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!
An Exciting Long-Distance Photography Adventure
You never know what adventures you’ll find yourself in as a photographer, or as a family member of a photographer. I happen to find myself simultaneously in both of those positions. 🙂 However, sometimes it’s not even the photographer in the family who initiates the photography adventures, as you’ll see in the story below. . .
It All Started With Some Pretty Pictures…
Mordecai's fussiness suddenly ceased when he saw the smooth, dark green object in my hand. Wherever it moved, his eyes moved with it...
Every Beautiful Photo Relies on This One Essential Element
Some time ago, Julianna and I spent time with friends in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. Almost every day was spent searching for a beautiful photo of a beautiful object in a truly beautiful area...
On Assignment: Portraits of Flowers
I couldn't wait to photograph this month's photo assignment! I have wanted to try taking a studio portrait of flowers for a long time now and here was my opportunity...
Come Take Pictures With Me!
"Darling!" James spun around in his office chair and flashed an excited smile . . .
Illustrating Bible Verses with My Rock Collection
In my previous post I described my icy venture into sub-zero temperatures to photograph this month's photo assignment, The Solid Rock. Being away from home, I used what I could think of in the vicinity, and the stately, stone structures that dot the landscape of...
On Assignment: The Solid Rock
It's not every day that you get to experience the extremes we find in God's creation. But when the day came for me to film the next Shoot to Serve photo assignment, The Solid Rock, I came face to face with an extreme I had never encountered before...
Is It Safe to Use My Camera in Extreme Cold?
I tramped through the blowing snow, camera dangling around my neck, hands dug deep into my pockets to protect them from the extreme cold. The clouds were thick and puffy above me. Every once in a while a flurry of snow would come swirling through the valley. But it...
A Lenspiration Adventure: How Rubber Floor Mats Saved The Day
If you've been following along with what we've been doing here at Lenspiration, you'll know that this month's photo assignment is "Scenic Seasonal Paths" and that I went to go take pictures for it on the spur of the moment because snowflakes were accounted as gold...
On Assignment: Scenic Seasonal Paths
After last month's relatively difficult assignment, I was excited to get out and photograph something a little more up my alley. But just because this assignment is easier doesn't mean it doesn't have its own special twist. The fun part about this assignment is the...
Is A Bug’s-Eye View The Ideal Perspective In Photography?
I do a lot of traveling and I have seen a lot of places. Let me tell you about one recent trip from my perspective! I don't think many people wake up with branches arching above them and a window-view of orange leaves at their feet, but I am used to waking up in...
How Do I Expose Properly for Christmas Lights?
I rushed out into the cold, winter night. Blue hour was quickly slipping away. But before it did, I wanted to capture the amazing display of Christmas lights that my brother had put on the house! The contrast between the lights on the house and the darkness around...
Photographing As A Group Revealed These 4 Interesting Things
It's hard to believe it's been over a year since the St. Simons Island photography workshop! As I was editing my photos from that excursion the other day, I started to notice something interesting. During the day, the group of us 5 photographers were shooting the...
On Assignment: Young Person Preparing Food (and Tips for Great Lighting!)
It's not very often that we receive a photo request from a publisher who goes into great detail about the kind of photo they are looking for. Usually, a publisher doesn't need something ultra specific, so a typical request can tend to be broad and brief. However,...
First Impressions of the Canon R6
In a previous blog post, I shared some autumn photos from a pleasant, October excursion to Swallow Falls State Park with my new Canon R6 mirrorless camera. It was my first excursion with that camera. But now that several weeks have passed and I have had opportunity...
A Day of Surprises in Indiana
It's now becoming almost commonplace to meet up with folks I've never met (in addition to long time friends, sometimes) in the dead of night in abandoned parking lots or along deserted streets. I have to admit, it does feel kinda strange to introduce myself by...
How Not to Clean a Focus Screen
For a while now, I've considered upgrading my camera to a mirrorless. I wanted to have at least one mirrorless camera to help with teaching and creating photography material, and I knew technology had advanced enough now to know that using a mirrorless camera could...
A Rare Photography Opportunity
Wow, the month of October flew by so quickly! So much happened, and there were so many opportunities for photography, but this has been the first week I've been able to sit down and actually edit some of my photos from October! So, let me start at the beginning . ....
On Assignment: Christian Womanhood
"Should we leave on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday?" The EXPLORE Waterfalls & Gorges of Western Indiana workshop was happening on Tuesday. To get to Indiana would be about an 8hr drive. I prefer not to travel on Sundays, and we were hoping to spend some time with...
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What are we up to?
Follow along with Lenspiration travels…
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?!
Join me in the minutes before sunrise as I discover what the results of my early morning hike would be!
And here`s the real photo! Just tweaked a bit in LR. No special glowing effect added. No fake sunrays. No sky or foreground masking. Just purely picking up what I saw and experienced, because it was such a perfect sunrise (with help from the smoke from Canada).
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Become a photographer: www.lenspiration.com
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#beforeandafter #behindthelens #sunrisehike #landscapephoto #canadianwildfires
