Over the last year and a half, hundreds of students have taken my online beginning photography class.  By FAR, the most common problem that Dustin and I have seen as we review photos from our students is poor sharpness.

Sometimes, the photos are clearly blurry to the point that anyone would notice the problem.  But most of the time, the photos have fair sharpness, but they just aren’t quite as crisp and clear as they could be.

It can be difficult for photographers to learn how to take tack sharp pictures because there is no silver bullet.  The truth is that there are at least 7 mistakes that can lead to photos that aren’t sharp.  In today’s lesson, we want to provide the ultimate resource for learning to take sharp photos.

With no further adieu, the 7 deadly sins of sharpness…

7 Tips for Sharper Photos

1. Improper Focus

After looking at many many photos from beginning photographers and analyzing each one to determine what problem caused the photo to come out soft, we have determined that improper focusing technique is the number one culprit.

Usually, the problem is that photographers are not as exact in their focusing as they should be.  We often find that the photographer did not put the focus point on the subject’s eye, and instead had the camera focus on the subject’s shoulder, nose, forehead, etc.  This is especially common with photographer who have not yet learned how to manually move the focus point that the camera is using.  Check out this post if you need help with this.

Another common problem stems from the use of the focus and recompose method of shooting.  This method is used when the photographer wants to focus the camera on a spot where there is no focus point, and is especially common on entry-level DSLR cameras which only have 9 or 13 autofocus points.  So the photographer uses the middle focus point and aims it at the subject’s eye.  Then the photographer holds down the shutter button half-way as she recomposes the photo to the proper framing for the picture, and then presses the rest of the way down.  While this is the only practical way to focus on cameras that don’t have enough focus points, it can lead to problems when shooting with shallow depth-of-field if the photographer shifts the angle of the camera while recomposing, or if her finger slips on the shutter button.

For more advanced photographers, you might also like to learn how to do back button focus.

How to fix it: If you need to use the focus and recompose method because your camera doesn’t have a focus point for where you want to focus, use great care not to move the camera around too much which may alter the plane of focus.  If you have enough autofocus points in your camera, moving the focus point around to match your composition is the preferred method.

2. Failing to sharpen the image

No photo is as sharp as it should be when it comes off the imaging sensor in your camera.  To compensate for this, you’ll need to apply some sharpening on the computer if you shoot in RAW.  If you shoot in JPEG, then make sure the picture control/picture style set in your camera is applying some capture sharpening for you.

There are many two main types of sharpening: capture and output.  Both are necessary to produce crystal clear photos.  Capture sharpening is used to compensate for inherent optical issues in all lenses and cameras.  Capture sharpening is generally applied to a RAW photo as it is brought into Lightroom or Photoshop, and you may find that these programs are applying capture sharpening behind the scenes.

Aside from sharpening the captured image, tack sharp photos also need to be sharpened at output.  In general, the larger your final photo will be, the more sharpening you need to apply.  For example, if I’m outputting a file for a 20″x30″ print (50×76 centimeters), then I would want to apply a lot of sharpness to the photo in Photoshop.  For example, I might use these settings in Filter>Unsharp Mask: Amount 100, radius 2.3.  At the same time, if I were printing a small photo, or using a smaller photo on the web, I would use much less sharpening: Amount 50, radius 1.7.  While you want to be careful not to apply too much sharpening, a little bit of it goes a long way.

3. Camera Blur

Camera blur simply means that the camera moved while the image was being taken, resulting in a blurry photo.  The most common cause of this is when a photographer mashes down the shutter button because they are excited.  Pushing the shutter button too forcefully moves the camera and will always reduce the sharpness of the photo.

Another common cause of camera blur is when the photographer uses too low of a shutter speed, so that the natural shaking of one’s hands causes blur in the photo.  No one, not even brain surgeons, can hold their hands perfectly steady.  We all shake just slightly, and that can often be enough to cause a blurry photo if the photographer’s shutter speed is too low.

How to fix it: To fix camera blur, try to keep your shutter speed at 1/the focal length of the lens.  So if you’re using a 100mm lens, then your shutter speed should be 1/100.  This is a general rule, and obviously only works when the subject that you’re shooting is still.

Also, using lenses with image stabilization (Canon) or Vibration Reduction (Nikon) will help reduce camera blur.  This technology compensates for camera shake by moving the lens around to steady the shot.

4. Motion Blur

Motion blur is simple.  It means that the photographer used too slow of a shutter speed for the movement in a scene.  If you’re shooting a sports game, you would almost always want a shutter speed around 1/1000 of a second in order to freeze the motion in the scene.  For more on this, check out this article on shutter speed.

How to fix it: Use a fast enough shutter speed to match your situation.  For general portraits, you’ll want a shutter speed of at least 1/100.  For slight movement (a walking model, for example), a shutter speed of 1/320 will often be sufficient.  For fast motion like sports, 1/1000 is generally enough to freeze the motion.

 5.  Poor Lens Design

The fact is that most photographers start out learning photography on inexpensive lenses.  Obviously, it would be nice if all photographers could use expensive pro lenses that capture crystal clear images… the fact of the matter is that most photographers can’t afford the pro lenses.  That’s okay!  You can still capture tack sharp photos if you learn to take advantage of the lenses you already own.

How to fix it: Two quick tips for achieving sharp images from inexpensive lenses are (1) do not use the lens at either extreme of the aperture range.  So if your lens goes down to f/5.6, then consider shooting at f/7.1 when possible.  This will generally be a sharper aperture on that lens.  (2) Try not to shoot the lens at either extreme of the focal range.  So if you have a lens that goes from 18mm to 55mm, consider shooting at the middle of the focal range for better results.  Each lens is different in this way and has different sweet spots, but these general rules will often produce sharper images.

6. Too Shallow Depth-of-Field

Portrait photographers are often taught to use shallow depth-of-field to achieve a creamy blur in the background of the image.  While this is a great technique, I often find that photographers go too far.

If you use a very low aperture such as f/2.8, and you use a long lens and stand close to the subject, then your depth-of-field will be razor thin.  Often, this means that the photo will show the subject’s eyes in focus, but her nose or the back of her head will be out of the plane of focus.  In general, it is advisable to increase your depth-of-field just slightly in these situations so that the entire head or body of the subject is in focus.

This is especially true when shooting engagement, wedding, or family photography.  We often find that photographers who shoot couples or groups use too shallow a depth-of-field and this results in only some of the people in the photo being in focus.

How to fix it: Always focus on the front person in the group, or for couples, focus on the closes person to the camera, and increase your aperture just slightly to give more depth of field.

7. Diopter Not Properly Adjusted

The diopter is a (very) small wheel next to the viewfinder on almost all DSLRs that allows the photographer to make minor adjustments to the focus of view that the viewfinder shows looking through the lens.  Adjusting the diopter does NOT affect the image recorded by the imaging sensor, but only the view you see when looking through the viewfinder.

The reason that adjusting the diopter is important, is that having it set properly will allow the photographer to see in the viewfinder exactly how well focused the image is.  This can go a long way in spotting problems such as improper focus while taking the photo.

How to fix it: Next time you grab your camera, look closely for a tiny wheel to the right of your viewfinder.  You may not have noticed it before,  Look through the viewfinder at something about 30 feet (9 meters) away with a long lens on.  Carefully scroll the diopter until the view through the viewfinder looks perfectly sharp for you.  This will depend on your vision and will not be the same for everyone.

 Further Reading:

• Where to Focus for Landscape Photography
• Sharpness question (photography Q&A)
• Self-control with depth-of-field
• More info on depth of field

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So you have an artistic eye.  You see the world in ways that are unique, interesting, and different.  You want to share this world view through your photography… but one of the greatest frustrations new photographers encounter is that when they get back to their computer and pull images off the camera, the results are nothing like the grand vision they experienced while shooting.  Has this ever happened to you? I should emphasize that the tips I’ll share here are like a double edged sword: you can use them to more accurately portray your inner vision of a shot, or they can be used to accurately reproduce exactly what your eye physically observed. Frequently, these are definitely not the same thing.

Here are 10 great photography tips to help you actually capture what you see, but before we get to the tips… have you joined our Facebook community of photographers?

1: Decide on a clear center of attention

What is it about what your eye sees that is so interesting? Is it a specific object? Is it the positioning of several elements in view? Is it the colors you see, or how they interact? You know what is interesting, so frame the shot to omit distractions and noise. Remember that someone who sees your picture later won’t know about anything that is not in the frame, so leave as much to their imagination as you can. For example, if you are taking a picture of a child running at a park, move yourself around so that you don’t also have a soccer game or playground competing for attention in the shot. Let the person viewing the shot imagine that the child is just running through an open field, making the imagery stronger.

2: Remember that your eye has a better dynamic range than your camera

Dynamic range has to do with how well you can see the extremes of lights and darks at the same time. The human eye is capable of very high dynamic range, allowing us to clearly see a very dark subject against a very bright background. Cameras, on the other hand, have a much lower dynamic range. This can make it nearly impossible to get your camera to capture what you see, because you simply see much better than your camera does. Here is an example of what I’m talking about.

The image on the left has the ocean nicely exposed, but the subject is totally in silhouette. The image on the right was taken with nearly the same camera settings but I used my speedlite as a fill flash to get the subject’s face brighter – closer to the brightness of the ocean behind her. Remember when shooting that your camera will not be able to see both extremes of light and dark at the same time, so you may have to try to adjust the scene to either darken the lights or lighten the darks. Some techniques to lighten up darks are to use a fill flash as above, or a reflector (or large white poster board) to direct more light where you need it. To darken bright areas, you can use your reflector as a shade, move your subject to somewhere darker, etc. Just try to reduce a huge variance between the brightest and darkest portion of your images, favoring the portion of the image you want to properly expose. In other words, if you really want to get the darks of the image, darken the bright areas. If you really want to get the bright areas, add light where it is too dark.

