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.

Keith has produced over 850 videos which include several how-to type ones. For a full index of all videos on YouTube, there is a categorised index page here:

Index: All of Keith’s 850+ YT videos

The videos and articles here 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
• Index for all of Keith’s videos [850+]
• 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

• Epson Traditional Photo Paper reviewReview of Epson's Traditional Photo Paper - a fine art lustre finish paper also know as Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper in the USA and some other regions
• Review – sharpening images with Nik Sharpener ProDetailed review of Nik Sharpener pro V3. Tested as a photoshop plugin allowing a range of sharpening effects for screen and print.
• Room lighting for image editingPaying some attention to the lighting levels and decoration in the areas where you edit photographs has a beneficial influence on quality and consistency
• Canon 1Ds Mark III Noise and ISOLooking at noise in images captured over the full range of ISO settings shows that by sticking to whole stop ISO settings, you get lower noise levels
• Fisheye Hemi Plugin reviewImage editing plugin for Photoshop which provides a range of pre computed geometry corrections and adjustments for images taken with a fisheye lens - any image or lens can be used.
• Black and white digital photography with Keith CooperAn extended version of a magazine interview with Keith Cooper, discussing different aspects of digital black and white photography. B&W photography tips and advice
• Colour Management in your web browser – Test ImagesSome quick tests to see how colour management is being handled in your web browser. How images in different colour spaces look on your screen.
• DxO Optics Pro V4.2 reviewReview of RAW file processing using DxO Optics Pro V4.2. Includes geometric corrections, noise reduction and lens correction features

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

• 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
• The wonders of bad lensesHome 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 7DLooking at AF and manual focus functionality for the Canon EOS 7D. Some initial testing with moving objects and old lenses
• Controlling a 1Ds3 via a WFT-E2 and iPhoneUsing the iPhone to connect to a Canon WFT-E2 wireless adapter attached to a Canon 1Ds Mk3. Remote control of the camera with a web browser over an ad hoc network.
• Deactivate the ink level counter on the Epson 7600 and 9600How to make cartridges always read full by deactivating the ink level counter on the SP7600 and SP9600 Epson large format printers. To be used with care, but useful if you wanted to re-fill your ink carts
• Using 645 MF lenses as shift lensesUsing Mamiya 645 medium format lenses with a shift adapter with Sekor 35/55/80/210mm lenses. MF lenses work well too with a simple adapter, but have enough image circle to be shifted on any smaller sensor camera full frame or crop. Tested on a Canon 1Ds3 full frame 35mm DSLR.
• Black ink swap on the Epson 7880 and 9880An unofficial method for swapping photo black and matte black inks on the Epson SP7880 and SP9880 printers, reducing ink waste. Use with care

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Ideas for developing photographic skills and aspects of photographic composition.

• ProGrade card reader and cardsReview: Looking at the ProGrade USB 3.1 Gen. 2 card reader and SDXC cards. Why faster memory cards and readers make a difference and why you should consider updating your old cards. What all those little symbols on SD cards mean to you.
• Architectural photography lens choicesLooking at lens choices for architectural photography. How Keith Cooper uses a nearby award nominated building to explore options when testing lenses - not on the time of clients
• K&F ND1000 filter reviewReview from testing the K&F Concept ND1000 10 stop neutral density filter for longer exposures. 82mm low profile glass lens filter
• Rogeti TSE frame reviewReview 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
• Architecture and the Sigma 12-24mmUsing 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 50mmUsing 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 photographyReturning 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 centreAn 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

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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