For those who love natural surroundings, photographing wildlife can be both therapeutic and rewarding. It could also drive you mad if approached in a hurry. Patience and preparation are among the essentials for this kind of enterprise. Animals, especially wild ones, are unpredictable!

Follow this guide for tips on how to capture outstanding wildlife photographs.

Wildlife photography starts with research

The key to becoming a better wildlife photographer is to first know your subject. Learn about their habitat, diet, behaviour, and when they’re on the move. Is the animal dangerous, timid or aggressive? Are they found in packs or alone? Not only will this ensure you’re fully prepared when out in the field, but you’ll be better at anticipating their movements, keeping safe and taking great photographs.

It’s a good idea to seek out other wildlife photographers and check out their guides to learn from the best. Photographers like Mattias Klum, Will Burrard Lucas, Frans Lanting and Amy Gulick, to name just a few, can provide great inspiration.

There are many wonderful images among the Wildlife Photographer of the Year past and present winners, too. We have a vast library of articles on wildlife and nature photography in the wildlife photography section of this website, and if you know what type(s) of animal you want to photograph, you should be able to find a specific guide to photographing them: be they birds, nocturnal animals, or Rhinos in Africa.

What kit do I need for wildlife photography?

Start simple

If you’re reading this guide because you are new to wildlife photography, you may assume you need fancy and expensive long lenses. This really is not the case. All you need to get going is a camera and lens.

We’ve spoken to many wildlife photographers who started out with their existing kit. For example, Sam Hobson made his name using a wide-angle lens (not your typical go-to lens for wildlife). His wide-angle, award-winning Bristol city fox images are incredible and well worth checking out.

Budget options

If you do want to invest in a more traditional long-zoom wildlife lens, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary DG OS HSM is a great budget option. One of these second-hand can be picked up for around $1,000 / £900.

There’s also a range of other lenses that are well suited to wildlife use, or for a simpler option, an ultra-zoom camera could be a good option. For more options, check out our guide to the best budget telephoto lenses for wildlife and best lenses for wildlife photography.

For those with a smaller budget, an extender is worth considering. This piece of kit fits in between your lens and camera body, so make sure you purchase one that is compatible with your camera system and existing lens.

An extender’s job is to increase the focal length of a lens. For example, a 2x extender on a 200mm lens will convert the lens to 400mm. An x1.4 extender on a 200mm lens will increase the lens to 280mm. It’s worth noting that the extender will decrease your widest aperture setting. For example, if your lens can open up to f/2.8 with an x1.4 extender aperture setting will become f/4. With a x2 extender, you will lose 2 aperture stops so your widest setting will become f/5.6.

Extenders vary in price, and we’d recommend hunting around on the second-hand market to save money.

Which camera is best for wildlife photography for beginners?

The same applies: All you need is a camera and lens. In addition to this guide, check out our picks of the best cameras for wildlife photography, which have everything from budget-friendly models for beginners to the absolute best professional cameras on the market.

Watch and observe wildlife

It’s better to resist the temptation to start snapping as soon as you spot an animal. Stand back, observe and assess the subject and environment first. Watch how the animal behaves. Are they okay with your presence? Where is the light coming from? Where is the best background? Is their behaviour predictable? Are you in the best position?

Sometimes we can achieve more by slowing down and shooting less. Be prepared to return to the same location and have perseverance to get a good shot. Don’t feel disheartened if you don’t achieve what you want right away – Rome wasn’t built in a day!

You also need to know when to stop. The welfare of the animal needs to be put above your needs to get a great shot. For example, mothers with newborns will feel very threatened if you are too close, and avoid clambering around on rocks when birds are nesting. This is why you need to research thoroughly, as there is no excuse for ignorance. Leave each environment you’ve been in with no trace.

Read this guide to being an ethical wildlife photographer.

Wildlife camera setup and settings

What settings should I use for wildlife photography?

There is no right or wrong shooting mode for photographing wildlife. Each photographer will have their own approach – ensuring that the camera is set up and ready to go is the main thing. We want to be ready to capture action as it happens.

As a good starting point, I find it easiest to shoot in Shutter priority mode. In this mode, you can fully control the shutter speed and leave the camera to work out the best aperture and ISO speed setting. Although your camera calculates these settings, you need to be aware of what your aperture and ISO speed settings are reading.

• Put your camera into Shutter priority (S or Tv)
• Check the light – increase your ISO setting if need be
• Open the aperture wider if you need more light

Using shutter priority will be of particular benefit for fast-moving subjects, and using a fast shutter speed such as 1/500s is a good starting point (more on this below). If you know your subject is slow moving, then you might want to use aperture priority so that you can more easily control the amount in focus in the shot.

If you don’t yet have a grasp on shutter speeds, apertures and ISO, we suggest you spend some time getting to know these settings on your camera and to experiment with the different effects they can achieve. For a refresher, read our guide to exposure, aperture, ISO, shutter speeds and more.

Make sure it’s sharp

There are three main things to consider for achieving sharp wildlife shots: the shutter speed, aperture setting and focus.

Use a fast shutter speed

Make sure the shutter speed is reading at least 1/500sec if the animal you are photographing is moving or for very fast movements 1/1000sec. If it is stationary, then you’ll be fine with a setting of 1/200sec or above (depending on the lens you’re using).

Aperture setting

How much of the animal do you want sharp? For example, if you are close and focus on the eye at f/2.8, the eye will be sharp but the face will blur. This can look great if that’s what you desire, but for other features, like the nose to be sharp, you’ll need to close the aperture down. In this example, the Rhesus Macaque monkey in the foreground is in focus and the one behind is soft, as the image was taken at f/2.8 (on a full-frame camera).

Focus

Focus needs to be spot-on. Our preferred method is to use the single-point AF setting on our camera and set the focus to continuous AF tracking. That way, if your subject is moving (even little movements), you’ll have more chance of keeping it sharp. Trying to predict where your subject will move into the frame helps with this aspect, and again, this is where your research will help.

The latest mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Fujifilm offer subject detection AF for a variety of wildlife depending on the camera model chosen. Subjects include birds (Olympus and Fujifilm) and pets (cats and dogs), along with other animals. Plus, the system is designed to detect and focus on the subject’s eyes! This is an extremely helpful feature for this genre.

Motion and when not to be sharp

There are some circumstances in wildlife photography when a slow shutter speed is more appropriate than a fast one. For example, capturing the motion of flocks of birds flying across the sky, or panning with a moving animal to blur the background and give the feeling of motion. You can experiment with this technique to produce something different.

Push the ISO

Any photographer will tell you that they love a low ISO setting as they then don’t have to deal with noise. However, when shooting moving subjects like wildlife, we have to be prepared to push the ISO up and embrace the grain. It’s more important to have a subject sharp and a little grainy than completely unusable. If an image has too much noise, then you can always process the raw files, and reduce it further.

Technical perfection should not be the main aim of wildlife photography. Many great images of animals have been captured which are slightly blurred. The quality of a shot should be assessed on other factors, too – if it tells a story, is unusual or dramatic, then be inclined to overlook minor flaws.

The background is essential!

The background setting of your wildlife image is undoubtedly as important as the main subject, whatever your approach, as it can completely change the look of an image. To shoot a strong animal portrait, look for a plain background to frame your subject against. In some circumstances (certainly not all), you may even be able to drop in a plain background behind the subject(s).

For example, if you set up a bird feeder in the garden, you could do so in front of a studio backdrop and choose whatever colour you want behind. Although there is much we can’t control in wildlife photography, sometimes we can create better conditions for ourselves to enhance our luck.

In a wide-angle wildlife image, the setting is vital as well. You want to use the scene to tell the story. Experiment with different camera angles – often coming down low gives an alternative take on a scene – for an unusual perspective.

Keep wildlife photography local

We recommend looking to see what’s on your doorstep and keeping your wildlife photography as local as possible – even in the city there are many wild animals around, including birds, squirrels, pigeons, foxes and more. Another advantage to shooting locally is you can keep returning to the same spot daily, and eventually capture that amazing shot you set out to achieve.

Stay in one spot

It may seem tempting to run after your subject. However, you’ll probably have more success by staying in one spot, camera ready. This is especially true for shooting small and fast animals. They get spooked easily and run away, or you end up with blurry shots of them on the move.

My final tip for this guide is to use a garden or local park, both of which are great settings for wildlife photography. Ten minutes sitting still in a backyard can reveal how much wildlife we have all around us. Observing first, watching for behavioural patterns, are preparation for getting great shots.

Article: Claire Gillo and AP Staff, Lead image: James Warwick, Getty Images

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera to take photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• Understanding white balance settings and colour
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Complete guide to Portrait Photography
• Complete guide to Macro Photography
• Complete guide to Street Photography
• Guide to Landscape Photography
• How to shoot Action and Sports Photography

Further guides on wildlife photography:

• Wildlife conservation photography: Tom Svensson reveals all
• How to be an ethical wildlife photographer
• How to capture fast-moving birds (and animals)
• How to photograph butterflies
• How to photograph animals
• How to photograph pets

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What is Street Photography?

Street photography can involve random, spontaneous, chance events in public places – people and how they behave – to become a document recording life in a specific moment, period and place. Or you could take an aesthetic approach to capturing the still environment of buildings and architecture itself; with its colours, lights and shapes.

Pioneered by people like Paul Martin, there are a number of other famous photographers who are known for street photography including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Garry Winogrand, and Tony Ray-Jones. Have a look through some of their photographs for inspiration, and notice how fashions have changed over the years.

Which camera should I take to the street?

The camera – it’s up to you. This will depend largely on how you feel about your public presence as a photographer. Some recommend a small camera and minimal amounts of kit, to remain discreet. Other street photographers have used larger DSLRs like the Nikon D5, and even cameras with a flashgun – hardly subtle!

Bruce Gilden is famous for using flash in his street photography. If you don’t already have a camera, and think Street Photography is going to be your primary interest, then have a look at our guide to the best cameras for street photography.

You can use whatever camera you have with you, be that a smartphone, a real camera (more fun), and use autofocus (assuming the camera has it). You may prefer to use a camera with an optical or electronic viewfinder, such as a Digital SLR or Mirrorless camera, or you may prefer to “shoot from the hip” and use a camera with a tilting screen, so you can shoot from down low or high up.

We have two great guides on how to start, one where Damien Demolder shows you how to set up your camera for street photography. And another with Amy Davies who explains how to use smartphones for street photography.

How should I prepare for Street Photography?

It should go without saying, but ensure your camera battery is charged, and your memory card has plenty of space. Your mobile phone should have enough charge, too, just in case.

The main thing is to be familiar with your camera and to use the camera you have. If you own different models, use that which brings you the most joy, or you’re most comfortable using in public spaces. Wear comfortable, practical clothes and footwear, as you’ll most likely cover some ground.

Make sure you’re familiar with the environment you’re photographing. It makes sense to walk around the area with your camera in your pocket the first time you go somewhere to spot good places to shoot, as well as assess the area for safety. As for the weather: with an appropriate camera, shooting in the rain, dawn, dusk, at night, present whole new worlds of atmosphere for image capture.

Ethical street photography

No matter your subject – people or places, before heading out to photograph on the streets, be sure that you are mindful of street photography law and understand how to be an ethical street photographer.

Four “Simple” Steps for Street Photography: Look – Wait – Snap – Edit

1 – Look

It’s no good approaching street photography by staring at your phone. Put it away! Hold onto your camera, ready to shoot when needed. Be in the moment, observe people and watch events as they unfold. Interesting sights that could combine to make an interesting photo will emerge.

You could look for juxtaposition, between the subject, such as a person and the surroundings, this could be matching, or contrasting colours. Be on the lookout for interesting people, streets, art, and buildings, or anything else that can make for a stimulating composition or framing device.

2 – Wait

Patience is key. Be ready for something to happen at any time and expect the unexpected. Often, you’ll need to wait for something to happen. More than this, the shot is in the eye of the beholder: wait in a spot and tune your attention to the optical quality of what is unfolding before you. Light, colour, shapes, contrasts, mood, energy. A unique and stunning shot could be had in the blink of an eye – don’t miss it!

At times you will move to another location, or frame the scene differently by moving your camera for something interesting to appear. Wait for a change in the light to alter the tone of the scene. You can revisit locations at different times of the day for this. Depending on your style, you can avoid or wait for the rush hours to capture the movement energy of cars and people en masse to your composition.

