For the past few weeks we’ve been bringing you installments of an ongoing free Lightroom Masterclass from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel. The lessons cover everything the basics to more involved tasks, and we have a new one for you today.
The episode in the video below is Part 5 in the series, demonstrating the most effective way to sharpen photos and reduce noise. The goal of instructor Christian Mohrle is to make these adjustments in the proper sequence of your workflow and obtain natural looking results.
As with all Mohrle tutorials, we urge you download his example Raw file using the link in the description beneath the video so you follow along and make the adjustments yourself in real time. Mohrle explains why sharpening is usually the last thing he does.
The sharpening process begins in Lightroom’s Details panel that includes three different sections. One displays a preview image that can be adjusted for a specific portion of the shot, ideally one with clearly defined edges. Next is the sharpening section that provides several options, and finally there are the important noise reduction tools.
The lesson begins with sharpening and Mohrle walks you through the straightforward method he prefers. As you’ll see, is easy to change the amount, radius, details, and masking as you proceed. Mohrle suggests the best settings to use and explains how each of the sliders work to precisely regulate the adjustments you make.
Mohrle takes the same step-by-step approach to explaining noise reduction techniques. Here you’ll learn the basics of the process, as well as how Luminance Noise reduction and Color Noise reduction interact for a great final result
You can find earlier episode of this series on Mohrle’s YouTube channel, along with a wide variety of other tips and tricks.
Here is my dilemma. Since discovering OpenAI’s DALL•E 2 image generator a few weeks ago, I’ve had good success and great fun creating images I’m truly proud of. No, it’s not photography, but it’s still pretty amazing. More importantly, however, it raises a fundamental question: Is it ethical to publish AI-assisted images instead of photos of living, flesh and blood models, even with clearly-worded disclaimers? Frankly, I’m torn by this predicament.
If you’re not familiar with OpenAI’s DALL•E 2, spend three minutes reading our review from Feb ’23. In a nutshell, DALL•E 2 uses AI to convert plain language text strings into realistic—and/or wildly implausible—images and art. DALL·E 2 generated the image you see above based on my written description of my daughter’s West Highland White Terrier. Plus a red hat.
I’m not trying to fool anyone and neither is OpenAI. They make it very clear that DALL·E 2 must not be used for unethical, immoral or illegal purposes. They prohibit nudity and warn against infringing on the copyrights of others. DALL·E 2 renderings that appear on social media, news media and other vehicles of public consumption must include a clear disclosure that AI was used in the creation. Follow this link to read OpenAI’s Content Policy.
Then what’s the worry?
Critics I admire and trust have suggested that recent advancements in AI (e.g., DALL·E 2) threaten traditional photography, music composition and other forms of art, as well as all forms of written creations. And despite the fact that I’ve used it recently in a manner that possibly encourages others to do likewise, I have to agree that there are grave potential dangers.
Every week, it seems, we read news about the abuse of AI by students, online romance site cheaters, scammers and others. And now criminals (I can’t call them “pranksters” because putting lives at risk is not a prank) are using AI-driven voice synthesizers to automate swatting calls. If you don’t know, “swatting” is the reprehensible and condemnable practice of placing totally fictious emergency calls that trigger police and other public safety personnel to be dispatched to a specific location en masse to deal with an in-progress crime that does not exist.
Using AI-assisted artwork to illustrate an article is not a hazard of the same magnitude, but it’s not entirely innocent, either. There are rumors that some AI applications anonymously plagiarize the works of others in whole or in part. We’re not referencing DALL·E 2 here, and we’ve never seen verifiable evidence that copyright infringements actually occur.
So am I experiencing angst or a guilty conscience? A little of both, I’m afraid. I would never—not even in my craziest dreams—use AI of any type to write words for me. That fact makes me question whether or not it’s acceptable to use AI to make pictures except for my personal and private entertainment.
I rationalize all of this by thinking that written words are sacrosanct because they come from inside my head 100%. My words are influenced and tinted by others’ words, but they still originate within me. I don’t even use a thesaurus and so far haven’t regretted it. Photos, on the other hand, are external. And better yet, AI-conjured images are formed by my words. Even Plato said that all art is thrice removed from reality (or something like that).
