexpected, striking results.