Anyone who’s tried capturing photos at night with an iPhone or other mobile device knows how challenging it can be to make images that look great. The culprit is the small sensors in  smartphones and how the limited light-gathering capabilities can really hold you back. In this 13-minute video  you’ll a few foolproof tricks for overcoming this obstacle

This lesson comes to uses from the iPhone Photography School, a channel that insists “you don’t need an expensive camera or heavy gear to capture beautiful sunsets, landscapes, portraits, or everyday moments. In this episode you’ll learn how to do that and more after the sun drops below the horizon.

Today’s unnamed instructor make this promise: “No more burry shots, and no more missed opportunities.” He’s working with an iPhone 11 Pro which is the first model to include aa dedicated Night mode, and he explains the benefits like this: “It’s a powerful feature that allows you to capture some extraordinary high-quality night photos—even when it’s almost completely dark.

Don’t worry if you own an older model, because the lesson begins with several solid tips for getting the job done with earlier iPhone that don’t include Apple’s new Night mode feature. While doing so the instructor provides an important reminder that “there’s no such thing as photography in complete darkness because the only thing any camera can capture is light.”

In other words, a minimum of illumination is always required, like when photographing landscapes on moonlit nights or shooting urban scenes that include streetlamps within the frame. You’ll see how to proceed without the benefit of Night mode while shooting a beautiful cathedral—thanks to both streetlamps and illuminated windows and doorways.

The lesson then turns to the powerful Night mode, explaining how it works and how to use it for maximum impact. When you compare photos of the same scene captured with and without this amazing new technology the significant difference is easy to discern. The first shot looks quite impressive, but the second is almost mind-blowing—especially for an image captured with a phone.

You’ll notice that Night mode delivers more detail in the church, and there is even detail apparent in the sky and nearby trees that weren’t apparent in the image captured without Night mode. As the instructor says, “I was able to get more light in the photo and recover more detail throughout the scene.”

What’s impressive is that there are warm tones on the cathedral, while the remainder of the image is bathed in the cooler bluish tones that you would expect at night.

We suggest paying a visit to the iPhone Photography School YouTube channel where you’ll find more helpful tips for making the most of your phone as a photography tool.

Most photographers routinely shoot in color without considering the fact that some images will appear far more dramatic and impactful in monochrome–especially those captured in dull light. This tutorial provides three ways to make the conversion in Lightroom and Photoshop, and it’s super easy to do.

Today’s video comes from Hamed Photography, a great source of quick lessons for editing images on any device, streamlining the gear you carry in the field, and in-camera techniques for capturing stunning photos with the equipment you already own. Hamed promises that “this video will help you create stunning monochrome images with ease—whether you’re new to photography or looking to improve your skills.”

Hamed walks you through three easy and powerful techniques for getting the job done to perfection. He also reveals the method he prefers when your goal is to create professional quality b&w photos. The technique that works best for you depends up the specific image at hand and the image-editing workflow you use.

There are several situations in which a conversion is called for: Maybe the colors look dull, contrast is lacking, or there’s no real depth and texture. As you’ll see, it’ not difficult to make these images “really shine” by converting them to monochrome with far more impact and drama.

Hamed also notes that some color photographs fail to convey emotion—an important goal for visual story telling. Be sure to watch until the end when he reveals why the third approach that you’ll learn is “my favorite and the most effective.”

The first method is as simple as lowering the Saturation level all the way down in Lightroom’s Basic panel. Once you’ve done that you can make further adjustments by experimenting with familiar sliders on the right side of your workspace. As Hamed explains, “The drawback of this approach is that you lose access to the Color Mixer panel.” And this means you can’t adjust tones using the powerful color sliders.

The second method is just as straightforward. Here all you have to do is click on the B&W button at the top of the Basic panel. “This technique allows you to  use both of the basic adjusters, and in addition you do have access to the Color Mixer for more tonal control.”

