Mark W. Decker Digital Nature Photography

Author: Tim Ng

There is no shortage of information out there and I am open to readers suggesting their favorite tips below in comments - but here are some of my favorite digital photography tips and tutorials gathered from research, tons of reading and experimentation.

1. The Rule of Thirds

One of the most popular ‘rules’ in photography is the Rule Of Thirds. It is also popular amongst artists. It works like this:
Imaginary lines are drawn dividing the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. You place important elements of your composition where these lines intersect.

2. Finding Different Heights To Shoot From

y point is that when you get your camera out think about the height of the lens. If you end up shooting from a standing position, well that’s OK - but I will lay good money that 90% of pictures are better when taken from below four feet or over seven.

3. On Composition

On Composition suggests five ways to ‘both strengthen our photographic observational skills and improve our image making.’ The five areas are:

- Kill the Clutter
- Think Graphic Design
- Dark on Light and Light on Dark
- Be Mindful of Relationships
- Shoot not Objects, but rather Appearances

4. Having an Eye for Details

This approach works on every level, from the family album through e-mailed postcards to published images. Getting in close works.

5. Adding a Frame into the Image

One of the simplest ways to hold attention into a picture is to incorporate a frame into the image. When I talk about framing, I am not referring to the computer photo-editing features. Instead I am talking about a window or anything for the matter that serves as a frame for your subject.

Like everything in photography, the best way to learn is to a). have a go, b).get it wrong and c).learn from your own mistakes. Digital photography gives us un-precedented opportunities to experiment at little or no cost, playing with elements of composition is one of the most useful and rewwarding things to practice.

Author: Dane Stanton

Photography is the art of light and shade. A photo is basically a record of the light conditions at a certain period in time and space. That is why the lighting plays a very important role there. You could have a hi-end digital camera but still get worse shoots until you are not aware of the secrets of proper lighting. This articles teaches you about the basics of digital photography lighting.

The Light Sources

The good light sources are natural light sources. The sun and the moon are considered to be the best ones. The artificial light sources include the photoflash, the bulb, the halogen lamp as well as some other sources. Special photography studios contain more advanced lights, but they are not necessary unless you are a hi-level professional.

There are various types of digital photography lighting, but the most common are diffused lighting and directional lighting. Diffused light coming from the sides is produced by the sun in the early morning and the late afternoon. Alternatively, it can be simulated by using an umbrella reflector. Direct light can be produced by flash or tungsten.

Light can come from the top, front, back or side. Front lighting is commonly used by photographers, but it often results in unexciting and flat photos. Back and side lighting produce a better effect, especially being combined with each other. The strength of light is also an important thing.

Digital Photography Lighting Specificity

As a rule, digital cameras have a wide set of lighting presets, which can help the photographer to take quality shots in different lighting conditions. Most digital cameras also provide automatic settings for white balancing. There could be various options like daylight, cloudy, tungsten and more. These adjustments can be set to compensate for any given light source so that white objects appear true white in the photo.

Overall, the digital cameras provide us with powerful tool of lighting adjustment. However, making an excellent lighted shoot is always a challenge.

How to Manage Lighting

Photographer can employ and combine different kind of light sources and digital photography lighting presets. There’re some common rules on how to manage lighting. For example, it is well known that portraits look best when taken in diffused lighting, whereas top lighting results in sharp contrast of light and shadows. Landscapes look good in soft light, whereas it is better to use bright light when captivating the wildlife.