Lightroom has grown from a cataloging application with basic editing capabilities to an advancing post-processing program capable of tackling a huge range of creative needs. If you are new to using Lightroom and feeling like the full gamut of features is a bit daunting, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced pro showing you 59 Lightroom terms and tools you will need to know in order to get around the program. 

Coming to you from Nate Torres, this awesome video tutorial will show you the ins and outs of 59 Lightroom terms and features. While you do not need to have every term committed to memory, Lightroom is a more intricate program than many people realize, and it can be easy to overlook some truly useful functions that can make your work more efficient and enable new creative approaches. As such, in addition to learning these tools and the basics about how they function, it is good to get in the practice of keeping an eye on new features as they come out. In fact, occasionally, advancements are so significant that they will rewire your editing workflow and maybe even inspire you to return to old images to give them a new look. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Torres. 

A photographer asked his wife to guess the cost of his camera gear in a viral TikTok video — and she was left hilariously “shaken to the core” by what she learned.

In a TikTok video posted this month, wedding photographer and videographer Jesse Holland asked his wife of ten years Kayla to estimate how much the various equipment in his camera kit cost.

@treelinejesse The last one 😂 #cameragear #filmmakers #canon #photographer #videographer ♬ original sound – Treeline Visuals Jesse Holland

In the clip, Kayla hugely underestimates the $3,799 price tag on her husband’s Canon RF 28-70mm f/2 lens and is left stunned to realize that his Canon C70 camera is worth $7,000 — not the $2,500 value that she presumed.

In other amusing moment, Kayla is shocked to discover that Jesse’s ProGrade 128 gigabyte memory card is $200 — not the $25 price that she estimated. She also guesses that her husband’s Rode NTG5 microphone is $45 and is lost for words when her husband reveals that the microphone actually set him back $679.

The TikTok video quickly went viral and racked up over four million views — with other photographers entertained and amused by Kayla’s shock and horror at just how much the professional shooter’s gear can cost.

‘Photographers Can Relate That Some Equipment Seems Overpriced’

“I think Kayla was shaken to the core!” Jesse, who is based in British Colombia, Canada, tells PetaPixel.

“I’ve definitely told her what things cost, but it doesn’t really seem tangible until you’re holding a camera and lens and knowing ‘OK this is $10k in my hands.’

“I also think that even though her reactions are funny, many struggling photographers really relate that some equipment just seems overpriced.

“At one point she holds up my monitor and says ‘This feels like junk’ — yet it still costs almost $500. That’s a lot of money to a lot of people out there.”

Jesse, who runs the photography and videography business Treeline Visuals, says that he knew the video would be amusing to photographers and TikTok users alike. But he never expected it to go viral in a matter of days on the platform.

“I think one of the reasons why it went so viral was because there were basically two main polarizing pieces to it,” Jesse explains.

“Folks in the comments were arguing over SD cards — comparing speeds and brands — and whether I got ‘scammed’ with the price or not.

“Another issue some had with the video was that I hadn’t discussed the finances with my wife which is fair enough. I never emphasized in the video that this is my business and not a personal expense.

“One of the things that I hope people took away from it after watching the video though, is that there is so much that goes into a photography and videography business behind the scenes, and your average person may not know how high the operational costs are of running a business like this.”

More of Jesse’s work can be seen on his Instagram, TikTok, and website.

Image credits: All photos by @treelinevisuals.

The pull of a breathtaking location and an unforgettable adventure is difficult to resist for the creative mind. That’s especially the case for photographers who tread on the path of travel photography, understanding the breadth of visual stories it opens up. Such is the case for Tamron pro photographer Kenna Klosterman, whose approach is anchored on bringing mindfulness and emotion to the craft.

Her photography adventure began in her first photography class in high school. There she got hooked on the art of printing black and white in the darkroom. After assisting fine art photographers straight out of college then venturing into the corporate world, she eventually found her true calling: travel photography and creative education.

