Outdoor Tips

Always artistic, Judith Pishnery was a natural choice to be her high school's yearbook photographer--an initial foray that resulted in her becoming "hooked" on photography. And, because one of her science teachers also taught photography on the side, "I would hang out in the biology department," she recalls.

...

Every photographer has a personal vision and a particular taste in composition, light, color and so on. For example, many photographers chose nature’s details simply to abstract the color and form they find. Others like to use extremely shallow depth of field—also called selective focus—so only a sliver of the subject is sharp while the rest of it is soft. People who are intrigued by the beauty, intricacy and complexity of nature usually shoot with the opposite approach. They want to reveal as much detail in the subjects as possible so those who view their work can appreciate the designs and the patterns in the images with tack sharp clarity.

Shooting good photos in dim light is challenging, but can also be quite rewarding, because capturing the feel of the existing light generally produces a more pleasant picture than using on-camera flash.

The basic problems facing the low-light photographer are being able to use a fast enough shutter speed to permit hand-held shooting, and being able to use a small enough lens aperture to...

All photos by Don Gale

Have you ever embarked on an exciting wilderness adventure that promised great photo opportunities, only to be disappointed with your images after you got home? Maybe the skies in your pictures weren't as blue as you remembered them, or the colors as vivid. Perhaps the grand vistas you experienced appeared a little washed-out in your...

Using a hard shell case to protect sensitive camera gear has its advantages—until you try to carry it for a few miles over rough terrain. So professional photographer Laurens Parsons, founder of RucPac, invented the Hardcase Strap system that effectively turns your hard-sided case into a backpack. This is just one of the many useful and innovative products in the RucPac photo accessory stable.

Warmer weather is in the forecast and that can mean only one thing: time to take stock of your camera gear and get ready for the colorful bounty that spring unfailingly brings. Here’s our checklist of pre-summer mileposts to ponder.

Real-world tips for the "artistically challenged"

Great artists are probably born, not made. But there are a lot of things 'most anyone can do to make better photos. One biggie is thinking about composition when you shoot. Here are some easy ways to jump-start your creative eye.

Put It Where It Works

...