“Good things come to those who wait”

This old proverb was one that I heard a lot of growing up – it was a favorite saying around our house and one that I think has had a fairly significant impact upon me in numerous aspects of my life – not the least of which is my photography.

While digital photography is sometimes known for it’s spontaneity I’ve found that most successful photographers also have the ability to sit with a scene or subject for a considerable amount of time until the situation is right to get things just as they should be to get the picture perfect.

Patience comes into play in many forms of photography:

• Landscape – there are many aspects of landscape photography that takes patience ranging from scoping out the perfect place to shoot from to waiting to get the light just right before shooting.
• Sports – last year when I was at the Australian Open (tennis) I went along expecting that the skill I would need the most was to be spontaneous as a photographer but I came away realizing that the only reason I came away with any decent shots was that I’d really persisted and taken my time in thinking through my shots. It was only because I continued to shoot over a longer period of time that I honed my framing and exposure to get things just right.
• Portraits – studio portraits can be a little more predictable than candid portrait shots but in both cases people are unpredictable beings and getting a pose just right or capturing an interaction between two subjects can take considerable time to get right.
• Wildlife – taking photos of animals is even more unpredictable than photographing people and as a result there can be long waits to both find them in the wild but also to get capture them in a the right position, light and framing.
• Macro – similarly taking macro shots is generally not an overly spontaneous thing to do, especially when your subject is a moving one (insects for example) and when you’re shooting in a natural environment when the light changes and wind blows.

The list could go on….

I find that the actual moment that you take an image is often a very spontaneous one but that to get to those moments you often need real patience.

Of course patience is not something you can really teach in an article like this – except to say that it’s a skill to work on and that great photographers generally set aside time to hone their craft.

These thoughts generally ring true today! Looking back through our earlier articles, this one from Darren stood out to me – It’s good to slow down in this fast, mostly digital, Ai filled world and have a little patience in everything we do, and in this case – photography. 30 frames a second is great – when it’s needed – but so is a single, well thought out scene and resultant image.

Good things come to those who wait!

Updated 2025 – Simon ??

The post Patience and Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Emily Hancock, a professional Hampshire Photographer, submitted the following tutorial on capturing motion in photography.

Want to know how to capture motion in photography? Want to create the kind of motion photos that take people’s breath away?

You’ve come to the right place.

For instance, you may want to capture a dog running, a train barreling down the tracks, or trees blowing in the wind. Each of these scenes can come alive within your photographs if you learn how to convey motion properly.

Today, I’ll describe how you can use different shutter speeds and panning to capture motion in your photography. I’ll also explain a potential issue you might experience when photographing moving subjects – along with tips to resolve it.

Let’s get started!

Reasons to capture motion

Beginning photographers have likely seen captivating photographs that capture motion. There are several ways to achieve these photos, and each has a slightly different goal.

You see, sometimes there is a need to blur certain elements in the image while focusing sharply on a few subjects in the foreground. Other times, you may want to freeze or blur everything. The direction you take depends on your objective for your photograph.

A lot of photographers capture motion simply to convey that an object is moving. But there are also other reasons to do this. Movement can communicate mood. Trees rustling in the wind suggests serenity, while throngs of people on a busy city block implies hurried activity.

You can also use motion to eliminate elements in a scene that may serve as distractions to the viewer. For example, you may want to photograph a person standing on a sidewalk corner as cars move behind them. By blurring everything but your primary subject (i.e., the man on the corner), you can eliminate potential distractions and focus the viewer’s attention.

Two primary techniques for capturing motion in photography

The shutter speed you use while photographing a scene plays a key role in capturing motion in your image.

The faster the shutter speed, the sharper the focus on your subject. On the other hand, a slower shutter speed will blur a moving object. There are two main approaches here (though I’ll discuss a couple of alternatives in a moment).

1. Blurred subject with the background in focus

Let’s assume you’re photographing a speeding train against a wall of trees in the background. You can blur the train while leaving the trees in focus. Doing so would instantly communicate to the viewer that the train is moving quickly.

To accomplish this, you would use a slow shutter speed.

(It’s also important to use a tripod. That way, your camera remains steady.)

You’ll often see this technique used in nighttime photographs with car headlights cutting through the image.

2. Blurred background with the subject in focus

This second technique keeps your subject in sharp focus while the background is blurred.

Using our train example, the train would be in focus and the wall of trees would be blurred, thereby conveying the train’s movement.

Similar to the first method, you’ll need to use a slow shutter speed. However, instead of using a tripod, you’ll be panning your camera along the directional path of your subject.

But what actually is panning?

Panning explained

Most beginning photographers are trained to “secure” their cameras. That is, beginners are taught that the camera should remain as still as possible for certain types of shots.

By contrast, panning requires that you move your camera with your subject. Specifically, you’ll be matching your subject’s rate of movement and the direction in which it is traveling.

