Awesome Tips to Extend Your Camera’s Battery Consumption

You could compare running low on battery power during an important photoshoot to say, driving through Death Valley in summer and seeing the car’s fuel needle dangerously close to “E”. It’s the kind of nightmare you just don’t really want to give too much thought for worry over losing sleep at night.

So let’s not worry about losing sleep (or any other bad dream for that matter). We shall focus on taking every possible step to altogether avoid this predicament.

Personally, even if I’m not purposefully going out to shoot anything intentional, I always have a spare camera battery in my small bag because…I do. There’s almost no reason not to?

While heading out to shoot for a client or on a landscape/city location, it’s more important than ever to carry spares. But, things happen, they could get lost/damaged or you find no way of charging. This is why you need to ensure you know how to conserve that vital battery power.

Image by JÉSHOOTS

These Seven Top Tips will Help you Extend Your Camera’s Battery Power.

1. Turn Off Your Camera’s WiFi Connections

There’s no need to have your camera’s built-in WiFi searching for networks in the background aimlessly. Have this switched on ONLY when you need it and you’re actually transferring data.

2. Your LCD Screen is Munching Power

Dim your screen brightness. This is a great tip for reducing battery power consumption. Okay, not every single camera has this option but the ones that do have this feature, use it.

Aside from dimming your LCD screen’s brightness, reducing the length of time it stays on to preview your images should also be reduced – you’re looking at them in detail when in post anyhow.

So keep the chimping to a minimum – a quick check, then back to work. Live View Mode also is a bit of a drain on battery consumption so this is another way to extend you camera’s battery life.

Using Live View can be REALLY helpful, especially when shooting from above or in the studio, but aside from these situations, don’t keep it running for too long.

Image by Pexels

3. Storing Your Camera’s Battery at Room Temperature

Batteries liked to be stored in conditions us humans do too.Too hot or too cold can really begin to limit your battery’s useful life, so to extend your camera’s battery power, ensure you’ve thought twice about when you store your gear

4. Use a Faster Memory Card and Only Delete Photos When Absolutely Necessary

If you’re busy deleting images, you’re at risk of missing a shot (yes, this does depend on what you’re shooting etc) but more importantly, while we’re discussing battery power, it uses up more battery than you might think – so leave this until you’re at your computer.

If you can’t because your memory card is full, then consider buying a larger storage capacity or carry a spare. Additionally, consider a faster memory card too so that transfer rates slightly increase in speed.

This may seem insignificant for a short time taking only perhaps 100 photos, but an entire day, it can drain some serious juice. And lastly, always format your memory card on your camera too – so that it’s in sync with the camera.

Image at Pexels

5. Turn off automatic sensor cleaning – Get yourself a blower instead

Some photographers will actually repeatedly turn their cameras on and off to clean the sensor and it uses significant power when done so frequently. Get a blower or a sensor cleaning brush and do it yourself – especially before you even set foot out the front door.

6. Autofocus is Kept on Continuous Focus

Avoid this if you can. Unless you’re shooting sports or wildlife (or just constantly moving objects in general). Because autofocus is controlled by tiny motors buzzing around internally, it means that it’s using battery life like no other – especially in continuous mode!

I’d recommend trying to get used to the single point autofocus mode – it saves battery, but more importantly it’s good to practice this as it forces you to consider framing and composition through your viewfinder too.

Image by Ton W

7. Lastly, a Battery Grip

Have you considered investing in one of these for extended power? Though technically it doesn’t extend your camera’s battery power, it can save the day when you’re nearing the end of your current battery in your camera. Aside from this, a grip carries many other benefits too!

Also, periodically keep an eye on the overall health of your batteries and replace batteries that are dying faster than they should be – this should really be your first check.

Further Resources

Further Learning

Looking to finally Master Portrait Photography?
Your search is officially over because this course here will get you to where you need to be “simply by discovering the insider secrets.”

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Russell is a self-taught photographer who loves travel and capturing life as it unfolds. Having lived in the far east for a few years with some long term travel, this catalyzed his new-found passion for photography. Lifestyle, Food, and Event Photography are areas he enjoys most.

Latest posts by Russell Goodman (see all)

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Your Photos Still Not Looking Quite How You Want?

There are times when you sit back and look at an image you’ve captured and the only reaction you can muster is, “blah.” It’s not that it’s a terrible shot; exposure, focus, composition — you’ve got all that stuff right.

