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October 18, 2017
Masking Solid Backgrounds in Luminar
The masking tools in Luminar are straightforward, but that doesn't mean that you can't create detailed masks! I have a technique that I use to replace skies and solid backgrounds using Luminar. It's pretty slick! Below you'll find a short video...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 18, 2017
Getting to Know Luminar
Photographers have many choices for post-processing applications, and I tend to gravitate to the ones I'm most familiar with, as well as those that I enjoy using. Recently I've been giving the Macphun products a try, and I've found them to be...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 12, 2017
Aurora HDR 2018 Preview [Video]
Macphun just announced their new version of Aurora HDR! (Available September 28, 2017.) I've been enjoying this, and other Macphun software, over the past several months and I'm really happy with the updates. Here are some of the new features you'll...
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 29, 2017
A Simple One-Light Strobe Setup
When I was creating stock photography full-time, I used my Alien Bee lights on a regular basis. I photographed a lot of people in indoor environments and needed to create my own light. I still create images for stock and have...
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 17, 2017
Create an Old-Fashioned Image using ON1 Photo [Video]
In this video I show you how I use a hand-painted overlay and apply it to a photo in Photoshop to give the image an organic and hand-painted feel.
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 8, 2017
Settling In
It's been one full month since we arrived in Lincoln to move into our new home, and Brian and I are starting to feel fairly settled. I won't have much of a photo space until the hardwood is installed, and because...
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by Nicole S. Young
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July 11, 2017
The Good Life
Of all of the places I thought I might move to, my home state of Nebraska was not on the list. As a photographer who thoroughly enjoys landscapes, and fell in love with the waterfalls and cool climate surrounding Portland, Oregon,...
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by Nicole S. Young
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June 16, 2017
Adding a Painted Edge in Photoshop
In this video I show you how I use a hand-painted overlay and apply it to a photo in Photoshop to give the image an organic and hand-painted feel.
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by Nicole S. Young
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May 3, 2017
The Inner (Art) Critic
We all have it, the tiny voice inside our head, criticizing our every decision. The smug, egotistical artist inside of us, telling us we're not good enough. Lately this voice has been getting louder; maybe it's trying to get me to pay attention. It's...
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by Nicole S. Young
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April 18, 2017
Feeling Blue
From the moment I saw a photo of this blue-painted town—when or where that was I have not the faintest idea—Morocco was added to my travel list. Chefchaouen, a name I couldn’t pronounce properly until a few weeks before our flight, is...
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by Nicole S. Young
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April 6, 2017
What's in my camera bag: Morocco
This week Brian and I will be heading out on a photography trip to Morocco! I've been itching to get out and create more photos for my books, tutorials and my Stocksy collection, and traveling is always the best way for me to really beef up...
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by Nicole S. Young
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March 28, 2017
Processing a Realistic Landscape HDR [Video]
Watch me edit a realistic HDR photograph using Aurora HDR and Adobe Lightroom.
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by Nicole S. Young
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March 14, 2017
Processing a Food Photo in ON1 Photo RAW
Learn how to process a food photograph in ON1 Photo RAW with this free free preview of my latest eBook and video course, Step by Step with ON1 Photo RAW. This video is one of seven videos, and the training also...
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by Nicole S. Young
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March 13, 2017
The Importance of the Thumbnail
When we share our photos online it's usually our intent that the photo is clicked on and viewed full-screen. Most photos will look beautiful printed and mounted on a wall, but the new normal is that the majority of our photographs will only ever be...
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by Nicole S. Young
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March 9, 2017
New Release: Step by Step with ON1 Photo RAW
I just launched my newest training product, Step by Step with ON1 Photo RAW, in the Nicolesy Store! This masterclass eBook and video set is all about the new ON1 Photo RAW software, and contains a ton of information for anyone who...
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by Nicole S. Young
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February 12, 2017
How to Add Bokeh Using Photoshop
Beautiful, soft, and layered bokeh makes for a magical backdrop. The problem is, unless you are photographing a person in front of a Christmas tree, you may not get the look you want. However you can still create this effect in post-processing,...