In our bike example, assume the man on the bike is moving from east to west. In that case, you’ll need to pan your camera in the same east-to-west direction, matching the speed of the bike. The best results occur when you have a clear view of the moving object and ample room to swivel your camera along a parallel axis.

Panning effectively can be difficult. You can practice and perfect your technique by photographing athletes who move quickly (for example, basketball players). Try to capture their facial expressions while blurring everything in the background. It will take some time to get it right, but once you do, the technique can be a valuable addition to your repertoire.

Other techniques to capture motion

Besides the two main techniques described above, you can also freeze the entire scene or blur everything.

Freezing the entire scene can give your photographs a unique look, especially if the objects strongly imply movement. For example, consider a bird flying in front of a waterfall. Both imply motion to the viewer. Freezing the entire scene captures all that motion and can produce a breathtaking image. You should use a shutter speed of at least 1/1000s for that type of shot.

Blurring everything produces the best results when the scene offers bright, contrasting colors or varying tones. In most cases, capturing motion in this manner is done purely for artistic purposes.

Another effective method for capturing motion within your images is “chrono photography.”

Using the continuous shooting feature on your camera, you can capture a series of shots and join them together in the post-processing stage to create the effect shown above. A tripod is essential when attempting to shoot motion using this method.

Determine the proper shutter speed

A lot of novice photographers ask what the proper shutter speed is, given their objective.

But every situation is unique. One speed doesn’t suit all circumstances. To identify the right shutter speed, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions:

1. How fast is your subject moving?
2. How much distance exists between the camera and the subject?
3. How much motion do you want your photograph to convey to the viewer?

The faster the shutter speed, the more frozen and crisply-defined your subject will be. Most cameras today will allow you to freeze a scene using 1/8000s or faster.

That being said, the numbers only serve as a rough guideline. You’ll need to experiment with different shutter speeds in a variety of situations.

Potential issue: excess light

Here’s a potential issue you may encounter when trying to capture motion in photography:

When you slow your shutter speed to blur elements in your image, there’s a chance that too much light will enter and impact your photograph (which will result in overexposure).

This is a common problem, but there are a couple of ways to resolve it:

First, check the aperture on your camera. The wider it is, the more likely excess light will enter. Try adjusting the settings to reduce its size.

Second, review your ISO setting. When the ISO is high, the image sensor in your camera may be overly sensitive to light. This can create a too-bright image, as well as unwanted noise, so consider dropping your ISO.

Mastering the art of motion capture

Becoming proficient at capturing motion in photography requires practice and experience. You’ll need to spend time learning how different shutter speeds impact the quality of your images. Even if you’re just setting your camera on its tripod, timing a perfect shot of a fast-moving object can be difficult.

In the end, capturing motion in your photography is part technique and part art. Fortunately, with practice, you can master it!

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Editor’s note: This article was updated in October 2020.

I originally wrote this article in 2009 when I was beginning to take pictures for my wife’s baking blog and various local magazines. Since then, I’ve had a lot of practice, and I’ve honed my food photography techniques.

I’m thrilled to update everyone with what I’ve learned, and I hope that you find the information here helpful when taking pictures of your food.

Food styling

When you’re taking pictures of food, it’s critical that your subject looks as good as it hopefully tastes. If you don’t have the budget to hire a food stylist, it’s important to know some basic styling techniques that can make food look its best.

Make more food than you think you’ll need, and always photograph the examples that look the best. You cannot make a burnt waffle or soggy asparagus look appetizing.

Props can help you set the mood for your food photos. I have a basement full of plates, platters, chargers, cups, glassware, utensils, napkins, tablecloths, surfaces, and cutting boards at my disposal. With those, I can pull together what I need to set a table (or a portion of a table) for a picnic setting, a fine-dining scene, or something in between.

While you don’t need to have a ton of food photography props, I recommend that you at least have a few place settings and utensils, as well as a nice surface to photograph on.

Plating your dish properly can elevate it from mundane to extraordinary. If you aren’t working with a professional chef or food stylist, I recommend you read articles and watch video tutorials about plating as a starting point.

Think about ingredient placement, creating height or depth, adding color, or increasing contrast.

Here are a few plating tips to improve your food photography:

• Plate an odd number of the item you’re photographing.
• Add garnish where appropriate, such as with soups.
• Lean longer flat items against those with some height.
• Use edible flowers or fresh herbs to add some contrasting color to your plate.

Food photography composition

When taking pictures of food, you have the advantage of a subject that is stationary. This means you have complete control over the camera’s position and angle, and how close or far away the camera is from the scene.