3 – Snap

Take the photo and use a quick enough shutter speed (1/200s), use a bright enough aperture (f/2.8 or similar), use whatever ISO speed is needed to keep your shutter speed quick enough. Noise doesn’t matter in street photography. Being ready in the moment to capture it is what you are there for. In any case, you can always convert the photo to black and white if noise is excessive.

For more inspiration read about black and white street photography here.

4 – Edit (this is optional)

You can present your images just as they are, especially if you just want a record of people and places, or carry out ‘reportage’ photography. To get the most from them though, you’ll want to edit your photos; be it for contrast, to boost colours, crop images, or convert them into black and white (monochrome). Find out how to make your street photos stand out.

What makes good street photography?

Good street photography showcases given moments of time out on the street, in its surroundings. Street photos show defined subjects and tell their story. Stay aware of the environment and evolving situations. This includes looking at colours, shapes, lights, shadows and how they change, but also observing people and how they move, the shapes they embody.

Some of the best street photography is unplanned and candid. Don’t envisage a particular shot and wait for it to appear – alas, life does not indulge such fantasies! Tune in to what is, follow it for a while and shoot reality just when it catches your own unique and splendid eye.

Practice makes perfect…

Don’t be discouraged. This takes a lot of practice. In the urban environment, a striking photo can come out of nowhere, yet at others only ordinary, or worse images emerge. This happens to everybody; don’t worry about it. Understandably, we don’t see the average and worse photos taken by professional and established photographers. Rest assured that they have hundreds, if not thousands of sub-standard photographs not for public viewing. The one viral or award winning image that sets them apart is all it takes. These could never be shot without the majority in between that are duffers.

If at first, you don’t succeed, try again later or another day. Know well the environment that you are entering. When interacting with other people, remember that a smile goes a long way.

Shoot all walks of life, all types of people, warts and all. You’re capturing reality and presenting a view of the world as you see it. Taking photos of a community and life around you is a great way to have fun with photography.

For those who have never engaged in urban photography before, it may prove to be a very novel and stimulating personal experience indeed. Watching, holding one’s attention and attuning the eye to the scene before you, without regard for time but with a camera at the ready, is like being what they call in sport “in the zone”. Call it what you will, but it is in these conditions – completely absorbed in what we’re striving for – that people surpass what they think they are capable of. Just ask an angler, a golfer, a photographer…

Street photography and the law – make sure you read our guide to street photography and the law, as well as our guide on how to be street smart when out taking street photographs.

More inspirational tips and ideas to inspire your street photography

Street photography is such a popular form of photography, that Amateur Photographer has covered it numerous times, so you’ll find lots of street photography articles on this website, but here are some of our favourites that we think you should have a look at for some more inspiration! Simply click the titles below.

Tips from three professional street photographers:

Black and white street photography tips from Brian Lloyd Duckett and Edmond Terakopian:

Alan Schaller shares how to create your own recognisable style:

10 commandments of street photography:

David Gibson on great street photography:

Heather Buckley on challenging the rules of street photography:

The 12 best cities for street photography around the world:

Analogue Street Photography Tips – Street photographers share their street-shooting secrets:

Terms to learn:

• Shooting from the hip – In photographic circles this refers to holding a camera at waist level, or the same level as your hip, and by using a tilting screen you can see what you are taking a photograph of.
• Pop – Making an image “pop” means making the photo stand out, making it more striking or dynamic. This could be by increasing contrast, saturation, and colour, but there are other ways that images can stand out.

Other guides

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera taking photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• How to get perfect colours – white balance explained
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Beginners guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Complete guide to Portrait Photography
• Complete guide to Macro Photography
• Complete guide to Street Photography

If you’re looking for a great lens for street photography, have a look at the best lenses for street photography, or have a look at the best cameras for street photography. 

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What is landscape photography? 

Landscape photography is the art of capturing natural scenery or landscape. Typically it depicts a wider, open space rather than small details. It can include people, animals or man-made structures, but is always about the great outdoors. It can be your way of showing how you see the world around you and capture the beauty of an environment.

What kit do I need for landscape photography?

• A camera plus a lens that has a wide-angle view of 28mm or wider is a great place to start. Some will want an even broader view, so a 24mm or wider lens would be a good choice, particularly for capturing vast scenes and big open spaces. Find the best camera for landscapes, plus the best wide-angle lenses. A smartphone is also a great option for landscapes, as they normally come with wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle cameras.
• A tripod will help, especially to capture scenes with water, which are smoothed by longer exposures; or when you want to use a lower ISO speed for maximum image quality. Shutter speed is a lesser concern when your camera is stable and steady on a tripod.
• Filters – use a polariser if you want deeper blues and fewer reflections from leaves and water. Graduated filters are great for darkening the bright skies but leaving the rest of your image unaltered. If you want even longer exposures, then an ND filter will be needed.
• Clothing – weather appropriate apparel is just as essential as your camera, as you may spend hours walking around to find the best viewpoint or waiting for the light to hit your scene just the right way.

Camera settings for landscape photography

Landscape photography is all about light, location and composition. Where you place objects or how you frame the scene before you are key components; but also the camera settings you use play an important part in getting a sharp, detailed shot.

Remember the elements that make up your exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO speed, as there are some recommendations here that will help when shooting landscape photography. For a refresher, have a look at our guide to exposure.

Here are the 4 main camera settings to pay attention to in landscape photography:

• Aperture
• ISO speed
• Shutter speed
• Focus

Aperture and depth-of-field

Depth-of-field – use a smaller aperture to ensure a lot of the scene is in focus, with as much of it as possible sharp and in detail. Closing the lens aperture down to f/8 – f/16 will get more of the scene in focus from the front of the image (things close to you) to the back of the image (things furthest away). This is also known as pan-focus, where everything in the image is in focus.

But beware of diffraction – if you stop the aperture down too far, such as f/18-f/22 or more, you will suffer from diffraction and get softer images. When diffraction becomes an issue depends on your camera sensor size – our macro photography guide contains our definition of diffraction. Note: Diffraction tends to kick in at f/11 on Micro Four Thirds, f/16 on APS-C, and f/22 on Full-frame cameras.

ISO speed

As we’ve said previously, the lowest ISO speed available will give the best results (with the most detail, and lowest noise). However, be aware that the camera you use may have a different low ISO speed to another camera.

On most, the lowest ISO speed is ISO100, but on some the lowest is ISO200. If you are tempted to use a “LOW” or (L) ISO speed on your camera, be aware that this is often an “extended” ISO speed, and results in reduced dynamic range.

So check what your actual low ISO speed is on your camera. If you’re not sure where to find this information, have a look at our review of your camera as it will state what the standard ISO range is, and the extended ISO range. Normally you want to avoid using the extended ISO range.

On many Olympus and Panasonic cameras, the low ISO speed is ISO200, and ISO100 is extended, which is shown as “Low” or L.100. Users of Fujifilm cameras need to check as some of these have the lowest (native, non-extended) ISO speed as ISO160.

Shutter speed

With some of the best tripods for landscape photography, you can use slower shutter speeds and create beautiful effects at waterfalls like the one seen above. You can also try using the self-timer or a remote to avoid camera shake at longer exposures as even the smallest movement, like pressing the shutter release button can blur your images. Alternatively you can connect your camera to your smartphone and use it as a remote control. Another thing to be aware of is the camera strap – if it’s big, then it could cause the camera to move if it’s windy. Make sure to weigh down your tripod with sandbags (or a heavy rucksack) to avoid movement.

If you use slower shutter speeds, you can blur the water, but any movement (in trees or scenery) will become blurred, too. To get really slow shutter speeds on brighter days, then you’ll need to use an ND filter.

Focus and front-to-back focus

To keep things simple, by using one focus point, you can control and know where you are focusing in your image. In landscape photography the challenge is to render as much as possible from the front of the image to the back of the image in focus.

Newer cameras often include “focus peaking” a useful tool that shows which elements of your scene are in focus by highlighting the edges with a bright colour. Don’t worry if you don’t achieve perfection, but try to focus on the main area of interest in the frame.

What makes for good landscape photography?

Light and location play a massive part in landscape photography, but are not the only aspects to think about when shooting landscapes. Breaking down what you include in your image can take your landscape photography from average to spectacular.

Here are 6 main things to consider when composing your shot:

1. Light (and weather)
2. Location
3. Points-of-interest
4. Leading lines
5. Level (Horizon)
6. Composition

Light, weather

Shooting in the “golden hour” (the hour before sunset or dusk, and the first hour after sunrise, dawn) will give a warm golden looking landscape. On the other hand “blue hour” after the sun has set and before it has risen will give images with a blue tone. Just before sunrise and after sunset are also great times to shoot, as the sky changes colours rapidly. For more examples have a look at our guide to outdoor light with David Noton.

Weather can dramatically change the light in the scene, as well as the look of a landscape image, so don’t be afraid to shoot when there is mist, fog, or even during or after a rain shower. A break in the clouds can turn a dull image into a striking image as can be seen in the example above. If your camera and lens are not weather-sealed, make sure you have a waterproof backpack or plastic bag to offer some protection for your kit in the worst of the weather.

…and Location

Shoot somewhere dull, and even with the best lighting possible, the best camera possible, and the best settings, you’ll still most likely end up with a dull photo. Landscape photography tends to include travel, and finding the most pleasant-looking locations and landscapes is part of the exciting appeal of landscape photography, whether that’s near you, or further away.

Check out some recommendations for the best landscape photography locations in the UK here.

Points-of-interest

To include people or not? By including people you can give a sense of scale, as well as potentially date the photograph to a certain period – depending on how visible the subject’s clothing/style/fashion is. The same goes for any other man-made objects included, such as buildings or vehicles. By including a subject or a person in the shot you add an additional element and give a sense of balance to the image.

Leading lines

If you think of the elements in an image as guiding the viewer through the frame, you can look for leading lines in the scene, such as a road heading towards an impressive mountain range, a river to a waterfall, or even the formation of rocks and land leading you through the image.

On the level?

Watch for the horizon and keep the camera level – use the camera’s built-in axis or dual-axis level if it has this, or look for the spirit level built into your tripod. If you don’t have these features, then you could pick up a simple spirit-level hot-shoe attachment for not much money.

Alternatively, activate the on-screen grid display if your camera has this feature. If you don’t manage to get it perfect in-camera, then you can always edit the image later to straighten up the image. Some modern cameras have a built-in horizon correction feature, so check the manual to see if yours has this.

Composition

All of these factors play a part in how you compose and frame your image, and how you place the elements in front of you into the photograph. If you’re just starting out in landscape photography, then using the “Rule of thirds” is a great place to start, but don’t be afraid to experiment with different framing. See our guide to the art of photography and composition for more ideas.

Other things to think about: You don’t always have to shoot vast landscapes. Instead you could zoom in to look at the finer detail, and this is where a macro or telephoto zoom lens could come in useful. If there is water in the scene, then look for reflections.

Aerial landscape photography: If you have access to a drone, then shooting from a high-angle can give a totally different look to your images. See our guide to aerial landscape photography for more information.

Intimate landscapes: Landscape photography doesn’t have to just be wide-angle, sweeping vistas. Try honing in on a smaller part of a scene for a more interesting alternative. See this guide to Intimate landscape photography.

Square landscapes: Landscape photos also do not have to be taken in landscape orientation. Changing to portrait or even square format can make an interesting composition. Transform your landscapes with square format here.

Editing Landscape images

It’s likely that you’ll need to (or want to) edit your photos to ensure you’re showing the landscape how you want to show it. Slight tweaks to contrast, saturation, and exposure to improve dynamic range in the image can make your images look better. You can also correct the image if it’s not entirely level.

Expanding dynamic range – If you shoot using raw you have the ability to correct any errors in exposure or white balance. There is also the ability to expand the dynamic range in the image, which means you can recover shadows and dark areas in the image as well as recover highlights in the brighter areas.

Another option is to use exposure bracketing to help with this, but make sure you use a tripod so your images line up. Have a look at our guide to maximising dynamic range. Shooting raw also gives you the ability to tweak the sharpness and noise levels to get the very best out of the photo.

Landscape Photography Competitions

You can enter competitions to win prizes and recognition, as well as learn from others. Look out for landscape photography competitions such as the famous Landscape Photographer of the Year, and the International Landscape Photographer of the Year. There is also the landscape photography round of the Amateur Photographer of the Year Competition (APOY). Other general photography competitions feature Landscape categories, so have a look at our complete guide to the best photography competitions to enter.

