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 Bought A New Tripod Head . . . And Why I Returned It
I’ve been learning a lot about tripod heads recently. You see, the tripod head that I’ve been using for the past 6 years finally bit the dust. So, I started looking for a new one. Here were my 5 prerequisites: Prerequisite #1 It needed to be a ball head, not...
West Virginia Rainbows
With the frequent thunderstorms that have passed through West Virginia this summer, there have been a surprising amount of opportunities to take pictures of rainbows. Most of the time I only have my phone on me to take pictures with, but still, it’s better than...
How to Watch Tuesday’s Photo Critique Webinar for Free!
Every month, as PRO members learn photography one step at a time working through the Roadmap and fulfilling their shooting assignments, they have the opportunity to submit their photos to be critiqued during the monthly Photo Critique webinars. Outsiders can listen...
What Is Correct Exposure?
What do you say? Is the first shot or the second shot correctly exposed? After looking at the first shot, the second one looks too bright. But what if I had shown you the brighter shot first? Now the second one looks too dark! So who determines what “correct” looks...
How To Photograph Tack Sharp Reflections
Reflections are awesome! And they’re awesome-er if they are truly sharp. Notice how in this photo the reflection isn’t quite perfectly, tack sharp? This is what a PRO member was talking about when they asked this question recently on the Q&A Forum: Do you have...
A Creative Perspective on the Photography Team Group Shot
Saturday was the last day of the HEAV Photography Team! As always, we took a team group shot. Instead of doing it at the exact same location every year, I like to try and be creative by changing up locations if we have the time. This makes things a little more...
2 Things You Won’t Want to Miss Today
First, obviously, is the time-sensitive discount I mentioned the other day for those who might want to try PRO free for a month: Remember! Only available today, tomorrow and Saturday (June 8, 9 and 10) Go to www.lenspiration.com/pro and click to Join PRO Enter...
Special Discount Available This Weekend Only!
Summer is the time for conferences and conventions! And there’s something very special about the one that’s happening this weekend… At the last Conference, the one at the end of May in Toccoa, Georgia, it was special in it’s own unique way. Southern sweet tea, of...
Behind the Shot: Belvedere on the Gorge
Belvedere on the Gorge Endless Wall Trail, New River Gorge Trail, West Virginia Subscribe to Lenspiration updates to download as a desktop background in the next Latest from Lenspiration update Behind the Shot It's sure is fun to explore and find beautiful...
Discover the Best Methods for Photographing Steam
I wish I had more time to expound on this! For now I’m just going to have to leave it at this… For me, “steam” was just one of those subjects I had never thought of trying to photograph before. (Like, have you ever tried it?) So, when a PRO member asked me how to...
Photography From the Perspective of a Designer
Just a quick reminder that the deadline for this week’s photo assignment is coming up quickly! Midnight, Friday the 26th. Have a picture that portrays the idea of “the passage of time”, or some creative representation of Acts 24:25, “And as he reasoned of...
Why This Designer Really Liked This Photo
PRO member @creative-click-photography stole the prize for the 1 Peter 3:15 VersePic Opportunity with her fantastic submission featuring a girl reading her Bible! Here’s her original submission and the finished VersePic: And here are the VersePic Director’s...
Something New for Everyone!
In PRO or no, I’ve got some great new stuff for everyone today! PRO Members: if you didn’t see it on Friday, the May PRO Report—your source to exploring what’s new in PRO—is now available at www.lenspiration.com/proreports! The report includes articles on: How to...
5 Things to Consider When Shooting a Wedding As a 2nd Photographer
Ever been asked to shoot a wedding as a 2nd photographer? Here are 5 things to consider when stepping into this role.
Lenspiration Forums Now Simplified!
Hey, just a quick update here on some changes I’ve been making to the Lenspiration Forums… Instead of using the secluded PRO Forums, PRO members will now be using the regular Photo Critique and Photography Q&A forums to submit their photos and ask questions...
Here’s Something You Can Do While You’re Editing Pictures…
A new Photography Moment is up on the Sharpening Character podcast…and this time with a twist! Podcasts are awesome because you can listen to them while you’re doing something else, like working out, driving, taking a walk…or editing pictures on your computer. In...
Best Shots from the Big Sandy Photography Team!
Big photography teams are a blast! And that’s what we had in Texas at the Big Sandy Family Conference! Along with learning the best camera controls to use for event photography and shooting practical photo assignments for three days straight, photo critique was an...
Window On The Marsh
As I peered out of my hammock on that cool Louisiana morning, the pre-dawn sky to the west was dull gray. It didn't look like there would be much of a sunrise. I was tired and wanted to go back to sleep, but I peeked out the other side just to make sure. The...
Trying Out A New Camera-Carrying System
It's been a long time since I've been backcountry camping! But I've been enough times to know that there's one thing about it that always bothers me....I can't take pictures while I'm on the trail (with my DSLR of course)! Most of the big gear is packed away. If I...
What’s Happening This Week!
Last week was the Big Sandy Family Conference photography team in Texas! With 19 photographers, it kept me so busy I didn't have time to blog about it! Hoping this week will be a little different.... As I write, I'm swinging back and forth in a new hammock I'm...
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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
