Daily Photo Tips Archive

09.Apr.08A histogram is a chart analyzing the grey values of every pixel in a particular photograph. By looking at a histogram, you can tell how many pixels are white, black, and various shades of grey.

08.Apr.08Artistic interests can be specific or vague. You may find yourself interested in specifics, like ice or aspen trees, or more vague concepts, like selective focus or open space.

07.Apr.08The colour 'bit depth' refers to the number of shades of grey possible for each colour channel. 8 bit colour provides 256 shades, while 16 bit colour provides 65536 shades.

06.Apr.08The 'hyperfocal' distance is the focus distance at which the maximum range of your photograph will stay sharp at a given aperture. The hyperfocal distance range is marked on some prime lens's focus rings.

05.Apr.08'Image circle' is a term used to describe the circle of light that a lens produces. The photographic image usually only takes advantage of a small part of this circle.

04.Apr.08If you use one particular filter very often, consider just leaving it attached to your lens. This is a low-bulk way of storing a filter, and makes sure that it is always handy when you need it.

03.Apr.08Long (telephoto) lenses 'stack' elements together, compressing perspective. They can be used to isolate an element or blend it with its surroundings, depending on the depth of field used.

02.Apr.08Whenever you will invest time and money into a project, be sure to draw up a contract outlining the agreement. This protects you from losing income should the deal fall through.

01.Apr.08Pay attention to the spaces between the frame and the objects in your photograph. Try using this 'relief' as a compositional element in your photographs.

31.Mar.08Try limiting the number of photographs you make for an extended period of time, perhaps to one exposure per week. This will teach you to properly plan and execute a photograph.

30.Mar.08Using prime lenses can be good for your compositional skills. Not having the option to zoom sometimes requires you to think creatively, resulting in an interesting and unusual composition.

29.Mar.08Low quality camera bodies will usually employ a viewfinder that does not show the entire frame that will be recorded. Be sure to not include anything in your photo that will disrupt your composition.

28.Mar.08Experiment with very simple compositions to get a feel for the different moods you can create with shapes. Try making a single scene say many different things.

27.Mar.08Out-of-focus objects can look different depending on if they are in front or behind your focus point. Experiment with your particular lenses, to see how bokeh varies with subject distance and focus.

26.Mar.08Be sure you know how to manually expose a photograph. Though automatic exposures work some of the time, you will need to override them to be creative or work in difficult lighting conditions.