Lightroom plugins are valuable software add-ons that expand creativity during the editing process with easy to use features for a variety of effects. They’re readily available, some for free and other at a nominal cost, and they can add impact to images while speeding up your workflow.

If you haven’t tried these assets in the past, it time to get going. The tutorial below from Eastern Shore Photo Instruction demonstrates a foolproof method for installing plugins and managing them properly for ease of use.

A couple things to keep in mind. First, it’s important to purchase plugins from a trusted source—just like with anything you install on your computer. Secondly, once you get started you’ll likely end up with a multitude of plugins over time, and you’ll want to manage them so they’re easy to find and use.

Today’s instructor Mickey explains everything you need to know in barely nine minutes, and his lesson is equally valuable for beginners and experienced users alike. As you’ll see, having plugins display in alphanumeric order isn’t typically the best way to go, and Mickey provides a quick and easy hack to manage and sequence the display of your plugins to match your specific needs.

While plugins may install automatically, there are several reasons why that may not work (one reason may be that Lightroom is already open when you begin the install). To alleviate any frustration Mickey explains a foolproof manual method for getting the job fast.

The first step is going into Lightroom Classic and clicking on Preferences. Next go to the external editing tab, the bottom half of which is where you configure the plugins. Once you’re there, you’ll then have to locate the plug per Mickey’s instructions, and then simply follow his advice for specifying the five options available.

These include File Format, Color Space, Compression, Bit Depth, and Resolution. The process is somewhat different whether you’re on a PC or Mac, so pay close attention as Mickey explains the procedure.

One your plugin is installed there’s a bit more to do if a fast and seamless workflow is what you want, and this is the “management” part of the process that determines where and in what order your plugins appear. This is a very important step, but very easy to accomplish. Remember, if Mickey likes it you will too.

The Eastern Shore Photo Instruction YouTube channel is one you should visit often for more tips, tricks, and helpful information. We also recommend watching another tutorial we featured recently, explaining how Lightroom’s Tone sliders work in different ways, and the correct method for using them to achieve optimum results.

We’ve all heard the blather from so-called “purists” who insist that images should be presented straight out of the camera without any post processing at all. Not only are we told to avoid adjusting exposure, color, sharpness and the like, but creative cropping is verboten as well.

Today one of our favorite landscape photographer begs to differ, insisting that refusing to crop “hurts your photos.” Instructor Mark Denney is a favorite of Shutterbug readers who appreciate that his lessons take a practical, rather than a theoretical, approach.

In this episode Denney says, “cropping is one of my favorite editing techniques, giving you the ability to alter composition after the fact.” He also expresses curiosity about why many photographers “don’t use this incredible tool.” So buckle up, forget about pleasing the purists, and take a look.

Denney boils it down to the three things he considers when deciding how to crop different types of photos for maximum visual impact. His view is that it’s not a matter of whether or not to crop, bur rather that you may not crop your images enough. Sometimes this can even mean going full bore and transforming a horizontal shot into a vertical one.

So what are the three issues you should think about before deciding on a crop? 1) Does it add value to the scene? 2) Do I want the viewer to look at it? 3) Does the photo flow? This trio of questions is pretty easy to answer, but what about the how? Just follow Denney’s simple advice and your landscape photographs will demand more attention than ever.

Denney’s first example is a pretty seascape photo that only has limited “real estate” with which to work. But a discerning eye will agree with Denney that a modest crop makes a big difference. He gets rid of distracting elements at either side of the frame and in the lower right corner of the foreground.

Denney presents other examples with challenges that require a different approaches to cropping. Sometimes that means making a far more ambitious effort, while in other instances you may want to alter perspective or crop in a way that accentuates eye-catching colors within the scene.

All these concepts are discussed in terms that are applications to nature and landscape photography, but they’re equally effective with other genres as well. So the next time you finish editing one of your photos, be sure to ask yourself, “did I crop enough?”

Denney’s popular YouTube channel is a valuable resource for landscape photographers and others who shoot outdoors. So be sure to take a look and explore everything he has to offer.

And on a totally different note, take a look at the straightforward lesson we posted earlier this month with a primer on how to shoot sensuous female portraits—with posing and composition tips from another accomplished pro.

Maybe you’re already a boudoir photographer and your images look like everything else out there. Or perhaps you want to get started with an easy technique that doesn’t require a studio or complicated lighting setups. In either case, the video below is for you.

Instructor Sal Cincotta is a highly respected portrait and wedding photographer who’s not afraid to do things differently.  He’s also an adept educator known for “no-nonsense, straight to the point” tutorials. In this quick episode he explains why and how to shoot outdoor boudoir portraits with a unique look.

This lesson kicks off with something you may have thought yourself: “I am so tired of seeing the same pictures, the same scenes, and the same sets. Somebody’s in a bed, somebody’s laying over a couch, somebody’s laying on the stairs with their rear-end up in the sky.” Sound familiar?

Cincotta explains how to get out of your comfort zone and take a different approach to shoot uncommon and impressive boudoir photos that really grab attention. In less than six minutes you’ll learn how to work with light, use a simple reflector when you confront both hard and soft backlight, and even how to shoot from a rooftop.

Like most pros Cincotta is motivated by pleasing clients and capturing images that sell. And as he says, “different is what sells.” Even if you’re an amateur unconcerned with sales, the same concept applies for capturing stunning boudoir photos that will make you and your model proud.

While watching Cincotta’s behind-the-scenes-session as he describes how to get the job done, pay close attention to how he directs the model and the poses that work best. That way you can emulate these important components of a successful shoot yourself.

Cincotta is shooting from a rooftop that’s perfect for his style of pulling back for a more expansive view that tells a story by including the environment—and in this case there’s a very interesting background to his scene.

He’s shooting at sunset with soft backlight that’s great for flattering images. Best yet for all you newbies out there, all he uses is his camera, one lens, and a simple reflector. Of course he has a pretty model for a subject, but we’ll leave that one up to you.

Bottom line: If you thought a bunch of expensive lights were required to capture stunning boudoir photographs, Cincotta’s stunning imagery will quickly change your mind. He has over two million subscribers on his instructional YouTube channel, so be sure to take a look.

And don’t miss the tutorial we posted from another accomplished pro recently, explaining how to harness the power of complimentary colors for the best photo edits ever.