Travel Photography How To

When it comes to photography, there’s color and then there’s COLOR! In other words, sometimes you want to take a subtle approach while other times the goal is to create eye-popping images—either by choosing vivid subjects, using certain camera settings and shooting techniques, employing a bit of editing wizardry, or a combination of the above.

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.

What if you want a sunset image of a particular scene, but the sky is overcast or you’re not in the right place at the right time? The answer is simple: Watch this eight-minute tutorial and do it in Photoshop.

Sometime you capture a nice travel, nature, or landscape scene that could benefit from a boost in sharpness and contrast. The trick is to pump up the image without ending up with an overcooked look. You see how to do this is the quick video below.

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.

Lens Filters were more commonly used back when everyone shot film, perhaps because some digital photographers are imbued with the notion that “You can always fix it in Photoshop.” And that’s a shame because putting a filter on your lens is an easy way to “get it right in the camera,” rather than resorting to post-processing enhancements.

We all know that it’s ultimately the photographer—not the gear—that’s responsible for incredible images. But there’s no doubt that appropriate, quality equipment will make the process easier and more enjoyable whenever you head out into the field.