Landscape photos can often benefit with something in the foreground like a tree or a fence, but the problem is making sure it’s all in focus.

In our video tutorial below, we’ll explain how to achieve this effect, and at the bottom of the page you’ll find a reminder of the steps you’ll need to take.

Checklist: How to take landscapes with lots in focus

1: Switch your camera to Aperture Priority mode by turning the mode dial to ‘A’ or on Canon models, ‘Av’.

2: Zoom your lens out to its wide angle setting – this will help maximise the amount in focus.

3: Choose a larger f-number to increase the range of distances in sharp focus. Try f16 as a starter.

4: Check your photo. If there’s still not enough in focus, try increasing the f-number to, say, f22.

5: After taking your photo, remember to set the mode dial back to Auto or Program mode.

Watch out!

As you increase the f-number, less light gets into your camera, which in turn means you’ll need a much slower exposure to compensate. Your camera works this out for you in Aperture Priority mode, but you’ll still need to watch out for camera shake. So always hold your camera very steady when using big f-numbers.

Tripods can provide a steady base, or alternatively cameras and lenses with anti-shake facilities can greatly help here – see below. If you are using a tripod, remember pressing the shutter release button can still wobble your shot. So always take the photo using a shutter release cable or the self-timer to avoid all chance of shake.

Equipment tip

The simplest way to avoid camera shake is to use a tripod. Manfrotto models are widely regarded as the best around and allow you to separately buy the legs and thehead unit.  A great starter combination are the Manfrotto 055 legs and 460MG head unit. If you’d prefer to travel lighter, consider a Joby Gorillapod who’s flexible legs can be wrapped around almost anything from a railing to a branch for a steady grip.

Anti-shake facilities are now being built into many DSLRs and lenses. These allow you to handhold much slower exposures than normal, although for the longest you’ll still need a tripod. Source: http://dslrtips.com

When it comes to taking photos of sports or other fast-moving subjects, you’d imagine that freezing the action is your best bet – and certainly that’s the case for some situations. But in others you’ll end up with a lifeless shot which looks static and lacks any feeling of speed or excitement.

If you’re photographing any kind of race with cars, bikes, horses or greyhounds zooming past, then you can often get a far more dramatic effect by blurring some aspect of the image. This will show the subject really was moving quickly and will give a far greater impression of motion.

Checklist: How to blur action shots

1: Switch your camera to Shutter Priority mode by turning the mode dial to ‘S’ or on Canon models, ‘Tv’.

2: Choose a slower shutter speed which will blur the action. 1/60 is a good starting point.

3: Follow the subject through the viewfinder as you take the picture. Make sure you keep moving the camera as you press the button.

4: If the background isn’t sufficiently blurred, choose a slower shutter, such as 1/30 or 1/15. If the action is too blurred, choose a faster shutter like 1/125.

5: After taking your photo, remember to set the mode dial back to Auto or Program (P) mode.

Watch Out!

1: If your camera or lens has anti-shake facilities, they might get confused by the panning motion. Some models have a special setting for panning. Other, newer models, can automatically detect panning. Check your manual, but if yours has neither, it’s best to switch the anti-shake off while taking these kind of photos.

Source: http://dslrtips.com

When it comes to photographing moving subjects, you’d naturally assume freezing the action would give the best result. That’s certainly the case for some subjects, but others can end up looking static and lifeless. Waterfalls and rivers are classic examples which can take on a far more dramatic appearance when the water itself is blurred.

In the photo, we’ve adjusted the shutter speed for a slower exposure which has blurred the water, giving both a dreamy appearance and a far greater impression of motion. In our video tutorial below, we’ll explain how to achieve this effect, and at the bottom of the page you’ll find a reminder of the steps you’ll need to take.

Checklist: Blurring water for a creative effect

1: Switch your camera to Shutter Priority mode by turning the mode dial to ‘S’ or on Canon models, ‘Tv’.

2: Choose a slower than normal shutter speed to blur the water. 1/30 is a good starting point.

3: Check your photo. If the water isn’t blurred enough, choose a slower shutter speed like 1/15 or 1/8.  Note you may need a tripod or an anti-shake system to avoid camera shake – see below.

4: In shutter priority, your camera will work out the aperture setting for you. If the f-number starts flashing though, it means it can’t balance the shot. In this example, the exposure may be too long, so if your sensitivity (ISO) is already at the lowest number, you’ll have to choose a slightly quicker shutter speed until the f-number stops flashing.

5: After taking your photo, remember to set the mode dial back to Auto or Program mode.

Watch out!

As you reduce the shutter speed, you become more susceptible to camera shake. People vary, but if you’re using a kit lens zoomed-out to wide angle without any kind of anti-shake, the slowest handheld exposure you’ll normally get away with is about 1/30. If you naturally shake, you may need at least 1/60, but if you’re very steady, then you may be ok at 1/15. If you zoom-in at all, you’ll need faster exposures to compensate for the greater magnification.

