What kind of tips can there be for outdoor lighting?  There’s the sun.  Problem solved, right? The reality is that direct sunlight is one of the worst lighting options that we as creatives have to work with.  It is very high contrast and produces very harsh and delineated shadows.  There’s really nothing that looks better in harsh sun.  The best unmodified outdoor light is immediately after the rain stops and there is still cloud cover, but that’s not the most popular option for many creatives.  There are some folks who […]

Night Photography

Most people tend to put their cameras away after the sun goes down, but sometimes the most magical moments happen when you’re sitting on the dock at and the night is setting in. There’s no magic recipe for nighttime photography, but there are a few easy tips you can remember that will come in handy whenever you want to capture great images in low light.

Last year, Nikon finally made its long-awaited debut on the mirrorless camera market with its Z series, including the full-frame Nikon Z6. With traditional Nikon style and quality, a more attractive entry price point than the Z7, and a growing range of interchangeable lenses, the Z6 made a splash upon release. But after nine months of use, and a recent robust firmware update, we thought it was time to give the Z6 another look. Nikon Z6 review: Second impressions after extended use Read on to see how the Z6 is […]

Exposure Compensation: Snowbirds

What is exposure compensation and how do you use it? There are plenty of situations where using exposure compensation can improve your photos – at weddings, around a campfire, at air shows, taking shots of a nighttime skyline, etc. Exposure compensation exists on your camera so you can add brightness to images that come out too dark, or to remove brightness in images that are too bright to begin with. That’s it, plain and simple. Here are some tips on how and when to use exposure compensation.

Two Filters Every Serious Photographer Must Have

When we were shooting film, particularly black and white film, we carried pouches filled with filters because making the light adjustment had to be done at time of capture. With today’s amazing digital post processing, filters have to a large extent gone the way of the dinosaur and the dodo, fondly remembered but not widely used.

Beach Photos

Summer is in full swing, and it’s time to get some good beach pictures for this year’s digital memory album. Beaches, whether on the ocean or a calm lake, offer the photographer a vast number of beautiful and creative image opportunities. Beach photography also brings challenges to the photographer, but with a few tips and the right equipment you will capture gorgeous images your friends and family will rave about.

Saying that a photographer should always keep their subjects in focus is like saying a driver should always keep their eyes on the road: It’s a no-brainer. And today’s cameras, with ever-improving autofocus and automatic detection systems, are better than ever at helping you achieve that focus — so that you can keep your eye on being creative, without having to worry about what’s in focus or about fiddling with your lens.