Hello, my friend!

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With the magic of fall quickly coming to a close, I hope you had a chance to get out with your camera and enjoy this amazing, yet fleeting time of year. Below is a new photograph I recently created, and I’m really proud of how it turned out.

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I hope you find some useful information in this edition of The Morning Blaze and as always thanks so much for reading & sharing. Have a great weekend! - Mark D.

📺 MY NEW VIDEOS

The Secret to Photographing Waterfalls During Peak Fall Color

Photographing waterfalls during peak fall color is one of my favorite experiences of the year, and in this video I’m out on location sharing my full process for capturing a waterfall scene at the height of autumn. From scouting compositions and working with light to managing shutter speed for natural-looking flow, using filters strategically, and balancing the powerful warm hues of fall with the cool tones in the water, I walk through every step of how I approach photographing waterfalls in conditions that only come around once a year.

Most Photographers Over-Edit Water (Do This Instead)

When I first started editing landscape photos, I could never get the flow of water to look the way it felt in person. The motion looked flat, the texture didn’t translate, and everything either ended up too soft or too crunchy. And the truth is, most photographers edit flow the exact same way, and that’s usually the problem. In this video, I walk through how I approach editing water, depth, and motion in my landscape images. Instead of treating moving elements as one uniform surface, I break them down into three tonal zones and adjust each one separately so the image retains energy, direction, and that natural sense of movement we all try to capture in the field.

🚀 2026 LOFOTEN ISLANDS TOUR

Just a couple spots remain in my Lofoten Islands photo tour next year. If you're looking for the ultimate winter adventure be sure to check out all the details of this unforgettable photo tour here 👉 https://geni.us/lofotenphototour2026​

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🔓 VAULT FAVORITES

This Focus Setting is Killing Your Sharp Photos

Why do your landscape photos look soft—even with a tripod and a sharp lens? The answer might be hiding in your camera’s autofocus settings. In this video, I’ll show you the #1 autofocus mistake that ruins sharpness in landscape photography—and the exact camera settings you need to change to instantly fix it. Whether you’re a beginner or just never thought to question your default AF mode, this simple adjustment will transform your results.

📖 GOOD READS Mastering Sharpness: Essential Tips for Crisp Landscape Photography Have you ever returned from an incredible adventure, bursting with excitement to see the stunning images you captured, only to find them disappointingly soft and out of focus? If so, you're not alone. In this article, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of achieving razor-sharp landscape photos. Focus Mode: The Foundation of Sharpness First off, one of the fundamental aspects of achieving sharp images: focus modes. It's crucial to select the right focus mode for the job. While autofocus continuous may be ideal for fast-moving subjects like wildlife or sports, for landscape photography, autofocus single could be your best bet. Avoid the frustration of missed focus by ensuring your camera is set to the appropriate mode for static subjects - like mountains & trees. The Impact of ISO on Image Quality While it’s tempting to crank up the ISO in low-light situations, excessively high ISO levels can introduce unwanted noise and worst of all soften the details in your images. Keep your ISO in check, understand the limitations of your camera, especially when shooting landscapes where every detail matters. Embrace the One Over Focal Length Rule Now comes the biggie, shutter speed, the unsung hero of sharp photography. Adhering to the one over focal length rule can work wonders for handheld shooting. Whether you're wielding a wide-angle or telephoto lens, matching your shutter speed to your focal length helps minimize camera shake and ensures crisp, blur-free images. Example of this in action - using a 50mm lens, set your shutter speed to at least 1/50th of a second. >> Read More​