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 Way Through Every Problem
Workflows increase efficiency. They help me get a lot done in a shorter amount of time. So when a workflow breaks, either things don’t get done efficiently, or things just don’t get done at all. And recently, two Lightroom problems interrupted various of my...
Spring Has Arrived!
Did you all get outside and enjoy it this week? The first day of spring! I love spring. I love the days getting warmer and the colorful flowers popping out everywhere. And the evenings are lighter! Spring, for me, is also the beginning of convention season. And I...
An Unexpected Outdoor Opportunity
After a fairly disappointing morning (as described in the last blog post, Better Than Nothing!), all I wanted to do was get some sleep. I knew I had an inbox full of emails begging for my attention, but after pushing through an almost-all-nighter, sleep was higher...
Better Than Nothing!
I stared in disbelief at the glowing LED traffic info sign next to the barricade across the road. We had driven all this way….and then, this? A fat moon hung close to the horizon in the dark, night sky, and the puffy clouds looked promising for a gorgeous sunrise....
On Assignment: The Month of March
I don’t think we’ve ever done a documentary themed assignment before. So I got excited when Nature Friend Magazine had the idea to publish photo essays of The Month of March in your corner of the world! A demonstration video had to be filmed before March began, so...
The Guy In Orange
I wiggled my way through the dirt and stretched upward to search the air. Yay, more rain! This would be my opportunity. The past week’s unusually warm days and heavy downpours had loosened up the earth. Winter was passing. Sap was flowing in the maple trees. The...
Heading Back To The Hoosier State!
There’s nothin’ quite like making breakfast over an open fire! Biscuits on a stick. Sizzlin’ bacon! I will not soon forget that foggy morning in November, 2006. A whole group of us guys had come early to spend the whole day at Turkey Run State Park in western...
Meet The Photographer From New Zealand!
I stood behind the Lenspiration table, watching people trickle past my booth. Maybe I was grabbing a bite to eat. Maybe I was actually sitting down, giving my feet a much needed rest. Being almost 5 years ago, I forget the details exactly. But I do remember when a...
On Assignment: Glowing Scenery
Yes! A landscape photography assignment. My favorite! But the weather put an interesting twist on my plans as I set out to find what I was looking for before the deadline.I had so much fun exploring with the Farrells. I took pictures of all sorts of random things!...
Why I Went To Washington DC
I could hardly believe it. After days of discussion, combing our calendar and shifting back and forth between pros and cons, Julianna and I finally decided . . . we were heading to Washington D.C! Within a matter of hours, we coordinated a place to stay with...
Getting around the “De-ghosting” Problem
Everyone loves sunset photos! But photographing a sunset is not easy. The dynamic range between the bright sky and the dark foreground is too incredible for the camera to pick up. If I expose for the sky, the result may be nice color, but at the expense of a dark...
On Assignment: Joyful Pictures
Months ago, an great idea was suggested. Last week, we acted upon it! I found myself walking down a quaint little street lined with houses headed to a special destination with friends. Golden hour was just around the corner, and the three of us photographers took...
Looking Back At 2022
Looking back at the year 2022, it’s incredible to think that the 12 Lenspiration Shoot to Serve photo assignments were photographed by 39 different photographers, submitting a grand total of 800 different photographs! Now that’s a lot of work and creativity...
3 Snowy Photo Editing Tips
Merry Christmas from Lenspiration! As we dwellers of the northern reaches of the northern hemisphere begin taking snowy photos, here are 3 little tips that I hope you find helpful in editing them to perfection! 1. Change canvas color to white Here’s a snowy photo...
Comparing Rebels
Have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to buy the camera that’s best for you? Brieanna sure did when she started the topic Best Cameras for Beginning Enthusiast!! on the Q&A forum. But I’m so glad she posted something. I learned a lot as we worked together...
Analyzing Lens Flare
I don't often visit gun ranges, but this one held an attraction worth stopping for. We were on our way north to spend Thanksgiving with Julianna's family and we made sure to factor in some time for checking out three crosses I had observed on a hill close to home....
On Assignment: Homeschool Schoolwork
I’ve been filming and photographing photo assignments every month for the past 4 years, and what happened while preparing for this month’s assignment, the 12th and final one of the year, had never happened before! It was a sort of miracle, you might say, how we...
The Waterfall I Can’t Get Away From
I stumbled on a waterfall 11 years ago that I’ve never been able to get away from. In 2011, I visited Kent Falls State Park, Connecticut, for the first time. It was a cool, mid-October morning. With not a soul around, I enjoyed several hours by myself exploring and...
On Assignment: Scenes of Calvary
I was so excited to have a concrete, outdoor subject to shoot for an assignment this time! I even had a few leads as to where exactly to find this subject. But what I found was definitely not what I was expecting! Here’s how things unfolded on my first attempt at...
If Only I Had More Time!
I love running Lenspiration! But running Lenspiration is also a lot of work. . . . A few weeks ago, things were piling up. On top of the the regular weekly tasks, I was dumping lots of time into the Lenspiration calendars. Time was ticking, and decisions had to be...
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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.
