The actual definition of aperture is quite simple: it’s a part in the camera lens that controls the amount of light that enters through the glass and hits the sensor on your camera, thus “exposing” it to create a photograph. However, even the most subtle changes in the amount of light that hits your sensor can greatly impact the quality of your detail, as well as many creative effects that landscape photographers rely on. If you want to learn your manual settings (and take better photographs), then knowing how your aperture works is essential.

Camera shutter speed is the measurement of time that the sensor is exposed to the light of your scene. Not only does shutter speed measure the right amount of light needed to create your photograph, but it's responsible for rendering movement - freezing raindrops as they fall, or smoothing texture of flowing water. Knowing how your shutter works and what speed to use allows you to completely transform the content of your image by a simple shift in your settings.

ISO is one of the most important concepts to understand if you want to create better photographs, and ESPECIALLY if you want greater manual control over your camera. Adjusting your ISO speed can save an otherwise unobtainable image…or completely destroy your detail if you don’t know what you’re doing. When shutter speed and aperture can't be pushed any further to create the photograph you want, ISO can save the day!

Now that you understand the specifics of each manual setting, it's easier to see how they work together in order to create your photograph...specifically, the amount of LIGHT needed to render - or expose - your photograph properly. Each landscape image you create requires a certain balance in order to (1) properly expose the image so that you don't lose the quality of your color and detail to clipping, and (2) create your desired effect (i.e. depth of field, motion blur, etc.). This short article gives you clearer idea of how these three variables influence one another.

One of the biggest challenges that both new and seasoned photographers face is not knowing WHAT to do with their images once they get home. In this comprehensive video series, learn how to strengthen your creativity and develop a deeper, more meaningful connection to your photographs. This clarity will make your processing workflow 10x easier, and more importantly…provide the expert guidance for creating your very best images.

Lightroom and Photoshop were designed to be simple programs to master, although it may not always seem like it. In this introductory course, you will understand the basic building blocks of Lightroom and Photoshop from a landscape photography perspective. By learning these darkroom principles, you will not only simplify your workflow, but you will now find the darkroom a FUN place to be because you finally understand exactly what is happening “under the hood”.

The masking panel in Lightroom is incredibly powerful, but it does have limitations. Luminosity masks in Photoshop allow you to make more precise color and tonal selections for higher quality processing. They are also the foundation for a myriad of advanced landscape blending techniques - such as focal distance, light, shutter speed, composites, etc. In this masterclass, I’ll show you exactly how to create and use luminosity masks efficiently, easily, and with absolute control.