3: Aperture control for DOF

Most photographers quickly figure out shutter speed and ISO, but fewer seem to grasp the power of the aperture settings on their camera. I could easily dedicate an entire post to the topic of aperture control, but for now I’ll sum it up like this: A wide aperture (small F number) will produce a very narrow depth of focus. A very small aperture (large F number) will produce a very deep depth of focus. What does this mean? This means that you can control how out of focus as well as how bright the non-subject portions of your shots are. Let me illustrate with an example:

On the left we have a wide aperture, on the right a much smaller one.

For these shots, I just grabbed a bottle of water and put it on my kitchen counter. Both used a bounced flash, but I had to tweak the power of the flash and the ISO to get the exposures similar (see the bit about the Exposure Triangle below). The shot on the left used an aperture of 1.8, the one on the right used an aperture of 11. Notice how the one on the left has such a shallow depth of field that even the label on the bottle is out of focus and beginning to darken because it is a few centimeters farther away than the front face of the bottle. If you really want to help bring your subject out of a background of chaos, use a wider aperture. If you want to get more elements of your shot in focus, with a more evenly distributed exposure, use a tighter aperture.

4: Careful composition to either expand upon or contract the feel of the photo

This technique will possibly have some of you shaking your heads in disgust, because I’m going to ask you to actually move your FEET while shooting. Many novice photographers rely far too heavily on the fact that their camera has a zoom, and sacrifice a whole range of composition possibilities because they refuse to move their feet to get closer to or farther away from their subject. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favor of using that fancy zoom you’ve got – but I want you to understand what it is doing. When you zoom in, you not only get the subject to appear larger, but you cut out much of the background that may possibly be part of what you wish to capture. Sometimes it is better to zoom farther out and move your feet closer to the subject. This will make your subject larger but capture more of the surroundings to better portray what your eye sees. The opposite is also true, of course. You can use your zoom to carefully decide what part of the background you want to have visible…Sometimes you’ll need to zoom in on the subject but move farther away from them to get the composition you want.

5: Be ready – moments come and go quickly

I can’t count the number of times I’ve been in a perfect position to capture a truly memorable image, but had my camera in my bag. Or turned off. Or on the wrong settings. Some shot opportunities only last a second or 2, and if you don’t have your camera in your hand, turned on, and set to reasonable settings you may miss it. When I’m shooting, I’ll frequently (as in a few times a minute) double check my camera settings. I’m constantly adjusting the exposure triangle to fit what I’m shooting so I can be ready when the opportunity arrives.

6: Understand the exposure triangle

There is no shortage of great images explaining the exposure triangle on the interwebs. Here is a brief summary of the 3 parts of your camera’s exposure:
ISO: This sets how “sensitive to light” your camera becomes. A higher ISO number means the camera will be more sensitive so you can use a faster shutter speed or smaller aperture, but will also be progressively more grainy with higher and higher numbers.
Shutter Speed: This sets how long your shutter will stay open, letting light hit your sensor. Slower shutter speeds will produce motion blur if anything in your image is moving, but they let in much more light allowing for a lower ISO or tighter aperture. Faster shutter speeds can “stop time” and make even quickly moving objects appear to be frozen, but they let in much less light, so you’ll need to compensate with a larger aperture or a higher ISO.
Aperture: The “aperture” of your lens is much like the iris of your eye – it can be opened very large to let in a lot of light, or it can be opened only a tiny bit to let in only a very little amount of light. As I discussed above, a wide aperture will produce a very shallow depth of field, while a smaller aperture will produce a much deeper field of focus.
It should be obvious that ISO, shutter speed, and aperture all affect each other. If you open your aperture, you’ll need to speed up your shutter or use a lower ISO. If you change your ISO, you’ll need to adjust either your shutter or aperture (or possibly both) to compensate to get the right exposure. Just as in the shots I took of the water bottle above, I had to make multiple adjustments to the other aspects of my exposure when I changed the aperture size between the 2 shots. Once you have mastered the exposure triangle, you can leverage the parts of the triangle to more accurately capture what you see.

7: P is not for “Professional”

So you went and spent a bunch of money on a really expensive camera – that will make your photos instantly professional looking, right? Well, I’m sorry to say it but no. An expensive camera in the hands of an amateur will still produce amateur shots. Most DSLRs I’ve seen in recent years come with a fully automatic setting, and several semi-automatic settings, as well as full manual. I’d recommend learning how to use your “Aperture Priority” as well as “Shutter Priority” settings, then move on to get comfortable in full manual. Learning how to use your camera’s full manual mode will provide you the power to capture what you see.

8: Pay attention to your light sources

Notice the dots all over the wall and her sweater - click for a larger version

When you take a picture, you are really just capturing light, so you need to be able to pay attention to all your light sources and understand how they will interact with the mechanics of your camera. The most common pitfall here is when shooting with the sun slightly in front of you but off to one side. In this situation, you can’t see the sun in your viewfinder, but if you move around in front of the camera, you’ll see that there is direct sunlight hitting the front element of your lens. As the sunlight hits the surface of the front element of your lens, some of the light is scattered back into the body of the lens and ultimately onto your camera’s image sensor. This will produce a “washed out” effect that is not really visible through the viewfinder when shooting, but will ruin your shot. However, there are much more subtle ways that light can do funky things with your equipment. On a recent shoot, we draped Christmas lights over a little girl and took a few shots of her looking all mischievous.

At first I thought the extra dots were the lights actually shining on the wall, etc. Then I realized I still had a polarizing filter on my lens from earlier in the day when we were outdoors in bright sunlight.The extra dots were actually a reflection of the Christmas lights off the front of the lens being reflected off the back of my filter, and even though the camera was picking them up well, they were so faint that I could not see them in the viewfinder. Removing the filter took care of the problem.

9: Always check your camera settings

I like to say that “leftover settings produce leftover shots”. I’ve had plenty of shots ruined because I pulled my camera out of my bag to start a shoot on a nice sunny day and forgot to check the settings, which were last used on a very dark, overcast day. I’ve had to learn the hard way to check my camera settings before I start shooting at each setting.

10: Practice!

We’ve all heard that practice makes perfect – but I prefer the adage that perfect practice makes perfect. Photography is an art form that requires a lot of mental thought be put into every shot – I’d recommend practicing each of the previous tips one at a time until they all become second nature and you can easily do them all at the same time. Then you’ll be armed with the tools you need to truly capture what you see.

Have you found this post to be useful? I’d love to hear your comments (good and bad!) so leave your thoughts below!Further Reading:

• What is the highest aperture on a DSLR camera?
• How I Fooled 316 Photographers
• Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
• Sharpness question (photography Q&A)

Exposure is the most basic element of photography

If you want to be a photographer, you absolutely must learn how to control the exposure of a picture.  It will take a minute, but this page has everything you need to know.  Click on the different camera settings on the interactive exposure tool above to practice your exposure!

In the next few paragraphs, I’ll explain exposure in the simplest and easiest terms I know how.  But you should also know that I teach a 30-Day Online Photography Class JUST for beginning photographers, where I teach exposure and other basic topics in much better detail. Check out the beginning photography class here.

Exposure is the total amount of light which is captured on a camera sensor during the process of taking a photograph. Digital cameras have three techniques to control the amount of light which is captured by the camera: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

Shutter speed

There is a “blinder” in your camera which covers the camera sensor.  The blinder quickly allows a slit of light through the lens to touch the imaging sensor in the camera, which captures the light. The longer the shutter is open, the brighter the image.

Have you ever wondered why your pictures are often blurry in low-light situations or when the subject of the image is moving quickly? Slow shutter speeds allow lots of light to touch the sensor, but if anything in the image has moved while the sensor is open, the photograph will reflect that movement. We can’t hold a camera perfectly still because our hands shake–that’s why we use tripods. The answer to every blurry picture is to make the shutter speed quicker, but for some situations, such as a moving object in the dark, quick shutter speeds can have the negative effect of a darker image, since the camera has less time to capture the light. Shutter speed is the total amount of time the blinder allows for light to pass through to the sensor, and it is measured in fractions of a second. A shutter speed for shooting a party in a dim restaurant might be 1/60th of a second, while an image at the beach on a bright day might be as fast as 1/4000th of a second.

Aperture

The aperture is a circular (sort of) hole through which the light passes to the sensor. A smaller hole allows less light and consequently produces a darker image. Perhaps even more important than the amount of light is the depth of field. It basically controls the amount of the picture that is in focus and the amount of the picture that has a nice creamy blur. Aperture is generally expressed in f-stops on a camera. If you want a portrait of a baby with a nice creamy background, a low f-stop, such as 3.5 is used, whereas if you want to take a landscape image with everything in focus, then you’ll want an f-stop like 11 or 22. The low f-stop of 3.5 allows lots of light, whereas a high f-stop like 11 or 22 would not allow much light to get to the sensor and produces a darker image. In essence, low aperture allows lots of light and short depth of field; a high aperture allows little light and makes the entire image in focus.

ISO

ISO can best be described as magic. It makes the camera sensor more sensitive to light. The low-light sensitivity is one area in which technology is moving forward rapidly as professional photographers have pushed manufacturers toward this objective. A low ISO such as 100 will produce a darker image than an ISO of 800. However, ISO comes at a high price. If a photographer uses a high ISO such as 800 or above, digital noise becomes visible on the image. Digital noise is a grainy look on an image and is never desirable. Different cameras deal with digital noise better than others, but most entry-level cameras should not be raised above ISO 400 unless the aperture and shutter speed cannot offer an acceptable alternative. In short, ISO is a last-resort bit of magic for more light.

Shooting Modes

Select the shooting mode by using this dial on the top of your DSLR

Your camera has many shooting modes. On all DSLRs, you can choose a shooting mode by twisting the dial on top of the camera. You’ll see several icons to describe different situations in which the camera can adjust to choose the settings for you. For example, if you choose an icon for a portrait, the camera will choose a low aperture value so you can get a creamy background. These semi-automatic modes are okay for those who aren’t interested in photography, but if you want professional results, you will need to move into the creative shooting modes 100% of the time.
DSLRs have four creative shooting modes: Program mode (P), Shutter Priority (Tv or S), Aperture Priority (Av or A), and Manual Mode (M).

Program mode (P)  is never used by professional photographers. It is similar to the fully-automatic “idiot mode,” but allows a couple creative choices.