To get the best composition, I recommend you start with a few food photography techniques:

• Use the traditional rule of thirds to yield strong compositions if you don’t have a lot of experience. Mentally divide your frame into a 3×3 grid and place key elements at the gridlines or intersections. Once you’re familiar with the rule of thirds and you can see how it can lend power to your scene, treat it as a suggestion and experiment.
• Draw the viewer into your composition. Show part of the plate in your photo rather than the entire dish. Use utensils or napkins to help guide the viewer’s eyes to what you want them to focus on. And remember that the same contrasting elements that help you style a plate will also work in your favor when it comes to composition.

• Use negative space to make a powerful photo. Clutter in your scene causes visual confusion, so remove it. The less your viewer is drawn to, the better.
• Think of how the dish would best be viewed. Head-on views, overhead shots, and views looking slightly down into the dish are always preferable to looking down at a plate from a 45-degree angle.
• Keep your camera level. Early in my food photography career, I felt that angles conveyed a sense of excitement to the viewer. They did – because they made it look like the food was falling off the plate! I stopped rotating my camera, and my photos became much stronger overnight.
• Zoom with your lens and your feet. There are times when macro photos of food work well, and there are times when a wider shot conveys a better sense of place and atmosphere. See if background compression helps remove distractions from your dish. Try a number of options with your food and see what works best.

Food photography lighting and exposure

While you don’t need the absolute best equipment to photograph food – I’m using camera equipment that’s a decade old! – you do need to think about how your choice of lighting, exposure, and even camera equipment affect your photo.

Placing your dish with natural light to the side and behind generally yields great results, but it’s also not consistent or reproducible; a passing cloud or thunderstorm can suddenly destroy all of your styling and composition efforts.

If you’re working on taking photos over the span of a few hours and you want them all to look similar, I highly recommend that you use artificial light of some sort. Most food photos I’ve taken indoors are photographed using flashes with diffusion from behind or off to the side of the food. I use reflectors to bounce some light back to the front of the dish, if needed.

If you’re working within a budget, consider getting inexpensive work lights and putting white linens between the lights and your food.

Learn how to use the exposure triangle whether you’re using natural or artificial lighting, and start setting everything on your camera manually. Aim to blur out your background while keeping the foreground nice and sharply focused. And, of course, make sure everything is lit just right.

Equipment for food photography

The best camera equipment in the world won’t help if you haven’t learned what to do with it. I always advise people to start by renting equipment or buying cheap, used gear.

To start off, I recommend a tripod, a camera body that supports detachable lenses, and a medium zoom lens. I encourage you to learn to shoot and edit RAW photos, as you can adjust far more in post-production with them than you can with JPEG images.

If you’re ready to move on from your basic camera setup, I recommend you buy color calibration equipment and lighting. And when you feel confident that you have a good understanding of all of the gear you have and you feel that your current gear is holding you back, finally commit to a full-frame camera system and professional lenses.

Food photography techniques: conclusion

What food photography techniques have worked for you? What techniques have been problematic? Please let me know in the comments!

The post Food Photography Techniques and Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jonathan Pollack.

In this article, we’re going to share 21 photography settings, techniques, and rules you should know as a beginner photographer.

Some are very basic while others go a little deeper, but all have been selected from our archives specifically for beginners and new camera owners.

Enjoy!

Introduction to useful modes and settings on your digital camera

1. Digital Camera Modes Explained – I spoke with a family friend recently who had just bought a new point and shoot camera. She came up to me with her camera when no one was watching and embarrassedly asked me if I could tell her what all the little icons on the dial on top of her camera meant. This article explains what each of the most common digital camera modes means and does. Knowing these photography modes can take your shots to the next level.

2. Aperture and Shutter Priority Modes – This introduction takes you through these two very useful settings that can be found on many digital cameras. Aperture and Shutter Priority mode take you off of Auto mode, giving you more control over your images without thrusting you fully into Manual mode. They are great settings to explore and master.

3. Introduction to White Balance – One of the most common problems that I see in beginner photography is shots with incorrect colors. We’ve all seen them: portraits where your subject’s teeth and eyeballs (and everything else) have a yellowish tinge. Learn what causes this and how to combat it with this tutorial on white balance.

4. Understanding Histograms – “Histograms are scary.” This is what one reader said to me recently when they discovered that they could view these little graphs on their camera. While histograms might seem a little technical, it is amazing how simple a histogram is to interpret. Know what to look for, and with just a glance you can tell if your image is under- or over-exposed. It’s a useful tool to master.

5. Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB) – This feature is another of those often-unexplored settings that many cameras have built into them. It will allow you to get well-exposed shots in even the trickiest of lighting situations.

Other basic camera techniques

6. How to Hold a Digital Camera – This beginner tutorial covers a topic that most camera owners skip over without realizing that it is a foundational lesson in photography. Get this wrong and it can dramatically impact the quality of your shots.

7. Shutter Release Technique – Another basic tip that many do intuitively, but which can drastically improve your photography if you don’t do it.

8. How to Use Focal Lock – Yet another beginner technique that many of us take for granted, yet is at the core of how all digital cameras focus automatically. Get this wrong and you’ll take a lot of shots of out-of-focus subjects and in-focus backgrounds!

