Tips and Tutorials

2017 Goals Summary #4: Photo Editing and Backing Up

I set some really ambitious 2017 goals for myself. I posted regular monthly updates for my goals through May and then continued to work on the goals through the remaining seven months of 2017. I’m sharing my overall outcome with my 2017 goals before sharing my 2018 goals.

Goal #4 was to edit, export, and back up all of my 2015 and 2016 photos. I went into 2017 with a huge backlog of photos in Lightroom. I was way overdue to get caught up on editing and clean up my Lightroom catalog. I also wanted to make room on my hard drive for photos from our 2017 Europe trip. Although I didn’t spell out a goal for new photo editing, exporting, and backing up (aka keeping up with 2017 photos), keeping up was part of this goal.

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10 Steps to Improve Your Food Photography

10 Steps to Improve Your Food Photography | https://www.roseclearfield.com

One of my favorite aspects of starting and working on this blog the past year and a half has been improving my food photography. I’ve been snapping pictures of my food for articles and social media posts for years. But I didn’t get serious about it until recently. Producing posts with my original recipes and photos of them that I’m really proud of is extremely empowering.

Pineapple and Mango Coconut Smoothie | https://www.roseclearfield.com

While I’m far from an expert on food photography, I have learned quite a bit, mostly through trial and error and studying as many great food photos as I can. Like any type of photography, many people will look at great food photos and assume that the photographer is using a DSLR camera and/or has amazing lighting in his/her kitchen. While a high-end camera and gorgeous lighting are assets for any photographer, there’s a lot more that goes into stunning food photography.

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How to Take Great Pictures in Low Light Without a Flash

How to Take Great Pictures in Low Light Without a Flash | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Photography lighting conditions aren’t always ideal. From a dimly lit church to a dark night club, sometimes you won’t have fantastic lighting for your photos. In certain situations, a flash is a great solution. Other times, a flash isn’t an option. Not all locations or environments allow for a flash, such as a museum or a dance recital. There may also be instances where you want to shoot in low light and don’t have a flash with you. Instead of skipping out on taking pictures or settling for low-quality, grainy images, learn how to take great pictures in low light without a flash.

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How to Maximize the Potential of Your Kit Lens

How to Maximize the Potential of Your Kit Lens | https://www.roseclearfield.com

When you first purchase a DSLR camera, most likely you buy an entry-level camera body with a kit lens that comes with it because you don’t know what kind of lens you want or need. I bought my first DSLR in late 2012 with a kit lens. I had absolutely no understanding of the best lenses for my photography. In May 2013, I upgraded slightly to a zoom lens with a greater focal range. The quality wasn’t much better than the newest kit lenses on the market today. It was my primary zoom lens until August 2016. I used it extensively on multiple vacations, on numerous day trips and other short excursions, and for hundreds (literally) of Etsy listings, blog posts, and articles.

How to Maximize the Potential of Your Kit Lens | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Brand new to DSLR photography, a kit lens is a great place to start. With a few simple tips, this lightweight, affordable lens will get you through years of shooting in varied environments and experimenting with a wide spectrum of photography. A kit lens is a great fit for landscape photography, street photography, portrait photography, blog photography, and even macro photography. You’ll be hard pressed to find another lens at this price point that has such a light weight and offers such versatility.

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10 Quick Tips for Great Reflection Photos

10 Quick Tips for Great Reflection Photos | https://www.roseclearfield.com

Taking reflection photos is a lot of fun. You come across a stunning reflected scene in a lake or you see the light strike a glass window just right and produce a beautiful reflection, and you want to capture the scene just so. While it’s hard to take a bad photo of a great reflection, transforming a good photo into a great photo is easier said than done.

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