Channel Title: Photography Life Channel Description: Welcome! I'm Spencer Cox, a macro and landscape photographer based in Denver. I'm posting videos on the ins and outs of photography so you can take the pictures you've always wanted. <video> How to Photograph a Rocket Launch at Night Description: If you want to photograph a rocket launch at night, you better pick the right camera settings, because you'll only get one chance to take your picture before the rocket leaves the atmosphere! I made this quick guide (my first attempt at YouTube's new #Shorts feature) so that you know for certain you'll get the photo you want. The key is to use a wider lens than you may expect, simply to give yourself some wiggle room in case you don't predict the path of the rocket perfectly. I also recommend that you slightly underexpose the shot just to make sure you don't blow out any color detail in the rocket's path. The settings I use by default are f/5.6, ISO 100, and a 5 minute exposure. Keep in mind that the techniques in this video are exclusively for capturing long exposure photos of a rocket arc at night. If you want a close-up photo where the rocket is sharp, you'll need to be much closer to the launch site, and your shutter speed will need to be much quicker. I hope this answered your questions quickly and easily! ~Spencer https://instagram.com/spencercoxphoto/​ _________________________ If you want to support my channel, one of the best ways to help is to follow me on Instagram @spencercoxphoto! I’m new there, but I’ve started posting regularly, including some behind-the-scenes content when I’m out filming. Other than that, one of YouTube's biggest considerations for ranking videos from a niche channel like mine is shares. If you know someone who would find this video useful, click the share button under the video to send it their way! If you're a blog or website owner, you have my permission to post it on your website however you deem best. _________________________ #NASA #SpaceX </video> <video> A Day in the Life of a Landscape Photographer Description: This is the story of a day in Death Valley as a landscape photographer — the art of landscape photography behind the scenes. I hope you enjoy. To stay up to date on what I'm doing, follow the Photography Life Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/PhotographyLifeBlog That page is also where you'll find exclusive articles, polls, photo critiques, and more. Including the special project that I mentioned at the end of this video... :) - Spencer </video> <video> How to Edit Milky Way Photos in Lightroom for Great Results Description: Most Milky Way photos don't look great "out of the box" — so, you need to edit them carefully. Adobe Lightroom Classic is one of the best tools out there for the job, and in this video, I'm going to show you how to get STELLAR Milky Way photos with some intelligent post-processing. Most of the time, the best process is to start with Lightroom's global adjustments that affect everything in the photo, followed by local adjustments like gradient and brush tools. That's the process that I follow during this walkthrough, where I edit one of my own Milky Way photos from start to finish. Whether you're a beginner or an expert in Lightroom, I think you'll pick up some tricks from this video. I'm using the newest 2021 edition of the software, so we'll cover some interesting features like Color Grading that you may not have seen before. And if you still have questions after you're finished watching, feel free to leave me a comment below, and I'll do what I can to answer. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 #Lightroom #Astrophotography </video> <video> The Best Camera Settings for Macro and Close-Up Photography Description: This video simplifies camera settings for macro photography! The first part explains the optimal settings for close-up photography in general (including larger subjects like flowers, lizards, and crabs). The second part covers high-magnification macro photography, which uses more specialized techniques. The tips in this tutorial apply regardless of the camera you have - whether DSLR, mirrorless, Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc... the system I cover works the same way no matter what. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 👇👇👇 If you're not familiar with macro photography yet, you may find it useful to watch my complete introduction to macro photography beforehand: https://youtu.be/8CbfL4fvH6M I also have a complete video on macro photography lighting: https://youtu.be/hRkaFPuGGpE As well as macro photography ideas that you can do at home: https://youtu.be/PLECVO6_2gU This video ONLY covers camera settings, but it does so in more detail than I've been able to do before. Macro photography is very demanding on your settings, after all, so I hope you like the comprehensiveness of this guide. I do want to make a quick note here. I said in the video that the best aperture depends on the camera you're using, and that's true. Something I've talked about before is that Canon calculates aperture differently from other manufacturers at these high magnifications. You'll need to divide my recommended values (f/16 to f/22) by two if you shoot with Canon. So, f/8 to f/11 is the equivalent, if you're shooting at 1:1 magnification. I'm sure this is something you've already figured out on your own (heck, it's in Canon's camera and lens manuals), so I'm only mentioning it just in case :) If you have any questions or comments about this tutorial, let me know below! I'm planning to answer every question, so now's a good chance if there's anything you were wondering about macro photography. ~Spencer https://instagram.com/spencercoxphoto/​ #MacroPhotography​ #Photography​ </video> <video> Best Camera Settings for Landscape Photography Description: Landscape photography can feel slow-moving at times, until it suddenly feels just the opposite. So, you need to know how to set your camera quickly and accurately or you'll miss the shot! This video will help you get to that point, whether you're a beginner or advanced photographer. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 👇👇👇 Some more resources related to this video: - Hyperfocal distance focusing method: https://youtu.be/gsuM3bSSwd4 - Best aperture for landscape photography: https://youtu.be/ZXLm7-EkYSI - Similar info but in blog form: https://photographylife.com/landscapes/best-camera-settings-landscape-photography </video> <video> Milky Way Photography Tutorial - The COMPLETE Guide for Beginners Description: Milky Way photography is the most requested topic that I've ever gotten on this channel. I hope you can tell, this is also the most time I've put into making a video! By the end of this tutorial, you'll know exactly how to photograph the Milky Way with any equipment. It covers everything from camera settings to advanced astrophotography techniques like multi-image blending. I made this course to be completely beginner friendly, but it also has a lot of tips for pro photographers along the way. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 👇👇👇 RESOURCES MENTIONED IN VIDEO: • Video on shutter speed, aperture, and ISO: https://youtu.be/D-GfbRkFtuw • Photopills (astrophotography app): https://www.photopills.com • Dark Site Finder (light pollution map): https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html • Starry Landscape Stacker (image averaging for Mac): https://sites.google.com/site/starrylandscapestacker/home • Sequator (image averaging for Windows): https://sites.google.com/site/sequatorglobal/ • Red light headlamp: https://amzn.to/3nPKqXu • DSLR and mirrorless-compatible tracking head: https://amzn.to/3aDOAxO • Good, cheap 14mm f/2.8: https://amzn.to/2WHUeH2 TUTORIAL TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro to Milky Way Photography 01:42 Camera Settings 14:02 Focusing Technique 18:15 Recommended Gear 25:40 Shooting Conditions 30:57 Image Blending 35:40 Conclusion If you think it was worth it, I cannot emphasize enough how much it helps when you share the video with other photographers who may find it useful. Thank you! And, as always, if you have any questions, comments, or feedback, let me know below, and I'll do my best to respond to everyone. ~Spencer https://instagram.com/spencercoxphoto/ #Astrophotography #MilkyWayPhotography </video> <video> Spencer Cox Photography Live Stream Description: </video> <video> How to Use Depth of Field in Photography - Explained Description: Depth of field is one of the most important creative and technical factors in photography. Let's examine the tools at your disposal to change depth of field with any camera. This tutorial begins by explaining the three different ways to change depth of field: aperture, focal length, and focusing distance. We then move to real-world examples of how to use depth of field in practice, including situations where the three factors may be working against you. The final part of this tutorial covers two methods to extend your depth of field beyond the ordinary limits of your lens: focus stacking and Brenizer method panoramas. Although there are a few other methods of extending your depth of field artificially (such as manually blurring the background in Photoshop), these two techniques are the most versatile and natural-looking ways to do so. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 👇👇👇 I said in the video that I'd provide links to some more advanced topics that are beyond the scope of the video. Here are the pages I recommend: Wikipedia on depth of field: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depth_of_field Depth of Field Myths (my article for Photography Life): https://photographylife.com/depth-of-field-myths-the-biggest-misconceptions Why camera sensors don't directly change depth of field: https://fstoppers.com/education/understanding-how-sensor-size-affects-depth-field-312599 Equivalence (getting identical looking photos despite different camera sensor sizes): https://photographylife.com/equivalence-also-includes-aperture-and-iso That should tide you over for a while :) ~Spencer https://instagram.com/spencercoxphoto/​ #DepthOfField </video> <video> Macro Photography Ideas You Can Do At Home Description: Even if you're stuck at home, there are a ton of amazing macro and close-up photography subjects you can photograph! I've made a list of my personal favorites in hopes of giving you some useful ideas. Some of these are a blast to photograph! If you feel like you haven't been doing enough photography recently because you can't travel to as many places as usual, this video is for you. One of the biggest strengths of macro and close-up photography is that you can do it anywhere, including in your home, and get amazing results. I admit that some of these ideas are a bit unusual, like freezing custom-made clear ice to get more interesting patterns and structures, but that's just part of being a macro photographer! Along with that, I will point out that you don't technically need a macro lens for most of these photo ideas. Even kit lenses tend to have pretty decent maximum magnifications around 1:4 or so, which is enough to take great pictures of most of these subjects. A macro lens certainly helps if you want to get closer, though. I also recommend searching around and coming up with your own ideas for this type of photography. With some creativity, there’s really no limit to what you can photograph. As always, let me know below if you have any questions! Thanks for watching! 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 </video> <video> Astrophotography Q&A Description: </video> <video> Wildlife Photography Without an Extreme Telephoto Lens Description: I had a bit of fun with this one :) The truth is that I love wildlife photography, but I don't have a supertelephoto lens. Actually, my longest lens is only 200mm! But I still manage to take wildlife photos with some success. This video shows my process and some of my favorite tips. At the end of the day, I'm not saying you should ditch your supertelephoto if you have one. But rather, don't be deterred from an entire genre of photography just because you think your lens doesn't zoom far enough. The photos in this video are taken at everything from 24mm to 200mm, with tons in between. (Most of them are around 100mm or so.) Basically, whether your longest lens is a 70-200mm, or even a kit lens like an 18-55mm, you can still take great wildlife photos. I hope you found these tips useful, and feel free to share in the comments below if you have any of your own! Wildlife photography rocks. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 </video> <video> How to Take Good Photos in Bad Light Description: 95% of the time, the sky is not going to have classic "good light." Sunset and sunrise don't last long, and even then they're not always right for photography. That's why it's so critical to know how to take good photos, even in bad light! I adventured through Florida's notoriously ever-changing weather to talk about doing photography on an overcast day, in midday sun, and in the pouring rain. Just a little behind-the-scenes info - finding a good rainstorm for this video was actually super difficult! To find the rain, I consulted my weather app constantly, drove two hours away, waited all morning and afternoon, and FINALLY ended up in the massive rainstorm you see in the video! It only lasted about fifteen minutes, and it almost killed my microphone, so I'm super glad I was able to bring back some footage. All of the lighting conditions I talk about in this video are sure to happen at some point in your journey as a photographer, so it helps to be prepared and know what to do. Sunset and sunrise can be beautiful, but really the "best light" in photography is whatever works the best for your particular subject. If you keep that in mind, you'll be able to take some amazing photos. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 #Photography #PhotographyTips #Light </video> <video> Editing Milky Way Photos in Photoshop: The 5 Best Tools Description: When you edit Milky Way and astrophotography images, perhaps you tend to experience some frustration with Photoshop. Where should you even begin? The truth is that Photoshop is a huge software, and it can do almost anything you can think of. It's impossible to cover everything in one video, but these five tools in particular are some of the best and most useful ways to add some "pop" to your astrophotography. The five tools I explain in this tutorial are as follows: 1. How to re-edit any sliders you changed in Adobe Camera Raw 2. How to make natural-looking color edits to the night sky 3. How to selectively edit the foreground in your Milky Way shots 4. How to add a glow effect that's become so popular lately 5. How to post-process just the stars with a smooth selection These only scratch the surface of Photoshop's tools for astrophotography, but hopefully they give you some good ideas so that you can post-process your photos as well as possible. Let me know if you have any questions about editing Milky Way photos! 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 </video> <video> Better Than HDR? Try Image Averaging for Better Results Description: Almost every photographer knows about HDR. But is there a better technique to accomplish the same result? I’d argue that there is. Image averaging doesn’t get as much attention as HDR, but in a lot of common situations — especially when there’s something moving in your photo — it ends up working a lot better. When I was coming up with the idea for this video, I was surprised to see that this technique has never been mentioned anywhere else I’ve seen online. Let’s change that! If you know any other photographers who use HDR a lot (and/or complain about ghosting artifacts in their HDR photography), feel free to share this technique so they can improve their photos. One thing that I mentioned in the video but didn’t elaborate on is the issue of anti-ghosting settings in HDR software. You might think that my big complaint about HDR (that it doesn’t work well with moving subjects) is irrelevant when you turn on anti-ghosting. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, while the anti-ghosting settings usually do a good job eliminating halos around moving subjects, they introduce strange patterns of noise instead. You may not notice this in every photo, but when it shows up, it can completely ruin the shot, and there’s no way around it. (See the crop at about 2:11 of the video.) Image averaging doesn’t have this problem at all. Instead of weird halos or unnatural patterns of noise, it just mimics a slightly longer shutter speed. To my eye, at least, that looks *far* better. Of course, it’s up to you if you want to use the image averaging technique in your own work. If you’re the type of person who routinely shoots 9-image HDRs, it’s probably not a useful replacement, because you’d need to average way too many photos to get 9 stops of shadow improvement. But for standard 3-image HDRs, it’s a fantastic replacement, and nowadays I hardly even use HDR any more for landscape photography. 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 </video> <video> The Best Aperture For Landscape Photography Description: You've probably heard photographers say, "f/8 and be there!" But is f/8 really the best aperture for landscape photography? In truth, any aperture on your lens could be useful for photographing landscapes, just depending on the scene in front of you. I routinely use wide apertures like f/2.8 for Milky Way photography, while I'll stop down to f/16 if I need maximum depth of field. This video goes into detail about the exact situations where you'd want to use each aperture value from f/1.4 to f/16, with dozens of examples taken directly from my Lightroom catalog. If this video doesn't help you understand what aperture to use for landscape photography, I don't know what will! 👇👇👇 This video is not sponsored! You can support Photography Life and Spencer Cox Photography by buying anything through my affiliate links! Here is all the photo equipment I use: https://bhpho.to/3XUv32a And here’s my video gear to film this video: https://bhpho.to/3Yt8th1 </video>

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Welcome! I'm Spencer Cox, a macro and landscape photographer based in Denver. I'm posting videos on the ins and outs of photography so you can take the pictures you've always wanted.

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