Shutter Priority (S or TV)  has some use if depth of field is not as important to an image as getting a moving object to be sharp without any motion blur. Choosing this mode means that you will choose the shutter speed and the ISO and the camera will choose a matching aperture value to properly expose the image. Some people might choose this for sports photography, where the important thing is the shutter speed and the aperture is not as important.

Aperture Priority (A or AV) is the mode that professional photographers use 90% of the time. Aperture priority mode allows the photographer to choose the aperture and the ISO, but lets the camera find the corresponding shutter speed to achieve a correct exposure. The reason that this is the best mode for all-around photography is that the photographer can pay attention to depth-of-field without being distracted by shutter speed when it isn’t as important.

Manual Mode (M)  is very useful in some specialized situations where the other exposure modes cannot accurately capture the photographer’s vision. As a landscape and HDR photographer, I’m in manual mode most of the time, but I would rarely use it to shoot portraits or sports.

To keep learning photography, be sure to LIKE ImprovePhotography on Facebook.  I personally answer EVERY question that readers post on our Facebook wall!Further Reading:

• About shutter priority…
• What is Bulb Mode and 5 Ways to Use It (Long Exposure Photography)
• 10 Top Tips for Shooting Birds in Flight (Bird Photography)
• What is the highest aperture on a DSLR camera?

Workflow is different for everyone. Landscape photographers will post-process very differently from sports or portrait photographers. For example, if you’re shooting a wedding, you can’t throw away 80% of the photos (no couple will be happy to find that you have only the “top 10″ photos from their wedding – they’re going to want a whole lot more than that!!!), whereas with landscape photography you can (in this case you’re looking for the one or two perfect photos). Obviously, portrait photographers need a lot of good quality photos while landscape photographers really only need a few.

The general workflow process for Jim and Dustin goes something like this: Take the photos from your memory card and import them into Lightroom. Go quickly through all the photos and give them a star rating from 1-5: 1 = trash (Dustin deletes these, but Jim just assigns them a 1 star rating); 2 = they’re fine: not throwaway, but not great either (this will be about 95% of your photos); 3 = great – you want to post-process these and get them looking perfect; 4 = almost your very best work; 5 = the very best picture you’ve ever taken. Then run a filter to show only the photos that are 3 stars or higher for photos that you just imported. Once you’re looking at only the photos that have a 3 star rating or higher, you can begin your post-processing. Remember: “Touch but once”: Don’t do all the white balances then all the exposures, etc. Instead, walk each photo all the way through the process of adjusting and finish each photo one at a time. After the photos have all been processed, put them up on a website so your client can order prints.

Be careful to let the customer choose the photos they like. Remember that while you are looking for good focus, lighting, or composition, the customer is looking for things like facial expression, emotion, sentiment, etc. They need to have the option to choose the things they like rather than having you delete the bulk of the pictures before they even get to see them. They’re going to choose a photo because someone looks “cute”, not because of the way you managed to get their eyelashes into crystal clear focus. However, this is not to say that you should give each client thousands of pictures – do pare it down to only be the good ones! - but don’t toss out more than you need to.

We did a survey of 50 people, asking them what they did and didn’t like about their photography shoot with a professional photographer. Often the biggest complaint of the shoot was that something important to the client was missed (such as a picture of the full wedding dress, or a certain group of people taken together, etc), not that the quality of the shoot or the photographer was bad. It is important to remember, especially as a portrait photographer, that your client is looking for different things than you are. Additionally, realize that the customer’s favorite picture may not be the one that was technically executed perfectly, but rather one that captures the emotion and facial expression they are looking for. Portrait photographers are capturing a story and the customer will like the photo that best tells the story they want. You can always put your favorite in your portfolio, but be sure to let the client make the decisions about what they like the best.Further Reading:

• Episode 17: Light Meters, How to Price a Wedding, Canon 60D Image Sensor, and more!
• 7 Killer Portrait Posing Tips (by Dustin Olsen)
• Give it a tilt! (Portrait photography composition)
• Landscape Photography Tips Video: Creative Composition

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Two weeks ago (I know, I’m slow…) on the Improve Photography Facebook fan page, I asked our community what photography tips they wish they would have learned sooner.  I was looking for lessons that many photographers procrastinate learning and it ends up keeping them back from progressing as photographers.

Over 96 photographers commented on that facebook comment with their hard earned lessons, and I grabbed the most popular lessons from the group to share here.  I hope that this article teaches you many ways to save yourself from making rookie mistakes (like I still seem to do every day!).

Lesson #1: Envision, plan, and then create

There is nothing–at all-wrong with looking at great photography to get creative inspiration.  Spend the time thinking and thinking of what type of photo you want to create and how you can do it.  Then, get to work.  Almost every one of my best shots are the result of weeks of planning.  Rarely did I just “happen” to find a great scene or model to photograph.  Make each photo “your own,” whether it be a little bit different lighting or composition, make it feel personal (Tip submitted by Brendan Williams and Chris Mullins)

Lesson #2: The histogram is NOT optional

Spending just 5 or 10 minutes to learn how to use the histogram can make a huge difference in your photography.  Personally, I use the histogram most of the times that I go out and shoot.  I use it when shooting a wedding to make sure that the bride’s dress is not overexposed, I use it when shooting landscapes in low light to make sure I am gathering enough light, etc.  Learn to use the histogram (Tip submitted by Mike Gothard, Thorpe Griner)

This photo would be pretty dull without great off-camera lighting...

Lesson #3: Learn to wirelessly fire the flash off-camera

By getting the flash off the camera, the lighting changes dramatically for the better.  Directional light throws pleasing shadows on the subject and highlights the natural curvature of the face. If you haven’t yet learned how to fire the flash off-camera, I recommend checking out my lighting gear recommendations page.  There, you’ll find a $20 flash trigger that works flawlessly. No need to change camera settings at all.  Just put the trigger on the hot shoe of your camera (the hook on the top of your DSLR) and attach the flash receiver to the bottom of ANY flash.  That’s all it takes.  Take a picture and your flash will fire. (Tip submitted by Rick Walther, Teara Galbraith)

Lesson #4: Learn to change the active focus point

For most (but not all) photography, I recommend using a single autofocus point rather than allowing the camera to choose several points.  When many photographers learn to use one focus point, they often use only the center focus point.  To do this, they focus on the eye of the subject or on the correct place for a landscape, and then recompose the picture while holding the shutter button half-way down.  After composing to the correct composition, the photographer then finishes pressing in the shutter button. If you sit down for a minute with your camera manual and learn to change the focus point, then you will likely get a much larger percentage of your shots in focus. (Tip submitted by Lyndsey DeSantis, Liam Behan)

Friends don't let friends waste money on cheap tripods

Lesson #5: With tripods, it’s “Buy right, buy once”

Several of our Improve Photography community commented that they wish they wouldn’t have wasted their money on cheap tripods.  The cheapies might seem like good deals, but you’ll end up buying four or five before you finally break down and buy a good one that will last your lifetime. Not sure which tripod to buy?  Check out my recommendations of the best tripods on the market. (Tip submitted by Derek Bell-Jack, Steve McCusky, Dave McKenzie)

Ahhh... yes. That'll do it. Just set down your camera, do the finger composition thingy, and everything will fix itself.

Lesson #6: Photography is REALLY about composition and light

When I saw this tip, which was submitted by Roel Knol, Chand Dumbris, Patsy J Lander, on the Facebook page, I knew this one had to be included in the list.  Personally, I spent about the first year of my photography focused on the tiny little technical details, hoping my photography would improve.  I learned too late that great photography is about interesting light and strong composition.  Everything else is just a cherry on top.

Lesson #7: Manual Mode

There is no need to be afraid of manual mode.  Just turn it on and start playing–you’ll figure it out quick.  If you understand what shutter speed, aperture, and ISO do, you’ll quickly learn how to shoot in manual.  Perhaps the biggest mistake beginning photographers make when starting to shoot in manual mode is that they expect to nail the shot the first time.  Manual mode is a process of trial and error.  You’ll get faster and faster at judging the correct settings, but you have to accept the fact that it will take a few tries for each set up.  (Bronnie Thompson)

Lesson #8: Bounce flash

Most photographers buy a flash with their new camera, but most beginners just aim the flash head right at the subject and shoot.  If you point the flash at the ceiling or a side wall and bounce the flash onto the model, you’ll get significantly softer and more flattering light.  It’s incredibly easy to learn, but many photographers are afraid to try it for the first time. (Ryan Fernandez)

This photo illustrates two principles: (1) This is a great use of exposure compensation to get a bright and warm feeling, and (2) Yes, it is apparently possible to be TOO in love with your camera.

