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!
Do You Know What A Tack Sharp Photo Looks Like?
One trait of an amateur photographer is that, in their portfolio, they will showcase photos that are not tack sharp. And why do they showcase them? Simple. Because they think they are “sharp enough”. And that’s what makes them amateur. Professional photographers...
Creative Posing Ideas
Follow along behind the scenes as James photographed the "Creative Posing" Shoot to Serve Assignment. The purpose of this assignment was two-fold: helping introverted photographers break out of our mold, and learning the intricacies of a single pose.
Observations on the Last 12 Months of Stock Photography Statistics
In order to get 1 free year of Lightroom, Adobe Stock is offering a contributor bonus program. The long and short of it is: before the end of 2020, there has to be 150 of my pictures downloaded from the Adobe Stock site. This is kind of a funny bonus program,...
Constraining Factors
The sound of my alarm going off was evidently louder than the pitter patter of water dripping off the trees onto the rainfly. Everything inside the tent was still pretty damp from the previous evening’s rain, but outside, the moon was making it’s appearance through...
On Assignment: Harvest!
We’re shooting to illustrate two different verses this month, both with a theme of “harvest” (more details about the assignment here). If you live where golden fields of wheat or rye are around, photograph that! That’s what we’re really looking for. But if you’re...
Quick Tip: Shoulder to the Sun
Last night, I was putting together a training video about the different times of day and how they relate to photography. If you’ve done much photography, you’ll know that each time of day offers the photographer something completely different to explore! Anyway, I...
What Quality Setting Should I Use for JPG Photos?
The topic of image quality (specifically JPG format image quality) comes up every so often in photography circles, and Lenspiration is no exception. I’d venture to say that all of the photographers here at Lenspiration are shooting for the best, so they naturally want their photos to be the “highest quality” possible. However, the downside to high quality is high file size!
Homeschooling Photo Shoot!
Learn more about lighting, helping kids get comfortable in front of the camera, and the incredible effect of focal length on your photos as James shares about a shoot he conducted with a homeschool family for a photo assignment.
Caught by Storm Chasing
A self-described country boy from a farming family on the coast of southern Virginia, John has been active on the Lenspiration forums since 2015 and a member on Lenspiration since 2018. When he has time for photography, his excursions tend to evidence his...
A Little Experiment with Focal Length
I’ve been having way too much fun preparing the Premium Training for next week’s photo assignment launch! After doing some video recording with Jonathan at a lake, we went driving around on some local back roads to find a good spot to run an experiment I wanted to...
Locals Are the Best!
Last Friday, I went out waterfall hunting! Needing some specific photos related to flowing water for a new training video, I headed to Valley Falls State Park. It was about an hour away, but it was the closest place I knew of where I could find a “big” waterfall....
On Assignment: Perfect Order in Nature
According to the details for the current assignment, perfect order in nature could also mean perfect order in man-made landscapes, so off I went looking for symmetrical gardens and manicured lawns at the closest botanical garden I could find! Oh what a surprise I...
Waiting for Just the Right Storm
The wind rustles through the trees, revealing the light undersides of every leaf. It starts sprinkling on the windshield. Puffy white and gray cumulonimbus clouds roll along the horizon. Maybe today will be the day? I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather for the...
Pulling It All Together!
Back in January, it was exciting to announce the launch of the Pro Posing Database . . . now, it’s time to announce a big update to the Portraiture Training section of Pro Posing!All sorts of disconnected, portrait photography stuff has randomly gone up on...
Can You See Yourself Growing?
I thought it was pretty funny how, after posting a survey about Lenspiration last week, I got an email from this other photographer who was sending out his own survey. Jeff Schultz is a professional Alaskan photographer, and after visiting his studio in 2014, I’ve...
Just Curious
Homeschool Summits is wrapping up their online Curriculum 2.0 convention today, and they’ve given me two All-Access Passes that I can give away for free. If you’re into homeschooling and would like one of them, feel free to enter the drawing by filling out this...
On Assignment: Go Forward!
When I read the details for this month’s assignment, I thought “Hey, this is going to be easy; I have plenty of brothers to use as models, it’s a bright sunny day, and I know exactly where to shoot it!” Well, as usual, it didn’t exactly turn out as expected. . ....
Photos from the Triple Wedding!
Have you ever heard of a triple wedding? Read how a whole team of photographers came together to capture this unique day!
