Tag Archives: education  5 Photo Composition Tips Via Italy 5 Photo Composition Tips Via Italy Photographing in Italy was an amazing blessing in the form of an award from Fuji Film for winning their international photo competition. I will never forget the day my cell phone rang and Dave from Fuji started asking me questions about my submitted…  Demystifying the Histogram eBook Demystifying the Histogram eBook I’m excited to share my new eBook ~ Demystifying the Histogram. But, before we get to that, I want to share with you the results of the histogram pop-quiz we did awhile back. ________________ The pop-quiz results are in and they’re not too great. Hm? Should I…  3 Absurd Photography Tips 3 Absurd Photography Tips iPhone and non-flash users click here for video These are three useless and absurd photography tips that usually get dispensed to new photographers. Well, I’m here to say, not only should you not listen to these rules, you should completely disregard them all together. Why, you… 
Great tips! I will be getting a lens hood to replace my UV filter [Reply] 
Thank you, for the great tips especially tip # two our local camera store which is a chain, sold us the filters with the exact explanation you gave. Thank you! [Reply] 
Great tips and thanks for sharing. I have a question about the UV filter. I keep my UV filter off my lens except when I am photographing at the beach. I worry about the salt mist and sand that is always getting on my lens (I am constantly cleaning my filter off when at the beach). I’m nervous the sand will scratch my lens. Should I be worried about that? If I am doing portraits I take it off. [Reply] 
I used to have a filter for all the reasons but quickly realized I did not like the quality I was getting. Thanks so much for sharing all your tips. [Reply] 
Sand on the lens is a good concern. I’ve never had an issue with scratching a lens. It is important to never rub your lens with a cleaning cloth, if there is visible dust on the lens. You can use a bulb blower to blow off the dust and possibly sand first. If it sticks to the lens, it might be damp. Use a hairdryer on low to dry the dust first and it should just blow off. Then you can clean the lens with cleaning solution and a cleaning cloth. Great question. Thanks for asking. [Reply] 
[...] Weakley has a video about 3 absurd photography tips -This is very good for beginners and [...] [Reply] 
This is a great video! You crack me up! On a serious note, though, this is very true! I do not currently use a filter but I really need to get myself a hood to keep my lens protected. Keeping the sun on your back is just crazy! Lighting is what makes the photo a lot of the times, I love to experiment with lighting on all sides of my subject! [Reply] 
Love the video and thanks for the tips. I need all the help I can get! [Reply] 
Whether to keep a clear filter on one’s lens for protection or not has been argued ad nauseum on various photography forums. I use Nikon’s clear filter on my Nikon pro lenses and I see no image degradation. I take the filter off for back lit photos to reduce lens flare. I always have a lens hood on too. I have read of more than one instance of someone saving their expensive lens from damage when the filter took the brunt of the blow. [Reply] 
This might be interesting for those who are concerned about damaged lenses by leaving the filter off: http://kurtmunger.com/dirty_lens_articleid35.html [Reply]
Wow! Very interesting post. [Reply] 
Tip 4: Use flash in your blog so unwanted iPhone and IPad users won’t have the privelage of watching your videos. [Reply]
I think you mean tip #4 should be ‘How absurd it is that the best phone around won’t play flash’. I agree! And actually, I provide a link right under the video image because of this very issue. Thanks [Reply]  Photo Processing RAW vs. JPG Photo Processing RAW vs. JPG I get emails regularly asking about the camera RAW file format. I’ve discovered that people usually shoot in either RAW or JPG file formats, for various reasons. I’m sure RAW shooters are saying, “Why would anyone shoot in JPG?” And JPG shooters are saying similar… 
Kent, I agreevRAW allows so much more capability and control to edit. I experimented with taking RAW but as it takes time to edit photos decided that for the most part jpeg works just fine. I decided that for those special photo shoots that I would use RAW, like weddings where the lighting cannot always be controlled [Reply] 
Great example. Once I started shooting RAW I never went back. I have so much more freedom and interesting effects that I can do in RAW that I cannot do with JPEG images. I am by no means a pro, but I am very precise about what I think is a good photo compared to a bad photo. It is much easier for me to shoot RAW and not have to denoise the image with a plug-in filter. [Reply]