More Landscape Photography Inspiration…

You’ll find a range of landscape photography articles here, and you can learn from professional photographers. We have articles from famous landscape photographers including Ansel Adams, William Garnett, Michael Kenna, Colin Prior, with AP contributors including Jeremy Walker, David Clapp, Verity Milligan, Rachael Talibart and Lizzie Shepherd to name a few. If you want to learn from the greats, make sure you have a look at their work.

For even more inspiration have a look at some of the landscape photography books available. You’ll find AP’s own book on “Landscapes” is a great resource for learning even more.

Frequently asked questions

What is RAW?

What is a raw image? Cameras will by default save images as JPEG files, which are processed by the camera to produce the best-looking image, but this results in less control to edit and adjust the image. Shooting in the raw file format, you are getting the “raw” (uncooked, unprocessed) image from the camera, and therefore can edit it to your own personal tastes, as well as recover shadow or highlight detail that might have otherwise been lost if you’d only taken a JPEG image.

What is exposure bracketing?

Exposure bracketing is when you take several different images, but at different exposures. Most mirrorless and DSLR cameras have this feature, and it lets you take the same shot at different exposures, so for example, you could take one at -1EV, one at the normal exposure, and one at +1EV, allowing you to capture the darker and brighter parts of the image with more detail. You can then combine these images later in a photo editing package for an extended dynamic range. However, to get the best results your camera needs to stay in the same position for every shot, which is why a tripod is extremely useful for this.

Do I need a high-resolution camera for landscape photography?

The higher the better? It’s not necessarily true as some cameras with lower pixel-count have better low light capabilities than their high spec counterparts. Whether you need a higher pixel-count, depends on how and what you shoot and how you intend to use your photos. For example, with a 16 MP camera you can achieve good print quality up to A2 size but if your photos never leave your computer this is really not something you should worry about. You need more pixels or higher resolution if you are planning to print your photographs in large, or if you like to crop extensively. With more pixels thus more detail is available in your image and you don’t loose quality and get pixelated images when cropping.

Instead of getting hung up on megapixels, what you really want to consider is the dynamic range of your camera.

What is dynamic range?

Essentially, dynamic range is how much detail your camera can record between the brightest and darkest part of your scene. The greater the dynamic range in an image, the more the camera has been able to capture the tones from dark black to bright white. In landscape photography, this becomes particularly important as there is often a big difference in light between the brightest area (often the sun), and the darkest areas of an image.

Sensor size affects dynamic range: in principle cameras with larger sensors are better at capturing a wider dynamic range. A 16MP crop sensor camera will generally have less dynamic range compared to a 16 MP full-frame camera, because the larger sensor will host larger pixels that are able to receive or read more light.

•  Beginners guide to different camera types.
•  Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera taking photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• How to get perfect colours – white balance explained
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Beginners guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Complete guide to Portrait Photography
• Complete guide to Macro Photography
• Complete guide to Street Photography

Follow AP on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post Complete Guide to Landscape Photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Macro photography – what is macro photography?

Macro photography is quite simply extreme close-up photography, traditionally defined as taking a photograph of a subject in “life-size” so that it is recorded in its actual size (or larger) on the camera’s sensor. Once captured, the image, can then be displayed larger on-screen or in print.

Macro photography lens – what is a macro lens?

A “true” macro lens is a lens that can offer 1:1 reproduction of the subject on the camera’s sensor. This is sometimes, but not always, referred to as 1x magnification. Some offer further magnification, such as 1.25x magnification with the Olympus 30mm f/3.5 Macro, 1.4x with the Canon RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM lens or 2x with the Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro lens.

Did you know? Beyond the standard macro lens, specialist macro lenses exist which can offer 1-5x magnification; such as the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro, and Yasuhara Nanoha x5 (Micro Four Thirds). However, these are not for dabbling with, as they can only be used for extreme macro photography, and not for general photography.

How close can your lens focus?

You’ll find the close-focus distance printed on the side of most lenses. If you require closer, then consider your options; an extension tube or other accessory or, for the best results, a dedicated macro lens.

What are “Short”, “Mid”, and “Long” macro lenses?

You may come across these terms online, which are simply for guidance in different focal lengths of macro lenses. Here we run through the benefits and potential disadvantages of each type.

• Short: 50-60mm (or equivalent), can be useful where you want the lens for everyday use as well. Often compact, lightweight, and affordable.
• Mid: 90-120mm (or equivalent), 90mm and 100mm or 105mm are common focal lengths, and very widely available for multiple camera systems. The lens gives a good distance from the subject, as well as a relatively good balance between size and weight. They also make for useful portrait lenses.
• Long: 150/180mm (or equivalent) where you want as much distance from the subject as possible. These lenses are often larger, and more expensive.

Can I use my existing lens as a macro lens?

The short answer is yes, but… you might not be able to get close enough to your subject without additional accessories. With a limited budget, there are several options that can help improve your lens’s ability to focus on close subjects. These include extension tubes, close-up filters and reversing rings.

If you’ve used your current lens(es) and can’t get close enough to your subject, then there are a number of relatively budget-friendly options. These let you use your existing lens for close-up and macro photography, and while your results might not be as bitingly sharp as those from a dedicated lens, they may be good enough.

Some zoom or kit lenses are better than others, and while some do offer a reasonable close-up focus distance, others don’t quite cut it.

You should be able to see the close-up focus distance on the side of your lens. If not, you can look it up on the manufacturer’s website.

Option 1: Extension tubes

Ensure you get extension tubes with electrical contacts (and AF support) as this will enable autofocus as well as lens settings to be controlled by the camera. Be aware that the cost of these could be put towards a budget macro lens instead. However, you can get a set of budget extension tubes for as little as $28 / £22.

Option 2: Close-up filter

Find out the filter size for your lens, buy a close-up filter (sometimes called a close-up dioptre), screw this on to the front of the lens, and you’ll be able to take photos closer to the subject.

These are available for around $12 / £10, or you can spend up to $84 / £65 on a high-quality filter from NiSi. They can be a fun way to get closer to a subject, but don’t expect perfect image quality from the cheaper filters.

Even buying a budget macro lens will give better results, and a dedicated 1:1 macro lens will get you much closer to true macro photography.

Option 3: Reversing ring

A reversing ring is designed to allow you to completely reverse your lens so that you’re shooting through it backwards. You lose all electrical connection (with most reversing rings), and therefore this works best with manual-focus lenses and those that have a manual aperture ring.

There is the option of a reversing ring with electrical contacts, but these are much more expensive (around $100 / £80), and with macro lenses being available from around $300 / £269 (Panasonic 30mm macro, M43) we’d be tempted to suggest you put your money towards a macro lens.

Macro lenses for beginners

Our round-up of budget macro lenses is a great guide to the options available.

Micro Four Thirds users often have a wide choice of budget options, or for other systems, Sigma and Tamron often offer excellent value, and high-quality macro lenses.

There’s also the option of buying second-hand to save even more, with MPB offering a vast range.

Macro photography tips, tricks, and technique

Here are some quick tips for the most important aspects of macro photography: the subject, lighting, focus, and how to stabilise the camera. Plus the photography settings you need to pay attention to when taking macro photos.

Quick Tips for Macro Photography

Once you’ve made sure your camera’s lens can give the close-up performance you’re looking for, you can start shooting! Here are five quick tips for taking great macro photos:

1. Pay attention to the subject – is the flower, insect, or item looking its best?
2. Control the background (where possible) or move to find the best possible background
3. Pay attention to lighting (more on this below) – as we’ve said before, light can make or break a shot
4. Focus where needed – being aware of the depth of field (see below), using a small focus area can help you control precisely what you’re focusing on
5. Use a tripod! Using a tripod can simplify the photo-taking process, you don’t need to worry about camera movement, you can use a slower shutter speed (with a timer), and you can take multiple shots if you want to try focus stacking (see below).

More macro tips here: Top Macro Photography Tips.

Macro photography settings

Aperture: With close-up photography, the depth of field – that is, the area that is in focus – is considerably narrower than when taking general photos. This makes it important to use a smaller aperture.Try f/8 or f/11, rather than f/1.8.

However, close your aperture too much, and diffraction can set in. As a result, there is always a balance to be struck between sharpness in the image and the amount of the subject that is in focus. This matters much more with a subject that has depth, as opposed to a flat subject, such as a stamp or bank note.

Shutter speed: With non-moving subjects you can use a slower shutter speed than when photographing a moving subject. However, when using slower shutter speeds, make sure you use the self-timer or remote release to avoid camera shake. This is where a tripod (or solid support) becomes essential.

ISO speed: If you’re using a tripod, or have good light, you can use a lower ISO speed. This will help you get a crisper, more detailed image than if you were to use a higher ISO speed. If you have a newer camera, higher ISO speeds produce much better quality images than they used to.

Light: Macro photography lighting

Without enough light to illuminate your chosen subject, it’ll be difficult to get a good shot. With macro photography, this difficulty is compounded as your camera and lens can also block light from getting to the subject when very close to it.

This is where additional lighting comes into play; a neatly positioned reflector, LED light, or other light source can transform a dull photo into a photo that pops.

There are multiple different light options, including reflectors, LED lights, flashguns and even dedicated macro ring lights that attach to the front of your macro lens.

We’d start off with something simple, such as a reflector and some LED lights if needed. As you progress, if you find you need more lighting, then you can invest later.

Now you’ve learnt all the key things you need to know to successfully take macro photographs, you might need some additional inspiration on what to photograph! Here are some great ideas to try. You don’t have to try them all but have a look at what looks like fun to you.

Macro photography ideas and inspiration

Insects

Intricate and often very beautiful creatures, insects are a great subject for macro photography. There are a number of simple techniques you can follow to help improve the quality of your work, as Andrew McCarthy explains in this article.

Read our in-depth tips on macro insect photography

Food and fruit

Macro food photography is a great way to present the beauty and detail of your food. It can also be a lot of fun! You’ll find some macro food photography tips here.

Macro flowers

Why take a boring, simple photo of a flower when you can capture a stunning image that is large enough to print and hang on a wall? Read up on all of Sue Bishop’s Top macro flower photography tips.

Fungi

If you love to wander around and get your hands dirty, fungi macro photography could be an interesting subject to explore. Read Guy Edwardes guide to Fungi photography.

Products (including cameras, lenses, and watches)

Shoot what you have around you, and if you want more guidance on shooting products have a look at our guide to shooting products for eBay.

Find more inspiration here: Expert tips for award-winning macro shots

Frequently asked questions (FAQs):

What is diffraction? Diffraction is to do with the laws of physics when it comes to light travelling through a lens and can result in a softer image when smaller apertures are used.

This is particularly noticeable when using smaller apertures for macro photography, as smaller apertures give a greater depth of field, resulting in an image with more of the subject in focus.

Some camera systems, such as Fujifilm’s X-series, offer diffraction compensation to help maintain a sharper image even when using small apertures. It’s also worth noting that the point at which this starts to become an issue varies according to the sensor size, whether that’s Micro Four Thirds, APS-C, or full frame.

What is focus stacking? Focus stacking is a great solution to the problem of diffraction. Using this technique, it’s possible to shoot a sequence of images at different focus distances and then use software (on a computer) to blend the sharp areas together into a single file with greater depth of field and improved image quality. Read our complete guide to focus stacking if you want to know more.

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera taking photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• Understanding white balance settings and colour
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Beginners guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Beginners guide to Portrait Photography

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The post Complete guide to Macro Photography – create great macro photos appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

35mm film photography has been around since the early 1900s and doesn’t need to be complicated. It can be as simple as using a disposable point and shoot camera, or as complicated as using a manual focus SLR with manual settings and a light-meter. Whichever option you go for, this guide to film photography will help get you started, so you can enjoy creative photography.

The slower and more thoughtful pace of analogue photography is a magical experience. Lacking the “digital” feel of modern cameras, some film cameras of the past exude “feel”; you could even say soul…

We have several articles that take readers from the beginnings of photography through to a broader appreciation of the craft. These introduce different shooting skills and styles that will see you grow as a photographer and enjoy producing amazing photography (and video). From there you will have the scope and knowledge to go your own way: be it to master the art form, try to make money from it, or specialise in a certain genre.

Have fun exploring these guides and creating great images as you do. If you find our articles helpful, don’t forget to share them with people you know who may be interested in learning new photography skills. There is a list of others at the foot of this article.

In this introduction to analogue film photography for beginners, we cover all you need to know to get started, and explain some of the jargon involved with film photography…

How does film photography work?