Lesson #9: Exposure Compensation

I must admit that it took me a while to learn to use exposure compensation.  I felt like my head was already spinning just trying to understand the aperture, so the thought of changing the exposure in aperture priority was a daunting task when I started out.  Once I tried it, though, I was so glad I did! Exposure compensation is simply a way of telling the camera that the exposure it is picking is not what you want.  You simply scroll the little wheel on your camera to choose a brighter (+1 or +.7 exposure compensation, for example), or a darker picture (-1 or -.7 exposure compensation).  You set the exposure compensation and then the camera will choose the setting that it things is the correct exposure and then add or remove a little brightness according to what exposure compensation you choose.  (Submitted by Jim Thurman)

Lesson #10: It is NOT “cheating” to use Photoshop

I have strong feelings about the importance of using digital image editing in our photography.  In fact, I had a conversation with Dustin Olsen (who is working with me at Improve Photography now), about digital image editing a couple days ago and was glad to hear that he feels just like I do.  My photography is not news, my photography is art.  Just like a painter can put whatever she wants in a painting, I feel that I can do whatever I want to my photos in Photoshop as long as I don’t lie and tell people it is a representation of the actual scene. If you’re passionate about this topic too, check out this articleon why I think digital image editing is perfectly okay.  (Idea submitted via Facebook by Terasa Lewis)

Some day my wife will divorce me if I don't clear all of my photo gear out of the garage

Lesson #11: Don’t buy more gear until you hit a wall with the gear you already have

I often get emails from brand new beginning photographers asking what lens they should buy because their 18-55 kit lens isn’t sharp enough.  I’ll be perfectly honest… I’ve never met a photographer who has less than one year of experience who is better than the kit lens.  I’m not saying that their pictures couldn’t be helped out a tiny bit by a sharper lens, but I  am saying that there are about 100 more important things for a beginner to master before anyone is going to notice that the picture is barely less sharp from the lens.  99% of sharpness problems that I see are caused by poor shooting technique, and not a cheap lens.  Once the photographer masters the fundamentals, then a new lens is an important investment and the sharpness will definitely improve. The same is true for many other photography gear items.  It isn’t necessary to buy $3,000 in studio equipment unless you’ve already learned how to use a bare bones $120 lighting set upto its full advantage.  It probably isn’t necessary to buy a $1,500 macro lens until you’ve reached your limit by using a simple close focus filter.  It probably isn’t necessary to buy a 5d mark II until that is the weak link in your photography. I love gear, but I feel bad when I hear photographers say they feel limited by their beginner gear when, in reality, they should probably just get out there and shoot more.  (Abby Krim)

Lesson #12: A $15 reflector will do more to improve your photography than a $2,000 portrait lens

I read this comment by Krista Barton DeVries on our Facebook fan page and I knew this one had to be included in the article.  Lighting… is…. everything!  I’m amazed at the number of photographers that invest in a $2,500 70-200mm f/2.8 lens before even buying a simple lighting kit for $120.  There are few photographers who love getting a new lens in the mail more than I do, but I have to agree that if you really want your pictures to improve, spending a little money on a reflector or other cheap lighting accessories will do much more to improve your photography.

Lesson #13: Get a deposit before booking a shoot

I read this hard-earned lesson sent in by Troy Browder and I had to laugh, because any pro photographer who has been around for a while has been burned.  I learned the hard way, too.  Get a deposit and get a contract before ever putting a client down on your calendar.  It’s just good business.

If you’re interested in learning to make money with your photography, check out our new sister site, BeAProPhotographer.com, where we teach the business side of photography.

Don't you wish the camera manufacturers would get on the ball with adding swivel screens to all DSLRs? It's such a pain to lie down prostrate on the ground just to get a low angle.

Lesson #14: Shoot many DIFFERENT shots, but don’t waste time getting 10 copies of the same scene

I’ll admit that this lesson is a bit controversial.  Many photographers (including a lot of great photographers) like to take 10 or 15 shots of each shot.  Personally, I like to make sure that every picture I take is different from the previous one, even if the difference is only slight.  If I see a scene, I’ll shoot it once, analyze the picture, change my angle or the exposure slightly, and then shoot again.  Rather than just ripping the shutter to get multiple shots of the scene, I like to change each shot just slightly as I work the scene.  This makes me slow down and not get stuck with the first shot of the scene, but rather keep changing until I find the exact right angle. Work your photography like a surgeon making tactical strikes rather than a trash man just trying to do the same thing over and over again.  (Dawn Fort)

Lesson #15: Learn where to focus when shooting a group of two or more people

Incredibly important!  When shooting a group photo when you want to use somewhat shallow depth of field, make sure to focus on the person closest to the camera.  This is also true for shooting couples where one person is slightly in front of the other person.  Many, many times I have made the mistake of focusing on someone in the group who is one or two rows back, but this always make the shot look blurry.  With time, I’ve learned to ALWAYS focus on the person in the group closest to the camera.  (Paulette Gollan)

Oh, and you DEFINITELY don’t want to miss this article on posing people for group photos.Further Reading:

• Sharpness question (photography Q&A)
• 5 Lessons You Can Learn from One Portrait
• 10 Tips for Beautiful Sunset Portrait Photography
• A Photographer’s Secret Weapon for Macro Photography

Two weeks ago, I found myself grabbing my DSLR, putting on a lens with no filter since that destroys image quality, putting it on a tripod and using a cable release to take the landscape photo, putting the camera in mirror lock-up mode for a night photo, turning on long-exposure noise reduction, and covering the optical viewfinder to prevent light leaks.  I was doing it right.  It was technical photography perfection.

And then, I snapped.  I suddenly realized that I do all of those “technically perfect” things simply because I’ve been told they improve the image.  Like most photographers, I was doing what other people told me to do.  But the mark of a true expert is personally testing everything and not falling into the trap of believing the “old wives tales” or, in this case “old photographers tales.” So, I set out on a personal quest in the last two weeks to test everything in my workflow to weed out any useless steps.  I want to reduce my photography to the simplest and purest forms so that I can come here to Improve Photography and teach you how to enjoy your photography more.

Thank you to the kind members of our community who helped with this article by submitting myth ideas.  If you’d like to join us, please LIKE  our Facebook Fan Page.

#1  A clear UV filter degrades image quality (True, but it’s not as bad as you’d think)

If you look closely, you can see a slight yellow tint in the whites of the photo with the cheap UV filter on.  Click to enlarge.

First of all, since this was a bigger test, I wrote a separate article just explaining my findings of this test and how I performed my testing.  Here’s a link to the full article, or simply read the summary of my findings below.

For years I have heard photographers say that putting a clear UV filter on a lens degrades the optical quality.  It’s usually a claim made without showing any proof.  Many photographers use UV filters on their lenses to protect the front element of the lens from being scratched, but other photographers are too afraid to use one because it might reduce the sharpness.  These photographers often make comparisons to putting cheap tires on a Ferrari, or say that it is ridiculous to put a cheap plastic filter in front of a $2,000 lens.

Believing this to be true, I have never used a clear UV filter on my lenses. I didn’t even own a UV filter to test this belief, so I bought one from Amazon.  I didn’t just buy any UV filter.  I bought the cheapest junkiest one I could find. I figured that if this junky filter didn’t degrade the quality, then any UV filter would be fine.  But one UV filter wasn’t enough.  Dustin Olsen, who now works with me on Improve Photography, also tested the belief with his UV filter using a different camera and different lens. In testing, neither Dustin nor I were able to see ANY reduction in the sharpness of the lens–even zoomed in to 100% with multiple examples.  HOWEVER, while there was no reduction in sharpness at all, both Dustin and I found that the UV filter produced a minor color cast on the image.  Also, the UV filter undoubtedly caused more lens flare when shooting toward a bright light source.

Takeaway from this photography test: There is no reason to panic about using a UV filter.  It just doesn’t make hardly any difference unless you’re shooting into the sun.  The color shift was actually very slight and I would think that nicer filters would not have this problem.  What this test revealed to me is that UV filters do cause some problems, but it has nothing to do with the sharpness and the reduction in image quality is only very slight.  I’ll keep my UV filters off the camera unless the situation arises where it would be handy (like shooting in a very dirty environment or shooting near the ocean near sea spray).

#2 The native ISO (often ISO 200) produces less noise than ISO 100 (MYTH!)

Very tough to see without zooming in really tight, but there is very slightly less noise in the ISO 100 sample.

Most photographers believe that ISO 100 will produce the most noise-free image; however, some photographers say that the native ISO of all Nikon DSLRs is 200, so they hypothesize that ISO 200 will produce less noise.  So which is it? I was really anxious to test this myth because I wasn’t sure of the answer myself.

Please note, as has been pointed out multiple times in the comments below, that these tests were done with the D7000 and a Canon Rebel.  These cameras have a native ISO of 100, which automatically debunks the myth that the native ISO of all Nikons is 200–it is not.  I’d love to see a reader test out this myth with a different Nikon that has a native ISO of 200, but I haven’t seen anyone send in samples yet.  My point here is that it is incorrect to state that all Nikons shoot with less noise at ISO 200.  That isn’t true.

I have heard so many people talking about native ISO lately that I thought it actually might be true that ISO 200 is slightly cleaner than 100, but it just isn’t true. I took multiple shots at 100 and 200 ISO and compared the results.  In every case, ISO 100 was slightly cleaner on my D7000 than the ISO 200 sample.  It may be that this is not true for other cameras, but I found the same result on a Canon Rebel. ISO 100 is (very slightly) less noisy than ISO 200.  I also tested ISO 125, 160, and 400.  It is a perfect scale.  The lower ISO produced the cleaner shot in every case.  There seems to make no impact on the noise on t he camera models we tested (Nikon D7000 and Canon Rebel T3i).  To see full-res image samples and read more about this test, read this article about the native ISO that I just posted to explain my methodology.

Takeaway from this photography test: The whole “all Nikons have a native ISO of 200″ thing is… completely not true on the cameras we tested.  I would love to see some readers test this on their cameras so I can verify it on more models, but it looks like this is a total myth.

#3 The DPI or PPI affects the viewing size of the image on screen (MYTH!)

I already knew this was a myth before writing this article, but it is such a common misconception that I thought I would share it with the community.  Stated in the simplest possible terms, the pixels per inch of an image file doesn’t matter one tiny bit when the photo is on your screen.  The photo could be 300 PPI or 3,000 PPI and it would look precisely the same.  Pixels per inch is merely a way to measure an image file.  You can change the number to whatever you want and the image resolution won’t be changed as long as the total number of pixels in the image is not altered. For most photographers, this is probably a new concept.

If you’re interested in learning all the pixelly details of this photography myth, then check out this awesome article from iStockPhoto.

Takeaway form this photography myth: Don’t worry about the DPI until you’re ready to print the picture.  The PPI has nothing to do with the viewing size of the image on your computer screen (although it does impact the file size).

#4 You can’t adjust the white balance of a JPEG (MYTH!)

It is impossible to tell the difference in image quality between a photo white balanced using the RAW vs. using the JPEG.

Several months ago, I mentioned this myth in an article I wrote.  After the article, I had an exchange from an accomplished professional photographer on this topic.  He vehemently defended his position that a white balance change on a JPEG somehow produces an inferior image quality to a white balance adjustment made to a RAW file.  I emailed him two photos–one white balanced on the RAW, and one white balanced from the JPEG and asked him to identify the one with inferior image quality.  He couldn’t.

