Photofocus

Education and inspiration for visual storytellers

Tim Grey

Tim Grey is a photographer and educator who enjoys traveling the world in search of interesting experiences and photographic opportunities. He has written eighteen books for photographers, has published more than one hundred video training courses, and has had hundreds of articles published in magazines such as Digital Photo Pro and Outdoor Photographer, among others. Tim also publishes the daily (and free) Ask Tim Grey eNewsletter, the monthly Pixology digital magazine, and a wide variety of video training courses through his GreyLearning website. Tim teaches through workshops, seminars, and appearances at major events around the world. You can learn more at www.timgreyphoto.com.

Latest posts by Tim Grey (see all)

“Printing” to a JPEG file in Lightroom Classic

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The Print module in Lightroom Classic is obviously designed to help you produce prints of your photographic images. But as you'll see in this quick lesson, you can also "print" to a JPEG image, so that any print layout you design can be shared as a digital image. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about “Printing” to a JPEG file in Lightroom Classic

Rotating crop orientation in Lightroom Classic

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When cropping photos in Lightroom Classic, typically you would retain a horizontal crop for a horizontal image, and a vertical crop for a vertical image. But as you'll learn in this quick video, you can also quickly rotate the crop orientation so that, for example, you can crop a horizontal image to a vertical. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Rotating crop orientation in Lightroom Classic

Color label mismatches in Lightroom Classic

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Believe it or not, different software applications (such as Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Bridge) use different definitions for the color labels you might apply to the metadata for your photos. This can lead to mismatches for those color labels, which you'll learn how to solve in this quick video. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Color label mismatches in Lightroom Classic

Quick keyword switch with the Painter tool in Lightroom Classic

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The "cute" Painter tool in Lightroom Classic enables you to quickly apply metadata to specific photos while browsing multiple images in the grid view display. In this quick video, you'll learn how you can quickly switch keywords while applying those keywords to photos using the Painter. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick keyword switch with the Painter tool in Lightroom Classic

Saving a map location in Lightroom Classic

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You probably already knew that Lightroom Classic includes a Map module, which among other things enables you to view the locations on the map where photos were captured, provided those photos have GPS coordinates embedded in their metadata. In addition, you can actually save locations on the map, so you can quickly zero in on areas you photograph frequently, for example. You can see this feature in action in this quick video. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering … [Read more...] about Saving a map location in Lightroom Classic

Show or hide the parent folder in Lightroom Classic

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At times you may need to view the parent for one of the folders containing photos being managed within Lightroom Classic. In this quick video tip you'll learn how you can reveal the parent folder, or hide the parent folder, for any of the folders containing photos in your Lightroom catalog. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Show or hide the parent folder in Lightroom Classic

Trimming a video in Lightroom Classic CC

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You may already be aware that the videos you capture alongside your still photos can be managed within Adobe Lightroom Classic CC. In addition, Lightroom provides some basic tools for editing video, including the ability to trim a video, as you'll learn in this quick video. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Trimming a video in Lightroom Classic CC

Vibrance up and saturation down in Lightroom Classic CC

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Very often in Lightroom Classic CC if you increase the value for Vibrance and decrease the value for Saturation, you'll find an excellent balance for the overall intensity of colors in a photo. See how it's done in this quick tip video. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Vibrance up and saturation down in Lightroom Classic CC

Send multiple photos to Photoshop from Lightroom Classic CC

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You already know you can send a photo from Lightroom Classic CC to Photoshop to apply a wide variety of adjustments and special effects. But did you know you can actually send multiple photos at one time? Check out the trick in the video below. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Send multiple photos to Photoshop from Lightroom Classic CC

Quickly rename a single photo in Lightroom Classic CC

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Many photographers are aware of the ability to use a template-driven approach to renaming multiple images in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC. But there is also a quick and easy way to rename a single photo, as demonstrated in this quick video. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quickly rename a single photo in Lightroom Classic CC

