Photo How To

Tourists, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts love waking up to a bright day with clear skies. The opposite is true for outdoor photographers, for whom clear, featureless skies without clouds can be an absolute nightmare.

Nothing spoils an otherwise great shot more than failing to achieve precise focus. You can compose a scene properly, nail exposure, and capture beautiful colors, but if the image is soft all is for naught.

Unforced errors are part of the photographic process, and the goal is to not make the same mistake twice. The quick video below will help prevent you from doing that by identifying a handful of common faux pas and explaining how to avoid or fix them.

One of the first characteristics many photographers consider when evaluating a lens is how it renders out-of-focus portions of an image. Often referred to as background blur or bokeh, this attribute imparts a unique look and feel to an image that can be very visually appealing.

Let’s face it: Money is tight for a lot of folks these days, and that often makes it difficult to justify purchasing new gear. But if you explore the used market there are great deals to be found, as long as you know what to look for and buy from a

If you’re inexperienced at portraiture and looking for a creative edge, we’ve got you covered with the straightforward tutorial below. Bet yet, you’ll be able to shoot eye-catching photos with a simple home setup and a minimum of gear.

Photographers are known for chasing the latest and greatest gear, despite the adage that, “It’s the photographer—not the camera—that creates the image.” I’ll admit to owning a couple “state-of-the art” digital cameras myself. But my photo cabinet also includes a few “obsolete” models dating back to 2009.