So, see? I can talk myself into almost anything using this kind of logic and paraphrasing a famous philosopher.
I’ve also more-or-less convinced myself that, “someday, everyone will be using AI for nearly everything that requires creativity.” This may or may not be true, but even if it’s totally accurate, that’s not a legitimate excuse for me to help make this happen sooner rather than later. And it doesn’t mean AI-supercharged creativity will ever be ethical even if it becomes widely practiced.
The harsh truth is that those AI images, pseudo photos and other ersatz art all came from somewhere, just like the ripped-off high school term papers, romance site profiles, bogus CVs and other abusive abominations of AI. I’m not willing to believe (perhaps incorrectly) that a few hundred lines of computer code can create a lifelike photo of the Golden Gate Bridge, a Siamese cat—or anything else.
So you see, I’m sort of stuck. I guess I should ask AI for a resolution. So I did. Here’s how ChatGPT, also from OpenAI, suggested as a resolution.
“DALL-E is an artificial intelligence model developed by OpenAI that can generate images from textual descriptions. The ethical use of DALL-E to create photos and publish them depends on several factors.
“Firstly, it is important to consider the source of the textual descriptions used to generate the images. If the descriptions are generated in a way that infringes on someone’s privacy, dignity, or rights, then using DALL-E to create images from those descriptions would be unethical.
“Secondly, the intended use of the generated images should be considered. If the images are used for commercial purposes without obtaining the necessary permissions or compensating the rightful owners, it could be considered unethical.
“Thirdly, it is important to consider the potential impact of the generated images on society. If the images are used to spread harmful or misleading information or to promote hate speech or discrimination, it would be unethical to create and publish them.
“In summary, the ethical use of DALL-E to create photos and publish them depends on various factors, including the source of the textual descriptions, the intended use of the images, and their potential impact on society. It is important to consider these factors and act responsibly to avoid any unethical behavior.”
Exactly what you would expect to hear from a machine, right?
But the second point hangs over my head like the sword of Damocles. “If the images are used for commercial purposes without obtaining the necessary permissions or compensating the rightful owners, it could be considered unethical.” Who are the rightful owners? Do they even exist? How could I possibly compensate an entity that I cannot identify? And is OpenAI intimating that the fruit of their algorithms requires any sort of “necessary permission?”
I do not enjoy conflict, but neither do I stringently avoid it. For now, I’ll set this controversy—and AI imagery—temporarily aside as far as Shutterbug is concerned and save it for the idle hours when I want a distraction that’s kind of like photography. Maybe someday soon digital cameras will have an AI mode that doesn’t require a subject.
What do YOU think? Please visit Shutterbug’s Facebook page and express your opinions. Have you tried AI imagery? What has been your experience? AI is an epoch-making phenomenon and we’d love to hear your opinion.
Disclaimer: As you’ve surely guessed, every image in this story was created with a big assist from DALL·E 2.
The biggest news last week, at least for us at Photography Life, was the launch of our new forum. We’ve been missing this feature for a while, and it took some time to get it up and running. But now it’s finally online and the discussions are in full swing. It also finally opens up the possibility of sharing your photos with us. It’s great that we can enrich each other in this way. By the way, we have other interesting things cooking, so stay tuned for more news from our team.
If you’re interested in photography, you probably know that Youtube can be an incredible resource for learning new skills, getting inspired, and connecting with a community of like-minded photographers. But with so many channels to choose from, it can be tough to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the 45 best photography Youtube channels out there, covering a range of genres, styles, and techniques.
Whether you’re a beginner looking to improve your skills, an enthusiast looking for new ideas, or a professional seeking inspiration, we’ve got you covered. So grab your camera and get ready to explore some of the most engaging and informative photography content on the web.
In no particular order (you will find some real gems throughout the list), here they are:
Thomas Heaton is a professional landscape photographer who shares his knowledge on his YouTube channel with 531,000 subscribers. His videos focus on teaching viewers how to compose beautiful landscape photos with tips on camera settings and techniques for finding the best light.
Jessica Kobeissi is a highly successful Lebanese American designer and photographer with nearly 2 million subscribers on her YouTube channel. Her content is highly engaging, as she generously shares her photography knowledge, provides step-by-step tutorials on editing, and showcases her unique creative process.
