Photographer Matt Suess was halfway through a 45-minute star trail exposure in Joshua Tree when he noticed a hazy band stretched across the sky. He had grown up in New England, where light pollution hid the Milky Way, so he didn’t know what he was looking at. He pointed his camera at it. It was Suess’s first time seeing the Milky Way, but the photos came back soft. Decades of night shooting later, understanding why is the kind of lesson only experience can teach.

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When we decide whether a photo is good or not, we apply subconsciously a set of principles that make the image appealing. Understanding those helps us better grasp why some photos work better than others.

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Wildlife photographer Tiffany Taxis had been sitting with a bear and her three cubs on the Alaska coast for hours when the large animal went rigid. She stopped nursing. Her gaze became focused and she started to drool. Thirty yards away, a lone wolf stood against the glaciers. Every photographer's instinct would say the same thing: zoom tight, fill the frame with the wolf. Taxis did the opposite. She pulled wide, trusting her storytelling instincts that years of art school had taught her.

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Discover how and why controlling color is essential in photography.

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Photography has everything to do with light. Therefore, the more we know how it behaves and interacts with our equipment, the greater the chance of getting a successful photo.

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The secret to a good photograph lies in your eye for composition and in how you see light interacting with both the world and your camera. In this, the first of a series of articles on light, we look at how its interactions with subjects can affect the feel of our photos.

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As technology has advanced, so too has noise control. Here's the basic information about why noise appears in your photos and how to deal with it.

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There’s more to photographing the sea than many people realize. Here are some handy techniques for safely photographing one of the most exciting and evocative subjects on our planet.

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Digital photography is wonderful. It has positively impacted my life from the second I picked up my first camera, a Nikon D80. However, the other side of that coin of accessibility and convenience and nearly infinite image-capture capabilities is a seemingly impenetrable pile of image files, including RAWs, JPEGs, and even videos, over almost 20 years. Finding what I'm looking for in my massive library has always been a nightmare. But it doesn't have to be, thanks to Excire Search 2026.

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After 25 years behind the camera, OM SYSTEM photographer Jerred Zegelis thought he knew the rules of photography. Shoot RAW. Stay neutral. Fix it in post. Art Filters are for amateurs. These weren't suggestions. For Zegelis, they were law, absorbed from forums, tutorials, and years of professional habit.

Then he invented a fictional town, shot an entire trip using a filter he once dismissed as cheesy, and intentionally started to break the rules. The Nebraska native calls the results the best work of his career.

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Master winter wildlife photography with expert tips on camera settings, gear, composition, and field strategies to capture stunning images of animals in snowy landscapes.

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Photography often feels like a battle against physics, where image quality supposedly demands heavy glass and aching backs. However, …

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Last night, photographers across the United States, as far south as Florida and Texas, were treated to auroras thanks to a severe (G4) geomagnetic storm. The fun is far from over, as experts predict that at least strong (G3) conditions will persist while severe conditions are expected.

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Previously, I wrote about five elements of art and how they can impact our photographs. However, there are three more elements that work in conjunction with points, lines, shape, and form that can elevate your photography further.

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Beyond basic RAW adjustments lies the world of creative color grading where photographers define their signature style. DxO's recently updated Nik Collection 8 unlocks a staggering amount of creative potential, but knowing where to start with its powerful Color Efex plugin is key.

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A crew working for an unnamed wildlife photographer fed and used cellophane paper to lure a fox for the 'perfect shot' in Grand Teton National Park. Since the fox was conditioned to human food, park officials euthanized it. The photographer got his shot. The fox paid with its life. Learning about this event became the North Star for Arthur Lefo, an OM SYSTEM Ambassador who has spent almost a decade photographing iconic wildlife. Lefo believes that ethical wildlife photography isn't just about rules, but respect.

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Understanding the roles of the fundamental elements of art allows photographers to create compelling compositions. These elements are not merely aesthetic choices but tools for creating structure in your photography.

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Four miles into my hike in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, I started daydreaming about Adams’s mule, that stalwart equine that carried his large-format camera, developing equipment, tent, provisions, and other supplies on his excursions into California's high country.

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I’m a desert lover. I’ve always been drawn to the vast dunes, the soft light at dawn and dusk, the abstract beauty hidden in every composition, and the serenity that defines these landscapes.

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In this, the second in a series of articles about autofocus, we will look at different focusing modes and their practical applications.

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