The post See the Stunning Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 Finalists appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Bird Photographer of the Year, “the world’s most prestigious bird photography competition,” has announced a handful of 2021 finalists.
BPOTY 2021 features stunning bird photography from entrants around the world; this year, the contest received 22,000 submissions spanning 73 countries, all competing for a £5,000 grand prize plus category prizes from sponsors such as Swarovski Optik and F-Stop Gear.
While the contest winners won’t be revealed until September 1st, the released images represent some of Bird Photographer of the Year’s best submissions, though not all finalists have been announced. According to BPOTY, these images are simply a “sneak preview of what is still to come.”
The BPOTY Director, Will Nicholls, notes, “The standard of photography was incredibly high, and the diversity in different species was great to see. Now the judges are going to have a tough time deciding the winner of the competition!”
For those interested in entering: While the 2021 contest is closed to submissions, the 2022 competition will open before the year is out.
To learn more about the current and future competition and to view past winners, head over to the Bird Photographer of the Year website.
Now, without further ado, let’s take a look at a collection of stunning BPOTY 2021 finalists. And when you’re done, leave a comment letting us know which image was your favorite!
The post See the Stunning Bird Photographer of the Year 2021 Finalists appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post 11 Cat Photography Ideas (For Stunning Photos of Your Furry Friend) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
If you’re looking for cat photography ideas, you’re in the right place.
Cats can be cute and challenging at the same time; this is what makes them such fascinating subjects! Whether you’re a cat lover looking to capture photos of your pet, or you want to become a professional pet photographer, these ideas will help you out.
1. Improve your compositions
A good composition is key in any type of photography, including cat photography. The way you frame your picture and how you position the cat (and other elements) can completely change the photo.
Using composition, you’re telling the viewer what’s most important in the picture. Also, careful use of composition is a good way to develop a personal style.
There are many rules that serve as guidelines for composition. For instance, if you like the idea of dividing your image into segments, you can follow the rule of thirds or the golden grid.
Otherwise, you can use shapes, such as the golden triangle, to arrange elements in your cat photos. Color and texture will help you maintain balance.
Learn the most important rules to improve your cat photography, but don’t be afraid to break them every once in a while.
2. Use different focal lengths
Beginners often wonder about the best gear to do pet photography, and cat photography is no exception; in particular, beginner photographers are always looking for the best lenses.
However, there isn’t one best lens that suits all situations and cats. For example, some cats allow you in their safe space very quickly, so with them, you can use a short wide-angle lens or a standard lens.
Other cats are more skittish and will run every time you get close. Unfortunately, if you’re photographing a cat as part of a pet photography business, you can’t spend much time getting the cat to trust you. In such a case, you might want to use longer focal lengths.
Even when you’re working with your own cat, you’ll want to have some variety in your pictures. Sometimes it’s good to have the cat close to you (you’ll need to use a short focal length). Other times, you might want to let a cat be a cat, so stay out of the way and snap your photos with a telephoto lens.
3. Be patient
When you’re working with cats, keep in mind that they’re not paid models. Cats are animals – domestic ones, yes, but animals nonetheless.
Cats don’t care about your hourly fee or your photographic expectations. You have to be flexible and adapt to their personality and schedule.
So don’t think that you can go in, take the photos, and leave. First, you have to spend some time connecting with the cat. Animals can be very anxious when a new person comes into their territory or wants to interact with them.
Take some time before the photoshoot to let the cat calm down and get used to you. I understand that you can’t spend too long on this, but factor in extra time when you’re planning and doing the budget so you don’t get stressed.
Another thing about patience is that it soothes the cat. If you try to rush things or you feel agitated, you’ll pass on those feelings to the cat and things will get even more difficult.
4. Make a shot list
One of the best cat photography ideas is to create a shot list. This will serve as a guideline when structuring your session.
You can also use a shot list to determine the materials you need before heading out to your cat photoshoot.
I recommend you include a close-up portrait on your list because it’s one of the classic shots that you can’t miss. When the cat’s face fills the frame, it becomes the most important element – no distractions. Like this:
If it’s a frontal portrait, you’ll emphasize the eyes. Here, making eye contact with the cat is key to a successful photo.
(You can also try a close-up in profile or capture a specific expression.)
5. Use burst mode
When you’re dealing with moving cats, you might want to turn on your camera’s burst mode to capture action shots.
I’m not saying that you should use burst mode for the entire session; this will result in an enormous amount of pictures to cull and edit.
However, there are certain situations when it’s useful. For example, if you bring a toy and you want to capture some fun playtime shots, like this:
6. Don’t forget about the details
Our adorable furry friends have adorable furry parts. Most of us cat lovers can’t get enough of their paws, ears, or noses.
So if they’re so cute, why not photograph them? It’s also a good way to give the cat a break from the photoshoot. While the cat is off resting or has some water, you can take detail photos since you don’t need the cat’s undivided attention.
7. Follow your cat
Unless you’re doing a studio portrait session, it’s important to let the cat be a cat. In other words, let the cat run to chase a shadow, let it get bored and want to change settings, etc.
Don’t try to impose your own schedule for the entire photoshoot. Instead, follow the cat’s lead for a while.
A lot of great pictures can happen when cats are minding their own business, so just have your camera ready for some amazing candid photos!
8. Play peekaboo
Cats are curious and playful by nature, so use your creativity to make the most out of these personality traits.
I’ve found that playing peekaboo with a cat leads to great photo opportunities. This is because when the cat is hiding behind something, you can introduce a foreground element to make a creative composition.
(This effect is known as a frame within a frame.)
9. Try black and white photography
Going black and white allows the viewer to see things differently from everyday life. That way you can give your photo a creative atmosphere.
Many people do associate black and white with fine art photography – but most clients will appreciate having a few shots in grayscale, regardless.
10. Photograph the cat from above
They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and this is true for cats as well as people! When you photograph a cat from above, you can catch them looking up at you (which emphasizes their eyes).
You can also use this type of shot to show much of a cat’s personality and mood. Look at the examples above. On the left side, I took a snapshot of the cat that was living at a holiday rental house I visited with my husband (the cat didn’t know us, and we were in his territory).
On the right side is Bianca, a sweet cat that I’d been photographing for over an hour. That was her look when we took a coffee break.
