When is the total Lunar eclipse?

The total lunar eclipse is happening on Sunday September 7th (2025), and the time of the ‘Blood moon’ eclipse is between 6.30pm BST and 7.55pm BST. Although the moon will be quite low to the horizon, and will already be in total eclipse as it rises on the horizon, so this will make it more difficult to see. You’ll also need to make sure you get a high viewpoint, with nothing blocking your view of the horizon to the East, for the best chance of seeing it. If you live further south/southeast, your chances of seeing it are increased. (Source)

Who can see it?

The lunar eclipse will be visible in the UK, Australia, Africa, Asia, and Europe, but unfortunately not in the US. Depending where you are, you may be able to see the partial eclipse as the eclipse ends, particularly if you’re in a more northern location.

How often does the Lunar eclipse happen?

There are usually 2-5 lunar eclipses per year, but these are often just partial eclipses, and visibility depends on where you are in the world. A total eclipse only tends to occur every three years, with two happening in the same year. (Source)

When is the next total Lunar eclipse?

There is a total lunar eclipse 7th September 2025, but if you’re unable to see this one, the next total lunar eclipse is expected to happen 3 March 2026 (US, Australia, East Asia only). (Source: skyatnightmagazine.com)

When was the last total Lunar eclipse?

15-16 May 2022, and before that January 2019.

Why is it called the blood moon?

As the earth blocks the light from the sun, the moon will turn a red colour. The moon will turn red because of an effect known as Rayleigh Scattering, where bands of green and violet light become filtered through the atmosphere.

How do you photograph the lunar eclipse?

You’ll need a tripod, and ideally a telephoto lens (300-600mm equivalent or more), particularly if you want to show the moon as large as possible in the frame.

By using a self-timer or remote release, you can avoid camera shake. You’ll also need to adjust your exposure as the level of light changes as the moon becomes darker and darker, as it moves into the shadow of the earth.

Beware of clouds – if there are clouds in the sky, then this will cause problems viewing the lunar eclipse. Sometimes you might get lucky if there’s a break in the clouds. Be prepared for the moon’s position to change in your frame over time.

You’ll need to make sure your camera can correctly focus on the moon, or alternatively you’ll need to switch to manual focus to ensure the focus is spot on. Focus peaking, and/or a magnified view can help with this.

Shooting in raw (and JPEG) gives you the ability adjust the images later, to tweak noise and colour if needed. Don’t be surprised if your photo of the blood moon isn’t as red as other images you’ve seen of the moon on the internet – you will most likely have to play with saturation settings to match others!

Why is light pollution a problem for night photography?

Light pollution, such as streetlights, and lights from houses and buildings make it more difficult to see the dark night sky, as the lights effectively light up anything in the air, making it difficult to get a clear photo of the stars and other objects in the sky, such as the moon.

Therefore, it’s important to be away from any light pollution, so if you can get into the countryside then this will give you the clearest view of the sky. You can use a website such as www.lightpollutionmap.info to lookup the levels of light pollution near you, to see if there are any areas nearby that will give a clearer view of the sky. This is of particular importance when shooting stars and astrophotography.

Where else can I watch the lunar eclipse?

If you can’t make it out to see the eclipse, or have cloud issues, then you will be able to watch a live stream of the lunar eclipse, on the timeanddate.com website.

Shooting the night sky can be a challenging, but rewarding photography skill, see more guides here:

• Top tips from astronomy photographer of the year winners.
• How to photograph the moon – and super moon!
• Best cameras for low-light photography and video

If you want to shoot more amazing low-light photographs, have a look at our guide on how to shoot aurorae, star trails, and the moon.

Lead Photo: Composite photo of the supermoon lunar eclipse of 2015 as seen from North America. The photo shows the moon through 8 various stages during the eclipse ending with the full “Blood moon” A.K.A. “Harvest Moon”. Credit: Vittgenstein, Getty Images.

The post Blood moon total lunar eclipse, how to photograph it this Sunday appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

When pointed in the right direction with all its controls set to auto, a modern camera is clever enough to produce a well-exposed image with the right thing in focus. This is alright for simply recording the likeness of a scene before you. To make more of it, though, it’s worth learning the difference between f/1.4 and f/11, amongst other lessons about your camera.

The emotion, atmosphere, excitement and dynamism of your urban surroundings can all be enhanced by your camera and lens settings, capturing images that reach beyond a mere physical likeness of the world about you and the people in it.

Setting up your camera for the street

Where – and, equally, when – you perceive an emergent image from the bustle of the street, you will form an idea of what you want to highlight. From this point, your needs are beyond the limitations of your camera’s auto modes.

How you present the essence of your vision to draw the viewer in will influence your next decisions. Understanding why your lens has over 20 aperture settings will come into play, even though you can only use one at a time.

The best camera settings for street photography

Damien’s recommendations:

• Aperture priority
• Widest aperture
• Daylight white balance
• Around ISO 400 (daytime) 6400 (night time)
• Touch Shutter enabled
• Whole area metering

What is the best aperture for street photography?

I’ll start with apertures, as they are the main drivers behind my camera settings when shooting street scenes. The aperture value itself is not as important as the depth of field it creates – no one will know which f-stop you used, but they will see its effect in the picture and how it controls the way they see the subject. I aim for an aperture that creates a definite visual effect.

These tend to be at the extremes of the range: I like f/1.4 the most for its dramatic pull of the eye and its isolating effect on the subject. f/16 or f/22 will render the whole scene in spectacular and graphic detail. In street photography, I don’t have much use for the ‘safe’ apertures like f/5.6, as they tend to produce a result that is reliable but unexciting.

The best apertures of any lens are those in the middle of the range. This is almost always true, scientifically speaking – it is where resolution, contrast, vignetting, and edge aberrations are most favourable to the technical quality of your pictures. Street photographers, however, aren’t scientists. They are artists, who value the visual and emotional appeal of an image much more than the line pairs per millimetre that can be recorded.

The widest and smallest apertures of any lens tend to be those that perform least well technically; yet they very often produce the most exciting results. But a drop in resolution at f/22 might be worth it if the lens delivers a jaw-dropping sun star. For better technical quality, stay at least one stop away from the smallest aperture.

What is the best shutter speed for street photography?

Once I’ve picked the aperture I want to work with, I consider the shutter speed needed for the effect I’d like to create. In most cases, I want to freeze the action in the street as I’m often shooting people who are moving. Sometimes the people I shoot are static, but to save constantly shifting my settings, I tend to keep a fast shutter speed all the time: unless there isn’t much light, in which case, I will engage my brain!

For general outside pictures in which people are travelling around the frame, I’ll have a shutter speed between 1/500sec and 1/16,000sec. I won’t set this manually, as I like to work in aperture priority exposure mode, so I adjust my ISO settings to make the shutter speed shift up and down.

Again, to save adjusting the ISO for every shot, I generally keep it quite high to give myself a good margin for changing conditions and environments. If the shutter speed slides up to 1/16,000sec, it doesn’t matter, but if it drops to 1/60sec, it does.  I’d rather have a bit of noise from an ISO 1600 image than subject blur from a shutter speed that was just a bit too long for the encounter. There are no rules in art, of course, but street shots in which the subject is slightly blurred can look like mistakes.

If you want blur in your subjects, it’s better to go the whole hog and make it obviously deliberate. The shutter speed that will be right for the occasion will depend on how much blur you want as well as how quickly the subjects are moving across your viewfinder.

Too long a shutter speed and you might find the subject just disappears, so aim to start testing at around 1/4sec for people travelling at a walking pace about 15ft from the camera.

What are the best autofocus settings for street photography?

Adjusting your ISO settings manually doesn’t take much mental processing power and brings with it many advantages in speed and flexibility. In many other genres of photography, your camera’s auto ISO mode can deal with this issue entirely, leaving you to concentrate on your subject. Street photography, though, is action photography, and we need to be in control of our shutter speeds.

Is it okay to shoot with Auto ISO?

Auto ISO modes are designed to avoid camera-shake and will assess the focal length and aperture you are using and then adjust the ISO to deliver a shutter speed that ensures a shake-free image. However, auto ISO doesn’t account for moving subjects, so while 1/125sec might be a safe shutter speed at which to use a 50mm lens, it’s no good if your subject is a person riding a bike, say.

You can of course set limits on the range of ISO values your auto ISO mode can use, and you can also control the range of shutter speeds the camera uses, which will make using auto ISO ‘safe’. Of course, you must unset and reset these controls when you venture into a different environment. This can’t be done properly at a moment’s notice, so could cost you a shot in the new scene.

Avoid using auto white balance

To convey the true atmosphere of a scene in your pictures, avoid auto white balance. Auto white balance settings are very clever and extremely effective at neutralising coloured tints in the lighting of the moment, so that the true colours of the subject shine through.

We see with a Daylight white balance for the most part, so that’s what I always set when shooting the street. People often comment that shooting in raw allows those colours to be added back in afterwards, but colours are very hard to remember, and most people would forget to consider it while processing. It is easier just to capture the right colours at the time.

Should I use mechanical shutter or electronic shutter?

I really value the ability to shoot silently when I’m in the street, as this allows me to shoot unnoticed and to take multiple shots of the same thing without the shutter sound clearing the area. To shoot silently we need to engage the electronic shutter – something only mirrorless camera shooters can do in a practical way.

Of course, if you look very, very closely you might be able to see that pictures taken with an electronic shutter have slightly more image noise than those shot with a mechanical shutter, but in real life no one is actually going to notice the difference.

The electronic shutter often gives us access to a set of high shutter speeds that the mechanical shutter can’t match, which then allows us to shoot with a really wide aperture in brighter conditions without resorting to a neutral density filter.

Things you’ll want to watch out for, though, include banding when shooting in areas lit by fluorescent lights – such as in shops and on trains – and distortion when the subject is moving quickly across the frame. Both problems can be fatal to an image and on few occasions will you be able to get away with the effects. In these situations, switch back to a mechanical or electronic first curtain mode.

Most cameras offer to switch between mechanical and electronic shutter modes automatically for you, particularly to reach those high shutter speeds, so it is something to keep an eye on.

Use your in-camera profiles

I like to get my pictures as close to finished in-camera as I can. This isn’t because I’m some fanatical purist who doesn’t crop or manipulate images, but because it makes my life easier during and after the shoot.

I like the Portrait Photo Style in Lumix cameras when I’m shooting in colour, and Monochrome when I’m in black and white. I like to see the full effect of the image while shooting, rather than have to imagine its appearance once it’s been through Photoshop. I adjust exposure (and contrast with the Monochrome Photo Style) so that the picture on the back of the camera looks as close as possible to how I’d like the finished picture to look .

To see the intended image on the back of the camera often inspires me to shoot more because I can see how well it is all working. I might notice something cool in the image or scene that I may have missed had I waited until afterwards to manipulate the raw file. That spurs me on to shoot more and make the most of the element that so appeals to me in the moment.

Equally, this helps me to see when things aren’t working, and when I need to change something or simply abandon the idea and look for something else.

Seeing the almost-finished image on the back of the camera should be exciting (if it isn’t, it won’t be later either) and it makes the whole process much more enjoyable. Seeing a technically optimal but flat raw file on the rear screen is never exciting, and it leaves all the creative work until later, when you might not truly remember what drew you to the scene in the first place.

Of course, I shoot in raw so most of the colour and contrast changes I make in-camera are lost in Camera Raw (though some can easily be reinstated in the Camera Profile drop down) but I also process a few raw files in-camera too so that I have references for the way the images looked when I shot them. Shooting all RAW+JPEG is a good, if memory-heavy, way to do this too.

Want to know more about black and white photography? Check out our guide to black and white photography and Black and white street photography tips from the experts.

How to choose the best lenses for street photography

Focal lengths

I like a standard lens for the system I’m using – so a 50mm for full frame, 32mm for APS-C or 25mm for Micro Four Thirds. The angle of view matches what I can concentrate on, and I believe what most viewers are comfortable with. About 90% of my street pictures are shot with this kind of focal length. However, I also like a 24mm-style wide when I’m working close up and when I want to include lots of background.

These standard and wide focal lengths preserve a connection between the viewer and the subject and offer a ‘being there’ perspective that is often lost when captured through long lenses. However, there are no right or wrong focal lengths – just different effects that create a different feel. Experiment and find the angle of view and the distance between you and the subject that suits the look you want. And check our guide to optimal lenses for street photography
Aperture trade-offs

Fast apertures allow us to shoot in low light without having to crank the ISO up into zones in which noise becomes a real problem. Apertures like f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8, f/2 and f/2.5/8 all work well, but when you get to f/3.5 you may struggle to shoot at night and to create a shallow depth of field that makes the subject jump out from the frame.

If you only intend to work with small apertures, you’ll have a wider and cheaper range of lenses to pick from, but a more limited range of effects and atmospheres you can produce.

Size and weight

High-spec lenses tend to be bigger, heavier and more expensive than more regular lenses, so you need to decide how much you want a wide aperture and how much weight you can carry all day. Bigger fast-aperture lenses will also make your kit bigger, and you will stand out more, so again determine how comfortable you are with that. While I love a tiny camera with a pancake lens, I’m also prepared to go big and heavy for the sake of really sharp images at really wide apertures.

Best camera-lens combos for street photography

Canon EOS M50 Mark ll with Canon EF-M 32mm f1.4 STM

Price: $579 / £420 (camera), $570 / £360 (lens)

The Canon EOS M series has a limited range of lens options but it does offer Canon technology in a small package and at a more reasonable price than the R system. The EOS M50 ll brings DSLR-like controls to a tiny body, and provides a hinged touchscreen that makes shooting from all angles and focusing anywhere in the frame easy. The 32mm f/1.4 lens acts as a standard lens, and that fast maximum aperture allows low-light shooting and a nice shallow depth of field.

Fujifilm X-Pro3 with XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR

Price: from around $1,995 / £1,150 used (camera), $1,499 / £1,469 (lens)

Okay, so this is a bit of an extravagance, but the XF 50mm f/1.0 is an exceptional lens that not only has a dramatically wide aperture, it is also sharp wide open and creates a unique look. The X-Pro3 is an odd pairing size-wise perhaps, but the smaller body keeps the kit a little more compact, and the X-Pro series all make great street cameras. The camera offers a host of built-in styles for a wide range of looks, and the raw files are lovely to work with.

