Recent Education Articles

Just How Good Is the New Sony A7R V?

Glyn Dewis takes a look at the Sony A7R V with his usual comedic but incredibly informative style. He compares it to his existing A7R IV and looks at the new updates to the software and hardware on this updated camera model. Now if you managed to catch his earlier video that was recently taken down you'd have seen that the issues he had when using the new Sony A7RV whilst focussing on the subject in the video were less than ideal. This refresh of that video comes as Sony reached out and sorted a few of the issues that plagued the version he was loaned. The changed settings are clearly...

Network Storage Is the Only Safe Way to Store Your Pictures

Okay, so I know a lot of readers may disagree with me on this and have different opinions. My writing here isn't intended to cause any offense, but more to offer an opinion and start a discussion on the matter. My evidence here is based on having worked in the IT industry for over 30 years and working in the photographic industry with creatives. Hopefully, after reading this you'll come up with an understanding which may help your next (or first) computer storage purchase.

Where Are the Best Places to Sell Your Photos in 2023?

Selling your images online can be a hassle, as companies are constantly changing their pricing and payout structures, making it difficult to know where to devote your time and efforts. This excellent video breakdown takes a look at a large number of stock services, how their pay structures and demand have evolved, and where the best place to devote your time and energy is in 2023.

Everything You Need to Know to Edit Landscape Photos in Lightroom

Creating a compelling landscape photo takes good technique, knowledge of weather and light, planning, and, often, a lot of time and effort. And after all that, it takes strong understanding of post-processing and good taste to produce a finished product. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer who will take you through how to edit a landscape photo using Lightroom.

The Crucial Balance That Makes a Great Photo

We spend a lot of time working on various techniques, thinking about composition, etc., but when you boil it down to its essence, what is it that makes a great photo? Every photo has two important qualities that help it stick in the viewer's memory. This insightful video discusses what they are and shares some examples of how they work together to make compelling images.

How to Set Up a Canon Camera for Wildlife Photography

The latest generation of Canon mirrorless cameras brings with it a nice array of features for wildlife photography, including fast continuous burst rates and advanced autofocus features. With such advanced systems, it is worth taking the time to customize the camera to your exact needs to ensure you have the best chances of getting those fleeting shots. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced wildlife photographer walking you through how he sets up his Canon camera.

How to Compose Landscape Photos Using a Wide Angle Lens

The wide angle lens is the tool of choice for a lot of landscape photography, but such focal lengths can also be particularly tricky to work with. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced landscape photographer showing you how to create more effective compositions using a wide angle lens.

Not Sure How to Add Depth and Wow to Flat, Boring Photos? Here’s How

Do you sometimes look at your images and think there's something missing? Something you can't quite put your finger on, but instinctively know? Very often your images are flat and lack depth. Here's exactly how to fix that issue and add real pop and life to your photos.

5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your Snowflake Macro Photography

Many of us are mired in the cold and snow of winter, but that does not mean our creative juices should stop flowing. In fact, winter offers a vast range of unique photo opportunities, some requiring long trips and some only needing you to step outside your back door. Macro snowflake photography falls into the latter category, and this excellent video tutorial features an experienced photographer giving five tips to help you come away with the best possible images.

The Best Way to Import Images Into Lightroom

Did you know that there are various ways to import images into Lightroom? Here, we look at the most effective method, which will save you time and ensure you don't even have to open the import dialog box.

Tips on Photographing New Female Models

Photographing female models can be an exciting and creative process, but it's essential to approach it with professionalism and sensitivity. Here are some tips based on my own experience to help you get the best results during a photo shoot with a new model.

5 Tips to Improve Your Photoshop Skills

Photoshop is a tremendously complex and intricate program, and as such, there are many different ways to accomplish any specific task. This means that it is worth taking the time to learn some of the best and most efficient ways of doing things, as it will save you a lot of time and effort over the long run. This helpful video tutorial will show you five ways to make your work in Photoshop better and quicker.

How to Take Full Advantage of Lightroom's Newest Tools

Lightroom continues to advance in its capabilities, making it a more versatile editing platform than ever before. If you have not checked out all the new features yet, take a look at this fantastic video tutorial that will take you through some of the most useful new tools, where to find them, and how to use them for quicker and more powerful edits.

3 Pricing Mistakes Food Photographers Make

Food photography, like every other genre, has certain pitfalls that can adversely affect your ability to make a good income from it. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced food photographer discussing three common pricing mistakes and how to fix or avoid them.