Film is a strip of plastic (or similar material) that is coated with light-sensitive emulsion and when this is exposed to light, there is a chemical reaction that records the image in the emulsion on the film. As long as this isn’t exposed to light again, it remains stable, and can then be developed (processed) and printed or scanned to show you the photo you’ve taken. It’s a bit like magic, but it’s actually been refined over 100+ years by people like Kodak, Fujifilm, Ilford and others.

Loading a 35mm film into a point and shoot film camera, photo: Joshua Waller

Analog vs Digital photography

Digital photography makes taking photographs easy, with little concern for cost per photo. In fact, once you have a camera and memory card, photos cost you nothing. You could take thousands upon thousands – and then be left with the arduous task of going through them to find the best ones.

Film photography changes this, because you have a limited number of shots (24 or 36), and each one costs money; both for the film cost, and then the development of those photos. With all this in mind, you’re forced to slow down, and make each shot count. It sharpens one’s own focus to try to optimise each and every shot, or capture a special moment in front of you – moments you want to remember.

Why shoot film photographs?

Shooting with film is a slower process, with more time to think; especially if you’re using a manual camera, and remember how much film and film processing costs. However, shooting with a point and shoot is a fun experience as you capture memorable moments that mean something, without having to worry about expensive camera kit.

If you’re looking for a fresh challenge, and want to learn how photography was done before digital cameras, it is a useful experience. There are also excitement and suspense as you wait to see how your photos will turn out.

Getting started in film photography, you’ll need:

• A film camera
• Film
• Batteries (if the camera uses them)
• Once you’ve finished shooting, you’ll need to develop the film roll

The simplest way to start is with 35mm film. It’s the most widely available, and the most easily developed, processed and printed. It’s also the most cost effective, with cheap films available from around £5 / $5, as well as a wide range of 35mm film cameras from simple point and shoots, to more advanced options, from as little as £10-15 / $10 (used).

1. Finding a film camera

You’ll find film cameras in almost every charity shop you go past, sometimes with a neat carry case and additional lenses. There are also a wide range of places you can find them online, but before you start, here’s a quick look at some of the most popular choices to get you started.

New film cameras:

Reto Ultra Wide and Slim with 22mm f/11 lens

There are a small number of new film cameras available, and most of these are budget or “toy” cameras, where quality is not of paramount importance. They can be a good option if you just want a point and shoot camera, and don’t want a disposable camera, but most offer only one shutter speed, and a slow lens, and there are better second-hand options for less money (see below).

• Reto Ultra Wide and Slim (£35)
• Lomography Simple Use Film Camera (£35)
• Ilford Sprime 35-II (£39)

However, one of the cheapest and easiest ways to get a taste for film photography, is to look at a cheap disposable camera, often these can be cheaper than buying some film, and if you just want to dip your toes in, then have a look at our guide to the best disposable film cameras.

Used film cameras:

For a high-quality 35mm film camera, you’ll need to look at second-hand and used options. With this there are several things to be aware of. The older the camera, the more likely it is to not work properly, or there may be light leaks, as seals degrade over time.

Olympus MJU 1, photo: AP / Andrew Sydenham

You’ll also need to decide if you’re going to go for a compact camera, a manual SLR camera, with manual focus and controls, or a more modern SLR with auto focus and controls.

Compact 35mm cameras:

You can go for a compact 35mm film camera, and there are plenty of point and shoot options, with either a fixed lens, or a zoom lens. Look for models with a large optical viewfinder, and built-in flash, as well as autofocus and you’ll most likely find a camera that’s easy to use. Zoom cameras tend to offer slower operation, and the lenses aren’t as bright as fixed focal length cameras.

For more 35mm film compact cameras have a look at our guide to the best compact film cameras.

Fixed focal length film cameras:

Olympus 35RC added a rangefinder to aid focusing. Photo credit: Joe Haupt CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

You can go for a classic film camera with a metal body, such as the Olympus 35 RC, shown above, or look for a budget point and shoot, such as the Pentax PC-550 (around £20+). Some models carry a premium due to the small size, and bright lens on offer, as is the case with the Olympus MJU II, with f/2.8 lens. As with any old camera, check everything is working as expected, and none of the fragile plastics are broken.

• Pentax PC-550 – around £20
• Olympus XA2 – around £50
• Olympus MJU-I – around £120
• Olympus MJU-II – around £300
• Olympus 35 RC – around £80

For more fixed lens film camera options, have a look at the best fixed lens 35mm film cameras.

35mm half-frame cameras

A Pentax 17. Image: Jessica Miller

Another alternative is the half-frame camera of yesteryear: where half-frame equates to half the cost, as the film outputs twice as many pictures in this format. Read our excellent guide to our favourites that contains some fascinating insights into their history.

Manual SLR cameras:

Pentax K1000 with lens and strap, © Michele M. F., Wikimedia Commons

Manual SLRs have the advantage of being more compact than autofocus SLRs, and often use minimal battery power (some are even battery free), meaning you can go weeks or months without worrying about the battery running out.

They also offer great value for money, and solid metal build quality, but due to the age of these cameras, it’s a good idea to check if the built-in light meters still work, and whether they’ve been serviced.

Classic manual SLR options:

• Pentax K1000 – from £90
• Olympus OM-1 – from £70
• Nikon FM – from £75

These are some of our favourites, but you’ll find more options in our guide to manual SLR cameras.

Automatic SLR cameras:

Canon EOS 100 with Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM lens, photo: Joshua Waller

Automatic cameras such as the Canon EOS 100 still give you manual controls if you want them, as well as the option to use manual focus, but the nice thing is that you can use them in a fully automatic mode making them easier to use for beginners, whilst still giving the high-quality images you’d expect from an SLR. Another nice feature is that they remain extremely good value-for-money, being less popular than manual SLRs.

Here are some great options for autofocus SLRs:

• Canon EOS 100 – from £15
• Minolta Dynax 7000 – from £25
• Minolta Dynax 7000i – from £20
• Nikon D90 – from £50

As with digital SLRs and mirrorless cameras, film SLR cameras let you change the lens you use, and it’s important to make sure you know what lens mount the camera has when looking for a new lens. There are lots of options available, often very affordable.

These are just some of the different types of 35mm film cameras, and there are a wider variety of options including panoramic, and stereo cameras – see our guide to 35mm film cameras.

Film cameras to avoid:

Unless you’re a glutton for punishment, then APS and 110 film cameras are best avoided, as you’re likely to find it very difficult to find film, and processing services, for these.

One stand out camera from the 110 film era, is the rather nice Pentax Auto 110 SLR system, Photo: John Wade – Read John’s guide to 110 film cameras.

If you do want to give 110 film a go, then Analogue Wonderland and Lomography still sell new film, and there are a still some companies that process 110 film. You’re extremely unlikely to be able to find any APS film new or in stock, although you can still get it processed. Because of this, you’ll often spot “bargain” priced APS and 110 film cameras, but unless you’re dedicated, we wouldn’t recommend it!

It’s worth pointing out that 110 film and APS film are much smaller than 35mm film and were never known to give particularly good results.

Where to buy?

You’ll find a wide variety of online retailers that sell new and second-hand film cameras, but it can also be worth checking out local stores to see if they have any in stock, as seeing them in person can give you a better idea of the size and condition of the items.

Once you do have a film camera, make sure you learn how to look after it in our guide on how to maintain your film camera, or if you already have an old camera that needs repairing, have a look at our guide to repairing cameras.

2. Buying 35mm film…

Film photography is continuing to grow in popularity, with Ilford, Kodak, and Fujifilm remaining the big players in terms of film production. In fact, Ilford are continuing to grow thanks to film sales.

Types of 35mm film… (also known as 135 film)

To keep things simple, we’ll keep this brief, and say that the main types of 35mm film camera are colour and black and white negative film. Each photo is 35mm wide, hence the name. This is also why a full-frame digital camera is called a “full-frame” camera, because the sensor matches the 35mm wide film in size.

Black and white film or colour film, the choice is yours, photo: JW

With 35mm film you get the choice of whether you want 24 exposures (shots) or 36 exposures (shots), with the 36 exposure film being more expensive than 24.

You also need to pay attention to the ISO speed on offer – if you’re shooting in bright sunny conditions, then ISO100 is a good choice, but if you plan on shooting in low-light or want to use flash then ISO400 or higher would be a good choice.

Nb. Most common films are “negative” film (producing a negative image of the scene), but be aware that some film is known as “positive” or “slide” film, and these will need more professional film processing.

What is ISO / ASA in film photography?

ISO, previously known as ASA, is quite simply, the sensitivity of the film. ISO400 is more sensitive to light than ISO100, and will therefore need a shorter exposure for the same scene. You can get film with an ISO rating up to ISO800 or even ISO3200, but as is the case with digital cameras, the higher the ISO speed, the larger the grain on the film, and the more noise/grain will be visible in the image, and the “rougher” the image will look. If you’re shooting film at night, then a high ISO speed film is essential.

Kentmere ISO400 black and white film, by Harman. Photo JW.

What is “Process” or C-41?

Most colour film is processed using the C-41 process, and this is what the majority of film processing labs support. It’s the chemical process used to develop the film, and turn it into processed negatives.

You’ll find some black and white film also uses C-41 process, and this makes it cheaper and easier to find places that will process black and white film. A common black and white film that uses the C-41 process is Ilford XP2. If you’re planning on developing your own black and white film, then traditional black and white film is what you want.

More on shooting black and white film: Why we still shoot black and white film.

3. Developing your film – do you want prints or digital scans?

If you live in a city, it’s likely there will be a camera shop that will develop photos for you, taking the film and processing it so you have negatives. From these negatives, it used to be the norm that you would get your photos back as 6x4inch or 7x5inch photos, with a choice of Matt or Gloss. Now you also get the choice of whether to have digital copies of these (often as JPEG images), which they will be able to provide on CD or as a digital download link, emailed directly to you.

6x4inch prints from 35mm film, negatives shown at the bottom. Photo: Joshua Waller

You don’t even need to get prints these days, but we still think there’s something nice about getting all your photos back as printed photos, including the smell.

If you want to take more control over your scans, you can use professional film developing services which will allow you to give additional instructions regarding how you want the photos to be dealt with – find more on this here: Dan Rubin: film photography and scanning tips.

Do you want to scan your own negatives?

You could even scan your own negatives once they’ve been processed, and there are a variety of ways to do this:

• Using a dedicated film scanner, however premium film scanners are often hard to find, with better ones being very expensive, and new budget models lacking quality.
• Using a smartphone and adapter, such as the Lomography Smartphone Scanner, this is a quick and easy method, and gives good enough results for sharing on social media etc.
• Using a Mirrorless camera or DSLR to take photographs of the film – this method is relatively easy with the right kit, such as a light box, a camera, and a macro lens, and should give the best quality possible.

If you need more convincing on the magic of film photography, and want to know how it works in more detail, have a look at this great video from SmarterEveryDay:

Taking it to the next level – Advanced film photography:

For more advanced film photographers, you can look into processing your own film in our Essential Guide to Film Processing, and even printing your own photos in a darkroom in our Essential Guide to Darkroom Printing.

Article and lead image: Joshua Waller

More on film photography: 

• An introduction to medium format film photography
• How to do film photography on a budget

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera taking photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• Understanding white balance settings and colour
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Beginners guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Beginners guide to Portrait Photography
• Beginners guide to Macro Photography
• Beginners guide to Street Photography
• Beginners guide to Landscape Photography
• How to shoot Action and Sports Photography
• How to shoot wildlife photography
• Raw vs JPEG – Pros and cons
• How to create stunning black and white images
• How to photograph events and music
• Pet photography – how to photograph pets
• The ultimate guide to flash photography
• The ultimate guide to tripods
• Create awesome photos with light painting
• Beginners guide to file and photo management
• How to shoot food photography
• Complete guide to outdoor light
• Top tips for stunning car photography
• How to master waterfall photography
• How to use social media as a photographer

Follow AP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

The post How to get started in film photography – a beginners guide appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Learning how and when to use flash is an important part of mastering light, particularly when it comes to portraits. Ian Pack shares an insight into flash and his tips for using it in your photography:

Pop-up flash

Many crop-sensor DSLR and mirrorless cameras have a pop-up flash on top of the camera. This is used a little by few photographers, and not at all by others. But with care it can be used outdoors to fill-in shadows and create catchlights in the eyes of the subject.

Pop-up flash is a small, hard and direct light source which doesn’t create flattering light on its own: but several diffusers are available which profess to soften the light from a pop-up flash. They are still a relatively small light source close to the flash, which alone doesn’t provide optimum diffusion.

Pop-up flash can also be used to control off-camera flashes, but is limited to short range line of sight. Dedicated flashes and wireless triggers will give better results.