Hasselblad X2D with XCD 2.5/55V

Price: $8,200 / £7,369 (camera), $3,699 / £3,559 (lens)

A medium format camera mightn’t be an obvious choice for street photography, but the larger sensor of the Hasselblad X series makes for a pretty unique look when you make the most of the faster apertures of the new XCD-V lenses. The AF of the X2D is much quicker than the other X bodies, but you’ll need to aim elsewhere in really fast-moving situations. At walking pace action, the camera will keep up, and the pictures will look amazing.

Leica M11 with APO-Summicron 50mm f/2 ASPH

Price: $8,995 / £7,800 (camera), $5,095 / £4,220 (lens)

Manual focus can be hard work if you want a shallow depth of field as moving subjects are a challenge, but stopping right down allows action and focus to come together. The M11 has exceptional image quality and the f/2 APO 50mm has the resolution and contrast to make the most of it. Live view shooting makes the latest Leica M cameras modern, but through-the-rangefinder is still a great way to work. For a classic (softer) look, consider the £3,550 50mm f/1.4.

Nikon Z 6ll with Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S

Price: $1,497 / £2,299 (camera), $427 / £489 (lens)

Nikon’s Z 6ll is its most popular camera and it makes a great option for street photographers with its fast reactions, great AF system and in-body IS system. Nikon has just announced a tiny 26mm f/2.8 pancake that looks exciting, but for more regular shooting the 50mm f/1.8 S is a good option and offers a wider aperture. The Z 40mm f/2 SE is very tempting, not only for its cool looks, but also its nine-bladed iris that’ll produce attractive out-of-focus highlights.

Olympus OM-1 with M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm F2.0

Price: $1,499 (current Black Friday price) / £1,130 (camera), $400 / £699 (lens)

The Micro Four Thirds format makes a lot of sense for street work, and Olympus has a host of small, light and reactive cameras. The company’s OM-1 has an excellent AF system and fast reactions, making it a great choice for street. It is probably the best MFT camera for stills at the moment, and it offers all the control and image quality of a much larger camera. Coupled with the 12mm f/2 you’ll have a powerhouse with a nice wide view from some first-class glass.

Panasonic S5ll with Lumix S 50mm f/1.8

Price: $1,997 / £1,999 (camera), $447 / £429 (lens)

While the Lumix S5ll is a full-frame camera, it is also pretty small and light and has similar reactions to the speedy Lumix G9. The new AF system will help in low light, and the exceptional image stabilisation will allow long shutters without a tripod when you want blur. Also, small and light is the Lumix S 50mm f/1.8, though the 24mm and 35mm lenses will appeal to those who like a wider view. The f/1.4 50mm is amazingly good, but also big in size and price.

Check out our picks of the best lens for street photography in 2024 for more options.

What is the best camera for street photography? Check out our picks of the very best cameras for street photography as well as the best camera phones for photography in 2024 if you shoot street photography with your smartphone.

Related content:

• Street Photography guide
• Black and white street photography: Tips and techniques from the experts
• The 12 best cities for street photography around the world
• Using smartphones for street photography

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The post How to set up your camera for street photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

There’s an eclectic mix of ideas that will suit different types of photographers, with a few alternatives for those who want to do something a little less orthodox.

Of course, you don’t need to restrict yourself to one revenue stream. Many photographers make good money by various means, so you can mix it up as much as you like. Whether it’s your full-time job or a side hustle, there will be something here for you.

46 ways to make money from photography

1. Stock photography

Stock photography can be a good way to top up your income. But be warned, big companies like Getty, Adobe Stock, Dreamstime and Shutterstock are not as profitable as they once were due to the large competition. Consider smaller agencies such as Envato and Yay Images or look at James Abbott’s alternative guide to Stock Photography for further tips.

2. Sell your work on online

There are many online marketplaces where you can sell your work: from Ebay, Fine Art America to Etsy. They all attract large audiences and could be considered by any artistic photographer looking to sell their photographic products. These products could be anything from cards, fine art prints to gift type items such as calendars and mugs.

3. Sell your work from your own platform

If you’re keen on the thought of selling your work online but want to keep 100% of your profits, then do it yourself. This can be achieved through most website providers. For something bespoke, though, you’ll need either the skills or to pay someone to build it. You’ll have a much smaller target audience compared with the likes of Etsy and other online marketplaces but, if you have a platform to find that audience, then you will benefit from having full control.

4. Wedding photographer

If you’re a people person and enjoy capturing the moment, a career in the wedding industry might be the perfect job for you. Photographers make good money from this sector as there is a large target audience that is willing to pay good money to record their special day. See our latest wedding photography tips and technique guides to learn more about this genre.

5. Sell your images and stories

If you have a set of inspiring images that tell an interesting story, a publishing company somewhere will be interested in featuring it. As a start, there are many different types of magazines out there that you could try, from Amateur Photographer to National Geographic. If you’re unsuccessful pitching to one, don’t be disheartened; it is a competitive industry that demands perseverance. Making sure your pitch is clear goes a long way to getting results. See our guide on how to get involved with AP.

6. Event photographer

There is money to be made from event photography. Routes to go down range from corporate events to black tie dinners. There are two ways to shoot an event – the first is to simply document what is happening, and the second is to set up an area where clients can have formal portraits taken. You could offer one or both of these services.

7. Sell your fine art prints

If you are creatively minded and have an artistic approach to the photographic medium, becoming an artist and selling your fine art prints is a great career. There are many outlets where you can sell your work; like galleries or retailers in the home decor industry. In the right location, you could have a shop gallery: although overheads are pricey and few get to sustain themselves like this.

8. NFTs

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a unique digital file. Many collectors are now buying original digital photographic artworks through this online system. You can only buy and sell an NFT using cryptocurrency so before you begin you need to set yourself up. But be warned, the NFT market can be extremely volatile, and nobody should enter it uninformed.

9. Music Photographer

Although many people are willing to shoot gigs and festivals for free (especially if it’s a well-known band), those who are good at it can get paid for the work. See our guide for more tips on how to shoot a music event.

10. Start a blog

Blogging is a great way to get people to notice you and to see what you do, as well as share your stories as a photographer. Starting a blog in itself won’t make you money, but it is a platform from which other opportunities can be launched; so, play the long game and build a following.

11. Lifestyle photographer

There are many ways to make money from lifestyle route to snapping portraits out on location, new-born images to formal family shots in the studio. Develop your own style and offer unique packages that distinguish you and your work from others.

12. Portrait photographer

If you’re keen on shooting portraits but unsure about the lifestyle route, there are other opportunities in the field. Headshots for actors or business owners are a couple of avenues that spring to mind. Read our best portrait advice from the Pros for more inspiration.

13. Fashion photographer

From the catwalks of Paris to product shots on retailers’ websites, there are many ways the fashion industry and photographers can work together. See Amanda Thomas’ guide where she shares her top tips with us.

14. Enter photography competitions

What better way to get your name out there than by winning a prestigious photography competition! Ok, it’s a long shot, but it can really boost your confidence and get your name out there, even as a runner-up. Simply trying can motivate and improve you, and teach you something new in the process. We have some top insights into this. If you want to find out what is out there, have a look at our guide to the best photography competitions to enter that span all manner of genres, styles and levels.

15. Landscape photographer

From the sprawling seascapes to the rolling hills, landscape photography for many is a hobby but can turn into a career for those at the top of their game. If you want to take landscape photography seriously, here’s our guide to the best cameras for landscape photographers and some fantastic books of landscape photography.

16. Edit and retouch images

Some photographers hate being stuck on the computer, especially those that have too much work and would benefit from help in editing and retouching images. Earn money by offering your services to those in need of a good photo editor. Here are our top software picks for editing.

17. Paparazzi photographer

If taking pictures of celebrities looking their best or worst excites you, then a job as a paparazzi photographer could be worth exploring. The work is intrusive though, and requires a certain type of character to fulfil it; so won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

18. Pet photographer

People love their pets, and are willing to spend money on them. It’s not an easy genre to shoot and requires much patience plus a few tricks in the bag! See our pet photography guide for more tips.

19. Film set photographer

A film set photographer or unit set still photographer (as they are often referred to) takes photographs during filming that can be used to market and publicise the film. What a great job!

20. Commercial photographer

Many businesses out there need professional-looking images. As a branding photographer, you cover many different genres, and it is the perfect career for anyone who enjoys mixing it up!

21. Write about photography

If you have a way with words, then you can make a living writing about photography. There are many businesses and publishing houses that are looking for talented writers. Articles range in content from conducting interviewing, writing technique guides to compiling definitive lists like this one!

22. Architectural Photographer

From big buildings in the centre of the city, estate agents to holiday lets on Airbnb, there are many opportunities to shoot properties both inside and out. A wide-angle lens is a must if you go down this route! Check out these pro tips for some inspiration.

23. Self publish a book

From Blurb and Amazon KDP to Reedsy, there are many established platforms out there that allow you to self-publish and sell your own book. Think about how you can make your book unique and how to present the content, so you stand out above your competition.

24. Self publish an eBook

If publishing a physical book doesn’t appeal, creating an eBook could be more accessible. Lulu, Tradebit, NOOK Press and Smashwords are all viable channels through which to create and host your eBook.

25. Studio photographer

A studio photographer shoots all sorts of genres from products to portraits. Becoming a studio photographer is a big investment but once you have the kit there is plenty of opportunity to earn a decent living.

26. Assist other photographers

Assisting is an excellent way to learn from those who have been in the industry for a while. You can get assisting jobs on a freelance or permanent employee basis.

27. Press photographer

Press photographers take all sorts of images that cover current news events, including travelling to war torn countries. The latter isn’t an easy job and one that takes courage and difficult decision making. See our interview with Nick Ut to get a better understanding behind one of the most iconic war images ever taken.

28. Sports photographer

If you love sports, what better way to make a living than to photograph them! Most sports photographers have a long telephoto lens in their kit bag. If you’re unsure where to begin, start local. Build up a portfolio, make contacts and see where it takes you.

29. Wildlife photographer

For those who love nature, a career as a wildlife photographer could be an amazing undertaking. There are many different ways to make money from this genre from running workshops to capturing the story of an unusual animal and pitching your story to a magazine. See our guide to the best wildlife lenses for some kit inspiration.

30. Travel photographer

If you love to travel with your photography, consider sharing your top tips and locations with others. From blogging, creating maps and guides to running travel photo tours, travel photography has many opportunities. Get some inspiration from our Photo Tours to see the different possibilities.

31. School Portraits

There’s lots of money to be made from taking children’s school portraits of both individuals and groups. If you want to go into this line of work in the UK you’ll need to be DBS checked to work around children.

32. Go for a grant

There are many different photography grants out there for various genres and for photographers of all different ages and abilities. In the UK, Arts Council is a good place to start to see what is available. You are more likely to receive a grant for your work if it benefits the community, so think on.

33. Teach photography

If you are a people person and enjoy sharing your knowledge with others, then a career in teaching could be an excellent path to undertake. You would need the right qualifications to teach photography in the formal educational system, of course. But if you are good and can prove it, or have a reputation locally, then you could teach adults privately.

34. Food & drink photographer

Food glorious food! Many restaurants and food manufacturers seek professional food photographers to capture delicious looking images. Food photography is a lovely genre to shoot and once the job has finished you can eat!

35. Product photographer

Products come in all shapes and sizes from clothes to gifts. Product photographers predominately work in the studio but can also shoot out on location depending on the subject. Jewellery photography is one area that is in high demand.

36. Start a YouTube channel

YouTube is an excellent resource for those who are good in front of the camera. Many photography YouTube stars make their money by reviewing kit, unboxing new cameras and sharing behind the scenes videos from their photo shoots.

37. Become a social media superstar!

Although social media doesn’t pay out directly, if you gather a large following on popular platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, you may find many exciting opportunities coming your way. These could be anything from the big camera and tech companies asking you to be an ambassador to interview opportunities in magazines. See our guide for using social media as a photographer to get you started.

38. Create and sell presets and profiles

If you’re a Lightroom guru who enjoys styling your images, a great way to bring in some extra money is to sell your Profiles and Presets. Presets and Profiles can be sold to a large target audience however it does help if you have a good social media following where you can market these products. See our guide on how to use Lightroom Presets & Profiles for some tips.

39. Workshops and photography tours

If sharing your love of photography is something you enjoy, running your own photography workshops or tours is a great way to bring in some extra income. To do this well you need to be a people person, and it greatly helps if you have an established and well-respected reputation in the industry.

40. Career in the forces

Did you know in the UK the RAF, Navy and Army all have their own photographers? If you love adventure, travelling and being on the go this could be a great career.

41. Forensic photographer

This job is not for the faint-hearted! A forensic photographer takes photographs of crime scenes to capture evidence and document whatever they can find.

42. Astrophotographer

If you have an interest in space, then a career as an astrophotographer could take you to a galaxy far far away! Improve your night photography with our guide.

43. Review photography kit

There are many photographers and journalists out there that make a living from reviewing photographic equipment. Just look at our experienced team at AP! You’ll need to enjoy writing and understand the camera market inside and out.

44. Share your images and get paid

ClickASnap allows users to share images whilst getting paid at the same time! Though it’s not a get rich quick scheme and it won’t pay the mortgage. Think of it like a small bonus on the side of your other profession.

45. Exhibit your work

What better way to get your images out there than by putting on an exhibition! This could be a solo or group exhibition if you find the right photographer/s to exhibit with. Think carefully about framing, costs, and marketing to ensure it is viable.

Also have cheaper items for sale such as prints and cards for those with smaller budgets as these sales will add up. For more tips follow our guide to exhibiting your work.

46. Sell used camera gear

If you’ve an old camera, old lenses, or other old camera gear you don’t use, why not free up some spare cash to buy new kit, or the extra bits and pieces you’ve been wanting? Or just keep some extra dough in the bank for a rainy day. The easiest way to sell old camera gear is to MPB.com, but to squeeze out every penny, check our guide to taking product photos for eBay and try your luck there. 

Featured image: There are many different ways to make money from your photography. Copyright: Ben Eaton on Unsplash 

Further reading:

• Cash from your camera: How to make money from photography
• Make money from landscape photography

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Smartphone photos inspiration: Books

Books on smartphone photography are (almost) ten a penny, but Jo Bradford is internationally recognised as an authority on the subject. Jo’s first book, Smart Phone, Smart Photography, was published in 2018, and since then she’s become a regular fixture on the camera club circuit, as well as running workshops for the RPS and appearing on the judging panels of several prestigious competitions.