But for some reason, you feel your photo lacks dynamism. It’s flat.

Flat photos are painfully disappointing, but the good news is they are relatively easy to avoid and remedy altogether. The suggestions that follow are four simple yet effective ways to add visual depth to any photo.

1. Use Shallow Depth of Field

Shallow depth of field is a term that could easily be interpreted as being buzz-worthy or trendy, given the way it’s used by some photographers — as if “shallow depth of field” is a genre of photography unto itself.

It’s not, and it is a visual element that’s easy to overuse. Certainly, decisions about depth of field ultimately come down to personal preference, but situational norms can help guide those decisions.

Particularly effective in portraits, shallow depth of field works by creating a difference in sharpness between an object of interest and the background.

For instance, in a portrait where you might have the eyes or the whole face in focus, the background will be blurred, thus creating some visual separation between these two elements. This is achieved simply by shooting your subject with your lens set to a large aperture (f/1.4, for example).

2. Use Leading Lines

When you hear someone talk about leading lines in a photograph, there’s a good chance that your mind immediately conjures images of train tracks or fences.

Leading lines provide a sense of movement and directionality in a photo, so yes, train tracks and fences work wonderfully as leading lines.

However, there’s no rule that says leading lines have to be straight; sure, you might encounter them most often in a linear arrangement, but leading lines can also curve and snake their way through a scene (such as a winding road that cuts through the midst of a landscape).

Additionally, the usefulness of leading lines isn’t limited to landscape photography; they can also be applied to street photography, architectural photography, cityscapes, even macro photography.

Leading lines add depth by creating a pathway for the eye to follow, while simultaneously constructing a visual connection from foreground to background.

3. Alter Your Perspective

Taking a photo at eye level is easy and probably instinctual, photographically speaking. But this can also be a major culprit of flat images. Depending on the subject, taking a photo straight on fails to pull the viewer into the scene due to the absence of a foreground anchor point.

The fix is unbelievably simple: change your point of view by crouching down.

It’s up to you how low you actually want to go; the point is that a lower shooting position is an effective way to include foreground elements (objects, textures) that, similar to leading lines, give the viewer a unique and captivating starting point from which to view your photo.

To be sure, a low angle isn’t your only option.

You might also choose to shoot from up high for something of a bird’s eye view. Or, perhaps, you could tilt your camera slightly for a Dutch angle (be careful with this one).

The bottom line is that changing your perspective as a photographer also changes the perspective of the viewer.

4. Frame Your Subject

Framing is a self-explanatory technique: using the elements within a scene to frame your subject.

Framing not only serves to further highlight your subject, but also provides additional size and context clues. Furthermore, this is yet another way to make sure the viewer’s journey toward the subject is interesting the whole way through.

Architectural elements (doorways, pillars, window frames, etc.), light and shadows, environmental elements (trees, rock formations, etc.), virtually anything can be used to frame your subject.

Don’t hesitate to get creative and use framing wherever you might find it. Your goal is to use framing to endow an image with the much sought after depth we’ve been discussing.

Final Thoughts

Each technique is presented here in a rather introductory form, waiting to be expanded upon subject to your own creative vision. There are also numerous other ways to add depth to your photos.

There’s really no right way or wrong way or best way to accomplish this feat. It’s true that it takes a bit more effort than simply pressing the shutter to create a dynamic photo but, in all honesty, it doesn’t require that much more effort.

As you’ve seen, injecting depth into an image is quite easy. So give the tips above a try and you’ll be on your way to forever ditching those dreaded flat images.

Add Depth to Your Photos – Top Takeaways

• Your depth of field (particularly in portraits) should be shallow – this will add depth to your portraiture.
• Leading lines are amazing to add depth to your photos and it doesn’t mean they should be straight either. Look for ways that any lines could lead the viewer’s eyes to where you intended.
• Changing your point of view – using simple tips to compose your images differently, whether looking for ways to frame your photographs or changing your angle of view to something more unique and imaginative.

Further Resources

Further Learning

This Guide “Advanced Composition” by expert photographer Kent DuFault will teach you how to stretch your creativity, go beyond the rule of thirds and create stunning photos from subjects or situations you never thought possible…

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Jason Little is a photographer (shooting macros, portraits, candids, and the occasional landscape), writer, and music lover. You can see Jason’s photography on Flickr, his Website or his Blog.

