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!
Wanted: A Picture That Illustrates “Walking Wisely”
Anyone happen to have a picture of a compass, a map, or a dangerous path in their archives? Put it to good use by submitting it for the latest Shoot to Serve Opportunity: Walking Wisely! Sharpening Character is looking for a picture to illustrate Proverbs 28:26,...
Detailed Photo Editing On Your Mobile Device Is Actually Possible With These 3 Amazing Apps!
A photo has been chosen! In response to Sharpening Character's request last week for a picture that depicted the message of Proverbs 16:9&18, members submitted pictures on Shoot the Serve and now one of them has been chosen for their weekly VersePic! View the...
How to Be Successful in Photography
Do you want to be successful in photography? I do, and I would venture to say that God wants us to be successful too (that is, if we are willing to let Him define what success means for us). Thankfully, the secret to being successful is actually quite...
The Secret To Amazing Golden Hour Portraiture
While there are many similarities between portrait photography and landscape photography, one must also realize that each certainly has it’s own nuances that are certainly unique to itself. Here’s what I mean…..
What Happened Over the Thanksgiving Weekend
Did you hear about the disastrously crazy turn of events that happened on Thanksgiving morning?! I just joined Instagram, and it’s all documented there . . . go to www.instagram.com/lenspirationphoto, click to Follow, then find and watch the video. It’s pretty...
What Helped Me Getting Started In Photography
Looking back over the years, the tips and “coaching” I received from photographers who were more experienced than I proved to be an invaluable element of my photography “education”. I mimicked my mentors. And still do. If I liked the way someone else’s picture...
Simple Edits Go A Long Way
How simple edits allowed family photos from a conference to be processed quickly!
Focus Stacking: When It Worked And When It Didn’t
Just got back from a fantastic weekend in Virginia, attending the Family Encouragement Weekend with the family! [Read more about what I’ve learned taking pictures at FEW Conferences in the past: Challenges of Shooting a Family Conference] But something else...
What Does It Mean To Vote?
With the choice of presidential candidates before us tomorrow, none of which are leaders I would have chosen to be in authority over me, I am perplexed with the question of what to do. Trump has led a life of immorality, is disrespectful in his language, is...
Where We Went for Epic Pictures During CAPTURE Virginia
This weekend was the CAPTURE Virginia creation photography workshop! Four photographers came. The goal was to exercise photography techniques in the classroom of creation. As we traveled from place to place, we put into practice the things we wanted to get better...
Heart of Autumn
Greetings from the highlands of North Carolina! After putting together a training video last week in Virginia on how to capture the unique beauty of early autumn, I’m excited to have now arrived at higher elevations here in North Carolina for another training...
Finding Fall Color on Old Rag Mountain
Fall is coming! And yesterday I had the opportunity to go on a quick hike with friends up Old Rag Mountain, one of the most strenuous yet beautiful hikes in Virginia. I’d been looking forward to this hike for a few weeks, and was expecting some autumn color to be...
The Man Behind the Video Camera
Thought you might enjoy this little teaser my brother Jonathan threw together for me the other day! 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D4dqDPrw3Y Jonathan loves to travel just like I do except his artistic bent is toward videography. We complement each...
Are You A Lenspiration Calendar Fan?
If so, you’ll be excited to know that the 2017 Lenspiration Calendar is now available! For this one, I chose hymns that feature the theme, Come, Praise the Lord with Me, based on John W. Peterson’s 1987 hymn so masterfully arranged by The Wilds. Do you notice any...
A Few Quick Critiques
Here are a few tips for you to enjoy from the latest PRO Critique webinar! I know it’s only 5 short minutes taken from the hour spent in critiquing the PRO members’ submissions, but I’m sure there’s something you could pull from it anyway:...
On the Edge of the Plateau
Bear Rocks is a widely recognized symbol of West Virginia wilderness and a frequently photographed scenic area in the state. Last week, I had the opportunity to spend an entire day photographing this well-known landmark on the eastern edge of the Dolly Sods...
Help Make Lenspiration’s Free Content More Helpful For You
I love to blog . . . if it has to do with photography, I’ll write about it! But what good is it to blog about photography if it isn’t helpful for other photographers? The blog is my outlet for providing observers like you with regular, useful, free content. But I...
The Powerful Influence of Visual Media to Change the Course of History
As a photographer, the opening paragraphs of a political news article I read the other day really caught my attention. It put into words what I had always perceived to be true but had not yet ever tried to articulate. During the very first nationally televised...
The Subtle Difference of HDR
I tinker around with HDR merging every once in a while, but I’m seldom pleased with the results. Like, even after merging a series of photos together, I still feel like I’m limited with the amount of detail I can pull out of the highlights and shadows. All too...
What We Learned On The Green Lake Photography Team
I just got back from the last ACTION photography workshop of the year in Green Lake, Wisconsin. Like the five other homeschool Conferences from over the summer, it was a blast! Here are some of the photos we took over the week and what we learned in shooting them....
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Did you see the new, “Jesus, I Come” 2027 Calendar that launched last week?! It’s been encouraging to see pre-orders coming in already!
🎉Reminder: Anyone who pre-orders any quantity of Original or Personalized 2027 Calendars by August 31 will get 20% off the Lenspiration store* for the rest of 2026! 🎉
PRE-ORDER AT LINK IN BIO!
❓Did you know that you can take the Original calendar and get it personalized . . . for the exact same price?
Over the past several years, I’ve figured out how to incorporate custom elements on the calendar in an affordable way. And in small batches . . . like 25. You don’t have to order hundreds or thousands of calendars to get a bulk price! Churches, businesses, and ministries—small or large—can use them, sell them, or give them away to family, customers, or supporters without breaking the bank.
To keep processes streamlined and efficient, I’ve simplified the pricing structure this year so that there is no price difference between Personalized Calendars and the normal, Original Calendars.
So, if you or someone you know might be interested in personalizing calendars this year, now’s a great time to get the process going!
⏰ Place an order by August 31 and get 20% off the Lenspiration store for the rest of 2026! ⏰
*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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#ChristianFineArt #ChristianArt #ChristianCalendar #ScriptureArt #BibleArt #ChristianHymns #HymnArt #FaithAndArt #ChristianPhotography #GodsCreation #LandscapePhotography #ChristianHome #FaithFilledHome #BehindTheArt #ArtistStudio #ArtProcess #ChristianInspiration #ScriptureInspired #MeaningfulGifts #ChristianGifts
It`s a choice to continue in sin. And it`s a choice to leave it. The way of escape is always open. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;" Isaiah 61:1
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Family-friendly photography training: www.lenspiration.com
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#verseoftheday #christianphotographer #faithandphotography #freedominchrist #exploretocreate
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?!