“‘Smart Phone, Smart Photography’ was the first book about smartphone photography to top the digital photography best-selling book lists on Waterstones and Amazon,” Jo notes with justifiable pride. “When I wrote that book I was not convinced that anyone would buy a book about phone photography – but it remained a best seller for four years!”

Jo’s latest book, Smart Photos: 52 Ideas to Take Your Smartphone Photography to the Next Level, is full of intriguing and original ideas for smartphone photos beyond the obvious. From panning to pinhole, any remaining smartphone photography sceptics may just be converted. We caught up with Jo to get some expert advice for better smartphone photography, including handset choice, and editing.

“Every year more people embrace smartphones, but the biggest change I’ve seen since my first book is the rise of algorithms and computational photography,” Jo observes. “As well as powerful image processing, the latest iPhones and Android phones have very effective night modes, for example. The algorithms are using the image data in a much more intelligent way. The hardware is coming on in leaps and bounds, too, and we’re seeing a lot of handsets with three, even five, cameras on the back.”

It starts with solving problems

Jo wrote the new book to show just how creative smartphones can be, pushing the boundaries of how they are mostly used – typically for selfies, street candids and conventional landscapes. “I still shoot with analogue and digital cameras, but I find myself reaching for my phone more and more in my professional work,” she explains.

“I wanted to show just how powerful smartphones can be when combined with creative thinking and a bit of know-how. So, I started to look at more complex images that people make with conventional cameras, such as image stacking and panning, and explore how you can do it on a phone. The fun is in the creativity – trying to do something different and problem-solving.”

People with very different skill levels can still get good images from smartphones, which is a big part of their appeal for Jo. “Most of the time even total beginners will get a shot with a phone, but beyond that, there are lots of ways to get more- sophisticated results – for instance, by using advanced apps, using the phone cameras in manual mode to control exposure, and so on.”

Are the best smartphone photos shot in RAW?

With algorithms now so advanced, often producing perfectly exposed images straight from the phone, is there still much point bypassing them and shooting in raw? “I do shoot in raw but save out the images as a TIFF rather than a JPEG,” Jo explains. “The apps I use – Moment, Halide or Camera Pro – enable me to do this.

“Everything I produce will either be printed or exhibited, which is why I prefer TIFF. As you say, when you shoot raw on your phone it enables lots of flexibility at the editing stage, but it does override the often excellent JPEG algorithms that makers have spent a lot of money developing.

“You can get great quality in your photos without needing to shoot raw, however. If you stack images when shooting in low light, using an app like Slow Shutter Cam, can be a great way to reduce noise. As the noise is randomly generated in each image, when the app stacks them, the noise is automatically removed.

“You can end up being able to print really big – I go on stage at The Photography Show and invite people to come and ‘pixel peep’ at my prints. Even with photos taken on an older iPhone, there is hardly any image degradation. So don’t feel compelled to shoot raw, but it’s well worth trying – there’s a raw-editing tool in Snapseed too, which automatically opens when it recognises the file.”

Editing smartphone photos and Instagram

This writer is guilty of sticking with a very small toolbox of editing apps, mainly VSCO and Snapseed, and I’m not alone. Jo encourages people to be more adventurous. “Snapseed is amazing, I wrote a whole book about it, but there are lots of other, more specialised apps out there. Snapseed has a very basic retouching function, for example, so you can use TouchRetouch for better results – or you can try SKRWT for fine-tuning leaning-in lines and perspective.

“I’m also a big fan of editing on my tablet, which gives you more room to edit. VSCO’s film simulations are great too, particularly with black & white; though you often have to dial the filter effects down a bit. Slow Shutter Cam for iPhone is also fantastic for long exposures and image stacking.”

Instagram is the default sharing platform for many smartphone photographers, and Jo has some interesting observations on how it tends to be used. “A lot of Instagram users become obsessed with gaining likes and followers, so you start to see a lot of similar kinds of pictures on there.

“As creative photographers, we should be innovative and find our own voice, not just emulate other stuff on Instagram – the standard filters can render a lot of images to look alike, too. People want results quickly, however, and don’t always want to put in the time. This is what separates serious smartphone photographers from snappers and hobbyists.”

Read more on how to use social media as a photographer here.

Smartphone Photos – The optical issue

When it comes to future technological developments for smartphones, Jo is keen for more options to control depth of field optically, rather than digitally. “I’d really like to see a wider range of better-quality lenses for smartphones. It’ll be interesting to see where we are in five years – whether the makers are still trying to solve everything through algorithms, or go back to finding an optical solution.

“Image stabilisation and low-light handling are getting better too (see the new Night mode on iPhones). Again though, it’s doing the same thing, shooting lots of photos in quick succession and putting them all together. It’s the optical side that still lets smartphones down.”

Though clip-on lenses seemed to be dying out, Jo reckons they are growing again in popularity, especially the better-quality ones. “I find the lenses from Moment in particular are great. They are not easy to get hold of in the UK and are relatively expensive, but they feature beautiful glass and very low aberration. With the Moments macro and wide angle lenses, you don’t get that overprocessed look you sometimes end up with when the algorithms try to emulate optical lens effects.”

Evangelist yes, zealot no

Jo gives lots of talks and lectures and enjoys challenging traditionalists who still don’t believe phones are up to the job of creative photography. “Yes, there are still areas that phones need to improve on, such as astrophotography and underwater shots. For the book, I got Rob Layton to share his techniques for underwater, for example, as he has more specialised knowledge, so I wanted to share his wisdom.

“But a lot of anti-phone people end up being my biggest converts when they see what can be achieved. A lot of older photographers aren’t keen on lugging around heavy conventional cameras and lots of lenses, either, which is where phones really come in. It’s almost as if they want ‘permission’ to use a smartphone.”

To conclude, it shouldn’t be assumed that Jo is some kind of anti-camera zealot. “I love my conventional cameras – mirrorless, DSLRs, and my old film equipment. I’m a big fan of printing my own analogue/film photography in my colour darkroom, and I exhibit and sell analogue fine-art photography in galleries around the world.

“As for lenses, for now, nothing beats a big, beautiful piece of hand-ground glass. I would hate to see phones cause the death of all this. For certain genres, such as street photography, I believe smartphones are the best choice, but for a portrait in a studio, you would still be better off with a ‘proper’ camera and lighting rig. It’s about choosing the right tool for the job.”

Creative ideas for your smartphone photos

Fun with freelensing

“I really enjoy freelensing, which is a great way to play with any of your old lenses – a standard 50mm prime lens, for example,” says Jo. “You need a tripod to hold the phone while you experiment with the camera and lens combinations.”

How to do freelensing:

1. Select a phone camera lens – the standard and telephoto lenses on your smartphone work best for freelensing. You are simply handholding the lens near the camera, and trying to look through the extra lens.
2. Position your external lens in front of the phone camera and compose your image. Practise finding focus and lining the lens up so that you can’t see the black edges of the lens housing in your frame.
3. No tripod? Not a problem. You can also attach one end of the lens to the top of your smartphone with a piece of tape. This will hold it roughly in the right place so that you can move the lens up and down and left and right without losing it. Experiment with various different lens combinations until you get the results that you are happy with.

Rembrandt lighting

In this technique, named after the Dutch Old Master, a subject’s face is half-lit, with a triangle of light appearing on the shadowed side of the face. “It’s easy to achieve with your phone and a few household props,” says Jo. “The base of the triangle should sit across the top of the eye, extending along the side of the nose on one side and the cheekbone on the other, with the point sitting roughly on the edge of the lip.”

How to get the Rembrandt look:

1. Set up your backdrop. It needs to be non-distracting and absorb rather than reflect light. Use a dark grey studio backdrop roll or a large piece of dark fabric or board. For a textured, classical look, paint the board in a dark shade or hue with visible brushstrokes.
2. In a darkened room, place the light high on one side of the subject’s face and bring the light forward until the triangle appears. Adjust the light until the triangle is in the right position on the subject’s face.
3. Use the telephoto lens on your camera. Drag the exposure down to darken the image, creating a silhouette. You’ll find the exposure function on your smartphone when you tap to focus.

Top tips for making your smartphone photos stand out

Jo’s advice for smartphone photography:

Handset choice

“My favourite handset is still the iPhone – I use the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Huawei phones are great for zooming and there are some really good Android phones, but iPhone images don’t look so overprocessed by the algorithms.”

The power of touch

“When doing talks I ask how many people touch the screen to focus or set exposure, and few do. This is really important as you are taking creative control. You need to get beyond the point-and-shoot mentality with smartphones.”

After party

“Image capture is just one element. How will you craft the image afterwards? I stack photos, print them, make collages, throw paint at them, and experiment with household props. Don’t be afraid to play with your smartphone photos.”

Make the grade

“It’s actually really easy to do your own colour grading, which really makes your images stand out. I’ve shown people how to get the Edward Weston look, for example, rather than just relying on the standard Instagram filters and getting the same old look.”

Third-party lighting

“Interfit’s Badger Beam, a versatile LED video and photo light (priced at $199/£199), is a good entry-level lighting set-up – it also has some great accessories such as colour gels. I also experiment with making my own coloured lights using sweet wrappers and a small torch.”

Instagram

“Don’t just ape what’s trending on Instagram – think about developing your own photographic style.”

More tips from Callum McInerney-Riley:

Use the grid for composition

Without a viewfinder, it can be difficult to compose your shots and get everything evenly within the frame. Turning on gridlines in your camera app settings can help you with composition and ensure you don’t have to crop too much in post-production.

Use your main camera and try manual camera mode

Many of the latest smartphones have an array of cameras with different uses. While the telephoto lens might get you closer to the action, it usually relies on an inferior sensor or lens to your main camera. Stick to the main unit for the best results.

Many smartphones allow you to shoot with manual controls. Often, it’s called something like ‘Pro’ mode when you launch your smartphone’s default camera app. If you don’t have this, you can always use a third-party app such as Adobe Lightroom Mobile or ProShot, which is available on both IOS and Android. Using manual mode will give you more control in comparison to the automatic modes.

Use spot metering

For speed, use spot metering, touching the interesting area you want to expose for – tapping areas of bright sky or shadowy foreground elements will ensure your exposure is good. You can adjust the rest of the image in post-production but you can’t get back picture information in a blown-out sky.

Edit creatively

Your style is subjective and you can do what you like with the image once you have captured it. However, adjusting highlights, shadows, exposure and manipulating colours, sharpening, contrast and tonality will all make your image pop. Be playful with editing and find a look you really like.

There are a variety of apps available but generally, I prefer Adobe Lightroom Mobile. I like the way it syncs to Lightroom CC on my laptop and I can view my images on a big screen and tweak them before I share them. Snapseed and Adobe Photoshop mobile are also fantastic and will work just as well. Editing will allow you to make the most of golden sunlight, bring out detail in the skies, enhance the colours and be creative. For more options, take a look at our list of the best photo editing apps for your phone.

Look for light

You can have the most technical know-how and the best kit in the world… but if your scene is boring and the light is ‘bad,’ your image will be uninspiring. First light or even before is great for travel photography as places are usually less crowded and the light is usually good.

For more insight read our complete guide to outdoor light in photography and tips on how to get great shots in strong summer light.

The late evening has great potential too. Find good light, take great images – it’s a very basic tenet of photography but without it, your shots are going to be dull.

The best apps for smartphone photography

Jo has tried a very wide choice of apps, but these are her current favourites for shooting and editing, covering iPhone, iPad and Android platforms.

Best apps for shooting smartphone photos:

• Pro Camera by Cocologics (iOS): Very reliable and offers manual functions. Price $12.99/£12.99
• Halide Mark II – Pro Camera (iOS): An App Store Editor’s Choice, this is an award-winning powerful camera app that costs $2.99 monthly, $11.99 yearly or $59.99 as a one-time purchase.
• Slow Shutter Cam (iOS): My go-to app for making long exposures and light trails. I also like using the clever stacking function to deal with low-light shooting and related noise issues. It costs $2.79.
• FOCOS (iOS and Android): A clever app for shooting and editing that lets you mimic a wide array of lens effects and depth of field. Experiment with the aperture shapes over light to create beautiful bokeh. Monthly subscription $3.99, yearly $7.99, lifetime unlimited access $12.99
• Pro Camera by Moment (iOS and Android): Another app for manual controls and long exposures, with quick access to the settings and many features of a DSLR. Priced at $9.99, pro bundle $4.99, slow shutter $3.99

Best apps for editing smartphone photos:

• Snapseed (iOS and Android): A great all-rounder for basic editing, with advanced features like double exposures. Free.
• SKRWT (iOS and Android): A great app for adjusting issues with lens distortions and converging verticals, enabling you to edit with more precision. Cost £1.99.
• TouchRetouch (iOS and Android): A superb app for removing unwanted bits in your photos, leaving you with a cleaner look! £1.25 a month, £14.99.
• LD Photo Editor (iOS and Android): Enhance your photos with beautiful light and elegant overlays.
• VSCO (iOS and Android): This is an editing app and photo-sharing platform, which combines beautiful presets and premium-quality filters such as classic film styles. Annually $29.99.
• Affinity Photo (iPad): This feels like a fully fledged desktop editing tool, but with the freedom to go anywhere. One-off purchase price is £19.99.

See more smartphone photography apps here.

Take a look at our best budget phones for photography guide for more budget-friendly phone options.

Your guides:

Jo Bradford

Jo is a widely published photographer who runs workshops and courses on photography and editing. She also lectures at Falmouth University. See www.greenislandstudios.co.uk and Instagram: @greenislandstudios

Smart Photos: 52 Ideas to Take Your Smartphone Photography to the Next Level is published by White Lion. It’s available from a wide range of booksellers – visit www.quarto.com

Callum McInerney-Riley

A keen photographer for over 15 years, Callum McInerney-Riley is a former Technical Writer on Amateur Photographer. He now runs a company that creates photography and video content for a host of large brands. See his website here.

Found this article helpful? Why not also check out our street, portrait, black & white, and macro smartphone photography guides?

Want the chance to be featured here on our website and across our social media? All you have to do is share your photographs taken on a smartphone on social media tagging #APSmartphonePicoftheWeek. You can also send in photographs to ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk with “Smartphone Pic of the Week” in the subject line.

