Top 10 Photography Guides that Captivated Users in 2018
In 2018, the world of photography saw a surge in interest for tutorials that focused on fine art, black and white techniques, creative exposure, and lighting methods, rather than general photo editing software lessons. This shift towards specialized learning resources reflected a growing emphasis on artistic vision and practical skills beyond Lightroom-centric workflows.
Kicking off the list is the first tutorial, which delved into the topic of Phase Detection vs Contrast Detection Autofocus. This foundational lesson provided photographers with a solid understanding of the two autofocus systems and their respective advantages and disadvantages.
The third tutorial on the list was a practical guide for taking portraits with Fujifilm cameras, offering tips and tricks for capturing stunning portraits with this popular brand.
The second tutorial, aimed at creating moody photos, followed closely, providing techniques for adding depth and emotion to images through careful composition and post-processing.
Moving on, the seventh tutorial on the list, which was one of the most popular of the year, focused on taking low light landscape photos. This tutorial offered valuable insights into capturing breathtaking landscapes in challenging lighting conditions.
The ninth tutorial, a valuable resource for photographers seeking to enhance their work, focused on using soft light in photography. This tutorial provided practical tips for achieving soft, flattering lighting in various photographic situations.
The fifth tutorial was a personal account of changing from Canon to Fujifilm, offering a unique perspective on the transition process and the benefits and challenges of adopting a new camera system.
The eighth tutorial, centred around creating mood in colour photos, offered techniques for adding depth and emotion to images through careful use of colour and composition.
The tenth tutorial, a minimalist approach to photography, suggested improving one's photography by using only two camera lenses. This tutorial encouraged photographers to simplify their gear and focus on mastering the art of composition and lighting.
In terms of editing alternatives to Lightroom, Luminar stood out as a widely recommended and user-friendly software. Luminar offered advanced AI-powered editing tools that simplified complex tasks like sky replacement and retouching, appealing especially to photographers who wanted quick yet professional results without the subscription model of Lightroom.
One notable source for fine art photography tutorials was Julia Anna Gospodarou's extensive collection. Her tutorials, which included black and white photography, long exposure photography, architecture and landscape photography, and a unique concept called (en)Visionography—a method that integrates the artistic vision with digital processing beyond the camera limitations—emphasized artistic creation and vision as the core of photography practice, rather than just technical editing skills.
In summary, the most popular non-Lightroom photography tutorials in 2018 were those centered around fine art and black and white photography techniques, creative exposure and lighting techniques, and software alternatives to Lightroom like Luminar. These tutorials provided photographers with both conceptual inspiration and practical skills beyond Lightroom-centric workflows.
To further support photographers in their learning journey, a Lightroom Classic ebook and 47 PhotoTips cards were introduced, offering additional resources for mastering the art of photography.
Here are two sentences that contain the words 'lifestyle' and 'home-and-garden':
- To complement the list of popular photography tutorials, a resource for enhancing home-and-garden photography was introduced, providing tips on capturing breathtaking landscapes and creating a lifestyle aesthetic in one's garden photography.
- In addition to fine art and black and white photography techniques, some photography tutorials in 2018 touched upon lifestyle photography, offering insights into capturing meaningful moments, telling stories, and creating a personal style.
