Let’s face it: There are so many types of lens filters available in different configurations that the task of purchasing these accessories can be extremely confusing. And the choices you make often depend upon the specific types of photographs you shoot and even the manner in which your edit your work.

This quick and enlightening tutorial features Romanian-born photographer Vlad Manea who now lives in Germany. He’s also an adept instructor specializing in quick lessons for beginning shooters. This episode is all about choosing lens filters that will enhance your results, without wasting money by falling victim to the dreaded gear acquisition syndrome, i.e. purchasing filters that you’ll rarely or never use.

The discussion covers a variety of filter options from the common UV and polarizers, to those named VND, ND, CPL, and others. Manea’s goal is to help you make an informed choice by explaining what these filters are designed to accomplish and the most effective ways to use them.

Many photographers routinely mount a UV filter on every lens they own, with the idea that they’ll not only reduce ultraviolet light but protect the front element of the lens from dirt, scratches, and moisture. Manea, on the other hand, says he avoids this type of filter for reasons he explains.

Also a quite common choice is the polarizing filter that can be very effective for reducing glare and reflections from non-metallic surfaces. Its available with a rotating outer ring that enables you to accentuate or lessen the effect and can be particularly valuable for darkening pale blue skies or when there’s water within the frame. These should always be used with discretion, because your images can appear lifeless if you remove all reflections from a shot.

Landscape photographers often refuse to leave home without an assortment of ND filters in their bag, including those of different strengths as well as at least one Variable ND filter for balancing the tones in scenes with a bright sky and  significantly darker foreground. These can be expensive and take a bit of practice to employ properly, but they’re capable of delivering spectacular results.

The foregoing is just a taste of the information Manea provides in this simple guide, so be sure to watch until the end. Then pay a visit to his popular YouTube channel where there much more to be learned about the basics of photography.

And speaking of making informed purchasing decisions, be sure to watch the tutorial we posted recently from another pro who discusses the difference between how many megapixels you want and how many you really need. It’s often not the same!

Today’s post-processing lesson reveals a versatile and very effective tutorial for editing just about any photos you capture outdoors, from landscape shots, wildlife images, and a variety of other nature scenes. What you’ll learn will help selectively boost detail in a realistic manner.

Photograoher Brian Matiash is one of our favorite instructors whose popular YouTube channel has this inviting goal: “Provide weekly tutorials for editing photos on any device, capture better images with any camera, and streamline your gear.”

This episode involves the pro-level use of three powerful Lightroom tools—Clarity, Texture, and Dehaze—to add significant natural-looking impact to every image you shoot. While this trio of tools accomplish similar tasks, they do so differently and it’s important to understand why. In fact, there are times when it makes sense to use all three during the same edit.

Matiash begins with an overview of how the Contrast, Texture, and Dehaze sliders contribute to creating images with better contrast and color in the details of a photo. But here’s the catch: “The key is knowing how they differ and where it makes the most sense to apply them within an image.” He provides some great examples that make all this very easy to comprehend.

The first step for those who are unfamiliar with these “essential” tools is navigating to Lightroom’s Effects panel where the three sliders reside. If you’re using Lightroom Classic the sliders are found by expanding the Basic panel and scrolling down to the Presence section. Matiash notes that in either case the siders work the same, as they also do in the Lightroom Mobile app.

Before diving into the use of these three tools Matiash says it’s important to understand the concepts of Contrast and Frequency because he uses these terms repeatedly throughout the video. As he explains, “Contrast determines the range between the darkest and brightest parts of a photo, while Frequency determines the level of detail in various areas within the frame, from low, mid, to high.”

With these technicalities out of the way Matiash devotes the remainder of the episode to demonstrating the best methods for using the Clarity, Dehaze and Texture sliders to create maximum impact in your photographs. The process is very easy to achieve, and once you get you got it forever more.

Be sure to head over to Brian’s instructional YouTube channel where you’ll find a selection of valuable shooting and editing tips.

We also suggest watching a tutorial we posted recently from another processing expert who demonstrates a unique and extremely effective Lightroom technique for removing ugly dust spots and other image-killing artifacts from your photographs.

