Leaning macro or close-up photography is a fun and rewarding way to explore the world around you. Technically, there is a difference between close-up and macro photography. By definition, macro refers to photographing a subject in a 1:1 ratio or larger. In other words, making small subjects look at least life size. Your lens may have a macro setting on it, or you can try using extension tubes combined with a normal lens which will allow you some magnification. Close up filt

Understanding how to control depth of field is one of the most important skills a photographer should master. Knowing how to make parts of your composition sharp, while other parts of the image fall out of focus is not only a technical skill to have in your “tool bag” but also gives you artistic and creative control over your images. In basic terms, depth of field or focus range is defined as the front-to-back zone of acceptable sharpness within a photo that will appear in fo

The beginner photographer often finds the idea of long exposure photography daunting. The concept of creating mysterious and surreal looking images may seem beyond a new photographer’s capabilities, but the truth is, the process is not at all difficult to master. A few special tools may be necessary, depending on the situation. But with a bit of practice, in no time at all, you’ll be creating dramatic photographs that take your viewer outside the realms of reality. Let’s firs

Usually, when we think of portraiture, photos with faces are the first thing that come to mind. However, photos of hands and feet can show as much or sometimes more emotion than the human face. The reason why hands and feet (with or without shoes) can make such an emotional portrait is because they express a person’s character and help to tell a story. Imagine a photo of a line of soldiers all in muddy combat boots. There is no need for a full-length portrait. With the image

Tips for photographing in Winter

Who does’t love a good story? Stories are important to the human experience because they help us make meaning of our lives and the events that shape our world. A good story can ignite our imagination or have the power to transform our perception of other cultures or ideas. Since the invention of the camera, photographers have used pictures to preserve facts and tell the stories of our human existence and social evolution. In this quickly changing world, the work of documenta

So you have decided that you want to take the plunge and create your first documentary photography project. Good for you!… Let’s get started. Documentary photographers know that creating a compelling story means more than just snapping the occasional photograph. It requires a deeper look into your subject matter to uncover the facts and present them in a way that is insightful and narrates the story so that it connects your audience with your subject. Sure, that might sound

Most people can’t wait for a warm spring day to go out and make photographs. But winter is a perfect time to photograph too. Dress warm and follow the tips I’ve outlined below to get some dramatic snow images. 1. Your camera’s battery will drain much faster in cold weather. Be prepared with a spare battery or plan your time accordingly. Keep your spare battery in a pocket close to your body until ready to use. Your body heat will help to keep it from draining so quickly. 2.

Add a sunbeam to your mundane composition and you’ll come up with a spectacular photograph that will leave your friends asking “How did you do that?” It is actually a very simple technique. First off, you need to have bright sun light. The best shooting time is 1/2 hour after sunrise and 1/2 hour before sunset. The sun’s rays are most dramatic at these time frames. Midday light has such a high contrast that it makes it difficult to capture a sunbeam. It's often helpful to h

You may have taken a few pictures of snow lately only to be disappointed when you looked at the prints and noticed that the snow that was glistening white when you took the picture now appears a dull grey tone. The reason for this lies in your camera’s ability to average out the tones it sees and produce a photograph consisting of 18% grey tones. That’s great if you have a normal scene with sky, ground and a few people in it wearing different color clothing, But when your