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!
Have a Picture of Tree Rings? I’ll Pay You For It!
Last week, two photographers on Lenspiration got paid $50 and $30 when several pictures they submitted were chosen through the PRO Community’s Shoot to Serve forum. Those opportunities are closed now, but I just now added two more paying opportunities! These are...
Why I Shoot for Excellence in Everything
Sometimes I wish there was something more purposeful to shoot than the “flowers in my backyard”. And yet, if I do not know how to shoot my backyard with excellence, how can I expect (or be expected by others) to shoot with excellence things that are more important?...
The “Morale Booster”
Remember the image submissions I was seeking earlier this month? For the ITG calendar? In the post, Do You Have a Picture that Might Look Nice in a Calendar?, I asked the PRO members if they had any pictures they thought would look nice in a calendar in exchange...
How I Shot an Architectural Assignment
After a great summer of ACTION workshops and writing the Basic DSLR Photography Course, travels for the autumn season have officially begun! Because I’ll be on the road a lot, I won’t be able to post in as much detail as I normally do, but I’m still going to do my...
The 2016 Calendar Process
Hey everybody, thanks for helping me choose the pictures for the 2016 Lenspiration calendar! Of the 66 pictures to choose from, I narrowed it down to the top 12 and have now started to work on incorporating those pictures in to the rest of the calendar. It’s quite...
Which Pictures Should I Use in the 2016 Calendar?
It’s getting to be that time of year when I start thinking about calendars again! Would you like to help me choose which pictures I should use in the 2016 Lenspiration Calendar? Choosing pictures is the first and most important step in the entire production. And...
Do You Have a Picture that Might Look Nice in a Calendar?
A ministry called "In The Gap" is looking for 12 generic, scenic images to use in their 2016 Calendar! Do you have any pictures that might look nice in a calendar? ITG is a Christian ministry in inner-city Oklahoma City, OK. The ITG website states that their...
5 Tips on Shooting at the Fair
When was the last time you went to a fair? Did you take any pictures? Were you pleased with how the pictures turned out? Here’s some tips on how to make the most of your camera next time you find yourself at a local fair! 1. Shoot what’s important to you There’s a...
How I’ve Been Motivated to Desire a Higher Standard
This second onslaught of breaking news surrounding the Duggar family has motivated me to write down some thoughts I’ve been milling over since the initial news reports began earlier this year. Do these occurrences not motivate me to personal, inward introspection?...
A Special Day for Grandma–An Opportunity for a Photographer
How a special day for Grandma became an opportunity for a photographer to provide a professional blessing to others.
Capturing the Beauty of Valley Falls, West Virginia
A photographer friend of mine here in West Virginia has really encouraged me get out and see more of the natural beauty close to home. Just a short while ago, we went out to shoot at Valley Falls State Park together. It was only an hour’s drive away but I had never...
Are You Familiar with the Exposure Trio?
The Exposure Trio is the term used for the three fundamental elements of exposure: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. In the latest three lessons that I just added to the Basic DSLR Photography Course, I explain in detail exactly what those settings are, how they...
Helpful Websites for Scouting a Location Online
Do you like taking pictures of old covered bridges? During this time of preparation for the 2015 CAPTURE workshops, I ran across this amazing website! www.coveredbridgemap.com You really should check it out! What about waterfalls? Do you like taking pictures of...
Do You Understand How Metering Modes Work?
Another lesson in the Basic DSLR Photography Course is now available! Section 2, Lesson 2, Understanding Metering Modes, uses illustrations from shoes to flashlights to help us understand what “metering” means, what “exposure” means and what the different metering...
The Big Question That’s Bigger Than We Think
There’s a big question that every photographer will eventually ask: Where do I go to learn photography? This might not seem like a big question at first. But within the Christian photographer circles that I interact with all the time, there’s a deepening...
From the Photographers in Minneapolis
I told the class that I didn’t have many shots of the photographers from past ACTION workshops . . . Well, we took care of that in Minneapolis! Here are some shots of the photography team in Minneapolis, plus a few testimonies from them about how they thought it...
The Secret to Capturing the Moment
Event photography is all about capturing the moment. So, what is the secret to capturing it? I’ve shot a lot of events this year: birthday, wedding, big Conference, small Conference, family photo-shoot, etc. Learning to capture the moment is vital for capturing the...
What I Learned at Sunset
Have you been learning anything through your picture-taking in the last month? I sure have! Everywhere I go, I seem to always be learning something new. Here’s what I mean from one random place: I have to say in starting, that this is a strange composition indeed....
New Video! Lenspiration in a Nutshell
Most of the time, folks who stop by a Lenspiration booth have no clue what Lenspiration is all about. They see the name, see the banners and get the vague idea that Lenspiration has something to do with photography. Well, they’re right about that! Then they think,...
A Wedding in the Rain
Not even rain could put a damper on the day at this beautiful, wholesome wedding.
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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.