Hot shoe flash or Speedlites

Many photographers own a hot shoe flash or Speedlite and mainly use it as a convenient way to illuminate a photo. There’s so much more to Speedlites. When fitted to the camera hot shoe there will be the facility for TTL (through-the-lens) auto exposure which can be adjusted independently of the camera with the exposure compensation facility.

Most Speedlites have a flash head that swivels allowing you to bounce the light from nearby ceilings or walls, to create a large, flattering, soft light. Do remember that any bounce surface that is not white will create an overall colour cast in your photos.

There are many light modifiers for Speedlites ranging from $20 / £14 to hundreds. One of the least expensive is the white translucent, shoot-through umbrella which diffuses the light from a Speedlite and is ideal for lighting solo portraits or small groups. Don’t be put off by the low power of Speedlites which average 50-60Ws (Watt seconds). Used with mid-range ISO settings and an aperture of f/4 or f/5.6, a Speedlite is a versatile tool.

Indoors simple solo portrait set-up

All you need to start creating beautiful portraits are a Speedlite, wireless trigger, a white shoot-through umbrella, an umbrella swivel, a light stand and a reflector to bounce light into shadows. This is my go-to headshot set-up.

Using the following settings as a starting point you can create portraits or head shots within just minutes. With your camera set to manual, set the shutter speed around 1/125sec to 1/250sec depending on your camera’s flash sync speed. ISO 320, aperture f/5.6, daylight white balance. For flattering results without much distortion use a short telephone lens or a zoom setting from 70-85mm.

The Speedlite should be set to manual with the power at 1/16th. This is normally done with the wireless trigger. The spread of the beam from the Speedlite can be changed using the zoom setting. This does not affect the hardness of the light; just the coverage. 50mm is a good starting point when photographing with a shoot-through umbrella.

With the Speedlite, umbrella and light stand assembled, set the umbrella slightly above head height to one side of the subject, pointing the umbrella shaft at the subject’s nose. Turn the umbrella slightly toward the camera – this is known as feathering. Take a test frame to judge the exposure, lighting and pose. Adjust as necessary using the camera histogram to judge the exposure.

In the first frame with the shoot-through umbrella the background is lighter and busier than expected. I moved the Speedlite closer to my model, Max, and flagged one side of the flash to reduce the light falling on the background. The photos you see here are straight out of camera with basic raw processing.

In the final frame I’ve added a soft gold reflector to open the shadows or give them more detail as they were too dense for my liking. The reflector has also warmed the skin tone on the shadow side of Max’s face.

Outdoor portrait

It’s also possible to create stunning outdoor portraits with a little thought and planning. Here I positioned Max in the shadow of a building to reduce the ambient light falling on him. The camera was set to Av, the Speedlite set to TTL and modified with a RogueFlashBender 3 Large Reflector with diffuser panel giving me a 25cm soft box.

Using the small soft box meant that Max was lit only to his waist. If you have a Speedlite, don’t let it gather dust, take it out and use it. If you want to begin using off-camera flash, a Speedlite is a great introduction to flash photography, both indoors and outdoors.

Ian’s top tips for flash photography

Creative coloured gels

Coloured gels are an inexpensive accessory and great fun to experiment with. They can be used to add colour to shadows, as an accent light for portraits, the key light for added interest or a background light.

Flag the light

Light from umbrellas can be controlled by attaching a black board or flag to the Speedlite head. I use foam core board held in place with a strip of hook and loop fastener.

Get in close

By moving the light closer to the subject the background becomes darker and the light more flattering when using light modifiers like soft boxes/umbrellas. The ideal distance for a light modifier from the model is equal to the longest dimension of the light modifier.

Stabilise the stand

It’s good practice to ensure that your light stand is stable when you’re working alone. You can put the light stand riser through the handle of your camera bag. When using a hard case I attach the case to the light stand with reusable cable ties.

Use an umbrella swivel

For any photographer who works with Speedlites off-camera, a means of mounting to a light stand is essential. Umbrella swivels are essential. Most only tilt, and some have a ball head which aids accurate positioning of the Speedlite.

Choice of background

With care, even unpromising locations can create usable backgrounds. The piles of pallets created the industrial dockside feel I wanted. I used a 200mm prime to isolate Max from the surrounding distractions and a wide aperture threw the background out of focus.

Kit list for flash photography

Pixapro Li-Ion580 MkII Speedlite

This compact hot shoe flash can be used on and off camera with a wireless trigger. It has TTL auto exposure linked to your camera exposure meter, manual setting for ultimate control and a multi-flash function for creating stroboscopic images.

Rogue FlashBender 3 Large Reflector

These reflectors fold flat, so slip easily into a camera bag. With the addition of a diffusion panel you have a small soft box. Smaller soft boxes are ideal when working outdoors in windy conditions as they have a smaller surface area than umbrellas.

Nam Grip LS-255C Carbon Fibre Light Stand

Weighing 500g this stand is ideal for mounting your Speedlite. It extends to 220cm and closes to 48cm. Where weight and bulk are an issue, it’s possible to carry a single Speedlite kit weighing around 1,500g.

White Translucent Shoot – Through Umbrella

One of the first light modifiers for anyone who works with Speedlites or other flashes. Available in sizes from 80cm to 200cm. Some fold down small enough to fit inside a camera bag, making them ideal for photographers on the move.

Related articles

Essential guide to using flash

How to use flash on location
Essential guide to off-camera flash
Best flashgun soft boxes 

Further reading for beginners:

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera taking photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• Understanding white balance settings and colour
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Beginners guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Beginners guide to Portrait Photography
• Beginners guide to Macro Photography
• Beginners guide to Street Photography
• Beginners guide to Landscape Photography
• How to shoot Action and Sports Photography
• How to shoot wildlife photography
• Raw vs JPEG – Pros and cons
• How to create stunning black and white images
• How to photograph events and music
• Pet photography – how to photograph pets

The post The ultimate guide to flash photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

A tripod is essential for a range of photography types, including low-light, night photography, light painting, long-exposures, macro photography (particularly focus bracketing), and can also elevate your video work to give a much more professional look.

I suspect many photographers sense that they could use a tripod more often – or get round to buying one in the first place. While the remarkable high ISO and image stabilisation capabilities of modern cameras allow handheld shooting in very low light, using a tripod will let you select low ISOs for the best possible image quality, or use long exposures for a creative effect.

How to choose a tripod

Weight – The problem, of course, is that tripods are big, heavy, and awkward to set up – or at least, they used to be. The good news is that, if you’ve an aversion to tripods after lugging around a heavy, chunky metal one, the latest offerings are lighter and more portable than ever.

Carbon fibre vs Aluminium alloy – Technology – not least, materials technology – has advanced greatly in recent years. Carbon fibre has gone from expensive luxury to mainstream material, providing both lighter weight and superior dampening of vibrations. Many models are available in both materials: I’d always recommend carbon fibre if you can afford it. Aluminium legs are cheaper but tend to be heavier.

Leg sections – three, four, or five? Where three-section legs were once considered de rigueur, four- or five-section models are now standard, giving a shorter folded length that’s more convenient to carry, especially when combined with reverse-folding leg designs. Anti-twist leg locks make setting up quicker than ever, while the Arca Swiss dovetail pattern has emerged as the de facto standard for quick-release plates.

Also check the leg angles, particularly if you shoot on uneven ground or in confined spaces where you need to splay one or two legs further than the others. Look for legs that can be angled independently, as they are infinitely preferable for most tasks.

Legs continued – flip locks vs twist locks – Some tripods utilise flip locks while others use twist locks. If speed of set-up is important, look for legs with three sections and twist locks; if portability is essential but speed less so, look for legs with four or five sections and flip locks (tripods with more leg sections tend to have shorter folded lengths).

Other things to consider

What about the centre column? Most tripods feature a centre column that can be extended to raise the height of your camera, or angled and sometimes even inverted to allow for stability at otherwise tricky angles. For macro photographers who often shoot from ground level, this is a very important factor. One technique tip for centre column use: for maximum stability, extend the legs first and only deploy the centre column once you have reached maximum leg extension.

Tripod feet – While smooth rubber feet are best suited to hard surfaces and subjects such as interior architecture and studio still life, spiked metal feet provide more grip if you’re shooting on uneven ground. Some tripod legs feature rubber feet with internal metal spikes that can be ‘revealed’ if necessary. 

Does brand and price matter? In a market that was once dominated by Manfrotto and Gitzo, there’s now a wider range of brands to choose from. Newer names such as Benro, 3 Legged Thing, Feisol and Sirui provide innovative products at competitive prices, while longer established brands such as Vanguard and Velbon also have some fine offerings. Naturally, the general rule is that you get what you pay for.

What about the head? As expected with all this competition, there’s a wider range of tripods and heads on the market, but this complicates choosing the best option for your needs, to say the least. Read on for our overview of what’s available, and our recommendations for the best kit on the market.

Top tripods and kits

Tripods come in many different styles and sizes, each with its own specific strengths, here’s our guide to tripods and kits:

Lightweight bargain tripods

Decent tripods don’t have to weigh a ton or cost a fortune, and it’s possible to get lightweight but sturdy tripods for under £100. Compromises include a lower maximum height and recommended load, meaning these tripods are best suited for use with smaller DSLR or mirrorless cameras with tilting screens, and not ideal for shooting with large lenses. Our top pick is the Benro Slim TSL08 Carbon Fibre tripod + N00 ball head kit, which extends to 146cm, packs to 51cm, and weighs just 1kg. At just $140 / £117, it’s an absolute steal.

Another great choice is the Vanguard VEO 3 GO 235AB. This five-section aluminium alloy travel pod folds down to 38cm, while extending to 136cm. Weighing 1.2kg, it can support camera/lens combos weighing up to 4kg. It costs a very reasonable $170 / £150. If this model doesn’t suit, Vanguard has plenty more options of alloy and carbon fibre models to choose from.

Travel tripods

If you’re jetting off on a city break, or plan on carrying a tripod around all day long, then an ultra-light and compact travel model is desirable. Five-section legs and two-section centre columns allow good-sized tripods to fold down to carry-on friendly dimensions. For an ultra-portable option, the superbly engineered carbon-fibre Benro Bat Zero Series carbon fibre is hard to beat. It comes with the excellent VX20 Arca-type compatible head, folds to 35cm and weighs just 0.83kg, but can extend to 41cm. It’s priced at $250 / £220.

If you need a full-size alternative, take a look at the 3 Legged Thing Punks Brian 2.0 at $270 / £219, which extends to an impressive 1.86m but folds to 42cm, and weighs 1.7kg including its ball head. It has an impressive maximum load capacity too, rated at over 13kg.

The solid workhorse tripod

For photographers who use larger cameras and lenses, a sturdy and substantial tripod is essential. Such models tend to be relatively large and heavy, but make up for it by being able to hold hefty kit at eye level. We’re huge fans of the Benro Mach3 range: budget-conscious photographers are well served by the $125 / £123 (legs only) aluminium TMA28A which offers a 155.5cm maximum height and 53cm folded length, while weighing 1.76kg and 1.54kg, respectively.

There are many tripod brands to consider and one for your short-list is Leofoto. The carbon fibre LS-324C comes with the LH-40 Arca-compatible ball head and is priced at £399 (discontinued in US, available on Amazon). It has four-section legs with great to use twist-grip locks, extends up to 65in/1.7m and weighs 1.88kg. Not having a centre column allows for a slim profile and also lets you get as low as 16.5cm very quickly.

Extra flexibility for macro or more

The vast majority of tripods have centre columns that can only be positioned vertically. But if you want to shoot from a wider range of angles, for example overhead close-ups, a tilting column can be really handy. Manfrotto’s excellent 190 Go! has a column that can be flipped to horizontal using a neat mechanism concealed within the central spider. Its vital statistics include a height of 152cm and closed length of 45cm, with leg only prices of $260 / £169 for the 1.67kg aluminium model and £299 (discontinued in USA, available from Amazon) for the carbon fibre version which weighs in at 1.35kg.

Another great choice is the Vanguard Alta Pro 2+ 263AP, whose MACC (multi-angle centre column) can be tilted and rotated to almost any angle making it perfect for getting the camera into awkward positions without compromising stabilty. This aluminum alloy tripod can be bought with different heads and is priced at $170 / £165 for the legs with PH-32 head. Closed, the 263AP measures just under 64cm but extends up to a maximum height of 177.5cm. It weighs in at 2.6kg.

