Outdoor Photography How To

We’ve been working through all the new capabilities of the latest Lightroom update, and today's tutorial from the Photoshop Café YouTube channel demonstrates a powerful new feature that is nothing short of "stunning." In less than eight minutes you see how the new Point Color tool works.

Sometimes the outdoor images we make don’t look as remarkable on the computer as they did through the viewfinder. In some cases that’s due to challenging light, while other times the problem is incorrect exposure or other camera settings.

Several years ago I decided to take on a challenge of focusing on macro photography right in my own backyard. No, I do not reside in the Sierra mountains or adjacent to a national wildlife refuge or conservation area. I live in a typical South Florida suburban subdivision surrounded by homes and asphalt. South Florida doesn’t even offer much in the way of seasons. Yet, I am amazed at how many unique images I have captured over the past several years.

The beauty and artistry of the natural designs found in rocks and minerals rivals the most expensive abstract paintings you might find in an art gallery. Some of them are truly breathtaking. Of course, not all rocks are created equal. Some are boring and not worth a second glance, but others are works of art and, if you were to print the images very large and frame them elegantly for your home, people would think you paid thousands of dollars for such a visually compelling piece of art.

Adventure/travel photographer Ryan Deboodt has done much of his photography in Vietnam and in Bejing, China where he lives, but he's traveled throughout the world. All of his work is impressive, but the images he shoots inside caves is truly breathtaking.

Outdoor photographers are known for carrying tons of gear, so they’re prepared for just about anything they encounter. We’ve addressed this burden in the past for landscape shooters who often hike great distances into the field, and for travel photographers who want to carry a minimum of equipment.

Achieving fast and precise focus is a primary goal of all outdoor photographers, whether they shoot wildlife, sports, adventure, or travel images. Even landscape photographers want to hit the proper point of focus when capturing static scenes.