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
• 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

• Fine tuning black and white photo printing Fine tuning black and white photo printing with a flatbed scanner when using using monochrome print settings such as Epson ABW or Canon Black and White photo print modes. Test for optimal media settings. Print linearisation with curves.
• Upsizing and sharpening for making a print Editing, 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.
• Adapted lens – Soligor 300mm f5.5 Adapted lens experiments - Soligor 300mm f5.5 on an RF mount EOS RP mirrorless camera. Using adapters on a manual focus telephoto from 1975 on a modern mirrorless camera
• A simple black and white print A 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.
• Setting the tilt axis for tilt-shift lenses Setting the tilt axis for tilt-shift lenses to an arbitrary angle other than vertical or horizontal, so as to match the desired plane of focus for subjects. ideal for product photography where simple untilted depth of field is not good enough.
• How to use a shift lens on your camera How to use a shift lens on a camera, the results you get and why you should use one. Perspective control and changing your viewpoint with specialist lenses, Why doing it in camera beats software
• Keith Cooper’s City Light Luminar presets Keith's 'City Light' presets for MacPhun's Luminar photo editing software. Developed for architectural images when converting from colour to B&W. Before and after examples, and how they differ from 'straight' B&W conversions. Also using them as a luminance adjustment for colour images.
• Macro photography for a trade stand Macrophotography setup for producing photographs of small electronic components for the Electronica trade show. Photographs of components along with brightly coloured gummy bears on a polished metal surface.

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

• Cleaning Canon printheads – iPF8300 – PF05 Cleaning and replacing the printheads - on a Canon iPF8300 large format printer, with the PF-05 printhead. Canon large format print heads are a user replaceable part. Whilst cleaning might help, it could be that you need a new print head.
• Macro on the Canon EOS 100D SL1 Using the 18MP Canon EOS 100D (SL1) for macrophotography. Tested with extension tubes and a tilt/shift lens and the specialised MP-E65 Macro lens. Showing some benefits of a crop sensor camera with small pixels
• Use a survey tripod for the GigaPan Epic Pro Making use of a survey tripod and tribrach with thread size adapters to level and mount a GigaPan Epic Pro. Very solid and easy to set up and accurately level for GigaPan photos
• Testing add-on tele and wide angle convertor lenses Trying out a range of tele and wide angle converter attachments for the front of lenses. Converters increase or decrease the focal length of a lens. Quality differs widely, but the effects can be interesting
• Canon 5D mk2 Infrared conversion Using an Infrared (IR) modified DSLR camera for digital infrared photography. Looking at exposure and lens choices, along with image processing options. Testing an IR modified Canon EOS 5D mk2 - it it just about luminous trees
• Make your own macro lenses Using old lenses and equipment with modern digital cameras to make a high magnification macro lens. Reversing a lens and making a mount for it. Macro photography without the expense of buying a specialist macro lens
• The wonders of bad lenses Home made DIY lenses are easy to make for your camera and a great way to see what really matters to you when photographing subjects. A simple lens made with cardboard
• Looking at AF and manual focus for the 7D Looking at AF and manual focus functionality for the Canon EOS 7D. Some initial testing with moving objects and old lenses

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Ideas for developing photographic skills and aspects of photographic composition.

• Using the Canon EOS RP Keith looks at the EOS RP. A Canon DSLR user tries out the Canon EOS RP 26MP FF mirrorless camera - how is it to use, what settings work, and what needs doing for 'pro' use
• K&F Square 100mm ND1000 filter review Review: Testing the K&F 100mm square filter holder and 100mm ND1000 10 stop neutral density filter for longer exposures. Comes with adapters for lens filter sizes from 52mm to 82mm
• Better photography by printing your work Better Photography from prints. Printing your photos is a useful skill to work on. 5 steps towards getting great prints that will help you improve all of your photography
• Book Review: 52 Assignments Street Photography Book Review: 52 Assignments, Street Photography. A collection of 52 project ideas helping you explore different aspects of street photography. Challenge your photo comfort zones.
• Review: Laowa 24mm f/14 relay macro Review of the Laowa 24mm f/14 relay 2x macro lens from Venus Optics, water resistant lens with built in LED variable lighting unit
• Book Review: 52 Assignments Experimental Photography Book Review: 52 Assignments, Experimental Photography. 52 project ideas to help you explore different aspects of photography, film and digital. with low and high tech ideas and hacks
• British Wildlife Photography Awards 9 British Wildlife Photography Awards 9: winners announced for the BWPA
• Book Review: Masters of Drone Photography Book Review: Masters of Drone Photography. Collected photographs and commentary from specialist drone photography experts. Practical advice about mastering your own drone work.

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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.

Categories include Colour management and Keith's camera hacks - there are over 1000 articles/reviews here...

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