Autofocusing is one of the best things that's ever happened to the SLR camera. I didn't think so while testing early examples when the AF SLR era began back in 1985, but a lot of progress has happened in the ensuing two decades. Today's AF SLR cameras, film and digital, will focus more quickly and accurately than most photographers can. Naturally, the higher-end...
Color often establishes the mood of a photograph, whether it's bold or subdued. Green is cool and refreshing, while red on the other hand, is fiery and passionate.
If you want to emphasize a particular color in a picture, keep in mind that some of the most pleasing color photos are ones in which one color or a group of closely related hues...
You should always shoot with your eyes wide open (at least, the one looking through the viewfinder). But often it pays to shoot with your lens wide open, too.
Wide apertures let in more light, so you can use a faster shutter speed in any given light level. This is handy for anything from low-light photography to action shooting.
When you focus your camera's lens on a subject, the point focused upon is sharp. Objects in the scene closer or farther than that point appear progressively less sharp as their distance from the focused point increases.
Depth of field refers to the area in front of and beyond the point focused upon in which things appear acceptably sharp in a photograph. Depth of...
Photography is one of those things you learn best by doing it. Here are some photo projects that will help you get more out of your photography.
1. Decorate Your Home with Your Photos
Considering all the time, effort and money you put into making your photographs, you should display the best ones for all to see. A good place to start is in your own...
If you're intrigued by architecture and its interesting details, chances are that you enjoy photographing stairways. You can capture interesting design elements, both in structure and in detail. Stairways can be depicted in their entirety with curved, sweeping lines, or can become an abstract subject if you zoom in on a close-up of...
Next to your camera body, the lenses you use with it are your most important photographic purchases. While physically, a lens is just a collection of glass or plastic elements held precisely in position in a light-tight tube, with a camera mount on one end and some means of focusing, creatively it's your...
Whether you're the proud owner of some hot new wheels, or enjoy shooting pictures at car shows, there are a few tips to keep in mind which will make your photography easier and more fun.
It's important to keep your camera angle in mind when...
New York-based food photographer Lou Manna discusses shooting trends: "The old style of photographing food involved lots of props, edge-to-edge sharpness, dramatic, shadowy light and was shot from a high angle. On the other hand, today's...
There are lots of special-effects accessories on camera-store shelves, and they are well worth checking out if you're into special effects. But you don't need a lot of fancy accessories to create some interesting and unusual photographic effects. In fact, if you have a basic SLR (single-lens reflex) camera—film or digital—there are several special effects you can produce with no...
1. Sun Stars
Your wide-angle lens at its smallest aperture can turn the sun into a star in your photos—fitting, since the sun actually is a star. The effect occurs because the tiny aperture diffracts the incoming light rays a lot. This diffraction causes the star effect. You can include the sun as a compositional. Photo by...
Adding a filter or two to your camera bag is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to improve your photos
How can you tell if you need filters? Take this quick test: Do you take photographs? If the answer is yes, you very likely need some filters to get the best possible images. Here are some that can really improve many of your future photos.
One of the most common bits of advice drummed into new photographers is "get closer to your subject!" In that context, it means that novice shooters generally shoot from too far away, so their subject is lost among all the other stuff in the...
You can't beat the 35mm SLR for its combination of features, price and performance. And one its best features is its ability to accept a wide range of interchangeable lenses. From superwide fisheye to supertelephoto, macro...
Ask a group of photo enthusiasts what they have done recently to improve the quality of their images, and many will likely respond by describing the purchase of some fancy new piece of gear. Others may discuss the technical mastery of a new technique, while a few may credit a visit to an art gallery or museum for their newfound inspiration.
In fact, great photographs are rarely the result of...