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by Nicole S. Young
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January 26, 2017
Tips for Staying Productive While Working From Home
Many photographers work from the comfort of their homes. Whether it's to edit and process photos and videos, create invoices, or update their website, a lot can be done while sitting in a home-office. I'm one of these photographers, and I thought it would be helpful to share...
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by Nicole S. Young
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January 21, 2017
Quick Tip: Focal Length and Distortion
Zoom lenses are great because they allow us to have a wide range of focal lengths contained within one lens. However it is still important to put distance between you and the subject in order to avoid extreme distortions of the item...
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by Nicole S. Young
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January 20, 2017
Hands On with the Fujifilm GFX 50S
Last month I had the opportunity to use a pre-production model of the upcoming Fujfilm GFX 50S Medium Format camera. This is not a full in-depth review, but rather some of my observations as I experienced the camera along with some sample photos...
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by Nicole S. Young
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January 4, 2017
Choosing a Lens for Food Photography
One of the most common questions I receive from new photographers is which lens to use when photographing food. When choosing gear there is never a correct choice; it all boils down to the type and size of the food, your workspace and...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 23, 2016
An Open Letter to New Photographers
You did it! You finally got your first real camera. Maybe it's upgrading from your mobile phone to an advanced compact camera, or perhaps you went all out with an SLR or mirrorless. But more important than the camera is your attitude. You...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 20, 2016
Should Photographers Keep Locations Secret?
Photographers love to create beautiful, interesting, and unique photographs. We carry several pounds of gear on our backs through forests and mountains to find beautiful and sought-after scenes. When you finally find something amazing and photograph it, it's a wonderful feeling...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 20, 2016
Review: Hand Painted Photos from Pixelist
One of the coolest things that I have had done with my photographs was to have it hand-painted as an oil painting! I've had the above painting on my wall for a while now (what you are looking at is the "proof"...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 14, 2016
Nicolesy Vlog (Episode 1)
I'm super excited to share my first ever vlog episode! I'm no stranger to making videos, but I wanted to start putting something different together and getting more face-time on the camera. In this episode I show off my fancy Snapchat Spectacles, give...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 8, 2016
Adobe MAX: A Conference for All Creatives
Last month I had the pleasure of attending Adobe MAX in San Diego, California. It was my first time at this conference, but definitely not my last. Adobe invited me to come along as a “Social Media Insider”, so I got...
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by Nicole S. Young
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November 7, 2016
Coming Soon: Nicolesy Print Books!
EXCITING NEWS!
As many of you know, I have had several books published through...
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by Nicole S. Young
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October 18, 2016
My Dirty (Photography) Secrets
The life we tend to share online is oftentimes showing the highlights of our lives, much of it good, and we usually don’t share the not-so-perfect stuff. I oftentimes enjoy sharing the behind-the-scenes of my photographs, but this time I thought I would...
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by Nicole S. Young
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October 16, 2016
Tips for Handheld Macro Photography
Macro photography is an fascinating way to get a close-up look at everyday items. Photographers will oftentimes use a tripod to create their photos, but in some cases it is necessary, and also more convenient, to hand-hold the camera to create these images....
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 29, 2016
Free Texture Download: Coffee Stain
Download a free sample texture from my upcoming "Coffee Stain Texture Pack"!
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 20, 2016
Review: BenQ SW2700PT Monitor for Photographers
It's a well-known fact that photographers want their photos to look good. After creating the images in-camera, a large portion of the work is done on a computer. This is where we use software to adjust the colors, tones, and finalize the...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 9, 2016
Hands On with the Fujifilm X-T2
I am a very big fan of the Fujifilm X Series cameras and lenses, and so when they announced the Fujifilm X-T2 I pre-ordered almost immediately. I have been using two X-T1 cameras for a few years now, and just love...
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 31, 2016
Free Lightroom Preset Pack: Nicolesy Matte
Please enjoy this free Adobe® Lightroom® preset pack! This pack includes 8 presets and is also compatible with Lightroom 4/5/6/CC.
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 16, 2016
New Release! Lightroom: Two Minute Tips
I have been using Lightroom ever since it was first released in 2007. Most of what I know is through self-taught trial-and-error, but I also often peruse the Internet from time-to-time to improve my skills. While I consider myself an expert...