9. How to Take Sharp Digital Images – “My shots are fuzzy.” It’s a problem we’re frequently asked about, so we wrote this tutorial to help you get the sharpest images your camera can take.

10. Shooting with an In-Camera Flash – Flash photography with a built-in flash can lead to some terribly blown-out images. This article offers a few tips on how to avoid this. And here are 7 Strategies for Avoiding Flash Blow Out.

11. How to Get Shallow Depth of Field in Your Digital Photos – A great technique to learn if you’re into many types of photography (portraits, macro, etc.) is how to control the depth of field in your shots. That way, you can make your main subject pop by making your background nicely blurred. This tutorial walks you through how to do it.

12. Understanding Exposure – This post takes new camera owners through the three main elements of exposure. Once you’ve read it, also check out our introductions to ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

Camera care and maintenance

13. How to Avoid a Dirty DSLR Sensor – One of the fastest ways to ruin every single shot you take with your new DSLR is to end up with a dirty image sensor. This tutorial gives some basic tips on how to ensure it stays as clean as possible.

14. How to Clean a DSLR Lens – As much as you try to protect them, lenses tend to get grimy over time. This tutorial shares some basic tips on how to clean lenses so that your shots will be as clear as possible.

15. 7 Digital Camera Predators and How to Keep them at Bay – This tutorial takes you through 7 of the most common ways that digital cameras get damaged, what to look out for, and what preventative actions you can take.

Composition tips

16. The Rule of Thirds – Whether you follow it or break it, the rule of thirds is a topic you should at least know about.

17. Points of Interest – An image without some visual point of interest is unlikely to hold the eye of anyone viewing it.

18. Getting Horizons Horizontal – The perfect way to ruin that lovely sunset or landscape shot is to make it lean to one side. Get your horizon horizontal!

19. Fill Your Frame – This is not applicable to every shot you take, but many photographers could drastically improve their photography by getting in close to their subject and filling the frame.

20. Getting Backgrounds Right – The background can make or break an image. This tutorial walks you through a number of things to look out for and techniques to use to get the background just right.

21. Adding Randomness to Your Photos – Learn how to set your images apart from everyone else’s by injecting creativity, variety, and a little randomness into your shots.

Of course, these 21 photography settings, techniques, and rules for beginner camera owners just scratch the surface of all there is to learn about the art of photography. Subscribe to our blog here to get more free daily tips to help you keep learning and improving.

Our guide to getting creative control over your camera

If you’re looking for a complete guide to taking control of your camera, then you might like to check out our course, Photo Nuts and Bolts, which walks you through everything you need to know to start taking beautiful photos.

Here’s the intro:

Grab this great dPS course here.

The post 21 Settings, Techniques and Rules All New Camera Owners Should Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Moon phases are a key to understanding when you should be out taking photos. These days it’s easy to predict where and when you will see the moon for the type of photos you want to produce.

First let’s start with some tools you might want to look into, then options for different moon phase photos.

Tools

Astronomers have known the secrets of the moon’s phases and timing for eons. Ancient civilizations built monuments and shrines in regard to locations of the sun, moon and stars long before computers were invented. Our modern tools are a little easier to access.

Newspapers and Websites

Not into learning full astronomy? My first suggestion is to Google the phase you’re looking for. It’s that simple. One of the top sites that will appear in the results is Time & Date. You can find all the phases of the moon, based on the location of your Internet connection, right here. If the location isn’t correct, simply search for your city and the site will give you all you need to get started.

Another great option (that also has an app, but it is so much better on a large computer screen) is The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE). I wrote about using TPE here on DPS and they have a Web App available for those who don’t use phones and their apps.

The US Navy has a simple site that allows you to print out a year’s worth of times for any location on the planet.

Don’t have an Internet connection while you travel? Newspapers still print the information for the moon and sun phases (as well as setting and rising times).

Apps

Everyone loves a good app, and there are three that I keep loaded on my phone for photography purposes. All of these apps will show you the angle of the moon at any time, its phase, and some even help you calculate the best time to photograph the moon.

Full moon over Washington’s Cascade Mountains

My choices are:

• • Photo Pills   (DPS astrophotography instructions)
  • LightTrac
  • Photographer’s Ephemeris   (DPS full moon instructions)

Catching the Full Moon

The best time to photograph the full moon is the day before or after a full moon. Why’s this?

A full moon is marked at the height of its path across the heavens and this is often after midnight. Let’s say the moon reaches the height of its fullness at 12:26 am on July 2nd. This means the full moon actually rises on the day BEFORE that which is marked on the calendar. Throw in use of Daylight Saving Time and the timing can be wonky.

Full moon rising above Washington’s Cascade Mountains and Puget Sound

Going out the day before the moon is actually marked as full means you’re catching the moon rising just about at the same time as the sun is setting. So the sun is lighting the moon and often the foreground of your scene. This gives a nice, even lighting to your scene.

