Your tutorials are the best I have found in 12 years of using a camera! Bert Fedor - Birmingham, AL
Free online photography & image editing tutorials
Enjoy these free tutorials! I'll let you know when I add new ones.
View Full-Length Courses InsteadLens Hoods—Why, When, and How to Use Them
Everything you ever wanted to know about lens hoods, plus a tip for transporting them without giving up space in your camera bag.
9 minute video
DSLR Focus Tips From the Pros
Learn five professional techniques for getting tack-sharp photos with your DSLR camera.
9 minute video
Understanding Depth of Field (and using it to take better photos)
It's one of the most important concepts in photography, and also one of the most misunderstood.
This illustrated web-based tutorial provides a clear explanation of depth of field and how you can use it to improve your photography.
Model Shoot at the Hard Rock Hotel—BTS
Not a tutorial, just a fun, 4-minute, behind-the-scenes look at a complete model shoot from hair-and-makeup to finished photos.
You also get a peek at two different lighting techniques in action—my small-flash setup, versus another photographer's big studio lights working side-by-side. Enjoy!
How to Set Your White Balance Using a Gray Card
10 minute video
Learn two ways to automatically set your camera's White Balance by using a simple gray card.
How to Shoot HDR Photos
9 minute video
A quick inroduction to HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography. How to take the photos, and how to merge them together.
Flash Photography Tips
A 12-minute video tutorial for all camera types.
Whether you have a little point-and-shoot pocket camera or a fancy digital SLR with a hot-shoe flash, there is something here for you.
Tripods: How to Use Them, How to Choose Them
Everything you ever wanted to know about tripods, but were afraid to ask.
23 minute video
UV Lens Filters: Necessary or Nuisance?
Should you use a UV or clear filter on your camera lens, or is it just an unnecessary nuisance that may degrade the quality of your photos?
10 minute video
Your Camera Strap: Are You Using it Wrong?
Learn the right (and wrong) ways to attach and use your camera strap—plus some tips that could save your camera.
10 minute video
DSLR or Mirrorless? Which is Right for You?
In this quick overview I summarize the advantages and disadvantages of DSLR and mirrorless cameras.
7 minute video
F-Stops Explained
Quickly learn all about lens f-stops in this short tutorial.
3 minute video
Understanding Your Camera's Light Meter
How to use your camera's built-in light meter for perfect exposure.
9 minute video
RAW vs JPEG: The Real Truth
Get the straight facts on one of the oldest controversies in digital photography.
21 minute video
Photoshop Layer Blending
Watch over my shoulder as I turn a bland photo into a cool photo with a Photoshop technique called layer blending.
13 minute video
Photoshop: Color Correction with the Curves Eyedropper Tool
A quick lesson showing how easily you can correct color and contrast all at once with the Curves eyedropper tool.
2 minute video
Photoshop Content-Aware Fill in CS and Elements
This almost-magical feature can automatically remove unwanted objects or help fill in panoramas.
9 minute video
Photoshop: Advanced Red Eye Removal in People and Pets
Learn how to fix those nightmare red-eye cases where the automatic removal tool fails.
10 minute video
How to Crop to Exact Pixel Sizes in Photoshop
Learn how to crop your photos to exact pixel dimensions the easy way with this one-step trick.
9 minute video
Introduction to Adobe Lightroom Workflow
If you're considering buying Lightroom, this video tutorial is for you.
I walk you through my entire Lightroom workflow, from importing images, to editing them, to exporting a final web gallery.
23 minute video
Lightroom Presets—How to Install Them, Use Them, and Make Your Own
Lightroom Develop Presets make photo editing fast and easy. Learn advanced pro tricks for successfully installing them, using them, and making your own.
20 minute video
Lightroom Workflow for Event Photography
Watch over my shoulder as I process a set of photos from a real-life event which I just photographed. See how I import, rate, cull, collect, export and deliver the photos from events.
18 minute video
Using Lightroom on Two Computers
How to keep your Lightroom catalog synchronized on your home computer and your travel laptop.
14 minute video
Creating a Lightroom Copyright Preset
Protect your images by creating a copyright preset in Adobe Lightroom to automatically embed your data invisibly into your photos.
5 minute video
Perspective Correction in Lightroom
Learn how easy it is to correct lens distortion and perspective distortion in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. This will blow your mind.