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Sourced by Time Trap Photography sharing the best photography tips, news and tricks throughout the industry. Time Trap Photography is dedicated to freezing those special moments in life that can be revisited and admired for generations to come. - Shannon Bourque
Please visit our main site for booking availability and rates.

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Do I Really Need a New Camera Lens? Possibly…

Since we are in the month of Valentine’s Day, what would be a really sweet gift? I mean, what could be better than chocolates, roses or yes, even diamonds?

A new lens…of course!

It’s quite energizing to walk into my local camera store to buy a new lens. There’s something about opening the box and seeing that new lens for the first time. Then, gently, taking it out of the box to give it a thorough inspection.

Within the next few moments, that new “baby gem” gets a trial run.

Seriously though, how do you know if you ‘need‘ a new camera lens? Each of us has our own criteria that indicates that it’s time to acquire a given lens. Here’s a few situations, some a bit tongue in cheek, that may be indicators a new lens is definitely needed.

1. You’ve Pushed your Current Lens to the Limit

I remember my first two lenses. They came with the camera in a bundle. An 18-55mm and 55-300mm to go along with my cropped sensor camera body. I thought at the time my camera bag was complete.

Little did I know that within a very short time my gear would quickly expand as my interests in different subjects grew.

My initial subjects were birds followed by flowers and insects. The short telephoto provided a lot of flexibility and I was able to get some nice very close-up images.

However, I found that I was always at the edge of what my current lens was able to optimally capture. I recognized that I would be spending quite a bit of time photographing flowers, insects and other smaller objects.

The first non-kit lens purchased was Nikon’s 105mm macro f/2.8. (This lens was released in 2010 and still is a workhorse today for many photographers).

2. You Want to Improve your Compositional Eye

Many of us start out with one, maybe two lenses. They may be zooms, prime lenses (fixed focal length) or one of each. Both zooms and primes have their own inherent benefits. Each type of lens encourages you to use your compositional eye differently.

• With a zoom lens, you zoom in and expand out from your subject exploring which focal length is optimal by rotating the lens. Zooms provide versatility while standing in one location.
• A prime lens forces zooming in and our with your body movement – leaning in or back, or simply moving your feet. When working with primes, I personally find that I like and keep a greater percentage of my images.

3. You’re a Multi-dimensional Photographer

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a lens that was a focal length of 14-500mm f/2.8 and you could carry it in a small camera bag? Now that would make life very, very easy. Hello? Wake up. That dream is officially over.

The good news is that there are versatile lenses that have broad focal ranges. Not quite the 14-500mm of our dreams but broad enough to give us flexibility.

As your interest in photographing different subjects widens, you may find that you want to invest in focal length lenses that are more optimal for your subjects.

For example, you’re probably not going to take a long, leading line photograph of a pier stretching into the ocean with a 300mm focal length. If leading lines, architecture, piers, and big landscapes are on your list, consider wide angle zooms or wide angle primes.

For general purpose photography, portraiture, street-scenes and a great walk-around lens, a 50mm may be the perfect choice.

For wildlife, nature, and birds – telephoto primes and zooms are needed to reach those smaller subjects that are not as close.

I have to admit, there are times I’m very envious of photographers who work with shorter focal length lenses. Much easier to pack and lighter on the back.

Nature photographers have it a bit more rough in that our gear is heavy, bulky and we are typically carrying our shorter focal length lenses too.

A couple of articles that you may find helpful:
Why These 5 Lenses Can Make a Difference In Your Photography
7 Reasons Why Prime Lenses Are Better Than Zoom Lenses To Improve Your Photography

4. You’ve Got Some Spare Cash and Just Have to Have It

How I wish I could fall into this category! A new lens hits the streets and bam, it’s in my bag. For those that can, having the latest lens technology is pretty cool.

New lenses with improvements in glass and technology can impact image quality. However, it is up to the photographer to make quality images.

5. You Can’t Stop Thinking About ‘That Lens’

We all have that one lens that we thought about for a long time. Or, we have that one lens that ‘someday I’m going to get’. When to bite the bullet?

If you know that you’ll use it a lot, you’ll grow as a photographer and it will complement your photography portfolio – absolutely go for it!

Lenses hold their value very well which provides for better resale where needed.

Summary

Purchasing a new camera lens is fun. The amount of time and costs in researching a given lens adds a bit of pressure and suspense in determining if we made the right decision.

What’s my next purchase going to be? The Lensbaby Velvet 56. Why? Because I’m interested in working with the soft, glowing effect this lens offers at brighter apertures.