Invisible Enemies Worse Than COVID-19
It’s 2020. The year the world found out how vulnerable it actually was. An invisible enemy has entered our world, and we are all taking extraordinary precaution against it. Suddenly, we are willing to endure incredible sacrifice and inconvenience for the sake of...
On Assignment: Into The Danger Zone
This month for our photo assignment, we'll be illustrating Psalm 119:103, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" If you decide to go out and take pictures of honey bees like I did, beware. Don’t get stung like . . . well,...
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New month - new photo assignment! And this one is pretty sweet. 🙂 Our goal is to take beautiful photos that reflect the truths of Psalm 119:103, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Get all the details at the link in bio!
Another behind the scenes shot....thanks to @real_lukas_n Though I usually use a tripod for landscape photography, there was no time in this situation where it was literally raining. When I saw the distant mountains after pulling in for only a short time at this open-to-the-public farm, I knew there was a shot somewhere. This vast field of flooded strawberry plants was the foreground I was looking for, offering perfect leading lines to the triangular peak framed by the sweeping mist.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#farm #landscapephotographer #shootingintherain #rainyday #behindtheshot
New blog post! The last bit of light after sunset doesn`t take long to disappear. Sparkling stars were peering through the pinyon pine boughs above us. We were in the deep shadows of dusk as we picked our way down the rock strewn trail back to the parking lot. Read more at link in bio.
#lenspiration #homeschoolphotography #homeschool #christianphotographer #photographyeducator #photoinspiration #photography #photoblogger
Behind the shot photo.... When it`s rainy, and you`re not on lights`s time table, there`s time to chat with friends while you`re out in the field! 🤩 Thanks @real_lukas_n for the second photo! --
Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#outdoorphoto #lowkey #mystery #photographyfriends #explorenc
Happy Memorial Day! Let us honor their sacrifice by using our freedoms not to do as we please, but to live as we ought. #freedom #integrity #selfcontrol #memorialday #Godblessamerica
New blog post! Rain poured down in torrential waves as we made our way through the Smoky Mountains. We had gotten up insanely early—long before dawn—to make the most of our time photographing at the high-elevation overlooks before the storm. But now the rain was coming down so hard that even the most dedicated among us didn’t feel like stepping out of the car for a photo. Until we rounded a bend and saw... Read more at link in bio.
#lenspiration #homeschoolphotography #homeschool #christianphotographer #photographyeducator #photoinspiration #photography #photoblogger
Join me for some LIVE photo coaching on Tuesday, May 26 as we look at "Glowing Scenery" photos. . . Register at link in bio!
Foreground element, framing, leading lines, human element, vibrant color.... Definitely one of my favorite shots from EXPLORE Springtime in the Smokies.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#photographycomposition #photoworkshop #composition #landscapephotography #springtime @greatsmokynps @blueridgenps
Before/after....look at the difference! A little editing is just what it needed to make it pop (IMO). What do you think?
"For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills." Deuteronomy 8:7-9 Every time I photograph a waterfall I should thank the Lord for letting me live in such a blessed land.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#waterfall #verseoftheday #landscapephoto #thankful #godsblessing
New blog post! The photographer who makes decisions based on comfort won’t get out in the field, even in a place like the Smokies—and therefore won’t come home with any photos. Read more at link in bio.
#lenspiration #homeschoolphotography #homeschool #christianphotographer #photographyeducator #photoinspiration #photography #photoblogger
The photo assignment for May is live! Take beautiful, landscape photos that have a warm, glowing sense to them. Photos could include warm sunlight glowing at the end of a path, over water, over a stream, in a field, or over a mountain. Details at link in bio.
New blog post! Read more at link in bio.
#lenspiration #homeschoolphotography #homeschool #christianphotographer #photographyeducator #photoinspiration #photography #photoblogger
Someone got a photo of me taking the group photo at Family Conference last week! @familyconfs @alertacademy #familyconference #eventphotography #groupphoto #eventphotographer #adventurous
A quick stop in Paris for a selfie! 😄 #paristexas #travel #selfietime #texas
So much fun to photograph a family conference as an actual family! (Thank you Rebekah for the photo!)
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#family #behindthescenes #together #teamwork #wvphotographer
On the lookout for puddles on a rainy first day of Conference!
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Family-friendly place to learn photography! www.lenspiration.com
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#rainyday #homeschool #conference #familylife #puddlejumping
Join me for some LIVE photo coaching on Tuesday, April 28! Register at link in bio.
