In this new class, Lisa Carney explores a creative approach to mobile photography, showing how techniques like motion blur, reflections, double exposures, silhouettes, and abstract compositions can transform everyday scenes into expressive works of art. She also demonstrates how apps including Photoshop, Lightroom, Mextures, Tintype, and Prisma can help bring those creative ideas to life.

If you’ve ever wanted your iPhone photography to feel more personal, artistic, and uniquely your own, this class is full of ideas you’ll want to try. Watch it here today.

(You can purchase this class for just $39, or subscribe to KelbyOne and get access to this course plus our entire library for only $19.99 a month. Try it risk-free with our 100% money-back guarantee.)

The post Experimental iPhone Photography: Artistic Images Beyond the Snapshot with Lisa Carney appeared first on Lightroom Killer Tips.

One of the biggest reasons is the instructor lineup. We’ve got 19 world-class photographers teaching everything from posing and lighting to travel, street photography, weddings, family photography, editing, mobile photography, and a whole lot more. If there’s a person in your frame, you’ll find sessions that will help you make stronger images.

The other thing I love about these conferences is the community. You’ll be learning alongside photographers from around the world, asking questions during the live sessions, and seeing some incredible work in our attendee photo contest.

Speaking of the contest, don’t forget to enter your favorite photo of a person. It’ll be featured in the conference gallery, and you’ll have a chance to win some great prizes from our sponsors.

And remember, if you can’t make every class live, every registration comes with a full year of replays. That’s one of my favorite parts because it lets you go back and revisit the sessions whenever you want.

If you’ve been thinking about joining us, I hope you’ll come spend a few days with us July 20–22. I think you’re going to have a great time, learn a lot, and leave inspired.

Hope to see you there! You can get all the details and register here.

Oh, and one more thing…if you’re planning to join us, don’t wait too long. The Early Bird price ends Monday, July 20, and that’ll save you $150 off the regular $299 registration. I always like saving a few bucks when I can.

The post One Week to Go! appeared first on Lightroom Killer Tips.

As always, the critiques focused on practical ways to improve. Scott and Erik discussed camera settings, composition, posing, timing, and editing techniques in Camera Raw and Photoshop, including a demonstration of Generative Expand and a beautiful blue hour Milky Way blend.

One message surfaced again and again throughout the show: camera settings alone don’t create memorable photographs. The biggest difference often comes from directing your subject, simplifying the composition, and telling a stronger visual story.

Scott also shared updates on upcoming workshops, a new astrophotography tracker he’s been testing, and the upcoming Photographing People Conference.

Watch the replay below and see what you can apply to your own photography.

The post This Week on The Grid: Blind Photo Critiques appeared first on Lightroom Killer Tips.

If you’ve ever looked at a portrait taken with your camera’s built-in flash or a speedlight mounted directly on the hot shoe and thought it looked harsh, flat, or just plain uninspiring, you’re not imagining it.

The biggest problem isn’t the flash itself. It’s where the light is coming from.

When your flash is mounted directly above the camera, the light travels in exactly the same direction as your lens. That removes shadows, flattens facial features, creates distracting reflections, and often leaves your subject looking as though they were photographed under a security light.

Professional photographers have known for years that moving the light away from the camera is one of the quickest ways to dramatically improve an image.

Why Off-Camera Flash Looks Better 

The human eye is used to seeing light come from the side, above, through windows, or from the sun. Directional light creates depth, texture, and dimension.

By moving your flash even a short distance away from the camera, you immediately begin creating:

• More natural-looking shadows
• Better separation from the background
• Improved facial modeling
• More interesting catchlights in the eyes
• A softer, more three-dimensional look

It’s one of the simplest changes you can make that produces a professional-looking result.

The Challenge

Traditional off-camera flash isn’t always convenient. You often need a light stand, wireless triggers, extra bags, and more time to set everything up. That’s fine in a controlled studio, but much less practical when photographing events, weddings, travel, or environmental portraits.

Many photographers simply leave the flash on the camera because it’s quicker. Unfortunately, that usually means accepting lower-quality light.

Enter the Bracket & Bounce System

The Platypod Bracket & Bounce system was designed to bridge that gap.

Instead of carrying a full lighting kit, it allows photographers to move their flash off-axis while keeping everything attached to the camera. The result is dramatically improved lighting without dramatically increasing the size of your setup.

It’s compact, lightweight, and quick to deploy, making it ideal for photographers who need to work fast without sacrificing image quality.

Whether you’re photographing people indoors, creating environmental portraits, or shooting events, getting the flash away from the lens can completely transform the look of your images.

See the Difference for Yourself

Scott Kelby has spent decades teaching photographers around the world and has seen just about every lighting setup imaginable.

In his video on PlatypodTV, he explains why he prefers the Bracket & Bounce system, demonstrates the difference between traditional on-camera flash and off-camera lighting, and shows just how much of an impact a small change in light position can make.

