Do you know what the difference is between a good photographer and a great one? It’s light. Or rather, the way the photographer uses light. A good photographer knows how to compose an image, how to angle her camera so the viewer gets a completely unique perspective of an object, how to capture an event [...]

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You’ve heard me talk oh-so many times about that magic hour, the time just after sunrise and just before sunset when the light has that beautiful, magical quality that can transform a dull, flat scene into a stunning photograph. What you haven’t heard me talk so much about is twilight. Twilight could be called something [...]

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If only you could control the weather. Whip up a little wind to make your model’s hair move. Conjure up a cloud or two to diffuse that awful direct sunlight. Make the rain that’s ruining your photo shoot go away until tomorrow. Well, there really isn’t much you can do to stop the rain or [...]

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Almost every modern camera comes with an on-board flash, even the higher-end DSLRs. You may wonder why, since almost every modern photo taken with an onboard flash is ugly: blown out highlights, red eye, harsh shadows and that characteristic look that screams “flash photo!” So why do manufacturers insist on including an onboard flash on [...]

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This week I received a letter from a reader who asks a very poignant question. Olivia Polerowicz wants to know: “I was wondering how to take good pictures in not so interesting places. The thing is, I live in a not particularly interesting place and so my photos kinda show it. I have a problem [...]

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I know I’m always saying to avoid chaos in your photos, and let’s face it, what could be more chaotic than Christmas morning? But fear not, you can get great Christmas day images that are unencumbered by mountains of empty toy packaging, Grandma’s oh-so-cheesy collection of porcelain elves that seems to be in every single [...]

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Most modern portraits are shot in soft light. Soft lighting is more forgiving, more flattering and easier for beginners to master. So does that mean there’s no place for hard light in portrait photography? Just look at any collection of Hollywood portraits from the 1930s and you’ll have your answer. Golden age movie-stars often preferred [...]

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You’ve probably heard the phrase “we eat with our eyes first.” That’s particularly true with food photography, when the goal is to take photographs that sell–literally or figuratively–a food or recipe to a hungry viewer. Taking good food photos can be especially tricky because perhaps more than any other subject, food images suffer when the [...]

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Sometimes we get stuck. Maybe it’s been years since you produced your last great work. Maybe you’ve settled into a certain style of photography, and you just need to open your eyes to see what’s possible. Every now and again, I challenge myself to create a picture that’s better than my very best. It’s the [...]

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Ah, the elusive photographic eye. Is it something you’re born with, or is it something you develop over the years? I’m inclined to believe the latter. I know that with enough practice and understanding of what makes a good photo “good,” you will soon start hearing that coveted compliment from your friends too. It’s not [...]

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We recently did a tutorial on the multiply blend mode and how you can use it to correct an image that is too bright. If you followed the tutorial, you no doubt realized that Photoshop Elements has quite a few options for blending layers. One of them is the direct opposite of the multiply blend [...]

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The middle of the day can be difficult for photographers. You’re often faced with a harsher light from the sun that can often make your images appear washed out. If you’re shooting landscapes, there’s often such a huge difference between the sky and the ground below that the photos you take are practically unusable. Many [...]

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Have you wanted to get a good picture of fluffy but don’t know where to start? Cats are a notoriously skittish subject. They can be a real challenge to pose. But with enough time, patience, and creativity, you can create some very interesting cat photos without purchasing any more equipment than what you already have [...]

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Do you see the possibilities before you leave the house? Having a clear vision of what you’re about to photograph is just as important as actually photographing your subject. So I suggest we all play a game. What’s the premise, you ask? Before we leave the house to take photos, we’re going to write down [...]

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There is a magical hour, a time when the light from the sun shines on the Earth from the side. During this hour, light is warm, soft, and perfect for taking pictures. If the light hits the clouds in the sky at just the right angle, they give off a purplish color that accents a [...]

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