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This is Explorer University, a FREE Adventure Photography course.

Whether you’ve never touched a camera in your life or are a working professional, Explorer University covers everything from camera basics all the way up to the most advanced Photoshop techniques.

It’s everything you need to know, in one comprehensive flow.

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The Course

Explorer University is divided into two units- Photography and Editing. Select a tutorial to begin.

A person in a red jacket stands on rocks near a large waterfall in a lush green forest.

Unit I - Photography

How to find and take beautiful photos.

  • This is the introduction to the Photography unit of Explorer University! I’m going to give you an overview of the tutorials to come. 

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  • Learn the four tenets that make up my adventure photography philosophy.

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  • Learn the basics of photography gear as I answer three of the most common questions.

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  • Learn the five most important features to look for in a camera body.

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  • Learn everything you need to know about lenses, including focal length, aperture, and a variety of features.

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  • Learn about the five most common lens filters you’ll encounter in adventure photography.

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  • Learn the four most important features to look for in a photography drone.

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  • Learn about twelve accessories that you may or may not need for adventure photography.

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  • Learn about ten things you can do to keep your photography gear in good shape.

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  • Learn the difference between RAW and JPEG, and about additional settings to maximize image quality in your camera.

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  • Learn what dynamic range is and how to measure it in your camera.

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  • Learn how to balance shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to get the perfect exposure.

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  • Learn what focus is and how to use it properly.

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  • Learn about some additional settings within your camera for more niche situations.

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  • Learn how to find locations to shoot at. I’ll cover how to discover hidden gems, and how to find the iconic spots.

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  • Learn when to shoot photography, and about the five different types of lighting.

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  • Learn how to use social engineering to benefit your photography.

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  • Learn how to use Google Earth to scout out photography spots.

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  • Learn techniques to warm up and achieve flow state.

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  • Learn what composition is, a few general tips, and how I’m going to walk you through it in this course.

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  • Learn about the first Element of Design- Lines. I’m going to cover what the six types of lines are, and how they impact viewer psychology.

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  • Learn about the second Element of Design- Shapes. I’ll cover what shapes are, common ones to look for in photography, and what emotions are associated with them.

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  • Learn about the third Element of Design- Form. I’ll cover what form is, and five ways to cultivate it in your photography.

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  • Learn about the fourth Element of Design- Color. I’ll cover what color is made of, the color orders, the five main color schemes, and about the psychology behind different colors.

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  • Learn about the fifth Element of Design- Texture. I’ll cover what texture is, ways to shoot it, some popular types of textures to look out for, and a few ways to alter it in camera.

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  • Learn about the sixth Element of Design- Value. I’ll cover what value is, how to measure it using the Zone System, and how it relates to color.

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  • Learn about the seventh Element of Design- Space. I’ll cover differences between positive/negative space, discuss how to use it, and finally what the Rule of Space is.

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  • Learn about the first Principal of Art- Balance. I’ll walk you through what Balance is, and 7 ways to use it in your photography.

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  • Learn about the second Principal of Art- Contrast. I'll cover what Contrast is, and demonstrate how you can use Contrast with the 7 Elements of Design.

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  • Learn about the third Principal of Art- Patterns. I’ll cover what patterns are, how to find them, and what the four primary types of patterns are.

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  • Learn about the 4th Principal of Art- Movement. I’ll run through 6 ways to show movement of the subject, and two ways to move a viewer’s eye through a photo.

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  • Learn about the 5th Principal of Art- Proportion. I run through through 10 different proportion grids that you can use to position elements within your images.

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  • Learn about the 6th Principal of Art- Variety. I’ll cover how to use variety with the 7 elements of design, and finish the video with a discussion on the Rule of Odds.

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  • Learn about the 7th Principal of Design- Harmony. I break down what it is, and cover 7 visual tangents that can destroy the harmony in your image.

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  • Learn how to tell a story through your photography. I cover story within singular photos, multiple photos, and alternative mediums you can use to enhance your photography.

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  • A short introduction to the Environments portion of Explorer University.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your aerial (drone) photography.

