Love These Tips? Join Now For More!
Think Of This As Your
Photography pit stop—grab a few quick, super-handy tips from the videos below.
Photography pit stop—grab a few quick, super-handy tips from the videos below.
If photography ever feels harder than it should, you’re in the right place. This page is here to help you get unstuck, learn a few things fast, and start feeling more confident the next time you pick up your camera. Take a few minutes, watch a tip or two, and try them out. They’re short, practical, and designed to make shooting feel a whole lot easier.
These Tips Come from Scott kelby's Crush the Composition Course
That sits inside our The Photographer's Fast Track. Join Scott Kelby for an all new and updated course on how to absolutely crush the composition. There’s a lot more to composition than you may have learned before.
Tip One
Symmetry Instantly Makes Photos Work
Symmetry feels good because our brains like balance
when the left and right sides match, the photo feels calm.
Matching shapes on both sides of the frame
helps to make a photo feel organized instead of distracting.
Symmetry works even better with leading lines
your eye feels guided and comfortable at the same time.
When a scene already looks naturally balanced
let the symmetry do the heavy lifting for you.
Tip TWO
Simpler Photos Are Almost Always Stronger
You don’t make photos better by adding more
Most of the time, the magic happens when you take things away.
Look at the photos you truly love & admire
They’re usually simple scenes with one clear subject.
If something steals attention, remove it
Power lines, clutter, or distractions weaken the image fast.
Simplicity Makes Photos Stronger
Less going on in the background means the viewer knows exactly where to look.
Ready to Master Photography with the Photographer’s Fast Track? Join Now & Get Full Access At Our Best Price!
These Tips Come from Scott kelby's 7 Point System For Lightroom Course
That sits inside our The Photographer's Fast Track. Imagine being able to open any image in Lightroom Classic, Lightroom, or Camera Raw and know exactly what to do first, what to do second, and how to take it all the way from flat to fabulous, just like a pro.
Tip One
Auto Mask: Paint Edges Without the Stress
Auto Mask keeps your brush from spilling
it detects edges so you don’t accidentally paint over them.
The plus sign in the brush does the work
as long as it stays on target, edges stay protected.
Only turn Auto Mask on near edges
it slows things down, so toggle it off for big open areas.
Your brush can overlap an object safely
Auto Mask won’t affect it unless the center crosses over.
Tip Two
Contrast Brings Flat Photos to Life
Flat photos usually need contrast first
it’s often the missing piece that makes everything pop.
Set your white and black points early
they create a strong foundation for contrast to build on.
The contrast slider boosts lights and darks
brights get brighter and shadows get deeper fast.
Use the Tone Curve for extra punch
a simple S-curve can add contrast with more control.
Tip Three
Select Anything Fast with Object Selection
Use Object Selection for one thing at a time
draw a box and Lightroom figures it out for you.
The rectangle mode is the fastest option
just drag over an object and let Lightroom grab it.
Create a new mask for each object
so you can brighten one thing and darken another.
Edit parts of a photo independently
shoes, pillows, plants—each gets its own adjustment.
The Full Photographer's Fast Track Is Waiting—At Our Best Price!
Tip Four
Fix Dark, Backlit Photos with One Slider
Use the Shadows slider to rescue dark areas
drag right and it’s like adding instant fill light.
Shadows are meant to be opened up
this slider almost never gets dragged to the left.
Don’t push shadows too far on people
go too much and things start looking fake fast.
Check for noise when lifting shadows
opening dark areas can reveal noise hiding there.
Tip Five
Make Your Subject Pop by Fixing the Background First
Start by selecting the background
darkening it instantly makes your subject stand out.
Background masking does the hard work
Lightroom grabs it for you in about one click.
Tweak color while you’re there
a little green or warmth can change the whole feel.
Then brighten the subject separately
add texture and clarity to make details really pop.
Tip Six
Vibrance Beats Saturation Every Time
Vibrance boosts dull colors first
so already-bright colors don’t get pushed too far.
Skin tones are automatically protected
so people don’t turn orange or sunburned.
Just drag the slider to the right
you’ll get color pop without wrecking the photo.
A little goes a long way here
usually somewhere around 10 to 20 does the trick.
These Tips Come from Scott kelby's The Top 7 things Every Photographer Needs to Know About Their Camera Course
Whether you know a lot about your camera or just a little you’ll want to stick with Scott to learn the things that will make your experience even better.
Tip One
One Click to Perfect Color
Auto White Balance Isn’t Always Your Friend,
especially when you move into shade and skin tones start turning blue.
Look Up to Fix Your Color
Sun, clouds, shade, or indoor lights tell you the exact setting to use.
One Click Beats Fixing It Later
Setting white balance in-camera saves time and boosts confidence fast.
Good Color Keeps You Creative
when the image looks right on the screen, everything feels easier.
Tip Two
Focus On The Eyes—every Single Time!
Lock focus before you compose
Aim at the eye, hold the shutter halfway, then frame the shot exactly how you want it.
Half-press is the secret move
That halfway press locks focus so it doesn’t change while you recompose the scene.
If The Eyes Are sharp—The photo is sharp
If the eyes are in focus, everything else feels right, even with shallow depth of field.
Auto eye focus makes it even easier
Newer cameras find the eye for you, but the technique works great either way.
If These tiny tips Help Just wait until You See The Whole System!
Every tip you watched comes straight from One of the Courses within The Photographer's Fast track.
This is the shortcut Scott built to skip years of confusion, frustration, and trial-and-error behind the camera.
Seven core courses packed with practical “ohhh, that’s it” moments—just like the tips you saw above, but organized into a clear, confidence-building path. If you want photography to finally click and feel intentional every time you shoot, this is where it starts.
Wondering If This Is Right for You?
It’s a collection of core photography courses on KelbyOne designed to get you up to speed fast. It covers everything from composition and camera settings to Lightroom editing, all taught by Scott Kelby in short, practical lessons you can start using right away.
Anyone who wants to take better photos but feels stuck, overwhelmed, or just isn’t sure what to learn next. Whether you’re brand new or you’ve been shooting for a while and want to fill in the gaps, the Fast Track is built to meet you where you are.
Nope. The tips and techniques work regardless of what camera you’re shooting with. Scott focuses on skills and decision-making, not gear.
Full access to The Photographer’s Fast Track plus hundreds of other photography and editing courses, all taught by world-class instructors. You can start with an annual membership for $239 $199/yr.