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by Nicole S. Young
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July 22, 2016
Creating a Double Exposure in ON1 Photo 10 [Video]
I have recently become infatuated with creating double-exposures, and they are not as difficult to make as they look! Using layers, masking, and blending, you can take anything with a strong profile and overlay it with the photo of your choice. I...
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by Nicole S. Young
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June 27, 2016
The Socorro Islands
Just a few weeks ago I was diving with giant manta rays, sharks, and even a few dolphins and schools of fish. It was an incredible experience, and after this diving trip I am seriously ruined for diving. The seas were clear, blue,...
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by Nicole S. Young
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June 21, 2016
Free Lightroom Preset: Summer Breeze
I was in the mood to make something, and so I created this clean, simple Lightroom preset and I'm giving away here on my blog! This brand-new free preset will add a touch of warmth and contrast to your images, a...
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by Nicole S. Young
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June 20, 2016
The Numbers Game
In the past ten years social media has blossomed, grown, and turned into a gold-rush of opportunity. People from all communities have raced to the top of sites such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube ... the list goes on and...
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by Nicole S. Young
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June 18, 2016
The Angels of the Sea
I am on my way home after spending ten days aboard the Nautilus Belle Amie on a diving trip to the Socorro Islands in Mexico. I signed up for this trip with the expectations of seeing large fish up-close and hopefully...
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by Nicole S. Young
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May 16, 2016
Under the Sea
When I was little, one of my early career choices was that I wanted to be a marine biologist. I was fascinated with sharks, admired Jaques Cousteau, and even seeing the ocean was on my childhood bucket list. When I discovered photography in...
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by Nicole S. Young
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March 24, 2016
Dog Walking For the Soul
Some classic ramblings about work, life, and business. Plus an adorable photo of my pups playing in the park!
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by Nicole S. Young
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February 1, 2016
Build Your Brand
When I look back on how I have built my business and where it is today, I have very few regrets. There were many roads, back alleys, and pit-stops on the path from where I started (nearly ten years ago) to where I...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 16, 2015
Waterfalls & Waves
It's no coincidence that I live in the Pacific Northwest. I moved out here for two reasons: the photographic opportunities, and the cool, rainy weather. The plethora of waterfalls in and around the Columbia River Gorge mean I always have a...
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by Nicole S. Young
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November 14, 2015
What's In My Bag: Italy
I am on the tail-end of a two week trip to Venice, Cinque Terre, and Florence, and wanted to share the gear I brought along with me (and actually used) on my trip. In past travels, I tended to work primarily...
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by Nicole S. Young
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November 8, 2015
Departure
This past week I was in Venice, Italy, with Brian and three other amazing photographers. I attended David DuChemin's "portfolio series" workshop, where the goal is to come away from the trip with a cohesive body of work. As an educator myself, I...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 12, 2015
Photographing Mount Rainier with the Fujifilm X-T1
A few weeks ago I decided to take a short trip to Mount Rainier. The last time I was in the park was in 2012, but now that I live about three hours away I hope to make it a more regular getaway...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 8, 2015
Embracing Your Competition
If you are in business, especially if you are self-employed, odds are that you aren't the only person trying to make money in your field of work. Whether you are a wedding photographer or provide professional photo editing services, odds are...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 4, 2015
#StayOutThere Wrap-Up and Giveaway Winner
The 10-Day #StayOutThere Challenge is over, and I have to say I had a lot of fun watching all of your entries pour through. I've posted some of my favorites at the bottom of this post.
This challenge was just a start...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 4, 2015
The Guilty Photographer
We have all lived this moment in our lives. When the dust starts to settle on your camera, or you haven't unpacked your gear from that photo-shoot you did one month ago. And don't think the "pros" are immune to these feelings of...
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 26, 2015
Are Female Photographers Underrepresented?
My husband, Brian Matiash, and I are both full-time self-employed photographers (or, to be more accurate, photo-educators). Yet we have completely separate businesses, separate websites, and we do a lot of our own individual travel
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 19, 2015
Reflection Lake at Mount Rainier National Park
As I write this, I'm sitting in my hotel room, plotting my sunset adventure for my last night in Mount Rainier National Park. I've been here a few times already, the first back in 2009 (before I was into landscape photography,...
