All photographers strive to attain fast and precise focus no matter what type of images they make and achieving that goal can be a challenge when shooting handheld under challenging lighting conditions. Today’s tutorial from pro Mark Denney reveals his secrets for getting the job done.

Denney is a professional landscape photographer and a highly respected instructor. He recently returned from leading a workshop in Greenland and says, “We were photographing in some of the most difficult handheld conditions imaginable, like low light during Blue Hour on a moving boat.” Handheld photography doesn’t get more difficult than that.

In this episode he walks you through the techniques he taught the participants, who we able to capture amazing images thanks to Denney’s advice. This 11-minute discussions covers a variety of key topics, from optimal camera settings to employing image stabilization. He also demonstrates some interesting ways to hold a camera and steady your body that you likely haven’t tried before.

Denney notes that this is the first photo excursion he’s made without ever setting up a tripod and he promises that by following his suggestions you can get handheld photos that are just as sharp as when using this accessory that many landscape photographers consider essential.

The six tips you’ll learn are presented in what Denney considers the order of importance, with different camera settings being the last thing you should try “when all else fails.” At the top of his list is turning on IBIS (in-body-image stabilization) and OIS (optical image) depending upon the capabilities of your camera and lens.

Less obvious considerations involve how you carry and support a camera, beginning with strap tension. Here he recommends shortening up the strap and using the tension between your neck and the camera body to hold it very tight.

Next is a positional trick that Denney refers to as the “elbow tuck technique” that enables you to securely brace the camera. This simply means pushing both elbows against your body while placing the camera close to your face. Denney says this is a method he uses often, and it makes a big difference.

The lesson proceeds with two more methods for keeping the camera stable and secure. One is what he calls a “face brace,” and the other is the “elbow platform.” Last on Denney’s list are camera settings to try, and when you put everything together you and your camera will be as steady as can be.

You can find more helpful tips on Denney’s YouTube channel and in the tutorial we posted earlier, explaining what another pro says are the best camera modes for nature and wildlife photography, with tips on how to use them.

It’s often easy to capture a good photograph of a beautiful landscape scene, but what if you your goal is something great? This can usually be accomplished during the editing process, as you’ll see in the tutorial below from the popular PHLOG Photography YouTube channel.

Instructor Christian Mohrle is an accomplished German landscape photographer whose straightforward lessons we post frequently. This episode is all about using Lightroom to add depth and dimension to make outdoor photos the best they can be.

There’s a link beneath the video for downloading Mohrle’s demonstration image and we highly recommend doing that so you can follow along and make the adjustments as they’re explained. The photo in question is a nice minimalist scene of a singular tree atop a grassy hill with a plain blue sky in the background.

Mohrle’s standard practice is to make a few basic global adjustment to the original shot before moving on to the transformational tricks that follow. There are three main potions of this shot deserving of attention: the flat pale sky, the hill in the center with highlights on the left and shadows on the right, and the very bright foreground that separates it from the hill.

The first preliminary step is changing the profile in the Basic panel to Adobe Standard which temporarily lessens Contrast—giving Mohrle more control over this attribute as the edit proceeds. He also adjusts White Balance and modifies Tint to eliminate a slight green color cast. Other preliminary adjustments include dropping the blacks, increasing the whites, and adding a bit of Texture while decreasing Clarity.

With the image much improved Mohrle moves on to selective adjustments, beginning with a simple mask  over the sky. As you’ll see, he carefully darkens most of the sky without affecting light entering the scene on the upper left. He does that by dropping exposure to introduce more contrast, modifying color temper to accentuate blue tones, and bringing down Tint to get the exact color he wants.

Mohrle then creates a mask over the foreground, using a brush to eliminate the tree from his selection so that this primary element is unaffected by the enhancements that follow. After a couple more quick masks that get his image really close, is time to finish the job with color grading and careful sharpening.

Color adjustments for this particular image are quite simple, as Mohrle increases blue saturation, uses Luminance sliders to enhance the foreground, and brightens green tones throughout the lower portion of the shot. We think you’ll be impressed when you compare the before/after images.

There’s much more to learn about editing landscape photos on Mohrle’s instructional YouTube channel, so head over there and see what he has to offer.

And be sure to check out the earlier tutorial we posted, explaining the best ISO settings to use for capturing eye-catching landscape, travel, and nature photographs under varying conditions.

Every autumn millions make the pilgrimage to New England, the Great Smoky Mountains, a local woodland or their own backyard to capture the magnificence of Mother Nature’s fiery fall foliage display. Although winter lurks just around the corner, everyone rejoices in summer’s last natural fireworks celebration. Here are 10 tips from MPB to help you make the most of the annual limited-time experience.

