Photography tutorials and how-to articles

Articles aimed at helping you improve aspects of your photography

There are a growing number of entirely free tutorials and ‘how to’ articles on this site. This page provides links to all of them.

They range from photo composition to ‘photo-hacks’ or building your own specialist lenses from discarded camera equipment.

Many of our articles and reviews are also written to help explain how and why you would use different equipment and techniques, not just a list of a product’s functionality.

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If you think of something that might be useful, please let Keith know – many articles have come from questions asked by readers.

The sections below split all the articles into three broad categories.

Specialist index pages

• Keith’s photo blog
• Articles and Reviews
• Camera and printer rumours
• Digital Black and White
• Colour Management
• All about using tilt and shift
• Photography book reviews
• The business side of photography
• Keith’s ‘gear list’ for his work
• Gallery of some of Keith’s prints
• Some of Keith’s travel blogs
• Some of Keith’s link choices

For even more detail, check the category listings and search box at the right of the page

Editing your photos. Tools and tips

• Video: tilt/shift lens basics – horizontally shifted imagesKeith Cooper looks at using horizontal (left/right) shift of the lens to offset the camera viewpoint and control aspects of apparent image geometry and perspective (9 mins)
• Roll paper printing tipsUsing roll paper for your printing Some tips if you're new to roll media Site Notice: Thanks to everyone who has offered support - we're starting to see some work again, but I'm still at home a lot. At least I've lots of videos, articles...
• Setting up the P900 roll paper unitInstallation and setup for the Epson P900 printer roll paper unit option. The powered rear paper holder allows the use of roll paper at up to 17" width on the P900 A2/17" printer
• Video: tilt/shift lens basics – diagonally shifted imagesKeith Cooper looks at using a diagonal shift of the lens to offset the camera viewpoint and control aspects of apparent image geometry and perspective (7 mins)
• Video: tilt/shift lens basics – stitching shifted imagesKeith Cooper looks at stitching pairs of shifted images taken with a tilt shift lens, to give a larger higher megapixel image with wider coverage (3m 50s)
• Video: Tilt shift lens basics – vertical lens shiftKeith Cooper looks at basic vertical (up/down) lens shift with a tilt/shift lens, to correct converging vertical lines when looking upwards (3m 30s)
• Video: The black and white printer test imageKeith Cooper looks at the basics of using his specialist black and white printer test image to evaluate black and white printing (6mins)
• Helicon Focus focus stacking part 3Review: Helicon Focus for focus stacking part 3. Making highly detailed macro photographs of very small objects, using a stackshot macro rail and MP-E65mm macro lens. Camera options for mirrorless

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Using equipment in non-standard ways. Hacks and mods.

• Novoflex lens adapters for EOS R and Nikon ZNovoflex announce a range of new lens adapters for manual lenses with Canon EOS R and Nikon Z mirrorless cameras.
• Simple Inkjet printer cleaningCleaning old, clogged and dried up ink from inkjet printers using commonly available household cleaning products. Common solvents and additives quickly cut though ink buildup. A look at different household cleaners and how they can help shift dried up printer ink
• Lens testing for coma with a laser starTesting lenses for coma with a laser pointer star simulator in the daytime. Simple test setup also shows starburst diffraction spikes
• Techart EF lens to Fuji GFX lens adapterTechart EF lens to Fuji GFX lens adapter with AF functionality. Lens aperture can be set from the camera control dial. Firmware is updateable
• DIY Telecentric macro lensesJoining various old lenses together with filter rings and cardboard makes a range of specialist lenses that normally cost thousands of pounds. Simple experiments with telecentric macro lenses.
• Canon 5Ds is fine with old lensesDespite worries that many more megapixels might mean old lenses needed replacing, some tests with a 5Ds show that it benefits all lenses. A rising tide floats all boats
• Canon EW-73C lens hood from modifying an EW-73BLens hood for the EF-S 10-18mm F4.5-5.6 IS Modifying a cheap third party EW-73B lens hood to match a Canon EW-73C lens hood at a fraction of the price.
• Zeiss MC S 135mm f3-5 on Canon 100DTesting an M42 screw fit Zeiss MC S 135mm f3.5 manual focus telephoto lens on a Canon 100D/SL1 crop sensor camera with an M42-EF adapter.

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Ideas for developing photographic skills and aspects of photographic composition.

• The Paragon 500mm f8 lensTesting a manual focus Paragon 500mm f8 long focus lens on a Canon RP mirrorless full frame camera with adapters. Is it worth the few pounds paid for it
• Upsizing and sharpening for making a printEditing, sharpening and upsizing part of an old digital photo from a 10MP camera to make an A2 sized print. Image resizing for larger prints and why your editing workflow matters.
• Book Review: 52 Assignments Landscape PhotographyBook Review: 52 Assignments, Landscape Photography. A collection of 52 project ideas relating to Landscape photography. Lots of suggestions to help expand your photography and experiment.
• Book Review: Everything about taking PhotographsBook Review: 'Everything you always wanted to know about taking better photographs', '50 images and 50 explanations' by Antony Zacharias. £12.99 Ammonite press October 2019
• Detailed Panasonic S1R camera reviewPanasonic Lumix S1R usage review. Using the 47MP full frame mirrorless camera with special emphasis on the 187MP multi-shot high resolution mode and support of third party specialist lenses.
• Reverse grad filter 100x150mmUsing the K&F Concept Reverse graduated neutral density GND8 3 stop filter 100x150mm. Rectangular filter with graduated filter density
• A simple black and white printA simple black and white print workflow aimed at showing just how easy it is to create a black and white landscape print, with a few simple edits.
• What are you doing with your photosHow do you decide what to do with all the photos you take, why did you take them and who gets to see them. A process any photographer should think about. Yes, this means you...

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Training – for companies

These are aspects of training that I provide (on location, not at our offices) as part of Northlight’s business.

We also have a training directory that is freely available for any professional photographer who offers training.

It’s arranged by location, so as long as you are a pro photographer, a free link is available

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Other areas of our site that may be of interest...

All the latest articles/reviews and photo news items appear on Keith's Photo blog 

We've a whole section of the site devoted to  Digital Black and White photography and printing. It covers all of Keith's specialist articles and reviews.
For All about using tilt and shift - articles/reviews about tilt/shift lenses

Other sections include Colour management and Keith's camera hacks - there are over 1100 articles/reviews here...

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