The other reason is indicated in #5, I can’t stop thinking about it! It looks like an amazing art and portraiture lens.

Further Resources

Further Learning

How are your Photoshop skills coming along? If you’re looking to take things to the next level, then you’ll be glad to have stumbled across this fantastic Advanced Photoshop Techniques for Nature Photographers. “Super Charge Your Processing” with Joshua Cripps!

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Sheen Watkins is a bird, nature, wildlife photographer and photography writer. You can follow her photography on Facebook, Instagram and her website. A long term birder and nature enthusiast she is Vice President of Saving Birds Thru Habitat, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating others about the importance of protecting our natural habitat for migrating birds. She also has a travel and photography blog.

Latest posts by Sheen Watkins (see all)

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Sourced by Time Trap Photography sharing the best photography tips, news and tricks throughout the industry. Time Trap Photography is dedicated to freezing those special moments in life that can be revisited and admired for generations to come. - Shannon Bourque
Please visit our main site for booking availability and rates.

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Valuable Beginner Landscape Photography Tips and How to Avoid the Potholes

You’ve just got that lens, you know the ultra-wide one that stretches wider than anything ever before to mount your lucky camera body. It feels good, it looks good, in fact, is truly is good. All you want to do is give that special piece of glass a workout.

Totally understandable.

Landscape photography, as we know, is more than screwing your camera body onto your tripod, attaching your fresh wide lens and just shooting away – to the uneducated, (photography-wise folks, we’re not insulting anyone here), it appears to be the easiest. It’s definitely not.

Why do you think there are serious landscape photographers spend a few weeks in the freezing wet drizzle and fog of outer-nowhere in rural Iceland? It ‘ain’t always fun, but it is a highly rewarding experience you’ll NEVER forget.

You won’t forget an experience like this in a hurry because that is what it often takes to come away with a few (yes, only a handful) of shots you can be uber-proud of and say “that, was worth it.”

Without the dedication, skills, preparation, knowledge and gear you may as well call it a damp and cold vacation.

Image by M Wrona

With all this said, let’s get on with some fantastic (and very applicable) Beginner Landscape Photography Tips.

The Gear – Your Bodies and Lenses

So first off, we’re going to refer to the camera gear you’re carrying. Whether you’re a DSLR shooter or Mirrorless shooter, it doesn’t matter, what matters is you’ve got the gear you need (now that you’ve made the effort to get yourself there).

Let’s keep this simple. If you’re a novice and have invested in the big time, you’ve gone and got yourself a Full Frame beast and will need that trusty 24-70mm or 16-35mm lens. However, if you’re not playing the zoom game, you might have considered a nice prime like a 24mm for those super sharp shots.

On the other hand for those using APS-C or Crop Sensor cameras (most beginners will be in this category), you’ll be looking at something like a 10-20mm or a 12-24mm lens.

The final thing to consider is whether or not you’re mostly shooting in lower light conditions or not – this depends on whether to go for a fixed f/2.8 lens or something with a variable aperture limit e.g. f/3.5 – f/5.6.

Alternatively, I cannot rule out the fact you may not even want to shoot your landscape with a wide lens, but a telephoto instead –

If that’s the case, check out this article by resident Lightstalking Photographer, Jason D. Little.

Image by WDnet Studio

Be A Dare Devil With Your Landscapes

Like bungy jumping? Not exactly, no. I’m referring to being more active on your landscape shoot.

This entails walking, climbing and avoiding the “known” points to shoot the same image as the other eighteen photographers standing with their tripods huddled together. This doesn’t mean ignore that spot – it’s good for a reason, just don’t leap straight there, explore.

Often this means climbing higher (or lower) that you might’ve thought you ought to. Visit unique locations where you can challenge your composition and exposure skills (more on that to come).

Image by Ben Duchac

Auto Landscape mode – Sorry, It’s a No No

It seems like this is the place to begin, for beginners but actually, you’d be wrong.

The best place to start is by understanding and utilizing the exposure triangle and therefore controlling your camera more manually (this does not mean, click your dial around to manual mode).

What this does mean is to understand that you can control the exposure yourself, even from Aperture Priority mode and making small adjustments in camera. Pay attention to point #3 in this article on preset options.

From properly understanding the concept of exposure, you can really progress quickly with your photography.

