31+ To Better Photography is getting a huge upgrade!! You can find the new series (with even more great content) at Photography Basics – a 43 Day Adventure.
There is new content, better content and cooler content! So come on over to the new site for more enriching lessons.
Hello! Welcome!
This 31+ day posting project is for anyone who may be starting out in photography and even for those who know it all. It’s been my experience that there is always more to learn and photography is no exception, especially for me. I’m crafting this month as a means to organize my own thoughts and help out those who wish to learn more about taking better pictures.
Every post during this month may or may not resonate with you. That’s ok. I’m hoping at least something will help you learn more about taking better pictures because that is one of my passions in life; helping others learn more about photography. There’s no catch, there’s nothing you have to buy or subscribe to. You can start this month of learning any time you want to, take a break if you like, or skip down to the Challenges or Assignments. It’s up to you to make the most of it!
If you are interested in learning photography in person, I offer workshops, individual instruction and the opportunity to learn in locations such as Nepal, Bhutan, Morocco and more.
Are you ready to jump into a month (plus!) long journey to better photographs?
Core Concepts
Day 1 – The Exposure Triangle- Day 2 – How Your Camera Works
- Day 3 – How To Hold A Camera
- Day 4 – Photography Jargon
- Day 5 – Shutter Speed
- Day 6 – Aperture
- Day 7 – ISO
- Day 8 – Metering Modes
- Day 9 – Camera Modes
- Day 10 – White Balance
- Day 11 – How To Take A Shot
- Day 12 – Histograms
- Day 13 – Flash (ahh ahhhh, the Unstoppable!)
- Day 14 – Rule Of Thirds
- Day 15 – RAW & JPEG Can Coexist
- Day 16 – Exposure Compensation/Bias
- Day 17 – A Rule Of Thumb To Help Stop Photo Blur
Creative Ideas
- Day 18 – Waterfalls (Don’t go chasing them, stick to the rivers & the lakes you’re used to)
- Day 19 – Get Close, Go Wide
- Day 20 – Panning Blurrrrrr
- Day 21 – Shooting Photos At Night
- Day 22 – Moon Photos
- Day 23 – Light Trails
- Day 24 – Fill Flash and good times to use it
- Day 25 – Cityscapes
- Day 26 – Rock Climbing
- Day 27 – Low Angle
- Day 28 – Sunsets
- Day 29 – Travel Portraits
- Day 30 – Bounce Flash
- Day 31 – How I Edited It
Gear Ideas
- Day 32 – Picking A Lens(es)
- Day 33 – What’s A Good Camera For Me To Buy?
Day 34 – Travel Gear Recommendations- Day 35 – Why You Might Want A Reverse Graduated Neutral Density Filter
- Day 36 – Neutral Density Filters – A Primer
- Day 37 – Traveling With Gear
- Day 38 – The Difference A Tilt-Shift Lens Can Make
- Day 39 – Tripod Use and Abuse
- Day 40 – Buying An Entry Level DSLR
- Day 41 – An Example Of Why You Might Want To Use A Polarizing Filter At Sunrise In Seattle
For Your Experimentation
Weekend Photography Challenges
Weekend Photography Challenge #1- Weekday Photography Challenge #2: SHADOWS
- Weekend Photography Challenge #3: SHAPES
- Weekend Photography Challenge #4: WATER
- Weekend Photography Challenge #5: FASHION
- Weekend Photography Challenge #6: SUNSHINE
- Weekend Photography Challenge #7: MEMORY
- Weekend Photography Challenge #8: DECAY
- Weekend Photography Challenge #9: CELEBRATION
- Weekend Photography Challenge #10: BORED
- Weekend Photography Challenge #11: BACKLIGHT
- Weekend Photography Challenge #12: GRIT
- Weekend Photography Challenge #13: GRAIN
- Weekend Photography Challenge #14: DINNER
- Weekend Photography Challenge #15: THE FAIR
And some other nuggets thrown in here and there.
I hope you have a good month, no matter when you start the series. If something doesn’t make sense send me an email or post a comment.
And let’s start off with a question! What item would you like to see that is not listed above? I’m not promising I will get to it, but I will try to incorporate your questions into the posts to make this month more relevant.
Off we go with the first post!
31 Days To Better Photography is a series written by professional photographer Peter West Carey on The Carey Adventures.Com. The series is designed to unravel the mysteries of photography so you can take better pictures. Subscribe here to receive all the updates and bonus material. Your comments are always welcome.
If you enjoy the series, consider learning photography first-hand on one of Peter’s professionally lead international photo tours. Current locations include Nepal and Bhutan with Morocco, Greenland, Patagonia and Mongolia. More information can be found at Far Horizon Photo Tours’ website.
Could you define “bokeh” and how to achieve this effect? I’m looking forward to this month’s postings. I am a beginner at photography and am excited about what I will learn this month. Thanks!
Zoma, I don’t have plans for Bokeh as, frankly, I’m not an expert at it and I don’t want to mislead you. Let me look into it more and see if the bunnies will allow it.
This is great! I’d love to see a conversation about getting good focus and maybe a bit on hyperfocal focusing.
Matt, I’m thinking of throwing something in about hyperfocal if I can get the bunnies to stay still long enough.
