Over 100 photography tutorials

Over 100 tutorials to improve your photography via Click it Up a NotchWelcome! I am so excited that you are here and eager to learn more about photography! I want to share with you everything I have learned over the past couple of years and help you along your journey! Whether you just got your first DSLR or you have been shooting for years, we have something for everyone.

I am a huge advocate of shooting in manual mode. You will be amazed at how much your images improve once you take complete control over all your settings. Not sure you want to make the leap to manual mode? Be sure to read 5 reasons to shoot in manual mode. Manual mode may seem scary at first but I challenge you to put your camera on “M” for a week. You may surprise yourself.

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how to shoot in manual mode
Like so many people, I had a fancy new camera but my photos weren’t turning out like some of my friends with the same fancy camera. What was I doing wrong? I wasn’t shooting in manual mode. With the help of a friend and hours of reading everything I could get my hands on, I tackled manual mode. If I can do it, you can do it too.

Where to begin

How to shoot in manual mode: The basics

Aperture

Aperture

Shutter Speed

Slow shutter speed to show movement

ISO

ISO: Grain/Noise
ISO: Don’t be afraid to raise it

Camera Settings

Changing your focal point
Metering mode: Basics
Reading a histogram
RAW vs JPEG
How to meter using the sky
Interval timer vs wireless remote
The Zone System: The basics

White balance

Custom white balance
How to use Kelvins for white balance
How to nail white balance like a pro
How to correct white balance in Lightroom
How to warm up your image in ACR

Nailing Correct Focus

How to take a sharp image
Tips for achieving sharp focus
Back button focus: Do you BBF?

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composition
Learning how to compose a shot to draw your viewer in is a quick way to take your photo from looking like a snap shot to something you want to frame on the wall.
Rule of thirds
Limb chopping and basic composition
Shooting from different angles
Fill the frame
Leading lines
Negative space

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lighting
One of the best piece of advice I received was from Sarah Wilkerson in a workshop was “Find the light first and then find the subject”. The light in an image can make or break your image.
How to create catchlights
6 steps to creating a haze effect in photos
Window lighting
6 steps to creating a silhouette
A tip for shooting in full sun
Split lighting with easy with 5 steps
Creating dramatic light in small spaces
Shooting for black and white photographs
Dramatic light: Start to finish
Silhouette photos: 10 tips for capturing them
Finding light in unexpected places

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photography equipment
If you get several photographers together, they are bound to talk about photography gear. I myself am a lens junkie. Oh, I love lenses! There are so many out there to choose from and all the different gear can be quite confusing. Let us help you with that.

Cameras

Looking to buy a DSLR
5 tips for traveling with your photography gear
Sensor cleaning: Is my sensor dirty?

Lenses

What lens to buys first?
Comparing a 20mm, 35mm and 50mm on a crop sensor camera
Understanding the writing on the lens
What lens to buy next?
Our favorite lenses
Lens on crop vs full frame sensor
Comparing different lenses
50mm 1.8 vs 50mm 1.4
Camera lens rental: Your questions answered
Wedding photography lenses: What you need to know

Books

5 must-read photography books

editing
Something to keep in mind when you are first starting out is not to compare your SOOC to edited images. Every photographer I know edits their images. It is part of learning about photography. Besides editing it is important to make sure that you have a system in place to keep your photos organized.

Lightroom

Noise reduction video
Creating rounded corners in Lightroom
236 Free collage templates for PS, PSE and Lightroom
Adding vignetting in Lightroom
Editing silhouette photo in Lightroom
Lightroom Black and white conversion video
Exporting Photos from Lightroom
Sync button in Lightroom
Organizing photos in Lightroom using stars, colors, and smart collections
Cloning in Lightroom: How to remove distractions
How to create you own preset in Lightroom
Presets and Actions: Working smarter not harder
Before and after: Underexposure video

Photoshop

Photoshop editing: Creating negative space
Photoshop tutorial: How to add blur
RAW editing in ACR & Lightroom using the tone curve
236 Free collage templates for PS, PSE and Lightroom

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photography rut
It is inevitable that at one point or another in your photography journey you will hit a rut. Finding ways to get out of your photography rut can be a challenge. I post creative exercises to help keep you from getting in a rut but there are several ways you can get out of one.
8 tips to get you photography juices flowing
Get out of your photography rut in 10 steps
One subject, many vantage points
Photography bucket list
Photography project ideas
30 day challenge: Photograph your kids
11 tips for completing a Project 365
7 photography project ideas
Photography blues: 4 tips to kick the winter rut
Personification: Creative exercise

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photographing children
It’s the same old story, girl has baby, girl gets camera, girl wants to take better pictures of her kids. I know that is when I decided to tackle manual mode. I just wanted to capture better photos of my kids and still do.
Details, details, details
Newborn photography tips for on-location photographers
The everyday: Photographing your own kids
Capturing true character
6 tips for photographing your baby’s birth
10 tips for photographing your baby
Toddler photography: 8 tips for capturing those early years
Birth photography: 10 lessons learned
6 quick and easy tips to capture kids in the leaves
10 tips to photograph kids together
Photographing children in less than 7 minutes

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photography business tips
We did a whole series with secrets from the pros from start up costs to getting creative with your advertising.
Creative advertising through giving back
3 tips to brand your business
Start up cost
Owner to hobbyist: 8 lessons learned
7 things customers look for in a photographer
Facebook page: 7 ways to make it better
How to add a personal touch using photos

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video q & a
I recently started these video question and answers. If you have a question you would like me to answer please email me at [email protected] with the subject line: Video Q & A. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
Indoor sports photography tips
Tips to take your camera out in public
Tips to find a photography Mentor
Getting past discouragement and intimidation

my favorites
Of course, I have some posts that I loved writing and sharing with you guys. If you learn anything from this site please learn to get in the photos with your kids. They don’t care what you are wearing, how much you weigh, or if you have make-up on. Just get in the photo.
Self portraits: Get in front of the camera
Think before you click
Tips to for taking your own family portraits
21 lessons learned in my 2nd year of shooting in manual mode
The secret to editing a month of photos in one week
How to prepare a room for photos
Street photography: 9 tips to follow

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