Farmstead is a blissful clutch of 8 self-catering, luxurious lodges in rural suffolk surrounded by a wildflower meadow.

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In today’s mobile-obsessed society there’s one thing we carry with us at all times (even if we forget to bring our wallet). And that’s the smartphone we use for everything from checking the weather, keeping up to date on social media, and taking photos when a “real” camera isn’t available. Some folks even use their phones to make telephone calls.

When it comes to photography, “purists” often refuse to give smartphones their due, even though today’s advanced phones are very capable imaging devices—dare we say cameras? We’ve posted numerous phone photos in the past that are breathtaking to say the least.

The tutorial below from the Light Meets Lens YouTube channel deals specifically with travel and nature photography when you’re traveling as light as possible; i.e. your serious camera gear is at home or in the hotel. It’s happened to the best of us.

Instructor Nick Kuhne is an accomplished pro, who says, “My obsession with landscape photography never stops—even when I’m on vacation.” He introduces this episode with a question: “How do I still capture great shots without stuffing my luggage with bulky camera gear?”

Many of Kuhne’s tutorials are behind-the-scenes affairs, as is this one made while vacationing in Aruba. And if you’re like many photographers, you know how travel partners can get peeved if you’re carrying around a huge bag of gear. Hence his surreptitious use of an iPhone 13 Pro.

In barely six minutes Kuhne discusses a variety of his techniques, accessories that make the task more effective, and a few other tips for achieving great imagery from sunrise to sunset when he lets go of his pro gear. As you’ll see, the trip went really well, other than when his expensive Panama hat blew away in the sea.

Everything you’ll learn is easy to accomplish, and most of Kuhne’s tips work equally well—whether you’re using an iPhone or Android device. By following his advice you’ll be able to capture beautiful phone photos yourself. Just keep a close eye on your favorite hat when the wind starts to blow.

Kuhne’s instructional YouTube channel is full of helpful advice for outdoor photography with all kinds of gear, so be sure to pay a visit when you have time.

We also recommend you out check another helpful tutorial we shared recently, explaining how to shoot amazing landscape photos with lenses of various focal lengths.

Regardless of how you pronounce “bokeh” (see our hilarious video on this topic), it’s an important concept to understand if you want to shoot photos that grab attention by making the primary subject in a scene really stand out against a soft and pleasing background.

Not to be confused with background blur, bokeh describes the out-of-focus areas in an image—or more specifically, the quality of these areas within the frame. In the quick video below from the Photography Course YouTube channel, you’ll learn what causes bokeh, the difference between good bokeh and bad, and how to use to accentuate key portions of a photo.

This straightforward tutorial is episode #26 of the “52 Week Series” that simplifies basic photography concepts with quick weekly lessons. By watching today’s video on bokeh, you’ll become a better photographer in barely five minutes.

Instructor Taya Iv puts it like this: “Bokeh is basically out-of-focus circles that appear when you use a wide aperture on your lens.” It’s an effective portraiture technique whereby a model is sharp, but the background has smooth circular areas that are more interesting than flat blur.

The first step in achieving this pleasing effect is setting the lens to the widest available f/stop. But as you’ll see, there’s more to it than this. Other considerations include camera-to-subject distance, the focal length in use, the position of your subject, and how he or she is lit.

And then there’s the imaging characteristic of your lens, which is why many photographers purchase lenses known for creating beautiful bokeh. And this applies to new modern glass as well as to hard-to-find vintage “bokeh monsters” from the past.

Iv pulls all these variables together, while explaining how to get the job done, whether you’re shooting outside in natural light or using a supplemental source of illumination. Bottom line: by following her advice you’ll quickly take your photography to the next level.

You can find more interesting videos on the Photography Course YouTube channel, including past episodes of the 52 Week Project, so be sure to take a look.

And the next time you need a laugh, check out the funny video we posted regarding the proper pronunciation of “bokeh.”