Learn & Explore Tip of the Day

December 20, 2012

Having someone assist you when photographing kids is helpful. This way you can stay with the camera while your helper runs after the kids and gets them back onto the “set”.

December 19, 2012

Before you travel to a new vacation spot, do some research on the photo opportunities of the area. Many large cities, states and countries have their own websites with lists of interesting places to see, events that occur and more.

December 18, 2012

You can make great pictures of falling snow. For moody photos of a snowfall, set your camera to B&W;/monochrome for a unique perspective.

December 17, 2012

When taking photos of the animals at the zoo, by zooming in and focusing on the animal in the cage, the bars will blur and become almost invisible.

December 16, 2012

With digital you can change white balance on the fly, but when there are multiple light sources it’s hard to pick which one is the right setting. Take a few pictures with each one set at a different white balance setting and see which one looks the best.

December 15, 2012

A small light source produces a very hard, harsh light, while a large light source provides a softer light. To make a small light appear softer, bounce it off one or more objects before it hits the subject (ceilings, walls, pieces of cloth—anything will work). Just remember that a non-white ceiling or wall will reflect that color light onto your subject.

December 14, 2012

Many people who shoot sunsets leave as soon as that glowing orb dips below the horizon, but some of the best photo opportunities present themselves after the sun goes down. The sky can turn beautiful shades of blue and red, and clouds in the sky may light up and glow. Also, if it’s cloudy, the clouds sometimes part before the sun completely sets, and the rays of sunlight will illuminate the clouds from behind, making for great photographs.

December 13, 2012

Use your camera’s scene settings to help teach yourself the basics instead of just setting the dial to “Automatic.” Watch the aperture and shutter speed settings, and check out what ISO the camera sets. Then try to figure out the correct exposure on your own. It’s like having an instructor show you the basics.

December 12, 2012

Photograph all the belongings in your house. It’s important for your homeowner or renter’s insurance to have a record of the items you own. It will also let you practice taking “product” shots.

December 11, 2012

Find a photography club or group and sharpen your skills. Many community colleges have gatherings of photographers, or check Meetup.com to find a group nearby. You could also join an online photography community such as Flickr to get feedback and critiques of your photography.

December 10, 2012

Take a photo of a subject every day. Watch as it changes with the changing light and seasons. Or try to take a photo that looks different from every other photo you’ve taken of that subject.

December 9, 2012

Look for the bits of lines and objects that poke out of the snow after a good storm. See if you can find unusual patterns or shapes in the grass, bushes, playground equipment or leaves. If the sun is out, watch for the interesting shadows these objects can create. This sort of scene can make for some fun close-ups.

December 8, 2012

Don’t blow snow off a camera lens. Use a small brush or a bulb blower. The moisture in your breath might melt the snowflakes or even form frozen condensation on the lens. You could make a bad situation worse.

December 7, 2012

Pick an object that you like and take a picture every time you see a similar object. It could be spider webs, interesting doorknobs, or manhole covers. Often these self-assignments can turn into lifelong projects.

December 6, 2012

Always take along an extra battery (or batteries) when you go out in the cold to shoot. Keep the battery inside your jacket, close to your body for warmth. If the first battery dies, replace it with the warm one and put the cold one inside your jacket to warm up. Nothing ruins a great shot more than a dead camera.

December 5, 2012

Different light sources have different color “temperatures” so photos taken under different kinds of lights (tungsten, fluorescent, halogen, sodium vapor, etc.) look different. You can use this in your photos to create an interesting lighting effect by setting your camera’s white balance to something besides auto. Experiment while using different light sources to get different results.

December 4, 2012

At a wedding, watch what the photographer is doing and pick something different to shoot. If the photographer is shooting the cake cutting, take pictures of the band. If the photographer is shooting the bouquet toss with a wide-angle lens from behind the bride, use a telephoto to capture people trying to catch the flowers. You’ll capture a part of the wedding that wouldn’t have been documented otherwise.

December 3, 2012

The contrast between motion and a still object can be fascinating. Find a bird in the snowstorm and shoot with a slower shutter speed. The snow flying around the bird will blur, but the bird will stay sharp perched on the branch. Use a tripod, brace yourself against something or have VR (Vibration Reduction) turned on to help you keep steady.

December 2, 2012

Look for emotion. Watch the bench, especially at critical moments. Capturing the jubilation or dejection of the coach and the players on the sideline during a penalty kick or last minute shot can produce the best sports pictures.

December 1, 2012

When shooting groups of five or more people, make sure you stagger them. Put tall folks in the back and the shortest ones in front. It may seem simple, but blocking out just one face can ruin a group portrait. Always tell them, “If you don’t have a clear view of me, the camera can’t see you.”

November 30, 2012

Don’t clean off your lens with a napkin or a T-shirt—they only spread the dirt on your lens and can scratch the glass. Instead carry a lens-cleaning cloth (you can get one at a photo store) and use that to get your optics streak-free. Be sure to blow off any dust or grit first, so you don’t grind it into the lens; but use a blower brush, not canned air because it can damage the lens.

November 29, 2012

Look for items with stark contrast—the difference between the lightest and darkest part of the image. Try to capture photos in which some element in the photograph really stands out against the rest of the frame. A rose against an early snowfall, or a seagull in a blue sky. Such juxtapositions can be very striking.

November 28, 2012

Even professional photographers have to practice their timing to capture sports at the beginning of a season, so bring your camera to all of your daughter’s basketball games and photograph her regularly. By the end of the season you’ll be capturing better action shots.

November 27, 2012

Professional photographers often play music when they’re shooting in the studio, to help their portrait subjects relax. When photographing people, ask your subjects what music they want to listen to and then crank up the tunes. People smile more easily when they’re listening to music they enjoy.

November 26, 2012

Use the time you have between errands or meetings to hone your skills. Challenge yourself to find something interesting to shoot while you’re waiting in line at the bank or walking to the parking lot from the office.

November 25, 2012

Even better, at a parade take photos of the parade goers, especially the children and the looks on their faces. You’ll see a lot of smiles, some frowns and some genuine excitement.

November 24, 2012

Everyone loves a parade, but no one loves boring photos of a string of marchers without context. Look for details like the reflections in a tuba, the hand holding a twirling baton or the gleam of a brightly colored fire engine.

November 23, 2012

Try shooting without color for a day. Set your camera to the B&W; or monochrome setting and get used to seeing in Black & White. If your camera can capture NEF files, you can set your camera to write NEF + JPG – the JPG files will be B&W; but the NEF files will be in color. Also, you will be able to view the preview images on the camera’s LCD in B&W.;

November 22, 2012

If you’re photographing someone and you want to remember to send him or her a copy of the photo, take a picture of their business card. This will jog your memory and give you the contact info you need. You can even write notes with special instructions or reminders on a piece of paper and take a photo of it too.

November 21, 2012

Give yourself an assignment in abstract photography, with the goal of making something easily recognizable harder to identify. You can do this by focusing on just a small part of the subject.

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