Lenspiration Blog
Welcome! Wherever you are on your photography journey, learn to take better photos through the photography tips and stories you'll find in the following free articles. By learning from the experience of others, you can also start taking pictures that you're excited to share with others!
How I Worked This Scene
While taking pictures of the sunset the other night, I distinctly remember working this specific scene. It was the best view in the area for that time of day. I walked around to a couple different spots, but kept coming back to this one break in the trees because...
Camping Stories
I get excited when there are lots of big events lined up on the calendar, one after the other, at different places all over the country. It means that, between each event, I get to go camping all over the country! The end of FPEA kinda marked the beginning of a...
Crazy What Can Happen In a Week!
After traveling around doing conventions for a couple years, you’d think I’d be a pretty experienced traveling photographer by now. But there’s always so many new things to learn! For the particular excursion I’m on right now, I decided to post 1 pic a day on...
On Assignment: Studying the Word
Deadline’s coming up. Not finding time to photograph. Can’t find the right people to photograph. Find someone to photograph! It doesn’t work out to do the photoshoot. Deadline still looming! Ever felt this way before? I certainly have. Here’s what happened...
One Wedding, Two Perspectives
A side-by-side showcasing of the perspectives of two photographers, as seen in their photos from a special wedding day.
Stories from Southern Texas
Donald awakened me out of my deep slumber. It was just before 5am on Saturday morning. The second day of our crazy birding adventure had begun! Long before it was light, we were on location at Estero Llano Grande State Park in the extreme southern tip of Texas...
The Morning My Lens Disappeared
It’s never a good day for a lens to show up missing. But especially not today! For my brother’s birthday, we planned a “quick” trip to southern Texas—like about-as-far-south-as-you-can-go Texas!—for an epic birding excursion. Donald loves bird watching, Dad loves...
On Assignment: Designing a Verse Pic
It’s not often that I’ll record myself doing an assignment from beginning to ending, but I thought it would be good to do it for the assignment, Inspirational Verse Pics. It’s a unique assignment in that you can go take pictures of whatever you want. The challenge...
A Reminder to Keep Things Backed Up
It’s been a loooong time since my Lightroom catalog has corrupted. But for some reason, soon after upgrading to Lightroom 10, it did! Maybe it had something to do with a bug in the update? Regardless of what caused it, the fact of the matter is . . . it corrupted....
The Benefits of Working with a Team
It was quite the honor when someone on the music faculty of the New England Baptist College (a friend of mine named Matt) asked if I could conduct a photo shoot for a marketing project they were working on. Having not much experience in the area of commercial...
On Assignment: Family Having Devotions
Seriously, another “portrait-related” assignment?! Yup! And as normal, I was feeling quite nervous again about figuring out how to shoot it. 🙂 It’s just so hard to find people willing to have their pictures taken for website headers and stuff online! To make it...
How to Save a Little Money When Filling Up On Gas
Convention season has officially begun!David and I left for TTD Nashville last Tuesday, camping about half way at Whitetop Mountain.The cloud inversion in the morning was spectacular!The next several days were fun taking pictures and learning how to shoot in manual...
Strawberry Pie Editing
In last week’s Photo Coaching webinar, we discussed a good photography quote by Gina Milicia: “Beware of turning your images into Twizzlers.” Twizzlers are generally strawberry flavored. They’re supposed to taste like strawberries. But it sure takes a lot of...
On A Hunt for Something Beautiful
Shooting for this month’s assignment could be easy, or it could be difficult. Depends on what you decide to shoot after reading the assignment details. I decided to shoot for something difficult! Chances were low that I’d find what I was looking for, but how would...
Something New for You!
Notice anything different around here?We've been working busily behind the scenes to update the entire Lenspiration website! If we did our jobs right, it shouldn’t seem completely different to you, but we wanted to make sure things were easier for you to find and...
To What Degree Do I Want This?
Was looking around for pictures that illustrated the lyrics of the hymn, Take My Life and Let It Be, the other day. It’s quite a convicting song when, as I read it, I ask myself, “to what degree do I truly want to pray these words?”Take My Life And Let It Beby...
