This is also the perfect place to use a spot meter. I used the Sekonic L-758DR to spot meter off of the brink of the falls and open up 2.8 stops, plus polarizer compensation, to open the highlight and capture the full range of values in the scene. I can also use the light meter to meter the shadows and check the dynamic range of the scene to be sure it falls within the camera's range. It might be to your surprise that even most scenes like this, with such bright highlights, a

When photographing some of the most iconic landscapes this July in the Tetons, I was excited with what I was able to achieve and the experience of being there. I will be unveiling a complete gallery of new images from this trip soon, but before I do I want to lead off with one image and some thoughts about the importance of creativity in photography. When it comes to art, I just don't care for rules. There are so many rules in the rest of my life, why on Earth would I want to

Learn how to photograph fireworks with confidence using simple manual camera settings. This beginner-friendly guide covers gear, focus, exposure, and practical tips for capturing sharp, colorful fireworks photos every time.

The real difference between professional and hobbyist photographers isn’t gear, talent, or luck. It’s how they think, plan, and work with light.

Professional photography secrets aren’t hidden in gear or settings. They’re found in how photographers understand light and take responsibility for results.

I've often thought about why photographers such as Dave Black choose to put four $500 Speedlights on one stick instead of just paying...

This is for the point and shooters out there. Whether you're wondering why your pictures don't look like the pros', what big cameras are...

Getting better bird closeups is one of the goals of most amateur wildlife photographers. The temptation is to believe you need monster...

Cameras keep getting smarter. They can focus faster than ever.They can see in near darkness.They can track faces, eyes, animals, and motion automatically.And now, with AI, they can even suggest compositions, fix exposure mistakes, remove distractions, and generate images that never existed at all. So it’s a fair question—especially for beginners and clients alike: If cameras and AI are this advanced, why do professional photographers still matter? The answer hasn’t changed i

Every year, photography contests invite hundreds of images. And every year, photographers quietly wonder the same thing: “What are the judges really looking for?” As a judge for the Edgar G. Mueller Photo Contest, I can’t tell you what a winning photograph will look like—and that’s exactly the point. Winning images aren’t predictable. But the process behind judging them is far more consistent than most people realize. This article isn’t about formulas or tricks. It’s about h

Every camera setting is subjective, including white balance. Some of the top wedding photographers use auto white balance. Some do custom white balance for every shoot. I used to believe in auto white balance for everything. For the most part, situations are always changing and therefore white balance is always different, so auto helps. But since color temperatures change, so does auto white balance, meaning every image you take could have a slightly different white balance

Taking great images, being a photographer, becomes easier with practice, like doing visual pushups. The more practiced you are, the more...

I've seen fantastic places, but no other experience has been like photographing Hawaii, a world of vibrant color, people and landscapes....

How to change layer thumbnail size in Adobe Photoshop CS6. I provide Photoshop and Lightroom demonstrations for photographers and...

The Internet offers a lot of misinformation when it comes to buying and selling Adobe software used. Articles tell you it's neither legal...

Recently I went out and finally got some local textures I wanted for use as possible digital backgrounds. I live in Horicon and there are...

In this snowy woods is a nice example of how color and texture can be found in a fairly monochromatic scene. This is a snow-covered...

When I met George Lepp, Canon Explorer of Light, many years ago at a seminar, one of the questions I had then as an amateur was how to create a sun star effect. The answer was pretty straightforward, but I've added some tips. The kicker in the snow scene image is the sun star. To create an effect like this, start with a lens with a wide angle lens like 24 mm or shorter. The longer the lens, the less impact the effect will have. Start with the aperture fully closed, which

Photographing bright white snowy landscapes is one of the trickiest tasks in photography, if you're a beginner using reflective metering. When everything is white, the camera calculates an exposure that will render it medium gray. The result is often flat and disappointing, unless you know how to correct for it. I did a fun study of snow covering a wooden fence and tree in a field near the Horicon Marsh. I had my trusty Sekonic L-758 incident meter with me. The incident met

“What lens should I buy?” is one of the most common questions photographers ask—beginners and experienced shooters alike. And it’s also one of the easiest questions to answer wrong . Most people approach lens buying the same way they approach camera buying: research endlessly, compare specs, read forums, and ask strangers what’s “best.” The problem is that none of those things tell you what you actually need. If you take marketing out of the equation and get honest about wha