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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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How to Tell a Story with Photography
1.35 Intricate Explorer 1.35 Intricate Explorer

How to Tell a Story with Photography

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

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