Outdoor Photography How To

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Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Nov 10, 2015  | 

Long, long ago in a land far away, photo hobbyists often used yellow filters on their lenses when shooting black-and-white film. Monochrome film was a bit more sensitive to blue light back in those days, and that caused skies and clouds to blend and become an indistinguishable mess. For reasons we’ll see later, green filters were often used for portraits.

Jim Zuckerman  |  Jul 21, 2014  | 

Everyone is insecure about getting the correct exposure. We have good reason to be insecure because too often we’ve experienced over- and underexposures when we didn’t expect it, and that leaves a lasting impression that exposure technique is a mysterious and elusive thing.

Ron Leach  |  Apr 11, 2022  | 

Have you ever wondered why so many of the best landscape photos from yesteryear and today are presented in b&w? Personal preference aside, it’s a simple fact that some outdoor scenes are more compelling when rendered in monochrome.

Ron Leach  |  Jun 15, 2021  | 

Have you ever photographed a scene that looked pretty awesome through the viewfinder, only to discover on the computer that it’s actually sort of dull? Join the club. All is not lost, however, if you watch the quick video below.

Ron Leach  |  May 11, 2021  | 

Colorful sunset scenes and moody long-exposure photos are among the most popular subjects for nature and landscape photographers. But what if you’re at a great location in bright light during the day, and can’t wait around for the sun to drop below the horizon.

Ron Leach  |  Feb 16, 2022  | 

One of the basic tenets of landscape photography is to “be at the right place at the right time,” which is why many of us prefer to shoot at blue hour—just before sunrise or after sunset. But what if you stumble upon a beautiful scene earlier in the day when the light isn’t quite right?

Ron Leach  |  Mar 21, 2022  | 

Today’s Photoshop tutorial is all about analyzing boring photos carefully before relegating them to the trash. That’s because a drab image with good composition and a compelling subject can often be transformed into a beautiful scene with a few thoughtful adjustments in Photoshop.

Ron Leach  |  May 22, 2023  | 

Just so you’re not confused, this is the second tutorial of the day from two German landscape pros with the same first name. This one is from Christian Mohrle of the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel—not Christian Irmler who is responsible for the earlier discussion on using different aspect ratios for more effective landscape photos.

Ron Leach  |  Aug 09, 2024  | 

We're always on the lookout for post-processing techniques that imbue photos with a unique look that stands out from other images you’ve captured in the past. This quick Lightroom tutorial from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel provides a quick and effective method for giving landscape photos a beautiful soft appearances that differs greatly from the more common sharp-and-vibrant approach.

Ron Leach  |  Oct 03, 2023  | 

Most outdoor photographers love shooting at Golden Hour, when soft warm tones bath the landscape before the sun disappears below the horizon. Unfortunately it's not always possible to control when we come across an epic scene, and sometimes that happens earlier in the day when light is less than ideal.

Ron Leach  |  Sep 07, 2024  | 

Masking is a powerful method for enhancing outdoor photos by balancing the tones throughout a scene. Unfortunately, this transformative technique is overlooked by inexperienced users who consider it too advanced for their rudimentary skills.

Ron Leach  |  Nov 15, 2022  | 

Many photographers strive for images with bright vibrant colors that are saturated to the max. But taking a more subtle approach can deliver beautiful results, with soft pastel colors that stand out from the crowd.

Ron Leach  |  Sep 15, 2021  | 

Some photographers shoot landscapes, while others concentrate on wildlife or travel imagery. But you can take your outdoor photography to the next level by being less of a purist and combining two or three of these disciplines in your work.

Ron Leach  |  Apr 29, 2023  | 

The Orton Glow effect is popular among landscape photographers for giving images a dreamy, ethereal look that really stands out from the crowd. There are a number of ways to get the job done—some more complicated than others.

Ron Leach  |  Mar 25, 2021  | 

We’ve all had the misfortune of traveling to a beautiful destination with a lake in the foreground of a stunning landscape, only to discover boring light, a drab cloudless sky, and water devoid of the brilliant reflections we anticipated.

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