3 Subtle and Natural Off-Camera Flash Portrait Techniques

Photographers who are new to working with artificial light often think that strobes always look distinctly different from natural light. And while it is true that you can shoot creative, highly stylized images that would not be possible with just sunlight, you can use strobes to emulate natural light to make subtle, natural looks. This excellent video tutorial will show you three off-camera flash lighting techniques that will allow you to create effective and compelling portraits.

10 Indispensable Tips for Getting a Killer Headshot

If part of your business is capturing headshots, then this is for you. Even if you're thinking of adding it to your portfolio, it's worth checking these essential tips and tricks as, if you're a commercial photographer, you can up your customer's average spend by offering this essential service.

How to Retouch a Portrait in Lightroom Without Photoshop

High-end retouching is normally done in Photoshop, so can similar edits be achieved in Lightroom without ever leaving the software? The following tutorial is based upon the tips and techniques provided in lesson 19 of Mastering Adobe Lightroom by Pye Jirsa and is only part of the 49 lessons available in the tutorial.

How to Make Your Photography Thrive

Photography is a lifelong commitment. There is always something new to learn, an interesting subject to photograph, and a skill to improve. How do you avoid stagnating? This great video discusses the topic and how one photographer keeps himself motivated to continually evolve and grow as a creative.

Dealing With Imposter Syndrome as a Photographer

Impostor Syndrome can be an insidious thing: you work hard at your craft and develop a strong creative voice, and yet, despite all that effort and experience, you feel as if you do not know what you are doing and your work is not worthwhile. Why do so many photographers experience Impostor Syndrome, and what can they do about it? This excellent video features an experienced creative discussing his experience with the issue and how he tackles it.

Create Killer Landscape Images Using Only Your Mobile Phone and Tablet

This is an essential watch if you love taking photos with your phone but aren't sure whether you can get a great image or not. In this video, Glyn Dewis shows how mobile photography is possible for everyone using Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop Mobile software.

5 Things I Would Tell My Younger Photographer Self

While so many resources about both the technical and logistical sides of photography can be found in books and video tutorials, there are things that only time can teach. Here are some of the things I’d love to whisper to my younger self that might be of help to others as well.

Are You Using This Lightroom Tool in Your Workflow?

Color range masks are nothing new within Lightroom. However, they have become increasingly powerful the last couple of years, and you absolutely should be utilizing them in your work.

The Power of Smart Collections in Lightroom

Lightroom has a wide variety of tools for organizing and finding your images, and one of the most useful features is Smart Collections. If you have not yet taken advantage of Smart Collections, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you what they are and how to take advantage of them for organizing your photos.

10 Useful Editing Techniques in Lightroom

Many people think of Lightroom as a place for cataloging their photos and doing some light edits and Photoshop as the destination for serious post-processing, but in recent iterations, Lightroom has come a long way in its capabilities. You can now do quite a lot in the application, and this excellent video tutorial will show you 10 such techniques to take your edits furthers.

5 Helpful Tips for Better Wildlife Photos

Wildlife photography is a challenging but rewarding genre that requires a lot of solid technique and specialized knowledge in order to create compelling images. If you are new to the genre and looking to improve, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will give you five helpful tips sure to put you on the right track to better wildlife shots.

Important Lessons About Being a Professional Photographer

Becoming a professional photographer takes a lot more than simply being good with a camera and having creative vision. In fact, a lot of talented photographers languish as professionals because they are not prepared for the demands that come along with tying your income to your images. This excellent video tutorial features an experienced photographer discussing some of the important lessons budding professionals need to learn.

3 Creative and Effective One-light Portrait Photography Setups

When it comes to portrait photography, you might think that you need complex multi-light setups in order to create professional images, and while these certainly have their place, you might be surprised by how much you can accomplish with just a single light. This excellent video tutorial will show you three creative and effective one-light setups for portrait photography.

Why Mistakes Are Such an Important Part of the Photography Process

When you are new to photography, it can feel like professionals know exactly what they want and how to achieve it, but that is how social media can be quite misleading. The truth is that professionals make mistakes all the time; in fact, they embrace them. This excellent video tutorial will take you behind the scenes of a photographer's portrait lighting process and show you how mistakes can lead you to a great final image.

5 Lessons Learned From a Decade of Street Photography

Street photography is a challenging genre that requires confidence, solid technique, and fast instincts. If you are new to street work and looking to improve, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced street photographer discussing five important lessons he has learned after a decade of work.

