Isn't the built-in exposure adjustment for midtones just the Curves Panel?

Great tips Mark, I need to level up my photography and it all makes sense. I really like the idea of Shoshin and beginner's mindset and I definitely need to level up my Lightroom skills to become editing Jedi 🤺

Thoughts on prints.... It seems like the photographers selling prints/things are using printing services and selling products in local stores/gift shops as well as arts festivals. The latter is a huge time commitment. But if you go through a print service, you could offer prints again on your website and the whole process could be automated to where you never have to do the work.

Great advice! It really made me think!

I LOVE the pieces of the puzzle analogy. Hobbyist photographer, mostly wildlife, but your hints about framing, what to include/exclude have been invaluable as I have followed you for years. Pieces of the puzzle, an ‘ah ha’ moment. Many thanks.

not related if you dont mind..what is that gameboy on your desk?

"F8 and be there". Certainly getting out and being there is crucial. It is sometimes too easy not to make the effort and thus maybe missing out on opportunities that don't present themselves often.

This was gold, thank you! In your professional opinion, what lens would you recommend for art photography? I have a Sony a6000 and only have the lens it came with in the box. I’ve heard macro lenses would be the best for photographing artwork (paintings primarily). Would you agree with that?

Excellent video Mark! I feel smarter and very encouraged to continue on the path I am on, similar to your path of years past. Thank you!

Great stuff Mark. Wise sage advice as always, and it's great that you're sharing it with the world. I hope to see you in the Lakes if you make it across the pond anytime. Do stay in touch.

Great video as usual. Always a learning curve. Thanks.

One of your best videos, Mark!

Thanks Mark.I knew many of these things without even realizing it. I'm more of a wildlife photographer but it all applies. thanks fro the reminders. Shoshin.

I think your last point is the best, for me.

I was definitely guilty of using the exposure slider too much. Will give this method a try, thanks

Thanks for this excellent video … practical, inspirational and very enjoyable … well done! 📷😄

This was such a helpful video to me, Mark. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge with us.

Thank you, Mark for this great list of advices! I could relate to every single one of them. Not because I knew them all, but because I know just enough about photography to understand exactly what you are talking about and what I need to do to improve. This list will be my learning template from now on. Cheers!

I like the shoreline cropped out. I really like your workflow steps/tips. Very logical. I’ll try it with my next set.

Great collection of ideas Mark! Thanks

One of the best videos you’ve made so far. Thank you

You totaly right when i look back at my photo it trigger the memory of the moment and that is amazing

Really great video !! So clear ... THANKS a lot !

Agree get out of your comfort lane ...I'm a landscape photographer and yes I shoot weddings too. It can be done. Learning skills from different areas can help your landscapes too. Agree light is rhe key to but it's how we use it

As always, another great video Mark!! Thank you!

F/8 and be there.

Best advice I’ve received is related to visual storytelling. Stories have a beginning, middle and end… if you capture one of those three leaving the viewer wondering about the other two, you’ve succeeded in telling your story. Also if you’re left wondering what is going on here or your photo is a perfect “caption this” image. Then you’ve got a visual story.

Sorry, unfortunately, the user name is garbled. This is Anthony Novello and I look forward to meeting you.

I have been following your channel and the videos for a long time and have thoroughly enjoyed and learned a ton of useful information from everything. But this particular video hit home on alot of topics that I have been thinking about lately. I want to say "Thank you" for a wonderful video and sharing what you've hold dear to you about your photography journey. As you stated about looking at a photo, I too can look at a photo and remember everything about how and why I took the image and photography IS a very personal journey. One that I enjoy and I do treat it as a newbie just learning. That attitude changes your whole entire perspective. Thank you for a wonderful video and look forward to meeting you in Grand Teton in a few weeks.

Your last point was an ah ha moment, a wakeup call if you will. I don't think I'll be as disappointed when someone doesn't show as much interest or excitement in my photos as I do. But also, becoming a better "storyteller" will help to convey to others what it is I'm trying to tell in the photos. Thanks.

Mark, great video. As to your question - "What's the most impactful photography advice you ever received?" You covered it in your video - Photography is Not About the End Result. This concept took several years to sink in, but once it finally did, it was the driving force that has provided me with over 35 years of enjoyment on my photographic journey. I got that advice from a very established B&W printer in Michigan when I attended a weekend printing seminar while pursuing a perfect B&W print. Those were my days of wanting to be another Ansel Adams??? It was a very small attendance, and we each had what we believed were our best prints along with our negatives for critique. Mine were from several trips to the mountains in central PA, where I hiked and camped with my 4x5 view camera. I had several prints of nice freestone brooks, and a couple sunrise and sunsets of vistas with views of the mountains. I have to admit that this was sort of a last-ditch effort for me to learn what I was doing wrong with either my shooting technique or my printing technique, because although the prints were pleasing, they just didn't reflect what I was experiencing when I shot them. Turns out, I wasn't the only one with this problem. The weekend taught us that we all had done really acceptable jobs in the shooting, based on our negatives, and good jobs printing. Yes, he gave us a lot of examples of where we could have dodged differently or burnt certain areas more or less, but on the whole, what we presented wasn't bad. What was lacking in my prints was the morning mist in the air, the sounds of the mountains waking up, the smell of the coffee mixed with the pine scent while waiting for the sun to peak over the next ridge, etc. I didn't intend to be so long winded, but what he basically got through to me was, even if you never process your film, you still have the memories and the experiences, which is really what drives us in the first place. I was ready to give up on my photographic journey all those years ago, because I wasn't smart enough to come to this realization on my own.