Many photographers capture travel scenes and sceneries to immortalize a moment or offer their worldview to an audience. But for Kenna Klosterman, there’s more to it than that. You can end up with a technically perfect image that many others have already taken. Or, you can create something that triggers an emotional connection in the viewer instead of them simply saying “That’s pretty.”

“Ten people could be standing in the same spot with the same camera and the same lens, using the same settings, and create ten completely different images. The difference is not only based on what they see, but also what they feel,” she noted.

Ever wanted to take a stab at travel photography and could use an extra push of inspiration? We invite you to read through our full interview with Kenna Klosterman below.

Editor’s Note: This post is sponsored by Tamron.

Can you tell us something about yourself and what you do?

I’m Kenna Klosterman, a third-generation Los Angelean who now lives on the magical Whidbey Island in the Pacific Northwest. I’m a Tamron Pro and freelance photographer, mindfulness guide, global tour & retreat leader, podcaster, international emcee and educator. For over a decade I hosted 1000+ live online workshops, classes, web series and podcast episodes across the subjects of photography, video, filmmaking, graphic design, art and more for CreativeLive. I love fostering community. The throughline in everything I do is holding space for people to have transformational experiences.

How did your photography adventure begin? How did you discover the kind of work that you now do?

My first photography class was as a 15-year-old in high school. We developed our own black and white film and learned the art of printing in the darkroom. I was hooked. I can still taste and smell darkroom chemicals if I close my eyes and think about it.

Straight out of college where I studied cultural anthropology, I moved to rural Pennsylvania to assist two fine art photographers. The economy tanked and out of fear, I made a 180-degree turn into the corporate business world. It took me 10+ years of cycling through companies to figure out it wasn’t them; it was me.

After leaving corporate and traveling around the world photographing for a year, I found my calling in creative education at CreativeLive. To continue traveling I began leading photo tours to places like Cuba, Morocco, Bhutan and Tanzania. Exploring with my camera is a priority in life, whether traveling across the globe or here on the island where I live.

What do you consider to be the most important aspect or characteristic of your visual language?

Emotional connection. Ten people could be standing in the same spot with the same camera and the same lens, using the same settings, and create ten completely different images. The difference is not only based on what they see, but also what they feel. It’s that emotion communicated visually that I value the most. If I’m photographing a portrait, I want you to feel the connection I’m making with the other human. If it’s a landscape, I want you to feel something and not just say, “Oh that’s pretty.”

What are the biggest challenges of your chosen photography genre? How did they shape your photography style?

Travel photography crosses many genres. The throughline in my work is an endless search for the “decisive moment.” While out traveling, it might be a street photograph, a portrait, a landscape, a wildlife image or an abstract composition. There is an aliveness in the decisive moment and it’s a challenging goal because it takes patience and curiosity. There are certainly happy accidents when I find myself in the right place at the right time. Yet there’s also an art to “working the scene.” When I learned to take the time to explore different angles, different lenses and different compositions instead of just moving on, I usually end up capturing more unique moments than just the first one I noticed.

Can you tell us about your most memorable photo? What made it special?

Most photographers have had the exhilarating experience of pressing the shutter button and knowing in your heart that it’s a fantastic image. You don’t even have to look at the back of your camera. You just know. In fact, often it’s not even just about the image itself. It’s also the moment, the experience that stays with you.

I was leading a photo tour in Bhutan and we stopped our van because there were dozens of horses being herded by a young girl through a field in a remote valley. They were moving slowly, and I walked in amongst them. I crouched down as several horses walked around me. I felt completely safe and completely alive. The horse walking toward me is looking directly into the camera and the girl herding the horses is perfectly placed in the background between other horses. Is it my best photo ever? Probably not. But I live for these one-of-a-kind moments.

What are your goals and aspirations as a photography educator?

I see a lot of people just seeking technical education. I can look at a technically perfect image and feel nothing. So, I want to help people show emotion and energetic connection through their images. This is where mindfulness education meets photography education.

