Learning photography can often feel very overwhelming - there is much to learn, so many different factors and element, and so much information to get your head around, that it can feel very daunting to know where to start, or what to focus on next. This is obviously worse at the very beginning of your photography journey, when everything is brand new to you! But even if you have been shooting a while, it can be hard to know where to focus your efforts to get your photos to the NEXT level. I’ve h...
Nov 07, 2023•28 min•Ep. 40
In this episode, I’m time traveling back to 2007 when I first picked up my camera, and giving you a guided tour of my photography journey over the last 17 years or so! I’m sharing my ups and downs, the mistakes I’ve made, the challenges I’ve had, and the lessons I've learned along the way. Most importantly, I’ll also be sharing what actually moved the needle the most for me in photography, what changed my photographs for the better, and what I would recommend to other photographers at different ...
Oct 31, 2023•41 min•Ep. 39
Have you wondered about whether you should get an external flash unit, particularly if you are a hobbyist who doesn’t shoot weddings - because you’re just not sure when or where, or even why, you would use it? If so, you’re going to enjoy this week’s episode, because I’m diving into why you might find that an external flash unit a good idea, the situations where you might want to use an external flash unit, and some suggestions on what to look for if you do decide to buy a flash unit, and more! ...
Oct 24, 2023•21 min•Ep. 38
One of the questions I get asked a lot is about how to go about choosing your camera settings when shooting in manual mode, and whether there is a correct order in which to set them. I know it can feel a little daunting when you move from having the camera make decisions for you, to making ALL of them yourself, so in this week’s episode, I’m going to talk about the best way to approach choosing your own camera settings, and what order to choose them in. In today’s episode you’ll learn: How to ap...
Oct 17, 2023•16 min•Ep. 37
As we move into the winter months (at least here in the Northern Hemisphere!) you can often find yourself shooting in low light conditions, in other words, places where there is a limited amount of light to shoot with! I know that this can seem daunting at first, but over the years I have really started to look forward to this time of year, because it means I get to start working with very little light. So in this week’s episode, I’m going to share with you some tips for working in low light, th...
Oct 10, 2023•18 min•Ep. 36
This week, I’m taking you behind the scenes a little bit, as I talk about the latest addition to my photography gear, the Fujifilm X100V! So tune into today’s episode and we’ll discuss: Why I purchased this particular camera in the first place. Where this type of camera excels. What type of photography I personally intend to use it for, and what “gap” it filled in my photography arsenal First impressions of this camera and whether it has lived up to expectations. Some similar types of camera (if...
Oct 03, 2023•20 min•Ep. 35
We all struggle with getting noise in our images from time to time. Unfortunately, noise can lead to our images looking a little less sharp and clear as we would like, particularly if you have a crop frame camera, which doesn’t handle noise as well as your full frame counterparts! Although you can (and should!) do your best to minimise noise in camera, there are always going to be situations when we have to push our ISO higher than we would like, which is when we need to fix it in editing. And t...
Aug 22, 2023•11 min
Are you currently in a place in your photography journey where your main source of inspiration - your children - have either grown up and flown the nest? Or maybe they are at an age where they really aren’t happy about being your subject any more? Or perhaps you don’t have kids, but are wondering what on earth you can find to photograph?! Whatever it is for you, the upshot is you’re not feeling particularly inspired and motivated to pick up your camera lately, and feel like you’ve run out of thi...
Aug 15, 2023•23 min
Today we're diving into some common camera settings mistakes that photographers, especially beginners, often make with their camera settings! We'll explore how choosing the wrong camera settings can lead to soft images, excessive noise and grain, or photos that just aren’t as sharp and clear as you would like. And the best news is, they are simple fixes that you can make today to instantly get better photos. Plus, we have a special freebie for you! You can download our camera settings cheat shee...
Aug 08, 2023•10 min
Today on the podcast I’m answering a question from one of our students, about how to decide which photos to keep, and which you can get rid of! If you’ve been having trouble overshooting, and drowning with the amount of photos you’re holding onto, you’re going to love this podcast episode! Over the years, I've managed to fine tune my culling and shooting process so that I come back with much less photos in the first place, and when I'm culling, I'm much more intentional about which ones I keep a...
