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!
Behind the Shot: February
Time for another story! Here’s what was going on behind the scenes in the February picture in the 2015 Lenspiration calendar. Only God can plan incredible occurrences. February 2015 – Successful Crossing Glacier National Park, Montana I would have to say that that...
Implementing a Brilliant Idea
New things never cease! I received a request to include something in a Personalized Calendar that I had never received before. Have you ever seen a wall calendar that had a Bible Reading Plan in it? Neither had I! So when Olivet Baptist Church purchased some...
Free Webinar with Tom Mangelsen Starts Tomorrow
If you want to some free training from the experience of a professional photographer, you might be interested in a free, two-day webinar presented by Tom Mangelsen. And if you enjoy wildlife photography specifically, you may be especially interested: the title of...
Behind the Shot: January
I wonder, sometimes, about the stories behind those “wow” shots we see so commonly displayed in calendars these days. Grant it, not all “calendar” shots are “wow” shots, but having put together my own calendars for about 5 years now, it’s almost habitual to wonder...
The Secret to Beautiful Product Photography
You know a professional product image when you see one. And you probably don’t even contemplate the fact that it’s professionally taken. The professional product photographer has done his job well when viewers think about the beauty or quality of the product, not...
Need Some Pro Gear?
Greg, a friend of mine, sent me a message letting me know he is selling a lot of his camera gear. I’ve listed out below what he has for sale and a comparison to what is might currently find it for new and used elsewhere. I don’t think you’ll be able to get a better...
The Amazing Zoom Effect . . . and How to Create It!
Have you ever seen pictures like this before? Can you guess how it was created? Nope, it wasn’t Photoshop! It was done with just a normal lens and SLR, like any cool photography effect should be done. While you may not consider it to be an “easy” effect to create,...
What I Learned From Frans
I was only able to watch a few hours of the 2-day webinar by Frans Lanting today and yesterday, but I still came away with quite a few things that were very helpful to me. Overall, I was very impressed with Frans’ humble confidence as a presenter, engaging...
Free, Live Webinar!
Can't beat this! Franz Lanting, a world-renowned wildlife, travel, and landscape photographer from California is offering two full days of free training via live webinar! I'm watching every spare minute I have . . . and I am learning new things almost faster than I...
Sunset Tonight
It’s not every day that you see a snow-capped mountain in West Virginia, glowing in the rosy light of sunset! I sorta did a double take when I got up for a break and looked out the window after working for a few hours on a design project late this afternoon. The...
Confidence in the Chosen Path
Hi photographers, a company called Inertia Interactive Media Inc. contacted me asking for an image that conveys “Confidence in the Chosen Path.” I’m pulling together my own collection of images to submit, but I thought I would let other photographers join in on the...
Best Shots from Kansas
It’s always fun to look at the pictures from the other photographers at the close of any CAPTURE Workshop! I make sure we go around and look through everyone’s top 12 picks sometime on Saturday at the end of the workshop so we can tell stories, share how we found...
Yup, It’s Free!
That’s right! I’m shipping out quantities of 10 or more Original 2015 Lenspiration calendars for free, from now till the end of the year! It’s one of those special perks for all of you folks who are subscribed to the Lenspiration Updates. Thanks for being a...
Worth “Driving All Day”?
I have a new appreciation for folks who tell stories about “driving all day”. After CAPTURE Kansas, two of the photographer attendees (Sarah and Stephen, both from Ohio) and myself left Topeka at 6:15am and didn’t arrive at our designated drop-off point in Dayton,...
Capturing Kansas . . . Again!
I’m back in Kansas, looking forward to holding the very last CAPTURE Workshop of the year! This is the second time a workshop has been held in this location so it will be neat to revisit some of the great places we went to last year. Being in the same location...
Everything is in the Editing . . . Almost
I figured I’d better not exaggerate after my last post and added the word “almost” to what’s on my mind to blog about today. There’s a lot more to post-processing than one might first recognize. I went on a morning photo excursion with a friend last week. I’m...
Thoughts on Exaggeration
Have you ever exaggerated the amazing story behind a shot? What about exaggerating the Saturation slider? I’m reading an excellent book written way back in 1890 called “Ethics; An Early American Handbook”. A section on “Exaggeration” in the chapter titled “Truth”...
CHHEW Needs a Picture
Calling on all Lenspiration community photographers! Here’s a unique, limited-time opportunity: The executive director of Christian Heritage Home Educators of Washington has requested a picture to use on the cover of their 2014 Family Discipleship and Homeschooling...
“When the Autumn’s Coming On . . .”
Fall is my favorite season and there’s no other place I’d rather be than at home with my family in West Virginia! Home sweet home. And hopefully at the right time of year to finally see the fall colors in “my own backyard.” It’s been about 6 years since I’ve been...
Eradicating Awkwardness
Last Saturday I had the opportunity to step out and do something different. As much as I love landscape photography, it does not always provide direct, on-the-ground ways of advancing God’s Kingdom. But when I heard about the opportunity to take pictures at a...
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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
