Videos

The proper use of depth-of-field effects is an important component of all great outdoor photographs, and we often use camera settings and techniques that accentuate a main subject by limiting the zone of sharpness to soften backgrounds and deemphasize other areas within the frame.

We often discuss the virtues of patience when shooting in the field, and why it's advisable not to move from one location to the next until you've exhausted all the possibilities of your first stop. And this sometimes means capturing a nice shot, followed by another and another as your exploration continues.

Most modern mirrorless cameras and DSLRs offer at least one dedicated button for creating custom settings that facilitate the type of images you shoot most, and even some advanced compacts offer this powerful oft-ignored feature. In the next 10 minutes you'll learn why and how to simplify your life by creating custom settings that match your personal needs.

Last month we brought you an interesting Lightroom tutorial demonstrating a unique method for using color curves adjustments to embellish mediocre landscape photographs with a beautiful soft dreamy twilight glow. This follow-up video provides an equally powerful tone curves trick that you'll definitely want to try.

Some styles of photography cry out for specific types of lenses (although we're strong proponents of experimenting beyond common conventions). Wide focal lengths, for example, are the primary choice of landscape shooters, while very few experienced wildlife photographers would venture out in the field without a long telephoto of 400mm or more.

Instructor Trey is a successful shooter specializing in nature, wildlife, and macro photography, and this episode leverages his skill in the latter category to talk you through seven image-killing mistakes. The straightforward solutions he provides will make a huge difference when the name of the game is getting up close and personal with your subjects.

If you're struggling to capture photographs that are just as just as spectacular as your wildlife subjects, we're going to change all that today with five practical tips from an Australian pro designed for beginners and experience shooters alike. These techniques are practical, not theoretical, and "actually work in the real world."