Learn Photography

This page is dedicated entirely to teaching you the skills I've learned since picking up a camera a few years back. Both in the field and the post processing skills are covered in the broad range of free and paid tutorials displayed below. Hopefully you enjoy what I've put together here & share it with your friends!

Interested in all the other stuff I use in the field and at the computer? Check out the What's in My Camera Bag Section of this website. There are also some free discount codes at the bottom of this page:)

Welcome Photographers

As goes for all pages, this one is dynamic and will continue to change & grow over time as I learn new skills, tips, tricks and other pertinent information. This being said, feel free to stop back in from time to time, or join my mailing list provided below & get a free eBook.

Download Your Free 40 Page eBook

Below I've provided a free 40 page, Night Sky Exploration & Adventure eBook Bundle, which will be sent directly to your email address as a PDF file. Included in the eBook is everything you will need to get started in Milky Way, Night Sky & Star Trail Photography + some great tools for landscape photography!

Included in the free eBook bundle are the following 5 eBooks

3 Tricks for Focusing at Night

5 Simple Steps to View & Photograph the Night Sky

Dave’s Top 10 Planning Tools for Photography & Hiking

Star / Night Photography Camera & Lens Recommendations

3 Great Hikes for Exploring the Night

CLICK HERE & Receive Your Free eBook Bundle

Star & Night Photography Tutorials & Tools

• Dave's Free Star Photography Tutorial
• Star Photography Photoshop Actions & Bonus Video Tutorial 
• Free Scouting & Planning for Night Photography Video Series
• Free Star Trails Post Processing Video Tutorial
• Night Photography Camera & Lens Recommendations
• How to View and Photograph the Northern Lights Tutorial
• How to Edit / Post Processing Your Northern Lights Photos in Photoshop and Lightroom
• Star Photography Post Processing Video Tutorial ( Photoshop & Lightroom )
• Under the Stars Lightroom Presets
• Tony Kuyper's Luminosity Mask Actions & Tutorials

 

Star Photography Workshops

• In the Field Star Photography Workshops || Shooting & Post Processing
• Online Star Photography Post Processing Group Workshops 

 

Dave's Favorite Video Tutorials

• Dodging & Burning in Photoshop Using Luminosity Masks 
• Focus Stacking for Landscape Photography Photoshop & Shooting Tutorial
• Creating Dynamic Water Movement in Your Landscape Photos - Shooting Tutorial
• Dave's HDR Post Processing Video Tutorial
• In the Field HDR Shooting Video Tutorial
• Long Exposure Photography Shooting Tutorial
• High Pass Sharpening in Photoshop
• Post Processing Workflow Tutorial 

General Photography Tutorials

• Color Theory 101: Tips & Tricks 
• Post Processing Workflow Video Tutorial 
• Awesome Tutorials & Useful Links
• One on One Personal Instruction  
• Dave's Learn Photography YouTube Channel  
• Post Processing: Before and After 
• HDR 101: Tips & Tricks

Reviews / Equipment

• What's In My Camera Bag?
• Using Your Nexus 10 or Nexus 7 to Transfer Picture Files from Your Camera's Memory Card to an External Hard Drive
• Camera Reviews
• Lens Reviews
• Gadgets, Gear & Other Good Stuff 
• Really Right Stuff Tripod Review
 

Discount Codes

I use tons of software when I process photos & two of my favorites are Topaz Labs or HDR Soft the Makers of Photomatix. If you would like a discount when purchasing either of these packages just use the coupon code DAVEMORROWPHOTO when checking out to receive 15% off:) You can also use the same coupon code over at Stuck in Customs to receive a 10% discount on any item.

Here are a few of the photos that I took and post processed using the skills taught above.

Gadgets, Gear & Other Good Stuff

Along with a love for travel I also really enjoy tech toys, camera gear and all sorts of different interesting devices. Below I proved a list of fun stuff that is extremely helpful or just flat out fun. If the product is on this page then trust me, I really like it!

There is also a nice list of the gear I use on the What's in My Camera Bag Page of this website. 

You can find all my tutorials at: www.DaveMorrowPhotography.com/learnphotography

I did not include my tripod or ball head in this list, but my Really Right Stuff Tripod & Ballhead Review will give you everything you need:)

I use tons of software when I process photos & two of my favorites are Topaz Labs or HDR Soft the Makers of Photomatix. If you would like a discount when purchasing either of these packages just use the coupon code DAVEMORROWPHOTO when checking out to receive 15% off:) You can use the same code to receive a 10% discount from anything at the Stuck in Customs Store. Most of these packages have Free Trial Versions so I urge you to give them a run before buying! 

Interested in the cameras or lenses listed below? Check out the following links:
Camera Reviews
Lens Reviews

Really Right Stuff Tripod, Ball Head & L-Bracket Review

A few months back I took a leap of faith and made an investment in Really Right Stuff products. Here is what I got:

BH-55 LR Ballhead 
TVC-34L Versa Series 3 Tripod 
BD800-L: L-Plate for Nikon D800/800E

If you are going to buy a ballhead and tripod the package deal will save you some money.