(As you can see, the two cats’ expressions are quite different!)
11. Use hard light to add drama
In photography, there are two different types of light: soft and hard.
Soft light evenly illuminates the scene. If it creates shadows, they are not defined or intense. (Soft light is very flattering for portraits.)
Hard light, on the other hand, creates high-contrast scenes with strong shadows. This type of light adds drama to an image, which is what I recommend you try!
Note that hard light can be created naturally or artificially. For instance, when you’re working outdoors in bright sunlight, you’ll naturally get hard light. You can also create hard light in a studio by using a speedlight or a strobe without modifiers.
11 cat photography ideas: final words
You’ll notice most of these cat photography ideas have to do with the photoshoot itself and not your gear. That’s because you can start improving your cat photos today – with whatever equipment you have, even your smartphone.
Of course, if you can afford to purchase a camera with interchangeable lenses, it’s a good idea. You can also benefit from Animal Eye AF to ensure sharp images every time.
Either way, I hope these cat photography ideas are helpful the next time you want to capture your furry friend!
The post 11 Cat Photography Ideas (For Stunning Photos of Your Furry Friend) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
The post 12 Tips for Stunning Black and White Street Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Black and white street photography is classic and timeless. Stripping away color renders a rawness and an alternate reality to street life.
But merely removing the color will not make a compelling street shot. If you want to create strong street images with no color, you need to be intentional. And that’s what this article is all about.
I’m going to give you 12 tips for capturing beautiful black and white street photos. And by the time you’re done, your classic street photography will be much improved.
Why is black and white great for street photography?
Choosing monochrome for street photography can make for great images. That’s because black and white photos often appear more emotional or mysterious. There’s something missing, so we automatically have a sense of wonder.
Whether you are out in the streets or working on the highway, your street photos will convey a different mood in black and white. If you’re intentional about creating this feeling from the start, you can make your photos more compelling.
So how do you take beautiful black and white street photographs?
Here are my 12 best tips:
1. Start well
Pay attention to your camera settings so you can capture in-focus and well-exposed images.
When you nail your settings, you’ll get image files you can work with in post-production.
For instance, you’ll be able to manipulate a well-exposed image without risking quality degradation. Even with the simplicity of black and white, you need to be careful to maintain image structure.
So know the look you want to capture, then choose the camera settings that will achieve it.
Digital photography means it’s easy to capture images in color and later decide to render them in black and white. This will sometimes create good monochrome photos, but not always.
Thinking in black and white and intentionally shooting without color is best.
Despite the amount of control that’s available when converting color photos to grayscale, pictures deliberately taken for black and white editing are often stronger.
3. Look at light and tone contrasts
Without color, you must rely more on tone and light to shape your images.
When you compose your photos, look for where light and dark meet. How do these tones relate to each other? What graphic impact do they have on your composition?
Tone is largely dictated by light. If you are out in the street on a sunny versus a cloudy day, this will affect the style and mood of the photos you’ll be able to take.
Think about how the light looks in black and white – and work with it because you cannot change it.
Figure-to-ground photography is when the main subject sits in stark contrast to the background. This means your subject is most prominent in your photo, even if it only occupies a small portion of the frame.
You can create this look when your subject is in the sun and the background is in the shade:
Or when your subject is in the shade and you have a very bright background. (A silhouette is another example of figure-to-ground photography.)
5. Find a good background
Finding a good background is important for color or black and white street photography. However, when working in monochrome, your background choice is influenced more by lighting.
Will a background that’s completely in the sun or in the shade suit your subject best? Will the type of images you want to create be stronger if there’s more or less tonal contrast in the background?
Once you find a good background, be patient. Wait for some interesting activity to occur – and when it does, take a photo.
6. Be comfortable with what you’re doing
The more comfortable and confident you are when you are out taking photos, the better your images will be.
So if you’re not comfortable in one location, move somewhere else, because worrying about your situation will distract you from being creative.
When you are comfortable, you’ll be able to think more clearly and visualize the scene in black and white. Focus your thoughts on how the parts of your image will look. Observe the colors and imagine how they will look when converted to grayscale.
Don’t get consumed with worries about how other people will notice you and what they might think.
Be aware of everything you include in your frame. Make sure to only shoot what’s relevant to the main subject and to the style of photograph you want to create.
If you are capturing too much and it’s not making your photo stronger, move closer or change your focal length.
Look at the light and shadow and use these intentionally as compositional elements. Include strong shadows to help shape your images. Frame your subject with light and dark areas.
Don’t only focus on capturing a moving subject at the decisive moment; make sure to include it meaningfully in your composition.
Filling your frame does not mean it needs to be cluttered. When it’s intentional, negative space in your black and white street photography can be used very effectively.
When space is left in a photograph without purpose, it weakens the image. But deliberately including empty space will often create a more compelling image.
Think about the lighting and tone in the empty space. Is it going to take away from the main subject? Or will it help the main subject stand out?
Being in control of how your camera autofocuses and exposes your photos means you can be more precise and more creative.
I prefer to use single-point focus as it allows me to focus on the part of my composition I want sharp. If your camera has touchscreen focusing, you can do precise focusing very quickly and easily.
Manual mode and semi-automatic exposure modes put you in charge of which tones in your image will be well exposed. Sometimes, you may want shadows to render black. Other times, you may want highlights to completely blow out while you capture shadow detail. You can manage all of this in Manual mode.
Black and white street photography looks classic. But capturing images with the intention of rendering them in monochrome requires that you think carefully about the light and tones in your compositions.
So before you head out with your camera, take a look at some black and white street photography from the masters. Check out Bruce Davidson, William Klein, and Robert Doisneau, for starters. Look for the secrets of style in their work and let it inspire you.
And remember the tips I’ve shared today!
Now over to you:
What’s your favorite tip from this article? Which tip are you going to implement immediately in your work? Share your thoughts (and your black and white street photos) in the comments below!
How do you change a street photo to black and white?
All image-editing software allows you to convert images to black and white. Desaturating is the simplest way to make a color photo black and white, but it will not bring out the best in the image. You will see better results by controlling the conversion.
Should I shoot in black and white or convert later?
You can adjust your LCD so it shows you a black and white image. On cameras with electronic viewfinders, you can also do this with the display. When you capture a RAW image, it’ll be in color; by converting to black and white from a RAW file, you’ll get the highest-quality results.
