You’re no doubt familiar with a common refrain that goes something like this: “You should definitely use RAW format and never shoot Jpegs.” But is this really the best advice for you? You may be surprised by the conclusions drawn in today’s tutorial from C64 Photo Safaris—a group of Botswana-based photographers with a passion for sharing their favorite shooting and image-editing techniques. The expert advice in this helpful episode is presented in the context of photographing wildlife, but everything you’ll learn will work wonders for whatever types of outdoor images you shoot. Instructor Danielle Carstens is an experienced photographer, tour guide, and workshop leader in the African outback. In barely…

Fujifilm just announced the GFX100RF, a super-compact, large-sensor, fixed-lens camera that appears to have been conceived from a Vulcan Mind Meld between the Fujifilm GFX100S II and Fujifilm X100VI. In other words, it’s compact and nimble like the X100VI and at the same time delivers most of the benefits of the high resolution GFX100S II. Fujifilm clearly spent an extraordinary amount of time and resources in development and design, distilling all of the expertise they’ve collected producing both worldclass retro-style APS-C cameras and category-leading large-format system machines. Here’s the rundown on key features, pricing and availability. GFX100RF Key Features Rangefinder-style design and handling Top plate is machined from a single…

Spring is finally here, although you might not realize it if you live where there’s still snow on the ground. In other parts of the country, however, the first flowers of the season are emerging and beginning to bloom. This means that it’s time to bone up on your floral photography skills. Instructor Albert Dros is the perfect guy for today’s tutorial and he provides 10 pro tips and techniques in the next 10 minutes. He’s a passionate landscape photographer and educator based in the Netherlands where everyone takes their flowers seriously. So pay close attention and then head outdoors and start practicing today. This is one of those accessible…

Adobe’s new Adaptive Color Profile is an amazing AI-based tool that analyses an image and adjusts tones and colors to make them “look just right.” The experts at Adobe put it like this: “The effect is as if the AI has changed exposure, shadows, highlights, Color Mixer, Curves, and other key controls for you.” Today’s Australian instructor Charles N. provides a step by-step tutorial on how to use the Adaptive Color Profile in Lightroom Classic and says, “it’s a great starting point in your image-editing workflow.” This technique simplifies subsequent adjustments for balancing overall brightness, lightening shadows that are too dark, and refining overly bright highlights. Charles has more than a…

One post-processing technique that has surged in popularity among landscape photographers is the so called “Orton Effect.” Sometimes it’s overdone, but when applied correctly you’ll love the creative, dreamy look that you achieve. What’s different about this tutorial from Lachlan Garutti (AKA Locki Gee) is that he demonstrates how to quickly create an impressive Orton Effect in Lightroom, rather than using the more common Photoshop approach. He explains everything you need to know in less than six minutes, after which you’ll want to update your everyday image-editing workflow accordingly. Australia-born Garutti is so committed to his craft that he currently resides in a van with his cameras while traveling throughout…

Lightroom is so full of powerful tools and capabilities that it’s understandable when inexperienced users overlook some very powerful features that not only provide more effective  results but can streamline their post-processing workflow. Today’s Lightroom Classic tutorial from instructor Brian Matiash falls into the latter category and it’s all about what you can accomplish in Lightroom’s Versions panel. Matiash is a very adept photographer and one of Adobe’s Lightroom Software Quality Engineers who shares weekly how-to videos for capturing better photos with any camera and editing them on any device. If you’re unfamiliar with Versions, here’s how he describes the concept: “Think of Versions as a hybrid between virtual copies and…

The eye-opening tutorial below begins with a question from instructor Simon d’Entremont: “Do you find that some of your photos aren’t as good as you hoped, but you’re unsure exactly what’s wrong?” Maybe they’re blurry, lacking in detail, unsharp, or simply uninteresting. We’ve all faced this dilemma at one time or another, regardless of our skills. According to Simon, a Canadian pro and Canon Ambassador, the culprit may be your failure to understand the top five beginner mistakes that photographers make, and he admits to being guilty of these mistakes himself. In fact, we all get things wrong on occasion, but the trick is learning the errors of your ways…

Outdoor photographers go to great lengths when editing photos for perfect color, and there are a variety of common methods for accomplishing the task. This tutorial from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel cuts through the grease by explaining “the difference between Lightroom’s two most important color grading tools.” Instructor Christian Mohrle is a highly acclaimed German landscape shooter whose straightforward how-to videos are among the most popular that we share. Today’s episode compares Lightroom’s Color Mixer tool to the renamed Color Grading tool (formerly known as Split Toning). In less than 15 minutes you’ll understand the best approach to take depending upon the specific image at hand. Feel free to…

Need an emotional pick-me-up? A study commissioned by Fujifilm suggests that nearly 80% of those surveyed responded that viewing old photos brings happiness and calm emotions, with more than half experiencing reduced anxiety. Over 70% agree that taking photos increases the enjoyment of an activity. If you’re a photographer you know that there is a nearly indescribable rush of joy that floods your brain’s pleasure receptors when you review a particularly satisfying photograph that you captured. We don’t need science to convince us that this is true—we experience it firsthand. But it’s fascinating to confirm that this emotional response is universal across our ilk. Fujifilm partnered with clinical psychologist and…

Bird photography is both fun and accessible because it’s a genre that anyone than pursue at a nearby park, wildlife refuge, or even in the comfort of their own backyard. Even newbies can get in on the action with dynamic results, as you’ll see in this quick tutorial from the popular Flying Parrot instructional YouTube channel. Today’s Australian instructor Sonia is a commercial photographer turned wildlife chaser who refers to herself as a “bird tourist.” She’s also a very adept educator whose how-to videos are designed to share creative techniques that quickly inspire confidence in nature shooters of all skill levels. This tutorial reveals several straightforward secrets for capturing stunning…