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!
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.
Hello from Sacramento!
Been enjoying my time here with the small group of photographers at the Sacramento Family Conference! Tonight we were supposed to be critiquing pictures, but got distracted by the amazing sunset out our classroom window. The sunsets around here have been just...
Finding the Perfect Redwoods Picture
When I arrived in Sacramento yesterday for the Family Conference ACTION Photography Team here this week, it started bringing back memories of the last time I was in California . . . Have you ever seen a picture of some place you wished you could go? Well, where the...
New Lesson in Online Training!
Are you a beginner photographer? Do you aspire to take great pictures but haven’t quite figured out how to use you DSLR? Do you struggle with understanding the buttons on your camera and knowing what they can do for you? I meet a lot of photographers with these...
The Common Thread Among the Best
Here are some of my favorite submissions from the ACTION photography team at HEAV. It doesn’t represent all 16 attending photographers, but I knew I at least had to display some of their work. Everyone just worked so hard! it was a huge event, there was a lot to...
Exploring Different Perspectives
One of the sessions I was assigned to shoot on the ACTION Photography Team last week at the HEAV Convention was “Dad’s and Donuts: Men on a Mission” with Todd Wilson. Seemed like a rather boring event, until I arrived. I was shooting with one of the other...
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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
