Last week we posted an overview of making nighttime the right time for shooting after the sun drops below the horizon. That tutorial was designed for those new to the technique, and today we’re following up with a deeper dive on one compelling aspect of this style of photography that’s of particular interest to cityscape and street photographers.

Today’s topic is light trail photography, with simple ways to capture the color, movement and energy of vehicles streaking through city streets at night. Not only is this technique available to just about anyone who doesn’t live in a mountain cave, but it’s a sure-fire way to capture captivating images that tell a story of dynamic motion and speed.

This lesson comes to use from the School of Photography YouTube channel, located in the UK—a great source of shooting and editing tips on a wide variety of topics. Instructor Mark Newton is a popular author and photographer who has been teaching the tools of the craft for over 20 years. We’re sure that after watching this 10-minute lesson you’ll be motivated to venture out into the dark and give these tips a try.

This behind-the-scenes episode takes place at London’s iconic Tower Bridge, as Newton employs light trails to capture stunning photos that differ from most of those we see of this well-recognized landmark. He’s courageously standing on a narrow island in the middle of the busy road as cars, trucks, and London’s double-decker buses stream past in either direction.

Newton mounts his camera atop a low-set tripod and then explains the camera settings he prefers for this interesting technique. He’s shooting in Manal mode with a shutter speed of four seconds and explains how to determine the appropriate ISO and f/stop for a perfect exposure. Then all that’s left is to frame up the shot, wait for a bus to capture the image he envisions, and hope he survives the night without a trip to the hospital.

With his camera on a two-second timer he arrives at an exposure of four seconds, f/11, at ISO 100. This combination yields a one-stop underexposure that’s ideal for the look he has in mind. Your exposure may differ depending upon the density of traffic and the corresponding car lights at the location you choose.

The bottom line is that by following Newton’s guidelines, and experimenting with a few test shots, you’ll be able to capture eye-popping night trail photographs of your own. After watching the video head over to Newton’s instructional YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn.

We also encourage you to check out the primer mentioned above, with several helpful techniques for making nighttime the right time for shooting in the city.

The quick video below is one of those “I wish I knew this before” tutorials with a super-simple technique for enhancing photos in a way that’s almost too good to believe. It works in both Lightroom and Photoshop, takes barely 10 minutes to learn, and you can start using it today.

What we’re talking about is Midtone Contrast, a remarkably versatile method with several important benefits that provides a big boost to your workflow when editing all sorts of images. With this approach you can enhance detail and definition, reduce the appearance of haze, and even refine exposure and tones.

Instructor Nickolas Warner is a respected outdoor photographer who travels the globe in a quest to capture breathtaking photographs. He always edits his work with Midtone Contrast in mind, and you will too after learning how the technique works. As the name implies, this method enables you to selectively add contrast to only the midtones of an image.

In basic terms, this technique essentially uses a Luminosity mask to target midtones, and then lets you bump up that variable in areas where it’s lacking, without affecting the rest of the shot. As with other selective adjustments, this one provides superior results than using a global approach.

As you’ll see, this technique is particularly useful for fixing photos with highlights that are almost blown out, or those with dark areas that are close to being clipped. As Warner explains, “By targeting just the midtones you can add contrast to a photo without making the whites and blacks even worse.”

Warner pulls up a few gorgeous landscape photos with common problems. The can all benefit from a bit more contrast and texture, but areas in the sky near the sun are already so bright that they’d be totally devoid of detail if contrast is added in the traditional way. It’s the same thing for the shadows in reverse.

The simple solution takes place in the Masking panel where Warner creates a selection based off the Luminance range. Then it’s a simple matter to enhance contrast by targeting just the midtones of the shot. As he moves the slider to the right, even all the way  to 100%, both the highlights and shadows are protected.

The result is a photo with much more impact, that still retains a subtle, smooth, and natural look. While this quick technique works quite well in Lightroom, Warner explains why he prefers to get the job done in Photoshop if you happen to have both programs.

Warner’s instructional YouTube channel is full of straightforward lessons like this sone, so be sure to pay a visit when you have time.

And don’t miss our earlier post with a compete guide to Lightroom’s Tone Curve tools for photographers of all skill levels.

This is an in-depth review of the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM, one of Sony’s top wide-angle prime lenses meant to offer the highest image quality and brightest aperture available at 24mm. The 24mm f/1.4 GM lens incorporates many of Sony’s most advanced lens technologies, including high-end coatings, multiple aspherical lens elements, and professional handling features. In today’s review, I’ll share my experiences after testing the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM extensively both in the field and in the lab, in order to help you decide if it’s the right lens for you.

Earlier today we posted a tutorial with a foolproof in-camera method for shooting photos with perfect exposure. But what if you want to improve photos you shot in the past that don’t quite hit the mark? The lesson below from the FJR YouTube channel demonstrates how easy this is to do with Lightroom’s powerful Dodge and Burn tools.

This straightforward technique enables you to selectively darken or brighten different areas within an image for balanced tones through the frame. In short, you can open up crushed shadows or retrieve details in overly bright highlights. Instructor Francisco Hernandez explains how to get the job done in barely 11 minutes.

By downloading the demonstration image via a link beneath the video you can follow along, make the adjustments yourself, and then use this simple method to rehabilitate improperly exposed images whether they’re portraits, landscapes, or just about any other photos that need work.

Hernandez pulls up his photo of pretty model Sarah, opens Lightroom’s Develop module, makes a few basic color enhancements, and then explains the Dodge and Burn techniques that dramatically improve the shot.

The Dodge and Burn magic occurs within Lightroom’s masking section, and the first step is to click on the Brush icon. Unlike with Photoshop that offers layers, with Lightroom the method relies upon various brushes to mimic the layering process—with different enhancements stacked atop one another.

Hernandez recommends the settings he prefers for Feathering, Flow, and Density. You’ll also see how to choose the proper brush size for the specific task at hand. Once everything is configured properly, it’s easy to paint in whatever Dodge and Burn adjustments are required to even out the exposure.

Hernandez first concentrates on different areas of Sarah’s face and the underside of her black hat that is devoid of detail. He then examines the portrait further, finds a few other areas on her face, body and apparel that can be improved, and quickly refines those.

A long the way Fernandez provides before/after examples of each step in the process so you’ll have a full appreciation of the ease and effectiveness of this streamlined approach to Dodge and Burn. After watching the video take a look at his popular YouTube channel, where you’ll find lessons on other simple editing methods.

And don’t forget to watch the tutorial mentioned above, with another pro’s tricks for shooting perfectly exposed nature and wildlife photos every time.