Testing A Lightroom Auto-Keywording Plugin
I ran across a free auto-keywording plugin for Lightroom the other day! It’s called Wordroom, and this is my first time testing it to see how it well it works! Here’s the first picture I tried, a church nestled in the valley during the first snowstorm of the...
On Assignment: “Eagerly Opening A Gift”
It’s fun the things I find myself getting into when I have no choice but to shoot the next assignment! Filmed in some places I’ve never filmed before, here’s what happened in my attempt to shoot this month’s Shoot to Serve Photo Assignment, a child Eagerly Opening...
Can You Guess?
I ran across a fun little catchphrase the other day: “Don’t make your photos your best-kept secret.” It’s always nice when you can get your photos off the hard drive and used for something. And if that something happens to be of eternal value too, it’s extra nice!...
Do You Know What “Peaceful” Looks Like?
Hey everyone, want to see some photos that are practically guaranteed to make you feel peaceful? What about some photos that are sure to make you cringe or go bouncing off the walls?! I had so much fun conducting this survey this month! I asked a random assortment...
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What are we up to?
Follow along with Lenspiration travels…
Calendar season is in full swing!
Original calendars are shipping, I`m working on Personalized orders almost every day, and I`ve been enjoying helping other photographers get their photos ready for their Artist calendars!
To keep the momentum going, I decided to offer a mid-season sale . . .
🎉 This weekend only, get free shipping on orders of 25+ Original or Personalized calendars, until Monday, Oct. 19, using the coupon code 2027SHIPFREE. It`s the only bulk-order sale I plan to offer this year, so don`t miss it! 🎉
Order calendars at lenspiration.com/original
I had heard enough about Nubble Light to get up at 3am to drive a few hours from where I was staying in New Hampshire to the Maine coast to photograph it at sunrise! That was back in 2015, and was my first time to Maine. A few minutes after this photo was taken, the sky erupted in vivid pink, but I still come back to this photo as my favorite for it`s quite drama and illusion of movement in the blurred waves.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#mainecoast #nubblelight #landscapephotography #shutterspeed #lighthouse
Time to get back to posting pretty pictures! The Art Show, Lenspiration stuff, and the 2027 Calendars are funny to post about, but hearing about those things is probably not the reason you`re following this account. 😊 So, let`s head out to Minnesota on a frigid, February morning! I had flown into Minneapolis the night before, picked up a rental car, and started driving north in preparation for shooting a wedding in Fargo. I car camped in a Walmart parking lot half way, and got up before dawn to drive the rest of the way. As the sky started to get light, I began looking for an exist that might offer something interesting to photograph. Nothing presented itself on that flat, endless prairie of western Minnesota. I took a random exit, knowing I had no more time left before the sun would came up. Then, out of nowhere, this fantastic old schoolhouse appeared next to the road not a minute`s drive from the Interstate! Needless to say, I rushed to find a pleasing composition before waiting only a few minutes to snap this shot of the sun peeping up over the horizon in just the perfect spot.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#landscapephoto #behindtheshot #storytime #sunrisephotography #minnesota
Wrapped up the festival with 1st place in our division in the parade, thanks to my brothers help decorating our family fan. 🤗 First time ever for Lenspiration to be in a parade!
The Lenspiration 2027 calendars have arrived!! I`m starting to put them in the mail beginning TODAY! So excited to get them into your hands. 🎉
Haven`t ordered yours yet?! Place your order at link in bio.
New blog post! The Apple Butter Festival Art Show is around the corner, and I intentionally curated the gallery to showcase 40 photos from 40 different states. Here are some clues on guessing the states! Read more at link in bio.
#lenspiration #homeschoolphotography #homeschool #christianphotographer #photographyeducator #photoinspiration #photography #photoblogger
We just launched October`s photo assignment, and our goal this month is simply to work with a family you know to take their family photos.
Whether you have done a family photo shoot or not, don`t worry! We will guide you through the assignment with ease. When you’re finished, you’ll be genuinely glad you took the time to complete it.
View details at link in bio.
All frames and prints have arrived! Now to assemble all 30bof them . . . before the @salemwvofficial Apple Butter Festival art show begins next Thursday!