So what do I think about these products? So far I am blown away by the top notch quality and customer service. If you have any questions about the products RRS will answer them right away. You always deal with a real person at the other end of the line.

Let's start with the the ball head. It is easy to use, has 3 adjustable knobs and the ability to turn in any direction. The strength of this thing is amazing as well, it handles the Nikkor 14-14mm wide angle lens with no issues and could easily hold a lot more weight. I decided to go with the L-Bracket attachment for the head which easily grips my Nikon D800 L-Bracket. This set up gives unprecedented control over my camera and compositions.

The carbon fiber legs of this tripod are amazing and sturdy as well. RRS did not take any short cuts when laying up this composite. It is strong and can beat out any weather conditions you may throw in front of it.

Depending on the model of your RRS tripod each of the leg segments extends with an easy twist. Mine came with (3) extendable segments and can reach up to 72" inches tall with ball head included.
Here is a close up view of the "twist to extend" length control devices at the end of each composite leg.

The last notable features are the multiple configuration leg angle adjustments. Each adjustment is spring loaded for ease of use. Each leg can be adjusted separately which allows the tripod to operate in nearly any situation and any angle. 

For more information check out www.ReallyRightStuff.com

Camera Reviews

Below I review the three cameras I have used since starting photography. Also included are some pictures I took with each camera.

Interested in the lenses I use? You can find them on my Lens Review Page!

You can find all my tutorials at: www.DaveMorrowPhotography.com/learnphotography

Starter: Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Sensor (Body Only) (560$) 

The Canon T2i was my starter camera. I got it for a birthday present in 2011 and it sat in my closet for a while. Then one day, out of boredom I picked the thing up and started photography for the first time. This is a really great investment for any beginner in the field of photography that want's to experiment and learn at fairly cheap price. At 18MP is can still produce some really nice large size prints. It is also a great for anyone that just needs a decent camera for family/friends & fun. It's small size and compact lens selection is nice for traveling. I would highly recommend this for anyone starting out in photography. Here are a few example shots I took with the camera:

Intermediate: Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Body Only) (1,350$)

The Canon 7D was the camera that really got me into photography & post processing for that matter. After shooting with my T2i for a while it was time for an upgrade. The 7D is an intermediate great bang for your buck camera. Like the T2i it is also compact with a fairly small body great for traveling. It handles high ISO very well and you can not beat the over all toughness of a metal body or water resistant casing. I would recommend this camera to anyone for as a first camera or a great pick up at any point in your photographic journey. This thing will handle anything you throw at it. Here are a few of the shots I took with the camera:

Pro: Nikon D800 36.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (2,999$)

All Canons and then a Nikon you ask? Well the Nikon D800 is a game changer for me at a fraction of the cost of Canon or Nikon's other pro level cameras and it packs just as much punch. When I decided to make the jump to full frame(35mm) this was the only camera for me. From landscapes to night skies and the Milky Way this handles it all like a beast. Check out some of my sample pictures below including all different dynamic ranges of light. 

Lens Reviews

I currently shoot with (5) lenses which cover nearly the entire range from 14mm all the way to 300mm. Each of the are great for different situations as described below. You can also look for the my lenses and camera gear "tags" in the righthand side bar for more picture examples.

You can find all my tutorials at: www.DaveMorrowPhotography.com/learnphotography

Interested in the camera's I shoot with? Check out my Camera Reviews Page.
For all you techies out there here is the full rundown of everything I use for photography, including computer software and hardware.
Gadgets, Gear and Other Good Stuff

Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens (1,999$)

In my opinion this is the best landscape lens on the planet. It is tack sharp at any range, and super fast at f/2.8. Another great use for this lens is star photography. I shoot all my night shots with it and have never been disappointed. Here are a few shots taken with this lens and my D800. You can find even more shots I took using this lens HERE.

Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G (369$)

A great carry around lens for day or low light situations. I take nearly all of my “people” shots with this one due to the fact that the wide aperture blurs out the background and makes for some really interesting pictures. When traveling I often walk around with this lens on as well. It might take some practice to get great compositions at 50mm but after some work, nothing but greatness comes out of this thing. Here are a few shots with the lens, but you can find more HERE

Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S (999$)

An all around great landscape and travel lens. If you were low on money and could only afford one lens at a time, this would be it. Covering a broad range from wide angle to zoom it can be used in nearly every situation. My only issue with this lens is the auto-focus, it is a bit slow. Personally I don’t use autofocus to often so it is not an issue.  I snapped these off using this lens. You can find even more shots I took with this lens HERE.

Nikkor 16mm Fisheye
What can I say, this is an amazing lens. Think your photography needs a new outlet? Tired of your current lens selection but not sure what to get? This lens will open an entirely funky new world. After shooting for a bit with it I am completely happy with the all around sharpness and clarity. My only beef is the slightly slow & noisy auto-focus, which I rarely ever use. Here is a shot I captured with this lens. You really can't beat 180 degree field of view:) You can find even more shots I took with this lens HERE.



LensBaby Composer  Review Coming Soon!