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by Nicole S. Young
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July 24, 2015
Three Days With a Sony Mirroless Camera
A few months back I was invited by Sony to attend an influencer event in San Diego, where I had an opportunity to use some of their mirrorless cameras and lenses. I have been using Canon for years, and the increasing weight of my camera gear...
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by Nicole S. Young
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July 20, 2015
Food Photography: Back, Side, and Front Light
The direction of your light is incredibly important when photographing food. Certain angles of light will help shape the scene and can also be the difference between a successful image, and one that is just "meh". In this article, I will...
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by Nicole S. Young
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June 29, 2015
Don't Let Them Crush You
Photographers are a fickle bunch. In many ways, we can be supportive, kind, and well-intentioned towards other photographers. I like to think that we all want to help others succeed and enjoy themselves, but unfortunately, not everyone has the same approach. Photographers are...
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by Nicole S. Young
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June 28, 2015
Ten
This month marks my blog's tenth anniversary. I started out slow, with no purpose other than to share photos and my experiences. Who knew it would grow to what it has become! ...
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by Nicole S. Young
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May 20, 2015
Improve Your Landscape Photographs with These Ten Tips
Landscape photography is a huge passion for many photographers, myself included. The enjoyment I get when photographing landscapes stems from the desire to be in a beautiful location, and also to come home with an image that I would gladly hang on my wall. There...
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by Nicole S. Young
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April 29, 2015
The Return to Gorton Creek
This past weekend I went to Gorton Creek with an awesome group of photographer friends. Nick Wrzesinski, the amazing bearded man from SmugMug, was in town, so we treated him to an exceptional outing of moss, waterfalls, and some pretty decent...
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by Nicole S. Young
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April 25, 2015
A Tree in the Forest
Sometimes I feel like I am a photo-hoarder. I travel, create photographs, and then they just sit and collect virtual dust in my Lightroom catalog. It's sort of like the old saying:
"If a tree falls in a forest and no one...
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by Nicole S. Young
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April 21, 2015
Lightroom: Importing and Backing Up While Traveling
When I travel, especially to parts of the world where I know I am creating photographs I don’t want to lose, I try to store my photos in two to three different locations. After all, I am usually traveling because of...
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by Nicole S. Young
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April 12, 2015
Listen To Your Gut
I have a personal rule I follow when I travel, especially when I'm in Asia: I get an early start. Sure, I have my moments when I need to sleep in, but it's just after sunrise when things are at their...
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by Nicole S. Young
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April 3, 2015
The "In-Between", Part 2
Early today I was thinking about something that I knew could be summed up in a blog post. And when writing blog posts, the title is a big deal. The only title I could think of that would work for this thought was...
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by Nicole S. Young
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March 31, 2015
I'm Back From Thailand!
A little over a week ago I came home to Portland from a two-week trip in Thailand, leading a workshop alongside Michael Bonocore with The Giving Lens. A few days after I was home I had a quick trip to San Diego to play...
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by Nicole S. Young
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March 6, 2015
What's In My Camera Bag: Thailand Trip
At this time tomorrow I will be on a flight to Bangkok, Thailand. I'll be spending a few days in the big city before jumping on a domestic flight to Chiang Mai, where Michael Bonocore and I will be leading a workshop...
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by Nicole S. Young
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February 26, 2015
Taking a Second Chance with the Fujifilm X-T1
Not long ago, I purchased a Fujifilm X-T1. At first, I was in love. The retro feel, knobs I could change exposure settings with (I'm not much of a fan of all-digital settings), and the fact that it was just so small...
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by Nicole S. Young
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February 13, 2015
Want Great Travel Photos? Get up Early!
I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a “morning person”, but when I travel my alarm is almost always set to wake me up before the sun rises. Whether it’s to photograph landscapes and nature
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by Nicole S. Young
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February 11, 2015
Photographic Composition: Using the Corners of the Frame
When photographing an image with some type of line, path, or object that will go out of my frame, my very first instinct is to find a way to push it towards one of the corners...
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by Nicole S. Young
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February 1, 2015
"Nicolesygram" in Hawaii
A few weeks ago I picked up a Fuji Instax Wide 300 instant camera from Photojojo. I have a few vintage Polaroid cameras, and love playing around with them, but oftentimes would get inconsistent results. So I thought I'd give a newer version...