At a premium – premium tripods

If you’re prepared to spend almost as much on a tripod as you might on a decent lens, then some fantastic premium options are available. Gitzo leads the way, with its $550 / £459 GT1555T Traveller Series 1 being perhaps the finest travel tripod on the market. It’s not so much the core specs that matter here – 138cm maximum height, 35.5cm packed length, and 1.03kg weight without a head – as the sheer build quality and rigidity. It has a max load rating of 10kg and the Traveler G’s twist leg locks are excellent.

If your need is for a first-class full size tripod and budget is no concern, there is plenty of choice in the ranges of 3 Legged Thing, Benro, Leofoto, Manfrotto and Vanguard, among others. One of our favourites is again from Gitzo. Its Systematic tripods are amazing and the Series 3 offers great stability while being portable enough for location shooting. Check out the GT3543LS at $1,171 / £729 legs only which weighs 2.03kg but can support a 28kg payload.

Low-level macro

If your interests include shooting subjects very close to the ground, then a small set of legs can be more practical than a full-size tripod. The carbon fibre Benro Tortoise 03C and GX25 ball head mini tripod kit costs $290 / £179. Weighing in at 920g, this pod has a minimum working height of 15cm and at full extension the camera platform is at 31.5cm. The GX25 ball head is impressively stable and accepts Arca-type plates.

Users on a tight budget could check out the Velbon EX Macro, which can be used for shooting at heights between 20.3cm and 56.3cm, and only costs around $40 / £49.

Specialist tripods and accessories

A range of alternative supports is available for those times when a full-size tripod isn’t the right answer

Versatile supports

There’s something to be said for carrying a small but sturdy table-top tripod with you all the time, which you can deploy in situations where full-size tripods can’t be used. If you’d like to be able to attach your camera to railings or the branch of a tree, then a bendy-legged Joby GorillaPod could be just what you need. They’re available in several sizes and various kits to suit different needs and scenarios. The GorillaPod 3K Pro unit shown here has a 3kg max load rating so great for most mirrorless cameras and costs $81 / £89.

Go anywhere – with beanbags

Some situations and locations simply aren’t amenable to a conventional tripod. For instance, when you’re shooting at ground level or propping your camera on a wall or car door, a beanbag can be indispensable. The LensCoat LensSack Pro Jr bean bag is $94 / £98 and one of the best around and designed to support lenses up to 500mm. A 3/8in mounting screw allows the fitting of a ball or gimbal head and this can be removed for normal bean bag use.

Phone holders

With smartphones becoming ever more accomplished photographic tools, it can be useful to be able to fit them onto a tripod. As they don’t have their own sockets, some sort of clamp is necessary; look for ones that fold flat when they’re not in use. Our favourite is probably the Joby Griptight ONE Micro Stand, which costs $36 / £29, and accepts smartphones 2.2-3.6in. Alternatively, the Manfrotto TwistGrip Univeral Smartphone Clamp is a heavier- duty option that includes a shoe mount for a microphone or LED light, and costs around $52 / £44.

See our guide to phone tripods.

Monopods

Monopods don’t do the same job as tripods; instead they’re great for providing extra support with lenses that are too heavy to shoot handheld for long periods. Again there’s a vast range to choose from, with different weights, heights and rated loads; some also have small tripod feet for extra stability.

Our favourites include the excellent value Vanguard VEO 2S AM-264TR ($80 /£100). For demanding users, the £148 Manfrotto XPRO 5-section carbon-fibre monopod will support large telephotos with ease; it also comes in a kit with tripod feet for $190 / £259.

Arca Swiss grips and L-brackets

Ultimately, the effectiveness of any tripod is only as good as the connection between it and the camera. This explains the current ubiquity of the Arca Swiss pattern dovetail quick-release system – the clamp design locks the camera firmly onto the head. With this popularity has come a range of Arca Swiss base-plates tailor-made for different models of cameras, which often expand the hand grip as an added bonus.

Many also function as L-brackets that allow you to shoot in portrait format with the camera positioned over the top of the head, giving much better stability. Custom aluminium alloy L-brackets are available for almost every camera so just do a web search. Universal-fit L-brackets are also available. These can be particularly useful for landscape photography.

Guide to Tripod heads

Photographic tripod heads come in four main types, along with some specialist options. Here’s a summary of the strengths and uses of each, along with a highlight of some accessories that can help in specific situations.

Ball heads

By far the most popular type of tripod head, these win on light weight and speed of use, but can be difficult to adjust really precisely. The best have an independently lockable panning base, and a friction control to adjust the drag on the ball movement. Sirui’s K-X series heads are particularly fine examples, featuring a well-designed friction control, Arca Swiss-type quick release and multiple bubble levels. Prices range from around $130 /£94 for the smallest Sirui K-10X. Vanguard’s Alta BH range is a great budget alternative, at $71 / £75 for the BH-100 to $83 / £95 for the larger BH-300.

Geared heads

For photographers who demand precise control of composition, perhaps for architectural or macro work, a geared head can be a godsend. Until recently, Manfrotto dominated this sector, aside from some super-expensive options from Arca Swiss. But now Benro has leapfrogged into the lead with its $175 / £169 GD3WH, a relatively lightweight and portable yet precise geared head that incorporates an Arca Swiss-type quick release. Those on a tighter budget should consider the $250 / £179 Manfrotto XPRO 3-Way Geared head, although it’s more plasticky and uses Manfrotto’s RC2 camera plate.

3-way heads

The 3-way, or pan-and-tilt type of head, is almost ubiquitous on cheap aluminium- and-plastic tripods, but gets progressively less popular as prices rise. It has the big advantage of giving independent control over the three axes of camera movement, but the penalty lies in additional size and weight. As a result, 3-way heads are generally best suited for studio use. Having three levers sticking out in different directions also restricts portability, and for this reason we like Manfrotto’s MHXPRO-3W X-PRO 3-way head ($200 / £129) which features field-friendly retractable handles.

Gimbals

If you try using large telephoto lenses on a tripod, you’ll quickly find that conventional heads aren’t really suitable for holding them securely. This is where gimbal heads come in. By suspending the lens from above, they provide a stable solution with even the heaviest of lenses. Our pick of the class is the Gitzo Fluid Gimbal Head priced at $400 / £429, which combines smooth fluid movement at slow rotation speeds with free movement for faster adjustments. The $374 / £269 Benro GH2 represents a worthy budget option.

Fluid heads – great for video

Fluid heads can also be particularly useful for video work as they normally feature a long handle for panning, with a fluid chamber, and adjustable tension control to help create smoother pans while recording. You may even find some models feature a counterweight. Add this to a video tripod and you should be able to achieve smooth pans with ease.

Panoramic heads

Panoramic heads are specialist heads designed for precise panoramic photos, and can be very heavy and bulky as a result. They give you control of the camera, and let you rotate the camera and lens precisely around the nodal point of the lens, which means you can get vastly improved results shooting panoramic images, compared to a standard tripod head. However, for the casual panoramic photo, they are generally considered overkill.

If a specialist panorama head appeals, check out the Nodal Ninja NN3. With the RD10 rotator, expect to pay in the region of $223 / £283.

Macro sliders

These aren’t heads as such, but add-on accessories that allow the camera’s position to be adjusted precisely for macro photography, where even sub-millimetre movements can visibly change the composition and focus. The Velbon Super Mag Slider (£219) is quite bulky, but provides smooth and precise adjustment both forwards and backwards for focusing, and side to side for tweaking the image framing. If you can live without the latter, the Manfrotto 454 Micro Positioning Plate ($96 / £119) is a more compact option for macro focus adjustment.

Top tips for tripod use

1. Extend the centre column as little as possible for maximum rigidity.
2. On uneven ground, adjust the lowest, thinnest leg sections to ensure the tripod is level
3. Hang a bag off the centre column hook to help dampen vibrations.
4. Make sure all controls are locked down completely tight before shooting.
5. Use a remote release to fire the camera’s shutter.
6. In portrait format, use an L-bracket to keep the camera directly above the head.
7. If you use your tripod in saltwater, give it a good wash to prevent unwanted corrosion.

Understanding tripod specifications

The four obvious headline specifications when comparing tripods are:

• Maximum height
• Folded length
• Weight
• Load capacity

But also check the height without the centre column extended – the taller this is, the more stable the tripod is likely to be. If you’re interested in low-level work, also pay attention to the minimum height, and how much disassembly of the tripod’s centre column is required to get there – split columns are quickest and easiest to use. But note that load ratings should be taken as a very rough guide only; manufacturers determine them in different ways, and they tend to be optimistic.

Main tripod brands to check out:

• Benro
• Cullmann
• Feisol
• Gitzo
• Joby
• Manfrotto
• Sirui
• 3 Legged Thing
• Vanguard
• Velbon
• Wildlife Watching Supplies

Additional tripod accessories

Once you’ve found the right tripod for you, there are a number of different accessories that can help you if needed. Here James Abbott runs through the options.

Special feet for different situations

Every tripod will come with a standard set of rubber feet, but some feature runner feet that twist to reveal small spikes for added grip in certain situations. You can also get feet designed for use on snow and sand, and spikes of varying lengths to make sure your tripod is as stable as possible on softer ground.

Plamp for holding subjects or a reflector

The Wimberley Plamp may have a strange name but this accessory is extremely useful, especially for macro and close-up photographers. The Plamp attaches at one end to a tripod, and the clip at the other can be used to hold a subject (such as a flower) still when shooting. Alternatively, the Plamp can be used to hold up small backgrounds or reflectors to even-out lighting.

Tripod bags

Most camera bags are designed to carry a tripod but if you’re using one that doesn’t, or using a camera insert in an everyday bag, a tripod bag may be useful. These bags are generally designed for specific models, and some tripods are sold with bags included. If your tripod didn’t come with a bag, check the manufacturer’s website to see if one that fits is available.

Article: Andy Westlake, James Abbott, Michael Topham

Check out our picks for the best tripods and best camera phone tripods you can buy. For more advice on how to use a tripod, have a look at our guide to tripods from professional photographers.

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.
• Beginners guide to using a camera taking photos.
• Beginners guide to Exposure, aperture, shutter, ISO, and metering.
• Understanding white balance settings and colour
• 10 essential cameras accessories for beginners
• Beginners guide to the Art of photography and composition
• Beginners guide to Photoshop Elements and editing photos
• Beginners guide to Portrait Photography
• Beginners guide to Macro Photography
• Beginners guide to Street Photography
• Beginners guide to Landscape Photography
• How to shoot Action and Sports Photography
• How to shoot wildlife photography
• Raw vs JPEG – Pros and cons
• How to create stunning black and white images
• How to photograph events and music
• Pet photography – how to photograph pets
• The ultimate guide to flash photography

Follow AP on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

The post The ultimate guide to tripods appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

If you’re new to photography and have invested in a new camera, then have hope not fear: we all start somewhere. We have plenty of quick hints and tips to share that will help you get better, sharp blur-free photos, as well as guide you on some of the important first things you need to know about cameras.

If you aren’t already, it’s worth being familiar with the main camera types.

We are talking about digital cameras here – there are four essential components for a digital camera to work. These are:

• The camera
• The lens
• The battery
• The memory card

Without these, you’ll have great difficulty taking any photos. Ensure that the battery is charged, and that your memory card isn’t full. With these factors in place, it’s time to get to know the main components and parts of a camera.

Let’s start with the main parts from the top of the camera:

Lens – See our guide to lens types to learn more about lenses: without one, you won’t be able to take any photos!

On/Off switch – A useful tip: make sure you switch it off when not in use to save your battery life.

Shutter release button – This is what you use to take photos, and it has two stages or steps. If you learn the two-step process, it’ll help you make sure you get correctly focused photos. Half press this to activate Auto Focus (AF). By looking at the screen or viewfinder you’ll be able to confirm that focus is correct. With this done, then fully depress/press the button to instruct the camera to “release” the shutter and take the photo.

Command dials – These are used to adjust settings, such as exposure compensation, or the aperture and shutter speed, depending on which mode you are in.

Mode dial – Most cameras feature a mode dial. If yours doesn’t have one then it may have a mode button, or other way of switching to different shooting modes. For the purposes of this article we’ll run through the main modes on a dial.

The P or Program is a good place to start, or the iA/Auto dial. These are the modes where the camera chooses the shutter/aperture and ISO settings for you, letting you just focus on taking the photo.

Here are some other main modes found on most cameras:

• Auto (or intelligent Auto)
• P = Program (Program Auto)
• A = Aperture priority (Av on Canon/Pentax cameras)
• S = Shutter priority (Tv on Canon/Pentax cameras)
• M = Manual shutter/aperture control

Aperture and shutter priority modes let you set the aperture or priority and the camera will work out the rest for a correctly exposed photo.