To translate emotion into an image that can be felt by the viewer, it’s important to be in touch with your own emotions. This can be cultivated through present moment awareness, through mindfulness. By being instead of doing. Through the practice of dropping out of your head and into your breath and body, you can become more present. Your resulting images will energetically express the difference.

Can you share with us a little about your creative process? How has it evolved throughout your career?

Photography has been my creative outlet for 35 years. It’s also the way that I move through the world — my worldview. I’m constantly scanning my environment for how I would photograph it, as though looking through a viewfinder. What would be in the image, what would I exclude, what lens would I use? I’m hyper-aware of light and shadows and mood. I create photos in my mind’s eye even when I don’t have a camera in hand.

Photography to me is a pathway to presence. It is a way for me to experience flow and to experience joy. I’ve found that the more I’ve learned about and practiced mindfulness the more connected my images have become. As I evolve, I find myself valuing the experience of photography (the journey) even more than the destination (the photo). A fellow photographer once asked me, would you still photograph if no one was going to see your images? My answer was absolutely yes.

How do Tamron lenses help you achieve your creative vision?

I believe your choice of lenses is more important than your choice of camera body. Most photographers keep their lenses much longer than a camera body. I encourage photographers to get to know how each of your lenses “sees.” A wide-angle lens is going to translate a scene differently than a telephoto lens, and it’s not solely because of the focal length. I’ve spent a lot of time learning how my Tamron lenses “see” so that I know what will work best for my situation. My recent favorite lenses for travel photography are the new Tamron 17-50mm f/4 and the new Tamron 70-180 f2.8 G2. Both are for Sony E-Mount full frame cameras. I can minimize the gear I carry while having a wide flexibility of focal lengths, and beautiful color rendition combined with fast, high-performing optics.

Lastly, what would you advise those who want to explore travel photography? What are some dos and don’ts?

Travel photography for me is documenting a place, people, culture and all that it encompasses — which is a lot. Think about environmental portraits, street photography, architecture, history, traditions, dance, art, music, food, seasons, animals, plants and changing landscapes. Yet each photographer’s eyes and heart will create images of their interactions in the same location differently. Consider travel photography a visual translation of your individual experience in a place, with its people and culture. Most importantly, be respectful of people and the land. Learn the cultural norms of what is appropriate and what’s not.

Don’t feel entitled to any image. If someone doesn’t want you to make their portrait, don’t. Be curious, ask questions and follow your intuition. Introduce yourself to people and make a connection. Do your research as well as engage with locals to explore beyond the iconic and obvious locations. If people speak a different language than you, learn a few words at a minimum and use a translation app to communicate. Bring a sense of curiosity, awe, wonder and gratitude. Plan your day’s activities around the light. Flexibility is key. Being a good travel photographer means being a good human.

Don’t forget to check out Kenna Klosterman’s website to see more of her impressive work.

All photos by Kenna Klosterman. Used with permission.

Wedding photography is a fast-paced high-stakes environment, kind of like football or poker, except without all the hitting or sunglasses and hats. It’s actually really hard to shoot with sunglasses on and tackling would damage our gear so try to avoid that too. Luckily, after over a decade of photographing weddings, I’ve picked up a few survival tips that might just help you get through your first wedding season unscathed.

You get one chance to shoot any particular couple’s wedding, and you have to nail it rain or shine despite any gear mishaps or family drama. Sometimes it’s all about proper preparation. Other things require you to practice certain skills and develop systems.

Possibly the hardest situations that might happen on a wedding day are best fixed by a mindset shift. There are simply some things that you as the wedding photographer can’t control. Therefore, change what you can even if in some situations it’s just your approach.

Terrible Light

Terrible light is a major problem that can turn your vision of portfolio-worthy wedding images into a blown-out sweaty mess. If you learn about how to deal with terrible light, you’ll be less stressed when it inevitably happens. You still may not like it when you’re stuck with terrible lighting on a wedding day but at least you’ll be able to handle it.