Then, he changed his argument to say that it wasn’t that a white balance change to a JPEG produces inferior image quality, but that it was really hard to do.  Nope.  Just open the JPEG in camera RAW (yes, it’s possible to open JPEGS in camera RAW) or Lightroom and make the adjustment just exactly the same way as you would change the white balance on a RAW file.  No difference. I do not pretend that shooting JPEG is the same as shooting RAW.  There is a huge difference in changing the exposure, picture style, or many other aspects of a RAW file when compared to a JPEG; however, it frankly is not true that white balancing a JPEG is somehow inferior.  Don’t believe me?  Test it for yourself and see. Same thing.

Takeaway from this photography myth: Obviously, there are huge benefits to shooting in raw; however, it simply isn’t true that JPEG white balance adjustments somehow produce poorer image quality than RAW white balance adjustments.  There is a theoretical difference in the fact that the JPEG bakes in the adjustment and the RAW file can be changed losslessly, but if you can tell the difference between a photo white balanced from a JPEG and a photo white balanced from a RAW…. you have a better eye than I do.

#5 You need a commercial product for on-camera flash (MYTH!)

I personally prefer the light from the tupperware and the Lightsphere over the flash bounced off the ceiling. The direct flash is nasty..

For the full run-down on this incredibly hilarious (and surprising) test, check out this separate post that I made to explain the whole thing.  If you’re more of a Cliff’s Notes kind of person, then here is a summary of the test. Most wedding and event photographers turn to a commercial product like the Gary Fong Lightsphere, or a host of other products for on-camera flash.  The purpose of an on-camera flash diffuser is to soften the light from a flash while staying portable to shoot a wedding reception, an event, or even your daughter’s birthday party.  It helps soften the flash and produce a prettier quality of light.

I usually just bounce the flash off the ceiling for on-camera flash, but this doesn’t work when you’re in a building with very tall ceilings or you are outside at a party at night. One of the most popular on-camera flash diffusers is the Gary Fong Lightsphere.  I own one and have used it many times, but the Lightsphere costs $50!  In my opinion, that is way too much money for a hunk of plastic that sits on top of my flash. When I started working on this article, I thought…. hey, that DOES look like a piece of tupperware!  Naturally, I bribed my wife into posing (she’s always a good sport) and compared the light quality of the Gary Fong Lightsphere to the light quality achieved from putting tupperware from the kitchen on my flash.  The results?  Indistinguishable.

Takeaway from this photography test: Save your money.  I could not see any improvement from using the Gary Fong Lightsphere when compared to the tupperware.   At first you might think that it would look ridiculous for a photographer to strap a piece of Tupperware to her flash and then shoot a professional job like a wedding reception, but you’ll thank me when you have a handy bowl that you can fill with refreshments from the event.  You save $49 and you get a bowl of goodies from each event you shoot.  Fantastic!

#6 Mirror lock-up improves sharpness (MYTH!)

Mirror lock-up sharpness test

I really wanted this one to be true.  I have gone through the pains of using mirror lockup for my landscape photography for years.  I thought it was a main contributor to getting the sharp pictures that I try to capture.  After EXTENSIVE testing, however, I was not able to replicate any tiny bit of improved sharpness in the photos where mirror-lock-up was used.

For newer photographers, the mirror in your DSLR flips up very quickly when an image is taken and this movement can cause vibration in the camera.  Obviously, vibration can cause camera shake and reduce the sharpness of the image.  Mirror lock-up makes the camera mirror open, and then some amount of time is waited before the shutter is tripped.  This allows any vibration from the mirror flip to dissipate before the picture is taken.

It seems that mirror lock up provides no noticeable improvement in sharpness at any shutter speed as long as a sturdy tripod is used (which is advisable anyway).  One reader tested this with a really cheap $20 Walmart kinda tripod and did in fact see a difference.  I don’t doubt it.

Click here for the full in-depth explanation of how I tested mirror lock-up.

Takeaway from this photography myth: Again, in theory, mirror lock-up sounds like a great way to reduce vibration and get sharper pictures; however, I tested this one over and over and was unable to see any improvement in photos shot with mirror lock-up compared to regular shots even when I was using long shutter speeds.

See! No difference whatsoever. Click to enlarge and see for yourself.  Even zoomed in to 100% 

#7 Saving a JPEG multiple times degrades quality (MYTH!)

I was quite surprised by this test.  It had always been my opinion that saving a JPEG multiple times degraded the image quality because each save of the photo means the JPEG is compressed again.  While I believe that this would be true if a lower-quality JPEG were saved out each time, it turns out that–after saving the same JPEG 30 different times–there was no noticeable loss in image quality.

The photo here was saved from a RAW file, and then I open the file 30 times, saved out a JPEG of the file, then opened the new file and repeated the process.  I did this 30 times and saved it on the highest quality in Photoshop each time. This myth actually quite handy to know.  Sometimes I shoot a photo, do extensive editing, and save out a JPEG.  If I later find a problem with the photo and want to make a little change, I always feel like I have to find the Photoshop file or start over with the RAW file.

Note that this testing was done using Photoshop’s jpeg processor at full quality.  Obviously, different programs can provide different results and–obviously–if you don’t save at the highest quality, then data will be lost.

I posted an in-depth explanation of this test as well as more sample images here.

Takeaway from this photography test: It is true that every time you save a JPEG, the algorythm runs compression on the file and you do lose some data.  That is undoubtedly true; however, this test reveals that you can do A LOT of saving of the JPEG and not see any VISIBLE reduction in image quality as long as you save at full resolution every time.  Obviously, if you save a smaller file, you’ll lose more data.  If I can’t tell the difference between a JPEG that has been saved out 30 times and the original… it probably isn’t something to worry about.

#8 A high aperture is needed to get enough depth of field to take pictures of the stars at night (MYTH!)

Star photo taken at f/2.8

This is another myth that I was aware of before testing, but which is so commonly believed that it is worth the mention.  Whenever I explain depth-of-field to a new class, I tell them that, when shooting a landscape, if you want to get the cool rock in the foreground as well as the sky in the background in focus, you need to use a high aperture to get full depth of field. So when I teach a night photography class, I usually find three-quarters of the class using f/22  so they “have enough depth of field to get the stars way out there in focus.”  This is when I sit them down and we talk about depth-of-field and focus.  If you believe this to be true, you’re missing a big piece to the puzzle.

The truth is that most night photographers shoot the stars with an aperture of f/2.8 or f/3.5, etc.  How do we get the stars in focus with such a large aperture?  The answer is that the lens is FOCUSED on the stars.  Since the lens is focused to infinity much closer than the stars, it makes no difference whether you’re shooting a star that is relatively close to Earth, or one that is light years further away.  If you enjoy night photography and want to learn more about shooting the stars and focus at night, you might enjoy my Night Photography eBook.

#9 IS/VR should be turned off when the camera is on a tripod (TRUYTH!)

It truly is amazing how photographers tend to divide over things so trite as whether or not image stabilization should be used when the camera is locked down on a tripod.  Most photographers say that you should turn off image stabilization (vibration reduction) on your lens when using the DSLR on a tripod to prevent the image stabilization from being too sensitive and moving while the picture is taken and thereby creating the movement that the feature is meant to reduce.

I have gone back and forth on this issue over the years until I discovered something.  It is something that male photographers have never seen, and if they have seen it, they have ignored it completely.  The women photographers have probably known this for years.  It’s called the manual.  Not manual exposure and not the camera manual.  No, I mean the manual to your LENS!  Yes, it is good for something… actually, a lot of things. The answer to this myth is that it depends on the specific lens.  Some lenses have built-in the ability to turn image stabilization off automatically when the camera is locked down on a tripod.  Other lenses do not do this.  The only way to tell is to pull out your lens manual, blow off the dust, and find out.  As it turns out, almost all of my Nikon lenses do this for me automatically.

Takeaway from this photography test: It depends on your lens, but if your lens manual reveals what my lens manuals did, you’ll be able to save time by simply leaving image stabilization turned on all of the time.

#10  You need to cover the viewfinder for night photography to prevent any light leaks (MYTH!)

Night photography

This is yet another common belief among photographers that makes theoretical sense, but if you actually test it…. it becomes much difficult to see the problem.  When night photographers take long exposures of 30 seconds or more, they cover the optical viewfinder of the camera to prevent any ambient light from behind the photographer from entering through the clear viewfinder and showing up in the image. This makes perfect sense in theory, but despite my very best efforts to replicate this issue, I was unable to see the effects of the infamous “light leak.”  My friend and colleague Dustin Olsen also tested this on his camera with identical results.

Update: A couple people commented below that the light leaks DO change the camera’s light meter.  While that may or may not be true, it left me wondering… WHY IN THE WORLD IS ANYONE TRUSTING THE LIGHT METER WHEN SHOOTING NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY!?!?  The amount of light available at night is simply insufficient to use aperture priority.  It’s all manual at night.

Takeaway from this test: I suppose if you’re shooting a 5 hour exposure with a spotlight shining into the viewfinder, it would be possible to recreate the infamous light leak problem; however, even though I was trying my hardest to create a light leak, there was absolutely no difference in the resulting image.  As far as I’m concerned, the light leak myth is completely busted. For notes on how I tested this myth, I posted a full explanation of my light leakage testing here.

#11 Lenses are sharpest at f/8 (MYTH… with some truth!)

An aperture inside a lens

For the full in-depth explanation of how I tested this and to see sample images at these apertures, click here.

Let’s be clear.  There can be no doubt whatsoever that every lens has a “sweet spot” in which it produces the sharpest images.  Most photographers already know this, but haven’t taken the time to test their lenses to see what aperture actually produces the sharpest results.

With the lack of testing, they latch on to the sage wisdom that f/8 is the sharpest aperture.  I often hear photographers so flippantly say “I’m shooting at f/8 for sharpness” that I thought it would be worth while to show the difference between different lenses and their sweet spots. Since this is a more involved test, I decided to dedicate an entire article this morning showing my findings from this test and how you can easily replicate it with your own lenses.  Check out the full article here.

Takeaway from this photography test: Do not flippantly assume that f/8 or f/11 is generally the sharpest aperture.  The truth is that it COMPLETELY depends on the lens.  You can spend the rest of your life guessing, or you can actually pull out your lenses and test it in 15 minutes.  To see my results and to learn how to do the test at home, check out the full article on this test.

