Short and sweet

1. When photographing birds, especially 2 or more, make sure you use as much DOf as possible. Birds have depth, and both their faces and feathers need to be sharp to really appreciate their beauty. Use at least f/11, but f/16 is better. If you have to raise the ISO, it’s worth it because sharpness is critiical. 2. Using creative Photoshop plugins like Topaz Impression and Topaz Glow, you convert mundane subjects into works of art. I photographed a simple table and chairs in a village in France, and with the application of Topaz Impression, it became a work of art. The colors can be altered in hue/saturation.

3. Out of focus foliage backgrounds are complimentary to any outdoor portrait. The easiest way to do this such that the trees or bushes are completely abstracted is to use a telephoto lens and make the distance between subject(s) and background at least 20 or 30 feet. 4. Try photographing flowers through a piece of textured glass. The results look very much like a painting. Placing the glass closer to the flowers gives you more definition; as the glass-flower distance increases, the pictures become more abstract. Use duct or electrical tape along the edges of the glass for protection. §