1. The right Place at the Right Time
The seven words no fall foliage seeker wants to here are, “You should have been here last week.” You can avoid the disappointment by checking the interactive Fall Foliage Prediction Map hosted every year at SmokyMountains.com. Although no map can predict with 100% accuracy, checking this guide can improve your odds of success.

Another useful resource for color-seekers is STORMFAX®, a collection of links, including hot-line phone numbers, to check on the status of foliage change in 32 states throughout the US.

2. Use the Right Lenses
If you’re a DSLR or mirrorless user, opt for a wideangle zoom in the 24-70mm or 24-105mm range. If you have neither, check out the wide array of used lenses and camera bodies at MPB. For example, if you are a Sony mirrorless shooter, MPB offers the Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS at prices ranging from $719 to $794 depending on condition.

Why MPB? The camera or lens pictured in every MPB online listing is the actual item you receive. All included accessories are clearly listed. Every camera and lens sold by MPB undergoes a thorough 8 to 10 point inspection process by a trained specialist, and covered by a six-month warranty. If you find the item your receive isn’t as described, you can return it free for a full refund within 14 days of arrival.

3. Add a Second (or Third) Camera
Strongly consider taking a second (or third) camera along. If your main camera body unexpectedly fails, having a backup saves your trip, and equally important, having a second body enables you to have, for instance, a 24-105 attached to one and something very different—a fast 35mm prime maybe—on the other so you can work without the interruption of changing lenses.

MPB recirculates more than 485,000 pieces of photo equipment every year. They have hundreds of DSLRs, mirrorless cameras and lenses in stock. Lumping all cameras, lenses and other photo items together, MPB has over 16,000 pieces of gear in the US and over 47,000 globally. Plus, MPB adds more than 2,000 products every week.

4. Include Objects for Scale
The photographer knows how large a subject is because he sees it in context. But the viewer of the photo needs scale. Include a single leaf, person or building to deliver the full impact of the picture.

5. Leverage Reflections
Rich and luscious fall hues are blended into a beautiful tapestry of color when reflected by water. If far away, use a telephoto zoom in the 70-200 or 100-400 range. Canon users can choose from multiple used zooms in that range at MPB. Nikon users will find their next lens here.

6. Boost Color Saturation
There are many ways to boost saturation, the easiest being adjustment of your camera’s shooting mode. But another way is to tweak the Saturation and/or Vibrance during post-processing. Increasing saturation while editing the image affords more control and customization.

Another way—one that has additional benefits—is by using a polarizing filter. MPB offers used Polarizers in many sizes. Only a Polarizer adds richer, deeper color to a blue sky while reducing reflections and increasing color saturation. You can also use a Polarizer to increase reflections on water surfaces.

7. Fly a Drone
For a unique perspective, shoot video footage of fall foliage with a drone. MPB has an extensive selection of used DJI drones and accessories in stock. Drone prices range as low as $300 and sometimes even less.

8. Always Pack a Point-and-shoot
If you’re really into the seasonal color change photography, make it a habit to always pack a point-and-shoot even when you’re not specifically on a foliage photo trek. Leaves go from red to brown in a matter of days; having a camera with you when you step out for lunch, collect the kids from school and any other time, really, can yield worthwhile results.

Just as carrying a second camera body can salvage your photo outing if your main machine fails to perform, a high-end compact camera can be a trip-saver. MPB offers popular used Fujifilm X100s compacts, for example, at prices starting at $634.

9. Macro and Near Macro
We generally think of a macro photograph as an extreme close-up, but seasoned photographers know that macro in a practical sense means “closer than normal” and not necessarily life-size. Exploit rich fall colors and add emphasis to your creations by using a macro lens from MPB.

When winter arrives and you’re stuck indoors, you’ll definitely appreciate what macro lenses can do around the house. Plants become jungles; common items like food and pets are seen from new angles and perspectives.

10. Sell. Buy. Trade. At MPB
MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell and trade used photo and video gear. If you wish to sell or trade, get a free online quotation so you know the value of your gear. If you decide to trade, MPB provides free doorstep pickup.

On average, customers earn $900 each time they sell to MPB. Of course, every situation is different. MPB serves more than 625,000 video and photo storytellers worldwide.

MPB has earned an outstanding reputation and delivers an exceptionally high level of customer satisfaction that’s reflected in their “Excellent” rating on Trustpilot where more than 29,000 individuals have posted their reviews.

Browse MPB’s extensive inventory of photo, video and drone equipment. There’s an outstanding chance you’ll find the camera or lens you may have yearned for when it was originally introduced. You can lower the bottom-line cost by trading in the gear you no longer need or want. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for today, come back tomorrow because their inventory turns very, very fast and is constantly changing.

∞ Shutterbug Staff