Roflmao…keep up this humor thing and I’ll be eagerly anticipating each new post. Not that I wouldn’t just for the tips, but the humor makes it better. You and the bunnies crack me up.
My photos always seem to be not-quite-straight. I know I’m a little off-balance in real life, but got any tips to getting a straight horizon?
Kerry, I will go over how to hold a camera and how to take a shot, which should help. I struggled with the same thing for a while and sometimes still do when I forget to slow down and do it right.
Looking forward to your posts. I haven’t been using a DSLR very long so this will be a great month of learning! I agree with Matt’s suggestion on a post regarding focusing techniques.
I’m coming to this a week late but look forward to catching up. I also need tips on focusing. I have tried to adjust the diopter but did not see any real changes. I also am fairly new to using a dslr.
Hope you’re all caught up, much more to come.
This is great. I love to learn as much as I can about photography. I was hoping to make the Denver workshop. Maybe next time you are there.
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Would a section on filters by relevant? They’re certainly a mystery to me 🙂
That’s very useful, I’m slowly improving my travel photography, but mainly self-learning, and I realize sometimes I really miss the occasion of a good shot, especially night time, which very frustrating because I love taking photos at night…
Dusted out my dSLR from storage. Will be ready for action as soon as I get the sensor cleaned. Will try to read through your lesson… can’t wait to get re-familiarize myself with all of its knobs and switches and learn new things or two.
I was only half-joking about doing a post about how to get the most out of a point-and-shoot. These things have all kinds of buttons on them, and if someone is just using the green camera icon setting they can’t be getting their money’s worth on these pocket cameras.
If you have any expertise with these things I would appreciate it. I’m getting annoyed at my own pictures lately.
Oh, I know you were only half joking. Let me see what magic I can spin.
As for the monkeys, bribe with candy. It’s your only hope.
I would also appreciate a post about how to get the monkeys to keep still for five damned seconds while I take a damned picture.
Bribes. Only bribes.
Enjoyed March blog…let’s bring April. I love looking at your pictures you took from different country. I’m learning alot from this so keep on going.
hhmmmm… topics are more streamlined and easier to find. I’m eager to see what’s next.
Hello Peter,
Can you give me some pointers on how to shoot water splashes, I have been trying to get some but failed miserably. I got a Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm lens (Pretty basic). I beginner in photography.
Thank you
Aravind
If you want to freeze the splash, you need to start getting above a shutter speed of 1/1000th. Look to ISO to help you get the speed up as well as Aperture.
Hi peter. I read through the article and have found some useful tips as I am more of a novice. I make handmade cards and paper crafting projects and am always looking for ways to make the card/project look it’s best. I have tried numerous lighting changes including taking it outside, to trying soft lighting,etc 99% percent of the time, my cards/projects are indoor shots and have currently been using the DIY light box. It seems to work o..kay but, I want my cards to really have an impact and I’ve just not been able to do that. Can you please suggest something that would make the card the focal point? I have seen beautiful photos of cards( like this girl has HERE
that really have that professional look to them. That’s what I’m trying to achieve. If you visit my website, I have cards posted that I’ve shot before. I forgot to mention, I have Paint Shop Pro photo editor that I use to help “tweak” it. But, that doesn’t always work either. I have been using the “auto” mode with a Fuji FinePix S5100 with 10X zoom.I have since been educated by your other article re: auto mode LOL Thanks for any help!
Miss Bubbles,
The links you had to the other site showed that they used the card held in a stand, about a foot from the background. They likely had a 80-100mm lens or so and moved back from the card, zooming in (as needed). Further, the card is perpendicular to the camera sensor, so a large aperture (small aperture number) can be used.
All this combines to help the card be in sharp focus while the background is blurred slights. Add in some contrast in your favorite photo editing program. Use the A or Aperture mode and choose a small number for the aperture. Move back from the card about 6-8′ and zoom in. Keep the card near the front of the lightbox so it is further away from the background.
Hope that helps!
pwc
Oops.. the link didn’t work. Here’s her gallery
http://www.lafrenchphotography.com/Cards/Handmade/CRe8n4u/i-XLCFggk/0/M/IMG0639-M.jpg
probably a stupid question, but there is no link to day 13, 23-30 and 39… have you not completed this or… 🙂 thanks
The days with no links are currently ‘under construction’. Sorry to make you wait, but I will be filling them in.
not a problem, i’m getting my dSLR (so excited) soon and will peruse this site often
Peter I am 16 years old n I want to become a travel photographer so from where I should start n what course should I take in college. Is photo journalism a good course to get started into travel photography??????
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Thanx peter for your advice it has been a good help from u 2 understand the concept of travel photography.
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I just came across this article and was wondering if you are still doing these free classes? Very interested in learning how to use my camera. My son n law is borrowing it right now to take pictures of their 2 month old little boy but when I get it back would like to learn more about photography now retired and have the time thanks
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These are great instruction to improve the photography. It helps me deeply and improve my basics. Thank u for such helps!
Wow
I have just looked back to these instructional gems and am very grateful to you, Peter, for them. I can see how far I have come based on what I learned from your funny and informative way. Thanks!