Outdoor Photography How To

One of the most common image-editing tasks is cleaning up a photo by eliminating distracting elements. Until recently the standard approach involved turning to Photoshop’s Object Selection tool, and using or one or more time-consuming options to vaporize and fill the mess.

While more and more landscape photographers are turning to long telephotos when shooting in the field, the trusty wide-angle is still the go-to choice for most of us. And there’s a good reason: The perspective provided by short focal length lenses is often perfect for capturing dramatic, expansive vistas.

Perched on a cliff in Pescadero, California, about 50 miles south of San Francisco, sits the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in the US. For Shutterbug reader Erick Castellón, who has been looking to improve his astrophotography skills this year, the lighthouse also represented a tall challenge.

Winter is officially over and spring has finally sprung, and that means it’s time to pull out a macro lens and bone up on your skills. The quick video below provides five very helpful tips that are different from those we’ve discussed in the past.

Today one of our favorite wildlife photographers shares a secret he says significantly improves how the subject of an image is perceived. What makes this simple trick so powerful is that it can works wonders for just about any photo you shoot outdoors.

Everyone knows that “blue hour” is a great time for photography; whether you’re shooting cityscapes, travel images, or other types of outdoor photos. Typically lasting 20-30 minutes, blue hour is that magical time immediately after sunset or just before sunrise. The exact timing of blue hour varies by location, and changes depending upon the time of year.

When most landscape photographers edit their images they strive for a bright and vivid effect, especially during autumn when beautiful warm, golden tones are just about everywhere you look. But how about marching to the beat of your own drummer by giving images a dark and moody effect that's full of eye-catching drama?