Every image has a story, and this one starts as a humble RAW file—just data, just potential. But like the forest floor quietly waking up in spring, it only needed the right touch to bloom. With a careful edit in RawTherapee, some luminance tone mapping (Reinhard 02), and a bit of patience, this wood anemone... Continue Reading →
Picture this:No clients. No stress. No “can you tweak this one by tomorrow?”Just you, your camera… and that magical morning light you actually woke up early for. Sounds like freedom?Welcome to the wonderful life of the hobby - enthousiast photographer. ✌️ You don’t have to. You get to. Here’s the big win:You don’t owe anyone... Continue Reading →
3 minute read time - header credit : Image by prostooleh on Freepik Let’s be honest — when you’re earning (part of) your living through photography, you want tools that are reliable, fast, and get the job done without fuss. But do those tools have to be Adobe’s Lightroom and Photoshop? Or can you deliver... Continue Reading →
Read this six-minute tweak for RawTherapee, and get a total workflow upgrade. A Fresh Start with RawTherapee: Setting Up Your Favorites for a Smarter Workflow, and Color Management with Adobe Camera Profiles. In a previous article, we talked about ART and other RawTherapee forks. One thing ART definitely has going for it is a simpler... Continue Reading →
6 minutes read. Well, I said I was pretty happy with this quick and simple edits – and I meant it. Honestly, in most cases I’d just throw this kind of result straight into my gallery without chasing perfection.But… can it be improved? Sure. In my first version, I used Shadows & Highlights to bring... Continue Reading →
5 minutes read Well, it’s been a few weeks since I started the Deep Dive series and published that article on GIMP 3.0 — and let’s just say, it didn’t go unnoticed. I’ve received quite a few responses, mostly via email, a handful in the comments, and they all share one thing: things don’t always... Continue Reading →
Well no, it’s not some magical recovery job – this is just a plain RAW file, shown in Neutral. But yeah... it is very dark. So the question becomes: can you still make something out of it in RawTherapee? Absolutely! RawTherapee’s bag of tricks can handle way worse than this. And honestly, with just a... Continue Reading →
Well, an update on my March 2025 article: Bicycle Bridge with Olympus TG Tracker. The Ulanzi clamp is a great tool—essential if you want to mount your action camera, in this case, an Olympus TG Tracker, to a bike, motorcycle, or e-bike. However, there was one drawback: you constantly have to screw and unscrew it.... Continue Reading →
5 minutes read time Upgrading the Setup For a smoother filming experience, especially when shooting handheld, I needed accessories that would improve stability and usability. While I already had a cage for extra stability (which I’ll discuss in a future article), I was looking for a solution that would make it easier to operate the... Continue Reading →
A new and slightly different article on Open Source Photography! Some might not think much of it, while others will find it right up their alley. My goal is to offer a fresh perspective—something you won’t easily find elsewhere. To keep doing that and continue exploring new, interesting topics, I need a little motivation. So,... Continue Reading →
5 minutes read time Version Management in RawTherapee: A Flexible Approach When it comes to version management in photo editing, Adobe Lightroom offers a history panel and virtual copies, allowing users to revert to previous edits and compare different versions easily. However, this system is deeply tied to Lightroom’s catalog, which has some drawbacks: the... Continue Reading →
This in-between article was written upon request. Transferring photos to a PC, Mac, or even a smartphone or tablet may seem easy, but your SD card is not a simple USB stick that you can just plug in, empty, and format. If you do, you might run into problems—or worse, lose your photos and render... Continue Reading →
Less than 2 minutes to read. The graduated filter in RawTherapee or Lightroom is typically used to correct featureless skies, reduce overexposure in bright skies, or enhance cloud contrast to create a more dramatic atmosphere. In this case, however, I’m using it to recover details in the snow, which became overexposed and lost texture after... Continue Reading →
Only 3 minutes reading time. First Test Video – Lessons Learned This is my very first test video, meant to showcase how I discover interesting spots on my e-mountain bike, how the surroundings look, and how I capture them. Things didn’t go exactly as planned—maybe nerves, forgetfulness, or a mix of both—but that’s all part... Continue Reading →
4 minutes read time. The tool, initially called "Local Adjustment Tool" in RawTherapee 5.10, was renamed "Selective Editing" in version 5.11, likely reflecting expanded capabilities. It took me a while to realize the true potential of this tool. I first noticed it in RawTherapee 5.10 but didn’t grasp what a fantastic feature it is for... Continue Reading →
Less than 3 minutes read time. If you’re like me and own multiple cameras or shoot infrequently, you may wonder: should you leave the battery in your camera or remove it? There are plenty of opinions and myths out there about batteries draining power, third-party batteries leaking, and other concerns. But there’s another critical question:... Continue Reading →
Less than 6 minutes read time - Latest update below I’m always looking for ways to improve, and recently, I focused on optimizing my website's limited storage while presenting larger, high-quality photos to my audience. During this search, I discovered an alternative image format: WebP. WebP and JPG (JPEG) are both widely used image formats,... Continue Reading →
Less than 1 minute read time. The article linked below discusses a color issue in RawTherapee, where images looked different on-screen compared to after being uploaded to WordPress. I resolved this by adjusting a setting in RawTherapee. However, this isn't exclusive to RawTherapee—it could also occur in your editor or be related to the output... Continue Reading →
Bird and Wildlife Photography: The Full Picture Capturing the beauty of birds and wildlife goes beyond having the right camera and lens; it's about the entire setup—gear, techniques, and knowledge working together for an immersive experience. In my bird and wildlife photography series, I cover key aspects for success. The Ultimate Micro Four Thirds Wildlife... Continue Reading →
When you're out exploring, do you find yourself taking countless photos of the same subject? Do you publish all of them? Probably not—and that’s a good thing. Nothing turns off readers of articles or viewers of photo galleries faster than feeling like they’re seeing the same photo over and over. Even long series of similar... Continue Reading →
Looking for a camera for bird and wildlife photography? You might want to take a closer look at the Micro Four Thirds system! At first glance, the title might suggest this article highlights a few underrated cameras. In reality, it’s about the entire Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system being underappreciated, not just a few models.... Continue Reading →
This has to be one of the funniest images I’ve ever used, created with AI as a header picture ! Sure, it’s wildly exaggerated, and the wild is clearly sitting where it absolutely shouldn’t—but it gets the point across. Be prepared: for what you plan to photograph and the situations you might find yourself in.... Continue Reading →
What Does a Photographer Do When It’s Cold, Wet, and Gloomy Outside? Well, it’s the perfect time to clean your camera sensor! If you frequently switch lenses, it’s worth checking if your sensor needs a cleaning. It’s been a while since I wrote about this topic, but it’s always good to revisit. Here’s a quick... Continue Reading →
Attention Olympus and OM System Camera Users: The LightSnowDev firmware SD Card update tool is no longer operational, even via their new page. But don’t worry—there’s another way! Important Disclaimer The following method is entirely at your own risk. I tested it today on an older camera, and it worked perfectly. However, there’s no guarantee... Continue Reading →
When photographing general subjects like architecture, street scenes, and landscapes, I typically shoot in both JPEG and RAW formats. However, for the past year, when it comes to birds or wildlife, I’ve switched exclusively to RAW. All three of my OM System cameras—the OM-1 Mark II, E-M1X, and E-M1 MKIII—are set to shoot in RAW... Continue Reading →
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