Related articles:

• Smartphone vs Digital Camera – which one is better?
• How to take great macro photos on a smartphone 
• Best camera phone tripods and mounts
• How to edit photos with Snapseed

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Anybody new to photography and a first proper camera is, we hope, excited for the journey of discovery that lays ahead. Parts of it will be painstaking, too, as you get to know how things work and learn some lessons the hard way; through mistakes. We have plenty of quick hints and tips to share that will help you get better, sharp blur-free photos, as well as guide you through the important things you need to know about cameras first.

If you aren’t already, it’s worth being familiar with the main camera types.

We are talking about digital cameras here – there are four essential components for a digital camera to work. These are:

• The camera
• The lens
• The battery
• The memory card

Without these, you’ll have great difficulty taking any photos. Ensure that the battery is charged, and that your memory card isn’t full. With these all in place, it’s time to get to know the main components and parts of a camera.

Let’s start with the main parts from the top of the camera:

Lens – See our guide to lens types to learn more about lenses: without one, you won’t be able to take any photos! Lots of cameras have the lens built-in to the camera, if this is your camera, then you don’t need to worry about changing lenses.

On/Off switch – A useful tip: make sure you switch it off when not in use to save your battery life.

Shutter release button – This is what you use to take photos, and it has two stages or steps. If you learn the two-step process, it’ll ensure you get correctly focused photos. Half press it to activate Auto Focus (AF). By looking at the screen or viewfinder you’ll be able to confirm that focus is correct. Then, fully depress/press the button to instruct the camera to “release” the shutter and take the photo.

Command dials – These are used to adjust settings, such as exposure compensation, or the aperture and shutter speed, depending on which mode you are in.

Mode dial – Most cameras feature a mode dial. If yours doesn’t have one then it may have a mode button, or other way of switching to different shooting modes. For the purposes of this article we’ll run through the main modes on a dial.

The P or Program is a good place to start, or the iA/Auto dial. These are the modes where the camera chooses the shutter/aperture and ISO settings for you, letting you concentrate on taking the photo.

Here are some other main modes found on most cameras:

• Auto (or intelligent Auto)
• P = Program (Program Auto)
• A = Aperture priority (Av on Canon/Pentax cameras)
• S = Shutter priority (Tv on Canon/Pentax cameras)
• M = Manual shutter/aperture control

Aperture and shutter priority modes let you set the aperture or priority and the camera will work out the rest for a correctly exposed photo.

The camera from the back:

Viewfinder (if it has one) – With a Digital SLR, this is an optical viewfinder that lets you see through the lens. With a mirrorless camera, this will be an electronic viewfinder, showing you exactly what the camera’s sensor sees.

Rear screen – On many cameras this will include some form of tilt system, so you can tilt the screen up or down, or move it to face forwards. It’s used to compose shots and change settings. In cameras that lack a viewfinder (mainly mirrorless), the screen is the view through which you take photos. Whether you use the screen or viewfinder is down to personal preference, which you’ll arrive at with practice; but the viewfinder is helpful when outdoors in bright light. Many modern cameras feature a touchscreen, allowing use of the screen to set the focus point or change settings.

Controls / Dials (Rear) – You’ll often find a scroll wheel or a 4-way controller, that can be used to change settings, such as the focus point, or to choose different options and settings in the menus. It’s worth familiarising yourself with these controls so you can find and change settings as needed.

Playback – The playback button is what you press to access and view the photos you’ve already taken. It’s a good idea to learn where this is, so you could find it in the dark ie when shooting in low-light.

Main areas of interest from the front of the camera:

Image sensor – The image sensor is the part of the camera that absorbs the light from the scene, after it travels through the lens. These vary in size, but the most important thing to remember is that any dust or dirt that gets onto the image sensor can damage image quality eg specs of dust on images. Leaving the body or lens cap on the lens at all times between shooting reduces this – it is much easier to keep a sensor clean than it is to clean a dirty sensor.

Lens mount – The lens mount is what the lens attaches to. Line up the red/white dot on the camera body to the red/white dot on the lens, and then simply twist the lens till it clicks into position.

Lens release button – Press this to release a lens from the camera body in order to change lenses. You only need to press this when taking a lens off the camera; not when putting one on.

The main parts of a camera – from the bottom:

Battery compartment – On most cameras, the battery compartment is underneath the camera.

Tripod socket – You’ll also find the tripod socket underneath the camera, and this will be a metal, circular socket, with a metal thread (on most cameras).

Memory card slot – The memory card slot will normally be next to the battery, underneath the camera, but could also be on the side of the camera, so check your manual, or have a look around the camera to find where your memory card slot is.

Setting up your camera…

Once familiar with the main parts on your camera, with a memory card and battery installed in it, and a lens attached, you can switch it on and start taking photos.

If you have the camera’s manual, we recommend reading it for specific things you wish to, or should know about it. If you don’t have one, you should be able to find the manual on the manufacturer’s website.

With your switched your camera on, check through a few settings to ensure you achieve the best image quality possible: here are some quick and simple things to run through:

• Image size – check you’re shooting at the highest resolution available.
• Image quality – check you’re shooting at the highest possible quality, such as Fine or Extra/Super Fine. If you want to edit photos later, then you can shoot JPEG+RAW
• White balance settings – Check your white balance settings. Leaving this on Auto will generally give you great results. If you’ve accidentally changed it or left it at a wrong setting, then this can result in colours looking wrong or odd.
• Exposure compensation – this is normally shown with a +/- bar and/or number.  Check this if your photos are looking over-exposed (too bright), or under-exposed (too dark).
• Focus settings and switches – make sure your lens and camera are set to auto-focus (AF) instead of manual-focus (MF), as these can sometimes be knocked when taking cameras out of bags.
• Memory card space – how many photos you can take will be displayed on screen. If not displayed, then you can toggle through the display with the DISP/display button – or check your memory card. To learn more about memory cards, have a look at our complete guide to memory cards.
• Battery life – again, this will be displayed on screen. There is variation between models in battery endurance, so it’s worth a regular glance at this while you get used to your camera. A most gifted photographer won’t look like one if out of power at a shoot.

How to hold your camera…

Hold the camera with two hands where possible for a better grip, and to keep it more steady in your hands. This is useful for achieving sharp shots, as any camera movement can result in blurred (or shaky) shots. You’ll feel more secure in yourself, too, to the same effect.

By holding the camera with two hands in this way, there is a firm hold on the cameras main grip, with the index finger positioned ready to take a photo. The left hand supports the lens, and can be used to adjust the lens zoom or focus if necessary.

This method gives you two points of contact with the camera, providing a steady grip, balance and control: desirable when using the screen on the back of the camera to compose your images.

The next step is to use the viewfinder… (if the camera has one)

Holding the camera up to your eye gives a great view of the scene you are photographing, especially if your camera has a large viewfinder. However, it also provides the benefit of having a third contact point with the camera; naturally improving stability and control when taking photos.

Having nailed this, you can get out there and start taking photos, and really learn about your camera. The more familiar you are with it, the easier you’ll find it to change settings when needed, and have the right settings for taking your next brilliant photo!

See other beginners’ guides here:

• Beginners guide to different camera types.
• Beginners guide to different lens types.

The post Beginners guide – How to use a camera and take photos appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Billy Currie shares some expert tips on how to capture striking images of buildings in black and white. 

Billy came to photography relatively late, as he explains. “I got my first camera, a Canon DSLR, around 2008, and got to grips with it pretty quickly. In fact, the only reason I bought a camera was to take some pictures of my dog! But I soon fell in love with photography, especially living in Scotland, where there are so many amazing places to shoot.” Billy was fortunate in that he learned the more technical side of photography relatively quickly.

Why the real magic happens at the editing stage

“I work in IT and am used to computers and logic, so I consider myself to be a fairly technical person. Making the transition to shooting in manual mode for me was actually pretty straightforward. I soon appreciated what a good-quality raw file was and the importance of exposing the image properly, and getting as much detail as possible while preserving shadows and highlights. Once I understood this it all followed quite quickly.”

“But I was still disappointed with the results I was getting; they just weren’t the images I wanted to capture. That made me realise that the camera was only the very first step in making the ‘stunning’ images I aspired to. I realised that the skill in black and white building photography was very much in the darkroom – even though we are in the digital age, the principles are the same.”

Expanding on this, Billy reckons it only took him a couple of hours to learn how to get an optimum-quality raw file, appraising the histogram and keeping the ISO low. He had something of a ‘Eureka’ moment when he realised that for his architectural photography, the real challenge was making the post-processing as good as possible.

“I was really keen to develop my digital darkroom skills – these were what Ansel Adams used with landscapes back in the film days, and the principles haven’t really changed that much. So for me, the raw image is only the beginning – it’s what you do with the pixels afterwards that counts. Some photographers would dispute this, but it’s worked for me.”

While Billy enjoys other genres, he became hooked on architectural photography after seeing the work of the Dutch photographer, Joel Tjintjelaar. “Joel’s artistic architectural work strongly appealed to me. I was blown away – I’d never seen such interesting pictures of buildings before, with such great post-processing.”

Why modern architecture suits black and white building photography

We hear a lot about learning to “see” in black & white, and developing a sense of which subjects are instantly suited to stripping away the colour. This is not a skill that comes easily to everyone, however, and Billy is a good example.

“I still find it hard to ‘see’ in black & white. When you strip away the colour from an image using a photo-editing program, all you are left with is shades of dark and light – basically, contrast. So I begin by taking away the colour from an image and then I start playing with the contrast. It either works or it doesn’t, so don’t beat yourself up if you need to experiment with an architectural image to decide whether it’s going to work in black & white or not. Maybe it’s because I am more of a logical, technical person rather than an immediately artistic one!”

When choosing which buildings are suited to black & white, Billy is a big fan of more modern structures. “Modern architecture tends to have nice lines and not look too busy. Older buildings can feature a lot of decoration, which can be distracting. They often have to be edited in a different way.”

“As mentioned, my personal black & white style puts a lot of emphasis on contrast, and I find modern buildings lend themselves better to this approach. There’s generally more scope with newer buildings.”

As can be seen in the panel on Billy’s kit, he likes to keep things relatively simple and another key accessory for him is a good pair of walking shoes. “When I arrive at a building, I don’t just immediately pick one spot and stay there. I spend a bit of time walking around, checking out possible compositions by looking through my camera’s viewfinder or turning on the live view on the rear screen.”

“It’s important to keep an open mind at this stage. Sometimes the whole building may be stunning on its own, shot from the front, but with others, a low angle or an angle from the side may look better. I am always thinking of how I can “constrain” the shape of a building through the viewfinder, experimenting with different angles until I’ve found the one that seems to work best.”

What is the best time of day for black and white building photography?

When it comes to choosing the best time of day to shoot, Billy reckons his particular shooting style and the emphasis he places on really ‘working up’ the raw file at the post-processing stage, which gives him a lot of flexibility.

“A lot of other photographers prefer dawn or sunset when the ambient light is balanced, but I am quite happy to go out shooting buildings during the whole day. It doesn’t matter so much if the light is harsh, as I take the correct exposure to allow me to deal with that light. Certainly, going out in the morning means there are fewer people around, but otherwise I don’t limit myself to shooting at certain times. When you can control light and shadow in the digital darkroom, you have a lot more options.”

Top tips for better black and white building photography

Darkroom magic

A well-exposed raw file is just the beginning. Effective digital darkroom skills are essential with black & white architecture, particularly when it comes to working with contrast. Film photographers used darkroom skills, so we are simply doing the same in the digital age.

Be square

Try the square format, which really suits a lot of modern architecture. I can set up the square aspect ratio in live view on my Canon DSLR, which makes it easier to choose your subject and angles. Then I crop the raw file to the square format in Lightroom.

Focus on foreground

Don’t forget to make use of the foreground in your images, and try to avoid a very conventional, ‘tourist’ view of a modern building. Include railings, bollards, benches and seats… Street furniture, or even a bus, can give a perfect sense of scale.

Attention to detail

As well as wide-angle shots, include interesting details too – sometimes less is more. A lot of modern architecture features some very visually interesting details. As mentioned in the main feature, walk around a building and thoroughly explore it before starting to shoot.

If you are looking to purchase a wide-angle lens, here are some top recommendations.

Stay subtle

Don’t go over the top with your processing effects and learn when to back off. Strong contrast is key to my style, but sometimes extreme contrast can look terrible so don’t be afraid to pull it back – this comes with experience. Ask for feedback too.

Know your rights

It’s easy to get intimidated by officious security guards, but you are within your rights to shoot a lot of buildings – though care needs to be taken with government ones. See our full guide to street photography and the law. 

How to edit black and white building photography

For Billy, effective post-processing is key to getting really stand-out black & white architectural images. He begins by loading his raw images into Lightroom, where he does a basic black & white conversion.

“You are then left with a range of tones, which you can darken or lighten as appropriate. For me, the big skill in post-processing is learning how to increase or decrease contrast, in a way that best suits the image. In Lightroom, I will normally do a very “bland” black & white conversion and actually reduce the contrast as I will work on this later.”

Billy then turns to Photoshop, rather than trying to do everything in Lightroom. “I begin by masking all the areas of the image that I need to work on individually – the sky, pavement, grass, street furniture and so on. This can take a few hours, but once I have made the specific masks and saved them, I can fine-tune specific areas of the image as necessary.”

“To make a dark area stand out, I will lighten the area behind it, and so on. If there is a flat area on a building, running a gradient through it can radically change how it looks. A gradient is about making one side lighter, the other darker, so for me post-processing is about really understanding contrast and learning how to work with it. Too much contrast can look terrible, and sometimes not enough can work against the image, too – you need to learn how to manipulate dark and light by becoming a master of contrast, working in contrast in the areas of the image you’ve selected, and the areas around it.”

We have a full guide to making selections and masking in Photoshop here.

Be careful with sharpening and higher ISOs

When it comes to sharpening and using higher ISOs, Billy advises caution. “For me, if you use a half-decent lens, as well as the optimal camera settings for the best exposure, I find that I don’t need to sharpen too much. I have found that when processing a raw file of a building, extra sharpening doesn’t always add a significant gain, but it’s very easy to ruin an image by oversharpening.”

