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!
The Rarity of a Perfect Winter Scene
As a landscape photographer, there’s a part of me that genuinely looks forward to the kind of winter cold that brings snow, ice, and blizzards! Those are the days when the world is transformed—when every branch becomes a brushstroke and every field a blank canvas....
How I Organized My Phone Photos After Finally Making Sense of Google Photos
Is it just me, or is anyone else running out of storage space in Google Photos?
A Divine Composition: 9 Providential Encounters on Jekyll Island
Have you ever read the poem, "Disappointment - His appointment, change one letter and I see that the thwarting of my purpose is God's better choice for me. . ." After a year of planning and then cancelling our October EXPLORE Meet Up at Jekyll Island, choosing a date in January had its risks.
Student Photographer Spotlight: Summer Milligan
One thing I love about EXPLORE Meet-ups is the people! As I packed my suitcase and camera gear for the quick trip down to Jekyll Island, Georgia, I already couldn't wait to see the West family again along with their grandfather, Slade. And Lukas, who talks photography every time I see him at the TTD Convention in Pigeon Forge would be there too! This was going to be fun.
Who Wins the Prize for the 10 “Most Unique” Photos of a . . . Door?
Photos of a door? You read it correctly! For the Jekyll Island EXPLORE Meetup we did a unique photography challenge. “Go find a door and take 10 artistic photos of it. The one who comes away with the most unique set of 10 photos wins!” Yeah, I know. Sounds rather difficult. If not downright strange. But you should try it sometime!
The Jekyll Island Sunrise I Didn’t Choose
I could hardly believe I was actually on my way to Jekyll Island! I’m not even sure when I first heard about this small, unassuming island off the coast of southern Georgia. Maybe it was in an old issue of Outdoor Photographer I pored over when I was young. Or...
Student Photographer Spotlight: William Fallow
Congratulations to student photographer William Fallow on being chosen as the winner of the recent assignment, The Gift of Photography! We recently sent him some questions to get to know him a bit better, and loved hearing all the ways he has been enjoying photography. Let's sit down and have a chat and see some of his stunning photos!
Grand Canyon Photography: A Prime Sunrise Spot
We had found the Desert View Watchtower overlook to be a fantastic sunset location with its sweeping views to the west. I had taken a chance with sunrise at Grandview Point and discovered it to be the ideal location for that time of day. We hiked into the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail for an adventurous midday activity. And we were blown away with the incredible sunset God gave us at a small, yet ideal location at Navajo Point, complete with open views of the Dragon Bravo wildfire on the North Rim.
Grand Canyon Photography: Navajo Point
After a wonderful mid‑day hike partway down into the canyon, we freshened up at camp before heading out to what turned out to be the most photogenic location of our entire three‑day Grand Canyon photography excursion. This was our third golden hour in a row at the...
Grand Canyon Photography: A Perfect Midday Activity
After a short yet exhilarating hike into the Grand Canyon, it was so refreshing to get back to the car where Julianna and Mordecai were waiting. The day had hardly started, only just after 7:30am. We pulled out a yummy breakfast and kept warm and comfortable in the plush seats of our brand new rental vehicle. From where we were sitting, we could look out over the canyon with the rising sun now flooding the majestic rock walls.
Grand Canyon Photography: Searching for Ideal Sunrise Locations
My alarm went off at 4:00am sharp. Though I didn't feel like getting up, I was too excited about the potential of what would be happening that day to snooze the alarm for even one minute. I quietly slipped out of the tent and started the car. Julianna sleep-walked...
3 Gift Ideas for Your Photography at Christmas
This month's photo assignment is "The Gift of Photography". Whether it's as simple as printing out a photo and framing it to give to someone you love, or offering a free photoshoot to a family you know, we're going to use the month of December to not only grow our photography skills, but also to practically share them with others this Christmas season!
Keeping Family Vacation Blissful
It's amazing how easy it is to lose track of time when you're on vacation! The morning dawned over our campsite with a lazy reddish glow. A light breeze dried up the last drops of rain clinging to the sides of our tent. By the time I got back from an enjoyable...
How I Survived the Demands of Photographing an Outdoor Wedding in the Middle of Summer
I've learned what I need to do before and during the wedding day to make sure I don't get exhausted. But this year, I was asked to photograph a wedding in July that would put everything I knew to the test!
Concept Photography: 13 Simple Steps to Approaching it Like a Pro
Concept photography. What is it? And how does one go about conducting a photo shoot that successfully captures the "concepts" one is attempting to illustrate? I wanted to make the current photo assignment, Fashioning the Future, more instructional than usual, so I sat down and thought through exactly how I go about shooting these kinds of photos. And here's what I came up with!
Photography, Excellence, and the Bible
The family was comfortably settled around the dining room table. The orange and sage striped tablecloth lent a cozy feeling of autumn inside while dusk set in early over the landscape outside. I was working a nutcracker while Mom and Julianna picked out the meat...
