Search results for: photography composition using foreground in your photos
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by Jill Waterman · Posted
There is perhaps no truer sign of summer than Independence Day in the United States. The Fourth of July is when the summer season kicks into full gear, with barbeques, pool parties, family gatherings, and road trips galore—not to mention the fireworks!
One lead-up to this holiday that I will never forget found me hurtling down the New Jersey Turnpike at sunset in a Greyhound bus. As the twilight deepened, bright bursts of fireworks began shooting up past the tree line, close by and at a distance, reflecting in the darkened glass of the
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Do you want to preserve the memory of that awesome neighborhood fireworks show? Let's discuss the best ways to try to make a memorable photograph commemorating the event.
Before we get started, let me say that there are many ways to accomplish fireworks photography and no technique is usually worse or better than others. The only thing that really matters as you head home after the show is:
You enjoyed the photographic process.
You are left with a photograph or photographs that you personally enjoy.
You enjoyed the fireworks show!
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
When the moon passes directly between Earth and the sun, those on Earth are treated to one of nature’s greatest spectacles—a total solar eclipse. It is a phenomenon that almost every observer would like to capture in a photograph.
Due to the rarity of the event, the short duration in which to capture it, and the dynamic nature of the subject, it is one of those photographic opportunities that requires the proper gear, setup, planning, and practice.
Eclipse and solar
by Caleb Quanbeck · Posted
Getting close enough to wild animals is one of the greatest challenges a wildlife photographer faces. So how do you solve this problem? The way most wildlife photographers do is to buy a telephoto lens with as much reach as their wallet allows. Today, a fairly economical way to enter the realm of the super-telephoto lens has been via the family of very nice 150-600mm lenses from brands like Sigma and
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Thirty? Really? Thirty questions for every photo? The title of this article might make you think there’s a burdensome checklist that must be completed every time you release the camera’s shutter.
There is not.
However, if you want to take your photography to new dimensions, this list of questions—some dealing with the physical act of the photograph and some dealing with the inner thoughts behind the image—might be just what you need to get your head, feet, or camera in the right place, to help make a good photograph great or a great photograph
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
There are seven basic elements of photographic art: line, shape, form, texture, color, size, and depth. As a photographic artist, your knowledge and awareness of these different elements can be vital to the success of your composition and help convey the meaning of your photograph.
Depth, one of the most compelling elements, is the topic of this final part in our Elements of a Photograph series.
Photographs © Todd Vorenkamp
by Allan Weitz · Posted
I’ll never forget the first time I looked through the viewfinder of a camera fitted with a 20mm ultra-wide-angle lens. Everything looked amazing and I blew several rolls of film shooting everything I saw along the way. Prior to using this “exotic” lens, I had never shot with anything wider than the 50mm normal that came with my first 35mm camera.
The sobering part came when I developed the film and started eyeballing the results of my first outing. In a word, they were underwhelming, but I kept at it until I figured out how to use ultra-wide
by Todd Vorenkamp · Posted
Tunnel View in Yosemite National Park is one of the most scenic overlooks on the entire planet. Because of its sheer beauty, it is difficult to walk away from it with a bad photograph. (I have always said that it is easier to make a beautiful photograph of something that is already beautiful than it is to make a beautiful photograph of something that is not beautiful.) And, almost every camera-armed tourist who drives out the end of the Wawona Tunnel on State Highway 41 comes away with a very similar photograph—similar to the one that Ansel
by Shawn C. Steiner · Posted
Even when you’re photographing distant landscapes with wide-angle lenses, you may notice that the image doesn’t look as sharp as you thought it would. Or perhaps some objects are tack sharp, but as you look farther into the foreground or background, it loses some of that detail. One solution is to use a technique known as focus stacking to ensure your images are as sharp as possible throughout the entire image.
What Is Focus Stacking?
A popular technique for macro and product photography, focus stacking is a technique in which multiple images
by Antoni Cladera · Posted
Have you ever seen an amazing photo of the Milky Way and wondered what’s the secret behind it? Is there some magic formula that made it turn out so great? Well, there is a formula, but it’s not magic. It’s all about planning and then nailing the shot. And I’m going to help you master both. But first, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Antoni Cladera, and I’m a professional photographer on the PhotoPills team. Today, I’m teaming up with B&H to help
by Jill Waterman · Posted
I still remember vividly, the first time I ever photographed the Milky Way. It was on a crop sensor camera with a kit lens, in the middle of winter. I had no composition to speak of, and the galactic core of the Milky Way was not visible at that time of year. Somehow none of that mattered: I was completely mesmerized. Seeing the cluster of stars on the back of the screen felt as if someone had pulled back a grand cosmic curtain, and allowed me to peer into the universe. From that moment forward, I was completely hooked on photographing the
by Jill Waterman · Posted
The bright lights and lively bustle of the city at night is especially captivating to photographers, who have long sought to capture this rich spectrum of color, contrast, and motion in images. Yet there is more to consider in the world after dark than just a snapshot approach and automatic camera settings. With this in mind, consider these seven tips to help you get the most out of urban environments in low light.
Establishing time and place
by Jill Waterman · Posted
There is nothing better for an emerging imagemaker looking to advance in a crowded field than the fresh insights and valuable contacts to be gained from a photographic portfolio review. Earlier this year, I was invited to the annual Portfolio Day organized by New York’s International Center of Photography (ICP) to view the work of select alumni and current graduates.
ICP’s one-year certificate programs in Creative
by Allan Weitz · Posted
I’m not a stranger to wide-angle lenses. If anything, I’m partial to them. In my book, a 24mm lens is a normal lens, and I can’t tell you how many times I shot my way out of tight spaces using a 15mm rectilinear lens. The Samyang XP 10mm f/3.5, which boasts a 130° horizontal viewing angle, is just shy of the horizontal viewing angle of our eyes (approximately 135° AoV). Though I’ve never been intimidated by ultra-wide-angle lenses,