6 minute video
How to Find Missing Photos in Lightroom
Learn how to automacially locate and re-link photos and folders that Lightroom says are offline or missing. And how to avoid this problem in the first place.
7 minute video
The Biggest Confusion About Lightroom
Learn how the Lightroom Catalog works and where it puts your photos.
9 minute video
Round Trip: How to Edit Lightroom Photos in Photoshop
The complete description of how to open Lightroom photos in Photoshop for editing, including multiple round trips and nested round trips.
17 minute video
Lightroom Tutorial: Foggy Morning Photo Edit
Watch me edit this landscape photo using presets, masks, and tone adjustments in Lightroom.
12 minute video
Lightroom Class: I Edit Your Photos
Watch as I edit customer-submitted photos from beginning to end in Lightroom.
42 minute video
How to Add Lens Flares in Photoshop and Luminar
Add atmosphere to your photos with artificial lens flares in Photoshop and Luminar.
26 minute video
Luminar 4 (older version) Software Review
Discover the features of Luminar 4, see how it works with Lightroom and Photoshop, and consider it as a Lightroom replacement.
26 minute video
Luminar Neo: Photo Editing Software Review
See why you need Luminar in your photo editing tool kit, in addition to Lightroom and Photoshop.
40 minute video
Luminar Neo: Portrait Background Removal
Easily swap portrait backgrounds with Luminar Neo's AI-powered background removal tool.
25 minute video
How to Take Better Photos at Burning Man (and beyond!)
A must-read for anyone who plans to attend the annual Burning Man Festival. This 5-part tutorial will help you avoid common beginner mistakes and take beautiful photos on the playa (and elsewhere!).
I even reveal my best photo-ninja secrets learned from nearly a decade of shooting Burning Man. Warning: Contains nudity.
Canon 580EX II Master Setting: Mystery Solved
Wondering how to set your 580EX II Flash in Master mode to control remote flashes? Confused by the cryptic explanation in the Canon manual? You're not alone! See exactly how it's done in this video.
4 minute video
Which Canon Speedlite Should I Buy?
Confused by the techno-gibberish of flash specifications? Here's the quick and easy answer to which Canon flash is right for your needs.
5 minute video
New Canon Speedlite 320EX—Do you Need it?
Canon has released a new flash with a continuous LED light. Why would anyone want it? Is it right for your needs? This video reveals its strengths and weaknesses, and shows how it stacks up against the other Canon flashes.
8 minute video
Canon Flash Blinking Display: Mystery Solved
Ever wonder why the display on your Canon Speedlite 580EX or 430EX flash is blinking at you? Ever want to throw it against the wall because you can't get it to stop? Here's the solution.
3 minute video
Nikon SB-900 Flash Master/Commander Settings
Learn how to put the Nikon SB-900 in Master mode to act as a Commander in multi-flash setups. Also see how to turn the master flash off as a light source while it's in Commander mode.
3 minute video
A Pop-up Flash Reflector You Need Right Now
Want to get better light from the pop-up flash in your digital SLR? Try this incredibly inexpensive and effective little device.
5 minute video.
Yongnuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Trigger—The PocketWizard Killer?
The Yongnuo RF-602 is the first low-budget flash trigger in the 2.4 Ghz frequency range, which means it doesn't suffer from the radio interference that many other triggers do. See my full test and review, and learn what's right and wrong with this interesting new trigger.
8 minute video
Review: Phottix Strato—Flash Trigger with TTL Pass-Through
The new Phottix Strato provides a unique combination of reliable 2.4GHz manual flash triggering and a TTL-hot-shoe pass-through for your Canon or Nikon TTL flash.
8 minute video
Review: Yongnuo YN622C TTL Flash Trigger
Learn why the YN622C is an important player in the TTL trigger marketplace in this video test and review.
12 minute video
Review: Godox XPro TTL Flash Trigger (2019)
Is the Godox XPro the best flash trigger ever?
11 minute video
Review: Godox AD200 Pro Flash and AD-B2
See why I'm excited about this new generation of lighting gear that gives us the best of both worlds: Power and TTL features.
12 minute video
Three iPhone Photography Secrets
Three killer tips for better iPhone photos that I can't believe I didn't know before.
6 minute video
Zhiyun Smooth 3 Smartphone Stabilizer
Watch as I test and review this stabilizing gimbal for iPhone and Adroid smartphones.