He’s also conservative with his ISO settings. “I never push the ISO much beyond 200. I always use a tripod, and always use long exposures, so shooting in low light is never a major problem for me. Doing a long exposure often flattens out the light as well, as the sun moves, or goes in and out of clouds A decent dark ND filter helps too.”

Billy’s shooting technique also helps to minimise noise. “I tend to expose an image to the very right-hand side of the histogram so I am capturing as much data as possible, stopping before I clip any whites and blow out the highlights. I will sometimes bracket my images too, and between the three bracketed images, I know I have captured every tone comfortably. So even if I am boosting contrast in areas, I won’t be plagued by noise.”

What are the best editing programs for black and white building shots?

Billy generally finds that Lightroom and Photoshop offer everything he needs for effective post-processing. “When I started out, other editing tools such as Silver Efex weren’t so developed as they are now, and I still don’t tend to use them. When my students use Silver Efex, for example, they tend to be limited by the available filters and presets within the program, and some of them can add a lot of noise. If you can learn to create these black & white effects manually, using Lightroom and Photoshop, you have no limitations at all.”

Check out our get-started guide to black and white photo editing in Lightroom

Billy Currie’s favourite destinations for better black and white building photography

London
London has some stunning modern structures and I love the Lloyd’s Building. All the infrastructure on the outside of the building, and the cables, can generate some fantastic images. The Tower 42 building is another great subject – if you can get underneath with a wide angle lens, you can separate it from the other buildings and get great results.

Glasgow
This is my home town, and the SEC Armadillo and the Hydro are just fantastic – they sit next to each other and provide lots of creative opportunities. The SEC Armadillo is very sharp, with sweeping lines, while the Hydro is much softer. I’ve also got great images of much smaller and easier-to-overlook buildings in the city, just by walking around.

New York
The beauty of New York is the skyline – there are many places where you can get different views of the whole skyline, and this can top any individual building. It’s easy to get lots of different angles on the skyline; you can shoot from Manhattan, for example, or cross the river. It is recognisable from every direction, so it’s great to work into shots.

Dubai
This is another unique destination and has the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. If these destinations are beyond reach, there are plenty of opportunities for good images of much smaller, less-famous buildings in a town or city near to you. Remember to keep an open mind, and pre-visualise the image by looking through your viewfinder or using live view.

Which cameras and lenses to use

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
This DSLR may be a few years old now but I find it does everything I need, with the 20.2MP full-frame sensor delivering detailed images. Before buying this I also used a Canon EOS 5D, so you don’t always need the very latest gear. I will probably change to mirrorless at some point, but right now I am happy with my DSLRs.

Minimal lenses
I don’t feel the need to carry around a big bag of lenses and find a 24mm prime is fine for most of my modern building shoots. I also like to use a 16mm prime for exaggerating angles. I find these lenses cover a lot of bases for me; I did try using a tilt-and-shift lens and while it was lovely and sharp and sorted out converging verticals, it added a slightly different distortion elsewhere. With Photoshop, I can take away the converging verticals easily, and save the expense of investing in tilt-and-shift equipment.

Tripod
I use a tripod as I nearly always shoot at longer exposures. At times, I’ve been told by security guards that an area is too busy to set up a tripod, so I also carry around a smaller table-top tripod, enabling me to set up the camera on top of a wall or similar support. I never shoot handheld.

Filters
I have a set of full dark ND filters, rather than using ND grads – a 6, 10 and 16 stop. Between those filters, I find I can work in most conditions, and have dropped the ISO all the way down to 50 with a 16-stop filter while still getting six or eight-minute exposures. I also find that using a tripod and filters slows you down and makes you more mindful of the framing and effects that you are trying to achieve. Standing there for four minutes or so waiting for a long exposure means you don’t tend to overshoot so much.

For more tips, see our guide to the best cameras for black and white photography

More about Billy Currie

Glasgow-based Billy Currie specialises in black & white architectural photography and emphasises the importance of effective post-processing. Billy won both the UK and International rounds of the EISA Maestro competition in 2015 and runs regular workshops on architectural photography and post-processing. See his Facebook page for more details.

Further reading:

• Best cameras for black and white photography in 2025
• Black and white editing with Snapseed on your smartphone
• Complete guide to black and white street photography
• Fine art architecture photography guide

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The post Master black and white building photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

One of the best things about them is their relative simplicity – point and shoot and you get great pictures. To take your shots to the next level, though, there are lots of different things you can try to get more out of the cameras – some of which are somewhat hidden.

Most of these tips and tricks can be used with all of the recent iPhone models, so you don’t need to have the latest (iPhone 16 series, reviewed here) to take advantage of them. However, we’ve marked a couple that are currently unique to the newer models.

Read on to find out how you can unleash the power of your iPhone camera and get your best smartphone photos yet with our iPhone photography tips and tricks.

iPhone photography tip 1 – Shoot in raw format

Many of the top-end smartphones now offer you the opportunity to shoot in raw resolution. This gives you great scope for editing your shots later down the line to bring out extra detail, particularly in areas of highlight and shadow.

Apple calls its raw format “Apple ProRAW”, but it’s universal DNG format, meaning you’ll be able to open it on your computer using software such as Adobe Photoshop CC, or on your phone with editing apps such as Adobe Lightroom Mobile.

In order to see the raw option when shooting, head into the phone’s main Settings, then select Camera, then Formats. Select ProRAW & Resolution Control and you’ll now see it in the main shooting window. You can also choose a default resolution for your raw images too.

To save space, you can toggle raw format shooting on and off – you probably don’t need to use it for a quick snap of your dinner for example, but this can be a good choice for more considered shots .

Note that in this menu you can either shoot in “most compatible” or “high efficiency.” Most compatible will leave you with JPEG images that can be read by just about everything, while high efficiency means you’ll shoot in HEIF – this format is becoming increasingly readable, but is not yet as universal as JPEG.

iPhone photography tip 2 – Choose your resolution

With iPhone 15 series phones, the default output of images taken with the main sensor is 24 megapixels.

However, you can choose to shoot at a different resolution, depending on your needs. Firstly, you can shoot at the maximum 48 megapixels (in either JPEG or raw format) where lots of detail is desired. Alternatively, you can reduce the resolution to 12 megapixels in order to save more space on your device, too.

First, head into Settings > Camera> Formats. From here, tap “Photo Capture” and you can reduce the standard output from 24MP to 12MP if you prefer. In the same menu, you can also toggle on ProRAW & Resolution control, and also set a default for the ProRAW setting (JPEG Max (up to 48MP), ProRAW 12MP or ProRAW Max (up to 48MP).

Now, when you go back into the camera app, you should see “RAW” at the top of the screen. A single tap of this will switch raw shooting on or off, while if you hold it down you’ll be able to toggle between the different resolutions available.

Just to note – it says “up to 48MP” in the Settings menu, because if you shoot with other lenses aside from the main one, the resolution will drop to match that sensor.

For other recent iPhone series models, such as the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro, the default resolution from the main sensor is 12MP, and it can’t be increased to 24MP. With the iPhone 14 Pro, you can still shoot at the higher resolution, though – up to 48MP.

iPhone photography tip 3 – Choose a 1x lens (iPhone 15 Pro series only)

A fun feature of the iPhone 15 Pro series is the ability to choose a different “1x” lens from the standard 24mm option.

In the main camera app, tapping the “1x” lens will take you to 1.2x (28mm equivalent) and 1.5x (35mm equivalent) very quickly. Tap again to return to the standard 1x option.

If you find you’re regularly shooting at 1.2x or 1.5x, you can opt to have this as your default option, too. Alternatively, switch off any of the two extra “lenses” that you don’t want, to enable you to jump from 1x to 1.5x for example.

Go to Settings > Camera > Main Camera, where you can toggle lenses on and off, and choose a different default if you prefer.

Note that this is only available for iPhone 15 series phones, for now at least.

iPhone 15 Pro · f/1.78 · 1/5814s · 6.86mm · ISO80

iPhone 15 Pro · f/1.78 · 1/6410s · 6.86mm · ISO80

iPhone photography tip 4 – Extend Night mode exposure time

All of the recent iPhone models have had an automatic Night mode, which should kick in when the phone detects that there isn’t much light in the scene.

It’s a shame that the Night mode can’t be selected manually but, once it works, you can take additional control for potentially even better pictures. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap on the moon icon (as shown in our picture here), and you’ll be able to adjust the shutter speed from what the phone thinks is appropriate.

When using a tripod or balancing the phone on a steady surface, you’ll be able to increase the shutter speed to several seconds (the phone automatically knows when it’s stable).

iPhone photography tip 5 – Switch on macro mode

Macro mode has been a feature of iPhones for several generations now. It works by automatically detecting when you are very close to a subject and switching to the ultrawide lens.

You should notice that a small flower icon appears when you get close to a subject. If you don’t see this, make sure macro detection is switched on in the main menu (Settings > Camera > Macro Control).

At any time, you can switch off macro, too – this can be useful in some circumstances. As the phone is switching to the ultrawide lens, you lose the ability to shoot in high resolution, while the aperture of this lens is narrower than the 1x lens. If you’re doing some close-up work, but you’re not *too* close, it can be worth tapping the icon to switch back to the main camera. Try experimenting with how close you can get with that to see what works best.

iPhone photography tip 6 – Switch on Portrait detection (iPhone 15 Pro series only)

One of the new introductions of the iPhone 15 series was automatic portrait detection. This works by recognising when a portrait subject is in front of the lens (human, dog or pet) and capturing all the necessary detail required to create a “Portrait” (shallow depth of field image).

This is great when you’re using the main Photo mode and want to quickly capture a moment without having to switch to the specific shooting mode.

You will notice when a Portrait subject has been recognised by the appearance of a small “f” (to denote aperture) in the corner of the screen. Once you’ve taken the picture, you’ll be able to add or remove the Portrait stylings as you see fit.

If you don’t see the f, make sure it’s switched on in the main menu (Settings > Camera > Portraits in Photo Mode).

With iOS 17 you can also adjust the focus point for your portraits after the fact – perhaps the phone has focused on your dog’s nose, rather than its eyes for example. This is a feature that should work with any iPhone from the 13 series onwards, so you don’t need to have the latest 15 models for this part of the tip.

To try it, open a Portrait and tap Edit in the top right hand corner. Tap anywhere around the screen to change the focus point as you see fit. You can also adjust the level of blur to create a more – or less – pronounced effect too. When you’re happy, click Done to save your changes – you can revert back to the original, or remove Portrait styling altogether at any time too.

iPhone photography tip 7 – Experiment with Picture Styles

A fun way to change up the look of your photos is to shoot using different Picture Styles.

To access them, swipe up from the bottom of the main camera window and tap on an icon which looks like three squares.

From here, you can swipe to move from the default option (Standard), to Rich Contrast, Vibrant Warm, Warm, and Cool. These are all fairly subtle, but are worth experimenting with – some will suit some situations better than others.

You can also customise each Style by adjusting Tone and Warmth to get a slightly different look again. If you do that, the names of the styles will change – for example to “Vibrant Cool”. You can reset the Styles any time you like.

A couple of things to note about Picture Styles. You can’t remove them after you’ve shot a picture – so make sure they are turned off when you don’t want them – if one is activated you should see an icon at the top of the screen to allow for a quick removal (or change) of the Style. Secondly, you can’t shoot in raw format with Styles activated, but can shoot Live photos (where a short amount of video is captured with the style).

iPhone photography tip 8 – Switch on the Level and Grid

This is a feature which has been around in cameras (and other types of smartphones) for a long time and always comes in handy when trying to compose things like landscapes and architecture.

iOS 17 introduced the ability to switch on a level which you can see in your main camera window – it’ll turn yellow if you hold the camera straight.

To switch it on, go to Settings > Camera and toggle “Level” on. Although not a new feature, it can also be worth switching on the Grid too, to help your composition too (Settings > Camera > Grid).

iPhone photography tip 9 – Try different filters

If you like the idea of your photos having a different look but are put off by the permanence of Picture Styles, then take a look at Filters.

These can be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen, swiping along the various options presented here, and tapping the icon that looks like three overlapping circles.

The filters are a lot more dramatic than the Styles, and include monochrome options too. You will see how your picture looks during composition too. The good thing about these is that you can remove or change the filter after you’ve taken the shot by tapping “Edit”, and, you can also shoot in raw format with filters switched on too.

iPhone photography tip 10 – Adjust aspect ratio

By default, the iPhone will shoot in 4:3 ratio, which works well for many different scenarios.

But you might not be aware that there are other aspect ratios which you can select too. To access them, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap the circle marked 4:3. You’ll now see options to shoot in Square (1:1) or 16:9 ratio.

Remember to change back to your preferred ratio – though if you forget, you’ll be able to access the default (4:3) ratio by tapping Edit, selecting “Crop” and then “Original” too – which is handy to know.

iPhone photography tip 11 – Preserve your settings

If you regularly shoot one particular subject, it can be quite frustrating when the settings reset every time you open up the camera app.

Happily, there’s a way around this – head to “Preserve Settings” (Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings) and you can toggle on (or off) a number of settings, including Exposure Adjustment, settings you’ve changed with Night Photo, Creative Controls and more.

Setting it to “Camera Mode” is a good one to select if you’re shooting lots of video in a day – as you won’t have to keep going back to the video mode every time you open the app.

There’s an explainer about what each setting does if you’re not sure, which comes in handy.

iPhone photography tip 12 – View outside the frame

This feature is particularly handy for street photography and similar situations.

By enabling “View Outside the Frame” (Settings > Camera > Composition) you can see on either side of the frame what’s about to come into view. This can be helpful for waiting for the opportune moment. It’ll also give you a good idea of how an image will look when shot at a wider focal length, without actually having to adjust the length, too.

The data for this setting comes from the wider camera, so it’ll work when shooting in 1x, 2x, or 3x/5x (depending on your model of iPhone), but you won’t be able to use it with the ultrawide lens, since that’s already the widest you can go.

And finally… tip 13 – Editing

Don’t forget to edit your photos if you want to make your photos POP. All you need to do is select the image you want to edit in the photos app then press edit in the top of your screen. There is a whole range of options, but if you just want a quick fix to your photo you can just press the auto button and it will edit it for you. If you want more advanced editing options have a look at our guide to the best photo editing apps for your phone.

