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There’s No Such Thing As Bad Light

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California Poppy / Photo by Steve Berardi
California Poppy / Photo by Steve Berardi
In photography, there’s always a lot of talk about “good light” and “bad light.” Especially when it comes to specific subjects (like that popular rule that says the only “good light” for photographing landscapes is at sunrise or sunset).

But, as I create and look at more and more images, the more I’ve realized that these “rules” always have exceptions. There’s really no such thing as a type of light that’s always bad for a specific subject.

For example, it’s often said that the best light for photographing wildflowers is under overcast skies (I’ve even said it myself here on PN!). And, for a long time, I would only photograph wildflowers under overcast skies (or with some kind of light diffuser). But, then I started seeing all these great images of wildflowers under bright sunlight. I really liked how the bright sunlight helped “light up” the inside of the flower, so I started looking at wildflowers differently ever since then, and now I have numerous photos of wildflowers under bright sunlight (like the one above). [Read more…] about There’s No Such Thing As Bad Light

8 Tips For Photographing Silhouettes

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
One of the simplest ways to capture the dramatic colors of a sunrise or sunset is to photograph a silhouette.

Although they’re simple looking images, here are a few tips for photographing them:

#1 – Use a telephoto lens

With silhouettes, you’ll usually want an out of focus background to help draw attention to your silhouetted subject. A telephoto lens will help you here by reducing depth of field. They’re not always required though (the image above was taken with a 50mm lens). [Read more…] about 8 Tips For Photographing Silhouettes

Remember To Always Put Safety First

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Photo by Jackson Hole Central Reservations (used under the CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license)
Photo by Jackson Hole Central Reservations (used under the CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license)
Today I read a sad story about a man who was attacked and killed by a grizzly bear while trying to photograph it in Denali National Park (Alaska). Apparently, he was photographing it for over eight minutes, and got within 50 yards of the bear. The bear probably then felt threatened, and attacked the man.

Whenever you see wildlife, it’s always exciting. And, especially as photographers, I think we get even more excited than the average person, and totally forget about safety sometimes in the pursuit of a photograph.

But, it’s important to remember that wildlife can become dangerous if they feel threatened. [Read more…] about Remember To Always Put Safety First

Three Reasons to Photograph Wildlife at Eye Level

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Snowy Plover / Photo by Steve Berardi
When you encounter wildlife, it’s pretty easy to get excited, isn’t it? It doesn’t happen often, so when you’re lucky enough, the first thing you’re probably thinking is, “wow, I do not want to scare this thing away!” (well, unless it’s a bear or mountain lion, heh).

In that moment of excitement, it’s easy to forget about camera techniques and just start snapping photos from where you’re standing. But, if you want an intimate, sharp, and isolated portrait of any wildlife subject, you’re gonna have to get down to their eye level to snap the photo, and here are some reasons why: [Read more…] about Three Reasons to Photograph Wildlife at Eye Level

Why You Should Prepare For the Unexpected

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Photo by Steve Berardi
Photo by Steve Berardi
This past weekend, I missed out on a really good photo opportunity. I was hiking with a friend in the chaparral of Southern California, when all of a sudden a big thunderstorm rolls through. I noticed the weather forecast called for a 20% chance of rain and thunderstorms, but I’ve seen that kind of forecast so often (and end up hiking under crystal clear skies), that I’ve learned to ignore anything below a 60% chance of rain 😉

Plus, I’ve only heard thunder or seen lightning twice in my five years of living in Southern California. So, when the weather forecast keeps saying “thunderstorms,” I always think to myself, “yeah, right…” [Read more…] about Why You Should Prepare For the Unexpected

Two Reasons For Using a Lens Hood

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Photo by lmnop88a (used under the CC-Attr-2.0 license)
Photo by lmnop88a (used under the CC-Attr-2.0 license)
The lens hood is an often overlooked accessory. I see a lot of people walking around without one. Or sometimes they have one on their lens, but they’re not using it: it’s put on backwards (the storage position).

So, to help remedy this problem and motivate you to always use a lens hood (if you’re not already!), here are two great things they can do for you: [Read more…] about Two Reasons For Using a Lens Hood