What does black and white do to an image?
Black and white can make an image look timeless!
The post 12 Tips for Stunning Black and White Street Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
The post How to Photograph Into the Light for Stunning Results appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
In this article, I’ll explain how to photograph into the light.
This technique is sometimes called contre-jour, a French term that literally translates to “against the light.”
Now, there are various ways you can approach this style of photography. You can choose to photograph stunning silhouettes, or you can attempt to mitigate dark areas in your photo through post-processing.
To discover the best ways of photographing into the light, read on!
Why should you photograph into the light?
Photographing into the light is a great way to add drama to your photos.
(Note that photographing into the light is also known as backlit photography.)
But to get nice images, you’ll need to have a good understanding of how the light will interact with your camera.
Now, almost everyone will have shot against the light at some point (e.g., when photographing a sunrise or sunset).
But if you can understand how to control the light across your frame, you can create especially incredible results.
For instance, one of the most obvious effects you’ll see when doing backlit photography is a silhouette, which I discuss in the next section.
How to create stunning silhouettes
Silhouettes are shapes formed by objects in front of a brighter background.
They’re very appealing to photographers because you can produce powerful shapes, which will give your images a very graphic feel.
Shapes and patterns are important when silhouetting an image.
You won’t get good silhouettes by just pointing the camera into the light, however. Some planning is needed to get the best result.
Specifically, you’ll want:
A low angle: Silhouettes are best when the entire silhouetted shape sits against the bright background. Since the background is usually the sky, getting down to a low angle to photograph upward is best.
A clear horizon line: Other than the objects you want to silhouette, try to avoid placing other elements on the horizon line. This often means a clear horizon line is best. Also, avoid having objects overlap with the main subject you’re silhouetting.
To expose for the sky: Expose for the bright background; this will lead to dark, beautifully silhouetted foreground objects.
Other elements: Include other elements such as framing, lines, and repetition that draw the eye toward your silhouette.
Here, I got down on the ground for a nice low angle. That way, I was able to capture the entire silhouette.
Drama in the sky
The sky is an important part of your photos, especially if you’re a landscape photographer. And photographing into the light can lead to some of the best results.
What you’re looking for are beautiful sunset colors, rays of light coming through clouds, and perhaps a starburst effect from the sun.
You’ll need to choose the correct time of day to improve your results – often sunrise or sunset. The hour before sunset and the hour after sunrise are also optimal.
The final key element is often about 30% cloud coverage.
Here are a few quick tips for photographing backlit landscapes:
Pay attention to the weather forecast: Check ahead for the forecast and use satellite images of the clouds in your area. That way, you can know with greater certainty if the sky will look good.
Arrive early: Arriving an hour ahead of the ideal light will help you plan your photo, and you’ll be ready if you get unexpected rays of sunshine breaking through the clouds ahead of when you want to photograph.
Compose with leading lines: If possible, use leading lines to guide the eye toward the sun or to an interesting area of the sky.
You can also photograph against artificial light sources. Here, the background is wire wool.
Balancing the light
When photographing silhouettes, an underexposed foreground is what you want – but what if you’re after a detailed background and a detailed foreground?
For the best result, you’ll need to balance the light throughout your photo. Otherwise, you’ll produce an overexposed sky or an underexposed foreground.
There are two approaches you can use; one is in-camera, and the other uses post-processing.
Filters: Graduated neutral density filters are a great way to balance the light across your photo. These come in different strengths, so you can adapt your setup to the scene in front of you.
Digital blending: Combine a series of bracketed photos in post-processing. This approach uses luminosity masks and layers in Photoshop.
Combination: The best approach is to combine the above methods. Get the exposure as correct as possible in-camera, then use post-processing to enhance your results further.
How to handle flare
Photographing into the light can lead to flare in your photos.
While flare can be used artistically, you’ll at least want to control it. And you’ll sometimes need to prevent the flare entirely.
Use the following tips to control flare in your photos:
Choose your lens carefully: A lens with a smaller number of elements will cause less flare. So use a prime lens when possible.
Add a lens hood: Use your lens hood to block stray light.
Use a narrow aperture: When the sun is partially obscured by clouds, tree leaves, or the horizon line, use a small aperture such as f/11; you can give the sun a starburst effect.
Block the sun: Stick your hand in the image and cover the sun. Then take a second photo, this time without your hand. You can combine these two images in post-processing using layer masking. The final image won’t have your hand or flare.
The sun in this photo looks like a star due to a small aperture.
Natural or artificial?
Photographing into the light usually means photographing toward the sun, or photographing from a dark location (e.g., under a bridge) toward the light.
In such cases, the light source is natural and can’t be controlled. However, if you use off-camera flash, you can control the direction of the light.
So try using strobes to produce silhouettes or to backlight your subject. And at night, try light painting, and make sure the light source is behind your main subject.
Photographing into the light is right!
Photos of a sunset are always taken into the light. I merged a series of bracketed photos to balance light across the frame.
Successfully photographing into the light can be a bit of a challenge.
But with the right approach and the correct camera settings, you’ll get great results!
Now over to you:
Do you enjoy photographing into the light? What are your favorite situations for producing backlit images? Share your thoughts and photos in the comments below!
The post How to Photograph Into the Light for Stunning Results appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
The post A Beginner’s Guide to Light Modifiers (For Stunning Portraits) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Gina Milicia.
Light modifiers are a powerful way to shape or control light.
And with the right approach, you can use modifiers to achieve beautifully lit, gorgeous portraits.
In this article, I’m going to share everything you need to know about modifiers. I’ll take you through all the most popular modifiers – and I’ll explain precisely what they do and why you might want to use them.
By the time you’re done, you’ll be a light modification expert!
Let’s get started.
Are light modifiers really necessary?
Technically, you can do portrait photography without modifiers. You can shoot with a subject and an unmodified flash.
However, a naked flash produces hard light and harsh shadows, which I think look really unflattering.
That’s why I rarely work without some sort of diffusion modifier. It softens the light, softens the shadows, and gives you a flattering end result.
Nobody is ever going to tell you, “Wow, I love the way your hard lighting has captured and enhanced every single pore, line, and blemish on my skin. I actually look ten years older. Thanks!”
