One specification that’s important to many photographers when shopping for a new camera is the number of focus points available. But do you really know how to choose the best focus point(s) at your disposal when shooting different types of images? If not, read on.

Instructor Mark Denney is a prolific landscape photographer with an uncommon set of skills, as he’s equally adept with the camera as he is behind the computer. In this important 12 minute episode he explains how he determines the best focus point for perfectly sharp photos depending upon the subject at hand.

Denney notes that, “image sharpness and focus points are topics that attract a lot of attention which is interesting as they both go hand-in-hand.” As you’ll see, the camera’s Focus mode setting, the specific point you select, and the size of that point, will typically need to be adjusted depending upon the subject you’re shooting.

This helpful lesson covers all this and more so that you can achieves the sharpest results possible for your particular genre of photography. One key consideration is understanding exactly where to focus within the frame, and that determination can be radically different depending upon whether you’re shooting landscape scenes where maximum depth of field is desired, or wildlife images that include single or multiple subjects.

If your ultimate goal is the former, and you want sharpness front to back, Denney says, “placing the focus point a third of the way into your scene is generally a great way to start.” Of course this equation is affected by the f/stop you choose, and a firm understanding of how hyperfocal distance works can be very helpful.

Before moving on to focus-point selection, Denney provides a basic review of the various Focus modes available on modern digital cameras. While every model is a bit different, and nomenclature varies from one manufacturer to the next, the three primary modes are Single AF, Continuous AF, and Manual focus where everything is up to you.

The video then moves on to the various types of focus points options, and the corresponding and sizes available, which is the real meat of this episode. You’ll see how making the best choice is related to the Focus mode in use—and as previously mentioned, the specific task at hand.

Denney explains why and when you’ll want to select a single focus point, a specific group of points, or all of the points offered by your camera. You’ll also see how to move a single point within the scene and increase or decrease its size to suit your needs. According to Denney, the single-point approach offers “ultimate control,” which is why many of use aren’t too concerned about how many points are available when shopping for a new camera.

There’s much more to learn in this interesting episode, and on Denney’s instructional YouTube channel. And, on a related note, be sure to check out the tutorial we posted from another accomplished pro who demonstrates his approach to capturing precisely focused landscape and wildlife photographs.

Sunsets are among the most popular scenes photographed by landscape photographers, but sometimes it’s difficult to get colors and exposure just right. In the tutorial below you’ll learn several pro editing tips and pick up powerful free presets for getting the job done.

French photographer Serge Ramelli has a portfolio of stunning landscape, travel, and cityscape imagery, along with a large following on his instructional YouTube channel. He’s also an acclaimed image-editing expert, and the techniques described in this episode work wonders for enhancing both sunset and sunrise photographs.

You can follow along by downloading the demonstration Raw files with a link beneath the video, where you’ll also find Ramelli’s free presets. As he explains, Lightroom has some great tools for editing these types of images, and Ramelli demonstrates how these “secrets” work.

Ramelli is working with images captured on the beach during a recent trip to Iceland. While the originals aren’t bad, they become truly epic after the processing techniques he applies. You can either use the settings that Ramelli describes or let the presets do the heavy lifting. As he says, “sunset photos are among the most difficult images to edit.”

The trick, according to Ramelli, is perfecting the yellow and orange tones, and he admits that “it took me years to develop this workflow.” His first shot on the beach has dunes in the foreground, water in the midrange, and mountains in the distance.

Adding to the challenge is that the sun is setting in the left side of the frame, while the other compelling objects are far to the right. That’s why he made a panoramic image of the scene. His beautiful transformation requires both a proper rendering of the colors and careful adjustments to exposure.

Ramelli’s other images present different challenges, requiring an equally different approach, and he walks you through every step of the process. He uses a one-click preset to transform a dull shot of Matador Beach into a masterpiece, and another preset that’s “right on the money” for the next image in the lesson.

So pull up the demonstration Raw files and edit along with Ramelli. You’ll be very impressed by what you’re able to accomplish. All you have to do to find more powerful tips like these is pay a visit to Ramelli’s instructional YouTube channel.

And if landscape photography is your thing, be sure to watch the recent tutorial we posted from another accomplished pro who explains how to shoot awe-inspiring photos of the snow-covered winter wonderland.

