Digital Photography Digital Field Guide

Chapter 6. Recipes for Great Photos

In This Chapter

• Abstract photography

• Action photography

• Animal and wildlife photography

• Architectural photography

• Cityscape photography

• Cloud photography

• Flower photography

• Landscape photography

• Macro and close-up photography

• Mountain photography

• Night photography

• Panoramic photography

• People: baby and child photography

• Pet photography

• Still-life photography

• Sunset and sunrise photography

• Water photography

• Weather photography

There's no formula anyone can give for taking perfect pictures all the time. Making great photos is a little like cooking: If you understand general cooking techniques, and can follow a recipe, you can come up with passable dishes. But to be really great, you need to add a bit of inspiration and practice.

When you want to take a specific kind of photograph, you can start with:

• The inspiration and rationale behind how and why the specific kind of photograph is made

• The basics of digital photographic technique related to the type of photograph

• Some ideas about how to practice taking the kind of photograph in question

This chapter provides this information for many of the kinds of photographs you are likely to encounter with your digital camera in the field. In addition, you'll find tips and techniques that will help you bridge the gap between following a recipe and taking great photographs.

Abstract Photography

The appeal of the abstract photo rises from the human desire to impose order on natural human activities, and reverse the process of entropy. ...