Related reading:

• Best photo editing apps for your phone
• 10 ways smartphones can help your photography
• iPhone vs Android: Which is better for photography?
• iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro: Do you need a 5x zoom?
• iPhone 15 Pro Max vs iPhone 14 Pro/Max: Should you upgrade to get 5x zoom?

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Focusing is fundamental to the imaging process. Many of us take it for granted that the autofocus technology in our cameras will get it right. It usually does, almost regardless of the subject and the lighting conditions. Over the decades since its debut in the Minolta 7000, camera manufacturers have invested a huge amount of resources in improving, fine-tuning and innovating how autofocus works. Accuracy, sensitivity, responsiveness and tracking skills have improved beyond all recognition.

Mirrorless cameras are a comparatively recent phenomenon and it’s true that early on in their development the AF on this camera type lagged behind DSLRs (see our guides to the best Canon DSLRs and the best Nikon DSLRs). But the AF in mirrorless cameras has caught up in spectacular fashion. To name a few models, the Nikon Z8, Canon EOS R3/R5, Fujifilm X-H2S, Nikon Z 9, OM Systems OM-1 and Sony Alpha 1 all boast remarkable AF skills with customisable patterns, eye/face/subject detection with quick and very tenacious focus tracking.

What’s more, they are as capable with live view as they are with viewfinder AF. That is not the case with DSLRs, which are generally excellent when the optical viewfinder is being used but are much less effective in live view where they can be slow and uncertain.

Why focus manually?

So, having extolled the many virtues of autofocus, you are probably wondering why we’re here suggesting manual focusing. There are several reasons why you should embrace it in your shooting workflow. At the very least, when AF lets you down you will know how to work round the problem.

Every AF camera and lens can be used to focus manually and who knows, you could get to enjoy that element of involvement so much that you invest in a new (or pre-loved) manual focus lens. The first thing to recognise is that while AF is undoubtedly brilliant, it’s not infallible. An AF camera, even a top-end mirrorless, will need your help in certain conditions and with particular subjects. So being aware of such moments and teaching yourself a few skills to manually focus accurately will stop you getting frustrated with losing pictures.

This AF uncertainty is usually due to the subject or scene in the viewfinder. The focus point might be trained on an area of even tone or perhaps the subject is high frequency. Such as animal fur or birds’ feathers. In both cases the camera might need assistance. Fast-moving subjects can also make an AF system struggle, although that does also depend on the camera/lens combination, your tracking skills and the subject itself.

The latest mirrorless models such as those mentioned earlier can track flying birds, sprinting athletes, planes in the air and racing cars at full speed. But they will struggle with erratically moving subjects or smaller subjects like insects. Or it could be a more technical issue, such as very low light levels and a lack of contrast. Modern AF systems are very sensitive but there is a limit, and even the camera’s AF illuminator assist lamp might not help.

How does manual focus work?

Manually tweaking focus is the answer when AF fails you. On earlier AF systems the focus motor had to be physically declutched, via a control on the lens or body (AF/MF switch), before manual focus was possible. That still might be the case depending on the kit, but many AF cameras have the option of full-time manual override.

So when the AF system racks the lens back and forth struggling to find focus, you just rotate the manual focus ring to get your shot sharp. Some cameras let you adjust focus once it has autofocused, and some need you to keep the shutter button partially pressed down.

With scenes with nicely defined edges, good contrast and in decent light, adjusting focus accurately without any extra aids is achievable, especially with DSLRs and their optical viewfinders. On mirrorless models with their electronic viewfinders (EVFs), using the monitor on its own can be more challenging.

Although some of the latest cameras have very high-resolution EVFs with 3.69 million or even 5.8 million dots and the very detailed viewing image can make focusing more assured.

It is worth mentioning that how the manual focus barrel works varies between brands. On some, the focusing action or ‘feel’ is close to a classic manual focus lens and very precise and responsive, while others seem to take an age to alter distance. Make sure manual focusing is optimised to your needs in the camera’s menu.

You might think that manual focusing is bit of a throwback to a bygone age but it remains an essential part of photography. The techniques are easy to learn and going manual might even give you even more enjoyment from your photography. 

Top 20 tips for manual focus

Practice

Most of us are used to powering up our camera, composing the shot, then pressing the shutter release to get a sharp image. Manual-focus lenses take a little more effort. Douglas Fry has been shooting professionally for over 25 years. In 2000, he switched to using autofocus kit but he was never really happy with it and switched back to manual-focus lenses in 2014. He now uses them exclusively for around 300 commissions every year. His number-one tip is to practise focusing with manual-focus lenses.

He says, ‘Practice is a priority – you get better and faster at focusing, so eventually you’re able to keep up with a moving subject. It’s just a case of knowing how fast and how far to rotate the focus ring to keep pace with your subject.’

Set the diopter

As you’re using your eyes to assess the focus when using a manual-focus lens, it’s essential that you get the best possible view and that the diopter on your camera’s viewfinder is set correctly. The little adjustment dials are easily knocked out of position on some cameras, so it’s worth checking your camera’s before you start shooting. It’s just a case of rotating the dial one way or the other until the point of focus is at its sharpest. Of course, this relies on the lens being focused, so it might be an idea to pop an autofocus lens on your camera just to check you’re happy.

Look for light

Just like an autofocus system, our eyes need to be able to see some detail or contrast to be able to focus. That means there needs to be some light and the point of focus probably shouldn’t be a featureless monotone panel. If the subject you are interested in lacks contrast or is in a dark area, consider moving it into some light or directing a light source towards it. Alternatively, focus on something in the light and with detail that is about the same distance away from the camera.

Use live view mode

If you use a mirrorless camera, you shoot in live view mode permanently, which has some advantages for manual focusing (more on this later). If you’re using a DSLR, it’s worth considering activating the live view and composing the image on the screen on the back of your camera – you can’t use live view with a DSLR’s viewfinder. It’s not ideal to use the screen in all shooting situations, but it’s great for still life photography, landscape photography and macro photography – anything when the camera and subject are still.

Zoom in for best results

One big advantage of a live view feed is that you can zoom into the preview image to enlarge the most important part of the scene. This is a huge bonus when you’re focusing manually – provided that neither you nor your subject is moving. With some camera and lens combinations, the live view image automatically enlarges where the active AF point is (even though the camera/lens is set to manual focus) as soon as the focus is turned. That doesn’t happen with lenses that don’t have electrical contacts, but it’s often possible to customise a button to activate the magnification/zoom with a press.

Use focus peaking

Focus peaking is another useful feature of mirrorless cameras and some DSLRs in live view mode. When this is activated, the camera highlights the points of highest contrast on the screen (or in the viewfinder with a mirrorless camera). The highest contrast areas are usually the points of sharpest focus, so you can use peaking to guide your focusing. It’s usually possible to set the focus peaking indicator to one of a small selection of colours – white, red and yellow are common. Ideally, select a colour that contrasts well with the scene you’re photographing.

Focus wide-open

Some manual-focus lenses close down to the shooting aperture at the point of capture, but not all do. If you have to manually close the aperture on a lens, close it after you’ve focused. As well as giving you the brightest possible view while you focus, the depth of field is at its most limited, which means that you see the strongest difference between what’s in and out of focus.

Use hyperfocal distance focusing

The hyperfocal distance is that magical focus distance at which the lens produces the maximum possible depth of field at any given aperture. You can use this technique with any lens, but the focusing scale on most manual-focus lenses makes it easy.

All you need to do is decide the aperture you want to use, then on the focus scale, line up one of the two markers for that aperture with the infinity symbol. The other marker for the aperture indicates the closest point of focusing. Landscape photographer Jeremy Walker says, ‘I routinely use hyperfocal distance focusing to get the best from my Zeiss Milvus and Leica lenses. Some photographers prefer to focus on a specific subject in the scene, but I like to think in terms of depth of field.’

Focus and move

The focus-and-move technique is especially useful with macro lenses, particularly when you want to get the greatest magnification possible. Simply set the lens to its closest focusing point and move the camera forwards (or backwards) until the point that you want to be in focus is perfectly sharp. You only need to make very small movements to have a dramatic effect with a macro lens, so it can help to have the camera mounted on a micro positioning plate on a tripod. This enables you to move the camera very gradually by turning a screw thread.

Pre-focus

Manual-focusing masters such as Douglas Fry have no trouble focusing on fast-moving subjects, but even he recommends pre-focusing when you know where your subject is going to appear. With the focusing done, you can check the exposure and concentrate on getting the composition just right when the subject arrives.

Set the optimum settings

Manual-focus lenses are great for street photography because, with a little preparation, you can shoot instinctively. The first step is to decide what aperture you want to use. f/8 makes a good starting point because it produces reasonable depth of field. Then, either set the focus scale to focus on a point you find works well for your subject and lens – for example, 2m – or set the lens to the hyperfocal distance (see tip number 8 above).

Then, set a shutter speed that freezes any accidental camera movement but doesn’t require a very high sensitivity (ISO). A shutter speed of 1/60sec or 1/125sec is a good choice for handheld street photography. Finally, set the sensitivity to automatic so that you don’t need to worry about having to keep changing the settings. You can just concentrate on the composition and getting the subject within your focus range. Once you’re comfortable with this setup, you don’t even need to lift the camera to your eye, you can shoot with the camera at your hip or any other level.

Try something different

All Lensbaby lenses are manual focus, and while they can produce ‘straight’ images, their magic is in the creative effects they can create. Wedding and portrait photographer Robert Pugh regularly uses a Lensbaby Twist 60 on his Sony full-frame cameras (see our guides to the best full-frame cameras and best Sony cameras) for engagement, wedding and portrait shoots, because he loves the swirl effect it creates towards the edges of the image.

He explains, ‘I like to shoot something a bit different and to do the work in-camera. It saves me time editing my images and when I show my client a shot or two on the back of my camera during the shoot, it helps them loosen up and enjoy themselves, so we get even better images.’

Get technical

Manual-focus lenses offer a couple of technical advantages over autofocus lenses that tend to get overlooked. For instance, if you’re shooting a series of images to stitch together to make a panorama, you can’t forget to turn off the AF and the focus won’t shift halfway through the sequence. So next time you plan to create such an image, maybe reach for a manual-focus lens. Also, unlike autofocus lenses, some manual-focus lenses have markings to indicate how the focus needs to be adjusted for infrared photography – that’s handy if you have an IR adapted camera.

Switch focusing screen

Back in the days of film, we used to swap focusing screens like camera straps. We bought one that we liked and suited our purposes. A split image focusing screen, for example, makes it easier to see when you’ve nailed the focus manually. If you’re shooting with a film camera, it’s definitely worth investigating whether it can accept a different screen and seeing what options are available. It’s far less common to change the focusing screen in a digital camera, but if you hunt around on the internet, they can be found for some models.

Use a loupe

Many people find it easier to concentrate on the composition of their images when surrounding distractions are excluded from the view – in other words, when they use the viewfinder rather than the screen. However, if you want to use live view on a DSLR, you have to use the screen. A screen loupe basically turns the screen on the back of camera into a large viewfinder, cutting out any distractions and, most importantly, cutting out reflections so it’s easier to see details and focus manually. Alternatively, look for a viewfinder magnifier that will slip on to your camera’s viewfinder instead of the eyecup to give you a clearer view of the scene when you focus.

Get an adapter

There are literally thousands of second-hand manual-focus lenses available to buy, with many costing less than £50. If you hunt around charity shops, you may be lucky and find some treasure for even less. Then all you need to use them on your modern camera is an adapter. SRB Photographic is a great port of call for these: they sell a huge range, with prices starting at under $20 / £20. And once you have an adapter, you’ll have a new hobby – looking for additional lenses to mount on it.

Shoot continuously

I’m not a fan of the phrase ‘spray and pray’, but it can be helpful to set your camera to continuous-shooting mode in some situations. When you’ve prefocused, for example, if your subject is moving very quickly, you might not be able to time your shot as perfectly as you’d like. So shooting at a few frames per second can really help. However, part of the beauty of using a manual-focus lens is that it helps you engage with your subject and photography, so don’t shoot in continuous-drive mode at the expense of developing that connection.

Embrace the flaws

If you spend a fiver on an old lens and it turns out to have the best optical quality you’ve ever seen, fantastic! Thank your lucky stars. But the chances are, it’s been around a while and is a little battered. And, of course, it may never have been that good in the first place.

Modern production methods and advanced coatings mean that we are really spoiled by the lenses of today. Older lenses may be rather soft and suffer from heavy vignetting, chromatic aberration and flare. But rather than fight it, enjoy these aspects of your lens. Turn it towards the sun so that the light bounces around inside, use the vignetting to frame your subject and learn to love the fringing. You’re shooting with the real deal, not adding effects on the computer after the event.

Try a modern manual lens

While there are lots of great second-hand and vintage manual-focus lenses, there are quite a few in current production, too. Zeiss, for example, makes some fabulous manual-focus lenses for modern cameras, Leica’s M-range is entirely manual focus and Voigtländer has some gems. One of the benefits of opting for a modern manual-focus lens is that the manufacturer has ploughed all their knowhow into the optics to create the best image quality they can for the money.

Take your time

All three of the professional photographers mentioned in this article love using manual-focus lenses. And one of the reasons why they love them is because they feel that by focusing manually, they are drawn further into the process of creating their images. So they become more important to them and they enjoy their photography more.

As Jeremy Walker explains, ‘I’m a landscape photographer, so my subjects don’t move much and I can take my time when composing the image. I find that using a manual-focus lens helps me to think much more carefully about what I want to say about a scene, how much depth of field I want and which aperture I need to use. It’s an enjoyable process that has certainly benefited my photography. if I could give only one piece of advice to anyone who’s thinking of using a manual-focus lens, it would be to slow down and take your time.’

Six subjects where Manual Focus can actually work better than Autofocus

1. Astrophotography and night photography

AF generally does not work for stars because they are too small and dim. You may think that with such distant subjects, all you do is focus on infinity and your shots will be sharp. But that’s not the case. The best advice is to aim the lens at the brightest star (or planet!) in the sky and use infinity focus as a starting point. Focusing through the viewfinder or live view using the focus magnifier to check focus. Adjust focus and reshoot if needed. For more, see our guide to astrophotography

2. Macro

When you’re up close for macro work, the amount of depth-of-field, even at f/11, isn’t great and you might only get a few millimetres of acceptable sharpness. Focusing manually can make the difference between a keeper and a failure. Take insects. You need to get in close for a reasonable-sized image in the frame, whether with a macro lens or a telephoto lens at minimum focus, and AF can be unreliable. Go manual and adjust the focus barrel, or sway in and out with the focus fixed to make sure the essentials are sharp.

