Photo How To

The first thing most of us think of when we hear the words “Zone System” is the great Ansel Adams, who developed this powerful exposure technique with Fred Archer over 80 years ago. The second thing that often comes to mind is the word “complicated.”

We regularly urge you to try something different, capture images outside your comfort zone, and create photos that stand out from the rest. Today’s beginners guide to panorama photography is a great way to do exactly that.

I live near the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn and have been photographing the canal and the neighborhood for over two decades, but it was only in the fall of 2009 that my photographs had the prospect of becoming a historical record, due to the imminent prospect of development and a long-term cleanup. Either way, the area was going to change dramatically. The photographs I produced have won awards, been featured in exhibitions, and 17 of the images have been acquired by the Brooklyn Historical Society for their permanent collection.

Two of our favorite photography channels on YouTube finally got together in the collaboration video (aka “collab”) everyone has been waiting for. In the entertaining and informative clip below, Los Angeles-based Daniel and Rachel of Mango Street travel north to visit Peter McKinnon in Canada to try their hands at shooting in each other’s styles.

Depth-of-field is like the weather—we can’t control it but we can take advantage of its powerful effects. That is, if we understand its behavior. Here are 7 facts about DoF to coach photographers through the laws of physics and optical phenomena.

Here is everything you need to know to harness the power of ISO and take full control of your camera.

Every so often it pays to bone up on your composition skills. That’s because subtle tweaks in how you frame a shot can make the difference between a good photograph and a great one.