Outdoor Photography How To

When you view a smooth, shiny surface from the proper angle--such as glass, metal or water--you'll see a reflected image. These reflections provide you with a great opportunity to add interest to a photo by showing two different aspects of the environment at the same time. Since the reflected portion of the image is almost always distorted, it often lends a surreal...

Anyone who loves shooting scenics probably enjoys capturing the grandeur of mountains. As with most landscapes, it's best to photograph mountain scenery very late in the afternoon or very early in the morning. Some of the best high-country photos are shot by photographers who get up before daybreak or stop shooting only after dark. You'll find that an otherwise...

A lot of photo enthusiasts say, "The sun's out--time to take pictures," and put their camera away come nightfall. But if this is your philosophy, you're missing half the fun of photography. You can take some exciting night shots of colorful neon signs, the streaked taillights of traffic in motion, or shadowy figures silhouetted by street lights.

All Photos by Mike Stensvold

Proper exposure is important. Color-print film has a lot of "latitude," and digital images can be manipulated extensively, but a properly exposed image will always look better than a "corrected" poorly exposed one.
What is "proper" exposure, anyway? Well, it's the exposure that gives you the...

Electronic flash is a versatile photographic tool. From tiny units built into cameras to multi-head studio flash systems with separate power supplies, electronic flash is popular with photographers from snapshooter through pro.

Here are a few handy tips to help you get better photos with flash.

All photos by Jay Dickman unless otherwise indicated.

Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jay Dickman has covered assignments internationally as a photojournalist for the Times-Herald in Dallas, Texas, and as a contributor to National Geographic, as well as shooting for most...

All photos by Bob Lilly

Most of us associate the name Bob Lilly with the legendary Dallas Cowboys player--one of football's former stars, immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Coach Tom Landry has stated, "I've said this before and I'll say...