Photo How To

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Ron Leach  |  Mar 20, 2023

One of the primary goals of landscape photographers is to arrive at a “correct” exposure, and we regularly post tutorials on this subject to help get the job done. But in the quick tutorial below you’ll see why certain types of scenes look much better by adding a bit of intentional overexposure during the editing process.

Jay Abend  |  May 01, 1999

One of the most important tips that I give aspiring photographers who own modern 35mm cameras is to learn to use their cameras totally manually. That's right, turn off the autoexposure and the autofocus, set the motor drive to single frame, and use...

Ron Leach  |  Nov 03, 2021

One of the first things most photographers learn is to avoid high ISO settings whenever possible. That’s because the more you crank up ISO, the more image quality tends to suffer.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jan 13, 2017

People often ask me, “What sort of lens should I buy as my second lens?” and my answer is always the same: “What sort of pictures would you like to take?”  I’m getting that question a lot right now because a zillion people got new cameras over the holidays. There are so many options I’ve decided to deliver the answer in two installments. But first, let’s take a close look at that kit lens that came with your camera.

Jon Sienkiewicz  |  Jan 20, 2017

Welcome back! Last week we covered lenses that are well suited for five of the most popular camera activities, including kids’ sports, travel and online auctions. If you missed that piece, you’ll find it here. This week—as promised—five more lenses for five more activities. These are sometimes thought of as being in the realm of more advanced hobbyists, but that ain’t necessarily so. Read on…

Ron Leach  |  Jul 21, 2022

Ask any experienced landscape photographer to identify the most important tool in his bag, and the answer is likely to be, “My ND filter.” Or more accurately, “My set of ND filters.”

Ron Leach  |  Mar 12, 2021

One question we’re frequently asked is, “Should I buy a zoom lens or a prime?” And like many age-old questions, the answer is “It depends.” To give you thoughtful response we’d want to know your budget, the type of photography you do, whether or not you frequently shoot in low-light conditions, and how much gear you’re willing to lug around in the field.

Ron Leach  |  Feb 24, 2025

The sky is  usually a critical element of nature scenes, landscapes, and many other photos you capture in the field, and here's what post-processing expert Matt Kloskowski says about this matter: "Before we can even work on the sky, we need to understand how to mask it before applying various tools and enhancements."

Ron Leach  |  Dec 29, 2022

We all strive to capture true-to-life photos so they look as great as possible straight out of the camera. That means paying close attention to exposure focus, and other key shooting variables, as well as choosing the proper camera settings for the specific task at hand.

Ron Leach  |  Jul 19, 2023

Most of the post-processing tutorials we feature involve editing techniques in Photoshop or Lightroom. Today we're switching things up with a video for Adobe Photoshop Elements users, with a quick and valuable lesson from the HTG George YouTube channel.

Ron Leach  |  Oct 02, 2024

Just about all Lightroom users know that the software includes a variety of timesaving presets for creating numerous effects and quickly dupicating specific edits you made in the past. In addition to the built-in presets there are others you can download at nominal cost, and even create some of your own.

Ron Leach  |  Apr 03, 2024

Dealing with image-killing noise is a task commonly faced by landscape photographer who shoot at high ISO settings, either because of low-light conditions or when using slow shutter speeds to capture motion. In either case, there's a simple way to remove these ugly artifacts, and today's tutorial from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel explains how it works.

Ron Leach  |  Sep 30, 2024

There are countess reasons you may want to modify certain colors in a photo whether it was captured indoors or out. Perhaps a landscape image looks really great, except for a dull or lifeless sky. Or maybe you want to change the background used for a macro photo to make it more complementary to the tones in the subject.

Seth Shostak  |  Sep 07, 2017

Before you bought your last camera, did you weigh the pros and cons of the sensor’s aspect ratio? My guess is no—not in the face of more solemn considerations such as style, trim, and a boastful shoulder strap.

Ron Leach  |  Dec 11, 2024

If you're struggling with the autofocus of your camera and not achieving razor-sharp images on a consistent basis you've come to the right place. The following tutorial from an experienced pro demonstrates a variety of common mistakes and foolproof solutions for perfect results.

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