Many nature and landscape photographers strive for vibrant, saturated colors when editing their work because they think that this approach makes their images “POP.” The truth is, however, is that a heavy-handed approach with improper tonal balance often has the opposite effect.

Instructor Steve Arnold is a professional landscape photographer who is very generous about sharing the shooting and editing secrets to his success. He kicks off today’s seven-minute with this rather surprising question. “Did you know that more color actually makes landscape photos more boring unless you include three important elements?” 

Arnold says that even the most stunning sunrise or sunset scenes won’t save a boring photo, and he illustrates two reasons that these awesome conditions can even make photos worse. He put is like this: “When you’re lucky enough to capture one of these rare explosions of color in the sky, the deep, saturated reds and yellows can quickly overwhelm the entire scene to the point that everything looks the same and nothing really stands out..”

The second way that excessive color can spoil a shot is when there are too many different colors competing with each other and “your eyes gets dragged all the way around the frame because there’s so much going on.” This problem is particularly acute when various tones clash because they are the opposite of complimentary.

Arnold reveals a quick test you can employ in Photoshop or Lightroom to determine if your photos are missing a trio of key elements that transform images from boring to beautiful, and here it is: “Have a look at how your shot appears in black and white.” He says that if an image is boring in b&w it’s likely to fail in color for the reasons he explains.

The first example Arnold provides is a seascape scene that’s full of color, but when he converts it to monochrome it looks “flat, mushy and uninspiring.” But take a look at the processed version to which he’s added two of the three secret ingredients. This difference is clear: The b&w version is now much more dynamic and interesting and the color version looks spectacular.

So exactly what was missing, and what are the three key elements that create an impressive transformation like this? One trick is to emphasize the contrast between dark and light areas to achieve a strong range of tones in between. Arnold recommends that you temporarily forget about colors, and instead study what the light is actually doing, the angle it’s coming from, which objects are illuminated, and where shadows fall.

This way “you’ll understand how to make certain elements in the frame POP and stand out in a dramatic yet realistic manner.” Arnold is just getting started and he uses several other photos, captured at different times of day, to illustrate other color concerns and how to get things right. It’s all about taking a thoughtful approach to color while avoiding the temptation to go overboard—both with regard to camera settings and during post processing.

There’s much more to learn on Arnold’s instructional YouTube channel and in the recent tutorial we featured that demonstrates how to use Lightroom’s powerful Color Mixer tools to improve Hue, Saturation, and Luminance in every photograph you shoot.

Now that many photographers agree that a modern phone is a legitimate photography tool it’s time to take a look at a handful of mobile apps that one pro says, “will make you a better photographer.”  Jared Colins is a professional photographer/videographer, and these are the apps he uses everyday to create his art.

Colins admits that “there are so many photo apps at our fingertips,” but he cuts through the grease and encourages you to download his favorites and add them to your mobile photography workflow—whether you shoot stills, videos or both. He notes that these apps will prove helpful at any stage of your development.

He begins with Lightroom Mobile, an app that you’ve likely heard about before. He describes LR Mobile like this: “Not only can you edit your photos and Raw images on your phone, which is a great timesaver, but you can also take photos within the app.” Colins says one of his favorite features involves an export option where you can add white borders to images before sharing them on social media sites.

Another great choice is a less-familiar app called Sunseeker which features amazing location scouting capabilities, so you arrive on location wheb the light is just right. As the name implies, “Sunseeker allows you to know the exact path of the sun and where it’s going to be at sunrise, sunset, and other times throughout the day. It also features helpful overlays for doing so with precision.

Whether you’re shooting with a phone or a full-fledged camera, achieving correct White Balance is an essential task. And Colins insists that LSP Evo  is “the best mobile White Balance tool.” He says this one works wonders when capturing still images, and he explains why “it’s a major deal when it comes to shooting videos on a phone.”

The great thing about mobile apps is that, unlike their desktop counterparts, many of them are free or available at very nominal cost, which is why you can afford to experiment with as many as you want to determine which ones best suits your need.

There are two more of Colins’ favorites yet to be discussed, so take a look, give them a whirl, and then take your mobile photography to the next level. And be sure that you pay a visit to  his instructional YouTube channel where you’ll find much more of interest.

On a related note, be sure to check out our earlier post from another pro who explains why he calls Snapseed “the best free app for mobile photography,” and then he demonstrates how to use it for stunning results.

One sure way to ruin an otherwise great shot is to miss focus entirely or focus on the wrong area within the frame. If you’re struggling to achieve consistently sharp results, this quick tutorial is just what you need.

The Photography Explained YouTube channel is a great resource for diagnosing common problems, and this helpful primer is all about choosing the best focusing mode for the specific challenge at hand. In less than 11 minutes you’ll learn whether to choose Continuous AF, Single AF, full-time Servo, or flip the switch to Manual.

Today’s unnamed instructor is a very experienced amateur who knows how to break concepts down to their basics in a way that beginners will understand. Be sure to watch until the end when he reveals an easy technique for focusing in low light that he insists “will blow your mind.”

This episode begins with a discussion of single AF Mode (AF-S) which is the easiest and most commonly used. As you’ll see, this option “is perfect for when you’re shooting stuff that isn’t moving around very much” like portraits, landscapes, and stationary wildlife like birds perched on a branch.

On the other hand, Continuous AF (AF-C) is what you want when motion is the name of the game, and you’ll learn how this mode enables you to get crisp shots of sports subjects, birds in flight, kids at play, and other subjects that quickly move through the frame—either toward you or in another direction. In this mode, “the camera is constantly adjusting focus as long as you’re half-pressing the shutter button.”

Then there’s the AF Auto (AF-A) Hybrid setting, or what our instructor refers to, “I-just-can’t make-up-my-mind mode.” Here the camera “tries to be smart” by switching between Single AF and Continuous AF when a stationary subject begins to move. You’ll see how this selection works and why it can be a bit unpredictable.

At this point you’re only halfway through the video, with a few other modes to discuss—along with the aforementioned bonus tip for nailing focus in low light conditions. Once the video concludes take a look at the Photography Explained YouTube channel where there are other basic techniques to be found.

And on a related note, be sure to watch the earlier tutorial we posted from another adept instructor who explains why you can spoil photographs by always shooting at maximum aperture; and what f/stop to use when for optimum results.