There was a time when lens flare was considered a negative attribute of photos shot outdoors. Often caused by using a lens with inferior coatings (or no coatings at all), flare can also result from failing to use a lens hood when shooting on sunny days (depending on your position relative to the sun). These days intentional flare has become popular among some photographers who like the interesting look it gives an image. In the quick tutorial below you’ll learn how to avoid lens flare or use the effect to advantage. The choice is yours. Florida-based photographer Booray Perry is also an adept ..read more

Last week we brought you the premiere episode of a free online photo editing masterclass from our friends at the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel. That one demonstrated Lightroom’s most basic tools. Today’s second episode, explaining how to use masks, is far more detailed, so we suggest jotting down a few notes for future reference. In the 16-minute tutorial below you’ll learn everything you need to know about using “Lightroom’s most powerful tool.” Instructor Christian Mohrle is a German landscape photographer and image-editing expert. He introduces Part 2 of this important series like this ..read more

When manufacturers design a camera’s menu they do so without knowing the type of images you shoot or what style of imagery you prefer. And that’s why it’s important to modify the default settings so they meet your specific needs. Put another way, camera settings that are ideal for portraiture can be totally inappropriate when shooting landscapes, portraits, wildlife, or sports. So if you want optimum results, it’s time to dig into your camera’s menu system and make a few changes now. The tutorial below from Canadian nature and wildlife photographer Simon d’Entremont has an emphasis on the bes ..read more

One of the primary goals of landscape photographers is to arrive at a “correct” exposure, and we regularly post tutorials on this subject to help get the job done. But in the quick tutorial below you’ll see why certain types of scenes look much better by adding a bit of intentional overexposure during the editing process. What consists of an accurately exposed image is certainly a subjective matter, but one of our favorite pros insists that significantly overexposing a photo made in harsh light is definitely the way to go. It’s certainly possible to do this in the camera, but there’s a simple ..read more

If you ask a bunch of budding landscape photographers to name the biggest challenge they face, the answer you’re likely to receive is “getting a perfect exposure.” This can be difficult with all forms of outdoor photography, but it’s particularly an issue when shooting landscape scenes with a wide range of tones from bright highlights to deep shadows. In the quick tutorial below you’ll learn the two tricks a British pro uses to consistently nail exposure so he can concentrate on composition, proper focus, and other critical tasks. And while the topic of this lesson is avoiding blown-out highl ..read more

(Editor’s Note: You can read ”On the Road” columnist Deborah Sandidge’s other columns here). Camera technology these days is amazing; it’s practically magic. The problem, though, to my way of thinking and photographing, is that the magic offers a very wide and deep comfort zone—you might call it a zone of automatic decisions, and it’s probably best not to spend a lot of time there, certainly not if you want to create individualistic images. For my photography—and maybe for yours right now, or for the results you’re hoping to achieve—taking control is essential. I decide aperture, shutter spee ..read more

A lot goes into making landscape images that look as spectacular on the computer as they did through the viewfinder, and one common challenge is capturing foliage with realistic, vibrant colors. For a variety of reasons, it’s often necessary to enlist Photoshop’s help to get the job done, and in today’s tutorial from the f/64 Academy you’ll learn why using the Selective Color tool is the best approach to take. The video below walks you through a step-by-step process that really works. Instructor Blake Rudis explains why true yellow/green separation for foliage is a difficult task without ..read more

Photographing birds is a great way to try your hand at shooting wildlife because traveling to exotic locations isn’t required. All you need is a nearby park or nature reserve, and you can even get started in your own backyard. Another advantage with this genre of wildlife photography is that numerous opportunities abound throughout year, regardless of where you live. It’s also exciting that as the seasons change, so do the interesting species you’ll discover. And you can get the job done with the gear you already own Experienced bird photographers use a myriad of techniques to capture compell ..read more

The history of photography and camera technology is littered with controversies about the “best” way to capture an image. For a while shooters questioned the value of autofocus, then there was a debate regarding the quality of digital images vs. those shot with film. Today much of the conversation centers on file formats—namely Raw vs. Jpeg. Frankly we’re not a fan of preemptive claims by so-called “purists” who insist that you’re not a real photographer unless you shoot Raw (or always set your camera’s mode dial to Manual). While Raw files undoubtedly have benefits for capturing and edi ..read more

Capturing images of your travels involves many of the same techniques used when shooting other forms of outdoor photography. But there are a few extra considerations to keep in mind if you want optimum results. What’s different about photographing out-of-town trips is the key goal of telling a story with your imagery. This way the viewer can really appreciate your excursion. While visual storytelling can be an important component of many images you shoot, it’s almost essential when documenting trips. In the video below, a British pro reveals the tips and techniques that make his travel imager ..read more