First, it’s imperative that you learn how to see light and how to photograph it in a variety of conditions. And then, you’ll want to learn how to create light when necessary. Don’t try to master a million lighting techniques at once.

Instead, focus on studying the specific venue and timeline that you’re working with and finding a simple and attainable solution. At the next wedding, you might be able to use the same technique you practiced and you might add another one to your repertoire. Gradually you’ll build a variety of skills that allow you to deal with terrible lighting situations.

Being Creative All Day

Depending on your wedding photography packages you might be working 6, 8, 10, 12, or even more hours on a wedding day. Let me tell you, it’s exhausting. You’re on your feet all day and when you’re not standing you’re squatting in some terrible pose or climbing over things.

Not to mention, you also have to be creative. All day. Therefore it helps to come up with a plan where you won’t run out of steam.

You’ll have to make your own strategy but for me, it helps to take care of my body ahead of time by stretching, working out, and eating in the morning when possible. Then, I also try to pay attention to my body mechanics on the day of as well as making sure I’m hydrated and have enough calories throughout the day. It helps to have a system for packing all of the camera gear (including snacks) ahead of time so that I’m not rushing around.

Beyond that, I try to have a creative goal I’m working towards and let other things roll off my back. Sometimes we listen to some good music before we start and it helps me to be early too. The rest of the tips will also help you have more capacity for creativity.

Things Not Going to Plan (Like the Wedding Timeline)

Wedding days, even the most overplanned and overscheduled ones, will not always go to plan. Someone forgets the forks or gets in a mountain bike accident or it’s raining and you literally have no backup plan for your outdoor wedding. These are all real things that have happened at weddings I’ve been the photographer for.

The trick is to know that things won’t go to plan and have a plan for that. If, correction, when the wedding timeline gets behind you’ll want to already have some buffer time planned in there and strategies for how to make up time. It’s important to stay cool because your vibe can make or break the couple’s vibe.

Sometimes, if you act like something isn’t a big deal your couple will believe you. And even if you’ve got everyone running around in the background to fix it, your couple’s perspective is what matters at the end of the day. Sometimes I walk away thinking the day was complete chaos but my couple is happy and loves their photos, that’s a win.

Gear Mishaps

Gear mishaps might happen too so again, the key is to be prepared. Have backups or alternatives to everything essential. Maybe you can’t afford a complete backup camera kit but you need to budget for some sort of backup camera that can substitute in a pinch.

Have spare batteries and bring a charger too. Shoot on a camera with dual card slots or if your camera doesn’t have dual card slots then change out cards periodically so that if a card fails you don’t lose all of your images. Also, try not to drop your gear.

For me, when something starts functioning improperly, if I start to panic I can’t solve the problem. Stay calm, pivot, wait for a pause in things if you need to, and then think the problem through. Sometimes the problems are easy to solve but you can’t solve them if you can’t see the solution.

Bride, Groom, and Mom-zillas: Unrealistic Expectations

Forget Bridezillas. What about Groomzillas, Maid-of-Honor-zillas, and Mother-of-the-Bridezillas? There’s a good chance that at some of your weddings, you’ll run into some personality that really hinders your ability to do your job. Often it all comes down to unrealistic expectations.

I know you can’t go back and time so it won’t work at the moment, but if you do a good job of setting expectations with your clients prior to the wedding day you can prevent a lot of this type of thing. The more you attract clients who are a good fit for both your personality and your photography, the more likely you’ll end up with awesome clients. We actually very rarely have any Bridezillas, our Brides are awesome, and I think that’s because we’re on the same page,

But sometimes even a fully vetted couple that you thought would be the best couple on the wedding day can pull a Frankenstein. The stress of a wedding can bring out the best and the worst in people and if you find yourself in those situations all you can do is focus on getting the shot. Remind yourself that it’s only one day and remind yourself of your other awesome couples, and then smile and do your job like a professional.

Unavoidable Family Dynamics

The key word here is unavoidable. Accepting that family dynamics are unavoidable is the first step in admitting that you’re going to have to deal with this on a wedding day. I still get really uncomfortable in awkward situations even though I’ve seen a lot of family issues up close. One of the best things to do is get information on what you’re walking into and then walk into it with a plan.

