I think I have a pretty good grasp of what people think of me. You can always tell from their engagement level. If someone is really getting into your work, they’ll offer a dozen reasons why they like what you’re showing them. If they’re not really into it, and believe me this has happened more [...]

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One of the best ways to get better at taking pictures is to get involved in it with your friends. Critiquing one another’s work often gives you a perspective on your own photography that you might not have considered before. As creators, we often get so invested in what we’re doing that we fail to [...]

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We’ve been talking a lot about what makes a landscape photo truly come alive lately. For those who haven’t been tuning in, there are several important elements that, when put together, give the viewer a true sense of scale and purpose. Whenever you can find something the viewer can relate to, you will undoubtedly create [...]

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It’s time to critique your work, and this week I am happy to switch it up again and get back to wildlife photography. The following rare shot was sent in by Tony Thundal from Denmark. He managed to capture this telling moment with his Nikon D90 in aperture priority mode with an aperture of F5.6 [...]

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I only have one word for this shot. WOW! Of course, I am a sucker for a great sunset photo. The way the bright orange just bursts forth and diffuses itself through the clouds will always take my breath away. We discussed how you can take pictures like this in a previous tutorial, but I [...]

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With as much discussion as we have been having about the difference between point-and-shoot cameras and DSLRs lately, it is only appropriate to continue our theme and explore some more pictures you can easily take with a point-and-shoot camera. A lot of people think that because they do not have a macro lens mounted on [...]

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This week, I challenged you to deliver some of the best point-and-shoot photos you could muster with your setup. The entire purpose of doing this is to convince you all that you do not need a high end camera to have an eye for photography and to produce great work. This photo, sent in by [...]

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There has been a lot of recent talk about digital SLR cameras, lens modifications, and whether you need to go out and get a digital SLR right away. Sometimes the best arguments for getting the most out of your point-and-shoot system come from seeing what can be done with them. Usually, this is enough to [...]

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Last week, I did a two article series on how to create a composite sequence photo with a digital SLR camera and some photo manipulation software. I have received some excellent examples of photo sequences, and I would like to share and critique one of them with you. The following image was sent by Jack [...]

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This week, we are treated to a photo taken by Stephen Miller. Stephen describes the picture as a “lucky shot,” and indeed it is. Photographing wild birds can be incredibly difficult, especially because they move so darned fast and they spend a lot of time in the air. While it’s sometimes good to have a [...]

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It’s always a good idea to critique photos and to have one’s own photos critiqued. You don’t need to be a professional photographer to develop an eye for great photography. You just need to sit back and think about what appeals to you in a photo. Oftentimes, this is some combination of color balance, composition, [...]

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Photographers often learn by example. None of us who get deep enough into this hobby have made it where we are today without seeing something we like and taking note of it. Good techniques are copied and put to use in future photos. That’s why it’s important to step back and critique our work and [...]

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Critiquing your own photos and those of others is a great way to improve as a photographer. You will really start to understand the important concepts of composition, color balance, and subject matter when you discover how other people use them. A truly great photo always has these three elements working in its favor. Let’s [...]

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Lighting can make a serious difference to your photos. The most recent example is this photo from subscriber Kilian Hofmann. Kilian entered a Curves competition with the following image:

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Professional reviews of photos are one of the best ways to improve your photographic skills. By studing what works and doesn’t work, you learn to shoot more ‘winners’ yourself. Curtis Routh has kindly agreed to review the following photos for me. Curtis runs a photography business called LeaveTheCamera.com and his insights are very valued. Click [...]

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