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

• Using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 for dull colour imagesContrast boosting by using Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 for dull colour images. Using software designed for producing black and white images to adjust image luminosity
• Close up macro – the Canon MP-E65 lensA short review of Canon's specialist macro lens the MP-E65. Offering up to x5 magnification. Tested on a Canon 1Ds mk3 full frame camera
• 3×3 quick tips for improving your black and white photographyA collection of quick tips that can help improve the quality of your black and white photography. Simple steps to better monochrome pictures
• Photographing tiny thingsPhotographing small electronic components with a macrophotography setup. TS-E90mm lens and extension tubes
• When Hyperfocal focusing is no goodWhy hyperfocal focusing often fails to give the depth of field that some suggest. A much simpler method that can be of more general use
• Printing greyscale images and removing unwanted colour tintsAddressing problems with black and white printing. Some subtle changes in print colour casts with lighting changes, and removing colour tints from monochrome prints.
• Which side of the paper to print onSome fine art papers look almost the same on each side. How to tell which side to print on if you are unsure
• Photography training directoryPhotography training directory - professional photographers who offer photography training and courses. Submissions welcome

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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.

• Looking at the Canon R5 cameraTesting the EOS R5 Stills photography and 5Ds comparison Site Notice: Like many working photographers, our work has diminished greatly in these challenging times, so I'm at home a lot. The silver lining is that I've lots of articles and reviews to write - if...
• Diagonal lens shiftDiagonal lens shift - Keith looks at using a tilt/shift or shift only lens by combining horizontal and vertical lens movements. Using an off-set viewpoint in images
• 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?
• Tilt-shift and moving beyond the small world lookThe model world style of photos taken with lens tilt is but a small part of what can be achieved with a tilt-shift lens. Controlling and using lens tilt is not the black art some seem to think...
• 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
• Helicon Focus focus stacking part 2Review: Helicon Focus for focus stacking part 2. Moving the camera to create source images for a stack. Creating depth of field.
• Helicon Focus for basic focus stackingReview: using Helicon Focus for basic focus stacking of images for increased depth of field for macro and close up photography - Photos taken by stepping lens focus
• 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

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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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