Hence, it’s often a good idea to start with soft, carefully modified lighting.
There are, of course, many really cool uses for hard lighting, and some photographers can make it look brilliant. I’m just not one of them. I like to control the light and only illuminate certain areas of my shot.
Therefore, for me, modifiers are absolutely essential.
A quick note about light modifier costs
Every kind of light modifier will have a top-of-the-line version and a really cheap version.
The main difference is that the cheaper versions won’t be as durable. This becomes important when you’re using them every single day.
So once you become an experienced studio photographer, it makes sense to invest in high-quality modifiers.
When you’re learning to use modifiers, however, I recommend choosing cheap versions. They’ll perform just fine, and you’ll save yourself a lot of money.
How to choose the perfect modifier for a photoshoot
Different modifiers affect the light in different ways.
Some modifiers broaden the beam to soften the light. Other modifiers narrow the beam to harden the light.
So when selecting a modifier, ask yourself:
What kind of lighting am I trying to create?
If you’re after the soft, diffused effect you’d get from an overcast sky, you might want to consider one of these modifiers:
If you want the soft light produced by early morning, twilight, open shade, or overcast skies, then choose a modifier that produces soft light such as a scrim, umbrella, or a softbox.
But if you want a harder light source like the sun on a cloudless day, try one of these modifiers instead:
As a general rule of thumb, if you are after hard light, then opt for a gridspot, beauty dish, Fresnel light, or even a naked flash.
Note that, if you’re shooting outside or near windows, your choice of modifier should depend on the ambient light. Harsh sunlight should be combined with hard modifiers, and cloudy light should be combined with soft modifiers.
Make sense?
When picking a modifier, it’s also important to consider the mood you’re after. Soft light gives ethereal, beautiful portraits, whereas hard light tends to be more intense, in-your-face, and dramatic.
Now let’s take a look at the different light modifiers in much greater detail, starting with:
The umbrella
An umbrella creates a quality of light that is soft, abundant, and very forgiving.
Umbrellas are a great choice if you want to light a large area with flat, even lighting. Because umbrellas are easy to use and relatively cheap, they are a good beginner’s light modifier.
On the other hand, umbrellas tend to over-light scenes, spreading lots of light around.
Lots of light. All over the place. Like a hose with its spray nozzle set to “everywhere.”
So think of umbrellas as an only-use-in-case-of-emergency style of lighting. If you overuse them, things tend to get a bit ugly.
An umbrella throws light everywhere.
Types of umbrella light shapers
There are a few types of umbrellas you should consider:
Silver/gold reflective umbrella: These babies throw light everywhere. They are great for lighting large groups of people. The silver umbrella will give you a slightly cooler light while the gold umbrella creates warmer light. Both produce a slightly harder result than the white reflective umbrella.
White reflective umbrella: This umbrella creates soft light with slightly less spread and contrast than the silver and gold reflective umbrellas. Because the style of light allows people to move around a lot while staying in a consistently even source of light, white umbrellas are great to use when you are shooting groups and couples under pressure, such as for an event.
White shoot-through umbrella: These are perfect as your first light modifier, as they diffuse and spread light quite evenly.
White shoot-through umbrella.
Umbrellas are a great first light modifier
When my children were young, I taught them how to ride bikes using training wheels. The wheels boosted their confidence. After a while, I took the training wheels off, and they rode on two wheels as if they’d been doing it all their lives.
I think using flash with an umbrella is the same. Use an umbrella as a learning tool until you get your balance, then move on to a better bike.
A final note on umbrellas
Umbrellas are great for indoor lighting.
But they’re tricky – and even downright dangerous – to use outside.
I’ve had countless (expensive) lights blown over when using umbrellas. So if you must use them outdoors, then please make sure you have somebody holding them or sandbags to keep them in place.
The scrim
After you’ve ditched your umbrella training wheels, the next step is to work with a scrim panel.
A scrim is a square or rectangular frame with a fabric diffusion material stretched across, like this:
Scrims are a really cool way to create large areas of soft, diffused light as if you’re shooting next to a large window or have clouds over the sun. And they’re great for diffusing flash, continuous light, and sunshine.
Remember: The larger the light source, the softer the light.
In fact, of all the light modifiers, a scrim is probably the most versatile and a must have in your kit.
This is a piece of equipment that you can easily make yourself. I used a DIY scrim for my first 10 years as a photographer.
The softbox
Softboxes are low-cost and versatile modifiers that create a beautiful, soft, easily controllable light source.
If I could only pick one light modifier to take to a deserted island, it would have to be the softbox. Small, medium, or large, this little puppy is my go-to light source for 80% of my shoots.
Why? The quality of light is soft, flattering, and malleable. Changing the angle and proximity of the softbox to the sitter easily changes the hardness of the light and the direction of the shadow.
It’s one of the light modifiers that most accurately recreates the effect of soft daylight coming through a window. I think what I like most about this light modifier is that it’s subtle. Highlights gently merge into shadows.
This image of a racecar driver, Glauco Junior Solleri, was taken using a speedlight and a small Lumiquest softbox:
For the above photo, I only wanted to light Glauco’s face and let the background fade to black. If I had used an umbrella, I would’ve sprayed light everywhere, illuminating the entire background and killing my moody vibe.
In fact, I think I love this light modifier more than Nutella.
(There! I said it.)
Softbox options
I use a few different kinds of softboxes depending on where and what I’m shooting.
If I’m doing a studio shoot, I love using a softbox with a white reflective interior. The white interior creates a softer look, and this particular softbox has an extra layer of diffusion on the inside, adding even more softness to the light.
Some photographers remove the interior panel because they like the added contrast of harder light, but I prefer less contrast.
You can also increase the spread and contrast of your light by using silver or gold interior panels.
The beauty dish
The beauty dish differs from other light modifiers because it gives you a distinctive circular, soft-contrast light, which is perfect for lighting faces and defining bone structures such as cheekbones and chin lines.
Beauty dishes also create a circular catchlight in your model’s eyes, which looks quite natural.
(You can see why these modifiers are popular with fashion/beauty and celebrity photographers.)
The downside of beauty dishes is that the falloff from light to dark is very rapid, so you’ll often get shadows under your model’s chin and nose. You can compensate for the shadows by adding a fill board, like a white reflector, to reflect light up into your subject’s face.
