"If the affairs of the world were put in the hands of the screwball artists, it couldn’t be in a worse state than it is now !" --Man Ray
www.jeffwignall.com
Learn How to Win Digital Photo Contests: New book coming in October!
I have a brand new book coming out called Winning Digital Photo Contests (Lark Books) and it's going to be in stores by early October. If you've ever wanted to enter and win photo contests you're going to love this book. It's illustrated entirely by more than 100 contest-winning photos from photo contests all over the world--and just wait until you see the beautiful photos. The text explains everything you need to know to create dramatic, emotion-filled and technically great photos that will catch the eye of judges. Plus, there is a very detailed chapter on finding and choosing contests to enter and a major listing of some of the hottest contests. You can pre-order the book on Amazon today!
Read about how this photo was created on my Photo Tip of the Day blog (click the photo).
Become a better and more creative photographer in just 30 seconds a day!Visit my new PHOTO TIP OF THE DAY blog! Each day I post a new quick tip that will make your photos stronger and more interesting.
Read an interview with me on CNN.com about taking better sunset photos.
Easy-to-Follow Photography Tutorials
Dozens of Free Digital Photo & Photoshop Tutorials
Learn to do more with your digital camera. Use the pull-down menus at the top of the page for a complete list of new tutorials--there are now dozens of absolutely free tutorials.
Latest tutorials:
Use Fill-in Flash to Shoot Flowers: Some of the best flower photos are made using late-afternoon lighting, but as pretty as that light is, it's often fairly dim and requires long shutter speeds--and that in turn can cause blurry flowers shots on breezy days. The solution? Turn on the built-in flash.
Photograph Wildlife from Your Car: Yes, your car is a great wildlife blind! And there's a tip here on a photo accessory that you shouldn't be without.
Wide-angle lenses: Use your wide-angle lenses to exaggerate spatial relationships in landscape photography.
Gaussian Blur: Use the Gaussian blur filter in Photoshop to soften details and create romantic images. Read this really simple and yet highly controllable technique.
Specular highlights can wreak havoc with exposure meters. Read this tutorial and learn how to conquer specular highlights forever and still enjoy their beauty!
Be a storyteller! Let your pictures tell a story in a single frame.
Photograph the moon. How to expose for the moon in earthly landscapes. It's always a marvelous night for a moondance!
Keep it simple! One of the keys to creating bold compositions is to keep things simple. Learn why less is more when it comes to photo composition.
Also, if your digital colors are a bit dull, check out my tutorial on using the Hue & Saturation Tool to saturate individual colors--a simple and very effective way to
give specific colors clarity and brilliance. Did someone say "Velvia!"
My new book, Exposure Photo Workshop, is a part of the very successful Photo Workshop Series
published by Wiley Publishing. If exposure has been
your nemesis (join the club!) or if you're seeking to advance your
exposures to the next level, this book provides
in-depth explanations for both beginner and experienced shooter. There's an in-depth look at both the theory of exposure and the practical applications that you can use to create more creative and emotional photographs. Over
300 of my photos illustrate the book. Each chapter in the book ends
with an assignment and you can post your assignment photos to the Photo Workshop website for critique.
Exposure Photo Workshop
I am also the author of The Joy of Digital Photography one of the bestselling digital books ever. If you're new to digital photography (or photography in general) and want a good overview with lots and lots (400+) of photo examples, Joy is a great place to start. The book covers a wide spectrum of topics including exposure, natural lighting and provides great tips on photographing popular subjects like nature, landscapes and people. There is also an extensive chapter on using photo-editing programs to enhance your images, technically and creatively.
The Joy of Digital Photography
Old Man of the Mountains (aka Old Stone Face), Franconia, New Hampshire
From an Oratory
by Daniel Webster
Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades.
Shoemakers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers, a monster watch; even a
dentist hangs out a gold tooth; but up in the Franconia Mountains God
Almighty has hung out a sign to show that in New England He makes men.
