Photography Explained Podcast

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Your photos are sharp and well-exposed — but they look weirdly orange or horribly blue. Here's how white balance works and how to fix it. 📸
This is one of those photography settings that nobody really explains to beginners. But once you understand it — and it really doesn't take long — you'll stop wondering why your photos look a bit off and start knowing exactly what to do about it. 💡

📚 IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:
✅ What white balance actually is (and why it matters)
✅ Why your indoor photos look too orange 🟠
✅ Why outdoor photos sometimes look too blue or cold ❄️
✅ When to trust Auto White Balance (and when not to)
✅ How to use white balance presets on your camera
✅ How to fix white balance perfectly when you shoot RAW
✅ The grey card trick that professionals use for perfect colour 🎨
Whether you're using a camera or your phone, this episode will help you understand one of photography's most fundamental settings and fix your colour problems for good. 📱📷

💡 THE 7 TIPS COVERED:
1️⃣ What White Balance Actually Is — and Why It Matters
2️⃣ Why Your Indoor Photos Look Too Orange
3️⃣ Why Outdoor Photos Sometimes Look Too Blue or Too Cold
4️⃣ How to Use Auto White Balance — and When to Trust It
5️⃣ How to Use White Balance Presets on Your Camera
6️⃣ How to Fix White Balance in Editing When You Shoot RAW
7️⃣ The Grey Card Trick — Your Secret Weapon for Perfect White Balance

🔗 USEFUL LINKS:
📝 Blog Post (Full Episode Text)
 🎓 Photography for Beginners Hub Page:

📖 RELATED EPISODES
• Episode 226 - Why Are My Photos Too Dark? Understanding Exposure for Beginners
• Episode 4 - What Is The Exposure Triangle?
• Episode 21 - What Does Exposure Mean In Photography?
• Episode 225 - I Just Got My First Camera - What Do I Do in the First Week?
🌐 My Website: https://rickmcevoyphotography.com
📺 YouTube Channel: Rick McEvoy Photography
🎓 My courses page
📚 Resources Page

💬 GET IN TOUCH:
📧 Subscribe to my weekly email at rickmcevoyphotography.com
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🎧 NEXT EPISODE:
Episode 228 - How to Know If You're Read
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com
Support the show
Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

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Ever wonder why your photos come out so dark you can barely see what you shot? You take a photo of something brilliant - a stunning sunset, your mate pulling a funny face, your dinner that actually looks restaurant-quality for once - and when you look at the result, it's so dark you might as well have taken it in a cave. Frustrating, right? 📸 This episode explains exactly why photos come out dark and gives you seven practical tips to fix it once and for all.

In this episode, you'll learn:
✅ How bright backgrounds fool your camera into making everything dark
✅ Why shooting into the light creates silhouettes (and how to fix it)
✅ How shutter speed, aperture, and ISO affect exposure
✅ The magic of exposure compensation - your "make it brighter" button
✅ Why you need enough light in the first place
✅ How to read your camera's histogram like a pro
✅ When and why to use a tripod for perfect exposure

Whether you're using a camera or your phone, these seven tips will transform your photography. From understanding exposure compensation to reading histograms, you'll have all the tools you need to never take a mysteriously dark photo again.

📸 What You'll Learn:

✅ Tip 1: Your Camera is Being Fooled by Bright Backgrounds

✅ Tip 2: You're Shooting Directly Into the Light

✅ Tip 3: Your Camera Settings are Working Against You

✅ Tip 4: You Need to Use Exposure Compensation

✅ Tip 5: You're Shooting in the Wrong Light

✅ Tip 6: Learn to Read Your Camera's Histogram

✅ Tip 7: Use a Tripod

📱 For Phone Photographers:
Everything applies to phone cameras too! Tap on your subject before shooting, slide your finger up to make it brighter, and remember that light is still everything. That one tap solves 70% of dark photo problems!

