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While it might seem like a rule-free environment, photography has some rules to follow for better quality work. One of the rules to learn when it comes to taking quality photos is the Rule of Thirds. This is an interesting concept of which many photographers might not be aware. The Rule of Thirds is the concept of dividing up your photographic image. You do this by placing two imaginary horizontal lines and two imaginary vertical lines across the image. By doing this, you can then put key elements of the photo of the scene into each of these ‘boxes’ being created. This “gridded” kind of art allows for you to create a much more authentic composition. Off-center photographic compositions might seem counter-intuitive, but they can be more eye-catching than many people realize. Trying to always frame your focal point right smack bang in the middle of an image is not always possible, either. It tends to look more natural, less forced, if you manage to make the image sit away from the center. Middle-framed imagery with an obvious central focal point is, dare we say it, how most snapshots are made. That’s why the Rule of Thirds is so useful ...

Photography is a unique and challenging form of art. To get it right, you often need to have both the right tools and the suitable techniques. However, as we all know, it’s not often quite so easy to get both of those attributes to line-up. If you are tooled up but lacking in technique, one part of photography I ask you to work is under exposure versus over exposure. Many photographers are either oblivious to this, or don’t really know where to start. Exposure is a top priority photography, as it determines how much light is going to be allowed into your photo. The camera, on auto-exposure, often decides the best form of exposure, but it won’t always get it right. If you wish to make your picture as perfect as can be, you might wish to adjust the exposure yourself. What, though, does this actually mean? The first thing that matters is the metering mode of your camera. This is the way that your camera decides how much/little light to let into the picture. This adjusts aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to make sure you get the right combination. Under Exposure So, under exposure (or low key photography) is ...

The usage of filters can be a great way to add life and energy into a project. You might wish to take a look at the kinds of photography filters that you can use for nature shots in particular. Here are some ideas to help you make a more positive choice of filters, from polarizers to graduated to neutral density filters. Reduce reflections using polarization A common problem with nature-specific shots is that you might have problems with reflections (especially water shots). Reflections can make it hard for the photo to have a clear focus, creating too many points of reference to be truly enjoyed by the viewer. Instead, using a polarizing filter and you can help to reduce the impact of the reflections. This will make sure that wet ground and rocks can look more natural and thus stand-out. It also means you may be able to see into the water with more depth than if you simply had a skylight filter on your lens. Polarize the sky A good way to use a polarizer is for the sky. A polarizing filter is a brilliant way of making the sky really stand out, as it allows for you to ...

For any photographer, such as myself, one of the most important things that you can do is invest in the right kind of equipment. Good quality photography equipment is a key part of being in business, and it’s one of the main reasons why you should always look to use a quality, sturdy tripod. A tripod, for any modern photographer, is going to be a make-or-break piece of equipment. If you own a tripod, then you can take shots that normally you would not have had the capacity to land. Why, then, do you need a tripod? 1. Tripods improve your accuracy When you are trying to take a shot, the aim, most of the time (unless you’re into motion blur) is to get it as smooth and as shake-free as is possible. However, even the steadiest of hands might struggle with getting the perfect shot especially at slower shutter speeds such as 1/125 of a second and below. A tripod helps to add the accuracy that you need, getting rid of those human hand-shakes and jitters that could remove quality from your shot. 2. Tripods limit human error By using a tripod, too, you can make sure that human ...

High Dynamic Range Photography (HDRI) has become a major tool in photography and now is one of the best examples of quality digital photography. HDRI is capable of producing a higher dynamic range of luminosity than normal shots. This is very important in that it helps to create a luminance similar to what the human eye can see. Our cameras are improving all the time, but not even the top models can match the quality of what we see through our very own eyes. With the help of HDRI, we move ever-closer to that capability. Since our eyes are constantly adjusting and adapting to our environment, we see a different level of luminosity than a camera cannot detect. But HDRI closes this gap somewhat. It will help us to see shots in a range of lighting conditions that normally would produce a poor standard of image. One example may be that you’re trying to take an indoor shot in dark conditions with very bright sunlight streaming through the windows. With a typical camera you’re exposure would either blow out the highlights or block up the shadows. This is true for outdoors shots as well. Say you are deep in the ...