The camera from the back:

Viewfinder (if it has one) – With a Digital SLR, this is an optical viewfinder that lets you see through the lens. With a mirrorless camera, this will be an electronic viewfinder, showing you exactly what the camera’s sensor sees.

Rear screen – On many cameras this will include some form of tilt system, so you can tilt the screen up or down, or move it to face forwards. It’s used to compose shots and change settings. In cameras that lack a viewfinder (mainly mirrorless), the screen is the view through which you take photos. Whether you prefer to use the screen or viewfinder will be down to personal preference; but the viewfinder is helpful when outdoors in bright light. Many modern cameras feature a touchscreen, allowing you use the screen to set the focus point or change settings.

Controls / Dials (Rear) – You’ll often find a scroll wheel or a 4-way controller, that can be used to change settings, such as the focus point, or to choose different options and settings in the menus. It’s worth familiarising yourself with the controls so you can find and change settings when needed.

Playback – The playback button is what you press to access and view the photos you’ve already taken. It’s a good idea to learn where this is, so you could find it in the dark ie when shooting in low-light.

Main areas of interest from the front of the camera:

Image sensor – The image sensor is the part of the camera that absorbs the light from the scene, after it travels through the lens. This can vary in size, but the most important thing to remember about it is that any dust or dirt that gets onto the image sensor can damage image quality eg specs of dust on images; so it’s best to leave the body cap or lens on the lens at all times. It’s much easier to keep a sensor clean, than it is to clean a dirty sensor.

Lens mount – The lens mount is what the lens attaches to, and you can line up the red/white dot on the camera body to the red/white dot on the lens, and then simply twist the lens till it clicks into position.

Lens release button – You will need to press this when you want to release a lens from the camera body, in order to change lenses. You only need to press this when taking a lens off the camera, not when putting one on.

The main parts of a camera – from the bottom:

Battery compartment – On most cameras, the battery compartment will be underneath the camera.

Tripod socket – You’ll also find the tripod socket underneath the camera, and this will be a metal, circular socket, with a metal thread (on most cameras).

Memory card slot – The memory card slot will normally be next to the battery, underneath the camera, but could also be on the side of the camera, so check your manual, or have a look around the camera to find where your memory card slot is.

Setting up your camera…

Once familiar with the main parts on your camera, with a memory card and battery installed in it, and a lens attached, you can switch it on and start taking photos.

If you have the camera’s manual, we recommend reading it for any specific things you wish to, or should know about it. If you don’t have one, you should be able to find the manual on the manufacturer’s website.

With your switched your camera on, check through a few settings to ensure you achieve the best image quality possible: here are some quick and simple things to run through:

• Image size – check you’re shooting at the highest resolution available.
• Image quality – check you’re shooting at the highest possible quality, such as Fine or Extra/Super Fine. If you want to edit photos later, then you can shoot JPEG+RAW
• White balance settings – Check your white balance settings. Leaving this on Auto will generally give you great results. If you’ve accidentally changed it or left it at a wrong setting, then this can result in colours looking wrong or odd.
• Exposure compensation – this is normally shown with a +/- bar and/or number.  Check this if your photos are looking over-exposed (too bright), or under-exposed (too dark).
• Focus settings and switches – make sure your lens and camera are set to auto-focus (AF) instead of manual-focus (MF), as these can sometimes be knocked when taking cameras out of bags.
• Memory card space – how many photos you can take will be displayed on screen. If not displayed, then you can toggle through the display with the DISP/display button – or check your memory card. To learn more about memory cards, have a look at our complete guide to memory cards.
• Battery life – again, this will be displayed on screen. There is variation between models in battery endurance, so it’s worth a regular glance at this while you get used to your camera. A most gifted photographer won’t look like one if out of power at a shoot.

How to hold your camera…

Hold the camera with two hands where possible for a better grip, and to keep it more steady in your hands. This is useful for achieving sharp shots, as any camera movement can result in blurred (or shaky) shots. You’ll feel more secure in yourself, too, to the same effect.

By holding the camera with two hands in this way, there is a firm hold on the cameras main grip, with the index finger positioned ready to take a photo. The left hand supports the lens, and can be used to adjust the lens zoom or focus if needed.

Using this method gives you two points of contact with the camera, and gives a relatively steady grip, which is great if you are using the screen on the back of the camera to compose your images.

The next step is to use the viewfinder… (if the camera has one)

Holding the camera up to your eye gives a great view of the scene you are photographing, especially if your camera has a large viewfinder. However, it also provides the benefit of having a third contact point with the camera; naturally improving stability when taking photos.

Now that you’ve got this nailed, you can get out there and start taking photos, and really learn about your camera. The more familiar you are with your camera, the easier you’ll find it to change settings when needed, and have the right settings for taking your next brilliant photo!

See other beginners’ guides here:

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.

Find the latest Improve Your Photography articles here.

The post Beginners guide – How to use a camera and take photos appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

One of the best things about them is their relative simplicity – point and shoot and you get great pictures. To take your shots to the next level, though, there are lots of different things you can try to get more out of the cameras – some of which are somewhat hidden.

Most of these tips and tricks can be used with all of the recent iPhone models, so you don’t need to have the latest (iPhone 15 series) to take advantage of them, however we’ve marked a couple that are currently unique to the newer models.

So, read on to find out how you can unleash the power of your iPhone camera and get your best smartphone photos yet with our iPhone photography tips and tricks.

iPhone photography tip 1 – Shoot in raw format

Many of the top-end smartphones now offer you the opportunity to shoot in raw resolution. This gives you great scope for editing your shots later down the line to bring out extra detail, particularly in areas of highlight and shadow.

Apple calls its raw format “Apple ProRAW”, but it’s universal DNG format, meaning you’ll be able to open it on your computer using software such as Adobe Photoshop CC, or on your phone with editing apps such as Adobe Lightroom Mobile.

In order to see the raw option when shooting, head into the phone’s main Settings, then select Camera, then Formats. Select ProRAW & Resolution Control and you’ll now see it in the main shooting window. You can also choose a default resolution for your raw images too.

To save space, you can toggle raw format shooting on and off – you probably don’t need to use it for a quick snap of your dinner for example, but this can be a good choice for more considered shots .

It’s also worth noting in this menu that you can either shoot in “most compatible” or “high efficiency.” Most compatible will leave you with JPEG images that can be read by just about everything, while high efficiency means you’ll shoot in HEIF – this format is becoming increasingly readable, but is not yet as universal as JPEG.

iPhone photography tip 2 – Choose your resolution

With iPhone 15 series phones, the default output of images taken with the main sensor is 24 megapixels.

However, you can choose to shoot at a different resolution, depending on your needs. Firstly, you can shoot at the maximum 48 megapixels (in either JPEG or raw format) where lots of detail is desired. Alternatively, you can reduce the resolution to 12 megapixels in order to save more space on your device, too.

First, head into Settings > Camera> Formats. From here, tap “Photo Capture” and you can reduce the standard output from 24MP to 12MP if you prefer. In the same menu, you can also toggle on ProRAW & Resolution control, and also set a default for the ProRAW setting (JPEG Max (up to 48MP), ProRAW 12MP or ProRAW Max (up to 48MP).

Now, when you go back into the camera app, you should see “RAW” at the top of the screen. A single tap of this will switch raw shooting on or off, while if you hold it down you’ll be able to toggle between the different resolutions available.

Just to note – it says “up to 48MP” in the Settings menu, because if you shoot with other lenses aside from the main one, the resolution will drop to match that sensor.

For other recent iPhone series models, such as the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro, the default resolution from the main sensor is 12MP, and it can’t be increased to 24MP. With the iPhone 14 Pro, you can still shoot at the higher resolution, though – up to 48MP.

iPhone photography tip 3 – Choose a 1x lens (iPhone 15 Pro series only)

A fun new feature of the iPhone 15 Pro series is the ability to choose a different “1x” lens from the standard 24mm option.

In the main camera app, tapping the “1x” lens will take you to 1.2x (28mm equivalent) and 1.5x (35mm equivalent) very quickly. Tap again to return to the standard 1x option.

If you find you’re regularly shooting at 1.2x or 1.5x, you can opt to have this as your default option, too. Alternatively, switch off any of the two extra “lenses” that you don’t want, to enable you to jump from 1x to 1.5x for example.

Go to Settings > Camera > Main Camera, where you can toggle lenses on and off, and choose a different default if you prefer.

Note that this is only available for iPhone 15 series phones, for now at least.

iPhone 15 Pro · f/1.78 · 1/5814s · 6.86mm · ISO80

iPhone 15 Pro · f/1.78 · 1/6410s · 6.86mm · ISO80

iPhone photography tip 4 – Extend Night mode exposure time

All of the recent iPhone models have had an automatic Night mode, which should kick in when the phone detects that there isn’t much light in the scene.

It’s a shame that the Night mode can’t be selected manually but, once it works, you can take additional control for potentially even better pictures. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap on the moon icon (as shown in our picture here), and you’ll be able to adjust the shutter speed from what the phone thinks is appropriate.

When using a tripod or balancing the phone on a steady surface, you’ll be able to increase the shutter speed to several seconds (the phone automatically knows when it’s stable).

iPhone photography tip 5 – Switch on macro mode

Macro mode has been a feature of iPhones for several generations now. It works by automatically detecting when you are very close to a subject and switching to the ultrawide lens.

You should notice that a small flower icon appears when you get close to a subject. If you don’t see this, make sure macro detection is switched on in the main menu (Settings > Camera > Macro Control).

At any time, you can switch off macro, too – this can be useful in some circumstances. As the phone is switching to the ultrawide lens, you lose the ability to shoot in high resolution, while the aperture of this lens is narrower than the 1x lens. If you’re doing some close-up work, but you’re not *too* close, it can be worth tapping the icon to switch back to the main camera. Try experimenting with how close you can get with that to see what works best.

iPhone photography tip 6 – Switch on Portrait detection (iPhone 15 Pro series only)

One of the new introductions of the iPhone 15 series was automatic portrait detection. This works by recognising when a portrait subject is in front of the lens (human, dog or pet) and capturing all the necessary detail required to create a “Portrait” (shallow depth of field image).

This is great when you’re using the main Photo mode and want to quickly capture a moment without having to switch to the specific shooting mode.

You will notice when a Portrait subject has been recognised by the appearance of a small “f” (to denote aperture) in the corner of the screen. Once you’ve taken the picture, you’ll be able to add or remove the Portrait stylings as you see fit.

If you don’t see the f, make sure it’s switched on in the main menu (Settings > Camera > Portraits in Photo Mode).

With iOS 17 you can also adjust the focus point for your portraits after the fact – perhaps the phone has focused on your dog’s nose, rather than its eyes for example. This is a feature that should work with any iPhone from the 13 series onwards, so you don’t need to have the latest 15 models for this part of the tip.

To try it, open a Portrait and tap Edit in the top right hand corner. Tap anywhere around the screen to change the focus point as you see fit. You can also adjust the level of blur to create a more – or less – pronounced effect too. When you’re happy, click Done to save your changes – you can revert back to the original, or remove Portrait styling altogether at any time too.

iPhone photography tip 7 – Experiment with Picture Styles

A fun way to change up the look of your photos is to shoot using different Picture Styles.

To access them, swipe up from the bottom of the main camera window and tap on an icon which looks like three squares.

From here, you can swipe to move from the default option (Standard), to Rich Contrast, Vibrant Warm, Warm, and Cool. These are all fairly subtle, but are worth experimenting with – some will suit some situations better than others.

You can also customise each Style by adjusting Tone and Warmth to get a slightly different look again. If you do that, the names of the styles will change – for example to “Vibrant Cool”. You can reset the Styles any time you like.

A couple of things to note about Picture Styles. You can’t remove them after you’ve shot a picture – so make sure they are turned off when you don’t want them – if one is activated you should see an icon at the top of the screen to allow for a quick removal (or change) of the Style. Secondly, you can’t shoot in raw format with Styles activated, but can shoot Live photos (where a short amount of video is captured with the style).

iPhone photography tip 8 – Switch on the Level and Grid

This is a feature which has been around in cameras (and other types of smartphones) for a long time and always comes in handy when trying to compose things like landscapes and architecture.

iOS 17 introduced the ability to switch on a level which you can see in your main camera window – it’ll turn yellow if you hold the camera straight.

