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

• Making a giant print from an 11MP imageProducing a very large 3m x 2m print from an 11 megapixel camera image. Looks at the whole workflow, and how different types sharpening at different stages is vital
• Replacing Canon large format printheads – iPF8300 / PF05Replacing a Canon large format printhead on the 44" iPF8300 / PF05 printer after one fails. Canon large format print heads are a consumable part and fully user replaceable.
• Photosniper 300mm with Canon 100DUsing the Russian Tair 3 phs Photosniper 300mm f4.5 lens and rifle stock with a Canon EOS 100D/SL1 DSLR. Includes modification to use external trigger
• Using a shift lens – why not just fix verticals in softwareUsing a shift lens to correct image geometry, such as converging verticals, seems like a lot of expense. Why it's better than doing it in software
• Using Silver Efex Pro for colour printsUsing software to create monochrome images that are blended with colour images using luminosity blending to give more punch to dull photos
• Why you must sharpen imagesAn awful lot of uninformed comment about the need for and desirability of image sharpening clutters up forums. Myths and misunderstanding spread far and wide, and the temptation to ignore image sharpening, because it's contentious, is easy to understand.
• On site product product photography setupBasic colour management and photography options for photographing large numbers of products out of the studio. Efficient setup reduces the processing needed
• Reducing halos with Silver Efex Pro 2Ways of using colour to black and white conversion software such as Nik Silver Efex Pro that do not produce unwanted halo effects around objects. Ensuring that trees don't make the sky lighter for example

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

• Deactivate the ink level counter on the Epson 4000Ensuring that ink cartridges always read as full on the Epson Stylus Pro 4000 17" printer. Turning off the ink counter is an alternative to using a chip reset device.
• Swap black ink on the Epson 4880 PrinterA different way of swapping black ink types on the Epson 4880 printer that reduces ink waste compared to the official technique. Use with care
• Modify Canon tilt shift lensChanging the shift axis alignment for Canon TS-E lenses, TS-E 90 modification shown. Similar for TS-E45 and TS-E 24 (mark 1 version)
• Maintenance tank in Epson large format printersLooking at the maintenance tank in some large format Epson printers. How to reset it when full so that it can continue to be used. Use this technique with care, since overflows are very messy.
• A Canon MPP view camera adapterMaking an adapter to fit a DSLR camera to the back of a 4x5 (5x4) view camera, using the existing lens and camera movements. Construction details and parts used. learning about camera movements
• Ultrachrome inks in an Epson 10000 large format printerConversion of an Epson SP10000 dye based ink printer to use Ultrachrome pigment based inks and carts from an Epson 10600. Changing ink types
• A digital pinhole camera using a Canon 1DsConstruction ideas and sample images for several different designs of pinhole adapter for a Canon full frame DSLR camera. Digital pinhole photography experiments at different focal lengths
• 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

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Ideas for developing photographic skills and aspects of photographic composition.

• Making a black and white photographThe whole process of making a large black and white photograph, right from stopping to take the photo, through to final fine-art printmaking.
• Autopano Giga 3 review updateReview of Autopano Giga from Kolor. Version 3 update is faster, adds additional functionality for stitching images and the projection geometry used for output.
• Diminishing returns – the new photo equipment questionHow much better is new photographic equipment compared to the previous version. Have big jumps in performance gone for ever? New reviews are getting more difficult.
• Older photographers – let them use DSLRsPhone cameras fail in a big way if you have forgotten your glasses - why camera design needs to consider older people. Good viewfinders matter for everyone
• Producing better photographsWhy you probably don't need to rush out and spend money to improve your photography - it about thinking more, and taking more photos. New cameras and lenses are nice but not as essential as you might think
• Alternative focus technique for tilted lensA simple iterative procedure for setting optimal focus for a tilted lens. A step by step approach to set the plane of focus where you want it for a tilt/shift lens.
• After the Photokina 2012 show…What's really new at Photokina in 2012 and what will make a real difference to photography, Keith picks a few items...
• Re-using the zone system?With its origins in the exposure and development of film, do aspects of the zone system still work in today's digital black and white photography?

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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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