The world is a beautiful place, and being able to capture that beauty is a unique skill for photographers. Whether you’ve caught an amazing flock of birds flying off from a pond, or you’ve found an awesome scene of animals looking after their young, or an intense and exotic flower with perfect, natural lighting there’s much beauty in this world. If you want some help in capturing cool photos, though, I’ve got some great ideas for you below. These will, in time, make it much easier for you to get the photo you want. So, what, you ask can make your nature photography even better? Don’t expect greatness to appear obvious The first thing you need to have when shooting nature photography is the speed of thought to take action. An amazing photo can just appear in front of you so you need to be ready to hit the shutter and get a shot of it. Many people miss the most amazing shots simply because they are not ready. Keep your hands on your camera at all times. It’s the difference between getting a great shot or messing it up. Have a variety of lenses When you are shooting in ...

As one of the most diverse industries in the world, photography can feel like an increasingly confusing place. When starting out, you spend a lot of time trying to get your head around the basics. Then, something as unique as surreal photography comes to the forefront and that can be even more baffling. Surreal photography is a form of photography that is more about the composition than the actual shot. Those who are artistically minded will often find a lot of value from using this form of photography. Surreal photography often combines together two seemingly unrelated things into a very interesting shot. It’s one of the main reasons why a lot of people tend to get involved with this particular form of photography: they get to appreciate and value it’s ‘real’ concept. Often, surreal compositions will look to inject something imaginary or fictional into the real world. It helps to create a very interesting look, blurring the lines between what is real and what is not. It’s one of the most imaginative forms of photography. You mix together things that simply cannot be real with things which are very, very real. This could help you to bring together some truly ...

Nature truly is a beautiful thing. It can be an awesome and spiritual experience for many. Often, we can find some of the most unique and gratifying images in nature. However, for many, capturing those life-changing sights in the wild can be quite the challenge. If you are one of these peeps, and have an artistic eye, then you may want to learn how to create abstract photos from nature. And this is exactly what I’m going to talk about next! The main thing with nature-driven, non-abstract imagery, is that, most of the time, it’s quite literal and factual. The shots are more scientifically driven. If you want to avoid that, then you’ll want to go for a more abstract look. The primary challenge with creating abstract nature photography is that you need to look to capture a mood rather than a scene. For example, that stunning cherry blossom that you came across might not just reflect the beauty of nature, but the power of silence and serenity. To create high quality abstract photography, you should get used to adjusting the distance that you shoot from. Abstraction often comes from shots which are extremely close-up, or extremely far-off. If we ...

Photo Art starts out as photography which is then enhanced in the digital darkroom. Let’s talk about the first step, photography. As a beginning photographer, it is a common worry that you are having a hard time finding your own sense of style. It’s an issue that can leave you flummoxed as to how to find your place in the photo world. In such a thriving industry, with so much competition, it can be quite disheartening if you are creating photos (and photo art) that looks like what everyone else is doing. In this article, though, I will try to help you find the best way to thrive. Your style is equal to your values First off, remember that your style is going to be applicable to how you view the world. For example, you might be someone who enjoys taking photos of real life moments. Some like to use photography to raise awareness for societal problems, such as poverty. Others use it to show people the true world that waits for us outside of working hours. Or others, like me want to show off nature (or at least an abstract, fantastic or surreal version of it). Whatever you value ...

Photo Art by Kevin breaks new ground and is open for business. The new enterprise is the brainchild of California artist and photographer Kevin S. Kantola. According to Mr. Kantola, “I’ve tried to deliver something new by taking an abstract and surreal re-imagining of traditional nature photos. Instead of the more cliché snapshots of flowers, plants, trees, streams and landscapes I’ve decided to add new twists which leave many people saying ‘Wow! Is that real?’” The business offers signed and numbered limited edition prints of some truly bizarre nature themes, derived from California locations such as Big Sur, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Oceano, Fullerton, Vasquez Rocks, Morro Bay, San Marino (Huntington Library and Gardens) and Yosemite National Park. A few of the more interesting categories of photo art offered include beach, cactus, flowers, plants, rocks, streams, trees and waterfalls. In all, there are over 550 images available for viewing on the website. According to Mr. Kantola, “I’ve been doing photography and art for the past 40 years and digital imaging for the past 30 years. So, I thought that it was finally time to combine my two passions and show off my photo art online for all to see.” Over ...