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  • Learn ten tips to improve your astrophotography.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your desert photography.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your environmental portrait photography.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your photography in the forest.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your photography in freshwater situations (waterfalls, lakes, rivers, hot springs.)

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your photography in frozen landscapes.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your mountain photography.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your rural (ruins, countryside, abandoned) photography.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your seascape photography.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your urban photography.

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  • Learn 10 tips to improve your wildlife photography.

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  • Learn some popular photography terms you might hear tossed around in the field.

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  • Learn about the seven principles of Leave No Trace in relation to photography.

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  • You made it to the end of Photography unit! Congratulations. Here’s how to keep the momentum going.

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Photoshop Editing

Unit II - Editing

A complete Lightroom and Photoshop workflow.

  • This is the introduction to the Editing unit of Explorer University! I’m going to give you an overview of the tutorials to come.

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  • Learn about my editing philosophy, and the four principals I always follow.

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  • Learn about the hardware and software that I recommend for photo editing.

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  • Learn how to import photos from your camera to your computer in a clean, organized file structure.

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  • Learn how to import photos from your computer into Lightroom efficiently.

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  • Learn how to sort through your photos, label them, and find the best ones for editing.

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  • Learn the four preliminary edits to make in Lightroom before importing your photo into Photoshop.

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  • Learn how to import your photos into Photoshop from Lightroom, and sync back and forth.

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  • Learn the basics of the Photoshop interface, and create your own customized workspace.

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  • Learn the three types of layers photographers use, how to move them, and a variety of options associated with them.

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  • Learn how to use masks with layers and utilize them for maximum effect.

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  • Learn how to make selections, what to do with them, and a variety of selection tools.

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  • Learn what adjustments are, and go over some of the popular adjustments in Photoshop.

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  • Learn how to use the crop tool effectively in Photoshop.

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  • Learn how to use the five primary healing tools within Photoshop.

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  • Learn about what frequency separation is- and how it can be used to remove footprints and lens flares from images.

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  • Learn what the brush tool is, when to to use it, and how to create a custom brush.

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  • Learn how to use the two history tools, and a few preferences to make them more efficient.

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  • Learn what smart objects are, how to create one, and their five primary uses in photography.

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  • Learn what filters are, how to create one, and see which filters are popular for photographers.

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  • Learn about the different types of transformations and how they can alter your image.

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  • Learn what gradients are and how to use them to create vignettes, spotlights, enhance the sun, and fade edges.

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  • Learn what luminosity masks are, how to create them, and when to use a third party plugin.

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  • Learn what dodging and burning is, how to apply it to your image, and a few tips to make the process easier.

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  • Learn what blend if is and it’s practical applications in photography.

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  • Learn what the Orton Effect is and how to apply it to your image for a “dreamy” effect.

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  • Learn what focus stacking is, how to apply it to your images, and when not to focus stack.

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  • Learn how to blend a sky into a scene that was taken at a different exposure, and how to do a sky replacement.

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  • Learn how to blend two images together that were taken at different shutter speeds.

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  • Learn how to blend two images together that were taken at different focal lengths.

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  • Learn how to create actions to streamline your workflow.

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  • Learn all the settings necessary to export your images successfully.

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  • Learn how to take all the techniques we’ve learned in the course and put them into a solid workflow.

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  • A brief introduction to the editing portion of this course.

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  • A full, uncut edit of Teatro La Paz. (Image taken on Adventure #416.)

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  • A full, uncut edit of Greeter Falls. (Image taken on Adventure #499.)

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  • A full, uncut edit of the Tree of Life. (Image taken on Adventure #359).

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  • A full, uncut edit of Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. (Image taken on Adventure #430.)

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  • A full, uncut edit of Jumbo Rocks. (Image taken on Adventure #400.)

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  • You finished the course! Thank you for watching and good luck with your editing journey!

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Introduction to Editing
2.1 Intricate Explorer 2.1 Intricate Explorer

Introduction to Editing

This is the introduction to the Editing unit of Explorer University! I’m going to give you an overview of the tutorials to come. 

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