Portrait Photography How To

Today we're exploring the characteristics of soft light and the different ways it can affect the impact of outdoor images, whether they're landscapes, environmental portraits, or just about anything else. This tutorial comes to us from the folks the Great Big Photography World—a YouTube community of passionate creatives with a comprehensive range of lessons for shooters of all skills levels.

The headline above is sure to raise some eyebrows but you read it right. Photographer Deke McCelland says, "I've been using Photoshop since Day 1 and I never use the crop tool. Don't get me wrong, I crop my images but not with the Crop tool, let me explain."

It's easy to become overwhelmed when editing photos in Lightroom because there are virtually endless tools and features one can employ. This beginners guide is designed to simplify your workflow with a trio of basic methods you can put to work now.

If you're unfamiliar with the term "Smart Objects" here's a definition paraphrased from the experts at Adobe: They're a type of "container" that holds multiple layers, that enable you to apply a variety of characteristics to an image with different tools and features.

If you're interested in shooting alluring portraits photos without flash or complicated lighting setups, today is your lucky day. That's because this tutorial from the Alex Q YouTube channel demonstrates a unique technique that illuminates the scene with nothing more than candles and two mirrors.

OK, it's time for some honest self-reflection if you're not a fan of supplemental illumination: Do your avoid flash photography because you prefer the look of available-light imagery? Or are you under the misconception that it's too difficult to do right?

Last week we featured a beginners guide to boudoir photography from an acclaimed pro who demonstrated how to capture sensuous images without flash by using window light as the primary source of illumination. Today Yuliya Panchenko is back with another eye-opening tutorial that delivers extremely dramatic effects