Travel Photography How To

Outdoor photographers love shooting at “Blue Hour”—that quiet, moody time just before dawn or after sunset. That’s because images take on a soft, ephemeral glow before the sun rises in the morning or drops below the horizon at night.

Are you struggling to capture consistently sharp images in the camera without resorting to post processing? If so, the video below from the Photo Genius YouTube channel will explain how to solve most common focusing problems in barely 10 minutes.

One of the basic tenets of landscape photography is to “be at the right place at the right time,” which is why many of us prefer to shoot at blue hour—just before sunrise or after sunset. But what if you stumble upon a beautiful scene earlier in the day when the light isn’t quite right?

Some photographers shoot landscapes, while others concentrate on wildlife or travel imagery. But you can take your outdoor photography to the next level by being less of a purist and combining two or three of these disciplines in your work.

Most landscape photographers carry a polarizing filter in their bag for darkening pale skies, making colors more vibrant, and eliminating distracting reflections from water. But what if you’re out in the field and your polarizer is at home?

Making great images is often about being in the right place at the right time. But that’s not always possible depending upon where you live, where you’re going, and the degree to which Mother Nature cooperates.

Share your best images with the world by posting in the Shutterbug Photo of the Day gallery. Here’s the quick and easy procedure along with some tips to help you navigate to the right place, and even some advice about composition and subject matter.