Photo How To

Last month we showed you how to create better portraits by using a white balloon to soften the light from your camera’s pop-up flash. Now there are these five camera hacks to improve your photos with a simple plastic bag.

Want to elevate the quality of your photography with the gear you already own? It may sound too good to be true, but all you have to do is watch the following video tutorial from Canadian pro Peter McKinnon and that’s exactly what will happen.

Time-lapse videos are all the rage these days but they typically require specialized gear and technical expertise that is beyond the means and knowledge of many of us. In the six-minute tutorial below, you’ll learn how to create time-lapses yourself, using gear you likely already own.

Peter McKinnon is an award-winning Canadian photographer, and like many pros he’s often had to rig something up in the field to solve a problem. In the quick video below, McKinnon shares eight simple hacks that can get you out of a bind in a hurry.

Depending on your photographic interests, depth of field—the range of distances over which your lens will be sharp—can affect you in either propitious or problematic ways. If you’re trying to isolate one face in a group, a shallow depth of field is just what you need. If you’re hoping to capture the drama of a racehorse beating down the track in your direction, then shallow depth of field can turn much of the equine into a befuddling brown blur, no matter how high your shutter speed.

Is that your shutter snapping or your teeth chattering? If cold weather is bad for your body, it’s even worse for your camera body. Moisture of any kind is a camera killer. And freezing temperatures contribute to everything from internal condensation to diminished battery performance. Herewith, then, are my seven favorite cold weather tips and accessories. 

"Ask a Pro" is a Q&A column from professional photographer, writer, and educator Scott Kelby. Scott is here to answer all your photography-related questions, so if you have something you’d like to know, just ask.