So, you’ve been hearing a lot about shooting in manual mode, and thinking to yourself “Hmmm, I’d like to try manual mode, but i’m still on AUTO, what do I need to do to help me make the switch?”

Well, wonder no more, because that’s where this blog post comes in. 

I’m going to break down the steps you should take, and the things you need to understand before moving on to the next step , so that moving to Manual Mode is a smooth transition. Think of it as your own little roadmap for switching to manual mode 😀

You see, it’s not as simple as turning the dial on your camera to the big “M”, which is where a LOT of people fall down.

So, are you ready? Let’s dig in.

This has been one of my favourite blog posts to write this year, because it has allowed me to look back at all the content I’ve created over the last few years, and give you a one-stop shop for the best bits!

Well, maybe not ALL the best bits - because that would be a heck of long blog post :-)

(yes, I’m so modest!)  

So I had to narrow it down.  I’ve chosen these based on a few different reasons: firstly, not only based on how good I think they are, but on how much I believe they can move your photography forward.  And second of all, I also took into account which posts were the most popular, most read and most commented on, so you can see the ones that resonated most with others, not just the ones I loved (they can sometimes be very different!)   

Of course, I have tried to mix this up a bit between beginner and slightly more experienced photographers - because let’s face it, how helpful these are on moving you forward with your photography will depend on where you are now, so there are still some gems that will remain nestled in the blog pages for sure :-)

So if you missed one of these blog posts first time around, be sure to read them now, or you’ll kick yourself for missing them!

(Don’t have time to read them all now? I hear ya! Pin this for future reference instead then so you don’t forget)

One of the things I hear time and time again is that many people feel overwhelmed with everything there is to learn in photography, and that they feel like they are running around in twenty different directions trying to learn it all.  I remember EXACTLY how that felt, and I want to see if I can help you avoid it!

One thing that can REALLY help with overwhelm is creating photography goals.

Photography goals are just as they sound - they are the things you want to be able to do by a certain time point.  You assess where you are right now, and what steps you need to take to reach your goal.  This helps avoid overwhelm and that feeling of trying to learn everything at once, since you are going to following a plan, not randomly checking blog posts and hoping it somehow all comes together :)

You know the saying, a goal without a plan is just a wish, so in this post, we are going to get super focused on planning your photography goals for the next six months - looking at where you are now, where you want to go, and what steps you need to take to get you there.  

My hope is that you follow the steps laid out, and put them into action so you can make next year your best  photography year yet!

Grab your wine, we’re going in...

We all know the feeling of being in a creative rut -  those times when we don’t quite know what to shoot and feel a little lost, or else we are fed up photographing the same things, in the same place, and in the same way, and feel we need a bit of a kick up the rear end.

In both those cases a photography project or creative exercise can really help!

It sounds weird, but actually being able to shoot anything we want, at any time we want, is sometimes not great for feeling creative! It can lead to overwhelm and paralysis, and in those situations, actually LIMITING your options, or shooting to a strict, pre-defined theme, will actually let your creative juices flow a heck of a lot more freely.  

That’s why I spent a lot of time last year coming up with not one, not two, but TWELVE different photography projects or creative exercises you can, one for each month of the year :-)

In this blog post, I’m listing all 12 of these projects you can do in the coming year: so you never run out of ideas again! They also range from long(ish) projects that will span the whole month, to shorter ones that will just take you half an hour, so it really doesn’t matter how much time you’ve got, you should find something for you here.

Welcome back for your last creative challenge!  If you are brand new to the blog, every month in 2017 I have posted a creative exercise or a mini photography project for you to do.  This is the final one of the year, so I hope you can join me for it!

So, here it is:  the final challenge of 2017.

If you have been following along since the start of the year, I hope you have enjoyed them all!  We’ve had a great mix of challenges I think, definitely something for everyone.

Remember, you can do the vast majority of these challenges at ANY time, so I’ll be back next week with a post that rounds up ALL the different challenges and projects I have here on the blog, so that you can pin or bookmark it for easy reference for going forward.

But back to this final challenge, as we are going to take on a mini photography project for this final month: a December Daily.

One of the BEST things about teaching people photography is simply the impact it can have on your students, and the images they take.

Seriously, nothing makes me feel happier than when I get an email from a student saying how much more confident they feel after taking one of my courses, or how it is all coming together for them, or when I see a student on Facebook or Instagram and they are simply rocking their camera.

