Photo How To

In case you haven’t checked the calendar recently you can kiss winter goodbye, because spring officially begins Sunday. And that means it’s time to dust off a macro lens and bone up on your skills.

As much as some Shutterbug readers consider it blasphemy to shoot “serious” images with an iPhone, it’s difficult to deny that—when used properly—today’s sophisticated smartphones are capable of making truly superb photographs. In the detailed video below, you’ll learn everything you need to know to do that yourself.

Unless you’re shooting in black and white, the effective use of color can make or break a photo. And that typically means striking a balance between tones that are vibrant and realistic.

If you’re interested in giving macro photography a try, or the images you shot in the past were disappointing, this detailed tutorial is for you. And if you think that shooting close-ups is reserved for spring and summer, think again!

The use of Selections in Photoshop is an oft-ignored technique because of a misconception by some photographers that it’s beyond their skill levels. Fortunately, the comprehensive guide below will allay your concerns, and get you up and running today.

Expansive vistas often include a variety of tonal values that can make it difficult to nail exposure and get colors correct in the camera. This tutorial from the popular PHLOG Photography You Tube channel illustrates how to use Target Adjustments to achieve proper balance throughout the frame without merging multiple shots and time-consuming image-stacking techniques.

“Keep things simple” is great advice for whatever type of images you shoot, but when photographing nature scenes it’s often crucial to simplify the landscape if you want to capture compelling photos without a lot of unnecessary clutter.