3. People

Using fast-aperture lenses at their wider values is a tried-and-tested technique for getting a shallow depth-of-field and nice blurry backgrounds. However, an AF system, even with eye detection, might not focus on what you want.

Focusing manually can ensure the image is sharp where you want it to be. Remember, using the camera’s focus magnifier to check focus before taking a shot can slow the shooting process. So just ask your subject to hold still until you have the focus right. For more see our guides to portrait photography.

4. Reflections

Reflections can confuse an AF system and your subject might not be sharp. Possibly owing to the lack of contrast, the multi-layered nature of the subject or the nature of the reflecting surface. Manual focus will get you straight to the result you want. Whether you prefer to focus on the reflection, the reflected subject or somewhere in between, relying on depth-of-field to get both aspects acceptably sharp.

5. Street

If you find that your AF kit is not hitting the spot, go manual and use zone focus. On a 35mm lens setting a focus distance of 3m an aperture of f/11 will give you good sharpness. Roughly, from 1.5 to 10m so you can shoot away.

On AF cameras/lenses, a distance scale might not be available. So just autofocus on a subject that is 3m from you and then switch to manual focus. If your AF lens in MF has a focusing barrel that moves with just a touch, a piece of gaffer tape will stop that. It’s well worth keeping a few bits of tape handy for such occasions. Check out our guide to street photography for more tips.

6. Sunrises and sunsets

There’s no lack of light here so you might think that AF would deal with the situation with no problem. But if the focus area rests on a region of even tone, or the sun’s disk itself, AF can rack back and forth. You can redirect the AF point where there is some contrast for the AF system to work, or take over and manually focus. This also has the advantage that once you’re focused up you can try different compositions or format orientations knowing the focus is sharp.

Related articles

• Prime vs Zoom lenses: which is best
• Common lens problems and how to fix them
• Master manual focus, exposure and flash
• How to get sharper shots in tricky focusing situations
• Which autofocus settings should I use?
• How to get better autofocus on mirrorless

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All that’s needed is a little adjustment in mental approach to picture-taking, and perhaps a new editing trick or two to make the most of your vision. For those who still own a film camera, sticking with analogue techniques is an option. You could always pick up a pre-owned film camera or take the low-fi Lomography route. I have several toy cameras including pinhole models that see regular use and I scan the negatives to work on.

See our pick of the best cameras for black and white photography, which gives a selection for all budgets from more expensive Leica models to the very reasonably priced.

When I embarked on my photography journey, there was only film with the choice of colour print, colour slide or black & white. Going monochrome was the obvious route because, as a schoolkid, it was the only affordable one. Not only that, but the pictures I saw in magazines and books that fired my imagination were in black & white.

I grew up loving and being inspired by the work of many legends of photography: including Ansel Adams, Bill Brandt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Duane Michals, Arnold Newman, Irving Penn and Sebastião Salgado, to name my magnificent seven.

Their work continues to inspire me and no doubt many others. If you don’t know them, their works are well worth a look. Established shooters in mono will have their favourites, but the uninitiated in the medium will do well to get online or to a bookshop for ideas. Whether you’re enthused by the work of old masters or more contemporary visionaries, there’s a lot of wonderful imagery out there.

Which subjects work best in black and white?

My view is that black & white can be applied very successfully in almost any genre. This is not to say you should turn every image in your archive into shades of grey, or that these will be more successful than full-colour shots. Our message is rather that black & white is a much more versatile medium than you may think, and can be indulged to great effect in almost any genre.

It may seem paradoxical to say that the absence of colour can an extra dimension to your creative output. Monochrome images can evoke moods or impressions that colour photography simply cannot. Naturally, some subjects and scenes are better suited to colour, but here we consider some with great scope and potential for shooters to explore in black and white.

Some subjects are also inexorably linked to colour photography. Take nature as an example, where the goal is to portray reality in all its elements; colour an obvious one. But shooting in black & white offers a whole other world of views in the wild. For evidence that it can work exceptionally well, check out the remarkable output of Nick Brandt.

There are plenty of creative avenues to explore with mono. As most of us now capture digitally, shooting raw makes the world your oyster; take any route in it you want. That said, I suggest six subjects that work exceptionally well in monochrome, and name six that are less successful. Continue reading to discover more.

Essentially, there is no right or wrong, so don’t be dictated to by convention. Choosing to use monochrome is a creative decision. If the medium works for you, suits the pictures you’re taking and your taste, then work on developing a style that suits your evolving pictorial approach.

Six subjects that work well in black and white photography

Black and white is a powerful creative medium, and incredibly versatile. Next time you’re out shooting, select the mono picture mode and give it a go. Shoot raw + JPEG so you get a mono preview but still have the colour option. You can explore black & white right now on existing files in software. In Adobe Lightroom, a single click takes you from colour to mono so you get an idea of the potential, and if you like what you see, work on the conversion for the best result.

Black and White: Architecture

Interiors or exteriors, modern or classical, overall view or detail – whatever your taste, black & white is a good option. One advantage when tackling interiors in black & white is that you don’t have to worry about weird and not-so-wonderful colour casts created by artificial lighting. Church and cathedral interiors, for example, can have very warm lighting and the vivid orange cast is almost impossible to neutralise satisfactorily. No problem in black & white, though.

Black and White: Close-ups

Close-up details, patterns and texture can look wonderful in black & white and even better when side-lit to add an extra splash of contrast – but not too much! Such images in full colour can look a tad too busy with different hues competing for attention or look unsettling with clashing colours. Of course, this can work in your favour, so be prepared to explore both options. In mono, try the halfway option and tone your shots in editing.

Black and White: Portraits

Nothing beats black & white for character portraits, whether using natural light, LED lights or flash. Unless you are going for a beauty shot with diffused lighting, try Rembrandt or split lighting for contrast. Be brave and put away the reflector, to keep the shadows deep. In editing, use the highlight and shadow recovery sliders sparingly to keep the contrast high. Adding digital noise for a film-like grain effect can be very effective too. See more black & white portrait guidance here.

Black and White: Night photography

Vibrant colour abounds at night with office lighting, street lamps and car trails. Again, shooting in colour is the obvious thing to do, yet monochrome can produce rewarding images too. Blackness and deep shadows inevitably dominate, and any highlights present in the scene are often intense and can burn out. But the high contrast, relative lack of delicate mid-tones and darkness can work very nicely in black & white. Shoot raw to give more flexibility when it comes to dealing with the highlights and pools of darkness.

Black and White: Scapes

Seascapes, landscapes and urbanscapes all suit the monochrome approach. Whether you envisage your final shot to be in colour or in mono, good light to bring out texture or add warmth is always a benefit. But when the lighting is flat and there’s lots of cloud cover, shooting in mono route can work really well. Make more of a cloudy sky by taking one correct exposure and then one under-exposed by one or two f-stops, so the sky shows greater detail. The two shots can be merged in editing.

See more advice for creating moody monochrome landscapes.

Black and White: Street photography

Shoot mono and explore your inner Cartier-Bresson. Few can get anywhere close to the work produced by the master of street photography but taking the mono option is at least a start and can add a unique mood to your shots. A popular form of street photography is using full sunlight, bold shapes and contrast.

This approach can be very powerful in monochrome, especially if you keep the contrast high and perhaps recover the highlights a little in editing. See our full guide to black and white street photography.

How do you take good black and white photos?

The first steps in black and white photography

Just set the digital camera to shoot monochrome. Digital cameras have picture modes; among the colour and subject settings, you’ll find monochrome as a menu option. With this mode selected, take a picture and the preview will be in mono regardless of the image format you have set.

If you usually shoot raw you’ll still get files with everything recorded by the sensor. Therefore, the image will be colour as normal once opened in your usual editing software, so you’ll need to do some work to render them mono. However, for mono shots straight out of camera, select JPEG image format and what you see previewed is what you get. This way, though, you can’t revert to colour later, so decide on your approach in advance.

The third way, and the best of both worlds, is to set the camera to monochrome picture mode and shoot both JPEGs and raws in-camera. The JPEGs mean you have mono shots for immediate use and also proof images that can help when you process the raws. Essentially, this option is win-win with the only downside being the memory needed for shooting and storing two files of every image. This is the method I use although I only archive a few JPEGs.

Whichever method you adopt, using monochrome picture mode means you see the shot in shades of grey, which is of great benefit to new and regular mono shooters. The thing about using the default monochrome picture mode is to treat it as a start.

There’s no problem with raw files because the hard work begins on the computer, but if you’re expecting to use the in-camera JPEGs then fine-tuning the mono settings is essential because the default settings often give anaemic results lacking in any depth and punch. For more information on how to setup your camera before you shoot, check out these 14 tips to setting up your camera.

Going mono in camera

Digital cameras have mono picture modes so you can enjoy out-of-camera black & white JPEGs by doing nothing more than digging into the camera menu. Remember, though: if you are shooting monochrome JPEGs only, you won’t then be able to convert them into colour later.

So, set the camera to shoot raws as well as mono JPEGs, to keep the colour option open. Raws give superior results with much more control over contrast, exposure and tonality in post-processing. In-camera monochrome shots can look flat and rather dull at default settings, so you need to exploit the options your camera offers. The usual adjustable parameters are contrast, clarity and sharpness (and these apply only to JPEGs) although the nomenclature varies from brand to brand. Filters, and even toning can be applied too.

The two shots (above and below) were taken with and without the camera’s red filter setting. Fine-tune the parameters and make a note or save them as a preset for future use. This takes time and some fiddling with the settings, but the effort is worthwhile.

What is the best way to use filters for black and white photography?

Another way to modify images during capture is to use filters. Black & white film photography and filters are joined at the hip. Most mono films are over-sensitive to blue light: a nicely lit scene on a sunny day will come out blank and lack detail in the sky space. A coloured filter to reduce the amount of blue light reaching the film will rectify this. A yellow filter has the weakest effect, orange is stronger and red is even more potent.

Generally, film photographers keep with yellow or orange for results that don’t look unnatural. It’s different with digital capture but filters still have their uses. Of course, use a coloured filter on a digital camera and the result will match the filter’s colour; and there’s no point having a single-coloured yellow, orange or red image. In digital cameras there are virtual filters that try to emulate the effect achieved with the filters on monochrome film. These are often in the same menu as the mono picture mode settings.

“Try” is the operative word; while they have an effect it is usually limited so don’t expect too much. The best thing is to utilise the various filters. If you prefer skies darker, dial in the orange or red filter and tweak the contrast and clarity settings, too. Fun with filters In-camera filters have no effect on raw. Regardless of the kind of image you’re shooting, get physical with actual filters to really produce files with more sky detail. Then work on them in editing.

See our guide to the best camera filters.

ND (neutral density) graduated filter

This filter type helps control sky brightness giving a better tonal balance with the foreground, which is why it is a common accessory among scenic shooters. If you had to pick one to buy or use, the 0.6 (2 stop) soft grad is a good all-rounder. The ND grad is a good choice and not dependent on light direction which is not the case with the second option, the polariser. When it comes to skies, popular belief has it that the polariser has magical powers and can transform an insipid sky into something spectacular.

Fact is, it can do a brilliant job – but not all the time. Shooting towards or away from the sun on a sunny day, a polariser will have little effect on the clouds or sky. That’s because there is less polarised light in those regions to filter out. However, turn 90° to the sun and a polariser will help you achieve fabulous skies. Next time you’re out there with the polariser, use the ‘rule of thumb’. Make a pretend gun with your hand, i.e. thumb up, forefinger out, the other fingers tucked out of the way.

Point at the sun with the forefinger and then rotate your hand at the wrist. The areas where the thumb points (90° to the sun) is where the polariser has the strongest effect. There is lens choice to consider too. If you enjoy ultra-wide lenses such as a 20mm lens on 35mm format, use a polariser – applying the rule of thumb – and you’ll find the central area of blue sky looking lovely and rich while the edges of the frame look unaffected.

Uneven polarisation does not look great and while you might be able to correct it in post, it’s best to avoid it in the first instance and use a less extreme focal length, or remove the filter.

Just beware, though, because on very bright days, at higher altitudes or in sun-drenched countries, a polarised sky can be overpowering and look unnaturally dark. It is always best to rotate the polariser and shoot when the effect is optimum for the shot.

On cloudy days, when there is not much-polarised light around, a polariser can still cut down glare and make greyness look slightly more intense. Generally, unless you’re using the polariser as an ND filter, it’s not worth fitting on a grey day.

What if I don’t have filters?

If you’re filter-less, another technique for more sky in the final result is to shoot a correctly exposed shot followed by an underexposed one (by -1 or -2 f-stops) so that the sky records with some detail. In editing software, the sky from the underexposed shot can then be used on the correctly exposed shot. Using a tripod is ideal if you want perfect registration but this technique works with shooting handheld too.

Engage the camera’s autoexposure bracketing mode to make this easier; many cameras have two-frame bracketing but use three frames if there’s no choice. You can take the first serious steps into monochrome image-making right now by turning on the computer – assuming you have editing software – and exploring your back catalogue. This has an obvious appeal when it is cold out – seeing how colour pictures you’re familiar with look in mono is time well spent.

Of course, there is no substitute for actual experience. With your camera set up to shoot monochrome, start exploring the world in shades of grey and experimenting with exposure, picture settings and filters. Learning to shoot without the realism of colour to obscure your creative vision might be alien initially – but it will come. As legendary landscape photographer Ansel Adams once put it, ‘Visualisation is the single most important factor in photography.’

However, you have one tool at your disposal that Adams didn’t have. To see how a scene looks in monochrome, just take a shot and check over the preview. It might not be an accurate depiction of how the final edited picture will look – it rarely is, in my experience! – but it’ll certainly be a big clue and will reveal the tonal relationships between the main elements of the scene.

What’s more, there is no cost and you’re learning in real-time, so just shoot away even on scenes that may have no potential. With practice and experience, you’ll soon learn how scenes will look in monochrome without having to ‘proof’ them first.

What is the best light for black and white photography, and how to get the exposure right?