Yes, that’s a great idea, if you can remember to switch back. I did that quite some time ago, until I did a whole client shoot in JPG. Now I’m all RAW. [Reply] 
Thanks for this Kent! Can I process RAW photos in LightRoom? [Reply] 
I choose depending on purpose. For a long time I always shot RAW, and still do for anything that needs refinement like a wedding. For fast-moving corporate and social events where photos will not be printed, however, I have started shooting JPG. For example, at a recent conference I regularly loaded pics to an iPad, which was hooked up to a booth display to run photos in a slideshow. The JPGs were way easier and faster to work with than RAWs. I’ve also noticed that my D700 renders nice JPGs in low-light conditions, which can be a good shortcut in low-return (eg, no prints) shoots. [Reply]  Announcing Photography Adventures with Kent Weakley Announcing Photography Adventures with Kent Weakley Well it is now official. I’m taking my photography education on the road and you’re invited. Travel and photography are as much a part of me as air and water. For the first time, I’m opening up this part of me to you…. 
Wow! I would LOVE to do this! My husband and I spent the past few years living in Vermont (at a ski area), but as we are avid divers, we tended to get out of the state in the summer and fall to dive in Maine. Just as I got my 7D last summer, Irene hit and pretty much wiped out our foliage season, so I haven’t had a chance to shoot in the fall yet! [Reply]
Join us, it will be memorable, to say the least [Reply] 
I’m IN! I don’t want to wish the year away, but I can’t wait!!! [Reply] 
Ola I’m from Brazil. Working as a nurse and have photography as a hobby. My focus is plane spotting and I have a blog with some pictures and videos (http://poaspotter.blogspot.com/). I visited your blog and found it amazing. I took the liberty of putting a link on my blog indicating your blog. Thank you for your attention and congratulations for your incredible photos. [Reply] |
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by Kent Weakley
Sono tutte bellisime – le foto!
Ponte Vecchio at L’arno a Firenze, Siena, Lucca? or San Gimignano?
What an awesome, awesome trip. What I wouldn’t do for a chance to reshoot Italy. What an honor!
*le sigh*
Until that day – these are like soul candy.
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Grazie per le gentili parole. Sono sicuro che tornerà in Italia un giorno.
Thanks Darcy!!
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Oh such beautiful pictures! I’ve always been drawn to color and bold contrast – that door picture is the BEST! All of them! Such beauty and inspiration found all around, but you’re certainly making wish I was in Italy too.
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really beautiful photography from Italy, a country that I have still not visited, but it is definitely at the top of my list for new places to go!
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If I knew as to make a good photo, I would do it constantly.
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You two…
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Amazing, amazing, amazing. I want to be like you when I grow up.
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Kent, Loved the video & especially the bloopers! Glad you didn’t get hurt by the saw. You present a great point about “making” pictures and obviously have spectacular photos to back-up your skill and the process of making great photos. I’m sure your students will get a lot out of your classes and the free content on your blog. Take care, Rick (from Seoul, South Korea)
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Hey Rick, Great to hear from you. Thanks for the kind words. We have a big group of people in the Photo Composition eClass right now and it’s a blast. Having fun helping people improve their photography skills is very rewarding!
Hope all is well and tell everyone in Free Korea “Hello”! Take care! 
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Congrats on winning the trip to Italy! I’ll be headed for the first time to the Tuscany area in late August & can’t wait to see all the beauty. We will be staying at a villa in the Arezzo area but will have time to explore the area some. Would love to hear about the time you spent in Siena because we will possibly make a day trip there. Also, I just signed up for your Night Photography 1 class & look forward to learning something new!
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Debbie,
Welcome. I think you’re going to enjoy the Night Photo eClass. Can’t wait to see your images.
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