Alright, before we start let’s do a quick review to make sure we are all on the same page. Shutter: Controls the amount of time your camera is taking a photo or the speed at which you allow your camera to collect light. Aperture: Controls the window through the lens that light is allowed to…
I’ve had the pleasure of talking to a lot of photographers in a lot of different photo industries. I thought that the best way to find my place in the photography world was to try every field and stay in the field where I felt at home. I remember one distinct conversation with a wedding…
There are few sights in nature that are as awe-inspiring as being high up a mountain, looking down upon a sea of clouds. Getting above the clouds doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it presents many unique photographic opportunities. I drove high up an alpine road to make this photo at sunrise, when golden…
Whenever I’m teaching someone in a photography workshop or in a classroom setting, I always try to get them into a comfortable workflow they can follow for every photograph they edit. However, every photograph is different which forces the photographer to make decisions on some extra edits they should make. A workflow is important because…
Early blooming flowers provide plenty of opportunities to take great pictures in spring. The variety of colors and species available make for endless creative possibilities. We are also more sensitive to colors after a less saturated winter. Of course, there is always an impulse to imitate pictures we have seen and liked, pictures that inspired…
If you’ve been an outdoor photographer for very long you might have noticed by now that you spend a lot of time near the water. There’s no doubt that water features add a lot to any landscape nature scene. Ponds are a tremendous feature to shoot with mountains, waterfalls are always a beautiful cascading subject,…
One of the best parts of traveling is the photos you come home with. The quantity and quality of the photos is directly related to the amount of preparatory work that you perform before ever leaving on your adventure. There is nothing worse than visiting a once-in-a-lifetime location, and coming away with less than impressive…
In the previous articles in this series, I have discussed ways to make successful compositions using three and two primary subjects. Now we have arrived at one. One seems easy: just point your camera at your subject, right? On the one hand, photographing one subject has the advantage of being simpler than photographing multiple subjects.…
In my last article on photography composition, I discussed ways to use three primary subjects to create powerful compositions. And although I have a bit of a soft spot in my heart for three, two subjects can be just as compelling, if you know how to do it right. Compositions with two subjects give you…
So, you’re interested in getting serious about taking landscape photos. Is your current digital camera up to the task? Landscape photographs require a digital camera that is capable of capturing lots of detail and working in less than ideal lighting conditions. A full frame DSLR is probably your best camera for landscape photography, but there…