Last year we covered photography mistakes, but what about post processing blunders that can leave you forever embarrassed?  Here is a collection of common post production mistakes that can turn you rosy red and how to avoid them. Shooting RAW when you shouldn't be.  For some reason digital photographers feel the need to always shoot in RAW because it provides the most flexibility and highest quality end product. I couldn't agree more!  But, it's not always the right choice, the need to shoot RAW needs to be determined before you start shooting.  Furthermore, a firm understanding of how to properly post produce an image is needed.  Most great photographers I know are just that - great photographers, but not amazing post production people!  There's a reason professionals utilize a team of digital artists to provide their end result - they'd rather be shooting, which is what they're good at.  JPG isn't always the answer, but neither is RAW, there must be a balance. Color correcting on an uncalibrated monitor. I can't emphasize or bold this enough!  Regardless if you shoot RAW or JPG, you can't do any color correcting or adjustment with regards to highlight and shadow detail or hue and saturation ...

Concepts and guides in photography are building blocks to creating and capturing wonderful images.  While the rule of thirds is among the most common building block in composition, the S-curve is also one to be on the look out for. [caption id="attachment_710" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo by nickton"][/caption] The S-curve can lead into or out of a scene, start at the bottom or side, but fundamentally it will roughly shape the letter S and either define the photograph or split the composition into two sections. In the photo below, you'll notice that it doesn't follow the rule of thirds for the horizon placement but that's OK.  The S-curve is placed into the right third most of the frame, so vertically speaking it does separate the composition in a pleasing manner.  Utilizing an S-curve is all about balance. [caption id="attachment_711" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo by swotai"][/caption] S-curves also don't need to be used as separators or dividers, they can also be utilized as the focal point of the photo, as seen below in this winter photo at the mountain. [caption id="attachment_712" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo by jurvetson"][/caption] While these three examples show mostly landscapes, S-curves are visible in most all types of photography, including shooting people and groups.  The key is ...

No matter what niche of photography you are in, there is a good chance you are going to end up outside, caught in the rain or a wet environment sooner or later. [caption id="attachment_683" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo by jk+too"][/caption] The people who predict the weather are cruel at best and while they are a good guide, you should always be prepared when shooting outside.  Here's 10 tips for shooting in the rain and wet situations. Be prepared. The old boyscout motto holds true for everyone.  At the very least, a large ziploc bag (or disposable poncho) or two in your camera bag takes up no room and can be used in a pinch to cover your camera.  Depending on which lens you have, you can actually shoot through a ziploc bag as a last ditch effort to get the shot. Invest in rain gear. If you're an outdoor shooter with sports, landscapes, people or always keep a camera on you, your chances of getting caught in the rain are even higher.  Many companies make specific bags for different DSLR models that are designed to use most of the functions on the camera and offer a better shoot-through plastic protector compared with the ziploc bag. ...

Photography is a visual form of art that is presented in many different ways and books are no exception.  Books also offer a way for learning the craft, reference and furthering your knowledge.  Here's a look at 7 books no photographer should be without. [caption id="attachment_705" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo by brewbooks"][/caption] 1. The manual that came with your camera. You'd be amazed at how much information is in your manual about your camera with regards to features and functions, if you sit down and actually read it you can feel more confident in using your camera. They are usually small enough that you can keep them in your bag for quick reference on the go. 2. The Magic Lantern Guide Books for specific camera models take the somewhat dry context of the factory manual and present it in a way that's more digestible and enjoyable to read.  Like the factory manual, you'll learn about every aspect of your camera, including the somewhat tricky menu systems that are becoming more common on DSLR cameras. 3. Helmet Newton's Autobiography.  Helmet's fashion and editorial work changed the face of fashion and how it was viewed through the second half of the 20th century.  His book told in ...

Capturing the moment is a tricky thing to do.  The right place, right time and right gear can only get you so far, sometimes pure luck is also needed.  With these 17 action shots you'll see a combination of all and in the end, some really nice captures. Don't forget to check out our tutorial on panning to see how a lot of these photos were taken. Photo by nattu Photo by VancityAllie Photo by Éole Photo by moophisto Photo by mikebaird Photo by wvs Photo by ms4jah Photo by Dirk Gently Photo by Two Big Paws Photo by Néstor Baltodano Photo by ViaMoi Photo by looking4poetry Photo by m4r00n3d Photo by Jeff Kubina Photo by Pörrö Photo by sub_lime79 Photo by dez&john3313