The same can be said for shooting the full moon setting the day it is marked on the calendar.

Late at night, you can still capture great images of the moon. However, you have to understand that the contrast difference between the moon (a giant reflector in space) and the black sky will be immense. This means you will lose detail in the moon if you attempt to hold the shutter open long enough to exposure the foreground. Some creative light painting can come in handy in this case.

Full moon and chorten with the Himalayas in the background. Mong La, Nepal

Half/Quarter Moons – Daytime wonders

Some people call them half-moons because half of the moon is illuminated. Some call them quarter because they are at the quarter phase of a full cycle. Either way, they look the same.

Half-moons will rise or set in the middle of the day. It matters on whether the moon is waxing or waning, meaning if it is getting closer to full or further away in its cycle. This is a good time to use an app or Astro calendar to plan ahead.

You’ll be best served by catching a half moon when it is rising or setting, just like with a full moon. Having it closer to the foreground subjects will help it appear larger. Let me give you an example.

Here’s the half moon rising in Canmore, Alberta, Canada just behind the Rocky Mountains.

Half moon and the Canadian Rockies

Nice and large when using a long lens and the moon is close to the ground. It is fairly high in the sky here as I am looking way up at the mountain.

Now, here are two examples with a nearly half moon over Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, and another of it over Seattle, Washington.

See the issue? It’s still a half moon, but later in its cycle, when it is far from foreground objects, it is relatively small and loses some grandeur.

Slivers or Crescents

Slivers, or crescents, are visible just before and after a new moon. Look for them a couple of days before and after the new moon and, just like full and half, try to find a time when they are low on the horizon.

Crescent moon setting over the Himalayas

You will also notice the sliver will seemingly rotate as it crosses the heavens and this may affect your composition choices. As with the half moon, you will have even more trouble giving the moon prominence in a mid-day shoot when it is high in the sky.

Lunar Eclipses

Lunar eclipses are all the fashion these days with this or that news source touting, “This will be the last blah, blah, blah for decades!”  But don’t let them fool you; lunar eclipses happen often enough – about once a year. However, their location can be the biggest issue. Let’s go back to Time & Date’s site for more info on upcoming lunar eclipses for the next 10 years. You’ll need to click on the “Lunar” tab once on the page.

Not all of those eclipses will happen in your neck of the woods, so you’ll have to click through and see where they will happen. As with solar eclipses, when the sun is blotted out by the moon, people will often travel far and wide for lunar eclipse shots.

A full lunar eclipse, at its height, means the moon will be completely in the shadow of the Earth. Because of the distance between the Earth and moon, some light still slips past the Earth, which causes it to have all colors except red stripped away. This is why lunar eclipses are sometimes called blood moons.

Again, having a foreground subject helps because the eclipse often happens high in the sky. The whole sequence of the moon moving into and then fully out of the Earth’s shadow can take a little over an hour, and you should plan accordingly. The colorful and best ‘action’ of the eclipse will span maybe 5-10 minutes.

More tips on capturing lunar (and solar) eclipses are found in this DPS article.

New Moon or No Moon – Photograph the Stars

When the moon’s not out, it’s a great time to photograph the stars. And my, oh, my, do we have a batch of great articles to help you with that!

• How To Plan Astrophotography With The Photopills App
• Astrophotography Made Simple
• How to Choose a Lens for Night Sky Photography
• Reducing Digital Noise in Astrophotography Using Exposure Stacking
• How to Add More Interest to Your Astrophotography With Light Painting

Conclusion

Moon photography is a fun and challenging subject because the moon is constantly changing phases and its location in the sky. Thankfully, we have plenty of tools at our disposal to track and plan for great moon photos. While full moons are alluring, try your hand at the other phases, too.

Feel free to share your photos of the moon with the dPS community in the comments below.

The post When is the Best Time to Photograph the Moon? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

I hear much maligning these days about photography hot spots. You know them, they are the places photographers seem to flock to Mesa Arch, Tunnel View, Horseshoe Bend, Kjeragbolten (that rock wedged between two other rocks in Norway), etc… The list goes on an on and they tend to be natural wonders. Although, cityscapes are certainly included (e.g. New York’s Manhattanhenge).

But do those photography hot spots deserve their increasingly bad reputation? I asked some fellow photographers to give their perspective on the love and hate of shooting at photographic hot spots.

On The Side Of Love

The Sheer Beauty

Let’s face it; these places are popular for a reason. They are gorgeous! Maybe not when there is a crowd (even the Mona Lisa is hard to enjoy from four rows back in a packed crowd), but there is a reason these locations draw people, with or without cameras.

For instance, we see a picture of symmetry and grandeur of the Taj Mahal and we are drawn in.