To switch it on, go to Settings > Camera and toggle “Level” on. Although not a new feature, it can also be worth switching on the Grid too, to help your composition too (Settings > Camera > Grid).

iPhone photography tip 9 – Try different filters

If you like the idea of your photos having a different look but are put off by the permanence of Picture Styles, then take a look at Filters.

These can be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, swiping along the various options presented here, and tapping the icon that looks like three overlapping circles.

The filters are a lot more dramatic than the Styles, and include monochrome options too. You will see how your picture looks during composition too. The good thing about these is that you can remove or change the filter after you’ve taken the shot by tapping “Edit”, and, you can also shoot in raw format with filters switched on too.

iPhone photography tip 10 – Adjust aspect ratio

By default, the iPhone will shoot in 4:3 ratio, which works well for many different scenarios.

But you might not be aware that there are other aspect ratios which you can select too. To access them, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap the circle marked 4:3. You’ll now see options to shoot in Square (1:1) or 16:9 ratio.

Remember to change back to your preferred ratio – though if you forget, you’ll be able to access the default (4:3) ratio by tapping Edit, selecting “Crop” and then “Original” too – which is handy to know.

iPhone photography tip 11 – Preserve your settings

If you regularly shoot one particular subject, it can be quite frustrating when the settings reset every time you open up the camera app.

Happily, there’s a way around this – head to “Preserve Settings” (Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings) and you can toggle on (or off) a number of settings, including Exposure Adjustment, settings you’ve changed with Night Photo, Creative Controls and more.

Setting it to “Camera Mode” is a good one to select if you’re shooting lots of video in a day – as you won’t have to keep going back to the video mode every time you open the app.

There’s an explainer about what each setting does if you’re not sure, which comes in handy.

iPhone photography tip 12 – View outside the frame

This feature is particularly handy for street photography and similar situations.

By enabling “View Outside the Frame” (Settings > Camera > Composition) you can see on either side of the frame what’s about to come into view. This can be helpful for waiting for the opportune moment. It’ll also give you a good idea of how an image will look when shot at a wider focal length, without actually having to adjust the length, too.

The data for this setting comes from the wider camera, so it’ll work when shooting in 1x, 2x, or 3x/5x (depending on your model of iPhone), but you won’t be able to use it with the ultrawide lens, since that’s already the widest you can go.

And finally… tip 13 – Editing

Don’t forget to edit your photos if you want to make your photos POP. All you need to do is select the image you want to edit in the photos app then press edit in the top of your screen. There is a whole range of options, but if you just want a quick fix to your photo you can just press the auto button and it will edit it for you. If you want more advanced editing options have a look at our guide to the best photo editing apps for your phone.

Related reading:

• Best photo editing apps for your phone
• 10 ways smartphones can help your photography
• iPhone vs Android: Which is better for photography?
• iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro: Do you need a 5x zoom?
• iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro/Max: Should you upgrade to get 5x zoom?

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Photo editing software lets you adjust colours, exposure and composition, and remove any blemishes. Adobe Photoshop Elements has recently been updated to version 2024, with a redesigned interface and a clutch of new features. These include one-click sky or background selection, stylized text tools and one-click colour and tone adjustments. Other photo editing programs are available, but the same basic principles apply to all of them.

There are a few photo editing packages that come with Windows and Mac computers, but these are quite basic, and it’s likely that you’ll soon reach the limitations of these.

From there, though, it’s quite a jump to Adobe Photoshop, which is the industry standard for photo editing. Photoshop can be quite daunting for beginners and also costs around $10 / £10 a month as part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud subscription based Photography Plan. You have to commit to this a year at a time, and if you cancel the subscription you’re no longer able to use Photoshop – so you could be looking at paying $10 / £10 per month for the rest of your photo editing life!

But there is an alternative if you want a similar set of tools without paying an ongoing subscription. Adobe Photoshop Elements is available for a single one-off payment and offers many of the same tools and editing processes as Adobe Photoshop, but is much more beginner-friendly.

Photoshop Elements has enough features for editing images to serve most people, and is one of the best photo editing software packages for beginners. Our screenshots are from the latest Photoshop Elements 2024. Elements is updated every year, but the fundamentals don’t change very much, and everything in this tutorial can be achieved in Photoshop Elements 2022 and 2023.

How much does Adobe Photoshop Elements cost?

You can try Photoshop Elements for free for 30 days, without paying. If you do want to buy it, then you’ll find its price is $99.99 / £86.56 as a one-off payment. We’d recommend you use trial versions of any software before shelling out for it, just to make sure it suits you! Photoshop Elements is also sold with Adobe Premiere Elements, a program designed for entry-level video editing, and you can save money if you buy them both together as a bundle.

Things you’ll want a photo editing package to do:

• Crop and resize images
• Adjust colour
• Adjust brightness and contrast
• Remove unwanted objects from an image
• Convert images to black and white
• Adjust orientation
• Create artistic effects and changes

There are also a range of free photo editing tools out there, but we are using Adobe Photoshop Elements as our starting guide, as the tools and controls on offer are fairly universal, and you should be able to find very similar features in other photo editing packages.

An an example, the hand selection tool is used in almost every photo editing package available. The zoom, crop, and text tools are all universal tools that you’ll find in alternatives, too.

There are three different ways of using Photoshop Elements, using the Quick, Guided, and Advanced tabs at the top, and this makes it really user-friendly for the beginner.  Once you’ve got Photoshop Elements installed and gone into the “Photo Editor”, you’ll want to start by using the program in the Quick mode.

Photoshop Elements Quick mode

The vertical tools panel, left side

These are the main tools you’ll be using to adjust or crop images. Hover the mouse pointer over the controls and a text label pops up that describes what each tool does.

There are also keyboard shortcuts you can use if you want to quickly switch between them when editing an image. Here are the tools, and the keyboard shortcuts in brackets – simply press the key on your keyboard for the tool you want to switch to. You can press it again and it will toggle between the different options if the tool has more than one function.

10 tools you need to know in Photoshop Elements

Here’s a quick overview of what each of these tools do. Once you’ve got these worked out, you’ll be ready to change and adjust your image.

1. Zoom tool – this lets you zoom into the image for a better view, as well as zoom out (you’ll also find a zoom slide control in the top right)
2. Hand tool (H) – to move around the image if you’ve zoomed in
3. Quick selection tool (A) – For selecting something in the image. Once selected it, you can use the move tool to move this (if needed), or select something in the image to adjust only the selected area.
4. Eye tool (Y) – This is designed to correct “red-eye” in photos, but also offers a pet-eye option, as well as opening closed eyes! Depending on the photo you use, you may get mixed results.
5. Whiten teeth (F) – This one needs no explanation. Simply draw over the area in the image where you want to whiten teeth.
6. Straighten tool (P) – To use this you draw a line along an edge in the image, and the program will automatically straighten the photo for you
7. Horizontal text tool (T) – This lets you create text, and once you’ve selected it, will find a variety of options at the bottom.
8. Spot healing brush tool (J) – This is great for removing anything unwant in your image – try the “Content aware” option and Photoshop Elements will automatically work out what needs to fill the content you are removing
9. Crop tool (C) – This lets you crop the image, as well as set the aspect ratio, for example you could set it to 5:5 if you want a square image
10. Move tool (V) – This lets you move selected in the image, or any other objects you’ve created, such as text.

Adjustments sidebar, right

On the right you’ll find quick adjustments you can make. With Photoshop Elements you can see the changes apply to your image in real time as you select the different options available. If you don’t like the changes, simply click the “Undo” button at the top.

Don’t forget to check out the “Create” menu right at the top, where there are a range of different tools available, including the ability to create a Slideshow, Collage, Prints, Cards, Photo books, Calendars and more.

Bottom toolbar, left

You’ll find an undo and redo button at the bottom left. This is also where the different options are found when using the tools from the top left corner.

Bottom toolbar, right

Bottom right you’ll find more options, including fx/effects, textures, and frames.

Don’t forget to save your changes… and keep the original image untouched

We’d recommend saving the edited image as a new file, so that you always have your original image to go back to if need be. For example, you might not like the changes you’ve made, or might want to try something completely different. Keep the original image untouched, and you can always start again. You’ll find all the options for opening and saving images in the File menu at the top.

Photoshop Elements Guided mode

After you’ve got to grips with the basics, why not have a look at the Guided mode? You might find it quicker to try some of these guided features, as the software teaches you how to get the results you want, for example with object removal, or creating a vintage effect.

The idea of the Guided mode is that it offers a range of different photo editing effects that you can achieve, but walks you through each step so that you can see what the software is doing, change settings or options to suit your taste and learn key tools so that you can achieve the same effects yourself later on.

The Guided mode shows how a series of steps can produce a much more sophisticated result than a single tool or adjustment. This is how professionals and experts approach photo editing.

Photoshop Elements Advanced mode

Once you’ve got to grips with the Basic mode, or if you want to jump right in, then have a look at the Advanced mode, which has a similar layout of controls as the full Adobe Photoshop program. To find out what each of the tools do, simply hover over them and you’ll see pop-up text letting you know.

The Advanced mode is where you will spend much of your time once you’ve mastered the basics. It’s perfect for photographers who know exactly what they want to do with a photo and are familiar with the tools they will need. It makes Photoshop Elements useful even for more advanced photographers.

You’ll also find a range of Photoshop Elements tutorials on Adobe’s website.

Some helpful Photoshop Elements links:

• Master the essential tools in Photoshop Elements
• Get terrific colour and tones in Photoshop Elements and working with raw

An introduction to Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is available only as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan, and it does have advantages for more serious photographers. It tends to get the latest features first, and if you’re serious about photo editing, then Photoshop is well worth learning. It’s one of the most popular photo editing packages, so there are lots of online tutorials on how to use and get the most out of it. See our Adobe Photoshop review.

Adobe Photoshop vs Photoshop Elements – what’s the difference?

Adobe Photoshop is the flagship image editing package from Adobe, and not only gives photo editors and retouchers a complete toolkit, but also offers specific workspaces for 3D, Graphic and Web, Motion, Painting and Photography. It has a vast array of tools, which in itself can be a daunting prospect to learn; to get used to the software and controls, as well as how to make your desired changes.

In comparison, Photoshop Elements is designed to be quick and easy, for both beginners and the more advanced photographer, and includes a range of tools that help you produce content for print, such as photobooks, calendars and cards. Of course you can do the same with Photoshop, but would need to work out how it’s all going to be laid out yourself. Some people will prefer the precise control over every step, whereas others will prefer the simplicity of Elements.

For the more advanced photographer and editor, Adobe Photoshop provides a complete range of tools that mean you can expand beyond photography and into graphic design, illustration, motion, or more.

There’s also the difference in how you buy and pay for Photoshop vs Elements. Photoshop is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan which costs around $10 / £10 per month (renewed annually) and you’ll always get the latest version when it comes out. Whereas Photoshop Elements is subscription-free, meaning you pay for it once, and it’s yours forever, but if you want the latest version, you’ll need to buy it again. I’d usually update it every year.

More on Adobe Photoshop:

• How to use Photoshop’s new background blur tool
• How to replace skies in Photoshop
• Major Adobe Photoshop updates announced

You’ll also find versions of Adobe Photoshop available on your smartphone or iPad so you can start editing on the move.

An introduction to Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

The Adobe Photography Plan includes more than just Photoshop. It also includes Adobe Photoshop Lightroom; an advanced image management and editing program that can be used on its own or alongside Photoshop. Lightroom uses a library (catalogue) in order to keep a record of all your changes. This can be particularly useful if you’re editing a large number of images and want to apply the same changes to all of your images or reverse your changes later via its ‘non-destructive’ editing tools – your original photos always remain unaltered. Lightroom comes in a ‘Lightroom Classic’ desktop based version, or as a cloud-based ‘Lightroom’ version that uses cloud storage to make your photo library available anywhere.

• What is Lightroom and how to use it
• Adobe Photoshop vs Lightroom
• Adobe Lightroom Classic vs Lightroom CC

To discover free alternatives, and find out what else is available, have a look at our guide to subscription-free photo editing software.

For an extensive guide to Photoshop and Lightroom, see the AP Improve Your Photography “Photoshop and Lightroom” book. or read the photo editing section.

This article is part of the AP Improve Your Photography Series in partnership with MPB. This series is designed to take you from the beginnings of photography to the next level, to introduce different shooting skills and styles, and teach you how to grow as a photographer, so you can enjoy producing amazing photography and video, whether that’s making money or simply mastering your art form. Read more articles in this series.

Find the latest Improve Your Photography articles here.

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