Nature Photography How To

Golden Hour is widely recognized as the best time to shoot landscapes, seascapes, and many other types of outdoor scenes. In this six-minute tutorial you'll learn how an experienced photojournalist approaches the challenge and captures unique images that stand out from the crowd.

Among the most challenging conditions faced by landscape photographers is bright midday light. In this situation you can either go home and try again under better conditions or understand how to make the most of harsh light.

Today we're exploring the characteristics of soft light and the different ways it can affect the impact of outdoor images, whether they're landscapes, environmental portraits, or just about anything else. This tutorial comes to us from the folks the Great Big Photography World—a YouTube community of passionate creatives with a comprehensive range of lessons for shooters of all skills levels.

Last week we posted an overview of making nighttime the right time for shooting after the sun drops below the horizon. That tutorial was designed for those new to the technique, and today we're following up with a deeper dive on one compelling aspect of this style of photography that's of particular interest to cityscape and street photographers.

One powerful way to capture outdoor photos that make viewers pay attention with admiration is to thoughtfully compose a scene with proper balance throughout the frame. The quick tutorial below from Mike Smith provides several helpful techniques for doing just that.

Remember the philosophical question, “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound”? Put in photographic terms, “If nobody notices your photos, do they really matter?”

All photographers strive to make images with maximum sharpness and detail, but depending upon conditions that goal isn’t always easy to accomplish. Sometimes you can improve soft photos during the editing process, but the preferred approach is to use proper shooting techniques so you get what you want in the camera.