Category: Techniques
Computers for Photographers: What to Look For
If you are considering a new computer, you will want to make sure it can handle your photography needs. Even if you are content with your current machine, you might like to see how it measures up. How do you do that, when there are a million models out there? And if you start looking at… Continue reading Computers for Photographers: What to Look For
Back Button Focus
Today I would like to introduce you to a change you should make in your focus controls. This is a change you probably don’t think you need. Even after I tell you about it, you might not think it terribly useful. But it is. People I have taught have consistently pointed to this change as… Continue reading Back Button Focus
Creating Great Photos: What It Takes
If you are reading this, it is because you have a passion for creating great photographs. You think a lot about how to improve your photos. You work at it. Probably a lot. So let’s talk a little about how to do that. Specifically, what does it take? But First, What It Doesn’t Take You… Continue reading Creating Great Photos: What It Takes
How to Photograph Fireworks
If you haven’t done it before, photographing fireworks might appear difficult. It really isn’t though. As support for that statement, I point you to the image above. I am pretty happy with it, but I took it many years ago, very early in my photo career, with basic entry-level equipment. So this is definitely something… Continue reading How to Photograph Fireworks
Find Creativity in Photography: Connect the Dots
or Using the Practical to Become Creative Do you want to become more creative? I think we all do. But how do you do that? By focusing on creativity itself? I really don’t think so. In fact, I don’t think you can really teach creativity. But at the same time, I don’t think creativity is something you… Continue reading Find Creativity in Photography: Connect the Dots
Photo Organization Made Simple
My guess is that you want your photos to be organized, but do not want to spend any time worrying about it. You want to be able to find your photos quickly. There is nothing worse than looking through a bunch of folders for a photo you know you have somewhere, but being unable to… Continue reading Photo Organization Made Simple
Photographing the Milky Way: A Checklist and Some Resources
In a sense, photographing the Milky Way is easy. Composition is easy since the subject is obviously the Milky Way and you just aim at that. Your choice of lens/focal length is simple because you always shoot with your widest focal length to minimize the movement in the stars. Even your exposure settings are simple because… Continue reading Photographing the Milky Way: A Checklist and Some Resources
Applying Focus Techniques
In a prior article, I showed you the mechanics of focus and how to go about using it in your outdoor photography. In this video, I walk through some pictures to show you how I put those techniques to work in my own photos. Hopefully this gives you some ideas on where to focus in your… Continue reading Applying Focus Techniques
Why Not Use Shutter Priority Mode?
When it comes to choosing the mode to use on your camera, the two choices that virtually everyone (myself included) recommends are either Manual mode (M on the mode dial) or Aperture Priority mode (A or Av). The rationale for Manual mode is that, while it is surely the slowest one to set and use,… Continue reading Why Not Use Shutter Priority Mode?
New Mini-Course: Learn Lightroom in Under an Hour
I’ve created a new mini-course that I call “A Flying Leap into Lightroom.” It is designed for those just getting started with Lightroom. You can learn all about it and watch the videos on this page. Enjoy!
Should You Turn Off Image Stabilization When Using a Tripod?
I don’t put much stock in conventional wisdom. It is not that I make a conscious decision to ignore it, but I just seem to naturally recoil from it. Sometimes that serves me well in that I don’t accept things that are wrong or useless, but other times it causes me to spend a lot… Continue reading Should You Turn Off Image Stabilization When Using a Tripod?
Video: Getting Started Using Curves
Curves adjustment layers in Photoshop are super-powerful. When it comes to adjusting brightness, contrast, and color, there is no more powerful tool. But they can appear complicated and somewhat intimidating. Let me walk you though a few ways to dip your toe into the waters of Curves through this video: If you’d rather read about… Continue reading Video: Getting Started Using Curves
The Color of the Sky
We all know the sky during the day is blue. We know that clouds are white (or grey). And we know that the sky can turn different shades of yellow and orange at night. But why? When you are photographing in the outdoors, the sky is such a huge part of your pictures that it… Continue reading The Color of the Sky
A Little Cleanup Can Go a Long Way
About eight or nine months ago, I took this picture of a sheep in Ireland: I really liked the picture for a lot of reasons. First of all, it isn’t that often that you can catch a relatively close-up, frontal view of a sheep like that. It certainly isn’t unheard of, but I’ve been to… Continue reading A Little Cleanup Can Go a Long Way
How to Photograph the Moon
Almost everyone’s first attempt at photographing the moon results in disappointment. When you look at your pictures after that first try, the moon inevitably appears like a small white blob in the sky. The question quickly becomes how to avoid that and get a really sharp picture of the moon. Is there a trick to… Continue reading How to Photograph the Moon