The internet has become instrumental in the way we share and access photography. Images once reserved for high-end galleries, accessible only to those with money, are now available for anyone with an internet connection.
Successful photographers are not always the best creatively. Sure, they're good. But what sets them apart is how well they sell themselves to the world. On the flip side, I've seen gifted photographers not get work because they have no clue how to market themselves.
One of the fundamental tenets behind being a photographer is the mastery of light. Cameras and lenses aside, light is the most important element in image-making. Many professionals prefer to shoot with artificial lighting thanks to their ability to deliver consistent and repeatable results.
While much of the photo industry is dominated by digital, there's never been more interest in analog photography. The production of popular film stocks has been steadily increasing. New film emulsions are also regularly introduced.
Light meters are designed to measure the amount of light available in a scene. In photography, they are used to determine the appropriate aperture and shutter speed values required to properly expose an image.
Candid moments are happening all around us, and photography affords us the unique ability to distill and immortalize them into a single frame. Situational awareness is key. Most candid moments tend to reveal themselves as long as you're paying attention to your surroundings.
We've been sharing a lot of tips about camera settings as of late, especially aperture. As one of the components of the Exposure Triangle, the aperture is responsible for letting light into the camera.
Whether you're shooting in manual or aperture priority mode, setting the right aperture to put depth of field to work is one of the decisions that you'll have to do with confidence. Whatever the kind of photography that you do, your choice of aperture will determine not only how bright your results look, but also how much of the scene looks sharply focused.
Still getting a grip on how to set your camera’s aperture, shutter speed, and ISO? Getting acquainted with the Exposure Triangle is one of the best and fundamental ways to understand how it all works and come together to create proper exposures.
Creativity is a big part of our craft as photographers. It’s what fuels our best ideas, defines our personal style, and sets our work apart from random snaps and throwaway photos. It’s crucial for both professional and personal work that we find ourselves restless whenever we feel we’re not being creative enough with our concepts or execution.
Depth of field is one of the photography terms and concepts that you’re guaranteed to come across but may take some time to understand through practice. The term is commonly defined as the distance between the closest and the farthest objects in the photo that appear acceptably sharp.
Ever felt that a shot would have been perfect if not for distracting element in the background? Can't cut off or blur an annoying element behind your subject? Sometimes, it's hard to avoid cluttered and distracting backgrounds, but taking the time to pay extra attention to it will give you the best results.
One of the main parameters of a good photo is proper exposure, which is achieved by using the best camera settings given the situation. The shutter speed, aperture, and ISO all work together as the so-called Exposure Triangle.
Cleaning your camera's lens may seem either as simple as wiping off dust, water droplets, or smudge off the front element, or as complicated as taking apart the lens to clean its insides. However, there's a bunch of simple things you can do to keep your lenses clean and ready for the next shoot.
Planning to get your first serious camera and have been eyeing some of the latest and the greatest models? If you’ve been convinced that it will give you the most impressive photos, you have to do something about that mindset.
We often hear about how black and white photography is often a different experience for many photographers, and how it trains us to look at scenes before us differently. By stripping away the colors, we are forced to simplify our creative vision and focus on what's important: the composition.
Another year (another decade, if you wish), another fresh opportunity to challenge ourselves to take on more photography projects. Today's photography cheat sheet/challenge is especially for parents looking for more creative ways and ideas for photographing their kids this year.
As many of the projects we've previously featured show, exceptional architectural photography involves more than just pointing a camera to buildings and architectural elements. Composition is key, as is the case with great photography in general.
It's been a decade since we put together this noob's guide to the symbols in your camera, and we thought it's about time we made a follow-up to that. In today's photography cheat sheet feature, we bring a bunch of visual guides that you can use as a reference to complement the noob's guide mentioned above.
Previously, we shared some tips for photographing birds at the zoo and birds in flight. Now, it's time for us to share more tips to further improve your bird photography skills with a photography cheat sheet for groups of birds.
Despite the variety of options out there, there are some photographers who find the tripod a little too bulky for their liking. Sure, there are now tripod designs and materials that are more lightweight and specially made for travel.
As with all kinds of photography, lighting is a crucial part of a beautiful, well-exposed macro photo. Not only will it ensure your shots are sharp, but will also give them an extra punch. With a handful of quick tips from today's photography cheat sheet, you'll be able to use effective lighting for macro photography in time for your next shoot!
Exposure compensation is among the nifty tools you have at your disposal to ensure properly-exposed photos and give you the results you want. So it definitely pays to know how it works. If you're yet to master it, today's featured photography cheat sheet has everything you need to know to get the hang of exposure compensation on your next shoot.
All the previous photography cheat sheets we've shared so far have all been arming you with the essential tips and tricks to get you a step ahead in your photography game. This time, however, we think it's also worth letting you on the most common mistakes that photographers either overlook or fail to account for.
As with any kind of photography, macro photography can benefit considerably from histogram readings. This tool will let you evaluate your exposure more accurately than you would from checking your camera screen.
Whether you're heading out of town or braving the great outdoors, it pays to be prepared with what you take in your camera bag. Apart from your gear and other essentials, there's a bunch of other stuff you should take with you.