Drag and drop to the map in Lightroom Classic CC

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Many digital cameras include a GPS receiver (or offer an accessory device) so location metadata can be added to your photos automatically at the time of capture. If your camera is not equipped with GPS capabilities, you can still add location to your photos with ease using Adobe Lightroom Classic CC. In the video below you'll learn how to add location information quickly and easily by dragging photos to the map within Lightroom. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering … [Read more...] about Drag and drop to the map in Lightroom Classic CC

Using the tone curve for RGB color balance in Lightroom Classic CC

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In this video quick tip you'll learn how to apply a more traditional RGB color balance adjustment in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, which can be helpful for photographers who aren't comfortable with the Temperature and Tint adjustments for color. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Using the tone curve for RGB color balance in Lightroom Classic CC

Setting the target collection in Lightroom Classic CC

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In Adobe Lightroom Classic CC you can add a photo to the Quick Collection by pressing the letter "B" on the keyboard. But you can also use this keyboard shortcut for any collection you'd like by setting the target collection. You can see this helpful tip in action by watching the video below. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Setting the target collection in Lightroom Classic CC

Applying a Lightroom preset to multiple photos

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Presets in Adobe Lightroom Classic CC enable you to quickly achieve a specific look for a photo. In this video tip, you'll learn how you can apply a preset from the Develop module to multiple photos at the same time, with a trick involving the Library module. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Applying a Lightroom preset to multiple photos

Composition: The rule of thirds

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When it comes to photographic composition, one of the most well-known "rules" is known as the "rule of thirds." Many photographers dismiss the rule of thirds as being overly simplistic and not always applicable in the real world of photography. However, if we consider the underlying principles behind the rule of thirds, I think you will find it is a good concept to keep in mind when framing up a scene with your camera. The basic concept The underlying principle of the rule of thirds, as the name implies, involves dividing the scene you are … [Read more...] about Composition: The rule of thirds

Photography 101: Fast times and slow times too — Shutter speeds

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At a fundamental level, the shutter speed you use when capturing a photo primarily determines how motion is conveyed in the image. But how do you decide which shutter speed is best for a given scene? Fast times With a very fast shutter speed you can freeze motion. Not only does this provide an image with a high degree of perceived sharpness, it can also provide a view we are unable to see in the real world with our own eyes. For example, if you watch a bird dart quickly across the sky, you won't be able to make out fine details with your own … [Read more...] about Photography 101: Fast times and slow times too — Shutter speeds

Photography 101: What is ISO?

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When it comes to exposure in photography, it seems that most photographers have a reasonably good understanding of the impact of both the shutter speed and the lens aperture. But the role of the ISO setting can be a bit more mysterious. Of course, the shutter speed determines the extent to which motion in the frame is frozen or blurred. And the aperture primarily affects depth of field or the range of the scene that will appear in sharp focus. But what exactly does the ISO setting do? The need for speed The ISO setting on a digital camera … [Read more...] about Photography 101: What is ISO?

Quick Tip: Dehaze Side Effects

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The Dehaze adjustment in Lightroom is able to dramatically improve the appearance of haze in a photo, but not without some potential side effects. In this quick tip, you'll learn how to compensate for the most common issues caused by the application of the Dehaze adjustment. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Dehaze Side Effects

Quick Tip: Import to this Folder

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When it comes to keeping your Lightroom catalog tidy and organized, the import stage of your workflow is critically important. In this quick tip, you'll learn a great shortcut for importing new photos into an existing folder, enabling you to avoid confusion when importing multiple batches of photos. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Import to this Folder

Super Important Habits for Saving Photographs part 3

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(Editor's note: Photofocus author Tim Grey finishes his discussion of the nine most important backup habits for photographers in this final installment of this easy to digest series. Read part 1 here. Read part 2 here.) 7 - Copy Instead of Move The concept of protecting your photos and other data goes beyond what might normally be considered part of a backup workflow, also including other habits that can help make sure you are helping avoid data loss. One of those habits involves copying your photos when in theory you actually want to … [Read more...] about Super Important Habits for Saving Photographs part 3

Quick Tip: Save the Quick Collection

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The Quick Collection in Lightroom is designed to help you quickly group photos together for a short-term need. But what do when a quick collection suddenly needs to become permanent? You simply save the quick collection as a normal collection, as demonstrated in this quick tip. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Save the Quick Collection