Image by Pashminu Mansukhani

Look for the Best View You Can Find

This means, as we’ve discussed, avoiding the overly populated areas and finding your own vantage points. Look out for areas of equally outstanding beauty – find what YOU find beautiful, not what people expect you should find beautiful.

I’ve always found the magic happens when you’re not searching too hard. You stumble across the perfect spot because you went exploring and with the search in your subconscious.

As a beginner, you should be looking out for elements in your frame which consist of a foreground, middle and background. With these three elements present in your composition, you’re in a great place to start the transition for finding your spot to tweaking your angle and framing the final image.

This takes some patience but it’s worth it. Don’t forget the classic rule of thirds here – especially when you’re starting out, you simply just cannot avoid it until you’ve got yourself some confidence. Then, blow it out the water, my friend.

Image by AKUBiX

Challenge Your Own Composition Limits

As we touched on, get low, get high (not that kind of high) and remember your feet will take you where you want to go. Sounds simple, but stop and look around – would this waterfall below look anywhere near as interesting taken straight on? Maybe, maybe not – it depends.

My point here, try different angles to compose your photos, see what works and what doesn’t – it’s your call and what you feel comfortable with. My advice here is simple, try everything until you feel like you’ve nailed it. And that’s all you can do.

Image by Wil Stewart

Patience is a Virtue

Yes, it is. Good things come to those who wait (to quote the old famous Guinness advert, for those stout drinkers (or Violet Fane)) because this is a primary asset for landscape photographers.

It’s not all about waiting, but my point here is to wait for changing (preferable) light, cloudmovements, the position of the sun etc, can result is more dynamic photos which can make an okay image look really quite memorable!

Image by Dawid Zawiła

Beginner Landscape Photography Tips – The Potholes to Avoid

• You forget to include the foreground elements,
• Unnecessarily rushing your shot,
• Don’t forget to shoot Portrait,
• If you have another lens or can zoom in, then do it,
• Straighten that crooked horizon

Summary

There are your beginner landscape photography tips. Landscapes are amazing to shoot, especially when incorporated with travel – they allow you to explore and ingest some stunning scenery and it’s these moments we have to breathe and soak up the natural environment.

Comment below for some extras you’ve found particularly useful, especially if you’ve picked them up from a pro and found them to be both valuable and useable.

Further Resources

Further Learning

Just when you thought your day couldn’t get any better, we go and throw in the opportunity to get this incredible Landscape Photography Guide by the pros at Photzy.
See what author and professional photographer Kent DuFault can share with you to take your landscape shots beyond the confines of your mind!

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Russell is a self-taught photographer who loves travel and capturing life as it unfolds. Having lived in the far east for a few years with some long term travel, this catalyzed his new-found passion for photography. Lifestyle, Food, and Event Photography are areas he enjoys most.

Latest posts by Russell Goodman (see all)

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Sourced by Time Trap Photography sharing the best photography tips, news and tricks throughout the industry. Time Trap Photography is dedicated to freezing those special moments in life that can be revisited and admired for generations to come. - Shannon Bourque
Please visit our main site for booking availability and rates.

Receive valuable industry knowledge delivered free to your email each day.

Toad Hollow’s Back for Another Roundup of Photography Links

Another exciting week passes us by in the world of photography, and here we find that Toad Hollow Photography has been looking in all corners of the internet for links to tutorials, special features and great photography to share with everyone.

Image by Jonny Lindner

This week’s collection features a wide variety of subjects and pictures, so grab a fresh cup of coffee and pull up a chair as we take a look at some of the best the industry has to offer.

PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORIALS

How to Do HDR Photography – Gear and Process – HDR photography is a controversial technique that is used in the field of photography to overcome dynamic range limitations created in-camera by our modern sensors.  Some photographers love this technique and other have nothing but disdain for it, but you can’t argue that the results created by subtly created HDR shots do stand out.  Look no further than here on Light Stalking for a great primer on how to dive into this exciting field of photography by checking out this terrific short article.

aotaro

How to use a stabilizing gimbal like a boss – it’s incredible what can be packed into just over 5 minutes in terms of video tutorials, and this one in particular is a great example.  Video is becoming a more and more dominant media source for our visual projects, with applications in the amateur realm as well as the professional.  A gimbal is a critical piece of equipment to use to create shake-free video, and this brief tutorial gives some excellent tips and tricks on how to use it to it’s fullest potential.

