Early last month we featured a Lightroom tutorial explaining eight methods for adjusting image contrast and why some photographers may be taking the wrong approach for the specific task at hand. We’re following that up today by explaining three types of contrast to look for when shooting in field,

Instructor Scott Davenport is a professional outdoor photographer specializing in landscape and seascape imagery, and in this episode he demonstrates why contrast is so important for adding visual interest to all sorts of outdoor scenes by conveying a sense of depth and dimension.

Here’s how Davenport summarizes today’s nine-minute lesson: “In this video I’ll talk about the three essential types of contrast you should consider for creating visually striking landscape photos.” The first is “light and shadow contrast,” often employed when shooting in b&w, and he demonstrates the power of this approach for adding drama to images by emphasizing shapes, lines, and contours.

Davenport explains why scenes full of “color contrast” provide another great opportunity to capture compelling landscape photographs. Here he demonstrates how to leverage situations like this to highlight different focal points and “add emotional depth” within the frame. One important consideration when taking this approach is to look for and emphasize complimentary colors.

Last on the list is what Davenport refers to as the contrast between texture and smoothness. As he says, this one “introduces tactile variation, enriching the photograph with sensory complexity,” and he illustrates the power of this less-familiar technique and how to put into practice for making compelling images with a unique look.

Each of these three forms of contrast will significantly improve the impact of photographs in different ways and contribute to the overall impact of just about every landscape image you capture. Davenport puts it like this: “Understanding and utilizing different types of contrast offer photographers versatility to craft compelling and evocative imagery” that simply can’t be ignored.

Davenport’s instructional YouTube channel is a great source of information for landscape photographers who want to elevate their skills. If that sounds like you, check out what he has available.

And don’t miss the recent tutorial we mentioned above that demonstrates eight Lightroom methods for adjusting contrast in a photograph and why you may be sacrificing image quality by taking the wrong approach.

Infrared photography is a popular method of transforming ordinary scenes into images with a unique, otherworldly look. Some photographers pursue this technique by paying to have one of their camera converted to infrared, while others purchase an IR lens filter to mimic the effect.

There’s also a very effective method for getting the job done in Photoshop and doing so won’t cost you a dime. In this eye-opening tutorial from Mike Rogala you’ll learn how easy it is to unlock the beauty of infrared photography with a quick-and-impressive edit.

Rogala is an experienced landscape photographer and a popular post-processing expert. The technique he explains today is easy enough for inexperienced shooters to achieve.  He walks you through the straightforward process in less than five minutes, beginning with a brief discussion of how IR photography works.

Understanding how to adjust colors in an important part of the process for creating this compelling effect, and Rogala quickly demonstrates how this is done. You’ll then learn how enhance an image further with straightforward Photoshop tools to create what Rogala describes as “professional looking results.”

Rogala suggests grabbing one of your favorite outdoor photos so that you can make the adjustments yourself as he walks you through the simple steps to achieve  captivating IR images. Then if you like what you see and become enchanted with this style of imagery, you can always invest in an IR-converted camera which will usually deliver superior results with a minimum of post-capture work.

Landscape scenes full of foliage provide the best opportunity for infrared imagery, but Rogala has a few suggestions for experimenting with other types of subjects too. Rogala’s Photoshop technique is so easy to explain that we’ll let him do the honors rather than summarizing the quick process.

We do, however, have this word of caution: This method is so much fun that you may find it difficult to stop using it over and over again. Once you’re done watching head over to Rogala’s instructional YouTube channel where there are many more straightforward shooting and editing tips to be found.

We also suggest watching a tutorial we featured recently with another accomplished pro who explains why unlocking the potential of your camera’s Metering modes will enable you to capture the best possible photographs in every situation.

This is an ideal time of year for capturing macro photos because insects, small reptiles, flowers, and other small subjects are just about everywhere you look. But what happens when you’re strolling through a park or walking in the neighborhood and the only camera you have is the iPhone in your pocket?

Unbeknownst to many smartphone users is the fact that the latest iPhones include powerful close-up capabilities for capturing the tiny world to perfection. This tutorial from the iPhone Photography School explains everything you to know for getting the job done in less than nine minutes.

Today’s unnamed instructor kicks of the lesson like this: “You don’t need an expensive camera and heavy gear to capture jaw-dropping macro images.” That’s is, if you follow the foolproof blueprint he describes for iPhone shooters of all skill levels.

This behind-the-scenes lesson takes place in England’s Marbury Park where the instructor demonstrates his tips with a variety of subjects, and he provides striking examples of how well they work. The key is the iPhones 0.5X ultra-wide lens which isn’t available on models that preceded Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro series. As you’ll see, however, there is a way to mimic the effect on an older phone with the use of an optional conversion lens.

You’ll see how to activate the macro capabilities on the iPhone 13 or later models. Once you switch to the ultra-wide lens, the camera will keep focusing on a subject until you get as close as 0.78 inches. Interestingly, you can now get even closer with the 1X lens. The explanation is this: “Even though the phone indicates that I’m using the 1X lens (which doesn’t offer macro), I’m actually still in the ultra-wide mode and the camera is just digitally cropping in.”

You’ll see what to do when the iPhone automatically switches into macro when that’s not what you want—a common occurrence when  nearby elements intrude in the scene and your primary subject is further back.

The video then moves on to specific shooting techniques that are identified by the acronym “Clicktd” which stands for Contrast, Light, Isolation, Kontext, Textures, and Different. As you see, these aren’t separate concepts because “you can use them together intertwined to create stunning macro images.”

So pay close attention as the steps are explained, and then go out in your yard and experiment with what you just learned. The iPhone Photography School YouTube channel is full of simple techniques for mastering mobile photography. So be sure to take a look.

We also suggest watching an earlier tutorial we posted from a post-processing expert who demonstrates how to transform dull nature photographs into attention-grabbing money shots with five straightforward Lightroom techniques.

Photography has a special magic for me. It is only thanks to it that I can suppress my comfortable and lazy side and face annoying insects, lack of food, or bad weather. A few days ago, in anticipation of beautiful morning views of the surrounding landscape, I rejected the comfort of the forest canopy and instead hung my hammock on the top of a high rock. Gusty winds whipped my bed so hard that I felt like a Tibetan prayer flag. But the next morning proved once again that the greatest reward comes after a little hardship.