Working with big macro subjects

A quick primer for people who are starting
Written for the folks to whom it all seems too complicated

Making sense of blur
Understanding the main causes for blur will give you a huge advantage when starting to learn this stuff

What is depth of field?
It’s good to know what the term means

Getting started — what you need to know
Making sense of your fancy new toy

Learning from examples
Picking up where the first article left off

Understanding aperture
This is one of the fundamental tools for controlling exposure.

Understanding shutter speed
This is another of the fundamental tools for controlling exposure.

Focusing a digital SLR camera
Making sense of all the options available

Megapixels
How many is enough?

How big will your photo print?
Here’s a simple calculator and an explanation about how to work it out

Making sense of sensors
Why size matters

How much camera gear do you need?
Sometimes, less really is more

How to choose a lens
Making the right choices can improve your shots and save you money

Tips for using tripods
Getting the most out of them

JPG versus RAW
Which is the best way to work?

Understanding histograms
Making sense of this handy tool

APS-C vs full frame
The differences explained, and what it means to your photography

Pixel density in sensors
Helping APS-C cameras photograph distant objects.

Fast lens, slow lens
What’s the difference?

A closer look at colour temperature
It doesn’t have to be complicated.

A closer look at resolution
What it means, as it applies to digital photography

What’s a 100% crop?
I explain a term you often hear in digital photography

What are specular highlights?
You’ll recognise them when you see them

What is bracketing?
A commonly-used word for a handy trick

Image Stacking
Using software to achieve extraordinary depth of field

Sneaky deep-etching
A fast way to cut complicated objects out of their backgrounds

Creating an instant sepia look
With Photoshop you can get this effect in seconds.

Fixing a shot taken through a dirty window
If you work in RAW mode you’ll be able to salvage a lot from your shots

Washed-out colours in photos
Why it happens, and how to prevent it

Understanding exposure compensation
Why your photo subject can look so badly exposed, and what to do about it

Understanding dynamic range
Dealing with too much contrast

Working in harsh light
Getting some of the colour back into midday photography

Getting sharper pictures
Understanding the things that stop your photos from being tack-sharp

Where to focus
How to pick the ideal spot to focus to get as much stuff looking sharp as possible

Noise in your images
What causes it, and what can you do about it?

Taking photos of sunsets
Here’s how to capture the great sky colours

Lighting up the foreground in a sunset shot
You don’t have to settle for silhouettes

Using a telephoto lens to blur the background
Here’s an easy-to-understand explanation of why it happens

Isolating your subject from its background
Making your subject really stand out

Macro photography part 1
Using your DSLR for bug shots

Macro photography part 2
Ironing the bugs out of bug shots

One simple trick
The easiest way to get better wildlife photos

Wildlife photography
Tricks the pros use to get better pictures of critters

Bird photography part 1
Small, distant, and feathered does not have to mean a bad photo

Bird photography part 2
More hints for beginner bird photographers

How I take photos of frogs
These tiny critters require a technique all their own.

Using software to ‘fix’ your photos
A few suggestions for image editing

Taking action shots of dogs
It’s easy if you know the right settings

How a digital SLR can make speedy action shots easy
How to nail a shot of something that happens super fast

 

Photographing small critters in the dark
How I take my shots when I can’t even see the critter

Taking pictures of the moon
You need a fairly long lens, and these simple tricks

Photographing the Milky Way
This is how I do it

Taking night-time shots of lightning
This method is surprisingly easy and reliable.

Photographing light trails of traffic
An easy way to get some interesting effects.