Travel Photography How To

When you come across a gorgeous outdoor scene the challenge is only beginning. First the shot must be composed effectively, but even more importantly you have the nail the exposure precisely. Otherwise you’re certain to be disappointed with the results.

Everyone is insecure about getting the correct exposure. We have good reason to be insecure because too often we’ve experienced over- and underexposures when we didn’t expect it, and that leaves a lasting impression that exposure technique is a mysterious and elusive thing.

Today’s Photoshop tutorial is all about analyzing boring photos carefully before relegating them to the trash. That’s because a drab image with good composition and a compelling subject can often be transformed into a beautiful scene with a few thoughtful adjustments in Photoshop.

We’ve all had the misfortune of traveling to a beautiful destination with a lake in the foreground of a stunning landscape, only to discover boring light, a drab cloudless sky, and water devoid of the brilliant reflections we anticipated.

When heading out for a day of landscape photography, chances are you reach for a wide-angle lens—or perhaps one in the 70-200mm range. But if you want to create images with a unique look, it’s time to consider using a super-telephoto instead.

There’s still time to get outside and capture the colorful splendor of autumn, before winter drastically changes the landscape. If the images you capture don’t appear as vibrant as what you saw through the viewfinder, this tutorial is for you.

[Column Note: Most people come to professional photography by traveling a familiar route: from an early fascination with cameras, to photo classes and courses, followed by assisting a pro to gain some real-world experience. Then comes striking out on one's own as photographer, which, if all goes well, is followed by the frequent printing of invoices. Others, however, arrive at a pro career sideways—that is, coming at it from another occupation. The stories these "second career" pro photographers tell tend to be quite interesting, even inspirational. And those stories are what this new online column, titled Going Pro, is all about.]