Somewhere out in the vast darkness of cyberspace, millions and millions of precious photographs are wandering aimlessly, homeless and lost forever. Each day, more and more photos join the tens of thousands of socks that were lost in clothes dryers, umbrellas left in restaurants and the car keys that never made it back to the safety of a purse or pocket. Not to mention the zillions of smiling golf balls banished forever somewhere in rough. Your data is not safe, but good work habits, starting with a conscientious backup plan, can make data recoverable. 3-2-1 Backup Plan There’s no surefire strategy to recover lost socks, but you can increase your…

How to become a better photographer: A quick tutorial for beginners, and an “Okay, I already do that…” checklist for intermediate amateurs. Advanced hobbyists, you may want to read this, too, just to see if I covered the highpoints. Always Pack a Camera Sounds trite, but nowadays when so many millions rely on their smartphones for spontaneous snaps, this advice takes on a whole new meaning. I am not an ASAC (Anti-Smartphone-As-Camera) cheerleader, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that the camera built into your mobile phone will never match the overall versatility of a high-quality mirrorless system camera. So if you want to grow out of the…

Most of the nature photography tutorials we post concentrate on gear, camera settings, and other technical aspects because these are absolutely essential when photographing birds and other wildlife subjects. Today’s video from Flying Parrot Photography is an interesting departure because it sets aside the technical stuff and concentrates on creative considerations instead. Our instructor Sonia is an Australian pro who admits to being “obsessed” with photographing our feathered friends, and the tutorials she posts are designed to help you make the most of your time in the field by boosting your confidence is all situations. This six-minute episode presents “five techniques to add to your practice, flex your creative muscles,…

Are you struggling to avoid unsightly flare and unwanted reflections from spoiling landscape photos when the sun hits your lens? If so, the video below from master photographer Jan Smid will quickly help resolve this common problem. Smid is a master photographer who has received over 300 prestigious medals and awards from international competitions in Tokyo, Paris, Los Angeles, London, and elsewhere across the globe. He summarizes today’s 10-minute tutorial like this: “We’ll walk you through practical tips and techniques for managing lens flare and reflections in landscape images, both in the field and during post processing.” His time-proven techniques and Photoshop strategies are guaranteed to help you achieve clear…