Make Zoom Lenses Sharper

A simple trick to ensure zoom lens shots look sharp

William Sawalich

You’ve taken the day off of work to head out to the local state park for your favorite activity, landscape photography. You’re up well before dawn to catch the perfect sunrise in the ideal location; maybe you even scouted the spot before in order to ensure everything’s just right. You’ve got your camera settings dialed in and you’re all ready.... Read more

Make Your Photos Pop With These Lightroom Sliders

Pictures lacking punch? Here are three great ways to use Lightroom to make your photos pop.

William Sawalich

Some photos come out of the camera technically fine but still might seem a bit blah. Maybe they aren’t quite as sharp as you’d like or there’s not enough “pop” in their presentation; they’re bland rather than bold. Well, the good news is there are lots of fixes for these issues. Here are three of my favorite Lightroom techniques to make... Read more

How To Read A Histogram

Unlock immense exposure information in the blink of an eye by learning how to read a histogram

William Sawalich

Photographic histograms are a graphic representation of an image’s exposure. More specifically, they plot tonal values onto a graph. What are histograms useful for? They quickly provide photographers with a more accurate understanding of exposure. But how is this useful, you might ask, since we can all see the image right there in front of our eyes?... Read more

How to Pose People for Flattering Portraits

Learn how to pose men, women and couples for photos they'll love

By Dan Havlik

Posing people to make them look attractive in portraits is not easy. In fact, it takes years of training and practice. Fortunately, there are pro photographers like Vanessa Joy who has had years of portrait photography experience and wants to share what she knows with beginners. In the below video, Joy gives you her tips on how to pose men, women, and... Read more

7 Ways to Capture Amazing Photos of Animals

Pro wildlife photographer Kristi Odom shares her top tips

By Kristi Odom

(Editor’s Note: This wildlife photography how-to from professional photographer Kristi Odom is part of a monthly series on Digital Photo where top pros from Nikon USA’s Ambassadors program share their simple tips, tricks, and advice on how to be a better photographer.) Whether you’re in the field, on a vacation or in your own backyard, wildlife... Read more

Infrared Photography With An iPhone

An inexpensive filter opens up a whole world of easy infrared photography

William Sawalich

Most digital cameras—be they DSLRs, pocket compacts or mirrorless bodies—have infrared filters in front of their sensors to block infrared light. This makes for better pictures 99 percent of the time when you’re working with visible light, but it’s no good for those interested in infrared photography. So if you slap an infrared filter on most... Read more

Ultimate Lighting Accessories

From clamps to cables, here’s a look at the equipment that’s necessary to construct a pro-caliber lighting setup that works well from studio to location

William Sawalich

Last week, we looked at the essential equipment needed to create a versatile two-light kit that works all sorts of subjects on location. But the list of what it takes to make a basic setup function at the professional level is quite long. So this week, we’re delving into all the essential things besides lights and stands that will take your studio... Read more

5 Ways to Make Your Portraits Look More Dramatic

Adding drama will take your portraits to the next level

By Dan Havlik

What often separates a good portrait from a great portrait is drama. No, we’re not talking about the drama that comes from working with a high-maintenance model, we mean creating a portrait that looks dramatic or even cinematic. But how do you produce dramatic portraits that will turn heads? Professional portrait photographer Miguel Quiles has... Read more

8 Clever Camera Hacks for Landscape Photography

These photo tricks actually work

By Dan Havlik

Camera “hacks” are fun, oftentimes do-it-yourself (DIY) ideas or tricks that help you get the most out of your camera gear to capture interesting photos. Frequently, however, camera hack tutorials can be more silly than helpful. That’s not the case with the below video where photographer Mark Denney shows you eight camera hacks “that... Read more

Building A Better Location Lighting Kit

Choose the right gear to construct a lighting setup that travels well and works great for a variety of subjects

William Sawalich

Although there are plenty of reasons why you might want to use three or four or even more lights to illuminate a shot, I’ve found that for much of my work—from portraiture to product photography, architecture to interiors—I can do a lot with a little. Namely, I can often use a location lighting kit of just one or two lights—be they strobes or... Read more

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