Have you heard of The Cooperative of Photography? They’re a really cool online magazine all about photography, with tons of useful and inspiring articles. But that’s not all – they also have a killer YouTube channel with over 1M subscribers and millions of views on their videos! They offer everything from tutorials and workshops to tips and hacks for both professional and beginner photographers.
Mango Street is a fantastic YouTube channel with more than one million subscribers that offers high-quality tutorials that won’t waste your time. They cover a wide range of photography topics, from camera settings to lighting techniques to post-processing.
One of the things that sets Mango Street apart is their attention to detail – they really take the time to explain things clearly and make sure you understand the concepts they’re teaching. If you’re looking for a channel that will help you take your photography skills to the next level, Mango Street is definitely worth checking out.
Mark Denney is a professional photographer, educator, and entrepreneur based in Florida. His channel focuses on teaching viewers about landscape photography and post-processing techniques. He offers helpful tutorials on topics such as composition, lighting, camera settings, and post-processing workflows. He has nearly 240,000 subscribers on his channel.
Peter McKinnon is a Toronto-based filmmaker and photographer who shares his expertise on his channel. His videos focus on helping viewers learn the ins and outs of photography, from shooting technique to post-processing. He offers helpful tutorials on topics such as composition, lighting, camera settings, and post-processing workflows. He has over 5.8 million subscribers.
Kai W is a professional photographer based in Hawaii who specializes in underwater photography. His channel offers tips and tricks for taking stunning underwater shots, as well as details about the gear he uses. He also discusses topics such as composition, lighting, camera settings, and post-processing workflows for underwater photos.
Tony and Chelsea Northrup are award-winning photographers who specialize in wedding photography and travel photography. Their channel provides detailed tutorials on how to take amazing photos while traveling, as well as advice on how to compose and edit your images. Their channel has more than 1.5 M subscribers.
Jared Polin is a professional photographer and YouTuber who specializes in portrait and commercial photography. His channel offers advice on camera settings, lighting techniques, and post-processing workflows. His videos are detailed and thorough, covering all aspects of portrait photography from start to finish. The channel has 1.4 M subscribers.
Matt Granger is a professional photographer who specializes in travel photography. His channel has 680,000 subscribers. Matt offers advice and tutorials on everything from camera settings to photo editing techniques. He covers topics such as composition, lighting, camera settings, and post-processing workflows for travel photos.
AdoramaTV is a YouTube channel run by the popular camera retailer, Adorama. The channel has 1.22 M Subscribers. Their videos offer helpful tutorials on topics such as lighting, framing, and post-processing.
Laura Shoe is a professional photographer and YouTuber who specializes in landscape photography. Her channel has over 15000 subscribers. She offers tutorials on composition, editing, and image processing techniques for landscape photos.
SharkPixel is a professional photographer and YouTuber who specializes in portrait photography. Her channel offers tutorials on posing, lighting, and post-processing techniques for portraits. She has 7000 subscribers.
Sean Tucker is a professional photographer and YouTuber who specializes in travel photography and adventure photography. His channel offers tutorials on how to take stunning photos while traveling, along with tips on how to make your photos stand out from the crowd. His channel has nearly 530,000 subscribers.
Chris Burkard is a professional photographer and YouTuber who specializes in outdoor and adventure photography. His channel offers tutorials on composition, shooting techniques, and post-processing workflows for outdoor scenes.
Nick Page is a professional photographer who shares his expertise on his YouTube channel which has nearly 50K Subscribers. His videos focus on teaching viewers how to take stunning portraits with tips on composition, lighting, and post-processing techniques. He covers topics such as composition, lighting, camera settings, and post-processing workflows for portrait photos.
Eric Rossi is a professional photographer and YouTuber who specializes in wedding photography and portrait photography. His channel has nearly 40K subscribers offering tutorials on shooting techniques, camera settings, and post-processing workflows for wedding photos.
Michael The Maven is a professional photographer who shares his knowledge on his YouTube channel having 294K subscribers. His videos focus on teaching viewers about the technical aspects of photography as well as post-processing workflows for creating beautiful images.
Sekonic is a professional photography YouTube channel specializing in teaching portrait photography. This YouTube channel offers tutorials on posing, lighting, camera settings, and post-processing workflows for taking stunning portraits of your clients with over 36k subscribers.