#12 You won’t share this page on Facebook or Pinterest, and you definitely won’t click the Google+ button below (MYTH?)

Also, if you haven’t joined the Improve Photography by LIKING our Facebook fan page, you’re missing out on half of the fun!

Info About the Testing

You’re more than welcome to disagree with any statement in this article and I’d like to hear what you’ve experienced that differs from my experience; HOWEVER (and it’s a big however), please remember that I have ACTUALLY TESTED these myths.  So if you want to disagree, keep in mind that I probably won’t give your comment much credence if I don’t see a test you’ve performed showing me different results. I realize that there are possible deficiencies in each of these tests.  I get it–I’m not a scientist.  I would LOVE to see all of these myths tested on a wider scale, so if you want to put any of these myths to the test and send me your results, I’d be glad to see what you get.  I have, however, tested some of these myths (where applicable) with multiple camera brands/lenses/filters, etc.Further Reading:

• Does Saving a JPEG Multiple Times Reduce Image Quality?
• Do Clear UV Filters Hurt Image Quality of Photos?
• Do Night Photographers Need to Cover the Viewfinder to Prevent Light Leaks?
• 10 Myths that Famous Photographers Teach

Your sad, old camera will start to treat you better if you learn to take care of it.

Every time I go to my nephews’ soccer games and see all the parents with their cameras on “green mode”, or attend a sporting event and see spectators using their flash from a quarter mile away, it makes me grit my teeth.  It’s all I can do to stop from walking up to them and fixing their camera for them.

This morning, I got to thinking.  If it is painful for ME to see these cameras being mistreated, imagine how the camera feels!  Canons have feelings too, ya know?  (Nikons happen to have more, but let’s not get into that).

The readers of this site tend to be a bit more knowledgeable about photography than your average shutter snapper, so I wrote this one with the more advanced photographer in mind.

Your Camera Wishes You Knew That…

Camera Tip #1: AI Focus and AI Servo are not interchangeable

Nikon cameras only have single servo (AF-S) and continuous focus (AF-C) , so you don’t have to worry about this one.  On a Canon camera, you have spot, AI Focus, and AI Servo focus modes.  When photographers are shooting subjects that will move constantly during the shot (for example, a football player running toward the camera), they need a focus mode that will continue to focus until the instant that the shutter is released.

Trouble is that most users learn whether to use AI Focus or AI Servo for this situation, and most choose AI Focus since “Servo” sounds scarier.  AI Focus tracks focus continuously until the subject stops, then it locks focus, and then tracks again if the subject begins to move.  AI Servo continuously tracks focus and never locks.  Although there are some situations where AI Focus is useful, my personal testing shows that a SIGNIFICANTLY higher percentage of all “moving target” shots are sharper using AI Servo in 99% of situations.

One writer online summarized it like this (and I totally agree):

• One-Shot is for when neither you, nor the subject, are moving.
• AI Servo is for when either you, or the subject, is moving.
• AI Focus is for when neither you, nor the subject care if your focus is accurate.

Cleaning a lens.

Camera Tip #2: Lintless cloths never seem to be lintless

I bought three or four lintless cloths at varying prices to clean my camera over the years, and then I simply gave up.  Every time I cleaned the camera with the lintless cloth, it would instantly become twice as “linted.”  Part of the problem was the quality of the cloths, but the other problem is that the lintless cloth can get lint on it from your camera bag if you aren’t extremely careful with it at all times.  Then, I discovered a cheaper, easier, and cleaner way to clean my camera.  I found a little product called “Pec Pads” on Amazon.  It is basically a package of 100 disposable TRULY LINTLESS cloths.  Use once and throw it away, so you don’t have to worry about lint getting on your lintless crap.  For only $10, it’s a steal!

Camera Tip #3: Memory cards are not created equal

Without even arguing brand, let us talk about speed for a minute.  If you do not know how to check the class of your memory card, you MUST read this article on memory cards.  Suddenly, you’ll realize that it was your memory card, and not your camera, that was slowing things down.

Camera Tip #4: The camera feels more secure with the center column of your tripod down

When I go on workshops, I see about half of the photographers use the center column of their tripods to get the camera up to eye level.  Most of the time, the photographers use the center column because their tripod is too short if only the legs are extended.  When you buy a tripod, make sure to buy one that is tall enough to reach your eye level without using the center column.  Need help with a tripod purchase?  Here’s a list of tripods I personally recommend.

Camera Tip #5: Exposure compensation is the best friend of a pop-up flash

Most photographers don’t use the pop-up flash because of the horrendous light quality it produces, but all of us get in a pinch sometimes where we use it to get a grab shot.  You may not know that you can control the output of the flash by using the FLASH compensation setting in your menu.  No, it is not the same thing as exposure compensation, which has no effect on the output of the flash.

Battery grip. Just plugs right in to the bottom of the camera.

Camera Tip #6: A battery grip will be the best $50 you ever spend on your camera (yes, I said $50)

A battery grip is an add-on to the bottom of your camera that gives you another shutter button so you can hold the camera properly when shooting verticals.  Also, it allows you to stack another battery in there.  For some camera models, the battery pack will increase the frames per second you can capture and improves your autofocus speeds.  For every camera model, it allows you to shoot for twice as long (read: an entire wedding) without changing batteries.  Most battery packs by Canon or Nikon cost $250 or more.  Fortunately, there are many third-party batter packs available and most of them are EXACTLY as good as the Canon or Nikon battery grip.  Copy this paragraph and email it to your spouse.  Make the subject line of the email “Christmas idea.”

Camera Tip #7: You don’t need 3 pictures of every picture

This weekend, I hired 3 models and a few assistants for a MASSIVE portrait photography shoot in a studio, a soccer field, a barn, an urban city, and in a lake (yes, IN the lake).  It was a giant production that lasted 12 hours.  How many memory cards do you think I needed for that shoot?  Answer: one.  I shot a total of 420 pictures.  Why so few?  I only took one frame of each pose.  When you have the fundamentals of sharpness down, it will no longer be necessary to take multiple photos of the exact same pose in hopes of getting a sharp one.  I always tell every model I work with that they should vary up the pose slightly every time they hear the shutter snap.  If I really want to go back and work on one pose, I’ll say so.  Working this way is much more efficient, and you will save time editing.  Also, I believe I came home with more DIFFERENT poses than if I had taken multiple pictures of every pose.

Camera Tip #8: The LCD will lie like a politician

Will you please pin this on Pinterest?

Photographers call it “chimping” when someone looks at every shot on the LCD after it is taken.  The name comes from people looking at the camera and  repeatedly saying “oooh” like a chimpanzee.  Anyway, looking at the LCD all the time can distract you from shooting, but the point here is that, if you don’t check the histogram rather than the picture on the LCD, then chimping isn’t going to do you much good.  Think about it.  You already knew what the composition and lighting would look like before you took the shot. You don’t need an LCD for that, you only need a viewfinder.  The purpose of chimping, for me, is mostly to see the histogram.

Why look at the histogram rather than simply looking at the picture to determine if it is properly exposed?  The problem is that an LCD is made up of little lights!  If you look at the screen when it is dark outside, the photo will look VERY bright.  If you look at the picture when it is bright outside, the photo will look dark.  Judging exposure by looking at the picture on the LCD is a terrible habit.  When you get home and put the photos on the computer, you’ll probably recognize that many of your photos are not properly exposed.  You’ve probably heard this tip before, so START DOING IT!

Camera Tip #9:  RAW files should never be left naked

I always recommend that photographers shoot in RAW so that they have a greater latitude in post-processing.  UNFORTUNATELY, I have spent enough time on Flickr to see that many many photographers shoot a RAW file, convert it immediately to JPEG, and then post it on the web.  It is easy to spot because RAW files look totally naked.  They have no sharpening, contrast, or color pop to them.  Your camera would appreciate it if you either (1) shoot in JPEG so it can apply these things for you, or (2) never EVER convert a RAW file to JPEG without first dressing it up a little with some basic changes in Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom.  And, before you ask, the “clarity” slider in Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom is NOT for sharpening.

Camera Tip #10: Your camera doesn’t have much to do with sharpness, so find something else to blame

I have shot with almost every DSLR made by Canon, Nikon, and Sony produced in the last 5 years, and I have never seen a DSLR that is incapable of recording sharp images.  That simply isn’t the problem.  If your photos aren’t as sharp as you would like, then you should first fix your fundamentals and then determine the problem is caused by a cheap lens.

Camera Tip #11: The camera strap that came with your camera is for lynch mobs, not photographers

I survived about two weeks with the uncomfortable camera strap that came with my first camera.  One of my first purchases was a cushy camera strap.  I have gone through a couple different brands, but my current favorite is the Black Rapid camera strap.  It’s a thing of beauty.  Check out my full review of the Black Rapid strap here.  It doesn’t matter which one you choose, but do your neck a favor and buy something comfortable.  You can even by cheap cushioned straps on Amazon for as little as $10.

Camera Tip #12: Erase all images and “format card” do very, very different things

If you have been using “erase all images” then you will probably like reading this article, “9 Things Photographers Should Know about Memory Cards.”

Camera tips

Camera Tip #13:  Your camera craves customization

Most higher end DSLRs (anything other than Canon Rebels and Nikon D3100s) give you the option of customizing what the buttons on your camera do.  If you find yourself constantly going through the menus to do some things, you can customize your camera buttons to do that operation for you.  Spend 10 minutes with your camera manual and you’ll have a much easier time shooting in the field.  This is how many sports and wildlife photographers do “back button autofocus.”

If you enjoy reading the photography tips I write here on Improve Photography and want to be a part of the Improve Photography community, sign up for the email photography tips newsletter by entering your first name and email in the box on the right of the page near the large red arrow.  Also, make sure to LIKE Improve Photography on facebook!

 Further Reading:

• What Gear Does a Wedding Photographer Need?
• Back Button Focusing – Easier than you think!
• 8 Things You Didn’t Know Your DSLR Could Do
• 9 Things Photographers Need to Know About Memory Cards

Would you pin this on Pinterest?

