Daily Photo Tips Archive

08.Feb.11'Multiple image' photography competitions judge images as a set. How the images interact with one another and enhance a theme is more important to the success of a set than the aesthetics of any single image.

07.Feb.11Competition with other photographers can be healthy and productive. Competing over who can get a better photograph can encourage everyone involved to produce the best work they possibly can!

06.Feb.11The noise your camera makes while focusing and performing other operations does not affect still photography overly, but will show up in the audio track of any movies you record. If you want to make movies with your camera that include audio, ensure that your lenses focus very quietly.

05.Feb.11Most photographer's best photographs are made in closely spaced groups, when they are inspired or when they have the opportunity to create. Don't worry about dry spells. You will make the best photographs of your career when you least expect to.

04.Feb.11A noisy photograph is not necessarily a bad photograph. Noise can highlight and enhance a theme and make a photograph more successful than a similar 'smooth' version. Don't throw out a noisy photograph without first being sure you don't like it!

03.Feb.11Mixing natural and artificial ambient light can lead to fascinating results. Artificial light is usually yellower (or greener) than the surrounding natural light, and usually coming from a different direction. Whether the viewer is aware of the light sources or not, the results are often eerie or surreal.

02.Feb.11Poorly designed hardware-driven cameras can be as tedious and difficult to use as software-driven cameras. Remembering button combinations to accomplish a certain task can be slower and less reliable than just scrolling through a menu.

01.Feb.11In some situations, applying even the best noise reduction algorithms may be worse than no noise reduction at all. Sometimes, noise artifacts can be left behind that will appear manufactured and more distracting than a constantly noisy photograph.

31.Jan.11When carrying a camera over very steep or rough terrain, keep in mind that you may slip and fall. As with luggage, keep your camera in a water-tight, padded, crush-proof container if there is any chance of you falling on it, getting it wet, or dropping it.

30.Jan.11Surfaces can be porous, completely waterproof, or somewhere in between. Each type of surface will look different when water falls on it or flows across it. Learn to predict how surfaces will react to water so you can be ready to make the right type of 'wet-weather' photograph.

29.Jan.11Porous surfaces tend to absorb water and become darker in wet areas. Though these types of surfaces (like wood or sandstone) usually become wet uniformly, they can dry in patches and yield interesting patterns to the observant photographer.

28.Jan.11Always view an artist's work for its own merit, as though you had no knowledge of the artist herself. An artist's fame, background, techniques, or choice of equipment can influence your judgement of a work, convincing you that poor work is great or, worse, that great work is poor.

27.Jan.11Surfaces that are covered in tiny fibres, like leaves, can bead water more than others, making macro photography after a rain interesting and fun. Large and small droplets of water can add depth and texture to close-up photos.

26.Jan.11Consider that the best part of your photography career is always ahead of you. No matter how great your work may be, there is always the chance for something more exciting and more creative to come from your efforts.

25.Jan.11Don't get so used to being good at your craft that your forget the values of your skills. After time, a talent is like a possession – the owner can grow used to it and dismiss its value. Take a moment to realize the value of your skills and what they are worth to you.