Post-processing tools are always evolving, and Lightroom has added some tremendously useful options in the past few years. This great video tutorial takes a look at two of the newer features, Lens Blur and Point Color, and how you can use them for your images.
Understanding the source of inspiration in photography is critical for both budding and seasoned photographers. It's not just about the aesthetic appeal of an image, but also about its soul and the story it tells. This is essential for photographers to grow artistically and avoid stagnation in their craft.
Photography, as an art form, is not just about capturing moments but also about continually learning and improving one's craft. This concept is vividly illustrated in this video featuring an experienced and insightful photographer discussing how their choices influenced a shoot.
If there are multiple objects that make up the subject in your photo, it can be wise to consider the rule of odds. An odd number of objects makes the image more interesting compared to an even number. As always, there are exceptions to this rule.
Planning your first photo shoot can be a daunting yet thrilling experience, especially in the realms of beauty and fashion photography. Kayleigh June, a seasoned beauty and fashion photographer, delves into this topic, offering invaluable insights and practical steps to make your first photo shoot a success. Her expertise is crucial for budding photographers looking to make a mark in the industry.
While some New Year's resolutions focus on hitting the gym or changing up a bad habit, for photographers, it's often about learning something new in the world of photography. If you're listening to art photographer and educator Scott French, one of those things to learn might be how to find your own style.
Editing the sky in a landscape image is a critical skill for creating a compelling final product. However, many photographers, especially beginners, struggle with over-processing the sky, making it appear unnatural and detracting from the overall image. This helpful video tutorial will show you six common mistakes and how to improve your sky edits.
Mastering the art of visual balance is a cornerstone in photography. For photographers, achieving a harmonious composition is as crucial as mastering lighting or exposure and is often the difference between good and exceptional work.
Understanding the raw editing process is fundamental for any new photographer, both to produce polished images and to establish a consistent and repeatable workflow. This helpful video tutorial will show you a four-step process for editing your photos in Lightroom.
Noise reduction is a critical component in the post-processing workflow for photographers, especially those frequently dealing with high-ISO images or challenging lighting conditions. Understanding where and when to apply noise reduction can significantly impact the quality of the final image. This helpful video will show you the optimal time to do to ensure you get the best possible shots.
Macro photography, a realm often overlooked, offers photographers a unique way to transform ordinary subjects into extraordinary images. This niche pushes the boundaries of creativity, turning mundane objects into captivating subjects, and is worth a try by anyone who enjoys the photographic process.
Dodging and burning, a technique widely used by portrait photographers, is also highly effective in landscape work. This technique, traditionally associated with Photoshop, can significantly alter the visual impact of an image. However, many photographers may not realize that this method can also be done in Lightroom, and this excellent video tutorial will show you how to do just that.
Photography is an art form deeply intertwined with emotions and feelings, transcending mere technical proficiency or stunning locations. This concept is crucial, as capturing the essence of a moment or subject often relies more on emotional depth than on technical aspects alone.
Not long ago, I had the pleasure of participating in a creative photo weekend and showing a very green photographer some basics of lighting. While she was a darling and seemed to grasp every concept I explained, there were still quite a few misunderstandings that I had to clear up. In this article, I will explain the basic properties of light every photographer must know.
Clicking the shutter is often only the first step in creating an image. Mastering post-processing skills is crucial for new photographers. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to use post-processing to add depth to your landscape images.
One of the most appealing genres for photographers is black and white. Although we are long past the age of black and white being the only "real" medium of photography, there is still artistic appeal behind such images. In this article, I will share some of my favorite tips for better black and white images.
Professional photography is a career path laden with unexpected challenges and thrills. The allure of this profession is undeniable, attracting many with the promise of creative expression and the glamour of high-profile assignments. Yet, there lies a stark reality beneath this glittering surface, one that every budding photographer must grapple with.
Winter landscape photography presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, making it a fantastic pursuit for anyone who enjoys the genre. This helpful video tutorial discusses some common mistakes and how you can avoid them in your work.
I'm envious of the fortunate people who live near Maine's beautiful landscapes. This proximity provides numerous opportunities to capture the perfect shot of some of my favorite lighthouses. But what happens when you make the trek and the skies simply don't want to cooperate?
As we step into 2024, photographers and content creators are faced with a familiar New Year's resolution: declaring this year as "their year." But as any experienced photographer will tell you, progress in the creative field is more complex than just a declaration. It involves confronting harsh truths, adapting to changes, and continuous learning.
Mastering post-processing tools like Lightroom is as crucial as capturing the perfect shot, and it often starts with the tone sliders. This helpful video tutorial will show you everything you need to know get started.
I consider myself a very lucky photographer. After all, I have a studio to myself, plenty of various funky lights, and plenty of lighting knowledge to rely on when I want to create something. This was not the case a few years back. At some point, all I had was a light and an umbrella. If you are in this boat, this is the perfect article for you. There is a lot you can do with just a light and a modifier.
For photographers, filmmakers, and cinematographers who understand the basics, going deeper into the nuances of focal length can be tremendously informative. This exploration is at the heart of this great video that takes a look at the sophisticated choices of renowned directors and their implications in visual storytelling.
In the competitive and often unpredictable world of professional photography, managing finances can be as crucial as mastering the lens. The journey from a budding photographer to a seasoned pro is fraught with challenges, not least among them is financial management. This important video from a seasoned professional discusses a crucial mistake less seasoned photographers often make.
No matter what you shoot as a photographer, continual self-improvement is key. One effective way to achieve this is by reviewing old work, a practice that offers critical insights into your growth and areas needing refinement.