Super Important Habits for Saving Photographs part 2

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(Editor's note: Photofocus author Tim Grey tackles the nine most important backup habits for photographers in this three-part, easy to digest series. Read part 1 here. The third and last installment publishes next Tuesday.) 4 - Offsite Storage Going a step further beyond simply making sure that both your primary and backup storage are on separate hard drives as I discussed in the last installment, is to keep the backup hard drive at a separate physical location from the hard drive used for primary storage. This “offsite storage” approach can … [Read more...] about Super Important Habits for Saving Photographs part 2

Quick Tip: Detailed Clipping Preview

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If you want to set the white point and black point in your photos with precision, you'll want to take advantage of the detailed clipping preview option in Lightroom. Go beyond the clipping display you can enable from the histogram, with this quick tip that will help improve the accuracy of your tonal adjustments. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Detailed Clipping Preview

Super Important Habits for Saving Photographs part 1

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(Editor's note: Photofocus author Tim Grey tackles the nine most important backup habits for photographers in this three-part, easy to digest series. Check-in for the second installment next Tuesday.) Every photographer dreads the thought of losing photos due to a failed hard drive or some other problem. When it comes to defining a workflow for backing up your photos, there are certain habits I have found particularly important. Presented here are the nine backup habits that I consider most important for photographers, and that go beyond … [Read more...] about Super Important Habits for Saving Photographs part 1

Quick Tip: Locking the Attribute Filters

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In some cases you may want to "lock" the filter criteria you've set in Lightroom when searching for a particular image, so the same filter criteria will remain in place even as you navigate among different folders. In this quick tip, you'll learn how easy it is to lock the criteria you've established when searching for photos in Lightroom. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Locking the Attribute Filters

Star Rating Strategy

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While there are a variety of methods available for identifying your favorite photos from a given trip or photo shoot, star ratings remain a popular solution for this purpose. Star ratings are widely supported and somewhat easy to understand. But I actually use a somewhat unique approach to using star ratings, which I thought I would share for your consideration. Redefining the Ratings Star ratings are available in a range from one star to five stars, or of course the option to not assign a star rating at all. It is perfectly logical to … [Read more...] about Star Rating Strategy

Quick Tip: Reject Before Delete

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If you prefer to delete your not-so-great photos so you only keep your best work, you may want to add an extra step to your workflow just to be safe. In this quick tip, I'll share how you can use the Reject flag in Lightroom as part of your workflow for deleting photos that didn't work out as intended. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Reject Before Delete

Quick Tip: Browse Multiple Folders in Lightroom

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Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you're not sure exactly which folder a particular image is contained in within your Lightroom catalog? In this quick tip, you'll learn how to browse the contents of multiple folders, including those scattered all over the Folders list, quickly and easily within Lightroom. Want more tips like this? Check out my "Lightroom Quick Tips" course on GreyLearning, part of the "Mastering Lightroom" bundle of courses. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Browse Multiple Folders in Lightroom

Why Do the Number of Aperture Blades in a Lens Matter?

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(Editor's note: Tim Grey returns with another guest post. This one answers why the blades that form the aperture in a lens makes a difference.) There are many reasons to choose one lens over another, both when making a new purchase and when choosing which lens to use for a particular photo. But have you ever stopped to consider how many blades there are in the aperture assembly of a given lens? You might be surprised at the impact the structure of the lens aperture can have on your photos. Aperture Basics The lens aperture is designed to … [Read more...] about Why Do the Number of Aperture Blades in a Lens Matter?

How to Plan a Moonrise Photo

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(Editor's note: Photographer, educator, and author Tim Grey shares his techniques on planning then shooting the moon rising over the horizon in Rome, Italy in this guest post.) I am always more than happy to welcome good luck into my life, especially if that luck translates into a beautiful view I can document with a photograph. But I think it is important to realize that with a little bit of planning you can create your own good luck, which in turn can lead to cherished photographic images. It was exactly that sort of planning that enabled me … [Read more...] about How to Plan a Moonrise Photo