Photo How To

Spring is long gone, and summer ended almost a month ago, but that doesn’t mean the time for capturing great macro images is over. There are many opportunities to pursue close-up photography year-round.

You’ve no doubt marveled at the beauty of starlit skies, and scenes with the sparking Milky Way are among the best. Many photographers pass up these great opportunities, thinking that astrophotography is beyond their skills.

Have you ever marveled at spectacular images of the nighttime sky, but thought, “There’s no way I can do that”? If so, you’ll want to pay close attention to this tutorial, because with the proper approach astrophotography is not as difficult as it seems.

Out of the box, your new camera comes with all kinds of factory-assigned settings. Some of these default camera settings are useful, while others you'll quickly learn are counter-productive and even incredibly annoying: "How do I turn that infernal beeping off???"

Photoshop offers such a broad array of capabilities that there are often several ways to accomplish the same task—some more complicated and than others. And often the best way to use a particular tool is just as easy and effective as doing things wrong.

What do you mean you've never cleaned your lenses and the dirty sensor in your camera? After all, some of us spend a small fortune on cameras, lenses, and important photo accessories, and regular maintenance is part of the game. As one pro says, "It definitely behooves us to do everything in our power to try to extend the life of our gear as much as possible."

How often have you changed lenses when shooting in the field or switched subject matter, say from a landscape scene to a macro or wildlife photo? If you're like most photographers you do so frequently, which is why the tutorial below is a real game changer.