Daily Photo Tips Archive

06.Oct.08Large format cameras, because of their large image circle, produce a very dim image on their large focusing screens. This usually requires the photographer to view the screen from under a dark hood.

05.Oct.08'Lens reversing rings' are available for some older small-format camera types. A reversing ring attaches a normal lens backwards to the camera body, allowing you to use it as a powerful macro lens.

04.Oct.08Occasionally, try removing all orientation cues from your photograph. Not knowing which way is 'up' forces a viewer to consider a photograph's other elements more closely.

03.Oct.08If you have a digital camera, you can easily check depth of field after making the photo. However, it is often easier and faster to check using the depth of field preview button beforehand.

02.Oct.08Autofocus lock (AF lock) is a feature found on most modern cameras that allows the photographer to lock the autofocus system at a point until the next photograph is taken.

01.Oct.08If you're using a polarizing filter, keep in mind that even the best polarizers will add a blue tint to your photograph. For very colour sensitive photos, a polarizer is best avoided.

30.Sep.08Certain colour spaces are suited to certain viewing methods, like viewing on a computer monitor or transferring to print. Be sure to work in a space that suits your intended end result.

29.Sep.08When someone buys 'one time rights' to a stock photo, they are buying the rights to use the photo in one campaign. The photographer is not restricted from reselling the photo.

28.Sep.08A 'lens element' is a refracting piece of glass inside a camera lens used to bend light and form the image presented to the film. Camera lenses typically employ many lens elements.

27.Sep.08Film can be 'pushed' or developed at a higher ISO than the manufacturer recommends. For a film to be pushed, it must be exposed at the intended ISO, usually not more than 2 stops above normal.

26.Sep.08Two major elements with space between them will seem independent and lonely. If the elements are similar, there will be tension between them, forming a straight line through the composition.

25.Sep.08Don't turn to luck to get the photographs you want, or to explain the amazing photographs you see around you. Great photography happens when a photographer is prepared, patient, inspired, and hard-working.

24.Sep.08Photographs in a series can be 'read' almost like a comic strip. Many of the same concepts apply, and you'll have to give as much thought to what happens between the frames as what happens within a single frame.

23.Sep.08Lens caps will transfer dust and debris to the lenses you mount them on. Cleaning your lens caps every time you clean your lenses is a very small chore, but it will help keep your expensive gear functioning at its best.

22.Sep.08If you're composing a portrait, remember that your subject's eyes will attract the most attention. No matter where they are in the frame, your viewer will look at your subject's eyes first.