If you’ve ever wondered why your flash photos don’t quite have that professional look, this video does an excellent job of showing exactly why.

The post Scott Kelby’s Bracket & Bounce Field Test appeared first on Lightroom Killer Tips.

Rather than just clicking through menus, we test these features on real images so you can see what they actually do and whether they’re worth adding to your workflow. We cover the new duplicate finder, Assisted Culling, dramatically faster noise reduction, AI-powered video clips, and a lot more.

If you’ve been wondering which updates are actually worth your time, I think you’ll find this one really helpful. (It’s $39 or subscribe and watch all our courses for just $19.99 a month — cancel anytime, 100% money-back guaranteed!)

Hope you’ll check it out! You can watch it here.

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Scott kicked things off with tips for photographing fireworks, then showed how a few simple adjustments in Lightroom can bring those images to life. The conversation then shifted to the new Platypod Bracket & Bounce, where Scott put the compact lighting system through a real-world test to show how getting your flash off-camera can dramatically improve your portraits.

The latest Lightroom and Camera Raw updates also took center stage. While everyone seems to be talking about duplicate detection, Scott made the case that the real standout feature is the dramatically improved Select Subject masking, which makes everything from portrait edits to background adjustments faster and more accurate.

Erik wrapped things up with a demonstration of an affordable star tracker, showing how it can make Milky Way photography possible with almost any lens.

If you’re looking for practical tips you can use on your very next shoot, this episode is well worth watching. Catch the replay below.

The post This Week on The Grid: Fireworks, Better Masking & Milky Way Tips appeared first on Lightroom Killer Tips.

The lineup included creative portraits, travel photography, automotive detail shots, street scenes, wildlife, macro, underwater, and even astrophotography. As always, Scott offered straightforward feedback on what worked, what could be improved, and how a few thoughtful edits could take an image even further.

He demonstrated practical techniques in Lightroom, Camera Raw, and Photoshop, including using the People Masking tool to recover overexposed skin, creating the look of a long exposure with Motion Blur, expanding compositions with Generative Expand, and experimenting with Generative Fill—with results that were… let’s just say not always successful.

Scott also shared updates on upcoming travel photography workshops, talked about his new iPhone photography book, and gave a preview of the upcoming Photographing People Conference. Although technical issues kept Erik Kuna off camera, he still joined the conversation from California via the live chat to add a few comments along the way.

If you enjoy learning through real-world critiques and practical editing demonstrations, this episode is packed with ideas you can use on your own photos. Watch the replay below and follow along.

The post This Week on The Grid: Blind Photo Critiques appeared first on Lightroom Killer Tips.

In this new class, I use continuous lights, which means what you see is what you get. You can see the light on your subject before you take the shot, making it much easier to understand what’s happening and why. I’ll show you exactly which lights I recommend, how to set them up in just a few minutes, and how to create a variety of portrait looks, including split lighting, Rembrandt lighting, rim lighting, overhead lighting, and simple two-light setups. I also shoot tethered directly into Lightroom during the class, so you can see the entire process from setup to final image.

If lighting has felt more complicated than it should be, I think you’re going to enjoy this one. Watch the quick promo below where I tell you more about it, then check out the class here.

P.S. If you’re not a KelbyOne member yet, we’re running a limited-time $30-off annual membership deal, and this class is included. Hope you’ll check it out.

The post Lighting Made Simple Using Continuous Lights appeared first on Lightroom Killer Tips.

If you’re a paid registered attendee, you’re eligible to enter. Just submit your best people photos, and you’re in. Portraits, family moments, street photography, travel photos, candid moments, posed portraits—whatever your thing is, we want to see it.

Not only will your image be featured in the conference gallery for fellow attendees to enjoy, but you’ll also be entered for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors and be featured on KelbyOne’s social channels.

More Than a Contest

The gallery is one of the most fun parts of the conference experience.

As submissions start rolling in, you’ll be able to browse images from photographers around the world and see the many different ways people approach photographing people. You’ll find everything from creative portraits and family photography to street scenes, travel images, candid moments, and more.

It’s inspiring, educational, and a great reminder that there are countless ways to tell stories with people in front of your camera.

How to Enter

If you’re registered for the Photographing People Conference, simply submit your favorite image using the button below. We can’t wait to see what you’ve been creating!

Submission Deadline: July 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

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In her latest class, Sapna Reddy takes you into Yosemite during peak waterfall season and shares the techniques she uses to create images that go beyond simple snapshots.

You’ll learn how to work with filters to achieve silky-smooth water, capture reflections, blend exposures, and protect your gear from mist and spray. Sapna also covers how to read changing light conditions and recognize those brief moments when everything comes together. Along the way, she shares insights on photographing iconic Yosemite locations, including Bridalveil Fall and the famous Firefall phenomenon.

While the setting is Yosemite, the techniques apply anywhere waterfalls are found. If you’ve ever wanted a clear game plan for photographing moving water, this class delivers exactly that. Watch it here.

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