Nature Photography How To

Have you ever returned from a shoot, expecting to marvel at the photos, only to bring them up on the screen and, ouch, they’re not sharp? Well, join the club! There are numerous reasons for soft images, and a number of ways to increase your percentage of keepers, and you’ll learn many of them in the video below.

Yesterday we covered the important topic of ISO, and how to use this simple setting to give images the specific look you desire. Today we’ll explore exposure bracketing, another basic concept, and you’ll see how this easy-to-use tool will help you maximize detail in your photographs.

Most photographers are familiar with the Exposure Triangle that consists of Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO—the three camera settings that combine to arrive at a “correct exposure.” Of course what’s perceived as “correct” is in the eye of the beholder, as the exposure you use depends upon the mood you intend to convey.

If you’ve been around the block more than once you’re no doubt familiar with many of the “rules” of composition. Budding outdoor photographers are told to use the Rule of Thirds, always include the foreground to create a sense of depth, and never position a subject in the middle of the frame or bisect a shot with the horizon.

There are numerous “rules” regarding the art and craft of photography that have been espoused by so-called “experts” for years. Some of this conventional wisdom is truly essential, but several things you’ve heard are subject to debate. And still others are simply myths or misconceptions.

We all love new gear, and many photographers are constantly chasing the latest innovations in cameras, lenses, and accessories. But in many cases you can capture amazing images with the gear you already own, especially if you refine your skills with a few simple tricks.

We’ve all had the misfortune of traveling to a beautiful destination with a lake in the foreground of a stunning landscape, only to discover boring light, a drab cloudless sky, and water devoid of the brilliant reflections we anticipated.