We straight up ask our couples if there are any family dynamics we need to be aware of. Then, we’re able to put together a family picture list that avoids as much as possible and gets the awkward parts over as efficiently as possible. Essentially, we have a standard efficient, and effective family picture list and then we adapt our standard family picture list to accommodate various issues.

There are simple things like keeping in mind that elderly grandparents or small children should go first when possible because waiting or walking might be hard for them. Then, there are more challenging things like divorced parents that don’t get along. If you plan ahead then maybe you can avoid being in a situation where you’re trying to take a picture that nobody would ever want anyway.

There you have it: a selection of challenging situations you may come across in the course of doing wedding photography and some pointers on how you can survive as a photographer.

About the author: Brenda Bergreen is a Colorado wedding photographer, videographer, yoga teacher, and writer who works alongside her husband at Bergreen Photography. With their mission and mantra “love. adventurously.” they are dedicated to telling adventurous stories in beautiful places.

MILTON, Del. – Rehoboth Beach resident Sharon Denny has won Best in Show in the 19th annual Friends of Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge Nature Photography Contest.

Her entry, titled “Breakfast to Go,” depicts a snowy egret in flight. The story began when a neighbor urged her to take pictures of a flock of birds at the nearby pond in a feeding frenzy. Instead of wading in the water, the birds were swooping down over the water to pluck fish from it. Funny enough, Denny, a retired journalist, almost didn’t take the photo.

“I needed more pictures of white birds like a hole in the head,” she said.

Judges comments said it was well composed and well lit, and they praised the color and sense of movement. This winning entry and many other awards were announced at the contest reception on Oct. 15.

Over 200 photographs were submitted in six different categories by 38 photographers. Though many submissions were local, photographers from as far away as Alabama and Georgia were entered, though the contest is limited to photos taken on Delmarva.

“Aside from the technical aspects of composition, focus and exposure, I think a good photograph is one that is able to evoke an emotional response from the viewer. A photograph that makes you feel something is one that has succeeded,” said Robert Brown, who won in the native birds category with his detailed photo of an eastern bluebird caught in a rainstorm. “A photograph tells a story without a single word and every photo can be interpreted differently by anyone who looks at it… It is a relaxing and creative outlet for me and changes the way I see things.”

“For me, photography comes from the heart,” said Matthew Trucks, whose photo of an incoming storm won in the Beauty of Prime Hook category. “The task to compose a scene or capture the right angle just flows. It enables the ability to share my experience with others. The composition is alive and brings the emotional feeling of actually being there at that place and that time.”

Photos from the contest will be on display at the Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge Auditorium through Dec. 9. Admission is free and those who view the exhibit can vote for the people’s choice award, which will go to the most popular photo.

Bob Minkin Launches Kickstarter in Support of New Photography Book ‘Just Phil’

For the first time, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Michigan held a statewide photo contest. Michigan was one of just three states to hold a statewide contest, the others being Ohio and Kansas.

“We received hundreds of images taken all across our great state, from closeups of wildlife and birds to idyllic images of our natural world and stunning photos of people and nature, and they all remind us just how beautiful and special our state truly is,” said Helen Taylor, state director of TNC in Michigan in a news release.

Contest judges called the Grand Prize winner, “A Foggy Cloud Lake,” by Chong Q Wu (see photo at top of story) “…filled with interest, beautiful light and colors and it’s very inviting.”

See the other contest categories and comments below.

The judges for the Michigan contest included Jason Whalen, Fauna Creative, Jocelyn Coley, The Allen Lewis Agency, Gretchen Valade, Carhartt, and Autumn McGowan, a conservation fellow at TNC in Michigan.

The story goes that while sitting beside Cindy Sherman at a New York fundraiser, Sir Elton John complained that her work never came up for auction. Sherman promptly sold him six artist prints from her breakthrough series “Untitled Film Stills.” Her motive? She was in need of a new house.

The anecdote is indicative of how fame, connections, and no little money, has made John a preeminent collector of photography. He lists it as his second passion, after music, and together with his husband David Furnish, the couple has purchased more than 7,000 photographs that present many of the great photographers, events, and celebrities of the 20th century.

A selection of more than 300 photographs from this sprawling collection is set to be shown at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum from May 18, 2024, to January 5, 2025. It will be the largest photography show the museum has staged to date.

Malcolm X during his visit to enterprises owned by Black Muslims. Chicago, Illinois, USA, 1962, by Eve Arnold. Photo: courtesy Eve Arnold, Magnum Photos.

The exhibition, “Fragile Beauty,” spans the 1950s to the present and features the work of 140 photographers spread across eight thematic sections. It explores celebrity in images of Marilyn Monroe and Miles Davis, reportage in stills from the Civil Rights movement, AIDS activism in the 1980s, and the attacks of September 11 (for which John and Furnish hold the world’s largest collection), and the male body through photographs from the likes of Robert Mapplethorpe and Tyler Mitchell.

“’Fragile Beauty’ will be a truly epic journey across the recent history of photography,” the show’s curator Duncan Forbes said. “Whether through the elegance of fashion photography, the creativity of musicians and performers, the exploration of desire, or the passage of history as captured by photojournalism, photography reveals something important about the world.”

John has been collecting photography since getting sober in 1991. In effect, “Fragile Beauty” is the second half of a photographic tour that began in 2016 with “The Radical Eye” in which the Tate Modern staged 150 of John’s photographs from 1920 to 1950 including rare work from Man Ray, André Kertész, and Edward Steichen.

At the V&A, John and Furnish further a relationship that began with a loan of Horst P. Horst photographs in 2014. In 2019, a significant donation from the couple to the museum’s new photography center saw a gallery named in their honor.

“Working alongside the V&A again has been a truly memorable experience,” the pair said in a statement. “We look forward to sharing this exhibition with the public.”

Preview more images from the exhibition below.

Tyler Mitchell, Simply Fragile (2022). Photo: courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.

Herman Leonard, Chet Baker, New York City, 1956. Photo: Herman Leonard Photography, LLC.

Ryan McGinley, Dakota Hair (2004). Photo: courtesy Ryan McGinley Studios.

Herb Ritts, Versace Dress (Back View), El Mirage (1990). Image: Herb Ritts Foundation, Courtesy of Fahey Klein Gallery, Los Angeles.

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With the spooky season in full swing, a new exhibition exploring the origins of paranormal and spiritual photography has been unveiled by Getty Images.

Entitled Ghost in the Machine, the exhibit maps the origins of spirit photography displaying some never-before-released photographs from the Hulton Archive.

The historic images from the 19th and early 20th centuries put a lens on the paranormal, showcasing how early photographers used double exposure and physical manipulation to conjure invisible realms.

The exhibit contains photographs showing a table apparently moving on its own at a seance in Paris. Meanwhile, in another seance, a musical instrument floats in the air.

One of the spirit images plays on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol as a ghost appears at the stroke of midnight wrapped in chains in front of a terrified man.

“For as long as technologies have existed, we’ve projected magical properties onto them,” writes the press release from Getty.

“In the 19th century, creative pioneers used spirit photography as a medium for communicating with invisible realms. Art allows us to give form to new realities. Now, as we approach Halloween, the otherworldly is all around us. Ghost in the Machine, the first physical‑digital project from Candy Digital and Getty Images, traces the impact of early paranormal photography on culture today.”

Modern photographers also contributed to the exhibition: Jacob Haupt and Robert Hickerson both produced horror movie-inspired images for a part of the exhibit named Nightmare Logic.

Getty is holding the exhibition along with Candy Digital, the two entities are “exploring the power of blockchain technology” together. The artworks are for sale in digital-only form for $75 and can be bought as a framed print for $225. For more information, head to Candy’s website.