The beauty dish I have was pretty cheap, which goes to show that you don’t need to shell out a lot of money for every piece of equipment. I like mine because it works with my speedlight, my Elinchrom monolight, and my battery flashes.
I like that kind of versatility in equipment because it means I have more options on the day of the shoot and less to carry around!
Why should you use a beauty dish?
A beauty dish gives you a certain look. It will light a small area and flatten out your model’s features.
Beauty dishes make people look great, but you need to light your model in a very specific way – from above – to really pull it off.
The gridspot
The gridspot is a bit of kit you can use in conjunction with a speedlight, monolight, or battery-operated flash. The width of the grid and the size of the holes will affect the width of the light beam hitting your subject.
A gridspot creates hard, focused light. I love to use gridspots in the same way I use beauty lights.
Here are some portrait images I did with Australian actor Scott McGregor, showing lighting without a gridspot (left) and with a gridspot (right):
Why should you use a gridspot?
I like using gridspots because they create a similar light to beauty dishes. The light is a bit harder, but gridspots are perfect for single portraits; you can pop light onto someone’s face and shoulders without impacting the background mood.
Gridspots are also perfect for outdoor use as they won’t get blown about.
Beauty dish with a gridspot.
Fresnel light
A Fresnel is a light modifier that can be focused. They were first used in lighthouses, then the technology was developed in continuous lighting for movies and television.
The Fresnel light modifier gives a soft, crisp, and very distinct look to portraits.
In this photo of Australian actor Robbie Magasiva, I’ve placed the Fresnel light slightly to camera right to create a shadow. I’ve softened the light with an umbrella to increase the amount of daylight fill.
Fresnel lighting is soft and crisp, reminiscent of 1940s portrait lighting. It’s a style that has become really popular lately, particularly with fashion and editorial photographers.
The downside of this type of lighting is that it’s pretty expensive.
Octabox
Octabox with the front panel in.
An octabox is what you’d get if a softbox and an umbrella merged into one.
An octabox serves up soft light just like a softbox. But it spreads its light around more, just like an umbrella.
Octaboxes are fantastic for lighting large groups evenly. Plus, they give round catchlights.
Here are two different ways to use the Rotalux Deep Octabox. The image on the left of actor Firass Dirani is shot with a deep octabox as a beauty dish. The light source is hard and drops off rapidly under Dirani’s chin to add contrast; this not only defines and sculpts his features but also gives the image an edgy look.
The image on the right, of actor Harley Bonner, is shot using the same Rotalux Deep Octabox. But this time, I’ve added the interior and exterior baffle to give a much softer light, and this blends in with the muted light and low-key feel I was going for.
I don’t own a standard octabox because I’m not a huge fan. But my Rotalux Deep Octabox offers more directed lighting and is a match made in heaven for lighting single portraits.
Octabox with interior baffle exposed.
Octabox as a beauty dish.
Mixing modifiers
Model credit: Fat Tony and Co. Image courtesy of Nine Network Australia.
I often mix my lighting modifiers to make my images more interesting.
In this television promotional shot I did for Fat Tony and Co., I used a medium-deep octabox as my main light and a gridspot as a hair light. I also added an umbrella for fill light on camera left because the deep octabox alone was too moody, and I wanted more detail in the shadows.
So don’t be afraid to use several different modifiers in a single shot!
A beginner’s guide to light modifiers: conclusion
Well, there you have it!
You’re now ready to use light modifiers like a professional.
So grab a modifier or two, start shooting, and have fun!
Now over to you:
Which of the light modifiers on this list appeals to you the most? Which is your favorite? Share your thoughts (and example images!) in the comments below.
The post A Beginner’s Guide to Light Modifiers (For Stunning Portraits) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Gina Milicia.
With all the recent excitement surrounding NASA’s Perseverance rover landing on Mars and new images, we’ve got space on the brain. This month, NASA published a beautiful image of the gas giant Jupiter that its Juno spacecraft captured in late 2020.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter since July 5, 2016. The spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 5, 2011. The latest image, seen below, was captured on December 30, 2020, during Juno’s 31st close flyby of Jupiter.
‘Citizen scientist Tanya Oleksuik created this color-enhanced image using data from the JunoCam camera…At the time, the spacecraft was about 31,000 mi (about 50,000 km) from the planet’s cloud tops, at a latitude of about 50° South.’ Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS. Click to enlarge.
This excellent shot shows Jupiter’s turbulent atmosphere and includes several of Jupiter’s southern jet streams. Jupiter’s famous Great Red Spot is visible on the horizon as well. With the aid of imagery and the numerous scientific instruments onboard Juno, scientists discovered that the planet’s atmospheric jet streams extend further than previously thought. Recent evidence shows that the jet streams and belts penetrate up to 1,800 mi (3,000 km) down into the planet.
JunoCam (JCM) is a visible-light camera/telescope. Malin Space Science Systems built the camera. It has a field of view of 58° and includes four filters, three of which are used for visible light photography. The camera is fixed to Juno, so it gets one chance for observation when Juno orbits Jupiter. JCM uses a Kodak image sensor, the Kodak KAI-2020, and records 1,600 x 1,200 pixel images, which is fewer than 2MP. Due to the incredible distance of Juno from Earth, which is more than 550 million miles, only limited data can be transmitted from Juno to Earth during each 11-day orbital cycle.
Image credit: NASA. Click to enlarge.
Citizens are encouraged to download and process JunoCam images. Raw images are available to view and download here. If you’d like to learn more about NASA Citizen Science projects, visit the dedicated Citizen Science website.
Artist concept of Juno. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The Juno mission’s primary objective is to improve our understanding of Jupiter’s origin and evolution. Juno and its onboard instruments are used to determine how much water is in Jupiter’s atmosphere, analyze the planet’s atmosphere, map magnetic and gravity fields, explore the planet’s magnetosphere, and more. As of now, the Juno mission is due to end in September 2025, so there’ll be plenty of more images to come in the next few years. You can learn more about Juno here.
The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
How do you take portraits that have the wow factor?
Today, I want to talk about taking portraits that are a little out of the box. You see, it’s all well and good to have a portrait that follows all the rules – but it recently hit me that often the most striking portraits are those that break the rules.
I want to look at some ways to break out of the mold and take striking portraits by breaking (or at least bending) the rules and by adding a little randomness to your portrait photography.
