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

• Why I use the Fisheye-Hemi plugin Fisheye lenses are great, with their extreme wide angle and their distinctive perspective, but sometimes you want a bit more. The Fisheye hemi plugin provides some interesting variations
• Making a giant print from an 11MP image Producing 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 / PF05 Replacing 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 100D Using 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 software Using 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 prints Using 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 images An 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 setup Basic colour management and photography options for photographing large numbers of products out of the studio. Efficient setup reduces the processing needed

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

• Novoflex lens adapters for EOS R and Nikon Z Novoflex announce a range of new lens adapters for manual lenses with Canon EOS R and Nikon Z mirrorless cameras.
• Simple Inkjet printer cleaning Cleaning 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 star Testing 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 adapter Techart 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 lenses Joining 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 lenses Despite 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-73B Lens 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 100D Testing 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.

• Rogeti TSE frame review Review of the Rogeti TSE frame - lens mount for Canon TS-E 17mm and 24mm tilt/shift lenses. Attaches lens directly to a tripod for parallax free image stitching. Accurate image stitching for wide coverage
• Book Review: The photography exercise book Book 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 12-24mm Using 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 50mm Using 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 photography Returning 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 centre An 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 buildings Photographing 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, Leicester A 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

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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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