And all those photography hot spots in National Parks around the world? Those parks were set up to protect and preserve the often astonishing and sublime beauty we humans are lucky enough to share with this world.

Good Practice And A Chance To Learn

The hard part of photography can be finding subjects. For outdoor and landscape photographers, in particular, more effort is put into researching, getting to and finding the right location than actually shooting.

Hot spots make the learning more readily accessible when the pain is taken out of the hunting process. These days almost any hotspot can be found online with direction or precise coordinates on a map. It is a chance to get out and shoot more and an opportunity to learn from other photographers at the hot spot.

Camaraderie And Socializing

Photographer Eileen Descallar Ringwald explains what she enjoys about the social aspect of hot spots.

“While I value getting away from crowds, I do see advantages to be had when in groups. Once in Yosemite on a climbing-focused trip, a photographer I met by chance in the El Cap picnic area told me the elusive moonbow conditions were going to occur that night. I went out at night to the Lower Yosemite Falls Bridge and was at first shocked to see just how many photographers and even non-photographers were there. However, everyone was very polite. People made way for tripods and shared long exposure settings throughout the night. One photographer even shared where he normally went to shoot the Upper Falls. I had a fun time and got some decent shots as well. This was an experience I would have missed if I hadn’t decided to ‘follow the crowd’.“

When you get in with the right group, the benefits can multiply. It can lead you in directions you would not have discovered on your own.

Gateway Drug To Other Offerings In The Area

Landscape photographer and instructor Gary Crabbe spends a lot of his time outdoors with this camera. He has used photography hot spots as a means to an end.

“The lure of great iconic photo locations should not be ignored or dismissed on the pathway to developing our own personal vision. I always recommend that once you’ve nailed a certain shot, dare to explore further afield or venture off the regularly traveled path. This will allow you to seek out more unique or personal compositions. Regardless of what primary area my travels take me, I always like to find one or two nearby lesser-known locations that fuel a bit more of the journey with an eye toward photographic discovery and adventure.“

I shot Mesa Arch at sunrise (pictured above) because it makes for a beautiful image. I visited the park with my friend Michael Riffle. As we were spending three days in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, he suggested a location nearby that I hadn’t previously explored.

It was Dead Horse Point State Park and at sunrise in October, it looked like this:

While Mesa Arch and the ‘Big 5’ National Parks of Utah are a big draw, there are so many other unique and interesting sites to explore. While I wouldn’t have planned a trip to Dead Horse Point if I were alone, it, and many other sites, are valuable add-ons made possible by first hitting the Gateway Hot Spots.

It’s Never The Same Place Twice

Sure, you’ve seen the photos and you might have even been to that photography hot spot. But times and weather change. Different light means a different mode. Fewer people, more people. A chance encounter with wildlife.

It all makes hot spots different for everyone on each occasion. They are an easy way to grow as a photographer because they teach us not to be complacent and accept that, “Well, I shot that already. It never changes.”

For instance, another day at the Taj Mahal can bring a new feeling. Maybe the shot works better with people? Maybe the light isn’t as crisp? Take the opportunity to learn from them.

On The Side Of Hate

Crowds

Photographer and tour operator, Genevieve Hathaway, knows a thing or two about crowds.

“Crowds at locations can provide challenges for photographers. Especially iconic travel locations can be very crowded making clean compositions tough, making it hard to find spots to shoot. It’s also hard to try and capture more authentic, idyllic scenes. It’s great that so many people are traveling, but this provides photographers with new challenges in composing our shots and even in competing with other photographers for the coveted angles. I think these challenges can push us to be creative. They are opportunities to find new angles at favorite sites, wake up early to beat the crowds and to even discover more off the beaten path locations to shoot.“

Rude Photographers More Interested In Getting ‘The Shot’ Rather Than Ethical Or Polite Behavior

We’ve all met them: rude photographers. They seem to care only about themselves and getting ‘the shot.’ I asked Canadian photographer Michael Russell for his take.

“I have to wonder if the photographers who yell and scream, push people out of the way, damage plant life and infrastructure, or otherwise act to disrupt others, have any understanding as to why a great view at an iconic location is special? Even when the light isn’t great or there are too many tourists on the trail in front of their camera; do they feel anything? A photographer who acts out because something went wrong while hunting for a preconceived trophy is at best missing the gift of visiting these places. At worst, ruining the visit for everyone else who does.“

Uninspired Execution

Pam Boling, a talented, multi-faceted photographer from Las Vegas, sees a lack of effort and originality as a common outcome.

“I am most inspired when I am shooting portraits or landscapes. My most lucrative client, however, is the commercial client. Commercial content rarely inspires me. Getting the exposure right in commercial environments can sometimes be the most challenging: I am often faced with window light, fluorescent lights, OCF, harsh backlight, and sometimes reflective surfaces. I think the photographic process – whatever the subject – eventually becomes the driving force once the toolbox is worn around the edges. Some photographers don’t go beyond the normal tools and the results are uninspired.“

False Impression That Photographers Are Great When Copying

Freelance writer and photographer Peter Tellone put it most succinctly when it comes to copying others.