1. Alter your perspective
Most portraits are taken with the camera at (or around) the eye level of the subject. While this is good common sense, completely changing the angle that you shoot from can give your portraits a real wow factor.
Get up high and shoot down on your subject, or get as close to the ground as you can and shoot up. Either way, you’ll be seeing your subject from an angle that is bound to create interest.
2. Play with eye contact
It is amazing how much the direction of your subject’s eyes can impact an image. Most portraits have the subject looking down the lens – something that can create a real sense of connection between a subject and those viewing the image.
But there are a couple of other things to try:
A.Looking off-camera.Have your subject focus their attention on something outside the field of view of your camera. This can create a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue and interest as the viewer of the shot wonders what the subject is looking at. This intrigue is particularly strong when the subject is showing some kind of emotion (i.e., “What’s making them laugh?” or “What is making them look surprised?”). Just be aware that, when you have a subject looking out of the frame, you can also draw the eye of the viewer to the edge of the image, and this will take them away from the point of interest in your shot: the subject.
B. Looking within the frame. Alternatively, you could have your subject looking at something (or someone) within the frame. A child looking at a ball, a woman looking at her new baby, or a man looking hungrily at a big plate of pasta – it can all work. You see, when you give your subject something to look at that is inside the frame, you create a second point of interest and a relationship between it and your primary subject. It also helps create a story within the image.
3. Break the rules of composition
There are a lot of “rules” out there when it comes to composition, and I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with them. My theory is that, while composition rules are useful to know and employ, they are also useful to know so you can purposely break them – as this can lead to eye-catching results.
The rule of thirds is one rule that can be effective to break. You see, placing your subject dead-center can sometimes create a powerful image. And creative placement with your subject right on the edge of a shot can sometimes create interesting images.
Another “rule” that we often talk about in portrait photography is to give your subject room to look into. This can work really well – but again, sometimes rules are made to be broken.
4. Experiment with lighting
Another element of randomness you can introduce in your portraits is the way you light them. There are almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to using light in portrait photography.
Sidelighting can create mood, while backlighting and silhouetting your subject to hide their features can be powerful.
Also, using techniques like slow sync flash (as well as long exposures combined with light painting) can create impressive images.
5. Move your subject out of their comfort zone
I was chatting with a photographer recently who told me about a corporate portrait shoot that he had done with a businessman at his home. They’d taken a lot of head and shoulder shots, shots at the desk, shots in front of framed degrees, and other “corporate” type images. The photos had all turned out fairly standard – but there was nothing that really stood out from the crowd.
The photographer and the subject agreed that there were plenty of usable shots, but they wanted to create something special and out-of-the-box. The photographer suggested they try some “jumping” shots. The subject was a little hesitant at first, but stepped out of his comfort zone – and then, dressed in his suit and tie, started jumping!
The shots were amazing, surprising, and quite funny. The shoot culminated with the subject jumping into his pool for one last image!
While this might all sound a little silly, the shots ended up being featured in a magazine spread about the subject. It was the series of out-of-the-box images that convinced the magazine the subject was someone they’d want to feature.
6. Shoot candidly
Sometimes, posed shots can look somewhat…posed. Some people don’t look good in a posed environment, and so switching to a candid-type approach can work well.
Photograph your subject at work, with family, or doing something that they love. This will put them more at ease, and you can end up getting some special shots with your subject reacting naturally to the situation they are in. You might even want to grab a longer zoom lens to give your subject space and get really “paparazzi” with them.
I find that this can work particularly well when photographing children.
7. Introduce a prop
Add a prop of some kind, and you create another point of interest that can enhance your shot.
Yes, you might run the risk of taking too much focus away from your main subject. But you can also really add a sense of story and place to the image that takes it in a new direction, and gives the person you’re photographing an extra layer of depth that they wouldn’t have had without the prop.
8. Focus on one body part (and get close up!)
Use a lens with a long focal length, or get up close so that you can just photograph a part of your subject. Photographing a person’s hands, eyes, mouth, or even just their lower body can leave a lot to the imagination of the viewer.
Sometimes, it’s what is left out of an image that says more than what is included.
9. Obscure part of your subject
A variation on the idea of zooming in on one part of the body is to obscure parts of your portrait subject’s face or body. You can do this with clothing, objects, your subject’s hands, or just by framing part of them out of the image.
Doing this means that you leave a little to the imagination of the viewer. And you also focus the viewer’s attention on the parts of your subject that you want focused on.
10. Take a series of shots
Switch your camera into burst mode (also known as continuous shooting mode) and fire off several shots.
In doing this, you create a series of images that could be presented together, instead of just one static image.
This technique can work very well when you’re photographing children – or really when you’re photographing any active subject that is changing their position or pose in quick succession, like the runners below:
10 ways to take great portraits: conclusion
Capturing stunning portraits is easy – as long as you remember a few of these simple tips!
And if you’re interested in improving your portrait photography even further, make sure you’re subscribed to the Digital Photography School newsletter, where we share lots of photography tips and techniques every single week.
Also, make sure you check out the second half of this series here: 10 More Tips for Stunning Portrait Photography, as well as our Portraits: Making the Shot eBook!
And start taking some great portraits, today!
The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
The post 3 Simple Ways to Create Stunning Eyes in Your Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Gina Milicia.
Image model credits, clockwise from top left: Chris Milligan/Fremantle Media, Rachael Lever, Danny Spannerz/East Brunswick Tattoos, Tiffany Diaz
“Here’s looking at you, kid.”
Reclusive Hollywood legend Marlon Brando would always close his eyes when paparazzi tried to take his photo. He knew that without his eyes open the image wasn’t worth publishing.
The eyes are the single most important feature of any portrait. Beautiful eyes can make even the dullest portrait mesmerizing. Poorly lit, out of focus eyes, or eyes that lack connection, will weaken the impact of a portrait.
Here are my three favorite techniques to make eyes really stand out in your portrait photography.
1. Light
“Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography.” – George Eastman
Eyes look best when they are lit well, with beautiful catch lights. Catch lights are the reflection of a light source in the eyes. The size, shape, and brightness of your catch lights depend on the light source you use.
