Whether you've realized it or not, you've likely seen a histogram while editing or browsing through your photos. It's a graph that shows the tone of your image, from black (on the left) to white (on the right). The higher the peak, the more pixels of that tone are present in your image. If you're unfamiliar with the histogram, it's helpful to look at it with a black and … [Read more...]

Composition is perhaps the most crucial element of your photos. Great composition can make you seem like a pro, while poor composition does exactly the opposite. Even if everything else is perfect, poor composition can make your photos look amateur and incomplete. The beauty of your photography depends on composition, but don't give up if you have a hard time composing … [Read more...]

There are many reasons that photographs end up a bit less sharp than desired. Sometimes the subject moves slightly and blurs the scene, but other times it's something to do with camera settings and the photo setup. Aperture One of the first things to consider when taking a photograph is your aperture settings. Aperture usually is viewed as a way of controlling the amount of … [Read more...]

Portraits are one of the most popular photography genres. Selfies, pictures of family/friends, and snapshots of strangers get posted every day on social media.  How can you make your portraits stand out from the rest? To increase the impact of your portraits, try out the following 3 tips. 1. Change Your Perspective Perspective is one of the first things to consider when … [Read more...]

Indoor sports are notoriously hard to photograph. This challenge comes from a combination of three factors. First, the action in a sport is typically fast and difficult to capture. Second, the lighting conditions of indoor sporting events are generally poor. There's not always enough light, and the type of light creates bad coloring in photos. And finally, it can be hard for a … [Read more...]

Getting great landscape (and seascape) shots takes more than just the right lens or the proper setup. In fact, the key to amazing landscape photography may actually lie in composition. A landscape photo can have remarkable clarity and ideal lighting, yet still fail short due to poor composition. Fortunately, the composition of landscape photos is fairly simple. A standard … [Read more...]

All photography is made through light. Although this light can create beauty, it can also cause problems and ruin a perfect scene. Learning how to overcome these lighting problems is essential for any photographer. Otherwise, you miss capturing perfect moments because of lighting. There are two general types of lighting: continuous and electronic flash. Continuous lighting … [Read more...]

Composition requires some practice to master, but it doesn't have to be a source of frustration. In fact, it can be a fun way to play with elements in a photo. For example, you can tinker with the lines in an image. Lines can be extremely powerful, whether they're framing the subject or serving as the major focal point in the composition. To use lines effectively in a photo, … [Read more...]

Taking time to experiment is one of the best ways to improve your photography. If you feel discouraged when you experiment with new ideas, try focusing on a certain area you'd like to improve. For example, it's worthwhile to spend time experimenting with color. Capturing bold colors can be an especially powerful way to create mood in a photo. Next time you want to experiment … [Read more...]

Not knowing how to pose a model is one challenge beginners can struggle with. It's an important step to master, though. You need to know how to pose your model if you want to create perfect portraits. Below are some tips to help you get the right poses for each portrait you take. Remember that reading alone won't immediately improve your skills. Practice makes perfect! These … [Read more...]