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In this episode, Court lays out a practical foundation of photography “rules” — not as rigid constraints, but as dependable starting points. These principles show up again and again because they work: they help you handle light, composition, focus, and technical settings with more confidence. Once you understand them, you can follow them when they serve the image, and break them deliberately when the scene calls for something different. The goal is simple: more intentionality, and better photographs in the field.

The 14 Fundamental Rules of Photography

1. Focus on the eyes.
2. Use the rule of thirds.
3. Follow the inverse focal length rule for handholding.
4. Prioritize side lighting.
5. Shoot during golden hour.
6. Compose with odd numbers of subjects.
7. Keep horizons straight.
8. Include foreground, mid-ground, and background.
9. Expose for the highlights.
10. Leave space in the direction your subject is looking (eye-line rule).
11. Avoid lines cutting through faces/heads (face-and-line rule).
12. Use the 500 rule for astrophotography.
13. Create subject/background separation.
14. Simplify the frame

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• BayPhoto.com - 25% your first order (code: TWP25)
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version

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ISO is one of those photography tools that feels like a superpower… right up until it bites you. In this solo deep dive, Court unpacks why ISO is both a “magical unicorn” and a ruthless double-edged sword: it can rescue your shot in low light, but it can also quietly inject noise and crush editability.

You’ll learn what ISO actually does (and what it doesn’t), how to think about it in terms of light and "stops" and how to use it strategically in the field—especially in the real-world low-light scenarios we all love to shoot. Court also shares his go-to ISO workflow, how to set guardrails so your camera doesn’t go rogue, and why modern de-noise software changes the risk/reward equation—but doesn’t eliminate it.

If ISO has ever felt confusing, intimidating, or like the setting you touch only when you’re desperate… this episode is your new playbook.

Expect to Learn:

• What ISO is (in plain English)
• ISO as part of the Exposure Triangle
• Stops and ISO math (the simple rule)
• The tradeoff: noise + reduced editability
• Manual ISO vs Auto ISO
• Avoiding Auto ISO “oops”
• A field-friendly hack: slight underexposure
• De-noise software: powerful but not magic
• Two mechanical ways to keep ISO lower

Using these links to purchase gear helps support the show can keeps me making more content. Thank you in advance!

Camera: https://amzn.to/43MJbPQ

Travel tripod: https://amzn.to/44vGAKn

Travel hard drive: https://amzn.to/3KcUFpg

CF card of choice: https://amzn.to/4a7mAkY

SD card of choice: https://amzn.to/4pxENgb

My favorite battery case: https://amzn.to/4ijn2Pe

Magnetic filter set (polarizer, NDs, UV): https://amzn.to/49VtUAj

Go-to Wildlife Lens (zoom telephoto): https://amzn.to/3JWeLnI

Wide angle (landscapes, travel, culture): https://amzn.to/4ptkmAU

Ultra-wide angle (night, northern lights, milky way): https://amzn.to/43MLTVy

Travel camera backpack: https://amzn.to/47YvgJ1

Small video camera: https://amzn.to/4riVw8z

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version
• AG1 - Daily (and Travel) Nutrition (use link for free travel packs and other goodies)

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Will Patino is a landscape photographer extraordinaire and excellent photography teacher. In this conversation, the New Zealand–based landscape photographer shares oh-so-many valuable tips for nature photography.

During our time together, he breaks down his Four Pillars of Landscape Photography (location, composition, light, and processing) into a field-ready mindset, how he uses balance for composition vs. solely following compositional rules, how he reliably shoots handheld at 1/8s without a tripod, and the simple local-dodge/burn workflow he uses to keep post-processing effective and artistic. We also get into topics like flow state when photographing, why he only edits on small screens, intentional motion blur, and the his sage advice to budding photographers.

Lots of excellent pieces of advice in this fun conversation!

Will Patino on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WilliamPatinoPhotography

Will Patino on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williampatino_photography/

Workshops & Gallery: https://williampatino.com/ || William Patino Photography

Sponsors & Promos

ArtStorefronts.com — Mention The Wild Photographer for a free website build (approx. $2,000 value). See an example layout at shop.courtwhelan.com.

Court's Websites

• Check out Court’s photo portfolio here: shop.courtwhelan.com
• Sign up for Court's photo, conservation and travel blog at www.courtwhelan.com
• Follow Court on YouTube (@courtwhelan) for more photography tips
• View Court's personal and recommended camera gear

Sponsors and Promo Codes:

• ArtStorefronts.com - Mention this podcast for free photo website design.
• LensRentals.com - WildPhoto15 for 15% off
• ShimodaDesigns.com - Whelan10 for 10% off
• Arthelper.Ai - Mention this podcast for a 6 month free trial of Pro Version
• AG1 - Daily (and Travel) Nutrition (use link for free travel packs and other goodies)