Photography Explained Podcast

Send us a textWant to take better photos in 2026 than you did in 2025? 📸 This episode gives you five simple, practical things you can start doing today that will genuinely improve your photography.In this episode, you'll learn:✅ How to properly clean your camera gear and why it matters for sharp photos✅ The smart way to learn camera settings without getting overwhelmed✅ Why shooting in different lighting conditions makes you a better photographer✅ How to critically review your work before sharing it✅ Why trying uncomfortable photography genres helps you growThese tips work for everyone - whether you're using a phone 📱, an entry-level camera, or professional gear. No jargon, just practical advice you can use today.📸 What You'll Learn:✅ Thing 1: Clean Your Gear Properly and Keep It CleanGet yourself a proper cleaning kit with a blower brush, microfibre cloths, and lens cleaning solution. Make cleaning a habit before every shoot. Clean lenses make sharp photos - it's that simple!✅ Thing 2: Learn One Camera Setting Really WellDon't try to master everything at once. Pick one setting - maybe exposure compensation, aperture priority, or even manual mode - and become properly competent with it. Master it, then move on to the next one.✅ Thing 3: Take Photos in Different LightDeliberately seek out different lighting conditions. Harsh midday sun, soft overcast light, golden hour, indoor window light - each type teaches you different skills. Photography is drawing with light, so this stuff is pretty important!✅ Thing 4: Review Your Photos Critically Before Sharing ThemStop sharing every photo you take. Review your photos twice - once immediately, then again with fresh eyes after waiting overnight. Quality over quantity, always.✅ Thing 5: Shoot Something UncomfortableTry a photography genre outside your comfort zone. Love landscapes? Try portraits. Always shoot people? Try architecture. Uncomfortable equals growth, and growth equals better photography.📱 For Phone Photographers:Everything in this episode applies to phone photography too! Clean your phone lens, learn exposure compensation in your camera app, photograph in different light, review before posting, and try different types of photography with your phone.🔗 Related Episodes:If you're enjoying this New Year focus on improving your photography, you might want to check out the previous episode - episode 222, The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 29 Essential Photography Tips That Actually MatterAnd here are some other recent related episodes - episode 220, The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It: and good old episode 152, Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.comSupport the showGet your question answeredThis is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.Thanks very much for listeningCheers from me Rick

Send us a textOver 221 episodes, thousands of tips, and hundreds of hours of content. Today, I've distilled everything down to the most important photography tips I've ever shared. This is the episode you'll want to bookmark. 🔖Here's the thing about doing a podcast for over 221 episodes: you accumulate a lot of advice. Some of it's specific—how to photograph buildings 🏛️, how to use a polarizing filter, how to set up your Lightroom catalog. But some tips? They're universal. ✨ They work for everyone, regardless of what you photograph or what gear you use. 📷Today's episode is different. Instead of diving deep into one topic, we're going wide. 🌍 I've gone back through every single episode and pulled out the most essential, most powerful, most immediately useful tips I've ever shared. These are the tips that listeners tell me changed their photography. 🚀 The ones that work whether you're using a professional camera or your phone. 📱 The ones that apply to landscapes 🏞️, portraits 👤, street photography 🏙️, and everything in between.If you're new to the podcast, this is your crash course. 🎓 If you've been listening from the start, this is your refresher. 🔄 Either way, by the end of this episode, you'll have actionable tips that will immediately improve your photography. No fluff, no filler—just the best of the best. 🏆THE 29 TIPS COVERED: 💡1. 📸 Use My One Photo Rule2. ✂️ Take Fewer Photos Overall3. 🚶‍♂️👀🧠 My Photography Superpowers – Walking, Looking, and Thinking4. 🤔 Think Before You Take a Photo5. 🚫⚙️ No One Cares About Your Gear or Settings6. 🔺 Forget the Exposure Triangle7. 📉 Use the Lowest ISO for the Sharpest Photos8. 🎛️ Learn How to Use Manual Mode9. 🖼️ Get a Portfolio of Your Best Twelve Photos10. 💬 Get a Critique of Your Photos (Not from Friends or Family)11. 📚 Learn from Other Photographers (and Yourself)12. #️⃣ Use the Rule of Thirds13. ➡️ Use Leading Lines14. 🏔️ Create Depth in Your Photos15. 🧹 Simplify by Removing Distractions16. 📁 Shoot in RAW Format17. ⚪ Use a Grey Card for Accurate Colors18. 📊 Use Your Histogram19. 🎯 Find Your Lens Sweet Spot20. ❤️ Photograph Things You're Actually Interested In21. ✏️ Only Edit Photos You're Going to Use22. 🗑️ Delete RCheck out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.comMaking Good: Small Business Marketing PodcastMaking Good helps you do better marketing so you can make a bigger impact. If you’re...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Smart AI Business & Tax Moves: Think Like Kenner French & VastSolutionsGroup.comSmart AI, business & tax strategies with Kenner French. Fresh insights!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showGet your question answeredThis is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.Thanks very much for listeningCheers from me Rick

Send us a text📸 Photography Explained Podcast - Episode 221🎯 Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for BeginnersHost: Rick McEvoy 🇬🇧 | Duration: ⏱️ 23 minutes⚡ What Is This?The Rule of Thirds is a cheat code 🎮 that instantly makes your photos more interesting. Divide your frame into 9 equal parts (like noughts and crosses), place your subject on the lines or intersection points, and watch your photos transform.Works for cameras 📷 and phones 📱. No jargon. Just results.🎓 The 7 Essential Tips📍 1. Position Your SubjectPut eyes on intersection points for portraits. Near the line is fine.🏔️ 2. Landscape HorizonsInteresting sky? → Horizon on lower third Interesting foreground? → Horizon on upper third🏃 3. Action & MovementGive moving subjects space to move into the frame.⚠️ 4. Avoid These MistakesDon't obsess over pixel-perfect alignmentDon't forget about your backgroundDon't use it mindlessly🔓 5. When to Break the RuleSymmetry, patterns, and tight portraits often work better centered.🔗 6. Combine with Other TechniquesUse with leading lines, negative space, and framing.🏛️ 7. Architectural PhotographyPosition buildings on vertical lines. Keep verticals vertical.📋 Quick RecapThe Grid: 2 horizontal + 2 vertical lines = 9 equal parts The Power Points: 4 intersection points where lines cross The Default: Use it for everything until you know when to break it🎬 Your Challenge1️⃣ Turn on your grid (Settings → Camera → Grid) 2️⃣ Take 3 photos using the Rule of Thirds 3️⃣ Take the same 3 photos centered 4️⃣ Compare and see the difference📱 Phone UsersiPhone: Settings → Camera → Grid ✅ Android: Camera app → ⚙️ → Grid Lines ✅Pro Tip: Tap to focus on intersection points = perfect focus + composition! 🎯🔗 More Episodes📻 220: The Photographer's Eye - See Great Photos Before You Take Them 📻 218: Train Your Eye - Master Photography Right Where You Are 📻 217: The Art of Light - From Harsh to Heavenly🚀 Next Week: Episode 222The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 20 Essential TipsRick's going through 220+ episodes to pull out the absolute best. Can't wait! 🤩🔗 Connect with Rick🌐 RickMcEvoyPhotography.com ▶️ YouTube: Search "Rick McEvoy" 🎓 Course: How to Become a Real Estate Photographer 📧 Weekly emails | 💬 Text Rick from the podcast feed🥪 Episode SponsorCheese and pickle sandwich 🥪 + Coke Zero 🥤Consumed in Rick's homemade, acousticallCheck out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.comSupport the showGet your question answeredThis is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.Thanks very much for listeningCheers from me Rick

