Since the introduction of the Nikon Z System almost seven years ago, Nikon has done a good job filling out their lineup of mirrorless lenses. We now have 42 unique lens designs covering the main requirements a photographer could have. But I wouldn’t say that Nikon’s Z lenses feel “complete” quite yet, even taking third-party options into account. What are we still missing? Is there any chance we’ll get some of these lenses soon? I don’t have a crystal ball, but the following lenses are what I consider to be the biggest remaining gaps in the Z System. Hopefully we see some of them appear before long.
According to the experts at the Exploring Photography YouTube channel there’s a good chance that you’ve been wasting time behind the computer by taking the wrong approach to culling photos after you return from a shoot. This quick tutorial will dramatically speed up this chore so you can get back out in the field with a camera as soon as possible.
Here’s how instructor Will Simpson introduces today’s eye-opening tutorial: “I’ll show you how to cull photos faster than ever and introduce you to a Lightroom editing workflow that almost no photographers are using. It will dramatically speed up the photo-editing process, whether you’re working on wedding photos, portraits or landscapes.”
Simpson developed this system himself because of the slowdowns he was experiencing with Lightroom’s latest masking update. He provides a quick overview of his innovative process and then takes a deeper dive into some secret sauce that he says can cut your time in half while still delivering pro-quality results.”
You’ll quickly discern that this isn’t the same-old-same-old cumbersome approach for getting the job done. In fact all photographers from novices to seasoned Lightroom users will learn how to improve their post-processing efficiency by following Simpson’s step-by-step advice for and trying something outside the box.
Simpson’s bottom line is that the traditional method you’ve been using may work, but it’s definitely holding you back. Once you’re done watching and updating your everyday Lightroom workflow accordingly, head over to the Exploring Photography YouTube channel where there are many more how-to videos that will elevate your skills.
And don’t miss an earlier tutorial we featured with a Serbian post-processing expert who demonstrates a simple Photoshop workflow that employs Adjustment Layers to maximize the impact of enhancements made to your photographs.
If you’re unfamiliar with Lightroom’s powerful Point Color tool, this comprehensive beginners guide from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel will set you straight. In barely 10 minutes you’ll learn how to expand your workflow by gaining full control of the colors in your images.
Instructor Christian Mohrle is a highly acclaimed German pro whose instructional channel boasts over 100K enthusiastic subscribers and almost 900 shooting and editing how-to videos. He promises that what you’ll learn in today’s Lightroom episode will definitely make your colors POP!
Before getting started download the demonstration Raw file from the description beneath the video so you can follow along in real time and make the adjustments yourself as the steps are explained. Mohrle explains Lightroom’s Point Color tool in the context of landscape imagery, but it’s benefits are equally transformational for all types of outdoor imagery.
As always, Mohrle kicks off his edit with several global adjustments to prepare his shot for the selective enhancements that follow. He starts the preliminary adjustments by expanding Lightroom’s Basic panel and changing the default profile to Adobe Landscape which instantly increases base saturation for a more vibrant look.
Other initial enhancements involve bringing up exposure while dialing down highlights, opening up shadows for more detail, and raising contrast in the whites. Mohrle completes his global moves by boosting clarity, texture, and dehaze while adding a big bump to vibrance.
Now Mohrle turns his attention to Lightroom’s Point Color tool that’s found on the right side of the screen when you open the Lightroom’s Color Mixer panel. You won’t see anything going on until you first select the color you want to adjust. Once you do that a variety of options become available, and Mohrle’s describes what they how and explains how they work.
He then demonstrates the power of Point Color enhancements in combination with thoughtful masking. The lesson concludes with a bit of quick calibration and subtle sharpening. Check out the before/after examples and you’ll be very impressed.
There’s much more to learn on the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel, especially for landscape shooters, so be sure to pay a visit then you have time to explore.
You may have heard photographers discuss the popular concept of “bokeh” even if you don’t know how to pronounce it. Simply put, the powerful technique enables you to accentuate the key subject in an image by understanding how to render out-of-focus areas with the frame.
It’s an attention-grabbing method that anyone can easily pursue with whatever camera they own, and this video from the Souvenir Photography Advisors YouTube channel describes everything you need to know in less than two minutes. So grab a camera and follow along.
Our unnamed instructor specializes in simple shooting tips for inexperienced shooters and he describes today’s topic like this: “Bokeh is the soft, artistic blur in the background of a photo, the kind that makes portraits pop and lights melt into glowing orbs.” It’s a very enchanting look that’s equally important when nature, wildlife, and landscape scenes are the name of the game.
This quick primer discusses the difference between “good” and “bad” bokeh, how to create the former by shooting with wide apertures, and why lens quality is a very important consideration. Our instructor provides practical real-life examples of pleasing bokeh in portraits, nighttime photos, and event-style imagery.
You’ll learn how bokeh differs from typical blur, why camera-to-subject distance factors into the equation, and how this thoughtful effect can even improve the images you capture of animal encounters.
The lesson is so brief, simple, and effective that there’s no need for us summarizes it further. So click the “Play” button and learn how it’s done. Then head over to the Souvenir Photography Advisors channel where you’ll find many more two-minute tips and tricks on popular shooting techniques.
We also suggest that you check out the earlier tutorial we featured with another adept instructor who demonstrates how to capture photographs with perfect exposure in the camera by using the “Expose to the Right” (ETTR) technique.
