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.

Never miss new articles/reviews – sign up for our Newsletter (2-4 max. per month)

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

• A simple black and white printA 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.
• Fotospeed Fotospeed Smooth Cotton 300 paper reviewFotospeed Smooth cotton 300 paper review. Smooth matte surface surface, Cotton based 300gsm white paper. Takes a good ink load and for a matte paper gives solid colour and B&W tonality
• Topaz Denoise AI new software reviewTopaz Denoise AI, image noise reduction software review. Works as plugin or standalone application for noise reduction with detail preservation
• Topaz Gigapixel AI updated to V4Topaz have updated their Gigapixel AI resizing software to V4. The new version offers improved speed and image quality with improved resizing and workflow. Free update for existing users (Free 30 day trial and reduced price for new until April 5th)
• Fotospeed Legacy Gloss 325 paper reviewFotospeed Legacy Gloss 325 paper review. Smooth unglazed gloss surface, Cotton based 325gsm natural warm white paper. OBA free. Making large exhibition quality prints.
• Review: Topaz Sharpen AITopaz Sharpen AI - software for sharpening and shake removal for images. Offers multiple methods of sharpening photographs. New software from Topaz with 30 day free trial
• Luminar V3 updateSkylum have announced the V3.0.2 update for Luminar V3. It adds support for additional cameras and adds numerous feature enhancements
• Printing low megapixel images at large sizePrinting low megapixel images at large size, looking at resizing and image editing techniques that let you make larger prints than you thought possible. Getting good prints at A2 and 17" x 25" sizes

• <<
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
...
• 29
• >>

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

• Zeiss MC S 135mm f3-5 on Canon 100DTesting 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.
• 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
• Cleaning Canon printheads – iPF8300 – PF05Cleaning 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 SL1Using 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 ProMaking 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 lensesTrying 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 conversionUsing 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 lensesUsing 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

• <<
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• >>

Ideas for developing photographic skills and aspects of photographic composition.

• Book Review: Everything about taking PhotographsBook Review: 'Everything you always wanted to know about taking better photographs', '50 images and 50 explanations' by Antony Zacharias. £12.99 Ammonite press October 2019
• Detailed Panasonic S1R camera reviewPanasonic Lumix S1R usage review. Using the 47MP full frame mirrorless camera with special emphasis on the 187MP multi-shot high resolution mode and support of third party specialist lenses.
• Reverse grad filter 100x150mmUsing the K&F Concept Reverse graduated neutral density GND8 3 stop filter 100x150mm. Rectangular filter with graduated filter density
• A simple black and white printA 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.
• What are you doing with your photosHow do you decide what to do with all the photos you take, why did you take them and who gets to see them. A process any photographer should think about. Yes, this means you...
• Using the Canon EOS RPKeith 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 reviewReview: 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 workBetter 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

• <<
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
...
• 17
• >>

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

Never miss a new article or review - Sign up for our occasional (ad-free) Newsletter and Keith's YouTube Channel

Enjoyed this article?

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...

Articles below by Keith (Google's picks for matching this page)