Two large, frosted windows from my studio create beautiful catch lights. Model: Bryana Karanikos
Diffused on-camera flash creates a slightly softer, rectangular catch light.
A medium softbox, off-camera and positioned at 2 o’clock, gives a soft, natural catch light.
Poorly-lit eyes without catch lights look cold and a bit creepy.
2. Expression
“You are what you think. All that you are arises from your thoughts. With your thoughts, you make your world.” – Anon.
Model: Tiffany Dias
In the image on the left (above), Tiffany’s eyes are cold, and she looks nervous. After I gave Tiffany a visualization exercise, her eyes became warm, confident, and connected (see the right image above).
How you communicate, connect with, and direct your model is key to capturing a great expression in the eyes. If your model’s smile isn’t genuine, his or her eyes will appear cold and dull-looking. If your model is nervous or distracted, this too will be reflected in his or her eyes.
One technique I use to create a great expression is visualization. I ask my model:
If you could be anywhere right now, doing anything, where would that be? Tell me about that moment. Who is there? What does it feel like?
Once your model is in the moment of their visualization, their body language and expression changes.
3. Post-production
“Be willing to give that extra effort that separates the winner from the one in second place.” — H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Post-production can lift your portrait photography from good to great – when it’s done well. The key to great post-production is to avoid overdoing it. It’s easy to get excited with all the tricks and enhancements that post-production software offers. It’s addictive, and much like opening a jar of Nutella, it’s very difficult to control yourself once you’ve begun.
I try and use the overnight rule when it comes to retouching. Once I’ve worked on an image, I won’t look at it again for at least a day. I find that my eyes constantly adjust to the modifications I’m making, so it’s more difficult to see when I’ve gone too far (which is also what happened when I dressed in the ’80s).
Here’s a step-by-step technique to enhance eyes using Adobe Lightroom:
Before and after: I’ve used Lightroom to make the eyes sharper and brighter and to enhance their color.
Step 1: Import your image into Lightroom and use the Basic panel in the Develop module to edit your shot. In this case, I’ve used one of my own beauty presets.
Here are the basic adjustments I’ve used for this image.
Step 2: Zoom in on the eyes (“B” in the image below) and select the Adjustment Brush tool (“A” in the image below). You can also select the Adjustment Brush using the keyboard shortcut “K.”
Step 3: Next, you should adjust the eye color with the Adjustment Brush:
Increase the Temperature slider (A) to make the eyes appear warmer in tone.
Increase the Exposure slider (B) to brighten the iris.
Increase the Shadow slider (C) to bring more detail into the shadow area.
Increase the Sharpness slider (D) to make the eyes appear more detailed.
Adjust only the colored part (the iris) of your subject’s eye (highlighted in red in the image above) and set the brush to have a slight feather and a low flow so you can build up your adjustments slowly.
Step 4: Next, select a new Adjustment Brush (A, below), increase the Sharpness slider (B, below) by +22, and paint over the colored part of the eyes, eyelashes, and eyebrows. This will really make the eyes stand out.
Step 5: Finally, select a new Adjustment Brush. Set the Exposure slider to -29, and increase the Clarity to +10. Paint around the edge of the iris. This will darken the area slightly and give the eye more definition.
Here, the final portrait was imported into Adobe Photoshop, where I did a basic skin retouching to remove a few small blemishes.
And that’s it!
I’d love to hear about your techniques for enhancing eyes in portrait photography, and it’d be great to see some examples. So share them in the comments!
Gina is the author of several dPS eBooks, including Portraits: Making the Shot.
The post 3 Simple Ways to Create Stunning Eyes in Your Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Gina Milicia.
Astrophotographer Jean-Luc Dauvergne spent six nights this fall capturing images of Mars. Dauvergne used the 1.06m telescope of Pic du Midi observatory in the French Pyrenees to capture his photos, which he has since used to create a global map of Mars.
In addition to the six nights Dauvergne spent at the observatory, he told PetaPixel that it took him an additional 10 days to process the images. He says that Pic du Midi ‘is one of the best places in the world for planetary imaging.’
The 1m telescope has a 17,000mm focal length and was originally installed in 1963 to help NASA with its Apollo missions. Dauvergne says that ‘it’s still one of the best [telescopes] in the world to study planetary surfaces in the visible part of the spectrum.’ He’s used the telescope to create what he says is the best global map of Mars shot from Earth’s surface.
Dauvergne photographed Mars this October and November due to the Mars opposition. This event happens roughly every 26 months. This year, the opposition itself occurred on October 13. You can learn much more about the Mars opposition by clicking here. Dauvergne picked a great place for his observations and the Pic du Midi Observatory has an interesting history with observing Mars.
Image credit: Jean-Luc Dauvergne. Click to enlarge.
The Pic du Midi observatory is located 9,439′ (2,877m) above sea level at the top of the Pic du midi de Bigorre mountain. The Pic Du Midi Observatory is part of the Midi-Pyrenees Observatory, which includes additional research stations in France. Construction of the observatory began on the mountaintop all the way back in 1878, although costs slowed progression significantly. In 1908, an 8m dome with a mechanical equatorial reflector was built. Interestingly, this reflector was used to observe Mars and discredit the theory that there were canals on its surface.
When NASA funded the building of the 1m telescope in 1963, the telescope was used to photograph the surface of the Moon. In 1965, the telescope was then used by astronomers Pierre and Janine Connes to analyze Mars and Venus. Their work helped inform James Lovelock, a scientist in California, to theorize that these planets didn’t support life.
The observatory includes a 2m telescope as well, which was built in 1980. It’s the largest telescope in France. There’s also a 0.6m telescope which has been used by amateur astronomers since the early 80s. In total, the Pic du Midi Observatory includes four telescopes. With the aid of these telescopes, the discovery of nine minor planets are credited to the Pic du Midi Observatory.
If you’d like to see more from Jean-Luc Dauvergne, check out his Twitter and YouTube channel. On YouTube, he has additional videos of Mars from his observations at Pic du Midi.
The post 12 Tips to Help You Capture Stunning Landscape Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.
Whether you are an experienced photographer or just getting started, the amazing landscape photographs you see have all got a few things in common. The reality of landscape photography is that not only are you reliant on your own ability and skill of seeing and composing an image, but also on Mother Nature. But regardless of whatever weather you encounter, there are countless opportunities to be able to capture spectacular landscape photographs.
