1. SOMETIMES SOFT IS BETTER THAN SHARP
One technique that adds interest to photos is to have a portion of the subject matter sharp, while other areas in the picture are blurred due to movement. For example, try shooting a log or stone in a stream with the water blurred by motion or a sharp tree surrounded by wildflowers waving in the breeze. This type of photography requires the camera to be mounted on a tripod or other firm support and the camera set to a long exposure time so the movement registers as a blurr. You’ll need to take control of the shutter speed, so select aperture-priority auto exposure or metered manual to select a show shutter speed, then select a small lens aperture (big f-number). Experiment a little. The instant replay of digital is a great benefit for experimenting with different techniques like this.

2. FOCUS ATTENTION WITH SELECTIVE FOCUS
Just as selective softness due to movement adds attention to your subject, so does selective focus. In this instance, a wide lens aperture (small f-number) is used so the background goes out of focus. For example, leaves and branches that are sharp may draw attention away from your outdoor portrait subject. By using a longer telephoto lens (which inherently has less depth-of-field) and a wide lens aperture, the busy background foliage will become soft and not fight for attention with the subject.

3. IMPROVE YOUR TRIPOD FOR FREE
Adding mass to your tripod will enhance its stability. If you have much weight in your camera bag, using it for this purpose is ideal. Just drape your camera bag strap around the tripod column and let the bag hang. Some tripods have a hook on the bottom of the column that provides a good anchor point for the bag handle, too. This technique won’t work if it’s windy, though. If the bag blows in the wind, it will cause more camera movement, not less.

4. ANOTHER WAY TO IMPROVE TRIPOD SHOTS
Even if you carefully press the shutter release when your camera is mounted on a tripod, you may cause some movement that degrades sharpness. Depending on your camera’s remote control capabilities, use a cable release, remote control cord, or wireless remote control to trigger the camera. If you don’t have any remote capability, use the camera’s self-timer instead of pressing the release button. This won’t work for pictures that require the shutter to be tripped at the peak of action, but it will improve shots that don’t demand such careful timing.

5. IMPROVE YOUR SUNSET SHOTS
Sunrises and sunsets provide great photo opportunities. To make these shots even better, include other elements into the foreground. For example, a body of water reflecting the sky enhances the shot, as does a city skyline, bridge, building or other object silhouetted against the sky.

6. ANOTHER ANGLE ON SUNSET PHOTOS
If you plan ahead for a perfect sunrise or sunset picture and it turns out to be less dramatic than you anticipated, don’t give up. Just turn 180 degrees and look at what the warm color and low angle of the sun is doing to nearby scenery, buildings, objects or people. Sometimes that gorgeous light will turn an ordinary shot into a photo with knockout impact.