Does Aperture Affect the Thickness of a Lightning Bolt in a Photo?
After an enlightening workshop in Pennsylvania and a busy HEAV Convention Photography Team, we were headed back to familiar territory. Our spring travels had taken us away from home for 5 weeks! But before crossing the finish line we wanted to make one last stop: a...
How to Capably Shoot the Photo Assignment, “Happy Homeschoolers”
This assignment may feel intimidating at first. However, photographing happy homeschoolers isn't necessarily as difficult as it may seem.
6 Takeaways from a Photography Workshop That Didn’t Quite Go As Planned
It was about as normal a summer afternoon as it gets in Pennsylvania. Hot, sunny, and humid. A typical June day in the countryside along the wide Susquehanna River. But the events of the day were all but normal!
6 First Impressions of One of the World’s Most Iconic Lighthouses
On the way down the Maine coast, we couldn't resist a detour to one of the world's most iconic lighthouses, Portland Head Lighthouse. We were not able to be there during ideal lighting, but this would be a good scouting excursion for potential visits in the future. What would be my impression of the location? Is it really as photogenic as people say? How much freedom would a landscape photographer have to explore different angles and compositions?
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What are we up to?
Follow along with Lenspiration travels…
Which lane am I in? Headed toward the light, or fleeing from it? "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:20-21
I`ve driven through this pass scores of times, but I`ve only taken the time to photograph it once. I`m busy. I`ve got places to go. But because capturing beauty is important to me, I find ways to prioritize it. Same in my walk with the Lord. I am in such desperate need of God`s light in my life, I prioritize going to His word in the mornings.
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Wholesome photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#walkinthelight #faithinfocus #christianphotography #sunsetlover #landscapephotography
🎉 Celebrate with us! 🎉
The new “Jesus, I Come” Lenspiration 2027 Calendar is here!
This year, I made some changes to the monthly design, giving it a fresh, clean look while retaining the aspects that everyone has come to know and love about the Lenspiration calendars—intricate cutouts, hymn lyrics, and Scriptures on each month.
Pre-orders start today, and calendars will begin shipping in October after they’ve been printed.
🎉 To celebrate the launch, we’re giving out a special gift for the next 10 days (until August 31). Anyone who pre-orders any quantity of Original or Personalized 2027 Calendars during this time will get 20% OFF the Lenspiration store* for the rest of 2026! 🎉
May the 2027 Calendar be a blessing to all who receive it, and a fresh reminder to come to Jesus each and every day throughout this coming year!
*20% discount cannot be combined with other discounts or offers, and does not apply to purchases of Original, Personalized or Artist’s Calendars, as well as Budget or Recommended Camera Kits.
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Family-friendly photography training
www.lenspiration.com
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#2027calendar #lenspiration #landscape_photography #JesusIcome #Scripturecalendar #Christiancalendar #inspirationalcalendar #christianphotographer #wvphotographer #uslandscapes
The following story is from a Lenspiration blog post which tells some of the behind-the-scenes stories from the photos I chose for the 2027 calendar (pre-orders for calendars begin on Friday, August 21!!).
But did any of the photos from that stop in western Virginia make it into the calendar?! Well. . .you’ll have to find out on Friday when the big reveal happens! 😉
"In May of 2025, we set out on a 4-day trek from Tennessee to Maine for the next event on our calendar, not knowing that the journey itself would offer some of the most memorable moments of the whole trip!
The first day’s drive was relatively short. On the way to spend the night with friends in Virginia, we savored the quiet drive surrounded by the beauty of the mountains. We indulged in a long lunch break at a picnic table tucked among trees with perfect temperatures and lighthearted birds flitting around us.
That evening, at our host’s lovely home in the Shenandoah Valley, we stepped out on the front porch to enjoy the spectacular view. There was no color in the sky, but that didn’t matter. Since photography is my work, I usually set it aside on Sundays to enjoy a day of rest.
However, as we sat and chatted in the peaceful beauty of the country surroundings, the sky started to get colorful and kept getting better and better. Finally, I looked at Julianna to see if this short interruption of our time together would be an acceptable exception, and her sweet smile was all the answer I needed! I jogged down to the van and snapped these photos before the perfect color faded away."
🎉SAVE THE DATE: Friday, August 21 - Calendar pre-orders open! 🎉
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#lenspiration #lenspirationcalendar #2027calendar #fineartcalendar #landscapephotography #naturephotography #behindtheshot #behindthescene #wvphotographer
"Thus saith the LORD, keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed." Isaiah 56:1
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#californiawaterfalls #waterfallphotography #explorecalifornia #chasingwaterfalls #landscapephoto
Join me for some LIVE photo coaching on Tuesday, August 25! Register at link in bio.
