Outdoor Photography How To

The concept of depth of field describes one of the most important determinants of how your outdoor photographs will appear. If you've ever captured the identical scene with two different f/stop settings, you at least have an inkling of how this works.

All good photographers strive to make images that stand out from the crowd, whether they shoot landscapes, sports, wildlife, or another genre. And the best way to do that is by developing a unique (and hopefully recognizable) style you can call your own.

We’ve all been taught to avoid shooting in direct sunlight whenever possible, to avoid blown-out highlights, harsh contrast, washed-out colors, unflattering shadows, and models with squinty eyes. In the shooting and editing tutorial below, you’ll earn how to meet these challenges and achieve beautiful photos.

Friends or mentors have likely broached the concept of "low key photography," but you're uncertain what the term really means or how to capture images with a dramatic look that can be easily achieved if you know a few basic tricks. This straightforward primer discusses everything you need to know for getting the job done with simple gear.

As primarily a landscape photographer Iam often in a situation where I am struggling to give a feeling of scale to big dramatic views. I will look for something to place close to the camera, such as a dramatic flower or rock, to capture the viewer’s attention and draw them deeper into the photo. In some cases, though, I find including a person rather than a natural element within the scene does a better job of it. Not only does the figure add scale, but it also makes viewers feel like they are standing within the scene rather than looking at a print on the wall, a kind of visual empathy.

Shooting portraits that make you and your model proud requires a fair amount of skill and preparation. And as you’ll see in this quick tutorial, doing things a bit differently can make your images stand out from the rest.