This tutorial from the internationally popular PiXimperfect YouTube channel begins with a provocative question: “How do you recover blown-out highlights when you have no data to recover from?” It turns out that what was once impossible is now easily within reach, thanks to the latest mind-blowing features in Photoshop.

Instructor Unmesh Dinda is an image-editing impresario who teaches workshops across the globe and has almost five million subscribers to his instructional channel. As you’ll see, recovering highlights is now super easy, even when details are totally missing, thanks to the remarkable capabilities of Photoshop’s Generative Fill.

In less than seven minutes Dinda demonstrates how easy it is to target and precisely select severely clipped highlights and then employ Generative Fill to fill in the blanks. He also explores techniques like Blend modes and Masking to get the job done to perfection. Dinda’s method is so impressive that even AI naysayers will be intrigued.

Dinda begins with a casual portrait of a subject whose white t-shirt is devoid of detail because the shot was intentionally overexposed. He demonstrates how the conventional methods of dropping exposure or decreasing highlights simply doesn’t work for this extreme example—even when working with a Raw file that provides the best chance of success.

Thus, it’s time to go to Plan B and let Generative Fill work its magic. The first step is targeting the specific areas where you want lost details to appear. To do this Dinda clicks on the Select tab atop the screen and chooses Color Range from the dropdown menu. Another window then appears, and in this case Highlights is the option you want.

The next step is choosing Black Matt in the Selection Preview dropdown. By doing this everything selected will be shown (namely the blown-out areas of the shirt), while all other areas will appear black. Dinda explains how to fine tune this result to suit your needs.

The preliminary selection is still very harsh, but you’ll see how to significantly smooth the transitions by dragging the Fuzziness slider. As the video proceeds you’ll notice other imperfections and Dinda makes short work of those too. Along the way he provides helpful keyboard shortcuts to speed up the process.

At this point there’s still four minutes to go for perfecting the transformation, and Dinda carefully walks you through the steps that are necessary for getting the job done. Even a cursory glance at the before/after images reveals the power of this technique. Once the video concludes be sure to take a look at Dinda’s robust YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn.

And don’t miss the tutorial we posted from another image-editing expert who demonstrates how to use Photoshop’s Gradient Map tools for landscape photos with stunning color.

Outdoor photography in winter requires doing things a bit differently, especially when fluffy fresh-fallen snow paints the landscape white. This behind-the-scenes tutorial from the First Man Photography YouTube channel discusses exposure settings, composition and other important considerations that will help you get the job done.

Instructor Adam Karnacz is a professional British pro specializing in landscape and macro photography. In this episode he provides a number of great tips while hiking through stunning snow-covered hills and woodlands with interesting light, sparkling hoarfrost, and other elements we only see in winter.

Karnacz says “I’m almost struggling for words” as he stumbles upon one breathtaking scene after another. His goal is to capture “print-worthy photos,” and you’ll be able to do the same by following his straightforward advice. He hurriedly mounts his camera atop a tripod on the banks of a small lake, fearful that the epic condition will soon fade into the mist.

He’s scouted the location during more inviting weather, something he advises all photographers do so they’ll know what to expect upon their return on a challenging day. Thus, he had a preconceived notion of how to compose his shots to take advantage of ethereal fog, reflections on the water, ducks floating past, and snow-laden trees framing the entire scene.

You’ll see how Karnacz employs both telephoto and wide-angle lenses to capture images with a variety of looks from the same camera position. He also demonstrates the power of negative space for making the most of minimalist locations like this.

After explaining how he captured several amazing photos during this moment of solitude, Karnacz continues his hike and demonstrates his techniques for dealing with different, but equally impressive, winter locations. The clouds begin to clear, revealing a slice of blue in the sky that requires modifying exposure and other camera settings.

There’s a moment of humor during Karnacz’ stroll through the winter wonderland because of his “irrational fear” of a small group of cows that calls for a quick detour as he heads for the next spot. He explains that “I don’t like them because they’re bigger than me.”

Regardless of  how you feel about shivering bovines, you’ll prick up some great tips for photographing the winter landscape wherever you live. Just be sure to dress warmly, protect your gear, and you can’t wrong. And after returning to a warm home, be sure to check out the First Man Photography YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn.

We also recommend watching the time-appropriate tutorial we posted recently from another accomplished pro, explaining how to capture festive Christmas photos at night when sparkling lights and colorful decorations are everywhere you look.