Think your photography can use some improvement? There's a good chance that you'll need to work on your composition. Using lines and patterns can do wonders in making your photos look visually stunning, or even give them more impact.
Cleaning dust, fingerprints, or smudges on a camera lens is something that every photographer must be able to do properly and regularly. But, it's not as simple as wiping it with any cloth or cleaning agents.
With the holiday season afoot and Christmas just a few weeks away, we're sure you're all looking forward to shooting some festive snaps. Bokeh-licious is the name of the game for the most wonderful time of the year.
The most significant advantage of interchangeable lens cameras like DSLRs and mirrorless cameras is their ability to be fitted with different lenses. There's a wide range of lenses out there, each suited for a specific kind of photography.
Basic as it is, shooting in natural light (or available light) remains popular among photographers then and now because of its simplicity, convenience, and beautiful results. In fact, many photographers prefer to work solely with natural light over using lighting equipment -- and there's nothing wrong with that.
A well-exposed photo is never enough; it should also show great composition. Of course, no one is a master of composition straight away. It takes years of learning, practice, and constant improvements.
One of the coolest things you can do in low lighting conditions or complete darkness is do light paintings to achieve fun and colorful effects. Whether you want to try something new or embellish a portrait with these effects, light painting will allow you to get experimental and creative with light and colors.
Whether it's for the office, in your home, or with your friends, Christmas parties make fun photo opportunities. They're perfect for getting extra creative with props, backdrops, lights, and gizmos to get some unique Christmas photos.
It can be kind of confusing or even overwhelming to fiddle around with camera settings when you're just starting out shooting with a DSLR or mirrorless camera. You have to account for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, and setting them based on the lighting condition and shooting situation.
The grandeur of the Northern Lights is high up on the bucket list of travel and landscape photographers, so we're not surprised if it's already on your plans for the winter. Of course, you'll want to bring home with you some stunning photos as keepsakes of the spectacular experience.
We all have to start somewhere when learning a new skill or hobby, and photography is no different. Whether it's shooting with a new camera or taking better photos with a smartphone, there are some essential basic photography rules that you'll need to practice.
It's easy to see why a lot of us want to dabble in landscape photography once in a while, as it often goes hand-in-hand when you're a lover of the great outdoors. However, if you look for inspiration long and hard enough, you'll eventually realize that there's more to a great landscape photo than just a snapshot of the scene before you.
In an era when colors are most popular for photography projects, it can be intimidating to strip down all the hues and go black and white. But if you've decided to take on the challenge of seeing and capturing the world differently, it's worth learning some useful tips and tricks to get the best photos while you're at it.
"For most of us these days, black and white is an afterthought, a creative filter we have on Instagram, a Lightroom preset we apply because that particular shot has too much color in it. Black and white is not generally something we pre-plan," lamented London-based photographer Jamie Windsor in one of his videos about black and white photography.
The autofocus mode is certainly a blessing for many photographers, especially those who are just starting out. To provide the best results out of this mode, DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are equipped with AF focus point options, which allow users to set the focus on their subjects.
Mastering camera controls can be intimidating for beginners, especially for those who are upgrading from a smartphone camera. But, it doesn't have to stay that way. Today's photography cheat sheet will certainly help anyone who wants to have a better understanding of the three basic camera settings: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
Photographing moving subjects can be tricky especially for beginners. Not only will it require using fast shutter speeds to freeze movement, but you also need to nail your focus. Today's photography cheat sheet will help you with the latter through some tips for choosing the right AF point depending on how your subject is moving.
Working your way to being a pro photographer? As mentioned in a previous photography cheat sheet we shared, part of establishing your own photography business is marketing your services. This is where effective branding comes in.
ISO is one of the elements that comprise a well-exposed photo, so it's definitely one of the things that you should master, especially when you want to learn how to shoot in manual mode. If you're still struggling with ISO settings and what they do to your photos, we have precisely the stuff to help you.
Shooting in manual mode can seem intimidating to anyone who wants to have a go at it after being used to auto mode for a while. But once you understand how these three exposure elements work, you'll be on your way to mastering manual mode in no time, whether you're shooting film or digital.
Want to start capturing your little one's first milestones? Or maybe you're thinking of getting into the newborn photography business? There's more to it than random snapshots, so today's photography cheat sheet will be of great help to you.
Once in a while, you'll come across shooting situations that give you inaccurate colors, blown-out highlights, and unbalanced exposures. You can correct these in post-process later, but it always pays to get the best results possible in-camera.
Ever wondered about how different filters work and what they can do to your photos? In a nutshell, these accessories are useful for addressing challenging lighting conditions or creating a certain mood or effect.
Flash photography may seem daunting at first, but knowing how to work with lighting equipment like flashes and strobes will expand your skills and let you work with different shooting situations. It's an especially valuable skill if you want to do portrait photography.
Scrolling through social media can make you think that everyone is a photographer nowadays. Perfectly composed and lit images have become the norm, and it doesn't matter if someone is flexing their new car or showing off their tight summer body -- it looks as if they hired a professional team to photograph it.
Ante Badzim is a minimalist photographer from Sydney, Australia, whose portfolio presents a minimalist perspective of nature and human life. The post Licensing Contributor Ante Badzim on Minimalism in Commercial Photography appeared first on 500px.
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