🔗 Related Episodes:

Episode 224, Why Are My Photos Blurry? All the Reasons and How to Fix Them

Episode 225, I Just Got My First Camera - What Do I Do in the First Week?

Episode 11, What Is Exposure Compensation, How Do I Use It? And Why Is It So Useful?

Episode 164, Understanding Histograms In Photography

⭐️ Next Episode:
Episode 227 - Why Are My Photos the Wrong Colour? Understanding White Balance

🎯 Your Action Step:
This weekend, deliberately photograph something in front of a bright window or with the sun behind it. First, take the photo without any adjustments - just point and shoot. Then try again, but this time tap on your subject (phone) or add +2 exposure compensation (camera). Compare the two photos and see the difference!

🌐 Website

🎓 Course
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com
Support the show
Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send a text
You've just unboxed your first proper camera and honestly? It's a bit overwhelming. All those dials, buttons, menu options - where do you even begin? 📸 This episode walks you through exactly what to do in your first week with your new camera. No jargon, no technical overwhelm, just practical, actionable steps that'll have you taking photos you're proud of by next weekend.

In this episode, you'll learn:
✅ How to properly set up your camera from day one
✅ Why reading the quick start guide saves hours of frustration 
✅ The correct way to hold your camera for sharper photos
✅ Why Auto mode is your friend when you're starting out
✅ How to review your photos to accelerate learning
✅ The secret to understanding light in photography
✅ Why finding a photography community matters

That first week with your new camera is absolutely crucial. Get it right, and you'll build confidence, develop good habits, and actually enjoy the learning process. These aren't complicated technical exercises - they're simple, enjoyable activities that'll help you understand your camera and start taking photos you actually like.

📸 What You'll Learn:

✅ Tip 1: Charge the Battery and Format Your Memory Card

✅ Tip 2: Read the Manual - or the Quick Start Guide at Least!

✅ Tip 3: Get Comfortable Holding Your Camera

✅ Tip 4: Shoot in Auto Mode and Explore Your Environment

✅ Tip 5: Review Your Photos and Learn From Them

✅ Tip 6: Take Photos at Different Times of Day

✅ Tip 7: Join a Photography Community or Find a Friend

📱 For Phone Photographers:
Well this is aimed at people taking photos with their phones. So let's move on from this one ok?

🔗 Related Episodes:

Episode 9, How Can I Learn To Use My New Camera?

Episode 17, What Time Of Day Is Best To Take Photos?

Episode 104, 10 Camera Settings For Beginners

Episode 152, How My One Photo Rule Will Help You Take Better Photos

⭐️ Next Episode:
Episode 226 - Why Are My Photos Too Dark? Understanding Exposure for Beginners

🎯 Your Action Step:
Choose one location and over the course of a week, take twenty different photos there. Try different angles, different subjects within that space, experiment with different settings. By week's end, pick your five favorites and tell Rick what you learned!

🌐 
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com
Support the show
Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send a text
You've taken what you thought was the perfect shot, but when you look at it later, it's blurry. Frustrating, right? 📸 This episode breaks down all seven main reasons your photos might be blurry and gives you practical fixes for each one.

In this episode, you'll learn:
✅ How camera shake ruins photos (and the proper technique to eliminate it)
✅ The reciprocal rule for shutter speed that prevents blur
✅ Why your focus might be off and how to manually control it
✅ How to handle motion blur in your subjects
✅ When shallow depth of field becomes a problem
✅ Why a dirty lens makes everything soft (and how to keep yours clean)
✅ How high ISO affects apparent sharpness (and when to use a tripod)

Whether you're using a camera or your phone, these seven fixes will transform your photography. From the breathing technique that stops camera shake to the simple habit of cleaning your lens after every shoot, you'll get actionable advice you can use immediately.

📸 What You'll Learn:

✅ Tip 1: Camera Shake - You're Moving When You Press the Button
Learn the proper holding technique, breathing method, and when to use a tripod.