“Copying greatness does not make you a Chef, it makes you a Cook. The entire point in this madness that is art is to be the Chef.“

If you don’t expand your vision, if you don’t break out of the mold of others, you are nothing more than a fancy copy machine.

These hot spots make it easy to take a great photo because the scene, in and of itself, is already amazing. You just need some decent light to get a decent photo. To be great you need to build, expand and reinterpret what others have done, and what the scene gives you.

Conclusion

I have tried presenting both sides to the controversy of iconic photography hot spots. Honestly, I can see both sides of the story. Some positive aspects and some negative.

What do you think? Do you love or hate photography hot spots?

The post Photography Hot Spots – Love ‘em or Hate ‘em? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

It has been a big week with our dPS Mid Year Sale and we know thousands of our readers have picked up some great photography training at crazy low prices.

Today we have a special surprise for you – all our deals are back for one last time!

Each of the deals this week have been enjoyed by many readers but whenever we do deals like these we get emails from people to miss out – particularly as we know many of you are celebrating holidays at this time of year.

So – we decided to bring ALL the deals back for a couple of days to give those who missed out the chance to enjoy one of these bargains.

A quick reminder of what’s on offer in our dPS resources store:

• All of our eBooks are just $9 (normally $19-$49)
• All of our Lightroom Presets are $19 (normally $49)
• All of our Courses are $29 (normally $99)

And then there’s our 4 deals from our friends:

• Mastering Shutter Speed Course (save 62%)
• Phil Steele’s Photoshop Basics for Photographers (save 40%)
• Cole Joseph’s Photo Collage Tool for Lightroom (save 88%)
• Richard Scheider’s How to Photograph Fireworks eBook (save 55%)

All of our our dPS products and those from our partners come with no-risk money back satisfaction guarantees. Try them out and if you don’t love them simply let us know and we’ll arrange a full refund – no questions asked.

Whether you pick up just one or create a collection of training to last you the next 6 months – we hope you find something in what’s on offer this week that will help you take your photography to the next level.

But don’t wait too long – these deals will only last a couple more days and then they’ll be gone forever.

The post All Deals are Back – Photography eBooks, Presets and Courses at up to 88% Savings appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

It’s Day 3 of our Summer Sale and if you’re interested in the art of landscape photography – this offer is for you!

For US$49 you’ll get US$450 worth of learning materials in The Complete Landscape Photography Pack – a mammoth savings of US$401!

Take a look at what’s in this amazing Landscape Photography pack:

Get full details of the bundle over at the InFocus Deals Page

This bundle is huge and will help you improve your Landscape Photography for sure!

But of course, as with all our deals this week, an offer this fantastic can’t last forever.

So, don’t miss out. Lock in the unbeatable savings of US$401 today.

The post Deal 3: Save $401 on The Complete Landscape Photography Pack appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

There are images that immediately come to mind if someone mentions them. For instance, the image of the man being shot in the head during the Vietnam War, or the girl running naked down the road (also in Vietnam) after being burned by a napalm bomb. I don’t want to use the word iconic, but they are well-known, and very emotive images. The Vietnam War was like no other, and these images helped to show the devastation.

An image of an event, or a place, can create a lot more connection than written words or stories; humans are visual and we relate to visual cues. But images don’t have to be about war to generate a response from people.

In late-1970s Australia, the government wanted to dam part of a river in Tasmania. It was something that upset many people. It would mean that many parts of stunning rainforests in the area would be drowned and lost forever. When I think back to that time, there is a beautiful image of the place that immediately comes to mind. It is an image of the river by photographer Peter Dombrovskis, and its catchphrase was that it would be submerged by the dam.

Rock Island Bend, Franklin River, South West Tasmania, by Peter Dombrovskis, National Library of Australia, an6631500 (Bib ID#2899361)

Here I am 30 years later, and this image is still strong in my mind; it says, “This image stopped the Franklin Dam”. Images can very powerful. Who wouldn’t want to have an image that changed the world – well, at least helped save a small part of it? With so many images in existence now, it may be hard to imagine that any could have the same impact. With the world of digital perhaps we are in image overload.

It doesn’t mean you can’t try. There is no reason why you can’t highlight a cause that you are passionate about, using your photography.

In the area around where I live, there is a large green belt that follows the Yarra River, which is the main source of water for the City of Melbourne. It is wonderful that the land has been preserved and not given up to development. Parts of the area were still being farmed until very recently, around 2o years ago.

Morning Light over Banyule Flats. The area has been allowed to return to its natural state as it would have appeared over 250 years ago.

