Well, the above quote from image-editing expert Ryan Breitkreutz is about as emphatic as it gets. The reason for his enthusiasm is this: Adobe’s recent Lightroom update included enhancements to the already powerful Tone Curve tools—with changes Ryan says are “insane.”

While we’re not sure Adobe would agree with his specific characterization, it’s clear that Lightroom’s Tone Curve capabilities are now more robust than ever. In the 15-minute tutorial below, you’ll learn how to take advantage of everything the new Tone Curve tools can do.

Ryan says that the power of AI in combination with Tone Curves tools presents new editing techniques for making faster and far better edits in a variety of ways. In other words, “you can now do some things that just were not possible before—and it’s probably going to blow your mind.” So hold on to you head and let’s go.

In basic terms, the Tone Curve is a visual tool enabling you to quickly select certain points of brightness in an image and adjust them up or down. For example, you can grab points on the graph to easily darken a bright sky or open up shadows to reveal details that weren’t readily apparent.

Ryan explains that there have always been several limitations when using these techniques, which become obvious as you look at his examples. Solving these shortcomings is what’s so special about how Adobe has improved the tools. So forget everything you knew about using Lightroom Tone Curves, and watch Ryan demonstrate “the new way.”

The first “game-changer” you’ll see is that it’s possible to change to the brightness (or color tones) of a bland sky without affecting the rest of the image. So if you pump up blue tones in the sky, the warmer colors in the foreground remain untouched. Conversely, you can modify foreground tones without biasing the sky.

You’ll also learn how to quickly and selectively adjust the look of a person in the frame in a way that doesn’t affect his or her surroundings. Ryan demonstrates how Lightroom’s new Brush adjustment sliders are used to get the job done.

This is just a taste of what the new Tone Curve tools enable you to accomplish, and Ryan fills in the blanks by walking you through a bunch of straightforward techniques. It actually is quite amazing and we hope that your mind is still intact when the video concludes.

There’s a good reason that Ryan’s YouTube channel has almost 150,000 subscribers, and we encourage you to pay a visit and find out for yourself. And if landscape photography is your thing, don’t miss our earlier tutorial with simple masking techniques that will really make your images stand out.

Camera lens filters and adapters are among the least expensive accessories that can make a big difference in your images, especially when shooting outdoors. In fact, many experienced landscape photographers never leave home without a selection of these tools.

This quick video below comes to us from Paint in Bytes, a new YouTube channel devoted to making the most of accessories and new technologies for creative purposes. Instructor Ali Chakra is an accomplished photographer, filmmaker, and graphic designer based in Germany, and in barely nine minutes he discusses how lens filters and adapters can really up your game.

In this comprehensive guide Chakra discusses the most common filters and how they work their magic once threaded onto the front of a lens. Neutral Density (ND filters, Variable Neutral Density (VND) filters and Polarizing filters are all part of the discussion, as are protective UV and Skylight filters.

Chakra explores how Polarizing filters cut glare and darken pale skies, and the way Color filters can add an artistic look by altering or enhancing the natural tones of a scene. As you’ll see, there are also a variety of popular Special Effects filters for creating in-camera effects without any post processing.

These interesting options can do everything from adding starbursts to a shot, creating an infrared appearance, to providing a soft, diffused look. There are also Special Effects filters that add vignetting, and even those for creating more outlandish kaleidoscope and multi-image effects,

Once you get started with these affordable accessories it’s often hard to stop. And things can get costly because some of your lenses likely require filters in different sizes. In that regard Chakra explains how to economize by purchasing cheap step-up and step-down adapter rings that enable you to mount the same filter on lenses with different thread sizes.

The fun part of all this is that the use of lens filters doesn’t adhere to any strict rules. That means you can create a wide variety of effects with a bit of experimentation. So watch the video and get started.

We also recommend another helpful guide we posted earlier, explaining the basics of long-exposure photography for beginners.

There are numerous variables to ponder when spending your hard-earned cash on new optics, and focal length is typically at the top of the list. That’s because the angle of view provided by a lens is what differentiates it from others you already own.

Of course there are additional variables to consider, including maximum aperture, image and build quality, macro capabilities, and focusing speed. Also factoring into the decision are crop vs. full-frame, zoom vs. prime, image stabilization characteristics, as well as size and weight.

The tutorial below concentrates solely on how different focal lengths determine what you capture within a scene. Instructor Wolf Amri says the question he’s often asked first is “what lens should I buy?” And this episode reveals his typical reply, based upon the type of images the photographer shoots most, and what’s missing from their exiting arsenal of glass.

Amri says many photographers can’t quite visualize how different focal lengths affect composition and the framing of a shot, which is why he created the helpful graphical representation at the top of this page.

As you’ll see, the comparison (made with a full-frame camera) covers everything from an ultra-wide 16mm on the short end to a powerful 800mm focal length at the other extreme—and a variety of choices in between. He also explains the ramifications of using teleconverters with long telephotos to extend their reach, and whether or not this is a good idea based upon the compromises involved.

Amri notes that as the field of view changes with lenses of different focal lengths, so do other characteristics of the images you shoot, and that’s the topic of next week’s episode that we’ll bring you when its available. But here’s a clue: wider lenses inherently provide greater depth of field, while longer lenses are known for compressing perspective. Ultra-wide lenses involve more distortion, which is why they are rarely used for portraiture—especially up close.

The big guns are obviously far larger and heavier that their wider counterparts, and they tend to be more expensive too—especially those with a fast, constant maximum aperture. So take a close look, consider your needs, think about your budget, and be prepared for Part II that will help you make your next lens purchase with confidence.

There’s much more to see on Amri’s popular YouTube channel, so take a look when you have time.

And don’t miss our earlier post with a comprehensive beginners guide to photographing birds with basic gear.