The third technique is Hamed’s favorite and involves exporting your image to Photoshop, adding a b&w layer in combination with a Gradient Map and working from there. We’ll let Hamed explain why this approach delivers optimum results, before walking you through the straightforward transformation process.

There’s much more to learn on Hamed’s instructional YouTube channel, especially for inexperienced users, so be sure to check it out.

We also urge you to watch the earlier tutorial we featured with another post-processing expert who demonstrates how he creates vibrant autumn photographs by using a powerful custom Lightroom Profile that’s difficult to find because it doesn’t live where you would expect it to be.

There are several camera settings that are important to understand in order to capture properly exposed images with other key attributes. According to landscape pro Brian Matiash, however, there’s one setting in particular that plays a vital role in achieving the exact shot you envision. Care to take a guess?

Matiash says he spends a lot of time thinking about shutter speed, and he explains his obsession like this: “By understanding and mastering how shutter speed affects your images, you’ll be able to get some truly creative photographs.”

At 22 minutes this episode is longer than most, but we encourage you to stick with it because the knowledge Matiash imparts will significantly boost your skills —whether you shoot landscapes, nature and wildlife imagery, or just about any other genre you can imagine.

We all know that the shutter speed you choose is informed by several variables, like the amount of available light, lens aperture and ISO settings, and whether or not you’re shooting hand-held. But Matiash argues that “the one thing that should dictate your shutter speed is the subject; or rather how you want to convey the subject to the viewers.”

Take birds in flight for example. Do you want a precisely focused subject or would you rather convey a sense of motion? Fast or slow shutter speeds are what enable you to capture the specific effect you desire. The same holds true for sports/action photos or landscape images with billowing clouds blowing through the frame.

Panning with the camera is another good example, and the proper shutter speed can determine the degree of motion—either more or less—that’s apparent in the story you’re trying to tell. And then there are times when super-long shutter speeds are required to flatten out seaside shots with soft and smooth water.

Matiash illustrates all this with photos in four different categories: fast shutter speeds, “kinda slow” shutter speeds, slow shutter speeds, and extremely slow shutter speeds. The overriding point is that choosing a shutter speed is about much more than arriving at a correct expose. In fact, that’s just the starting point for capturing great imagery.

Brian’s instructional YouTube channel is full of videos describing post-processing techniques and getting things right in the camera, so be sure to pay a visit.

And on a related note, don’t miss a tutorial we featured recently from another adept instructor who reveals five reasons, including incorrect camera settings, that prevent you from capturing sharp photographs with mirrorless cameras and DSLRs.

So you want to give boudoir photography a try but not sure where to start. This beginners guide from Patrick’s Boudoir Photography Secrets will get you started in a hurry—without the need for expensive lighting equipment, a home studio, or pro level gear.

Patrick is a Vienna-based portrait artist who specializes in natural light b&w imagery. He regularly shares straightforward tutorials with easy-to-use techniques for composition, posing, image structure and more. This video is installment #12 of his Two-Minute Tips series, although it runs a minute longer.

Like earlier lessons this one is geared toward beginners, and it quickly covers a lot of ground so you may want to jot down a few notes. Patrick is shooting indoors, and he demonstrates how to create stunning highlights and shadows with natural illumination streaming through a large window.

Skillful posing is important for all kinds of portraiture and it’s especially critical when sensuous boudoir images are the name of the game. You’ll discover how slight adjustments in a model’s body posture can be used to enhance femininity in a way that make the subject comfortable and proud.

Patrick also shares the camera settings that he recommends for different situations, and simple composition tips that will make a big difference in your results. The lesson concludes with a step-by-step process for editing your photograph effectively and using the timesaving presets from his popular app (there’s a link to these in the description beneath the video).

So launch the video, pay attention, find yourself an interested model, and jump into the alluring world of boudoir portraiture today! There’s much more to learn on Patrick’s instructional YouTube channel, where you’ll also find past and future episodes of this enlightening series.

And for another helpful beginners guide, be sure to check out the recent primer we featured with another accomplished pro who demonstrates how to create jaw-dropping panorama photos with a few simple steps.