Pro Techniques

The earth rotates tilted on its axis approximately 23Þ. This fact renders most forms of astrophotography maddeningly complex. There is one form of night sky photography that is given to us in relative simplicity by our home planet's relentless spin: star trails. All we need to create gorgeous star trail shots is a camera, a tripod, and a remote or cable release.
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If life is a series of experiences, then travel/documentary photographer Robert Leon is indeed living a very full and interesting one. As a young boy, Leon was mesmerized by the world depicted in his parents' National Geographic and LIFE magazines. "I would dream of going to these places and was fascinated by the different cultures," he says. Eventually, after...

There is no doubt that a well-crafted lith print is, to borrow an oft-used phrase from my father-in-law, "a thing of beauty is (therefore) a joy forever." The trick, for the experienced and occasional darkroom users alike, is the production of such a print. I have always had difficulty getting consistency with the production of my prints. Despite this frustration, my...

It's probably no surprise to most of you, but in today's digital world, having a website is almost a requirement if you're to be considered a pro or more than a casual snapshooter. Many publications and image purchasers don't want to deal with looking at contact sheets or browsing at images on a CD or DVD--aside from the task of inserting and reading...

Consistently achieving accurate color may be digital photography's most difficult skill to master. Shooting the same subject under different lighting conditions can cause unacceptable color variations which can be difficult and time consuming to correct later. Digital cameras have many more color balance options than film ever did, but when the ambient lighting changes from...

Mirroring photos has always been one of my favorite techniques, and it is a relatively easy way to come up with some fun and creative images. Mirroring images consists of duplicating part of a photograph and flipping it around in different ways to create a mirrored effect. I use all kinds of subjects for these creations and I am constantly looking for things that would produce...

Water. Even a small amount can turn your favorite camera into a worthless, grisly paperweight.

If your camera gear gets in the drink, there's only a slim chance you can save it. But you can improve your odds if you follow these tips.

Act Fast
If your camera gets wet, it's important to act quickly. If you're outdoors...