Joel Grimes – Urban Landscape Masterclass
This masterclass will teach you a system for creating incredible and dramatic urban landscapes, wherever you are.
Introduction
Welcome! I want to tell you my goals for this course and what I hope to teach you over the next 10 hours!
So What is An Urban Landscape
Before we get started, let’s talk about Urban Landscapes, what that means, and how it differs from other photography areas. You might be a portrait photographer, thinking you don’t need…
Composition Dos and Dont’s
Composition is going to be the defining characteristic that can make an average scene into an epic final image. I’ll teach you the most important composition tips you can start applying.
Manipulation – Where to Draw the Line
There are some ethical concerns when it comes to editing photos. In this lesson, let’s talk about that. I want to share my viewpoint on this area of art to help you make the right decisions.
Using Urban Landscapes as Backgrounds for Compositing
I really want you to see how important and valuable your urban landscapes are going to be in other areas of photography. Let’s do a quick composite to really show you that!
Let’s Talk About Gear
It doesn’t matter what camera or lens you are using, I want you just to get out and shoot. But, we as photographers tend to be obsessed with gear So, I’ll talk you through my camera bag…
How Important is ISO?
When I think of urban landscapes I think of big prints. This brings a world of problems when it comes to sharpness and noise. In this lesson, I’ll talk about ISO and do some testing. I hope y…
Planning Your Next Trip
Whether you are going on a purposefully planned photo trip, or you want to make the most of an upcoming vacation, planning is going to be your best friend. In this lesson, I’ll teach you how …
Using Tilt-Shift Lenses and Pano Rigs
First off, let me say, you don’t need these gadgets. But, I love working with them, and I love being able to get super high-definition final images this way. I’ll talk you through the g…
Long Exposure Techniques
Urban landscapes lend themselves to long exposures. This can get tricky, so I want to teach you how I set up my camera and lens to ensure good results.
Shooting In Optimal Light
Sunset, golden and blue hours, are magic times in urban landscapes. But with changing conditions every second, you can easily miss the perfect shot. Let’s go out in the field and capture this…
A Closer Look at HDR
In an ever-changing world, where technology and software change on a monthly basis, it can be hard to know how to process your HDR images. In this lesson, I’ll teach you my workflow. I’…
Stitching Together Your Images
I love stitching together images, as you may have realized by now. Whether using a nodal point rig or a tilt-shift lens, getting a clean stitch can be tough. I’ll teach you my entire workflow…
Complicated Pano Stitching
In this lesson, I’ll capture the elements for a panorama in a busy train station using a nodal point rig. Once people enter your scene, the stitching can get really complicated. So let’…
Manhattan Bridge Photo Shoot and “Vintage” Retouch
After years of working on paper negatives, there is a look and feel I love to recreate. In this lesson, I’ll teach you my process for shooting the Manhatten Bridge and this unique retouch whe…
Building Drama in a Flat Image
I wanted to highlight and teach the power of the new masking features in ACR and Lightroom. In this lesson, I’ll take a pretty average photo and, using these powerful tools, turn a flat image…
The Power of Masking in ACR & Lightroom
Continuing on with the new masking feature in Lightroom and ACR, I’ll teach you how I edited this image of the Empire State Building. This is a great workflow to have under your belt for crea…
Focus Stacking to Achieve a Detailed Image
Nailing this technique is going to be really helpful for your urban landscapes. This means you’ll be able to shoot in places where tripods aren’t allowed, get all the detail you need, a…
A Day In The Life
This is sort of a bonus lesson which I wanted to include to show the variety of techniques and locations you can achieve in one day. It’s a fun behind the scenes look at my location scouting …
Selective Stacking for Creative After Effect
I love this technique. Locations can be busy or quiet and using this technique, you can choose how your final image looks. I wanted to include this as it’s not only a fun technique but a grea…
Creating Dramatic Light Streaks
Adding light streaks to an image is an amazing way to create drama. If you are lucky enough to travel around with a smoke machine you won’t need to know this technique. But, for most of us, t…
Car Light Streaks on 42nd Street
This is a classic urban shot. There are a couple of ways to achieve this and I wanted to teach them to you. I’ll also talk you through my composition tips for working with forced perspective.
Capturing New York from the Top of The Rock
In this lesson, I’ll explain three photos and take you behind the scenes at the top of the Rockefeller Building. These are great examples of the problems we face when capturing a city. People…
Final Attempt at Capturing the Pylons
This is an important lesson, and I’m happy that I can include it here. I spent seven days in New York City with the goal of getting a number of different shots. I had to keep trying until the…
Last Light Under The Roosevelt Bridge
In this final behind-the-scenes lesson, you’ll see how I built an image I like of the Roosevelt Bridge. Also, another image that happened by chance of a building near by. It’s all about…
My Wishes for You
I want to leave you with my favorite topic. How you can make a living with your camera. Whether you are a hobbyist or a pro, I know this information can help you expand in whatever way you choose!