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!
A Look At The “Other Side” Of A Photo Not Often Talked About
A printed photo has two sides, obviously. A front and a back. But emotionally speaking, every photo has two sides as well. The front is the side we talk about much….the photo itself. Is it a good photo? How does it make the viewer feel? Is the message the...
Do I Recognize Opportunity?
If you happen to be up on Lenspiration’s photo assignments, you’ll have noticed that the current assignment is “Friendship”. In short, the assignment is to be on the lookout for a photo op that illustrates the idea of Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man...
7 Ways to Reduce the Awkwardness of Lugging Around Your DSLR on a Day Hike
The via ferrata trail guide surveyed the full frame DSLR I had clipped on to my photography waist strap as the group gathered for the opening safety briefing. “No, I’ve never seen anyone bring a camera that big on the via before.” For the umpteenth time, I...
The Story I Never Told
We all love to hear stories that reveal the power of God and His amazing hand at work. But what about those stories that don’t have a good ending? Do you have a few of those? Are you living in one right now? When a story is in the making, it’s usually not one...
5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Photographing My First Wedding
In this guest blog post, Abby shares things she's learned through photographing weddings, and what she wishes she knew beforehand.
Why Wait? A Valuable Tip for Budding Photographers
It had been way too long since I’d spent some quality time with my younger brothers, so last weekend Jonathan, David, and I headed into the mountains for a quick camping trip! Whitetop Mountain in Virginia’s Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area was a fantastic spot!...
My Epic Family Photography Photoshoot Fail
Vision is great. But then there's reality. Reality (what actually happens on a photoshoot) is important to analyze because it helps one re-orientate where they are in the full scope of photography skill.
Are Your Photos Stored Safely?
Where do you store your pictures? On your computer or on an external hard drive, I would assume? Now, what would happen if that computer or external hard drive crashed….this very instant?! Believe me, if you use electronic equipment, it will fail on you before too...
Dealing With Underexposure
Do your pictures turn out overly underexposed sometimes? This happens to me all the time. Especially when I’m shooting in full manual. The light changes, or I point the camera in a different direction, or I put a filter over the front of the lens and, yeah, I...
Photography Exposure Cheat Sheet!
What do you say? Is seeing easier than reading? I’d say so! Here’s a little cheat sheet to help you visually remember what’s important in photography exposure: which camera settings affect exposure, how those settings affect the way your photos look, and some...
3 Things Photo Critique Is Teaching This Budding Photographer
Is there an experienced, modern-day photographer you look up to? Have you ever watched them critique photos? Have you ever watched them critique your photos? I’ve never had Frans Lanting critique any of my photos, but I did have the opportunity to watch him...
What It Takes To Be a Real Estate Photographer
When I first picked up photography, it was just for the fun of it. It was a great hobby. But as hobbies often go, it started taking more and more of my time and money. It wasn’t long before I was asking myself, “Is this something I want to make into an occupation?...
4 Steps to Photographing Beautiful Architecture Interiors
Last month, I had the opportunity to pick the brains of a professional real estate photographer as I followed him around on a couple real-world jobs! It was so amazing. I learned so much! I’m so grateful he allowed me to come, ask questions and even take video...
7 Fundamental Tips for Beginning Wedding Photographers
Looking at getting into wedding photography? For starters, here are some of the basic things that are good to know before shooting your first wedding.
The Power of Brushing
Recently, a photographer friend of mine encouraged me to consider spending a little more time doing “local brushing” on my photos to help accent highlights, deepen shadows and increase overall visual appeal. I’m still learning how to do it (often I don’t really...
This is THE Place for Photographers!
Having never been to one before, I wasn’t sure what to expect at the Photography and Media Summit hosted by Miracle Mountain Ranch last weekend…. Well, here’s what happened and my opinion on it: https://youtu.be/qkEEcntz9FI Behind the Scenes Insights My...
What Happened at Kent Falls….
My Saturday's are not usually as exciting as was this past Saturday, at least, in the respect to planned excitement. It was the first Saturday of it’s kind this year, and Lord willing, not the last…. https://youtu.be/PIIYQmKk6-M Behind the Scenes Insights I...
One Photography Principle You Don’t Want to Break!
I’m sure you’re familiar with various composition “rules” in photography, like the “rule of thirds” or “keep the horizon level”. And knowing and applying simple rules like these will certainly set your pictures apart from the average snapshots! But it's important...
Quick Edit: Spring Dogwood
I don’t know if you remember, but this month’s free desktop background wallpaper was a pretty branch of dogwood flowers taken during a stroll through the park surrounding the St. Louis Arch. Well, here’s a little video of how I edited it. In real time, using...
The Price of Adventure
Enjoy adventure?! Be sure to count the cost, because you never know when everything might just go dead wrong…. https://youtu.be/LMdRJTe7R7A Behind the Scenes Insights I was well aware of the danger of a wet snowfall….if it was a snowfall in late autumn when...
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Follow along with Lenspiration travels…
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.