5 Inspirational Still Life Images and How to Make Your Own – this in-depth guide takes us through the key steps and concepts involved in taking fabulous still life shots.  You don’t necessarily need a truck full of expensive gear to achieve the look you are after, and in may cases items can be conceived and fashioned at home or in your studio using bits and pieces that may already be there.  Sample shots are included in this post, giving you an idea of how all the elements discussed can come together in a perfect image.

Quick Tip: How to Get Four Different Looks with One Photo Umbrella – umbrellas are a true “must-have” item in your kit in terms of light modifiers as they are usually inexpensive, light, easy to mount and extremely versatile.  This 3 minute tutorial shows us 4 different ways of using a standard umbrella to create unique looks that cover all aspects of portraiture.

Photoshop in 60 Seconds: How to Smooth Skin – in less time than it takes to drink a cup of coffee you can learn about a few key techniques used to smooth out skin textures in Photoshop.  Even though this video segment is short in time, it’s extensive in terms of the basic concepts that can give you some great ideas on how you can dig further into learning with your own work.

Visit Lakeland

3 Reasons Why You Should Own the Westcott 7-Foot Umbrella – there are a countless number of light modifiers out there, each with it’s own set of pros and cons.  This short article tells us why this particular umbrella modifier is an excellent addition to your toolkit, and includes a set of great sample shots.

Cat Photography: How To Take Street Cats Photos – ahh, cats, both the wonder and the bane of the internet, who here hasn’t spent some time in the past looking at pictures and videos of cats online?  This brief primer gives a few crucial tips and tricks for photographing these fast moving, mysterious creatures, particularly if you are looking to capture some of their distinctive personality in a frame.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Documenting the Toxic Remains of an Abandoned WWII Base in Greenland – photography projects can be a very powerful medium to use to convey a specific message in a series of frames.  This project covers an abandoned WWII base in Greenland, and the after-effects of years of rust and weathering on the remains juxtaposed against a relentless and rugged landscape.

Alfred Crabtree

Through time: Photographer revisits spots of historic Stalingrad battle pictures – this powerful feature shares a series of archived photographs with overlays from today, creating dramatic images that show the viewer how history transforms a place.  Some of the shots use soldiers from the original photos almost ghosted into the contemporary portions of the frame to create a really strong sense of gestalt, pulling you into two distinct times of history at the same time.

“Frozen” Waves Turned an Ordinary Beach Into a Dreamscape – sometimes we find that natural occurring events are rare in nature, and that images captured of these events have staying power in terms of interest over time.  This feature showcases a set of photos captured of waves crashing upon the shore as they are near their freezing point, creating abstract forms and shapes that are absolutely captivating.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Shipwreck – abandoned ships lying forgotten on the shores are a subject that can be hard to resist in terms of photography, often creating haunting and mesmerizing scenes that leave the viewer full of unanswered questions that can only be found in the artistic tension discovered at these locations.  This shot from Vassilis Tangoulis was taken in Greece using a long exposure technique, bridging the world of the forgotten and the mortal in the context of a fine art frame.

Don Miller

Steeler Nation – Brad Truxell shares a stunning shot of the stadium where a Pittsburgh Steelers football game was underway, capturing this shot from a bit of a distance and from an elevated perspective.  This added context makes this shot stand out, revealing the true scale of this venue.

From Heaven to Earth – the landscapes of Norway are second-to-none in their unique beauty, expressing the spirit and feel of the region in a photograph that can only be found here.  Ole Henrik Skjelstad captures this breathtaking shot of the great outdoors in the region, balancing the beauty of the universe as it spins overhead against the striking scenery that sits below under a blanket of stars.

the music of night lights – Frank King shares a breathtaking shot of the city of Vancouver taken in the evening, revealing the dramatic architecture of the city along with the reflections of color that stream over the waters in the foreground.  This terrific photograph makes the city stand out and creates a strong and inviting picture that shows us why this city is considered special on the global stage.

Mark Lehmkuhler

Como Lake – this haunting and ethereal piece comes to us from photographer panagiotis laoudikos who uses strong contrasts to evoke a feeling of mystery.  The long exposure used to capture this lake scene, along with the predominant palette of blue tones, converge in this shot to take advantage of the natural elements to complete this exposure.

St. Petersburg, Russia – a highly stylized and artistic rendition of the city’s architecture is shared in this wonderful shot from Barbara Youngleson.  Barbara completes the piece with a texture overlay that is very sympathetic to the subject, adding a terrific feel.

In Line – Harry Eggens shares a stunning portrait of a mother Polar Bear with 2 cubs following along behind in a rather stark snow-covered landscape.  Harry uses a crack in the ice in the backdrop as a perfect leading line, guiding the viewer into the heart of the picture where these amazing creatures come to life for a moment, forever captured in an image.

frederic gombert

Maligne Wonder – the title of this shot speaks perfectly to the majestic beauty it expresses in this gorgeous photograph from Len Saltiel.  The Canadian Rockies are world-famous for their incredible scale and rugged mountains, and this shot takes advantage of Spirit Island as it sits quietly on Maligne Lake, as it has done for countless millennia before.

Autumn in Bosnia – beautiful autumn colors flank a gentle stream in this shot captured in the heart of Europe late in the season.  Mevludin Sejmenovic uses the water feature as a leading line where the viewer can follow it’s path into the distance where a lovely little waterfall dances under a small footbridge.

Snow on the Castle– Michael Criswell proves yet once again that nature is the most amazing artist out there in terms of creations that are noteworthy and perfect as a photography subject.  This panoramic piece takes us into the mountains where the foreground is covered in color as the leaves of autumn go through their annual change, and in the backdrop we see majestic mountains with an interesting natural feature for those who spend time looking for it.

Official U.S. Navy Page

Autumn at Hogwarts – Daniel Casson captures a lovely shot of a steam locomotive as it crosses a very old stone bridge.  This shot does a fabulous job of capturing a fleeting glimpse of the character and romance found in steam travel, instantly taking the viewer back many years and into a simpler time.

Good Morning Parksville – the community of Parksville/Qualicum Beach is a true destination here on Vancouver Island featuring scenery and attractions that are sure to be enjoyed by everyone.  This shot comes to us from local photographer Randy Hall who captures some of the dramatic architecture that sits on the shore of the ocean with an incredible backdrop of rugged snow-capped mountains in the background.

Frost – an incredibly still day showcases the natural beauty of this landscape shot, featuring rugged mountains and a mirror-like body of water casting amazing reflections back towards the viewer.  This shot from guerel sahin finds us enjoying the solitude of a frozen spot, removing all semblance of people from the world inside the boundaries of a composition.

Patrice CALATAYU

Crossing the Charles Bridge – Edith Levy’s composition uses an old stone bridge as a leading line that guides the viewer into the frame where old architecture rises into the night sky.  This shot delivers many features and elements of the setting, revealing a taste of the spirit and character within a frame.

I am safe at my home! – you simply cannot beat the wonderful character that is found in animal portraits, especially candid ones captured in their natural habitats.  Sajid Abdullah finds a thoughtful little owl in it’s tree as it stares back intently at the camera, revealing a little of it’s personality.

Reiner Girsch

The Mississippi Begins In Minnesota – Mark Garbowski visits Minneapolis and comes away with this dramatic shot that uses a large bridge as a frame into the backdrop where the city sits.  Deep contrasts in this shot add to the sense of depth, revealing a glimpse of the city that stands out.

Lake Night – Ole Henrik Skjelstad creates a stunning panoramic shot in this piece, capturing the vibrant colors of the Aurora Borealis as they streak overhead casting a green glow on the incredible landscape below.  This frame features a wood cabin sitting on the shores of a still lake, casting reflections back into the picture for an added dimension to the overall composition.

Vermont Village – Steven Perlmutter shares a great shot that has a distinct old feeling to it, using an old roadway as a leading line into a fog-ensconced scene with an old white church in the distance.  The addition of the fog adds a perfect element to the setting, enhancing the sense the viewer has of stepping back in time.

Jan-Helge69

Another Round – this shot comes to us from Romina Kutlesa, featuring an upward look at a staircase that creates a strong illusion of the abstract from architecture.  Terrific lines and patterns guide the viewer into the frame, where a perfect vanishing point awaits those who take the time to explore the picture.

On the South Downs Way – Andy Hooker (LensScaper) captures a landscape scene that reveals layer upon layer as you follow it into the distance.  Light and shadow play with each other in this composition, highlighting the depth as you look out onto a never ending patchwork scene.

Further Learning

Learn the Fundamental Editing Steps from the Pros and make your photos pop.
This guide to editing will have you literally transforming your images from okay to SPECTACULAR!

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Sourced by Time Trap Photography sharing the best photography tips, news and tricks throughout the industry. Time Trap Photography is dedicated to freezing those special moments in life that can be revisited and admired for generations to come. - Shannon Bourque
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