Jul 18, 2023•17 min•Ep. 31
If you’re heading out on holiday or vacation this year, then you might be wondering what photography equipment to take with you....and what you should leave behind. We all want to take pretty much everything with us, because each bit of our photography kit, whether that be our lenses or reflector or flash, each serves a purpose, and we want them available should we need it. BUT, there’s usually limited space available, so there has to be a balance between having the PERFECT lens for a certain sh...
Jul 11, 2023•27 min•Ep. 30
Today I’m going to be talking about a form of photography that really opened my eyes to the beauty that is around me every single day, even in the most mundane elements, and that is macro photography! You may have considered giving macro photography a try, but you maybe don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars getting a macro lens, or at least not yet, and are wondering if you can take macro photos without one. Well, the good news is there are a number of other options available to you, ranging f...
Jul 03, 2023•18 min•Ep. 29
Learning photography can feel really overwhelming and that it has taken a million years - I know from experience! How long should it actually take until you feel comfortable saying you're a photographer? Everyone is unique, but teaching over 2,000 students in the Auto to Awesome program has given me a damn good idea! This week's episode talks about my journey, the time OR money that may go into learning photography, and give you a rough estimate of how long it may take you. Also be sure to grab ...
Jun 27, 2023•14 min•Ep. 28
A lot of times you may not be getting your photos as sharp as you'd like and you might stop and think, do I need to calibrate my lens? Today's episode will shed some light on this! I'm covering what lens calibration is, how to know if you may need it, and how to know if you need to do it right now! We will also discuss a little test for your lenses, and guide you on HOW to calibrate - should you need to do so! We also talk about this in the phoography course, Auto to Awesome . To see all the res...
Jun 20, 2023•15 min•Ep. 27
Thinking about starting a photography business but not sure what you need to do first? Then today’s episode is going to be a goldmine of information for you! I’m going to share with you 5 things you’ll want to have in place before you start a photography business so that you can get off on the right foot. You can always get fancier later, but these 5 areas will allow you to start to make money from your skills. Grab the The Photography Biz Start Up Kit here. To see all the resources and links or...
Jun 06, 2023•22 min•Ep. 26
On this episode of Photography Made Simple, we delve into the great debate between prime and zoom lenses, and how to decide which one is right for you! We explore the advantages and disadvantages of each lens type, such as the difference in maximum aperture, background blur, sharpness, flexibility, image quality and more. So which should you get? As the decision of whether a zoom or prime is right for you depends on your specific needs, we'll also give you tips on how to choose based on the type...
May 30, 2023•30 min
On this episode of Photography Made Simple, we're diving into the importance of your camera's metering mode, by looking at what each ones does, and how to choose the right one for your specific situation. You'll learn about the three main types of metering modes, as well as the less common partial and highlight-weighted modes. We'll also cover the benefits of spot metering, which can be extremely useful in getting a perfectly exposed image in certain situations! To see example images, plus get y...
May 23, 2023•16 min
On this episode of Photography Made Simple, I tackle the common issue of glasses glare in portrait photography. Whether it's adjusting the direction of light or the subject's head, there are several in-camera solutions to minimize glare. We'll also discus the pros and cons of editing glasses glare in Photoshop and when it's appropriate to ask a subject to remove their glasses - and when it's not. Tune in to this informative episode for tips and tricks to capture the perfect shot of your glasses-...
May 16, 2023•16 min
Are you still taking most of your photos on Auto because you’re too scared to make the move to shooting in Manual Mode? I’m guessing that you already know that if you want to get those pro-level photos, you need to start to take control of your camera yourself. The good news is that your camera has some features that allow you to begin to very, very gently move away from Auto and start to gain a little more control, which will in turn greatly improve your photos - all whilst you pluck up the cou...
May 09, 2023•13 min
May 02, 2023•31 min•Ep. 21
Do you struggle with light in photography, either because you find yourself sticking to the same “safe” light over and over again, or because you struggle when the light is more challenging? If you’re nodding your head, then don’t worry, you’re not alone! We ALL struggle with light in the beginning, because it can be so changeable and versatile that we need to understand how to work with light in a lot of different ways. But it's so incredibly important that we, as photographers, understand how ...