Love your video. A lot of good info as usual. I specifically liked the perfection point & you will never get there. Many times I have taken the perfect pic, edited for half hour and think I have a more perfect pic then a week later when I see it & I tweak it again. There's one thing I would add, don't give up on your image, maybe we can't edit the pic to get to where we want because we aren't the Lightroom guru we thought we were but maybe looking at it a different way, B&W is the perfect example. I've gotten some nice images doing that. Thanks for your info it's always useful. Great points.

I think the biggest lesson I learned over many years (and it's one that everyone "learns" at some point, some sooner than others) is that new gear (either faster cameras, higher megapixel cameras, or whatever) doesn't make you a better photographer. The only thing that makes you a better photographer is practice and trying new things (perhaps even getting out of your comfort zone a bit). I think this is something we need to ingrain in people's heads from the start like we do exposure theory and composition. This should be taught as well early on, so people can save themselves the frustration (and some money) in the long run. I do like your first one though, where going back to a beginner's mindset can really help. And this is also something I've come to realize too with my shooting. I'm almost super conscious about composition that I'll walk away from otherwise good opportunities simply because it didn't fall within what would be accepted as good composition (ie. exercising good compositional elements) when in reality, I should have taken the shot as some where real "moments" that I missed. And this reminds me of many people who would say "when you encounter a 'moment' capture it, worry about composition later" (and by 'moment' they mean a special moment that will never occur again, such as a mother giving her child a flower for example... capture it, worry about the composition later). The last one that I think really took me a long time to learn was to learn to enjoy the locations you're at, don't be so focused on photography that you miss out on the overall experience. For example, if you're at ARches National Park, don't forget to take a few moments to take in the scenery around you, without the camera for a moment, and really kind of live in the moment, for a bit and take it in. I have been on trips where I have great photos from the location but I couldn't really tell you much else of what I did or what I experienced because I was too focused on photography (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you do want to enjoy it and enjoy the location too, not just from a photographic standpoint though). And so taking the time to really kind of relax and take it in before you start shooting can really be a good thing, and you'll probably remember more about your trips aside from the photos you captured. And by this I'm not saying you should ignore photography, or you should slack off, be serious about it, but don't forget to "stop and smell the roses" as the saying goes.

Just when I thought you couldn’t make a more helpful video, you drop this banger! Best advice I ever received was to just go out and shoot.

Thank you very much for your videos, they are always inspirational . The part of the story behind the photo I use that to sell my photograph for instance, my thumbnail on my KZfaq account that photo was acquired on an iPhone 12 I was driving home from a job in Pennsylvania, where I had lost my lighting because of fallen in the middle of nowhere at a mill at 3 o’clock in the morning, trying to get an Astro shot with light painting and hurt myself pretty good when walking out of there on the trail. I noticed a bunch of steam as I got closer I realized it was bear poop I still had about a 3 mile hike up a pretty good hill in the woods. I was bleeding pretty good when I gather all my stuff up. Apparently I left my lighting so a couple days later I had bought some battery LED lights from Lowe’s. On my drive home on I 95. I was aware of these fishing boats and had not planned to take any photos there but when I saw the sky going crazy and I realize that I had to speed to get there before I lost the light, I stupidly drove a high rate of speed. then my wife called me. She had been watching me on Life360 and saw the rate which I was driving lectured me. I don’t listen too. Well I was able to make it there get the photo using the two LEDs that expose the boat with my iPhone stories like this or what I attached with my photos if I sell just as a Photos and put them in my photo books. I use the story with each photo. What I enjoy about photography is the quest for the photo and learning new techniques. KIRK MAYS p.s. I haven’t yet processed the 6 hdr images I took on my 5Dsr.

The masking tutorials you have provided. My editing has gotten much better and faster.😅

A nice succinct list!

The most impactful photography advice I received is: Take your time

Absolutely one of the best videos I have watched about not just photography per se, but the philosophy of what makes a photo, and how to make a photo mean something. So many 'lightbulb' moments I hadn't really thought about. Your presentation is always motivating in some regard but, for me, you excelled in this one. To answer your question about 'impactful advice'? I think watching this video answers your question. Thanks Mark 👍

I want to become a photo editing jedi! I guess that means sitting in front of a computer for hours, weeks, months, practicing. Maybe someday. :-) Great tips.

Great vid thanks! Subbed.

Excellent content. Much appreciated.

Such great wisdom grasshopper! I greatly enjoyed the video. So much great, practical advice. Your point about stop focusing on new gear, learn the gear you have really hit home with me. However, I'm sure I'll watch it a number of times and take notes. Thank you for sharing your thoughts in such a pragmatic way.