Browsing all posts in composition.

Expose for the Sky

A reader recently asked, “I’ve read a lot of photography articles where they say to “expose for the background” or “meter for the subject”, then “recompose and shoot”. When I do that, it still doesn’t work! My camera just adjusts the exposure for whatever I’m focusing on. For instance, if I want to take a [...]

Weekend Project – Pattern Interrupted

This weekend, train your photographic eyes to find pleasing patterns and unique interruptions in patterns. Patterns can be abstract or specific, and occur naturally or are constructed. They create a path for the eyes to follow, and are heavily dependent on lines and angles to inspire interest. There is especial allure created in a pattern [...]

Your Weekend Photography Project – Bokeh

Bokeh refers to the quality of the points of light in the out-of-focus areas of a photo (typically in the background of an image when using a shallow depth of field). Bokeh can be subtle and it can be overt – it can accent a photograph or it can be the subject of a photograph. [...]

Beginner Tips for Better Photography

This is the first in a three-part series on improving your photography at every level of ability. This “beginner” article will be followed by “intermediate” and “advanced” articles over the next couple of weeks. ———- Congratulations! You’ve purchased your first digital camera and are ready to jump right in. Maybe you’re a little intimidated by [...]

October Photo Challenge

By Steve Russell We haven’t had a monthly challenge in some time but we’re re-starting the feature and plan to have it every month going forward. The monthly challenge is designed to: • Add to the fun and enjoyment of photography • Get you out of your comfort zone a little • Provide a photography [...]

Three Simple Tips to INSTANTLY Improve Your Photography

Would you like to see instant improvement in your photography? Here are three simple things that you can do RIGHT NOW that will make a big difference! One – Turn on your viewfinder composition grid. If you’re having a hard time keeping your horizons straight, if you tend to misalign your subjects, or if you’d [...]

Beach Photography Exposure

One of the great things about photography in the summer is there are so many mid-tones – greens, blues, reds, etc. – that getting the right exposure becomes less of a challenge. Just point the camera at something that is mid-tone with the light falling on it the same way it’s falling on your subject, [...]

Camera Obscura Creates “Rooms With A View”

(Click on all photographs to enlarge and enjoy.) There was a time, in the not-too-distant past, when photography seemed like magic. Given what we know now, with concepts taught to us by our high-school science teachers, we understand the photographic process much better than our historical compatriots. That understanding has in no way removed the [...]

Eight Reasons Why I Love Photography

By Steve Russell Recently I read, on another photography blog, an article entitled “10 Reasons Why I Hate Photography.” I’m pretty sure that the writer had his tongue firmly planted in his cheek when he wrote and posted the article but he did make a few good points. His article prompted me to list eight [...]

John Shaw Nature and Digital Photography Seminars

By Steve Russell If you stop learning, you stop creating history and become history. Vadim Kotelnikov The quote above has been said many different ways and attributed to many different people. I like the version above. It’s one of life’s truths, and because photography is a piece of life, it’s true in photography. I strongly [...]