Photographers these days spend so much time on the Internet learning good things about photography that they never make the time to do the things that would be really great for their photography.  I’ve compiled a list of 21 things in this article that you can do today that would completely change your photography forever.

If you like these tips, I hope you’ll consider learning portrait photography with me in my 30-day online portrait photography course!

Action #1: Learn every function your camera is capable of performing (2 hours)

You know what I mean… not just aperture, shutter speed, and focus.  I mean ALL the functions.  Do you know how to use the multiple exposure feature on your DSLR?  Have you ever taken a time lapse with your camera?  How about mirror lock-up?  For most photographers–even good ones–there are at least 5 or 6 functions on the camera that are never used.  Learning to expand your creativity can change your photography forever by giving you one more tool you can use to capture scenes with a unique perspective.  Try something new!

Action #2: Prepare your work for exhibition (Several hours)

This is probably the most difficult action suggested on this page.  Preparing your work to be sold or displayed in a gallery is time-intensive and challenging, but it is SOO rewarding to see one of your photos perfectly matted and framed.  Even if you don’t have anywhere to show your work yet, you might be surprised what opportunities come knocking if you are prepared with your best work perfectly prepared.  Not to mention… it’s fun!

The first time I sold a photo was life-changing for me.  It’s SOO exciting to see someone who loves what you have created enough to display it in their home.

Action #3: Enter a photography contest (25 minutes)

Photography contests can be a great way to learn digital photography.  Look for a contest that will provide you some feedback on your work.  I am disappointed that so many photography contests today are merely “How many people view this photo” or contests that simply decide a winner without saying why the other photos were not chosen.  Having said that, there are still some great photo contests out there.  Find one and you’ll be on your way to excelling in the world of photography.

Action #4: Look up the best photo you have ever seen and decide why YOU like it (15 minutes)

Obviously, it’s tough to pick ONE favorite, but a year or two ago, I took a while to sit down and compare some of the best photos I’ve ever seen on the web.  After a grueling decision, I finally determined that this photo is the best picture I have seen in my whole life.  From doing this exercise, I learned a lot of things about my taste for photography: (1) Landscape photography is what really gets my heart beating, (2) Despite the craze around HDR, you don’t have to expose every dark shadow to make a beautiful picture, and (3) What really makes or breaks a picture is the light.

If you’re looking to find great photos, I recommend browsing through the 500px website.  It’s like Flickr, but the quality of the photos is WAY higher.  Great place to get inspired.

Action #5: Print your best 75 photos and have a non-photographer critique them (2 hours)

Photographers are often shocked by the result of this exercise.  Print 75 of your favorite all-time images and set them out on the table.  Ask a friend or neighbor WHO HAS NEVER SEEN YOUR PICTURES to place them in order from their favorite to their least favorite.  After they rank the photos, ask them why they chose what they did.  The purpose of this exercise is to help photographers to learn what people notice–and don’t notice–in their pictures.  Are you really trying to impress other photographers with your work, or are you really shooting so that normal people can enjoy your art?  I think this exercise really helps to put things in perspective.

Action #6: Write a guest post for a photography blog (35 minutes)

I hope this doesn’t sound self-serving, but writing a guest post for a photography website was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made to improve my photography.  It forced me to learn a concept deeply enough to write an article about it, it provided me with a great link from a popular site that drove TONS of traffic to my photography portfolio, and it inspired me to create a photography blog of my own.  Try it!  It might just change your life, and it will almost certainly improve your photography business.

ANYONE can write a guest post for ImprovePhotography.com by simply emailing me the text of your article and a couple of your photos to illustrate the topic.  My email address is jim@improvephotography.com

Action #7: Shoot night photography in your own city(2 hours)

In the introduction to my $5.99 eBook on Night Photography, I make the claim that shooting night photography is THE BEST way to learn photography.  I think night photography is great for learning photography because it helps photographers to focus on the light, it reinforces proper shooting techniques by requiring a tripod, and it helps photographers to master proper exposure since it often requires balancing high ISOs and long shutter speeds.

Action #8: Make your photography learning a “T.”

I believe that the best education for photography can be represented by the letter “T.”  Like the shape of the letter “T”, photographers should cover a lot of topics and learn many styles of photography.  This broad knowledge is represented by the long, horizontal top of the “T.”  However, so many photographers stop at this point.  Their knowledge is an inch deep and a mile wide.  The truly great photographers then choose one aspect of photography (such as landscape, portrait, Photoshop, etc), and then delve deeply into that topic.  This is represented by the long vertical line on a “T.”  Both the broad base and the deep knowledge of a topic help photographers to become great.

So how can you make your photography knowledge more like a “T”?  Sit down for a minute and decide where you are in photography.  If you feel like you are really good at one style of photography but you don’t have the experience to tackle different types of photography, then decide to broaden your horizons.  Similarly, if you feel like you’re more a jack of all trades in photography, then decide what you really love and learn everything you possibly can about that topic.  A properly balanced photography education will certainly impact your photography for the rest of your life.

Action #9: Learn a new Photoshop trick by following a tutorial (10 minutes)

I have a certain photography friend that I follow on social networks.  He is a terrific photographer and a good friend, but it is painful for me to look at his work.  It’s not painful because the photos are bad, but because he has never taken the time to learn Photoshop.  Every single one of his photos has precisely the same Photoshop effect applied to it–all of them.  That is such a shame!  There is so much creative potential available to photographers who will spend the time to learn new things in Photoshop.

So where should you go to find a simple Photoshop tutorial?  Head on over to Youtube and simply type in “Photography photoshop tutorial.”  You will have access to hundreds of thousands of free tips.  You might look for a tutorial on skin softening, how to add clouds to a landscape, changing colors, how to properly sharpen an image, or how to correct exposure problems.  The opportunities are endless and learning a new technique will help you to take better pictures for the rest of your life.

Action #10: Put together an online photography portfolio (30 minutes)

If you still haven’t taken 30 minutes to set up a simple photography portfolio page, you are really missing out on a life-changing opportunity.  I personally recommend Smugmug for a simple photography portfolio.  Head on over to Smugmug.com and you will be done setting up your whole portfolio in as little as 30 minutes.  The tools on Smugmug are easy enough for even a non-techie to understand.  The nice thing about Smugmug is that they resize your photos for you, which is a huge time saver.  Also, they have a free trial so you can set up your gallery and see if you like it before paying.

Action #11: Create a Facebook fan page for your photography (15 minutes)

Unfortunately, many photographers think that you only create a Facebook fan page for your photography if you want to do photography as a business; however, I think it’s a fantastic way to stay motivated.  I really don’t care what the people on Flickr say about my photos, but I love to hear family and friends comment on my recent photo excursions and ask for a high-res version to use as a desktop background

If you ever feel unmotivated to get out of the house and take pictures, then it’s time to create a Facebook fan page for your photography.  Oh, and check out this page for tips on how to get more likes on  Facebook.

Oh, and speaking of Facebook fan pages, if you “Like” Improve Photography on our facebook fan page, you will see the Improve Photography articles each morning right in your facebook news feed.  It’s like getting a newspaper every morning, but we didn’t kill any trees to bring it to you, and it’s free.  Go to http://facebook.com/ImprovePhotography and click “LIKE” at the top.

Action #12: Print one of your photos large, and put it on the wall in your own home or business (1 hour)

This is another tip for keeping motivated in your progress as a photographer.  By printing a large photo and hanging it in your home, you will receive compliments and comments for many years to come.  Also, it’s a great way to advertise your photography to people who come to your home or place of business.  I did this a few months ago and it made me happy every time I walked into the room for weeks.

This can change your photography forever by motivating you to capture that great “wall hanger” of a photo that you are always seeking to create.

Action #13: Take your camera into a dark room (10 minutes)

No, not the kind of darkroom where you work with film, but a regular room with no lights on.  Then, change your shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focus mode, focus point, etc.  Can you do it without thinking or trying to look at the buttons?  It might seem silly, but whenever I hold a workshop, this is one of the biggest limitations of my students–they simply don’t know their camera well enough that they can focus on the art rather than the technology.

How long will you let the buttons keep you from taking great pictures?  Make today the day you sit down and get things sorted out so you can start enjoying photography again.  It’s time.

Action #14: Create a photography bucket list (30 minutes)

Decide what you want to accomplish in the world of photography.  Would you eventually like to shoot professionally?  Would you like to travel to distant countries to shoot photography?  Is it your goal to participate in charity events like Help Portrait?  Do you want to get published?  Want to become a photojournalist?  Do you dream of shooting the cover of a magazine?  Whatever your aspirations, commit to them and start working.

I personally created a bucket list (not photography specific) when I was a teenager.  That simple list has pushed me to accomplish things that I never would have accomplished otherwise.  I learned a second language, broke a Guinness World Record, was a student body officer in college, and will soon complete my goal of earning a doctorate degree.  Making a list of photography goals will change your photography forever if you commit to accomplishing them.

Action #15: If you love shooting portraits, discover Model Mayhem

In teaching photography workshops, I am shocked at the number of photographers who enjoy shooting portraits, but never feel they are “good enough” to do a model shoot.  What a shame!  If you enjoy shooting portraits but are getting tired of shooting your friends and family all the time, then take that next step and get a model for a shoot.  ModelMayhem is a website that lists photographers and models so you can get together with a model for a shoot.  Many, or most, of the models are willing to do a shoot for free if you give them copies of the pictures and explain some of the details about what you want to do.

It’s easy, it can be fun for portrait photographers, and it will give you a boost in your confidence as a photographer that will affect your photography for years to come.  Also, it’s the PERFECT way to help you start a photography business, because you’ll have pictures of great looking people to feature on your site.

Action #16: Start a photo essay (1 hour)

A photo essay or photo project is simply a collection of 10 or 15 photos with a similar theme.  Starting a photo essay can not only help you get some recognition, it can help you to take pictures that truly communicate feelings or messages to the viewer.  Learning this vital skill will benefit your photography for the rest of your life.

