I'm sure that we have all asked for opinions on our photographs at some point in our lives. The problem with asking for constructive criticism is that often times you just don't get anything constructive. Why not skip all of that and simply critique your own photographs? You'll be getting honest answers that will do a lot more good then any critique you would get elsewhere. Below is a list of questions to ask yourself when reviewing your own photographs to find things that need improvement on. 1) Technical Is it in focus? No one likes an out of focused picture, it's something everyone tries to avoid (with a few exceptions). Ask yourself if it's sharp or soft focus and if that is appropriate for the photograph? Notice the depth of field and see if more or less would add to the photograph. Is it exposed properly? In some situations you just can't avoid underexposing or overexposing some parts of the picture, but what you always want is for the main subject to be exposed properly. Avoid making the subject very dark/light in comparison with the background (unless you're doing a silhouette). Is there anything in the photograph that is too distracting because it was overexposed? Is the ...

No one likes a blurry image and despite there being plenty of features in your lenses and cameras to combat this, sometimes it's just unavoidable. The best solution to stabilizing your camera is undoubtedly a tripod, but what if you don't have the money to buy one or simply find it too bulky to carry it around with you everywhere? Below is a list of tripod alternatives that are cheap, easy to use, and small enough to fit inside your camera bag. Bottle Cap Tripod It's tiny, cheap, and incredibly simple. Attach the cap to your camera and screw it onto any water bottle around you and you got yourself a makeshift tripod. The bigger the bottle, the more it's able to support. But as you have already guessed, small cameras and lenses only. If $10 is still too much for you, you can always make your own out of screws, nuts, and washers. Satisfy the MacGyver in you. The Pod This little guy comes in different colors, each one designed differently to support your needs. Whether you have a small point and shoot or a dSLR camera, there's a Pod for you. The Pod is basically a bean bag that can be attached to your ...

One of the questions many photographers ask themselves when buying a new lens is if they should buy a zoom or prime (single focal length) lens. Most of the time they pick a zoom lens and to be honest, I would pick a zoom lens too, it’s just more practical. But there are some photographers out there who use nothing but prime lenses and claim that using anything else makes you lazy. Below is a list of way to better yourself as a photographer with prime lenses which will hopefully convince you to have at least one of them in your arsenal. Know your lenses. I went through a phase once where I would use nothing but prime lenses. Back then I was lucky enough to have access to some really high quality glass through work and would often find myself using a 14mm 2.8, 50mm 1.2, 85mm 1.2, or 200mm 2.0. After a lot of practice, I learned what each lens could and couldn't do. I knew what kind of distortion I would get, how far away I had to be from a subject, and what kind of depth of field was possible. Knowing how these things behave at different focal lengths ...

Fisheye lenses are really cool. It's just one of those specialty lenses that you just have to have in your bag, just in case. But often times for me, the odds that I will actually pull out my fisheye to take a shot is very rare because nothing really pops out as a "this will look great with a fisheye." If you have a fisheye lens and not getting enough use out of it, here's a list of ideas that'll hopefully have you reaching into your bag for the fishy next time you're out. People Getting up close and personal with a fisheye lens can produce some fun pictures. Although it's usually unflattering, often times that's the best part. You could take a picture inches away from the subject and distort the face to the point where their forehead becomes the larger then their whole body or step back a couple feet and take a picture of them with an almost panoramic view of their surroundings. Ever try taking a group picture in a tight space? A fisheye lens is perfect for that. Yourself Do you like taking pictures of yourself but have no friends to do it for you? I feel your ...

There is still time left this summer to squeeze in a vacation or two with your loved ones, so make it count! Bring the camera gear and start making memories. Here are some tips to get better photos on your next vacation: Pack light. Bringing all your gear can have its  toll on your back at the end of the day. Instead, only bring a couple lenses. Zoom lenses are nice because you will have a lot more freedom without having to constantly switch lenses. Wake up early. If you expect to visit any popular tourist attraction, getting there early can give you a lot more freedom to take the pictures you want. Not only will you be getting the beautiful light from the low sun, you will not be amongst hundreds of tourists because they will still be in bed! Get the details. Get the details. Do not put your camera down because you are not next to any landmarks. A way to make a vacation album really unique is by getting the details. Shoot street signs, passing cars, what you had for lunch, anything! There are tons of photographic opportunities and you are only letting them slip away when you put ...