A few weeks ago, I was on Instagram and viewing some of the images posted by my students, when a few caught my eye. They were from the same photographer, Katie Lynn, and I was blown away by how amazing they were.  I was even happier when I learnt that she shoots with what some would call “basic” gear - an entry level camera with a crop sensor and the kit lens - absolute, 100% proof that you honestly don’t need the most expensive gear to make great photographs!

So I asked Katie Lynn if she would do a case study for me, because I really wanted you to see the impact learning your camera can make on your images, and how it can improve your skills and images SO much more than getting the latest lens or a new set of actions.  

I’ve done a few case studies on the blog (I’ve linked to them at the bottom of this post if you would like to read more!) as I love seeing the journeys of photographers, but this is the first time I have had a student do this so I am extra delighted to have Katie here!

Take it away, Katie….

It’s getting to be that most magical time of the year: the time when you might be allowed to get your hands on some new photography loot!

To help you with some ideas of what to put on your own wish list, or what to give a photographer friend or family member, here are some ideas that I know you would love to receive in your stocking this year.   

Pin it or share it with your family so they know what they can get you!

Welcome back for another creative challenge! If you are new to the blog, every month for 2017 I have been posting a photography project / creative exercise for you to do.   There is only a couple of months left , but come back again on the first Tuesday of December for your FINAL assignment of 2017!  You can of course do these projects / creativity exercises at ANY time, so at the bottom of this post you will find links to the previous challenges too :) 

For this month's challenge we are going to be creating a photo series.

What is a photo series I hear you ask? Well, it's simply a group of photos that come together to create a common theme or story. 

Ready? Let's dive in! 

Adobe recently announced that there is now TWO different versions of Lightroom available on its subscription plan, and naturally, that has lead to some confusion about what the differences between the two are, and which one you should use.

These two different versions are called Lightroom CC and LIghtroom Classic, and they are each aimed at entirely different sets of people, so you do want to make sure you are using the best one for your needs.

You might also be wondering what the heck happened to Lightroom 6,  the only version of LIghtroom available as a download version for a one time fee, so we’ll cover that today too!

Phew, that’s a lot to get through - best crack on...

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought I'd pop in to give you some tips for getting the best pictures you can during this fun holiday!

This is one time where I think I have as much fun capturing the event as other people have in taking part :)

We've all had it, images where our subject looks soft, and out of focus and we wonder where the heck it has all gone wrong!  

There can be several reasons why your images aren't looking as tack sharp as we want them to be, and (luckily!) few things we can do to make it better. 

So here are THREE things to check if you feel you are constantly getting soft or out of focus images.  Of course, there are a other involved in getting a tack sharp images, but chances are if your images aren't as sharp as you want them to be, it's one of these :) 

One of the most common questions I hear about Lightroom is "When should I take my images into Photoshop when I've been working in Lightroom?" 

Following closely on it's heels is this question: "I'm not getting the images I want in Lightroom, do I need to learn Photoshop?" 

The good news is I can answer both questions in one blog post!  

So if you are currently using LIghtroom, and are wondering about when and why you should sometimes use Photoshop, OR if you feel like you are not getting the images you want in Lightroom, and are wondering if doing more in Photoshop is the answer to your prayers. then this is the blog post for you :)  

Sound good? Then read on...

When I first started my photography journey many years ago, my whole reason for picking up my camera was to ensure that I could capture all the things that made my son special .  It's amazing just how quickly it all changes, and before you know it they have moved onto the next "phase" of their own journey - and you blinked and missed it :) 

When you are in the thick of the daily grind, it can sometimes be hard to stop and think about what's important to capture.  So today, I'm giving you five different things you can capture so that you can document this current "stage" of your children. 

Lightroom has a number of options within it's crop tool that can help you make sure you get the absolute best crop for your image.  That way you can make sure you have the used a composition for your photo that gives it the most impact! 

In this post, I'm going to walk you step by step through using the crop tool, and the different options you can choose to help you get the best crop in Lightroom. 

Let's dig in!

Most of us have fallen for a common Lightroom myth or misconception at some point in time - myself included!  For me, it was assuming that Lightroom wasn't for hobbyists and that I really need to use Photoshop if I wanted to get images like the "pros", when nothing could be further from the truth! 

Let's break down 5 Lightroom myths that you might believe that is stopping you from making the most of this amazing program....