Street photography is a beloved but challenging genre for many photographers. Selecting the right lens is crucial, as it can significantly impact the style and quality of the images captured as well as how you go about taking them.
In this article, I show you an awesome Lightroom editing technique you can use to add atmosphere to your photos. If you take this method to the extreme, you can even turn a normal day into a foggy scene. It works well for woodland photos.
The transition from imitating to innovating is a critical step in a photographer's journey towards capturing stronger, more meaningful photographs. This progression is not just about mastering the technical aspects of photography, but also about developing a unique creative voice.
Understanding and utilizing camera settings to their fullest potential is crucial to ensuring you get the shots you want. Among these, auto ISO plays a pivotal role, especially in challenging and quickly changing lighting conditions. This helpful video tutorial will show you what you need to know.
The endless quest for the "perfect" gear often overshadows the art of photography itself. This thought-provoking video delves into this dilemma, providing seasoned and amateur photographers alike with a fresh perspective on equipment choice and the pitfalls of comparison.
Editing is an integral part of photography, but it's easy to fall into common traps that can detract from an image's quality. Understanding and avoiding these mistakes is essential for photographers looking to elevate their work.
2024 is here—can you believe it? I certainly cannot! It really felt like 2023 flew by, and the older I get, the faster life seems to go. In this article, I want to explore five photography ideas that you can try this year and see where the adventures take you.
Understanding the nuances of Lightroom is crucial for photographers, as it not only refines their work but also streamlines their workflow. If you are new to Lightroom, check out this incredibly comprehensive video tutorial that will show you 70 tips and tricks for editing your images in the program.
Photography, a realm where technical skills and creativity collide, presents a perennial question to its practitioners: which is more important? This topic is not just a matter of curiosity but is central to the evolution and success of photographers, both hobbyist and professional.
Understanding the intricacies of lens sharpness is crucial for photographers, as it significantly impacts the quality and aesthetic of their images. If you are new to photography, this helpful video tutorial will get you started on the right track.
In photography, the fear of making mistakes often overshadows the creative process. This anxiety stems from a common misconception in modern culture that every creation must be flawless. However, this important video challenges that notion, arguing that mistakes are not only inevitable but also essential for growth and development in photography.
The debate on whether photography is an expressive art form ignites passionate discussions among photographers and art enthusiasts. This subject is particularly pertinent, as it delves into the essence of their craft: is photography about capturing moments as they are, or is it about creating something entirely new?
Continually exploring new techniques is essential for capturing your best images, especially in landscape photography. The practice of exposure bracketing, a technique of taking multiple photographs of the same scene at different exposure levels, is one of those valuable tools for photographers seeking to achieve perfect exposure in their images.
Lightroom has become an impressively capable editing application, and you can easily use it to process a lot of photos without heading over to Photoshop. One of the most important skills a photographer needs is the ability to emphasize their subject, and this great video tutorial will show you three different ways to do that in Lightroom.
What is it that makes a successful professional photographer? How does one rise above the din of images we are bombarded with every day? This excellent video features a seasoned professional photographer discussing the issue and offering some helpful insights.
Golden hour, the time just after sunrise or before sunset, offers a unique and enchanting light that photographers love. This magical hour presents an opportunity to create images with a warm, soft, and dreamy quality that can't be replicated at any other time of the day. This helpful video tutorial offers 10 tips sure to improve your portraits.
Using a new camera for the first time is exciting. Before you take your first photo, it's wise to get most of the basic menu settings correct. After that, your quest for perfect customization can begin. The steps I describe in this article can help in this process.
Wildlife photography often gravitates towards close-up, frame-filling portraits, capturing intricate details of the subject. However, this approach, while initially appealing, can limit the storytelling potential of a photograph. This helpful video will show you how including context can improve your work.
The classic fish tank shot, a staple in product photography, is being reimagined with a modern twist. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to create your own dynamic images.
Over the past two years, I invested much time learning search engine optimization techniques. Making tweaks to my website and creating a content strategy, this work finally began bearing fruit three months ago. I'll now share the SEO knowledge I gathered in a little article series. In this article, I focus on how to rank on Google Search.
Photography, at least as presented on many platforms, often portrays an elusive world of "pro secrets," creating a divide between amateur photographers and seasoned professionals. This perceived barrier is crucial to understand, as it influences how emerging photographers view their journey and growth in the field. The video tackles this issue head-on, discussing the importance of breaking down these barriers and fostering a more inclusive photography community.
In the world of photography, few stories are as captivating and instructive as that of W. Eugene Smith and his monumental project in Pittsburgh. This tale is not only about artistic passion but also serves as a profound lesson for photographers on the complexities of capturing a city's soul.
Undertaking a 30-day challenge can be a transformative experience, pushing you to explore new techniques, subjects, and perspectives. These challenges are crucial for growth, as they force you out of their comfort zones and encourage the daily practice that is essential for honing one’s craft.
The misconception that professional photography necessitates always shooting in manual mode is a common hurdle for beginners. This video addresses this myth, explaining why mastering other camera modes is equally important for photographers at any skill level and why those other modes are actually the better choice much of the time. Understanding these modes can significantly ease the learning journey and make you a better photographer.
As a photographer, understanding and navigating through various creative cycles is essential. This video delves into a topic every photographer, regardless of their experience level, will encounter at some point. Its relevance extends beyond photography, encompassing all artistic pursuits, offering insights and strategies for dealing with different phases of creativity.
