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Blog

10 Dec 2015

Taking Photos in Snowy Conditions

Getting a good exposure in snowy conditions can be a little tricky. Does the snow look gray in your photos? This tip explains why this happens and what to do about it. Camera meters are designed to give exposure readings perceptually in the middle between white and black, a middle- tone value. When your scene is mostly snow, the camera meter gives a reading that brings the tonality back to neutral gray, which causes the image to be underexposed. In…

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Camera Settings / Photography Tips 0
10 Dec 2015

Demystify Depth of Field

Depth of Field is how much of a given photograph is in sharp focus from the foreground of what’s in your frame to the background. Only what your focus point is on (shown as a square or dot when you look through the view finder) will be razor sharp. Other elements in front of (closer to you) and behind (further away from you) will be somewhat sharp. A “shallow” depth of field means a limited part of the photo is…

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Camera Settings / Composition / Photography Tips 0
10 Aug 2015

Create a Portfolio That Shows Your Talent

Do you have a portfolio of your photographs? For most of us, the thought of doing this seems daunting. Why is having a portfolio important? To showcase your talent. To self-critique your photos. To sell your work. To see what you’ve accomplished so far. To help you plan what to photograph next. Where do you start? How do you choose the photos? The following steps provide an approach to assembling a portfolio that you will be proud to share. Choose a…

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Portfolio Tips 0
09 Sep 2014

How To Make A Fence Disappear

Is there a fence in your way? No problem! Use these camera settings to make the fence disappear in your photograph. Use the longest focal length of your telephoto lens. If you are able to put the lens within an inch or two from the fence, a 100mm focal length will work. The farther away you are from the fence, the longer the focal length you will need to make the fence disappear. Generally, if you are a few feet…

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Camera Settings / Photography Tips 1
09 Jun 2014

Camera Settings Checklist

Check the settings each time you use your camera. Use this 10-step checklist to be ready when a wildlife photo opportunity presents itself. Set Exposure Mode: Choose Aperture Priority (A or AV) to control depth of field. Choose Shutter Priority (S or TV) to blur/freeze movement. Choose Manual to control both. Set Aperture f-stop (In Aperture Priority or Manual): f/4 – f/7 will soften or blur the background and enable faster shutter speeds. Set Shutter Speed (In Shutter Priority or…

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Camera Settings / Photography Tips 0
09 Apr 2014

Maximizing Autofocus

“Auto” focus is more than one button on your camera. There are actually two functions and multiple combinations that on one hand give you the best possible chance of getting sharp focused photos. And on the other hand, when there are multiple choices, which one do you use when? Here are the two functions and optimal settings for various wildlife photography situations. Auto Focus Mode. Determines whether the camera focuses once or continuously when the shutter is pressed halfway. Choose either…

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Camera Settings / Photography Tips 0
09 Jan 2014

If You Can Bring One Lens Only

If you could bring only ONE lens from your camera bag to a wildlife photo outing, which one would you choose? With wildlife photography, your biggest, longest focal length lens or your telephoto lens is not always the best choice. Consider the following when choosing the right lens: Size of the subject. For small subjects, use a short focal length. Distance the subject is from you. For subjects far away from you, use a longer focal length so that the subject…

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Equipment Tips / Photography Tips 0
09 Nov 2013

“Capturing the Moment, The Art & Science of Photographing Wild Animals” book is launched and available!

Just in time for the holidays, my new book Capturing the Moment, The Art & Science of Photographing Wild Animals is launched and available for purchase! The book is an easy to understand, how-to guide for creating extraordinary wildlife photographs. It simplifies the technical knowledge needed to effectively operate your camera and prepares you for spending a day with wildlife . It has useful compositional tips for photographers of all skill levels and will fit in your camera bag! There…

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Announcements 0
10 Aug 2013

Camera Settings for Hummingbird Photographs

Without Flash Both of the following photos were taken without flash: Photo A: Camera: Nikon D3s, Shutter Priority Mode, Shutter speed: 1/2000s, Aperture: f/5.6, ISO 2000, Matrix metering, Spot focus, Auto-focus Continuous. Lens: Nikon 200- 400mm f/4, focal length 400mm. On tripod. Photo B: Camera: Nikon D3s, Manual Mode, Aperture: f/4, Shutter speed: 1/1250s, ISO 1600, Spot metering, Spot focus, Auto-focus Continuous. Lens: Sigma 180mm Macro f/3.5. On monopod. Shutter speed is the most important setting when photographing hummingbirds in…

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Camera Settings / Equipment Tips / Photography Tips 1
10 Jul 2013

How To Increase the Number of Sharp Photographs

There are specific camera settings and equipment factors that influence sharpness of the subject and overall photograph. Get the most value from the camera’s focus functions by understanding and applying these tips: Depth of Field Depth of field is how much of a given photograph is in sharp focus, from front to back. Only the subject you are focused on is tack sharp. Other elements in front of and behind the subject will be somewhat sharp. The following factors control…

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Camera Settings / Equipment Tips / Photography Tips 0