Action #17:  If you live in the United States, go register your photos (30 minutes)

I’m a law student, so I’m a sucker for the legal aspects of photography.  If you take photos, you already own the copyright to them; however, if someone takes your photo and plasters it on a billboard, you will not be nearly as protected if you haven’t registered your photos.  Among other things, registration will allow you to collect statutory damages.  No clue what statutory damages are?  Just trust me… it would put a smile on your face.  For more information on how to register your photos, read this article by the Photo Attorney.

Protecting your legal rights as photographer will certainly change your photography forever.

Action #18: Make some photo buddies (20 minutes)

Photography is fun and exciting when practiced alone, but it can be lots more fun when you have someone to do it with.  If you spend 20 minutes on Flickr looking for local photographers, or search for a local photography club, or even email another local photographer, you could be well on your way to establishing a relationship with a local photographer who you can enjoy your hobby with.  This makes photography trips more fun, you can share gear, you can learn new tips, and you’ll have someone to be excited for you when you get a great shot.

Another great place to find photo buddies is through Meetup.com.  In most cities, there are a few groups of photographers who you can meet up with for free!

Action #19: Make a list of 20 locations you want to shoot this year (1 hour)

I can’t stand to hear photographers say that they didn’t get up to shoot the sunrise because they weren’t sure what to take pictures of.  As the old quote goes, “There are only a fixed number of sunrises and sunsets to be enjoyed in a lifetime.  The wise photographer will do the math and not waste any of them.”  Writing down a list of 20 interesting places in your town will help you to get out of the house because you won’t have the “there’s nothing to shoot” excuse.  Every town has great places to shoot if you just put your mind to it.

Action #20: Rent a new lens

Buying a new lens can be quite expensive, but renting is very affordable.  By renting a new lens, you’ll see things in a whole new way.  Often, when I’m going on a big photography trip, I try to get my hands on a new lens so I can see things with a fresh perspective.  If you haven’t rented before, then I would recommend BorrowLenses.com.  They are honest people with high-quality gear, and they give back to the photo community.  If you’re not sure what to rent from BorrowLenses, then check out my list of the most outstanding lenses available.

Treating yourself to a new lens can change your photography forever by helping you to break out of your box and develop a new technique that you will likely use for the rest of your life.  Rent something fun.  If you shoot landscape, then rent a long wildlife lens;  If you shoot portraits, then rent a fisheye; If you usually shoot macro, then try a wide-angle lens.  Renting a lens can definitely help you get out of a rut.

Action #21: Go read the two best photography tutorials ever written (35 minutes)

In my opinion, the two best photography tutorials ever written are The HDR Tutorial by Trey Ratcliff and The Off-Camera Lighting Tutorial by David Hobby.  If you haven’t read these tutorials or learned about these two techniques, your photography is not as good as it could be.  These are the only two articles I can recommend that would actually change your photography forever.  They are that good!

Action #22: Share this article on Facebook or Twitter by pressing the button at the top right

Okay… fine.  This definitely won’t change your photography forever, but I would appreciate you paying it forward by sharing your knowledge of this article with the people on your social networks.  It’s easy and it’s a big help to me.

To become part of the Improve Photography community, LIKE our Facebook fan page.  I personally answer every photography question posted on the Facebook page.

Oh, and I got the idea for this post from a totally unrelated website, ManVsDebt.  If you’re into entrepreneurship and personal finance, it’s a great blog.

 Further Reading:

• Cool Infographic! 29 Things You Can Do Today to Change Your Photography Forever
• 15 Creative Photography Project Ideas to Get You Shooting
• How Should I Process and Select Photos for the Customer?
• Photographing Pets – How to Get Started

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Introduction

My inbox is filled each morning with questions from students in my online photography classes asking various photography questions.  I’m glad to get the questions because it helps me to think of what I should write about here on Improve Photography.  You would be shocked to see how many of the questions are about sharpness and how to avoid blurry pictures.  Most of the time, the question goes something like this…

“Hey Jim. I love doing photography, but the pictures that I get from my current assortment of beginner lenses aren’t very clear. How can I get sharper and clearer pictures?”

So, 99% of the blurry pictures I see are not caused by problems with the lens.  Most of the time, the picture was not taken properly.  If you feel like sharpness is an issue, then you should first read this previous post with tips on getting sharper pictures.  Once you’ve done that, then it’s time to get to the nitty-gritty of how to hold a camera.

Why does it matter how I hold my DSLR?

Grab a flashlight or a laser light and shine it on the wall across the room.  No matter how hard you try, it is impossible to hold the light perfectly still.  That’s actually an accurate description of sharpness in photography.  Your camera is attempting to record light from an area away from the camera, yet the camera is moving.  Learning to hold your camera properly will hugely impact how slow of a shutter speed you can achieve while hand-holding.

It’s ironic to me that many photographers are willing to spend thousands of dollars on fast lenses or new cameras with better low-light performance, yet they don’t spend 10 minutes to think of the steadiest ways to hold the camera.

Fundamentals of holding the camera properly

The most important aspect of holding a DSLR properly is good contact points.  The problem with the photographer featured on this page is that her arms are not supported at all, so they cannot hold the camera steadily.  While standing up, you can usually achieve solid contact points by resting your elbows against your body.

When holding the camera while crouching, kneeling, or lying down, photographers make many mistakes.  In these positions, photographers often rest their elbows on hard surfaces.  For example, while kneeling, many photographers rest one elbow on the knee.  This position is not solid because the joint-to-joint contact allows for a lot of play.  By scooting the elbow back slightly so it rests on the meat of the leg rather than on the knee, the contact point is much more solid.  This is a tip used by rifle shooters to increase their stability while aiming, and it is just as applicable for photographers.

Holding the camera in landscape orientation (horizontal)

The most important aspect of holding a camera in landscape orientation is that the elbows are tucked in tightly against the body.  This may feel awkward at first, but it will pay off when shooting in low-light or when you need to use a slow shutter speed without a tripod.

Second, be sure to press the viewfinder firmly against your face.  When I hold my camera to my face, I turn my head slightly so that it contacts some of my cheek, which is an additional contact point.

Last, recognize that most people will be able to hold a heavier camera more steadily than a light camera.  The body has a tough time reducing jitters without something to push against.  While I have found this to be true for me, it may not be true for all people.  My wife hates shooting with my Nikon because it is so heavy that she can’t hold it still.

The picture below illustrates how to correctly hold a camera in landscape orientation.  Want an example of how NOT to hold a DSLR?  Look no further than the Improve Photography logo.  See how the elbows extend out from the body and form a right angle under the DSLR?  It’s bad news…

Now that I've realized that the Improve Photography logo is wrong, do you suppose its worth it to pay a designer $50 to fix it?

Holding the camera in portrait orientation (vertical)

The vertical position is one of the most difficult positions to hand-hold, because one elbow needs to be raised in the air and has no contact point with the body; however, there are a few things you can do to increase your stability when hand-holding the DSLR in the vertical position.

The first tip is to consider purchasing a battery grip for your camera.  A battery grip is an extension to the bottom of the camera that holds an extra battery and provides a secondary shutter button so you don’t have to reach up and over the camera to reach the built-in shutter button.  This feature comes standard with high-end DSLRs, but battery grips are available for any model camera.  While the battery grip made by the manufacturer (Canon or Nikon, for instance) costs about $200, you can usually buy a cheap third-party battery grip for your camera for under $50.  Just head over to Amazon and search the name of your camera and the words “battery grip” and you’ll be sure to find it.

If you don’t own a battery grip for your camera, then pay special attention to the picture below.  The model on the left has no support under her elbows, so it will be impossible to hold the camera steadily.  The model on the right uses the support by her elbow to be much more steady.  This simple fix can allow you to shoot at much slower shutter speeds than would otherwise be possible.

The photographer on the left has no support for the elbows with the camera in the vertical position, but the photographer on the right has supported the camera properly.

• The #1 Night Photography Mistake
• 13 Things Your Camera Wishes You Knew
• How to Photograph Lightning
• How Long Will My Shutter Last?

Using the LCD to determine proper exposure

One of the most significant benefits to digital cameras is the LCD screen, which shows you your picture immediately after it was taken.  Unfortunately, the LCD also causes severe problems for photographers.  In this post, I’ll explain a few methods for determining if your exposure is correct by looking at the LCD of the camera.

Is the LCD Accurate?

If you look at the photo on your LCD screen and determine the correct exposure from looking at that photo, you can really get into trouble.  Let me give you two examples of how this can cause trouble.

I have recently been using the phenomenal Nikon D7000 after switching over from Canon.  After my first 4 or 5 shoots with the camera, I noticed consistent over-exposure problems.  I even compared the photo on my LCD to what I saw on the calibrated computer monitor and saw dramatic differences in brightness.  To fix this problem, I simply turned down the brightness of the DSLR LCD screen to -1.  Problem solved.  The LCD now matches the computer screen much more closely and I can mostly trust the LCD.

Another example of when it is a poor idea to judge exposure by looking at the LCD is when shooting night photography.  Because it is pure black all around you, night photographers make the common mistake of thinking the exposure is brighter than it really is.  This results in under-exposed night photos.

Using the Histogram

The histogram is a tiny graph that you camera can display.  The histogram shows the brightness levels of the data in the photo.  You can access your histogram on any DSLR manufactured in the last 4 years by pressing the display button to see different display options while reviewing photos via the playback feature.  The lines appearing toward the left of the histogram are dark areas of the photo, and the lines on the right represent the bright areas of the photo. It makes little difference how many lines are where on the photo, but a correct exposure means that none of the lines touch the far right or far left of the photo.  This prevents shadow and highlight clipping.

I rarely use the histogram because it takes too long and takes my focus away from taking photos.  However, I always use the histogram at night to assure that the brightness of the LCD isn’t tricking my eyes, and I always use the LCD when I’m using a camera that is new to me.  This prevents me from being tricked by an LCD that is unusually bright or dark.  I also use the histogram when working with flash photography or in other tricky lighting situations.Further Reading:

• What Photographers Need to Know About Sharpening for the Web and Print
• How to Color Calibrate Your Monitor for Photo Editing
• Questions and Answers on Night HDR Photography
• How to use spot metering for portraits