Here are 12 tips that you can follow if you want to capture stunning landscape photos.
1. Location, location, location
Landscape photography is as much about planning as it is about the actual process of photography. You should always have a clear idea of where you are planning to go, and at what time of the day you will be able to capture the best photograph. Learn how to read maps, and understand how you can utilize them to find the perfect location. By planning your exact location, you will be able to maximize your time there, and ensure not only that you get to your location safely and in plenty of time, but also that you find your way back (usually after sunset).
2. Be patient
It’s amazing the number of times that the elements conspire to ruin a perfectly composed photograph. Landscape photography requires patience, just in case that white cloudy sky disperses just long enough to allow the sun to break through for you to take your shot. The key is to always allow yourself enough time at a location so that you are able to wait if you need to. Forward planning can also help you hugely, so make sure to check weather forecasts before leaving, maximizing your opportunity for the weather you require.
3. Don’t be lazy
One of the reasons we are often stunned by impressive landscape photos is because it is a view taken in a way that we have never seen before. A photo taken from the top of a mountain which requires a huge amount of time and effort to get to is a view that most people won’t get to see for themselves. So don’t rely on easily accessible viewpoints that everyone else can just pull up to and see. Instead, look for those unique spots (provided they are safe to get to) that offer amazing scenes, even if they require determination to get there.
4. Use the best light
Light is one of the most important factors in any photograph, but even more so in landscape photography. It really doesn’t matter how great the location, is or how you compose your photo – if the light doesn’t do the scene justice, then the image will fail. The best light for landscape photography is early in the morning or late afternoon, with the midday sun offering the harshest light.
But part of the challenge of landscape photography is about being able to adapt and cope with different lighting conditions; for example, great landscape photos can be captured even on stormy or cloudy days. The key is to use the best light as much as possible, and be able to influence the look and feel of your photos with it.
5. Carry a tripod
Simply put, if you want to capture the best photographs, at the best time of the day, at the highest quality possible, then a tripod is an essential piece of equipment. Photography in low light conditions (e.g. early morning or early evening) without a tripod would require an increase in ISO to be able to avoid camera shake, which in turn means more noise in your images. If you want to capture a scene using a slow shutter speed or long exposure (for example, to capture the movement of clouds or water) then without a tripod you simply won’t be able to hold the camera steady enough to avoid blurred images from camera shake.
6. Maximize the depth of field
Choosing your depth of field is an important part of capturing stunning landscapes. Landscape photos usually require the vast majority of the photo to be sharp (the foreground and background) so you need a deeper depth of field than if you are taking a portrait of someone. But a shallower depth of field can also be a powerful creative tool if used correctly, as it can isolate the subject by keeping it sharp, while the rest of the image is blurred. As a starting point, if you are looking to keep the majority of the photo sharp, set your camera to Aperture Priority (A or Av) mode so you can take control of the aperture. Start at around f/8 and work up (f/11 or higher) until you get the desired effect.
7. Think about the composition
As much as possible you should always aim to get your composition right when taking the photo, rather than relying on post-production. If the scene doesn’t look right when you look at it through your viewfinder, then it won’t look good in the final output. There are several techniques that you can use to help your composition (such as the rule of thirds), but ultimately you need to train yourself to be able to see a scene, and analyze it in your mind. With practice this will become second nature, but the important thing is to take your time.
8. Use neutral density and polarizing filters
Neutral Density filters and polarizers are an essential piece of kit for any landscape photographer. Often you will need to manipulate the available light, or even try to enhance the natural elements. For example, if you are taking photos which include water, you may find you get unwanted reflections from the sun, which is where a polarizing filter can help by minimizing the reflections and also enhancing the colors (greens and blues). But remember, polarizing filters often have little or no effect on a scene if you’re directly facing the sun, or it’s behind you. For best results position yourself between 45° and 90° to the sun.
One of the other big challenges of landscape photography is getting a balanced exposure between the foreground, which is usually darker, and a bright sky. Graduated ND filters help to compensate for this by darkening the sky, while keeping the foreground brighter. This can be replicated in post-production, but it is always best to try and capture the photo as perfectly as possible in-camera.
9. Use the histogram
Histograms are an essential tool in photography, which you should aim to learn how to read and utilize the findings to improve your photos. A histogram is a simple graph that shows the different tonal distribution in your image. The left side of the graph is for dark tones and the right side of the graph represents bright tones.
For instance, if you find that the majority of the graph is shifted to one side, this is an indication that your photo is too light or dark (overexposed or underexposed). This isn’t always a bad thing, and some images work perfectly well either way. However, if you find that your graph extends beyond the left or right edge, this shows that you have parts of the photo with lost detail (pure black areas if the histogram extends beyond the left edge and pure white if it extends beyond the right edge). This is something you should avoid, so by seeing the evidence in the histogram, you are able to correct it by either recomposing the image or compensating for the exposure.
10. Never settle for a good photo
This is true of any photograph that you are taking. It doesn’t matter if it is a landscape or a portrait; if you can do it better, then you should. But often because of the time and effort that landscape photography requires, people settle for a good photo, rather than waiting or coming back to take a better one. You should always aim to photograph anything at the best possible time, in the best possible way, even if that means waiting or coming back later.
11. Shoot in RAW format
Simply put, if your camera is capable of capturing photos in RAW format, then I recommend that you always capture RAW files. They contain much more detail and information, and give far greater flexibility in post-production without losing quality. Remember, you can always save RAW files in whatever other formats you require, but you will not be able to save JPEGs as RAW files, so ultimately you are limited to the quality at which the JPEG was shot.
12. Experiment
For all the techniques and rules that exist to help aid composition and the process of taking the photo, there is always room to experiment. Digital photography means that taking a photo isn’t wasting a negative (and costing money), so there is ample opportunity to break the rules and your own style sometimes. Even if the majority of the time it doesn’t work and the image doesn’t look great, every now and again you might uncover a gem.
Landscape photography is one of the most common genres that amateur and professional photographers get into. With practice, hard work, and patience you can capture stunning landscape photos that will look great in your portfolio.
So come on, show us your great landscape shots, and don’t forget to share your tips and experiences below.
The post 12 Tips to Help You Capture Stunning Landscape Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kav Dadfar.
You must be logged in to post a comment.