Discover Digital Photography

There are many 'rules' of photography (I prefer to think of them as guidelines) that we can follow in the effort for outstanding photos. But sometimes not following the rules can result in a more interesting and engaging photograph.

Now, I'm not saying that you shouldn't bother learning the 'rules' of photography, or that you should ignore them completely. Rather, once you have learned the rules, and how they work, you will then know when to make a conscious decision to break a rule.

• Bad: Breaking a rule because you don't know any better.
• Good: Breaking a rule because you want (or don't want) to achieve a certain effect.

With that out of the way, let's look at some examples of where breaking the rules can work well.

Unless you only shoot under bright daylight, then you'll probably have had the problem at least once in a while where an image comes out slightly blurred from camera shake. This happens when there is not enough light for the camera to use a fast shutter speed.

The slower the shutter speed the camera has to use, the more likely it is that any small movements of the camera will be recorded, resulting in a blurry photo. The longer the focal length of the lens, the larger any small movement will be magnified. So longer lenses require faster shutter speeds than shorter lenses.

In this article I want to look at three methods of stabilizing lenses / cameras. These three methods all allow you to shoot at a slower shutter speed, but without getting blurring from camera shake. The three methods are a tripod, in-lens image stabilization, and in-camera image stabilization (also known as sensor stabilization).

Calibrating your monitor is something that many people overlook. However, it is actually quite important. Most monitors will not display your photos (or anyone elses) correctly with their standard settings. Normally the screen is either too dark or too bright, but their can be color problems too.

Close-up images of insects can be fascinating. They often have an other-worldy look about them, as we are not used to seeing them so large.

There are millions of different species of insects, and they are all around us. But unfortunately this does not mean they are easy to photograph! In this article I'll share a few tips to help you get better insect photos.

furry Lady beetle from W-Java by gbohne on flickr (licensed CC-BY-SA)

It happens to even the best of us, sometimes we just lack the motivation to photograph. Or maybe you still take photos every now and then, but they just don't seem to work.

Thankfully photographer's block can be cured quite easily. Here are a few tips to help you get out of your photographic rut and back to taking great photos.

Interesting clouds can make all the difference to a great landscape photo. But have you ever thought about making the clouds your main subject?

Clouds come in a wide variety of types, and are always shifting and moving. You don't need to travel to get nice cloud shots. You can take cloud photos from the same location at the same time every day, and still end up with a good varied selection of shots.

clouds by Zest-pk on flickr (licensed CC-BY)

A tip I've mentioned several times before is to simplify your composition. By removing all distracting elements from a photo, you force the viewer's attention to where it should be - your subject.

If something in the frame doesn't add positively to the photo, then remove it. Too many elements in a single image results in 'information overload', and the viewer doesn't know where to look. But how exactly do you go about simplifying the composition of a photo?

Dragonflies and damselflies, with their bright colors and almost alien appearance, can make great subjects for photos. They can move incredibly quickly, and are often quite skittish, so are not the easiest of subjects. But in this article I'll share a few tips to help you get better Dragonfly and Damselfly photos.

Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragonfly hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky. by Krikit ♥ on flickr (licensed CC-BY)

(Mostly in this article I refer to Dragonflies, this is just to save constantly writing Dragonflies and Damselflies all the time. The behavior and tips described in this article apply to both Dragonflies and Damselflies.)

When considering a new camera, we often just look at the features and cost of the camera compared to similar cameras. However, there are many 'hidden' costs as well.

It's not really that the other costs are hidden, but just that we don't normally think about them. If you are planning on buying a simple compact camera, there aren't many other extra costs. But for more advanced cameras, especially interchangeable lens cameras, there can be quite a few extra costs.

So, in this article I'll cover these items whose costs can quickly add to the cost of the camera alone. All the items are optional, but you will probably find yourself wanting some of them, so it is a good idea to consider their cost when budgeting for a new camera.

Back when I first decided on becoming a professional photographer and get involved with photo marketing on a full time basis, I thought - foolishly - that all I had to do was practice and study all the latest techniques for creating stunning images! Then, once I learned to consistently do brilliant work, my career as a professional photographer would be more or less cast in stone.

Boy was I wrong! If you want to earn great money in photo marketing (I've lost count of how many $1000 days I've had) by becoming a professional photographer and working in the career of your dreams - here are 3 vital things you NEED to know. BTW - you can and should start part time!