Your camera is a tool, tools should be kept clean to operate properly, but because they are also sensitive electronic devices, some special care needs to be taken.  This guide will give you a great overview to keep your gear working properly and for a long time, all the while performing the day you pulled it out of the box. Body [caption id="attachment_662" align="aligncenter" width="402" caption="Photo by pointnshoot"][/caption] Wipe the body down with a soft rag and / or use an air blower to remove dust and from any area the rag can't reach.  Avoid chemicals as they may deteriorate the finish and coatings that the manufacturer has applied.  A trick to getting dust out of the small gaps around shutter buttons and mode dials is to use a clean, new, hard bristle paint brush to softly coax them out.  Use a standard pencil eraser to clean the contacts for the hot-shoe too.  Many people have bought a new flash or taken theirs in for repair only to later find out a dirty contact was causing their inconsistency problems. Lens [caption id="attachment_664" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo by DeusXFlorida"][/caption] Lens barrels can be cleaned the same as a body, with a soft cloth.  The element itself should be ...

Candid photography is one of the best ways to capture people in an environment that they feel comfortable in and these photos are generally the ones that will rehash old memories when looked back upon.  There are a few mistakes though that could kill the image, this tutorial will help point out what not to do. Don't forget your camera at home.  Candid shots in-the-moment, you never know when that moment will happen, so always be prepared! Turn the flash off!  You may be able to get away with the first shot but each and every one after that people will be aware you're around.  The flash isn't so bad if you're looking to capture candid shots during a wedding reception, but if your goal is candid street portraits you don't want anyone to know you're shooting. The subject isn't always the main focus of a candid shot.  Don't be afraid to zoom in and crop some of the forehead off or shoot at an odd angle.  Take into consideration how the person is currently in the environment and try to either include that into the composition or completely isolate it. Get down on one knee.  The perspective from three feet is significantly different ...

Over the last 150 or so years that photography has been in our lives, it didn't undergo much change until twenty years ago.  While film sizes and developing techniques had minor changes, it wasn't until the 80's when the first glimmer of the future of photography started to appear with auto-focus camera's and faster frames per seconds.  Then digital came and has forever changed our lives. Here's a look at what predictions could be forthcoming in the future of photography, some more realistic then others, all are somewhat plausible though. In camera HDR. High dynamic range photography has been more of a curse then a blessing as most photographers see it.  Most over-use the ability and create more art images compared with a true photography, layering and layering until what they have more closely resembles a digitally created image, not a photograph.  If a camera can have the ability to do HDR on the fly, in camera it could open up the door for better, more equally exposed images. Unlimited ISO.  High end DSLRs now seem to be able to shoot in near total darkness, however the blacks still tend to go green in hue.  Working towards better chips that don't get as hot ...

Each and every city across the world has a character all its own in terms of feel, smell and emotions, but they share one thing in common, a skyline of buildings and high-rises that, while put together by different builds, come together to form a beautiful end result.  Each and every building in a city is special, but stepping back to look at all the pieces in the puzzle can be stunning;  this collection of 21 photos captures just that essence. Photo by Werner Kunz (werkunz1) Werner Kunz (werkunz1) Photo by joiseyshowaa Photo by Burning Image Photo by wildpianist Photo by by coka_koehler Photo by Christopher Chan Photo by kennymatic Photo by besar bears Photo by mugley Photo by joiseyshowaa Photo by steena Photo by discopalace Photo by stevewhis Photo by Sprengben Photo by Auzigog Photo by `?ccdoh1? Photo Wolfgang Staudt Photo by tripleman Photo by Sarmu Photo by mischiru

Digital photography has changed all of our lives and given us the ability to sit behind a computer monitor and be our own Ansel Adams with the post production.  But it's not that simple, there are several pieces of software to edit your photos with after you take them, the most well known being Photoshop.  There is a clear cut rival to Photoshop called GIMP, an open source software that is very similar to Photoshop, and some say better. Image by Rore 1. Starting with the most obvious and possibly most important, GIMP is free.  Yes free, no charge, nada, zip, zero.  Photoshop costs upwards of $700 for a single license!  The old saying stays true, if it's free it's for me. 2. GIMP is a much smaller install, about 20x smaller then Photoshop.  Not only does the install go much quicker, but it takes up far less hard drive making it the perfect image editing software for laptops and netbooks where hard drive space may be at a premium. 3. Photoshop is extremely resource intensive, it will run on older hardware but it's not optimized to and will be sluggish and slow.  GIMP on the other hand is amazingly fast and stable.  It ...