Wanna know if you’re in the right place?
If you can relate to any of these things you just might be, so stick around!
Maybe you’ve tried to become a better photographer, but . . .
If you can relate, this site is for you!
Hi, my name is Darlene Hildebrandt
Through my experience working with photography students like you, I’ve come to understand that many aspiring photographers have a lot of the same questions, issues, and even fears.
I help people learn how to use their cameras, troubleshoot and solve their problems, and get past their fears through articles here on the website, private tutoring lessons, going out with them on workshops and photography tours, as well as in my online courses.
I’VE BEEN IMPRESSED BY HOW MUCH INFORMATION YOU GIVE AWAY
I was thrilled to download your e-book and to be so encouraged with the challenges you put before us in the book. I am impressed with how much information you give away and inspired by that. I am a beginner to photography, and the projects are very helpful. I am not naturally creative in this area and so your info has been helping me “look and see”.
Catherine
Website reader
10 Photography Challenges
Free e-Book to help you take better pictures without having to invest in any new gear! Ready for immediate download.
By submitting this form, you will also receive an email about once a week to notify you about new photography articles we have published on the web site. We will process your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK YOU’VE PUT INTO THIS.
A couple of weeks ago, I subscribed to your newsletter and I must say … the tips are just great.
Phillip
Website readerI feel your pain, and I’m here to help!
Through regular articles written by me and selectively chosen guest authors, you’ll get step-by-step information on the challenges you’re most interested in overcoming.
Topics including the ones below, are just some of the things you can read about here. The list is constantly expanding as a new article is added weekly.
Join the discussion
These seem to be the most popular articles at the moment. Have a look through them and then join the discussion using the Disqus interface below each of the articles. You can register and log in with Facebook, Google or Twitter if you like, so it’s really easy to participate.
- 3 Tips For Spectacular Sunset Photos
- 5 Mistakes Beginners Make Using a Wide-Angle Lens and How to Avoid Them
- Avoid These 9 Beginner Photography Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Images
- Correct Your Images in Under 2 Minutes Using Lightroom 5
- 6 Street Photography Tips
- Tips for Low Light Photography
- 25 Iconic Photographers
- Panning: How To Add a Sense of Motion to Your Images
How is this site different from others like it?
There are probably hundreds of sites about learning photography.
This site is different because of . . . well, frankly—me! My aim with this site is to be approachable and responsive to your needs.
Tell me what you want to know, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll do my best to find a guest writer that does. Post a comment on an article, or ask a question, and I will answer it. Contact me here on the site, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
I am a real person and an actual photographer with over 35 years of experience as a professional. I can help! Please participate in discussions and comments on the articles, I’d love for you to join in with us.
Photography is magic to me, it always has been. I love sharing it and seeing others like you feel the magic too! – Darlene
But first and foremost I LOVE seeing the light bulbs go off, and I live vicariously through your eyes as you achieve your photography goals. I love the win/win it creates as you get to express the creativity that perhaps you didn’t even know you had—and I get to experience photography anew, through the passion and wide-eyed wonder of someone new to the art.
Just writing this makes me all giddy inside!
Who am I?
And where do I get off telling you how to take better photos?
I am the face behind Digital Photo Mentor. I have been a professional photographer for over 35 years. As such, I have photographed everything from soup to hay—literally—including doing food photography; weddings; family portraits; and corporate events and products.
After a forced change of direction (a.k.a. divorce), I left my photography studio behind and moved on to other aspects of photography—including sales, fine art, and travel. I’ve finally landed on teaching and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve written for and have been published on websites and in newspapers around the world, and I was also the Managing Editor of Digital Photography School for 5 years, one of the most popular photography sites on the internet.
Teacher:
I taught several workshop-style classes in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada including:
Photo tour leader:
Our tours are currently on hold indefinitely but I am leading some tours for Photo Tours and Expeditions.
Workshops:
I also do workshops for photographers of all skill levels in Alberta and British Columbia Canada and may add an Eastern Canadian workshop that would be situated to suit Canadian and North Eastern US students.
The tour exceeded my expectations.
We saw and did so much more than if i was there on my own. I feel that I got a better value as a photographer going on this tour than if I was on a regular non-photography tour.
I would recommend this tour because you get a lot of value for your money and time.
Garth Helland
Photo Tour Participant
Managing Editor of Digital Photography School:
After writing for Digital Photography School for nearly 2 years, I was the Managing Editor of that site from November 2013 until September 2018 (5 years).
I have been featured on these sites or businesses:
- An interview on Smart Talk Success
- PhoGro – grow your photography – 3 Important Elements of Composition No One’s Talking About
- Nature and wildlife photographer Martin Baily interviews Darlene about quality of light on his podcast
- Bryan at Sprouting Photographer talks with me on his photography podcast about why I think every photographer should adopt an amateur mindset.
- The Two Hosers and I talk about portrait lighting on their photography podcast
- I wrote “How to Find Good Light for Portraits Even at Midday” for DIY Photography website.
- I contributed a video from my new Portrait Fundamentals course to PhotographyBB’s photography magazine “Clarity: Photography Beyond the Camera” Volume 5
- I have been a regular guest on the popular This Week in Photography podcast.
- Instructor and Ambassador for Skylum software.
- Luminar AI Deep Dive March 2021
- Luminar AI Deep Dive June 2021
- Coffee break guest – street photography
- Visual Storytelling Conference 2022 speaker
- Share Inspire Create podcast guest speaker about overcoming fear in photography.
- The Traveling Image Makers Podcast – guest speaker recorded live in Venice, Italy.
- I did an editing challenge with fellow photographer Larry Lourcey where we swapped and edit each other’s images.
10 Photography Challenges
Free e-Book to help you take better pictures without having to invest in any new gear! Ready for immediate download.
By submitting this form, you will also receive an email about once a week to notify you about new photography articles we have published on the web site. We will process your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
THE 10 CHALLENGES GOT ME BACK SHOOTING
I have been doing photography on and off for years but get paralyzed by all the new techniques and technology. I am using your “challenges” as a means of ignoring all those pieces that scare me and hopefully get me back into the “shoot” of things.
Thank you so much for sharing your information.
Jackie
Website readerMy personal vision
My vision is to help you be a little more creative, expand your horizons, and maybe even push your boundaries a little. I strive to provide a safe place to learn about photography and yourself as well as a chance to try new things and meet new people along the way.
Cheers,
