If you’re unfamiliar with Lightroom’s powerful Point Color tool there a good chance your edits aren’t as impressive as they could be. We’ll change all that today with the in-depth guide below from the folks at Eastern Shore Photo Instruction.

This is a comprehensive 27-minute tutorial explaining everything you need to know, so we suggest having a pen and paper handy for jotting down some notes before launching the video. Instructor Mickey reviews all the features and functions of Point Color, and he says, “I think it’s one of the more creative color tools available in Lightroom.”

This oft-ignored tool can be used to manipulate specific colors within an image whether you’re making global adjustments or selective enhancements (which we recommend) using Lightroom’s masking capabilities. In either case, Mickey’s emphasis today is adding a bit more artistry to your Lightroom workflow.

There’s a time-stamped “table of contents” in the description beneath the video so you can jump to a specific topic if you’re currently dealing with a problem or confront one in the future, so bookmarking the lesson is a good idea. Mickey illustrates a variety of common tasks with four detailed demos on getting the job done.

The episode kicks off with a quick overview of the Point Color tool before jumping into a variety of techniques. You’ll gain insight into the difference between global and local enhancements and learn why Mickey insists that “Pont Color “provides more features and capabilities for color correction and enhancement than other tools like HSL or the Color panel.

Mickey walks you through the necessary steps for using Point Color filters to refine hue saturation and luminance, and how to use this to with Sky and Linear masks for foreground and sky enhancement. He also demonstrates how to refine hue selection and improve color when processing images of flora.Tips for editing portraits are also included in this guide, and you’ll discover how Lightroom’s Point Color tool can be invaluable when targeting and enhancing a subject’s skin tones for a natural looking result. So check it all out and add these powerful capabilities to your Lightroom bag of tricks.

 If Lightroom is your post-processing software of choice, be sure to visit the Eastern Shore Photo Instruction channel for more great advice.

And don’t miss the earlier tutorial we featured with another image-editing expert who demonstrates a straightforward Lightroom technique for editing photographs of birds and other nature and wildlife subjects.

Photographing action requires a few special techniques if your goal is to capture attention-grabbing images of motion. Today’s basic primer from B&H Photo Video provides a handful of straightforward tips and techniques from a top expert.

Instructor Jeff Cable is a highly accomplish sports photographer who recently returned from shooting the summer Olympics in Paris. The five tips you’ll learn in this seven-minute episode will help you capture spectacular photos, whether you’re shooting your local team from the stands, or capturing memories of your kids in the pool or on the field.

Cable provides a quick breakdown of the techniques he used in Paris, and it’s easy to apply this advice to your style of action photography. The promise is this: You’ll learn how to take more unique images, capture a more well0-rounded story, work with ugly backgrounds, and more.

Tip #1 s all about being creative and taking a unique approach, While this goal may sound obvious, it can be more difficult to accomplish that you think. Cable explains the importance experimenting with difficult camera angles and choosing an unusual vantage point from which to shoot.

Another way to switch things up using a slower shutter speed to accentuate action rather than freeze. Cable puts it like this: “Most of the tine when you’re shooing fast action you want the shutter speed to be at 1,000 sec, or faster. But one of the things I’ll do differently is purposely slow that shutter speed down so I can capture something more creative.”

Cable’s discussion of gear is interesting, but the pro equipment he has access to is likely beyond your means. But as you’ll see, there are things you can do to make the most of whatever camera and lenses you own.

On a more practical note he provides some great advice for becoming a better visual storyteller—an essential skill for just about any types of images you shoot. Here’s one example of how this works: “If I’m shooting water polo and one of the goaltenders has a shutout going I better have a good photo of the goalie stopping the ball (or stopping a puck in hockey.”

Cable also describes the type of backgrounds that will make or break a photo, keeping in mind that your job is usually to direct a viewers eye to the primary subject in the scene and deemphasize surrounding areas within the frame.

You’ll also learn the camera settings Cable recommends for a variety of subjects, include what focusing modes work best depending upon the task at hand. You can view a selection of Cable’s outstanding and inspirational imagery on his website.