Nature Photography How To

We’ve all confronted a landscape scene that would have made a gorgeous photograph, were it not for a dull, drab sky. And while there are numerous ways to “fix” or replace boring skies in post processing, this tutorial explains how to get a great shot in the camera.

The first thing most photographers learn is that a camera’s light meter is calibrated to deliver correct exposures of “average” subjects with a tone of middle gray. But what about bright scenes like a snowfield, or close-ups of dark subjects like a black cat? That’s where exposure (EV) compensation comes into play.

Let’s say everything comes together just right: You have a great subject, the light is beautiful, and your composition and focus are impeccable. You just captured the money shot, right? Not so fast, because everything is for naught if you mess up the exposure.

Chris Burkard is an adventure photographer who travels the world looking for epic images of our untamed planet. He recently garnered a lot of attention for the once-in-a-lifetime shot above of a surfer in Iceland lit by the Northern Lights, and the video below gives you the backstory.

We’ve had numerous discussions about making b&w conversions from color photographs. But what about converting b&w images to color? There are ways to get the job done using Photoshop or a free third-party artificial-intelligence (AI) platform that one image-editing expert says provides “jaw-dropping results.”

Many photographers are under the impression than a wide-angle lens is the best choice for landscape photography because of the expansive vistas involved. But according to acclaimed pro Mads Peter Iversen, going long often results in better images.

One of the most common questions inexperienced photographers ask themselves is, “why aren’t my images sharp?” When this frustrating dilemma occurs often it may actually discourage shooters from pursuing their hobby.