Send us a textEver wonder why some photographers spot amazing shots everywhere while you're standing in the same place seeing nothing? 👀 They're not lucky—they've trained their photographer's eye, and you can too! Host Rick McEvoy reveals the exact skills that separate snapshots from photographs. Learn to see light, composition, and decisive moments BEFORE you press the shutter. No expensive gear required! ✨💥 What You'll Master in This Episode:* Light First, Always 🌅💡 Why great photographers look at the light before the subject—this single shift changes everything!* Layers & Depth 🏔️📐 Spot foreground, middle ground, and background elements that transform flat photos into three-dimensional images.* Patterns, Lines & Shapes 🔲🔄 Train your eye to see geometric compositions hiding in plain sight—broken patterns and leading lines that work!* The Decisive Moment ⏱️✨ Anticipate and capture that perfect split-second when everything comes together.* Contrasts & Relationships 🔄⚖️ Big vs small, old vs new—spot visual stories that make photos memorable.* Ruthless Simplification ✂️🎨 Know what to EXCLUDE from your photos—less is always more!🎯 Your Assignment This WeekWalk for 30 minutes WITHOUT your camera. Point at everything you'd photograph and explain why. Next day, take the same walk WITH your camera. This exercise is pure magic! 🪄📱 Works with phone cameras too! The photographer's eye has nothing to do with gear. 🤳📚 Related Resources & Next Steps➡️ Next Episode (Fortnightly): Episode 221: Composition Made Simple: The Rule of Thirds for Beginners 📐⬅️ Last Episode: Episode 219: Why Your Photos Look Flat & How to Fix Them ✨🎯 Foundation Skills: Episode 218: Train Your Eye: Master Photography Right Where You Are 🔍🏠 Ready to Go Pro? Check out Rick's splendid How to Become a Real Estate Photographer course at RickMcEvoyPhotography.com/coursesFind Rick Online: RickMcEvoyPhotography.com 📸#photographyexplained #photographerseye #photographytips #learnphotography #compositiontips #decisivemoment #rickmcevoyThis episode was brought to you by a cheese and pickle sandwich and a Coke Zero 🥪🥤Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.comMaking Good: Small Business Marketing PodcastMaking Good helps you do better marketing so you can make a bigger impact. If you’re...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showGet your question answeredThis is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.Thanks very much for listeningCheers from me Rick

Send us a textEver wondered why your photos don't look as good as the scene you remember? 🤔 The answer isn't a new camera or expensive software—it's mastering seven simple editing adjustments that transform flat photos into stunning images. ✨Host Rick McEvoy reveals the exact editing workflow professional photographers use on EVERY photo. Learn how to make your images pop without spending hours editing or a fortune on gear. 💥These aren't complex techniques—they're straightforward adjustments that offer massive returns in quality. Start with the best photo you can capture, then take it to the next level! 🎯💥 What You'll Master in This Episode:Crop & Straighten First 🖼️✂️ Refine composition, fix crooked horizons, and verticalize buildings for that clean, professional look.White Balance Magic ⚪🌈 Use the eyedropper tool on neutral greys to instantly correct color casts—game-changing for portraits, interiors, and landscapes.Exposure Control ☀️💡 Go beyond the basic exposure slider to master highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks for perfect brightness.Contrast for Punch 💥 Add depth and drama by making blacks blacker and whites whiter—without clipping your histogram.Dimension with Highlights & Shadows 🌓 Recover detail in bright skies and dark areas for images that feel three-dimensional.Vibrance Over Saturation 🌈🎨 Make colors pop naturally without the cartoonish look—plus the secret of Lightroom's Color Mixer.Sharpening Secrets 🔍 The finishing touch that makes photos crisp without introducing noise or artifacts.📚 Related Resources & Next Steps➡️ Next Episode (Fortnightly): Episode 220: The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It. 👁️⬅️ Last Episode: Episode 218: Train Your Eye: Master Photography Right Where You Are. 🎒📊 Deep Dive on Histograms: Episode 114: What Is A Histogram And How Can It Help Us When We Shoot? & Episode 164: Understanding Histograms In Photography.🎨 Is Editing Cheating? Episode 92: Is Editing Photos Cheating? Well Is It? Well What Do You Think?🛠️ Essential Gear: EpisodeCheck out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.comMaking Good: Small Business Marketing PodcastMaking Good helps you do better marketing so you can make a bigger impact. If you’re...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showGet your question answeredThis is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.Thanks very much for listeningCheers from me Rick