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#westvirginia, #festival, #applebutter #salemwv #diyart
New blog post! Discover simple, practical snack ideas that make travel days smoother and healthier. These easy, packable options keep you energized whether you’re commuting, road‑tripping, or heading out for a full day of photography. Read more at link in bio.
#lenspiration #homeschoolphotography #homeschool #christianphotographer #photographyeducator #photoinspiration #photography #photoblogger
Take a close-up look at the Lenspiration 2027 Calendar physical proof with me! 🎉Pre-order your calendars NOW to be included in the first batch of shipping!
✅ View pre-order link in bio.
Why visit a landscape photography art gallery? Here are at least 8 ideas....
1. An invitation to slow down
2. You experience similar feelings to being at iconic places... without the travel
3. A mini vacation without leaving town
4. Expands knowledge of places you didn`t know existed
5. A worshipful mood for magnifying the Creator, Jesus Christ!
6. Generates conversation about far off places and interesting subjects
7. Broadens appreciation for detail, color combinations, and photographic composition
8. Helps discover or refine your own tastes
Why would you visit an art show? Let me know in the comments!
Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#artshow #fineartgallery #landscapephotography #creationproclaims #seetheworld
I`ve been preparing for the Apple Butter Festival Art Show in October and needed a shot that said "Wisconsin". I had some generic scenic photos from across the state, and no photos of cheese. But when I started playing around with this round barn image that I originally intended to be documentary, it really started to grow on me. I took it in the middle of the day, on the way home from attending church, almost as an after thought. It was even in late October, after the leaves had fallen, a bad time of year for color. But the light, composition, and dramatic clouds all worked together to pull it out of the forgotten archives and into my gallery portfolio! And if you didn`t already know, Wisconsin has the most round barns of any state in the US, and speaks heavily of the rich dairy heritage of the area.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#onlyinwisconsin #roundbarn #fineartgallery #storybehindthephoto #behindtheshot
I`ve been printing calendars since 2009, and there`s something very interesting that I`ve discovered.
I always included a verse of Scripture and the lyrics of a nice hymn on each month. “What a great way to share God’s Word and connect with my neighbors in a meaningful way!” I thought.
Some neighbors took them courteously with a smile. Some neighbors opened right up and we would talk for half an hour or more! “You mean, you took these photos?” they would ask in surprise.
The reason friends and neighbors connect so well is because it’s not just a regular calendar. It’s an “I-know-the-photographer” calendar. It gives neighbors a glimpse of who I am, what I do, and what I’m like.
📷 And you can do the same, with your friends and family, or in your community, with Artist’s Calendars! 📷 View details at link in bio!
As photographers and artists who are Christians, every time we share our work, we offer a small, concentrated glimpse of God’s glory as it has been revealed to us. And in sharing it, we invite others to pause, to wonder, and to recognize the fingerprints of the Creator woven into the ordinary and the extraordinary alike.
Wow. What an opportunity for us photographers to use our skill, our talents, our art—for the glory of God!
Whether it’s through a calendar, or if you share your photos in another way, be encouraged to let your photography act as an avenue of God’s beauty and the reality of Christ in you to the world around you.
Interested in printing your photos in a calendar? Learn more at link in bio.
#artistscalendar #printyourphotos #fineartphotographer #calendarforartists #christianphotographer #christianartist #customcalendar
Join me for some LIVE photo coaching next Tuesday! Register at link in bio.
Uncle David came over to help Mordecai and I put together a sign for the Apple Butter Festival Art Show! #applebutterfestival2026 #applebutterfestival #artistatwork #workingwithkids #onlyinwv
New blog post! The journey to my first ever fine-art exhibit has been pretty crazy. But the purpose behind it is so fulfilling. Read more at link in bio!
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Become a photographer: www.lenspiration.com
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#artexhibit
#fineartphotography
#salemwv
#landscapephotographer
#wvphotographer
@salemwvofficial
A snapshot that encapsulates the fun Mordecai had on a farm with friends the other weekend. 🤗 #farmlife #familyfun #funonthefarm #fruitoflabor #akidslife
