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

• DxO Nik Collection 3 announcedThe DxO Nik collection 3 announced - Software for image editing updated to include non-destructive editing functionality and a new geometry correction plugin is added to the existing plugins
• Review Nik Perspective EfexReview of Perspective Efex plugin and standalone app in the DxO Nik Collection 3. Correcting verticals and image projection geometry. Adjust wide angle distortion for group photos and add 'tilt/shift look' with selective focus
• Review of DxO Nik Collection 3Review of Nik Collection 3 by DxO - The Image editing plugins are updated and expanded to fit more varied workflow choices without losing the original Nik functionality. Demo available.
• X-Rite ColorChecker SG reviewReview of the ColorChecker SG card from X-Rite. The advanced colour reference card has a wider range of colours than the standard 24 patch ColorChecker card used for creating camera profiles. Creates DNG and ICC profiles - also useful for scanner profiling
• Jessop zoom slide duplicator lensTesting a 35mm zoom slide copier on a modern digital camera with some slides from the 1970's. Includes image processing and lighting concerns and a quick look at photo image quality from the 70's
• SpyderPrint black and white print refinementBlack and white printer test image for use with the Datacolor SpyderPrint spectrocolorimeter. Check linearity and black and white print performance with Photoshop & Affinity Photo
• What goes into a printWhat goes into a photo print - getting more from your prints. Looking at printers, image preparation and just what makes a print worth going on your wall. Why are you making prints and who are they for?
• 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.

• MonoChromePro pigment inks for black and white printingReview of the MonoChromePro pigment ink set for black and white printing. Includes custom profile curve creation procedures for using QuadToneRIP (QTR). Making use of black and diluted black (grey) ink sets for monochrome photo printing
• Swapping the black ink on the Epson 7600 and 9600Black ink swap - An unofficial method for swapping photo black and matte black inks on the Epson 7600/9600 printers, reducing ink waste.
• Using your film scanner as a microscopeLooking at a variety of very small objects using a film scanner as a microscope, with unexposed film as a slide and slide cover. Examples show a Bee wing, sugar and salt crystals, and plant seeds.

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Ideas for developing photographic skills and aspects of photographic composition.

• Book Review: The photography exercise bookBook Review: The photography exercise book by Bert Krages. Training your eye to shoot like a pro. Subjects to study and photograph that will help train your photographic vision and produce the photos you want (and know why)
• Architecture and the Sigma 12-24mmUsing an ultra-wide zoom lens for architectural photographs. Testing the Sigma 12-24mm F4 DG HSM Art lens on a 50MP Canon 5Ds DSLR for architecture photography
• A shift lens at 50mmUsing a shift lens at 50mm - adding rise and fall to a standard focal length. Tilt/shift lens use at longer focal lengths. A Mamiya medium format lens used with a shift adapter
• Moving back to film photographyReturning to film? Rediscovering old film equipment offers a simpler more direct world of photography. Is it time for Keith to buy some camera batteries and rolls of film?
• Ultra high resolution view of Leicester city centreAn ultra high resolution view of Leicester city centre from the roof of St George's tower, that you can zoom in to and explore - approximately 4700 megapixels
• The changing light at sunset – photographing buildingsPhotographing buildings as the sun sets - an experiment to look at the changing light, and how a few minutes makes all the difference. A series of photos taken after the sun sets gives a feel for the range of lighting variation you can use
• View from St. George’s Tower, LeicesterA 300 megapixel view of Leicester city centre from St. George's Tower. Looking northwest along Charles Street towards the city. Image can be zoomed and panned to explore the view
• The art of the big photographic landscape printWhat makes for a great looking large 'fine art' print? What differences do you need to consider when deciding to make larger prints (A2 and above). Larger prints are that work are far more than just more megapixels, sharper lenses and big printers.

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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 

Keith explains tilt and shift lenses

Keith has written a book that looks at the many ways that tilt/shift lenses can benefit your photography from a technical and creative point of view.

ISBN 9781785007712

Book now available

There is also a specific index page on the site with links to all Keith's articles, reviews and videos about using tilt and shift.

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. Other sections include Colour management and Keith's camera hacks - there are over 1200 articles/reviews here...

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