If you want to take better photos - whether with your camera, your phone or in Lightroom - you’re in the right place.
This blog is full of simple, practical tips to help you feel more confident, understand your settings and start creating photos you really love. You’ll also find plenty of food photography ideas and creative inspiration to try at home.
I’ve been teaching photography for over 17 years, and my aim is always the same: to help you feel less overwhelmed, more confident, and excited to pick up your camera.
Have a browse, learn something new, and start taking photos you love.
How to use a polarising filter (and when it makes a difference)
What does a polarising filter do?A polarising filter is a really useful addition to your kit if you enjoy landscape photography. It works by reducing atmospheric haze and cutting out reflected light - both of which can make a big difference to your images.One of the most noticeable effects is in the sky. A polarising...
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An introduction to white balance
WHITE BALANCE This is really meant as a quick intro for people not familiar with this setting. Light can be different temperatures and degrees of warmth from cool to warm. You will have encountered this when buying light bulbs. The colour temperature of light is measured in degrees Kelvin as shown in this chart from Digital...
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How to photograph silhouettes
Silhouette images have a certain magic about them don’t they? A simple story told with an outline against a beautiful backdrop, usually a sunset or other beautiful sky. They can be quite difficult to create though, often occurring by chance rather than intention. Here are some tips: Shoot towards the sun – but remember that doesn’t...
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10 reasons why your shot is not in focus
This is a photo I took of a friend’s lovely white Alsatian (Luna?). You might not be able to tell at this low resolution but it is nice and sharp. Although the auto focus on modern digital cameras is awesome, you do need some knowledge on how to take advantage of it to avoid operator error...
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How to photograph waterfalls with a slow shutter speed
1/3 sec; f/22, ISO 100 How to Photograph Waterfalls: Get That Smooth, Silky Water Effect Photographing waterfalls using a slow shutter speed is a great way to create that smooth, silky water effect. It’s a technique that can look complicated, but once you understand a few key settings, it becomes much easier to achieve. Shutter...
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How to photograph strangers – the 3 C’s
C for CONFIDENCE – it’s hard to photograph people you don’t know. I’m not comfortable with it, but there are some amazing shots to be had if we could just get over our fear. So I want you to go for it this week. I’ve had a go over the last week, knowing this topic was...
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From snapshots to great shots: why slow down for landscapes
I'm taking a slightly different approach with this post and not taking you through all the classic composition rules for landscapes. I'd like to concentrate on WHY you are taking the photograph and what you should CONSIDER before you press the shutter. I'm a huge advocate for slowing down and thinking before you click away and end up with...
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5 tips for a successful and fun family photo shoot
5 family photo shoot tips We all want lovely photographs of our family don’t we? And as our children grow older, we can foresee the day when they will have left home to pursue lives of their own. This was the case with this lovely family, where the oldest daughter will be heading off to...
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First Love Your Lens Guided Photography Walk
Well the inaugural Love Your Lens guided photography walk took place on Saturday and I hope it will be the first of many. I met up with six members of the Love Your Lens Facebook group at the famous Chester Cross next to a lively puppet show. Everyone was looking forward to seeing what the...
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