✅ Tip 2: Wrong Shutter Speed for Your Focal Length
The reciprocal rule prevents blur. Using a 100mm lens? Minimum 1/100th second.

✅ Tip 3: Your Focus Is Off - You've Focused on the Wrong Thing
Manually select the focus point and always check your shots.

✅ Tip 4: Your Subject Is Moving - Motion Blur
Learn exactly what shutter speeds you need for different subjects.

✅ Tip 5: Shallow Depth of Field - Not Enough Is in Focus
When to close down your aperture to keep everything sharp.

✅ Tip 6: Dirty or Smudged Lens
Clean your gear after every shoot - takes 30 seconds, makes a massive difference!

✅ Tip 7: Low Light and High ISO - Noise Disguising as Blur
Use a tripod to stick to ISO 100 for the highest quality.

📱 For Phone Photographers:
Everything applies to phone cameras too! Hold with both hands, use the volume button to shoot, tap to focus on the right spot, and clean that lens regularly!

🔗 Related Episodes:

Episode 222, The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 29 Essential Photography Tips That Actually Matter

Episode 220, The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It

Episode 152, How My One Photo Rule Will Help You Take Better Photos

⏭️ Next Episode:
Episode 225 - I Just Got My First Camera - What Do I Do in the First Week?

🎯 Your Action Step:
Take 10 photos this week, but before each one, ask yourself "What could make this blurry?" Run through the seven things in your head.

🌐
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com
Support the show
Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send a text
Want to take better photos in 2026 than you did in 2025? 📸 This episode gives you five simple, practical things you can start doing today that will genuinely improve your photography.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✅ How to properly clean your camera gear and why it matters for sharp photos
✅ The smart way to learn camera settings without getting overwhelmed
✅ Why shooting in different lighting conditions makes you a better photographer
✅ How to critically review your work before sharing it
✅ Why trying uncomfortable photography genres helps you grow

These tips work for everyone - whether you're using a phone 📱, an entry-level camera, or professional gear. No jargon, just practical advice you can use today.

📸 What You'll Learn:

✅ Thing 1: Clean Your Gear Properly and Keep It Clean
Get yourself a proper cleaning kit with a blower brush, microfibre cloths, and lens cleaning solution. Make cleaning a habit before every shoot. Clean lenses make sharp photos - it's that simple!

✅ Thing 2: Learn One Camera Setting Really Well
Don't try to master everything at once. Pick one setting - maybe exposure compensation, aperture priority, or even manual mode - and become properly competent with it. Master it, then move on to the next one.

✅ Thing 3: Take Photos in Different Light
Deliberately seek out different lighting conditions. Harsh midday sun, soft overcast light, golden hour, indoor window light - each type teaches you different skills. Photography is drawing with light, so this stuff is pretty important!

✅ Thing 4: Review Your Photos Critically Before Sharing Them
Stop sharing every photo you take. Review your photos twice - once immediately, then again with fresh eyes after waiting overnight. Quality over quantity, always.

✅ Thing 5: Shoot Something Uncomfortable
Try a photography genre outside your comfort zone. Love landscapes? Try portraits. Always shoot people? Try architecture. Uncomfortable equals growth, and growth equals better photography.

📱 For Phone Photographers:
Everything in this episode applies to phone photography too! Clean your phone lens, learn exposure compensation in your camera app, photograph in different light, review before posting, and try different types of photography with your phone.

🔗 Related Episodes:

If you're enjoying this New Year focus on improving your photography, you might want to check out the previous episode - episode 222, The Best of The Photography Explained Podcast: 29 Essential Photography Tips That Actually Matter

And here are some other recent related episodes - episode 220, The Photographer's Eye: See a Great Photo Before You Take It: and good old episode 152,
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer on my website Rick McEvoy Photography.com/courses
Check out my splendid course How To Become A Real Estate Photographer at Rick McEvoy Photography.com
Support the show
Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick