Digital Photography Tutorials

Knowing when to use fill-in flash can save a picture from being underexposed in the foreground but correctly exposed in the background. It can also allow you to shoot against the light for more pleasing effects.

The use of a frame can turn an otherwise plain picture into a pleasing one. In this One-Pager™ tutorial we show you what to look for to create more pleasing compositions using objects that can be used as natural frames. Also, a word of caution about using artificial frames.

If you often wonder why your pictures (unretouched, straight out of the camera) do not look as sharp, crisp and lively as some of those you see in photo galleries, maybe it’s time to learn about sharpening and USM (UnSharp Mask). We apply the principles laid out by Russell Brown in his excellent Russell Brown Tips and Techniques. It is really quite easy. See for yourself.

Area Focus allows you to focus on a subject that is not in the center of the screen. It is useful in macro photography where depth of field is very shallow and you need precise focus. By using Area Focus, you can maintain your composition and still obtain spot on focus.

Your camera is probably defaulted to Multi-Point AF so that the camera will focus on any of the multi (usually 5 to 9) points to obtain focus. But what if your camera focuses on a point that is not on your subject? In this case, switch to Center AF. Rollover mouse over the image to see the desired result. This tutorial illustrates how this technique works.

Digital Photography is more than just using a digital camera; it also entails some post processing in an image editing software to the image you captured with your digital camera. And it is often not as complicated as you might think it is — or as some make it to be. In this tutorial, we look at “Levels” and cover the basics of what you need to know about adjusting levels in Photoshop Elements. It’s a simple 3-step process that takes barely a minute to perform but that can help you bring back to life pictures you thought forever ruined.

We all know and love the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. But did you know that Goldilocks, now all grown up and using a digital camera, can still teach us a few things, especially about how to use the Histogram, now appearing in many consumer digital cameras? Don’t believe me? Check out this tutorial for yourself — and see if you will not forever remember how to read and use a histogram for better pictures.

Taking pictures from your TV using your digital camera is not as difficult as you think. You just need to know this one tip.

What is White Balance? Reading what some people write about it, it sounds like a difficult concept understood and used only by professional photographers. Fortunately, our One-Pager™ tutorial on White Balance sheds light on this subject and makes it easy and practical for anyone to use — and no, Albert, you don’t need a degree in physics!

Just for the fun of it, to learn something new, to stop getting intimidated by all the “pro” talk about the advantages of RAW, and to earn forum bragging rights, you may want to understand what RAW is, when to use it, and whether to even bother with it.

What is depth of field, what affects depth of field, and how can we use an understanding of depth of field to take better pictures? This One Pager™ Tutorial will make everything clear from near to far.

Night photography has an attraction all its own. There’s something about scintillating lights from office windows hanging in the dark of the night — a modern version of the starry skies — that appeal to us. Whether it’s a city skyline, lamp posts on a dark and deserted street, or the front of your house all decked out with holiday lights, the challenge of capturing the mood of a night scene depends on whether your digital camera is capable of night photography and on a couple of simple techniques.

Most digital cameras provide exposure compensation. What is exposure compensation — and how do we use it to obtain better exposed pictures?

This OnePager™ tutorial makes it all clear.

Adding a border around a picture can sometimes be an effective way to highlight the picture. Instead of going automatically with borders that look like traditional picture frames, consider more original and elegant options.

One way to create impact in a photo is to isolate your main subject. In this tutorial, we use the Radial Blur action of Photoshop Elements to amplify the swirling action of the children sliding down and running back for one more go at the water slides, all under the watchful care of the lifeguard in sharp focus.

Adding a signature to your images is easy and preserves your copyright. In this step-by-step tutorial we show you how to use the Type Tool to create your unique signature — and in the process guide you into the basics of Photoshop and demonstrate how to create and use layers, select a foreground colour, fill a background, and create a cool semi-transparent layer.

Convert a color picture into Black-and-White but leave one color as an accent. In this step-by-step tutorial we show you how to desaturate all colors, except one, so that you get a Color Accent.