Part of the area is a swamp (wetland) and was here before European Settlement. Once the land was claimed, the swamp was drained and the water course moved so it didn’t fill anymore. Fences were put up, and cattle grazed there for over 150 years.

Early Autumn Mists on the Water.

Eventually, the land was sold to the local council, and they have helped the area recover over the last 20 years by revegetation, and putting the water course back, so the swamp would fill again. It did – and it has become a place rich with native birds and plants. The fence posts are still there, but the trees that grew while it was dry have since died from being waterlogged.

The area is ecologically and communally important and is in constant use – but there is a problem. Banyule Flats is situated right in the middle of where they want to connect two freeways. This is an area that I love and want to help protect, so I started thinking about how I could use my photography to help stop the freeway.

Winter Sun Casting Long Shadows.

My first thought was to start putting photos up on my blog. If I could get people from around the world to build a connection with Banyule Flats, perhaps I could get a whole lot more people to fight for its survival.

About 12 months ago my local council, Banyule City Council, was offering Environment Grants and I wondered if I could get one to do a book on the area using my photography. I rang the coordinator for the grants and spoke to her about my idea for the book. She seemed to really love it, and gave me ideas of what to put in the proposal. I had to join the Warringal Conservation Society to be eligible for it, but that was never a problem, and I have loved being a member.

The grant was approved, and I will use the photos I have been taking for two years now. It is time to put the book together and work out what is the best way to present the images. We can’t just put them all together with no story because, it has to be interesting.  It has to be done in a way that people find not only beautiful, but helps build a connection to the area so they won’t want to see it destroyed.

This is an opportunity to use photography to bring about social change. If you can help people build a relationship or feel something for a cause, then that gives you a lot more people who want to fight for it with you. Your case becomes stronger, and there’s power in numbers.

Cattle Egret Surveying the Water Below. One of many birds that inhabit the area.

One thing that is happening with the book on Banyule Flats is that we are inviting the Wurundjeri Elders and people to be involved. They are the traditional owners of this land, and having their input will help highlight the area, give the book a unique look, and help showcase part of their culture. Of course, I will not take advantage of them and will make sure that proper credit is given, and they will get a share in the royalties as well.

If we can make the book show off the area, we hope that more local people will get involved in the fight for the Flats, and we can then introduce the area to a much wider, potentially worldwide, community.

The book is going to be visual, have lots of photos throughout showing the area through the seasons, and contain big landscapes, as well as macro images of the flora that grow there. The photos have to be powerful to get our message accross: there will be no freeway through Banyule.

Bottle Brush. One of the indigenous plants at Banyule Flats.

Images are very strong. If I just tell you about the area then you are not going to want to protect it, but if I show you what it looks like then you start to feel a connection. Beauty has to be seen, and that is where photography becomes very powerful.

Think back to causes you have felt very passionate about. Do you think of them in words, or in images?

Sunrise Around the Back of Banyule Flats.

When I think about the Vietnam War, images come to my mind, like the two I already mentioned. The Franklin Dam project was one of the first major campaigns that I have a really good memory of.  The image of the Franklin River gave people an understanding of what they were going to lose if the dam went ahead.

If you have a cause that you want to assist or save, use your photography to help. Get the best photos that you can, and show people what you want them to see. The stronger your photography is, the better the effect it will have. You want to create images that people will remember. In the years to come when people talk about Banyule Flats and how we stopped the freeway, I want them to think of my images in the book.

The post Using Your Photography to Create Social Change appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Leanne Cole.

Over the last few years here at dPS, we’ve run some very popular competitions, and this month will be no different!

This month we are working with one of our newest partners – ViewBug – to give away to lucky dPS readers, full access to their Photo Contest and exclusive discounts from photography based partners! ViewBug is an online photo contest community that provides the opportunity for photographers to share photos with chances to win prizes. With ViewBug, everyone can get an opportunity to be discovered!

ViewBug is a community where you can participate in photo contests with cool brands, awesome community of judges, and gain recognition and exposure.

For this photo competition, ViewBug is giving away Two Year Long PRO Subscription!

These prizes are designed to allow photographers full access to participation and voting in all of the ViewBug Photography contests. Each will be won by a different dPS reader. Here’s what you could win:

A Year Long PRO subscription to ViewBugs photography contests! A $139 Value!

How to Win

To win this competition you’ll need to:

Visit the ViewBug/dPS Contest page here and upload your entry into the Landscape Photography Contest.

Do this in the next 60 days and on May 5, 2014, ViewBug and its community of photographers will choose the best landscape photos. We at dPS will announce the winners in the following days.

The deadline for entries is Wednesday, February April 26, 2014, Midnight PST. Entries placed after deadline will not be considered. Enter Here!!

This competition is open to everyone around the world no matter where you live.

Disclaimer: ViewBug is a paid partner of dPS.

The post Landscapes Photo Contest! Win One of Two – Year Long PRO Subscriptions from ViewBug! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.