Proof That Almost Anywhere Can Be a Photo Studio

Of course, it would all be great if every portrait photographer could afford their own studio, but that simply is not feasible for most of us. That being said, you would be surprised how little space you need to make creative, compelling, and professional portraits. This excellent video tutorial will show you how to light and shoot portraits in a small hallway.

5 Helpful Tips for Better Black and White Portraits

A black and white portrait can be one of the most powerful ways to represent a person, but it takes more than just desaturating a color image to make an effective final photo. If you would like to learn how to do that, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will give you five tips sure to help you create better black and white portraits.

Are You Saying Yes Enough as a Photographer?

Photographers are constantly asked to work for less than they are worth or even for free, and that can often put us on the defensive, ready to reject any offer that will not bring us meaningful income. That can sometimes stop us from saying yes when it would actually be the best thing for us. This excellent video essay is a reminder of how saying yes can sometimes bring benefits beyond money.

How to Retouch a Portrait in Capture One and Photoshop

When it comes to high-end portrait retouching, Capture One is the choice of many photographers, renowned for its handling of raw files. If you would like to learn how to process a portrait using both Capture One and Photoshop, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to edit an image for the best results.

Creating a Compelling Landscape Photo by Combining Multiple Images

When it comes to landscape photography, the most common type of compositing we engage in is exposure bracketing for increased dynamic range. Of course, you can also use compositing techniques for artistic purposes as well. This excellent video tutorial will show you how an experienced landscape photographer used the power of compositing to create a single compelling image.

5 Common Editing Mistakes Made by New Photographers

Learning all the technique that goes into using a camera to create a compelling, well-composed photo is an undertaking all itself, but then comes the post-processing that is required to create a polished, complete image. Just like using your camera, there are some common mistakes new photographers make when editing their images. This great video tutorial discusses five such mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.

How Much Does Sharpness Matter in Landscape Photography?

While most genres place a lot of emphasis on sharpness, it is often of particular importance in landscape photography. Should we be placing so much emphasis on it, though? Are there other factors that should take priority? This insightful video discusses the issue and all of the other factors besides sharpness that we should consider before we edit a landscape image.

How to Take Great Photos on Cloudless Days

In a previous article, I shared my favorite way of dealing with an overcast sky in photography. Today, we will focus on the opposite: clear skies. Those can also be a challenge for landscape photographers. But there are ways to take great photos under such conditions, and in this article, we'll explore several of them.

A Practical Beginner's Guide to Shutter Speed

Along with aperture and ISO, shutter speed is one of the fundamental parameters that allow you to create balanced exposures and take creative control over your photos. If you are new to photography and interested in learning about how to use shutter speed more effectively, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you what you need to know.

How to Add Contrast When Shooting Portraits on a White Background

The clean, white background portrait style is a classic look that will always be in demand for a wide range of clients and applications. However, it takes a bit of lighting savvy to create a pure white background while retaining crisp contrast and defining shadows on your subject. If you are wondering how to achieve that, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know.

5 Helpful Tips for the Shy Street Photographer

Street photography is an exciting genre that can quickly sharpen your technical and creative skills, but it also is not for the faint of heart. If you are interested in street photography but find yourself a bit shy to tackle it, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced shooter giving five helpful tips for apprehensive photographers.

Do You Need Two Card Slots in Your Camera?

If you are new to photography, you have probably noticed professionals talking about the need for dual card slots a lot, sometimes so much so that they will refuse to buy a camera that only has a single card slot. Why is that so important? Do you really need two card slots? This excellent video features an experienced photographer discussing some of the reasons photographers use two card slots and how they can benefit you.

The Ingredients of Fantastic Festive Photos

This is an excellent time of year for photography. Here are some tips for getting better photos to help preserve your memories of these celebrations.

Have You Overlooked the Usefulness of a Superzoom Lens?

Photographers often look down on superzoom lenses, viewing them as too much of a compromise in image quality for the convenience they offer. However, they offer more than convenience, and with advances in image quality in recent years, they are much more viable than in the past. This great video essay discusses some of the reasons why you should consider adding one to your kit.

How to Photograph One-Light Pet Portraits

Many of us have pets at home, and what better way to put your photographic skills to use than to create memorable portraits of your furry friends? This great video tutorial will show you how to use one light to create portraits of your pet that capture all their happiness and personality.