7 minute video
Why Use a Tablet for Photoshop Retouching?
Learn how pen tablets work and why you might want to consider one for Photoshop retouching. Plus a surprise benefit of using a tablet that I hadn't expected.
6 minute video
Animate Your Still Photos with Plotagraph
Learn how to make mind-blowing moving images from your still photos. Watch the demo video to see how.
12 minute video
Portrait Photography for Profit: Interview with Brent Mail
Learn how Brent runs a 6-figure photography business working part-time, and how you can, too.
22 minute video
The Mirror: Behind the Scenes of a Photo Shoot
Come behind the scenes with Phil and Bethany Perron as we do a conceptual photo shoot.
17 minute video
Architectural and Real Estate Photography
(Done Wrong and Right)
See my first attempts at Architectural photography and what I did wrong (and right).
7 minute video
Do You Still Need a Big Camera?
Can you get by with just a Smartphone now, or do you still need a DSLR or Mirrorless camera?
12 minute video
This is what some of my customers say about my full-length courses
Michael Corsentino—Award Winning Photographer, Author of the "Canon Speedlite Digital Field Guide"
"Useful, real-world information without the usual fuff…Home run, Phil!"
I just finished watching your speedlight class and I had to tell you how much I enjoyed it! As an instructor, I see a lot of this sort of material, and so much of it misses the mark. But yours offers useful, real-world information without the useful fluff. It's great to see such a clear and concise discussion. Home run Phil!
Geraldine Watson—Membership Chair Toronto Camera Club
"Always crystal clear…like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend"
You always put in all the little bits and pieces, so that I'm never thinking, 'well, did he mean this, or did he mean that?' It's always crystal clear exactly what you meant. It's like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend and getting to ask all the questions that are tormenting you, and getting all the answers. I'm always thinking, 'So THAT'S how it works! THAT'S how to do it!'
Fr. John Quinn, S.J.—Photography Instructor, Loyola High School, Los Angeles, CA
"Your courses are mandatory for all of my students."
I teach Digital Photography at a private high school...and...your Flash, Photoshop, and Lightroom courses are mandatory for all of my students. THANK YOU for the VERY significant contribution you are making to the world of Photography and Image Editing!
P.S. The attached pic is from my last job...combat Chaplain in IRAQ with the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division.
Paul Sanders—35-year industry veteran, fashion and advertising photographer in Milan and LA, clients from American Express to Xerox
"Your method of teaching is BY FAR the clearest and most useful…"
Your method of teaching is BY FAR the clearest and most useful I've come across to date. I've been using Lightroom since version 2 and recently upgraded to version 4. I've never felt comfortable with it and FINALLY have found a way to learn this stuff. :) Yeah I've got a couple of books, etc. They're almost useless by comparison. So thanks very much!
Samit Desai, Auckland, New Zealand
"You are a credit to the photography industry."
It was a pleasure to have purchased this course! I can confidently say that it was my money well spent. I am a newbie and have learnt quite a lot from your videos. They are quite practical and informative. I wish you would do more of these. You are a credit to the photography industry.
Gary Bonard, Chula Vista, CA
"I learn more from your courses than from any other instructors!"
Phil, I must say that your training has been the best! I have learned more from your courses than from any other instructors out there. Thanks and keep up the great training
Gadi Perlmutter, Israel
"Your courses sure have saved me a lot of money and time!"
Hi Phil , I have taken two of your courses (Photoshop and Portraits) and I just wanna say thanks, they sure have saved me a lot of money and time compared to taking these in colleges where I live! So I really wanna thank you for that.
Bruce Neill, Queensland, Australia
"I cannot recommend your video tutorials highly enough!"
I have watched other online videos and have found most to be very difficult to keep up with, or they make it difficult to see tool selections, or the tutor speaks at a hundred miles an hour. I find you speak clearly, with an easy voice, and your tutorials are methodical and very easy to follow. I cannot believe how much has fallen into place in the short time I've had access to your video lessons. I cannot recommend your video tutorials highly enough
Felicia R., Medford, New York
"Your service is impeccable. I love doing business with you!"
Phil, your service is impeccable. I love doing business with you! I will continue to recommend you.
Geo Mathew, Bakersfield, CA
"You are the best photography instructor out there!"
You are the best photography instructor out there! I'm sure there are lots of knowledgeable professionals out there, but you have a way of explaining things that just works for me.