At this very moment . . . the Lenspiration 2027 Calendar is being assembled. The theme has been chosen. The design has been tweaked. Each photo has been carefully edited, and hymns and Scripture verses selected.
On Friday, August 21, we`ll have a big reveal and pre-orders will begin!
So, mark your calendar and get ready for the all-new Lenspiration fine art 2027 Calendar!
#wvphotographer #landscapephotography #calendar #FineArt #landscapes #creationphotographer #savethedate #2027calendar #creation
2026 marks the beginning of my foray into art exhibiting! Started off with displaying some calendars at the annual @salemwvofficial Salem Community Arts Showcase on Saturday. Next will be the Salem Apple Butter Festival in October. Special thanks to the Cultural Foundation of Harrison County for making both events possible! My goal is to use the exhibits to create a wholesome, educational experience for art-lovers to expand their knowledge in photography, geography, and the ethics essential to success in any professional field.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#artexhibit #learnthroughart #salemwv #lenspiration #artwithpurpose
Super excited! Thank you FeedSpot for naming Lenspiration as #2 in the top 10 Best West Virginia Photography Blogs to Follow in 2026! Just after Wonderful West Virginia Magazine @wonderfulwestvirginia Read more at https://bloggers.feedspot.com/west_virginia_photography_bloggers Truly, there`s no other place I`d rather call home than wild, wonderful West Virginia
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#onlyinwestvirginia #photoblogger #wvblogger #top10
I learned what "flash flood" means, the other day. No problem driving into downtown Indianapolis when the rain started. But it rained so hard and so long, our efforts to leave were thwarted over and over again as we backed out of street after street trying to find a way back to the Interstate. Never seen so much water on the road before. Thankfully we were able to get to an entrance ramp that was on higher ground....and begin our long journey home through more storms, tornado warnings, and flooded construction sites. So grateful that God "rulest the raging sea: when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them"! (Psalm 89:9)
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#flooding #travelphotography #travel #danger #flashflood
We almost left the overlook, when something happened.... We were on our way home from Connecticut, stopping in Virginia to meet up with @samuelchingphotography to photograph sunset at @greatfallsparkvanps. I chose the Maryland side of the river because the overlook faced west toward the sunset. However, we ran into two problems. First, the boardwalk offered no opportunity to descend down to the waters edge (offering instead severe penalties for leaving it). And second, it was not a pretty sunset. After spotting the landscape for a while, why stick around? Part of our group headed back to the car and I began packing up. And that`s when, out of nowhere, these long, pink, apparently altocumulus radiatus clouds appeared in the western sky in the perfect spot for landscape compositions! I can`t believe we almost missed it. I learned I need to be patient, even after the moment of sunset.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#greatfallspark #altocumulus #sunsetchasers #patiencepays #landscapephotography
For this month`s photo assignment, we`re doing something a little unusual: we`re learning how to take photos and add creative text overlay. With resources to help you through the process, this assignment takes your photography to the next level and helps you understand design concepts.
The goal is simple - to create "Verse Pics": taking any picture you’d like, with a verse relating to the scene designed on it.
Learn all about it at the link in bio!
On my way back from that morning hike at the top of South Mountain, the main thought in my head was to get back to the car so I could get home. Then I started thinking about why I wanted to get home. Well, one of the reasons was because I wanted to be back with Julianna and finally tell her good morning (because I had left so early that she was still asleep). That made me start thinking about how much she likes wildflowers and I thought "Hey, I should take some pictures of flowers to show her when I get back..." And that`s when I started noticing all the flowers by the side of the trail! --- Moral of the story: sometimes you don`t see things till you start looking for them. 😃 "Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see." Isaiah 42:18
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#flowerphotography #phoneography #lookandsee #lovestory #scripture
I can`t believe I found a spot like this in Connecticut! I`ve know a great photo spot like this existed, but couldn`t figure out how to get there without a super long, exhausting hike. Finally figured it out thanks in part to @alltrails. I can DM hiking directions if interested. It`s still probably a 2mi hike.
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#onlyinconnecticut #hikingadventures #bestphotospot #overlook #landscapephotography
Join me for some LIVE photo coaching on July 28 as we take a photographic tour across the world and explore "Picturesque Places"! Register at the link in bio.
I`ve had my eye on this location for years...and today I finally made the early morning hike out for golden hour. With the smoke coming down from Canada, would I get my chance for the photo I`ve been waiting for?!
A quick sunrise shoot with amazing potential. Right place at the right time. Would the sun show up and make it a perfect morning?!
Join me in the minutes before sunrise as I discover what the results of my early morning hike would be!
And here`s the real photo! Just tweaked a bit in LR. No special glowing effect added. No fake sunrays. No sky or foreground masking. Just purely picking up what I saw and experienced, because it was such a perfect sunrise (with help from the smoke from Canada).
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Become a photographer: www.lenspiration.com
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#beforeandafter #behindthelens #sunrisehike #landscapephoto #canadianwildfires
