Ron Leach

Macro photography is always a lot of fun, whether you’re shooting budding flowers in spring, the creepy crawlies of summer, colorful leaves in autumn, or the magical snowflakes of winter. Capturing great close-ups doesn’t require much in the way of specialized gear, but it’s important to know what you’re doing. And that’s what this tutorial is all about.

Whether you’re shooting portraits of a beautiful model, or wildlife in the field, one way to turn a good image into a great one is to capture some life in your subject’s eyes. While that’s not always possible when photographing animals in the field under difficult light, it’s easy to add a bit of eye-popping sparkle when editing your images later.

A couple days ago we shared the views of a Dutch pro, insisting that a telephoto lens is often a better choice for landscape photography than a wide-angle lens. Today we’re going to dig a bit deeper, with the following tutorial on how to choose the best focal length when photographing the great outdoors.

Are you down in the dumps because of these troubled times, with your inspiration running low? We have the perfect antidote: Ansel Adams. We guarantee that the following video, illustrating how Adams’ work changed photography forever, will cheer you up and provide a much-need jolt of creativity.