This Months Highlights:
- ANOTHER SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
- INVITATION: SPS AWARD LUNCHEON
- FOCUS ON: AI PHOTOGRAPHY CRITQUE, NEIL SHAPIRO
- LEARN TO SEE...AND SERENDIPITY WILL FOLLOW, ESSDRAS SUAREZ
- APRIL PRINT NIGHT
- LUBA RICKET CREATIVE COMPETITION NIGHT
- FIELD TRIPS WITH JANICE PRICHETT
- ASSIGNED TOPICS 2026-2026, 2027-2028
- APRIL COMPETITION WINNERS
Check out our archives for past newsletters!
Recent Competition Submissions
Lightroom View More
What’s New In Lightroom
Adobe’s been busy. Lightroom has picked up some really useful new features recently, so I invited Adobe’s Terry White to join me for a hands-on look at everything that’s new across Lightroom Classic, Cloud, and…
Lighting Made Simple Using Continuous Lights
If you’ve ever wanted to learn studio lighting but got scared off by flash triggers, test shots, and a bunch of settings that seem designed to confuse people, I made this class for you. In…
Mastering Waterfall Photography with Sapna Reddy
Waterfalls are beautiful in person, but they can be surprisingly challenging to photograph. In her latest class, Sapna Reddy takes you into Yosemite during peak waterfall season and shares the techniques she uses to create…
Join Me Tomorrow for a Live Look at the June Lightroom Updates
Adobe’s June Lightroom updates arrive this week, and tomorrow I’m going live to walk through some of the new features and show you what’s worth checking out. One of the biggest challenges photographers face isn’t…
Ultimate iPhone Camera Tips and Tricks with Terry White
Your iPhone camera is packed with features that most people never use. In his latest class, Terry White walks through the settings and tools that can make an immediate difference in your photography, showing not…
Meet the Instructors for the Photographing People Conference
One of the things I’m most excited about for this year’s Photographing People Conference is the instructor lineup. We’ve brought together an incredible group of photographers, and every one of them has their own way…
Travel Photography: A Photographer’s Guide to Las Vegas with Jefferson Graham
Most visitors photograph the same version of Las Vegas. Jefferson Graham has spent more than three decades finding the other one. In this week’s class, Jefferson shares the approach he’s developed after more than 100…
The Photographer’s Editorial Marketplace with Moose Peterson
A lot of photographers assume getting published is something reserved for professionals with connections. Moose Peterson would disagree. In his latest class, Moose shares what he’s learned from being published in more than 143 magazines…
Announcing the Photographing People Conference
We’ve got a brand new online conference coming up, and I think a lot of you are going to love this one. Registration is officially open for the Photographing People Conference, happening July 20–22, and…
Pocket Portraits: Pro iPhone Photography on the Go with Lisa Carney
Most of us pull out our phones, snap a quick shot, and move on. Lisa Carney takes a very different approach. In her latest class, Lisa shares how to create professional-quality portraits using nothing but…
Photoshop View More
Lightroom Classic Duplicate Finder: Remove Duplicates Without Losing Photos
How to Safely Remove Duplicate Photos in Lightroom Classic Adobe has finally added a Duplicate Finder to Lightroom Classic, and it’s something photographers have wanted for years. It’s a great tool, but before you start…
Lightroom Classic Update Deep Dive: What’s New and What Actually Matters June 2026
Lightroom Classic Just Added Duplicate Detection and 9 more features Adobe has released another major update to Lightroom Classic, and while there are several impressive additions, one feature stands above the rest. After years of…
Insta360 Luna Ultra Review: Everything You Need to Know
I’ve been using the Insta360 Luna Ultra for a couple of months now, and honestly, I’m having a lot of fun with this camera. Now before we get started, Insta360 sent me this camera to…
Painted Wonderlands: Folk Art Nature Backgrounds
Painted Wonderlands is a collection of 8 free AI-generated folk art nature backgrounds featuring whimsical animals, decorative florals, woodland elements, tropical wildlife, ocean creatures, and enchanting storybook scenes. Each artwork combines rich colors, detailed folk…
Create Realistic Rim Light Effects on Portraits in Photoshop
Rim lighting transforms ordinary portraits into dramatic, professional-looking images by adding bright highlights around the edges of your subject. This technique simulates light hitting the outer contours of a person, making them stand out from…
How to Use Photoshop's Layer Cleanup Tool to Organize Messy Projects
Complex editing projects with Generative Fill and Expand often result in dozens of unnamed layers cluttering your workspace. The new Layer Cleanup tool automates the tedious process of renaming layers and removing empty ones, transforming…
How to Use Curves for Composite Color Matching in Photoshop
Curves adjustments are essential for making composite elements look natural and cohesive. Understanding how curves manipulate light values and color channels gives you precise control over matching different elements to their new backgrounds. The key…
How to Use the New Edge Refinement Tool in Camera Raw and Fix Complex Mask Edges
Camera Raw's new edge refinement tool helps clean up rough mask edges, but it has limitations when dealing with complex subjects like trees and foliage. While the tool works well for simple architectural elements by…
How to Fix Color Fringing in Subject Cutouts Using Clipping Masks
Perfect layer masks can still produce disappointing results when color fringing appears around hair and fur edges. This common problem isn't caused by poor masking technique—it's the original background bleeding through at the edges. Clipping…
Create Beautiful Floral Oval Frames for Portraits in Photoshop
Transform ordinary portraits into elegant artwork with decorative floral oval frames that blend seamlessly with your subject. This technique combines traditional framing with digital floral elements, creating a painterly effect that's perfect for fine art…