Apr 25, 2023•12 min•Ep. 20
In this episode, I’m talking about how you can make your photos - even of everyday scenes - look more interesting and creative. This podcast episode actually came about when I asked our followers recently what you would like me to talk about, and one of those was on how to make a scene look more interesting, rather than mundane. I think we can all struggle with creativity from time to time, but this can be especially true when you have mastered the basics, but you are ready to go beyond that, an...
Apr 18, 2023•15 min•Ep. 19
Being able to identify, understand and modify light is one of the most important skills you can master in photography! When you can harness ANY available light effectively, you can turn your everyday, mundane scenes into something magical and awe-inspiring, get more creative images AND make you feel inspired to pick up your camera every waking moment! Plus, knowing and understanding light will help you feel confident shooting in ANY type of light, at any time of day, so you’ll never have to brea...
Apr 11, 2023•14 min
This week on the Photography Made Simple podcast we’re going to be talking about lenses, specifically, my 3 favorite and most used lenses for child and family photography. I use these lenses all the time for both documentary / lifestyle photos, where I take photos of our everyday little moments, and for child and family portrait style photos. In this episode, I talk about each lens, why I love each one, and what I typically use each one for. I also have a freebie for you that goes along with thi...
Apr 04, 2023•19 min•Ep. 17
In this week’s episode, we’re talking all about how to capture joyful images of children. Although I love ALL types of photos of children, from documentary style one to posed shots, I have a special place in my heart for shots where the child looks joyful, happy and carefree. That’s because to me, that’s such an important part of childhood - there’s nothing quite like the fun a child can get from the simplest of activities, and hearing a child’s laugh? Feeds my soul. So this week, I’m sharing 5 ...
Mar 28, 2023•19 min•Ep. 16
If you have a Canon or Nikon 50mm F1.8 lens and not getting the results you want, then take a listen to this episode! I’m giving you 7 different tips you can use today, to help you get the sharp, awesome images your 50mm lens is capable of taking. We’re talking all about the f numbers you can use, what might be wrong if your lens starts whirring or having trouble focusing, how to get sharper photos and so much more. For full show notes, resources, links or to read a written version of this podca...
Mar 21, 2023•15 min•Ep. 15
If you’re feeling in a rut with your photography, or you just don’t feel inspired to pick up your camera this episode is for you! I’m sharing with you a quick, 30 minute photography challenge you can do that will help you break out of your photography rut, Plus I’m going to give you some prompts for inspiration whilst doing it, so you’ll have everything you need to feel inspired and creative again! For full show notes, resources, links or to read a written version of this podcast, visit our webs...
Mar 14, 2023•15 min•Ep. 14
I know that switching to manual mode can feel a little scary, and it can feel hard at first - especially if you’re not sure whether you’re doing it right! But it really does make a huge difference to your photos, which is why I want to help you make the switch. So today I’m going to share 10 things with you that I wish I’d known when switching to manual mode that will hopefully take away some of that confusion, and help you get you where you want to be quicker! You can also download a free manua...
Mar 07, 2023•22 min•Ep. 13
In this week’s episode, I’m sharing how you can take beautiful studio style portraits at home, using nothing more than natural light and an expensive backdrop to create a simple yet effective home studio. In fact, this is exactly how I set up my own studio, and I am thrilled with the results! I’m going to cover everything you need to have in place, using either what you already have, or cheap and cheerful equipment that you can pick up for under $200. You’ll also find links to some suggested equ...
Feb 28, 2023•28 min•Ep. 12
Do you ever find yourself feeling like you’re being pulled in 10 different directions all at the same time when it comes to learning photography? If so, don’t worry, you’re not alone! I spent the first few years of my photography journey focusing more on what OTHER photographers were doing, rather than focusing on my own photography journey. The problem with this is it can send you down completely the WRONG path for where you are right now, as you try to skip ahead without having laid any of the...
Feb 21, 2023•15 min•Ep. 11