So when applying this technique to blur water, always hold your camera very steady. Tripods can provide a steady base, or alternatively cameras and lenses with anti-shake facilities can greatly help here – see below. If you are using a tripod, remember pressing the shutter release button can still wobble your shot. So always take the photo with either a shutter release cable or the self-timer to avoid all chance of shake.

Equipment tip

The simplest way to avoid camera shake is to use a tripod. Manfrotto models are widely regarded as the best around and allow you to separately buy the legs and the head unit. A great starter combination are the Manfrotto 190-series legs and the 460MG head unit. If you’d prefer to travel lighter, consider a Joby Gorillapod who’s flexible legs can be wrapped around almost anything from a railing to a branch for a steady grip.

Anti-shake facilities are now being built into many DSLRs and lenses. These allow you to handhold much slower exposures than normal, although for the longest you’ll still need a tripod.

Watch out! Too bright? Use a ‘Neutral Density’ filter

As you select slower exposures in Shutter Priority mode to blur action, your camera will automatically close the iris in the lens in order to maintain a correct exposure. So far so good, but at a certain point, the iris will be at its smallest size, beyond which slower shutter speeds will mean an over-exposed image. When this happens, you’ll normally see your aperture f-number start flashing as a warning your camera can’t balance the exposure.

This can be a problem if you’re trying to use the blurring technique on a bright subject as even with the aperture closed to its smallest opening, the shutter speed for a correct exposure may still end up being too quick to blur the motion.

Presuming your camera is already set to its lowest sensitivity (the smallest ISO number), the solution is to attach a special filter onto your lens which blocks some of the light. Since these filters only reduce the light entering the camera and don’t affect the colour, they’re known as ‘Neutral Density’ filters.

A 2x Neutral Density filter will halve the light entering your camera, while a 4x will quarter it. They’re very handy accessories to have if you like the technique described on this page. Simply buy a model with a screw thread which matches your lens -- most DSLR kit lenses have a filter thread diameter of 58mm, but it will always be written on the front of the lens.

A polarising filter can also act as a Neutral Density filter, although depending on its position and the surroundings, it may have other effects too. Either way, both types of filter reduce the light entering your camera, allowing you to use slower shutter speeds without suffering from overexposure. (Source: http://dslrtips.com)

Photos taken at night can produce spectacular results – in fact many cities present their best views after dark. Night photography can also be very forgiving in bad weather, so if rain’s prevented you from grabbing the shots you want of a city, it’s well worth trying again after sunset. Night photography can prove quite a challenge in Automatic modes, but it’s surprisingly easy with a few simple tricks and in this workshop we’ll explain how.

In the photo of Christmas lights above left, the camera’s automatic settings have selected an exposure that’s way too quick, and as a consequence the image is too dark. The trick to successful night photography is to get much more light into your camera for a decent-looking image, as seen in the image above right. In our video tutorial below, we’ll explain how to achieve this effect, and at the bottom of the page you’ll find a reminder of the steps you’ll need to take.

Checklist: Night photography

1: Switch your camera to Manual mode by turning the mode dial to ‘M’.

2: Choose the smallest f-number available and a relatively long shutter speed to record the lights. One second is a good starting point and most cameras indicate seconds using double quotes, so look for 1”.

3: Keep your camera very steady. Preferably use a tripod or a Gorillapod. Use the self-timer to avoid wobbling the camera as you press the button.

4: Check your photo. If the lights aren’t bright enough, try a slower shutter speed. If the lights are too bright, try a quicker shutter speed.

5: After taking your photo, remember to set the mode dial back to Auto or Program mode.

Watch out!

Always temporarily switch off any anti-shake or image stabilisation systems when using a tripod. If the camera is perfectly steady these systems can actually introduce wobbling as they attempt to counteract something which isn’t there.

Some cameras will also have difficulty focusing in dark conditions, so if yours is having problems, switch the lens to manual and focus on the lights. If they are distant, focus the lens to infinity.

Another way to maximise available light is to increase your camera’s sensitivity by using a bigger ISO number. Increasing the sensitivity will however reduce your picture quality and may still not give you a quick enough exposure to handhold. So stick to using a tripod and a low ISO number for the best quality.

Equipment tip

As explained in the video, there’s just two tricks to successful night photography and one is keeping the camera steady. The simplest way to avoid camera shake is to use a tripod. Manfrotto models are widely regarded as the best around and allow you to separately buy the legs and the head unit. If you’d prefer to travel lighter, consider a Joby Gorillapod who’s flexible legs can be wrapped around almost anything from a railing to a branch for a steady grip. (source: http://dslrtips.com)