Brian Matiash is a professional photographer who specializes in landscape photography and travel photography. His YouTube channel with nearly 20K subscribers offers tutorials on composition, shooting techniques, and post-processing workflows for outdoor scenes.
The Slanted Lens is a YouTube channel with 440K subscribers run by Jay P Morgan, a professional photographer based in Los Angeles. Their videos offer helpful tutorials on topics such as framing, editing, and lighting techniques for creating beautiful images.
Photography Concentrate is a YouTube channel run by two professional photographers based in Canada with 130K subscribers: Rob Symington and Christine Symington-Hargreaves. They offer tutorials on composition, editing, camera settings, and other topics related to capturing beautiful images with your camera .
SLR Lounge is a YouTube channel having 487K subscribers run by Pye Jirsa of Lin & Jirsa Photography in California . Their videos focus on teaching viewers about wedding photography from start to finish, from shooting techniques to post-processing workflows .
Tony & Chelsea Northrup’s Photo Walks are videos that explore different locations around the world with Tony & Chelsea Northrup as they discuss the importance of light , composition , gear ,and other aspects of photography on their youtube channel having 1.58M subscribers.
The Camera Store TV is run by two pro photographers, Chris Niccolls & Jordan Drake , who have 336K subscribers providing video reviews of cameras , lenses , accessories , and more . Their videos also include helpful tips for getting the most out of your gear .
Fro Knows Photo is run by Jared Polin having 1.42 M Subscrbers , a professional portrait & commercial photographer . His videos cover topics like composition , gear , shooting techniques , editing , printing , storage , workflow , marketing , business tips , etc .
DigitalRev TV is run by Kai Wong with 1.86M subscribers , a professional photographer based in Hong Kong . Their videos cover topics like gear reviews , camera settings , shooting technique tutorials , post-production tips & tricks , interviews with other photographers , etc .
The Art of Photography TV is hosted by Ted Forbes , a professional photographer based in Texas with a channel having 794K subscribers.This educational series covers topics like composition , gear reviews , lighting techniques , post-production workflows , interviews with other photographers & creatives , etc .
James brings you along on his picture shoots and offers useful tutorials. You’ll receive a fantastic review of fundamental photographic knowledge in particular. He has 200k subscribers on YouTube.
Chris will demonstrate some budget-friendly camera equipment possibilities. His honest personality makes him appealing. You’ll get a good supply list and information on cameras and lenses. He has 400k subscribers on YouTube.
Joe Allam has a popular YouTube channel with more than 200k followers. He used to create educational films about the creative travel lifestyle with an emphasis on travel photography, filmmaking, and technology.
He has a YouTube channel with around 400k subscribers. From his videos, you can learn the basics of Cinematography. You can learn how to use different Sony cameras. He also gives lens reviews.
He uses both traditional film and some digital when shooting on his channel with 351K subscribers. He spends a lot of time discussing his film experiences, photography compositions, planning, and other topics.
She speaks extensively about editing, fashion, and portraiture. It’s fantastic to see a fresh approach to editing, which is what I enjoy with her content. There are 560K subscribers on the channel.
In his channel, he teaches his viewers about photography and videography. His channel with 188K subscribers has numerous videos on cameras, lenses, tutorials, and crazy shoots.
Skyler is a food photographer who has 260K subscribers on his channel “We Eat Together” in which he educates his audience about creating epic food photos.
Signature Edits with 140K subscribers, provides photography tips and tutorials, editing techniques, Lightroom tips and workflows to improve your photography skills.
Daniel Schiffers channel having 2.26 M Subscribers walks you through tutorials in an effective manner. You can learn a lot about video color correction and several other things in FCPX!
Brendan Li makes travel videos. He offers tips on shooting well-known locations and using creativity when there are few resources available. He has half a million subscribers on YouTube.
Her channel has great travel tips. You can find new perspectives on photography, brilliant content about art, life and work. She has one million subscribers.
He discusses photography and tech related topics. His tutorials are quite thorough and cover a lot, especially his photography tutorials. He has 432K subscribers on his channel.
I hope this list of the best youtuber photographers will keep you busy learning fresh photography content for a long time, bookmark this page to keep it handy.
