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!
The Story of the Screwdriver
I never dreamed how difficult it would be to replace the bezel on my laptop! In April 2013, having used my good ol’ Dell Studio XPS 1640 practically every day for over 2 years, the screen was getting kinda scuffed up and I wondered what it would take to get it...
Valentine’s Day Perspective
I praise the Lord for a holiday like today that has it’s roots in God’s perspective of human love. It should be a day for Christians to remind themselves of the way God designed mankind, marriage and companionship. It should be a day to remember not only God’s...
Lessons from North Carolina
The details page for CAPTURE North Carolina (autumn) has been added to the Workshops page! Here are a few desktop wallpapers and the short-stories behind them from the workshop in North Carolina last year: Shapes of Nature Download as Desktop Background I like to...
New Addition to the Camera Bag!
From Adarama by Lenspiration from Salem, WV on 2/11/2014 5out of 5 Pros: Fast, Accurate Auto-Focus, Durable, Lightweight, Easily Interchangeable Cons: Distortion Best Uses: Indoors/Low Light, Night Photography, Weddings/Events, Landscape/Scenery Having sold my wide...
Have some Feedback?
Did you receive or purchase a Lenspiration 2014 Calendar? Has it been hanging on your wall long enough for you to begin formulating your own opinions about it? Did concerns or impressions come to mind back when you were navigating on the Lenspiration or...
4 Differences Between an OK Image and a Great Image
I distinctly remember the feeling of awe that came over me as I drove into the valley where June Lake lay in the shadow of the south-central Sierra Nevada foothills. With just a short bit of time in the middle of the day to check it out, I wanted to see what the...
My Favorite Lens
When I upgraded to my full-frame camera last year, it meant retiring my wonderful EF-S IS USM 17-55mm f/2.8 lens. It was the best lens I knew of for the APS-C sensor camera. It's as close to an 'L' series lens as you can get in build and image quality and with...
Only 1 Spot Left!
With exactly one month before the opening night of CAPTURE Quebec, there’s only one spot available for one more photographer! Seven photographers are signed up. There’s just a narrow window of opportunity to join the team! And with a few more days left until Early...
Want to Go to Quebec?
Until 2011, my answer to this question would have been “Why?”. I didn’t know much about Quebec before then. I hardly even know where it was on the map! Just another Canadian Providence up north, right? Well, photographers shouldn’t think that way. Every culture,...
Tools for Planning a Photo Shoot
I remember this dramatic morning at Linville Falls, North Carolina, as vividly as if it was yesterday. I was scouting for the 2013 CAPTURE North Carolina workshop and had never been to this location before. However, I was pretty confident of where I wanted to go...
Comments on a Few Masterpieces
I have my desktop background set to cycle through my latest wallpapers. Yesterday, I got to thinking that they were starting to get a little repetitive, so I figured it was time for another batch! The first two new ones, Glimpse of Grandeur and Chapel in the Valley...
The Absolute Best Time to Shoot the Moon!
Have you ever been outside under a full moon on a completely clear night? You don’t even need a flashlight, it’s so bright! Now imagine that same moonlit night over a landscape of white snow. It’s almost unearthly! Its a phenomenon I have only experienced a few...
Want to Capture Texas?
I’ve been working the with Skrnich family to square away the details for the workshop coming up in April in Prosper, Texas. The details page for the CAPTURE Texas photography workshop is officially launched! The exact dates are April 2-5, 2014, starting early...
Are Christian Photographers Different?
I received an email, not too long ago, from a friend of mine who had a great question I thought I would share here on the blog: Apart from putting Scripture on a picture, how will a Christian's work glorify God, as opposed to a non-believers? In areas like...
Top 25 from 2013
After taking some time to go through my 2013 archives this week, I finally decided on my top 25 favorite images from the year! Though Ansel Adams said, “Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop”, I couldn’t seem to get them cut down down...
Last Minute Designing
I had the opportunity to do quite a bit of designing over Christmas. Let me share a few things that I found were helpful in designing things last minute. Here are some business card ideas I put together for my brother Michael. I figured the gift of a few business...
The Grand CAPTURE Announcement!
Well, here’s the grand CAPTURE photography workshop announcement to usher in the New Year! There’s still a ton of planning yet to do, but hopefully this list of 2014 CAPTURE locations will whet your appetite and give you the basic info you need to start planning!...
Year’s End Brings a Final First
I’m getting back into the swing of things after spending the Christmas week with some great friends in North Carolina! Of the many activities, I would say the things I enjoyed most were taking pictures with David, learning from Mr. Stelzl’s business experience, and...
Midnight Clear
. It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth, To touch their harps of gold: "Peace on the earth, goodwill to men From heavens all gracious King!" The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels...
Ever heard of SMF?
It’s a first! Scripture Memory Fellowship has a 2014 calendar for sale. I wholeheartedly recommend you take a few minutes to read the blog and browse the resources that Scripture Memory Fellowship has to offer! I had the opportunity to personally meet Executive...
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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
