How’s this for a bold statement: “Lightroom is lying about exposure.” So says highly acclaimed landscape photographer Mark Denney. He’s also a post-processing expert, so it pays to listen closely when he makes such an emphatic claim and provides a straightforward fix.

According to Denney, Lightroom has a serious blind spot that nobody discusses that can be particularly destructive if landscape photography is your game, and the problem comes down to his view that “Lightroom is lying about exposure.”

This “fatal flaw” results from Lightroom’s lack of a dedicated midtone slider. Denney insists that this concern is more than a mere technical oversight; it’s a design issue that actively misleads Lightroom users of all skill levels and limits their creative control.

Here’s Denney’s promise for the game-changing video below: “I’ll show you why this matters, how it impacts your photos, and demonstrate a simple-but-powerful workaround you can start using today.”

Sure, Lightroom provides tools for highlights, shadows, white tones and back tones, but according to Denney, “the entire middle area of the histogram is where the heart of an image lives. Even worse, the Exposure slider is labeled and behaves in a way that trains photographers to think it’s controlling midtones—when in reality it affects the entire image globally.”

Denney explains why this is particularly true when working in dramatic light and capturing scenes with high dynamic range like sunrises, sunsets, backlit forests and other challenging situations. He illustrates these concerns with compelling seascapes, woodland imagery, waterfall scenes, and outdoor photos with dramatic skies.

The remainder of this 13-minute episode demonstrates a foolproof workaround for Lightroom’s surprising oversight so that you can capture images with perfect tonal balance—from highlights to shadows and everything in between. Be sure to visit his instructional YouTube channel that boasts almost 30 million views.

And don’t miss a tutorial we featured earlier with another experienced instructor who explains what you’re doing wrong if your photos are consistently spoiled by digital noise—even when the camera settings seem correct.

For several years, Shutterbug has shared the link for the fall foliage prediction map that covers the lower 48 states and is maintained by the folks at SmokeyMountains.com. Here’s the 2025 version. The map is interactive, intuitive and updated regularly.

Family Activities
In addition to the interactive map you’ll find listings for lodging, dining and family attractions like Dollywood and beautiful, historic Asheville, NC (think Biltmore Estate, fine dining and a rich art district).

Beyond the Appalachian region, the SmokeyMountains.com website hosts a comprehensive list of the very best fall destinations for leaf peeping in all 50 states. For example, the recommendation for Wisconsin lists the Potawatomi State Park, Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive and the Plum Loco Animal Farm.

Science Behind Fall Color Changes
Teach the kiddos the science behind the fall foliage transformations.

Beyond its appeal to photographers and other travelers seeking beautiful fall colors, the Smokey Mountains website is chock full of useful, family-oriented information. You’ll find a concise, easy to follow explanation of why leaves change colors and what happens after they fall.

There’s stuff for the little kids, too including this Fall Foliage Coloring Book you can download and print.

And for mom, pop and the whole family, a few recipes, like this one for Ole Smoky Moonshine Pie. Heads up: the recipe calls for real moonshine, but you can substitute cider.

Forecast Accuracy
No one can predict the future—so much depends on fickle weather patterns—but  this interactive fall foliage forecast map helps you narrow down timeframes, and it’s based on sound methodology.

The map is based on a combination of factors, including historical temperature and precipitation, forecasted temperature and precipitation, the tree variety known to be prominent in the geographic region, the historical trends in that area and user data.

In 2022 they introduced an invitation for end-users to provide real-time leaf reports. They use that data when producing current updates and future models.

Shutterbug’s Fall Foliage Photography Tips
For useful how-to information on the subject, take a look at this recent Shutterbug story: Labor Day! Get Ready for Colorful Fall Foliage.

And here’s a terrific video from last fall: Want Fall Photos with Amazing Colors? Do This in Lightroom.

—Jon Sienkiewicz