10 Beyond-Basic Photography Tips


Digital photography can be an addicting hobby. The medium offers instant feedback that you didn't get with film (unless you were shooting Polaroid), and large memory cards allow you to experiment with angles and lighting to your heart's content. If you're past the beginner stage, photography is your passion, and you're looking for some new ideas to help improve your shooting experience, check out these 10 advanced tips for some inspiration. If you have any tips that you'd like to share, please feel free to add them to the comments section.


Off-Camera Lighting

2. Consider Off-Camera Lighting. You may have already added a dedicated flash to your camera so that you can avoid the harsh light created by the on-camera flash. But if you really want to experiment with flash photography, moving the flash away from the camera is key. Consider a PocketWizard system of wireless remotes to do so. If you're looking for tips and techniques on how to really use off-camera flashes effectively, check out the Strobist.


Lensbaby Composer Pro II : Sample Image


4. Keep Your Sensor Clean. If you're the type to change lenses in the field, there's a good chance that you've got some dust on your image sensor. This is often invisible at wider apertures, but if you take a photo at f/5.6 or smaller these spots can distract from your photo. Visible Dust and Lenspen both offer systems for cleaning your camera's sensor.

5. Zoom During Exposure. This may require some practice. Event photographers often apply a bit of a zoom during an exposure to give shots a more dynamic look. Using a flash to freeze the motion of your subject, along with a longer shutter speed so you can change the focal length during the shot will lead to some fun images—if you pull it off. You can also do the same thing during long exposure of fireworks (minus the flash, of course).

How to Photograph Fireworks : Zoom During Exposure

6. Replace Your Strap. If you're going to be doing a lot of shooting, you should be comfortable. If you're lugging your D-SLR or mirrorless camera around on the neck strap that came in the box, don't. There are dozens of third-party options out there—many of which are more comfortable and practical. Straps by BlackRapid are often used by event photographers who carry multiple bodies with heavy lenses attached. Op/Tech also makes a wide variety of straps in styles that are suitable for use for everything from light mirrorless cameras to heavy D-SLRs.

7. Invest in a Workflow Application. You'll need some software to process your Raw images. The best option is Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. It offers a nondestructive approach to editing photos—which basically means that the programs record a list of changes that should be made to the Raw file and then output a JPG or TIF version for sharing and printing.

8. Experiment With Post-Processing. It's fun to experiment with the final look and feel of your photos. You can do a lot in Lightroom, but sometimes you're looking for a very specific feel that is out of reach for those applications. The Google Nik Collection is a suite of applications that apply different film looks to photos, and can also be used for HDR processing. If you edit photos on a Mac you can also look at similar software from MacPhun.



10. Upgrade Your Camera for the Right Reasons. If you're enthusiastic about your photos, you might be itching to buy a new camera. There are plenty of reasons to upgrade, but you don't always have to have the latest camera to take good photos. If you're using an entry-level D-SLR, you'd be better served moving up to a higher-class body rather than a higher-resolution camera of the same class. Semi-pro D-SLRs offer better-quality viewfinders, more physical controls, and sturdier construction.

If you're in the market for a new camera, peruse the Digital Cameras Product Guide for the latest reviews, and The 10 Best Digital Cameras, for the top cameras we've tested.