iPhone bird photography: a beginners’ guide

Tyler Greenly Bird photography is a fun but expensive hobby, as many enthusiasts will attest. A full-frame camera can easily run into the thousands and the telephoto lens? Well, depending on the range and maximum aperture you desire, it can be the cost of a small car. The Nikon Z 800mm f/6.3, for instance, retails… Continue reading iPhone bird photography: a beginners’ guide

Tips from the pros: 3 keys to taking better bird pictures

A great grey owl. ISO 1600, 1/200 sec, f/5.6 @ 70mm. Michael Cummings/Getty Images This post on better bird pictures has been updated. It was originally published on June 3, 2015. At once challenging and wondrous subjects, birds are fast, elusive, biologically diverse, and can be stunningly beautiful. “There are about 10,000 species of birds… Continue reading Tips from the pros: 3 keys to taking better bird pictures

How to disable ‘Suggested Posts’ on Instagram

Reclaim your feed. Getty Images When Instagram unveiled a way to bring back the chronological feed, the announcement also seemed to hint that Meta might soon be adding a lot more suggested content to your algorithmic feed. Well, if you’ve been on Instagram in the past few weeks, you’ve probably noticed that that time has… Continue reading How to disable ‘Suggested Posts’ on Instagram

How to take good pictures in bright sunlight

Using a flash may seem counterintuitive on a bright day but it’s the perfect tool for overcoming harsh shadows subject’s faces. Stan Horaczek Bright sunlight is one of the most challenging weather conditions to shoot in. If you’re not careful, your photos can come out wildly overexposed, brutally underexposed, or way too contrasty and filled… Continue reading How to take good pictures in bright sunlight

In a self-portrait series, Chinelle Rojas reclaims her identity

One of Rojas’ favorite portraits is this one, which she made with Prisma colored pencils. Chinelle Rojas In an age saturated with selfies, the art of the self-portrait can feel diluted at best, and an indulgence of vanity at worst. But for Florida-based creative Chinelle Rojas, it’s been an avenue for accepting her identity and… Continue reading In a self-portrait series, Chinelle Rojas reclaims her identity

How to shoot better firework photos with your smartphone

Getty Images If you’ve ever tried to snap photos of fireworks with your phone, you probably weren’t very happy with the results. Thankfully, with a bit of care and by using the right tools, you can get much better images.  Use the right lens While it‘s tempting to zoom in when you’re taking photos of… Continue reading How to shoot better firework photos with your smartphone

How to Digitize Slides

With plenty of options, it’s never been easier to digitize your slide film. Stan Horaczek This post has been updated. It was originally published on December 17, 2008. Got stacks of slide carousels loaded with holiday, vacation, and other family memories? Those trays hold too much personal history to be tossed, but in their current… Continue reading How to Digitize Slides

How to edit your digital photos to look like film

Edited using The Archetype Process Fuji Pro400H +2 Normal Frontier profile. The Archetype Process Analog photography has been experiencing a renaissance over the past several years, yet despite an increase in demand, film prices are sky high and availability is scarce. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to edit digital photos to look like film.… Continue reading How to edit your digital photos to look like film

An introduction to microscopic photography

This ice crystal was approximately 1 mm in size. The picture was made at 2:00 pm and the temperature was 14 F. This type of flake is called a stellar dendrite. Michael Peres This post has been updated. It was originally published on Aug. 26, 2015. Michael Peres loves photographing the tiny details of our… Continue reading An introduction to microscopic photography

How to get a blurry background in portraits

Dan Bracaglia A blurry, out-of-focus background is often seen as a sign of a professional or high-quality portrait. While it’s certainly a bit of a simplistic take, it’s undeniable that portraits with a sharp subject and a soft, creamy background are popular, and a look that many photographers want to create. Here’s how.  What makes… Continue reading How to get a blurry background in portraits