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!
Exploring West Virginia: What NOT to Do!
Do you relish stress? Or would you prefer to steer clear of unnecessary problems? Learn from my mistake…never cross a point of no return if you don’t know what’s beyond it! Here’s a story of what happened when I did, and the lessons I learned from it…...
Strolling Through Downtown? Make the Most of it!
Going shopping? Finding a place to eat? Visiting a museum? Whether you’re by yourself, vacationing with family or spending time with friends, I’m sure it’s fairly often you find yourself strolling through the busy streets of downtown! If it suits the situation, why...
My 4-Step Process For Scouting Photography Locations Online
You don’t have to be a full-time photographer to find great places to take great pictures! But it does help to follow a process. So, here’s my process. In this particular video—scouting around for schoolhouses while visiting a friend in Connecticut—I happened to be...
Crazy Photo Excursion to Snowy Connecticut!
I don’t normally drive over 600 miles for a photo shoot…especially when it means driving straight into a major snowstorm! But this time, maybe I was going crazy. Here’s the story behind the assignment and just exactly what happened on this adventurous excursion to...
How I Use a Wal-Mart Tripod!
Not all tripods are created equal. So what can you expect in a tripod if you can’t afford a durable, name-brand one? After accidentally leaving my quality, Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod at home on a recent, multi-day photo excursion last week, I started learning...
I Couldn’t Find a Good Overlook….
….so here’s what I decided to do! https://youtu.be/cIS0n6C6P0g Behind the Scenes Insights A fellow from church first told me about 5 Points. He knew I liked photography so when I asked if he could recommend of any nice places around to take pictures, he said...
A Practical Use for “Split Toning” in Lightroom
I haven’t found many practical uses for the Split Toning panel in Lightroom. I probably hadn’t opened it for months! It’s one of those panels that seems to provide more of an artistic spin on editing photos versus the natural feeling that I'm usually trying to go...
Directing the Eye Using Overexposure
Here’s some real-world composition for ya! I wasn’t planning on creating this video, but because finding, composing and tweaking this shot turned out to be so “textbook perfect”, I couldn’t help but step back and quickly explain how it came together. ...
“How You Can Take Amazing Photos in 4 Simple Steps”
Ultimate Bundles is offering a free Video Series on basic photography called “How You Can Take Amazing Photos in 4 Simple Steps”. As far as I know, it’ll only be available until February 25! I just finished reviewing it and am happy to say that, based on...
Learning How to Intelligently Predict Beautiful Times to Take Pictures in the Outdoors!
What if you could predict beforehand if it was going to be a beautiful sunrise tomorrow morning? Or a beautiful sunset tonight? Or the next night? What if you could intelligently calculate ahead of time if a particular snowfall was going to be particularly...
Embrace the Unexpected!
In the photographer’s pursuit of beauty, he relies on many factors that are outside of his control. Of course, he hopes and plans for conditions favorable to fulfilling his goals But sometimes the conditions are less favorable than expected. Sometimes more...
On Assignment: Shooting for the Cover of a Magazine!
Ever wondered what it was like to shoot a photo that was featured on the front cover of a magazine?! Well, it is a nice idea, but I actually don’t know what it’s like yet….none of the photos I’ve ever taken have been featured on the front cover of a magazine. But!...
This Morning’s Incredible Super Blue Blood Moon!
Did you hear about the incredible natural phenomenon that happened this morning? I’ll let NASA explain all the juicy details about it…..what I was interested in was taking pictures of it! Here’s what excited me about it: Though where I live it was not going to be a...
Behind the Shot: Forgotten
We arrived just in time. The last rays of direct sunlight were still shining strong on the western side of the church when we pulled up. I hopped out of the car and plunged into the thigh-deep drift of snow piled beside the road. With considerable effort, I made my...
On Assignment: Shooting for the Cover of a Book
Ever wondered how you're supposed to conduct a photoshoot for the cover of a book? Well, I wish I could tell you! Even after shooting for this STS assignment, I still wonder how it's supposed to be done! Despite my desperate lack of experience, I started with the...
The Photo That Won the “New Life” Contest
The “New Life” Shoot to Serve photo assignment was a very popular one. As you can see below, there were quite a few photos submitted! Which one would you choose as your favorite? Ben, over at Sharpening Character was the judge for this contest, but it’s interesting...
Behind the Shot: Sky Rock Overlook
The Shoot to Serve assignment that expires tomorrow, Woman Worshiping God, has been on my radar for several weeks… Problem is, I don’t live near any epic overlooks or “perfect” locations that the assignment demands. Yes, I live in the “Mountain State”, but the...
Share Your Favorite Places to Take Pictures!
I just spent some time adding some new locations to the Scouting Guide! One of the new locations, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Texas, is just one of those perfect spots for a fun, family outing that could be enjoyed by the whole family, both photography...
Re-Thinking “Dark” and “Light”
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a photographer, I’m sure we’ve all taken pictures during special events of one sort or another! And whether it was a holiday celebration, a birthday party, a wedding reception (anything festivity-related), I’m guessing it...
Ever Heard of the “Glowy Effect”?
Ever heard of the “glowy effect”?If you haven’t, that’s ok because, well, I just sorta made it up the other day. For the current Shoot to Serve assignment, Glowing Sunlight, I simply didn’t know how to clearly explain the effect I was envisioning would be an...
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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.
