How many times have you cropped an image, say to straighten a crooked horizon, only to discovered that in doing so you've sacrificed a vital part of the shot? Well that's unavoidable when using Photoshop's basic crop tool. But as you'll see in today's tutorial from The Dream Life Photography channel, there's  better way  to get the job done with the entire image intact by employing Photoshop's easy-to-use Content Aware Crop tool. And the technique takes barely three minutes to explain. Instructor Tom Woods is a professional editorial photographer who regularly shares his secrets on ..read more

Whether you process images in Lightroom, Photoshop, or another full-featured editor, it's difficult not to get carried away by all the capabilities available. But sometimes you'll achieve much better results by restraining yourself and taking a subtle approach so that you don't ruin photos by giving them an "over-cooked" look. In this 10-minute tutorial from Adorama TV, you'll learn why it often pays off when you avoid making too many adjustments, so that your images retain a realistic appearance. In other words, you can save time and effort while achieving more impressive photos if you follo ..read more

There's a lot of hype about the "superiority" of full-frame cameras these days, and it's important to separate the marketing chatter from the difference in sensor size as pertains to your particular style of photography. If you're thinking about "stepping up" we encourage you to watch this video before making the switch. Instructor Vlad Manea is a Romanian pro based in Germany whose straightforward tutorials are geared toward novices and evolving photographers. In this episode he explores a variety of sensors sizes so you can make an informed choice on an upgrade—or keep the camera you alread ..read more

Above photo by OSPAN ALI on Unsplash. When we consider the bonehead blunders photographers unwittingly commit, we usually think about gross mistakes that result in fuzzy or poorly exposed images. But the error in this story produces SHARP images that we want to abort at all costs. The tragic bungle we're identifying is sharing a memory card that has not been properly and thoroughly wiped 100% clean. You sell a camera, smartphone or GoPro you no longer use. You're a nice person so you throw in the aging 16GB memory card that was in the camera last. You format it first, so you feel safe, and yo ..read more

The craft of photography is full of long-held concepts and conventional wisdom that have proven helpful for years. But as technology, techniques, and editing software have evolved, some of these so-called "rules" deserve to be pushed to the wayside. One good example has to do with ISO, and how higher settings will introduce noise and degrade image quality. But according to landscape pro James Vooght, there are several good reasons you should feel safe cranking up ISO within reasonable limits—depending upon the specs and capabilities of the cameras you use. You've heard it all before: High ISO ..read more

Have you ever wondered why your images don't quite compare to those shot by photographers who make their living behind the camera? Sure, high-end gear and years of experience are important, but today's video from the Adorama TV YouTube channel lets you in on a secret you can start using today and it won't cost you a dime. Instructor David Bergman is an accomplished NY pro specializing in celebrity portraits and sport photography. He also has an informative website where he answers common photography questions and you can even submit queries of your own.   Bergman kicks off today's e ..read more

Most of us strive to capture images with maximum sharpness and we've featured numerous tutorials on the subject with camera and lens settings, along with important techniques, for getting the job done to perfection. The video below takes the opposite approach by discussing how and why you should embrace the blur. When done properly this technique creates images full of mood and emotion that really stand out from the crowd. This four-minute tutorial explains what you need to know to add this unique style to your repertoire, and why intentional image blur is so compelling. Instructor Danie ..read more

You're likely familiar with the claim by so-called purists that "You're not a real photographer unless you shoot in Manual mode." Since we avoid profanity on this page, let's just say that's simply a bunch of nonsense. In fact, accomplished photographer Jason Vong claims that most pros use Aperture Priority mode over 90% of the time. And when this mode isn't the right choice for the task at hand, switching the mode dial to Shutter Priority is frequently the next best choice. In less than eight minutes Vong explains when and how these two semi-automatic modes work to deliver great photos witho ..read more

Do your often shoot images that are soft and blurry, but don't know why? If so you have a serious problem that needs to be resolved—whether the issue is faulty equipment, improper camera settings, or poor technique. The good news is that today's tutorial will set you straight and help you capture sharp photos every time. Instructor Simon d'Entremont is a Canadian pro specializing in wildlife, landscape, and nature photography. In barely 11 minutes he'll help diagnose your problem and provide several effective solutions so you can concentrate on getting other things right. Simon breaks down th ..read more

There's nothing worse than coming upon an awe-inspiring landscape scene, setting up your gear, and capturing what you think is an epic photograph—only to discover that the image is soft when you review it on the computer. The are a number of reasons for unsharp images, and the tutorial below provides a "guaranteed" method for nailing focus every time. Instructor Ian Worth is a professional landscape photographer based in Wales, and in this behind-the-scenes episode you'll follow him on the Welsh coast while discussing his foolproof method for achieving natural looking images with optimum shar ..read more