The two questions in the headline above have been debated for years, and the queries keep coming as new high-res cameras continue to be introduced with no apparent slowdown in sight. There’s no one correct answer to either question, because it all depends upon the type of photos you shoot, how you typically use them, and a number of other key considerations.

There are several very helpful guidelines for those anticipating the purchase of a new camera, as you’ll see in this 13-minute video from the Adorama TV YouTube channel. This revealing discussion was prompted by a question posted on the Ask David Bergman website where anyone can pose a common topic and often receive an answer by this highly acclaimed NY-based photographer.

In this episode Bergman applies his 30 years of experience to take a deep dive on this subject, tackling everything one needs to know about resolution, image quality, display characteristics, and much more. Keep in mind that your specific genre of photography factors into the equation—be it landscapes, portraiture, action sports, or something else.

Another key consideration has to do with the ultimate use of your work. Do you make oversized prints for display, submit images for publication, or just share them online via social media platforms? Bergman begins with an overview of the concept of megapixels and how they affect a photo. He then applies the above criteria to provide suggestions for choosing a camera with a level of resolution that best suits your needs.

Bergman also explains why a super hi-res camera may be the wrong choice for a variety of reasons, even if you’re not worried about cost. Maybe your computer isn’t sufficiently powerful to handle huge image files, and/or you don’t want to invest in the high-capacity storage devices required for backing up this type of work.

Another pertinent issue involve how you typically frame up your shots; namely, whether you prefer to crop in the camera or shoot “loose” and do your cropping during post processing. And what about low-light performance and other essential factors that affect image-quality?

Bergman also discusses the ramifications and necessary resolution for optimum print quality in various sizes, whether you output imagery on a home printer or order prints from a local lab or through an online service bureau.  

As you can see, a lot goes into answering the questions posed at the onset, and it’s important to resist the temptation  to follow the trend toward super high-res cameras unless that’s really what you need. What you want is a totally different matter and may not serve you well.

There are many more thought-provoking videos on the popular Adorama TV YouTube channel. And feel free to visit the Ask David Bergman website and post questions of your own.

If you’re a regular visitor to the Shutterbug website you know that there are a variety of methods for color grading landscape images—some more effective than others. This tutorial from the popular PHLOG Photography YouTube channel demonstrate a very powerful technique that’s easy to accomplish and delivers spectacular results.

German pro Christian Mohrle says this method great contributes to his stunning imagery. In this 12-minute episode you’ll learn why and how he employs Lightroom’s White Balance tools to achieve perfect colors in his photos.  Keep watching if you’re a Photoshop user because the method you’ll learn works equally well with this software too.

Before clicking the “play” button it’s a good idea to download Mohrle’s Raw file with the link beneath the video so that you can follow along and make the adjustments yourself as they’re explained. He’s working with an HDR image and you’ll see how that affects the process.

The value of this particular technique, according to Mohrle, is that it enables you to create a specific mood by modifying the warmth or coolness of a shot. He always begins with a few basic global enhancements to improve the original photo as much as possible, so that the selective adjustments that follow are easier to accomplish.

Mohrle’s goal for this drab lakeside photo is to give it a very vibrant sunset effect, and he begins by changing the profile from Adobe Color to Adobe landscape which immediately boosts base saturation. He explains that starting with a balanced exposure is extremely important for optimum White Balance adjustments. Mohrle makes few quick adjustments to get the light right in the blown-out sky and the crushed shadows in the trees on the horizon.

He then refines composition with a simple crop and then turn to the meat of this lesson; namely the White Balance adjustments that are necessary for creating the sunset look he desires. When that task is complete Mohrle improves the image further with a bit of masking—walking you through every step in the process.

Mohrle concludes the impressive transformation with straightforward tweaks to color and a bit of careful sharpening. You can use this powerful edit to enhance just about any photograph that you shoot in the great outdoors. Be sure to visit Mohrle’s robust YouTube channel for more powerful lessons like this one.

And don’t miss the tutorial we posted recently from another post-processing expert who demonstrates a “hidden” Photoshop hack for spectacular edits of landscape photographs in five simple steps.