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by Nicole S. Young
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January 1, 2015
Growth and Opportunity
It's official, we have arrived at 2015! This past year for me was filled with change and rejuvenation. Brian and I moved back to Portland
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 27, 2014
Limiting Your Photography to Fuel Inspiration
I struggle with finding inspiration on a regular basis. I think that we all feel this way at times; we want to create, but the flame of inspiration is just not burning. This article is an excerpt from my eBook, The...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 23, 2014
Using Dropbox to Transfer Mobile Photos to Lightroom
If you're like me, you probably take a lot of photos and video with your mobile phone. The images I get with my iPhone are what I call my "memory" images; they're not always the most pretty, but they document and...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 19, 2014
Why I Canceled Exclusivity with iStock
If you have been following my work for the past several years, you are probably already aware that I have been very involved with microstock photography. In fact, getting started with microstock is what jump-started my career in photography and photo-education. Back in...
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by Nicole S. Young
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December 16, 2014
Don't Ignore the Ordinary
Oftentimes when traveling to a photography destinations, I have a pretty good idea of the photographs that I will be trying to get. Whether it's an iconic natural formation, such as Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, or a particular event...
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by Nicole S. Young
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November 30, 2014
Graduated Backgrounds with Product Photography
A few months back I took a pottery class here in Portland, and on the last day I brought in my camera to photograph some of the other students' work. I didn't want to go too elaborate with the setup, so...
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by Nicole S. Young
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November 11, 2014
Support me on Patreon!
Just this week I officially launched my brand-new page over on Patreon! I have been building my page for the past few months, and finally got my act together and published it. And I am so excited! ...
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by Nicole S. Young
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November 1, 2014
New York
Brian and I are in New York right now to attend the Photo Plus Expo. It's the first time I have had the chance to make it out for this conference, and I have a feeling I will be making his...
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by Nicole S. Young
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October 14, 2014
Camera Bags: A Rant of Frustration from a Woman's Perspective
I'm a woman, and I like purses and bags. I am also a photographer, and so with that I tend to collect lots of cool bags. Yay, bags! I have more than I will use,
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by Nicole S. Young
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October 10, 2014
Stop Worrying About Other Photographers
Just a few weeks ago, I got up at the crack of dawn and went to Trillium Lake with a few other photographers, intent on photographing the sunrise. Soon after we got there, we met up with a few more photographers at the same...
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by Nicole S. Young
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October 7, 2014
I'm Off to a Workshop in Moab, Utah!
I'm super excited to be the guest instructor at a workshop in Moab, Utah this weekend. I've been to Arches twice and was in awe of the amazing rock formations that seem to come out of nowhere! It is truly a...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 20, 2014
Stop Feeling Guilty
Whether you are a full-time photographer or a weekend-warrior, there will be times when you take a break. Maybe the weather is crappy so you've stayed indoors, or you are immersed in other projects or activities. Or, maybe the inspiration is...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 18, 2014
Using Vinyl Backgrounds for Food Photography
Recently, Ink & Elm sent me a few of their backgrounds (free of charge) to try out with my food photography. I have used their product in the past and had posted about them in another article here on the blog,...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 17, 2014
Food Photography with the Fujifilm X-T1
Yesterday I set up the Fujifilm X-T1 for my first at-home food photographs. I have been carrying this camera around for the past few months and have used it many times to photograph my food at restaurants (mostly for my Yelp...
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by Nicole S. Young
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September 15, 2014
Latourell Falls
This has been an interesting summer. Brian and I moved to Portland in April to escape the always-warm and zero-cloud skies of the South Bay in California, and so far we have only had blue skies and heat here in Portland!...
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by Nicole S. Young
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August 21, 2014
Purely For Enjoyement
Photography is a funny thing. We start doing it, fall in love with it, and never want to stop. I've been a photographer since high school, have traveled around the world with my camera, and I'm always plotting the next "big...
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by Nicole S. Young
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October 10, 2013
How to Photograph a Silhouette
The basics of creating a silhouette is that your background will need to be brighter than your foreground and subject. Most of the time, when you are outdoors on a sunny day, this won't be a problem. If you are photographing...
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by Nicole S. Young