Colour and black & white images can succeed in all manner of lighting conditions, and it’s always a good thing when the sun’s shining and there are some photogenic clouds. In some ways there is more tolerance in black & white and the flattest lighting can give eye-catching pictures, especially with an injection of contrast. Also, if you are confronted by a blank sky, compose to crop it out, just as you would shooting colour.

With black & white there’s no issue with the light’s colour. You get lovely, warmer or more red light at both ends of the days and it’s neutral and cool in between, which is why colour landscape photographers are busiest early and late on and relaxing in between. In black & white, you can shoot all day long and the higher contrast and harshness are powerful tools. Whether you’re taking the raw or JPEG road to monochrome, the exposure process is the same as for colour.

As always with JPEGs, you need to be more accurate because there is less data to work with and advanced editing is not an option. There’s no real need for special exposure techniques and certainly nothing like the Zone System which expert film users employed. Just get it right in-camera and learn how to read a histogram, the graphic that appears when you review an image in-camera.

There is no such thing as an average scene but if there were, the histogram will show some information in the shadows (left side of the histogram) and some in the highlights (right side) and there’ll be a big middle hump between the two extremes.

Unless the scene is very dark or very light, you don’t want a histogram too left or right-sided. With careful metering and using exposure compensation or exposure lock to deal with awkward lighting, try to keep the histogram mostly in the centre, and especially try to avoid overexposure. Read more on ISO, exposure and metering here.

A digital raw file has much more tolerance to underexposure compared with overexposure. Recover a grossly overexposed shot in editing and the highlights will come out veiled and slightly off-grey; it is not a good look.

There are issues with heavily underexposed shots, too. While editing might give a decent tonal range the image might suffer from artefacts or digital noise, which looks like mottling. It might seem ok but is not a good look. Some photographers like to expose so that the histogram has a right-sided bias but without the graph bleeding off to the far right. The preview image might look bright but the aim here is to get more information into the shadows so when they are lifted in editing there is less digital noise in evidence.

Editing black and white images

By now, you should have a good idea of how to shoot mono images successfully including camera set-up, file format choice, applying in-camera and lens filters and how to use the histogram. The next step – a big one – is turning on the computer and processing and fine-tuning your shots. The computer and editing software play the same role as film processing kit and the enlarger in the wet darkroom. It’s where the magic takes place. See our guide to the best programs for editing black and white images.

Out-of-camera mono JPEGs can look great and be perfectly usable but having the capability to edit the raws is the ultimate in flexibility and it’s where you make your black & whites truly sing. My workflow is based on Adobe Lightroom Classic supported by a few plug-ins. You can see how images look in black & white with a single click and check out any potential. If not, another click restores the colour preview.

How you progress the mono conversion depends on what software you have, and there are plenty of great options when it comes to working with raw files. Profiles, plug-ins, using masks and different conversion techniques in software are all fair game. Those already into black and white mono probably already have a process that works for them. Mono newbies will be on a voyage of discovery. With most software and plug-ins available as limited-time, fully functional demo versions, it’s time to trawl the world of apps.

There are packages from the likes of Adobe, Affinity, Capture One, DxO, Luminar and Topaz. Some are available on subscription, others are outright purchases and there are free/shareware options too. Most of my mono conversions are done through Silver Efex from DxO’s Nik Collection which I use as a plug-in in Adobe Lightroom. I will apply some Lightroom adjustments before taking the file into the plug-in. Usually, it’s some highlight and shadow control, plus tweaks in contrast and clarity.

You have to be careful because significant adjustments can result in halos where shadows and highlights meet. As with most plug-ins, Silver Efex has a wide range of presets and you can create your own. I often start with a preset – I like More Silver – and will try several and when I settle on one will spend time adjusting the sliders to taste. A great DxO feature is the ability to fine-tune images locally with control points that you can place in any area of the image and use as many as required.

There is much more too with the ability to add vignettes and grain, emulate films, burn in edges, tone images and add frames. It’s not perfect but it is a capable mono plug-in that I have used for years.

The latest version of the Nik Collection costs £135 for new members or £69 for Nik Collection 4 & 5 users looking to upgrade. A more detailed breakdown of all the features and creative possibilities with Silver Efex can be found here.

Learn more about how to enhance your black and white images with Silver Efex. 

Don’t forget to print!

Shooting and making black & white images is all very well, and of course, you can appreciate your handiwork on screen, just as you would with your colour images. However, if you really want to marvel at your talent, get your favourite images printed. Canson, Fotospeed, Hahnemuhle and PermaJet are among the many brands offering baryta papers that have the feel and look of a traditional wet darkroom print. It would be a shame to expend all your creative energy into making mono images you’re proud of, and not to show them at their very best. See our guide to the best printers and papers.

If you decided to go all traditional and use an analogue camera read our guide on how to develop your black and white film at home here.

Six subjects less suited to black and white

Black & white doesn’t work for everything, but it’s always worth trying and has more creative potential than many assume. Here are a few subjects that are perhaps less successful in shades of grey.

Sunrises and sunsets

Every day, nature provides two spectacularly colourful events (unless it’s cloudy!) just aching to be photographed. All those intense shades of yellow, orange and red look wonderful in colour, and rather less interesting in shades of grey. That said, with nice clouds or a bold foreground, black & white sunsets can look good.

Twilight

That brief period before sunrise and after sunset when the sky can be a palette of beautiful colours is a must for the camera, but perhaps not in mono. While those gorgeous, vibrant hues or a mackerel sky can look absolutely stunning in colour, they are much less effective in black & white. A bold foreground in silhouette might work, though.

Flowers

Colourful blooms photographed in monochrome might seem a wasted opportunity, and often it is, but check out Robert Mapplethorpe’s images of irises and see how it can be done. His fine art images were created in the studio and that’s probably why they work. Pictures taken in the back garden might not have the same resonance.

Butterflies

Many nature subjects work in black & white, but butterflies don’t. A painted lady, a swallowtail or a marbled white as in this shot do not look great in shades of grey. They are such beautiful insects that they deserve the full-colour treatment. However, the combination of a clean background, good lighting and a nice pose can succeed.

Light trails

A popular and fun technique especially at this time of year. A long exposure using a tripod-mounted camera of a busy road or traffic junction can give awesome results – in colour! Red tail lights, blinking orange turn indicators and the warmth of artificial light, often combine to give magical and very vibrant results.

Autumn colour

There are some subjects that simply cry out for colour and the monochrome route is almost inevitably less captivating. Garden scenes, fireworks and autumn, to name but three. If you want to make the most of vibrant acers this autumn, colour is the way to go, but if you have the raws there’s time to explore the creative options retrospectively.

Quick black & white photography tips:

1. Choose your subject wisely and try “seeing” in black and white. Setting your camera to monochrome mode will help.
2. Keep an eye on the direction and intensity of light
3. Look out for interesting shapes, contrasts and textures

Ready to take the next step with your black and white photography?

Learn how to put together a successful portfolio or try entering your images to photography competitions.

Further reading

• Complete guide to fine-art black and white photography
• Black and white editing with Snapseed on your smartphone

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The post Complete guide to black and white photography appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

If you’ve ever been confused by the different labelling on memory cards, then you’re not alone. It’s almost as if they’re trying to confuse buyers with multiple speed ratings and labels all on the same card. By reading through this guide, you’ll quickly understand all the options!

SD memory cards

SD memory cards are the most commonly used memory card in digital cameras. So, let’s dive right in and find out what all the labels and logos mean on the front of an SD card.

SD Speed Class and speed ratings explained…

Unfortunately, there are multiple ways in which companies will tell you how quick an SD card is. Originally, it was simple signified with a large C with a number in the middle, the “Speed class”, however, this was replaced after they reached Class 10.

What does V30/V60/V90 mean?

This is the Video speed class. V30 supports a minimum of 30MB/sec sequential write, V60, 60MB/sec, and V90, 90MB/sec. These higher speeds will be particularly useful for high quality 4K and 8K video recording, and you should check what rating is needed by your camera if you plan on recording video.

What does U1 / U3 mean?

The UHS speed class, U1/U3 has been effectively replaced by Video speed class. U1 means the card has a minimum of 10MB/sec sequential write speed, whereas U3 means the card has a minimum of 30MB/sec sequential write speed. The number is found in the middle of a capital U.

300x, 667x, 1667x, 2000x what?

To confuse things further, some cards will display another speed rating on the front. It’s all well and good saying a memory card is 300x, but 300x what? A card that supports 45MB/s speeds, has 300x on it, and therefore the 300x is 300x 150KB/s. A 2000x card supports 300MB/s speeds. However, be aware that these are the maximum READ speeds, and write speeds are often slower.

MB/s

Many cards will display the MB/s (Megabytes per second) speed the card supports, however, it’s worth noting that this is often the maximum read speed. It’s worth checking the maximum write speed the card offers. On some cards, both the read and write speeds are shown with the read speed shown with a small R, and the write speed shown with a small W.

What about SD/SDHC/SDXC?

SD cards are up to 2GB, SDHC means more than 2GB and up to 32GB, SDXC means above 32GB and up to 2TB. Beyond this, there is SDUC, which is more than 2TB and up to 128TB. However, these are not widely available and not yet supported in cameras.

What’s the difference between UHS-II and UHS-I cards?

UHS-II cards are a newer, faster breed of SD memory cards. With additional contact points, they offer quicker read and write speeds. However, to take full advantage of the higher speeds, you’ll need a camera that supports UHS-II, as well as a memory card reader that supports UHS-II, otherwise the memory card will be used in the slower UHS-I mode. If you’ve bought a UHS-II card but have a camera that only supports UHS-I, don’t worry, you can still use the UHS-II card in your camera. As mentioned, it will run at UHS-I speeds.

You can tell the difference by the number of contacts on display, or by looking for the letter I or II next to the SDXC logo.

Best SD memory cards to buy:

• Lexar 64GB UHS-II SD card (250MB/s) from £24.99
• Sony 32GB UHS-II SD TOUGH (300MB/s) from £64
• Best value: SanDisk 64GB UHS-I Extreme PRO (up to 200MB/s), £17.25

MicroSD cards

MicroSD cards are used in some of the more compact cameras available, and due to them being used in numerous other devices, such as Smartphones, Dashcams and security cameras, they are often available for cheaper prices than SD cards.

However, they don’t always offer as high speeds as UHS-II SD cards, and as they are small, they can be quite fiddly to use. You can use them in SD card slots with an adapter, but these are fiddly and not as reliable as a dedicated SD Card. They could be good for bargain hunters if you want to save money.

Best MicroSD memory cards to buy:

• Samsung 64GB MicroSD card with SD adapter: £8.99
• Samsung 128GB MicroSD card with SD adapter: £14.99

Read our review of the Samsung PRO Plus MicroSD card here.

CFexpress cards

CFexpress was introduced in 2016, and designed to give higher read and write speeds using technology standards that are already widely in use in computing technology. The first cards introduced are physically the same size as XQD cards, with the same contacts*.

*If in doubt, check your camera manual to see what card is best for your model

The release of CFexpress 2.0 in 2019 introduced type A and type C cards, with type A being more compact, type C being larger, and the existing cards, type B sitting in the middle. CFexpress cards often display the speed in MB/s, with some displaying both read (R) and write (W) speeds. If both speeds aren’t shown, then it’s safe to assume that the card is showing the read speed.

Find out more on these cards below.

CFexpress Type A

Supported by Sony and others, Type A offers performance three times faster than the fastest UHS-II cards, with 800MB/s read, and 700MB/s write on SONY and PROGRADE cards.

A 160GB CFexpress Type A card will set you back around £370 – £399, but shop around and you might find better offers.

Best CFexpress Type A cards:

• Sony 80GB Tough CFexpress Type A – £197
• Sony 160GB Tough CFexpress Type A – £279

Cameras that use CFexpress Type A = Sony A7S III, Sony A1, Sony A7 IV, Sony A7R V.

CFexpress Type-B

Available from brands including Sony, Sandisk, and Lexar, the read and write speeds available are impressive, with 1700MB/s read, and 1480MB/s write on the Sony CFexpress Tough G series 256GB card.

Best CFexpress Type B cards:

• 64GB Lexar CFexpress Type B card – £129.
• 165GB ProGrade CFexpress Type B card – £177
• 256GB Lexar CFexpress Type B card – £286

Cameras that use CFexpress Type B = Nikon Z6 (II), Z7 (II), Z9, Canon EOS R3, Canon EOS R5, Fujifilm X-H2S, and X-H2.

XQD cards

XQD memory cards have been around since 2012, but has mainly been used in high-end Nikon DSLRs. The price of the memory cards put many people off using them, especially when CompactFlash cards are available for much less.

However, the benefit of XQD cards are the ability to have quicker read/write speeds, which can be useful if you’re shooting high-speed continuous shots.

Best XQD memory cards:

• 64GB Sony XQD G series card – £119.
• 120GB Sony XQS G series card – £161

Cameras that use XQD = Nikon D6, D500, D850, Z6 (II), Z7 (II), Z9, Panasonic S1 series.

CompactFlash (CF)*

Compact Flash cards have been around since 1994, but it wasn’t until 1996 that the first camera was released with support for CompactFlash cards, the Kodak DC25. Considering they were introduced so long ago, they have survived a surprisingly long time. CompactFlash cards use “UDMA” labels to signify speed, with UDMA 7 being quicker than UDMA 6. There is also a video speed rating, inside as video clapper board.

64GB CF cards are available for around £40 – £70 depending on speed, however, it’s worth noting that the fastest cards available offer around 160MB/s, a speed surpassed by UHS-II SD cards, as well as other cards such as XQD and CFexpress.

Best CompactFlash cards to buy:

• Best value: 32GB Lexar Professional (160MB/s) – £35
• 64GB SanDisk Extreme PRO card – £68
• 128GB SanDisk Extreme PRO card – £133

*Not to be confused with CFast

CFast is yet another memory card format designed primarily for video, CINE and broadcasting use. Unless your camera specifically requires a CFast card, then it’s likely you won’t need one. Cameras that use CFast include the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, Canon XC15, Canon EOS C200, BlackMagic, ARRI and others.

Redundant memory card formats: XD, Smart Media, Sony memory stick

We’ll keep this short… XD (used by Fujifilm and Olympus), Smart Media and Sony Memory Stick memory card formats are no longer used in new cameras and will only be needed if you are shooting with an old camera. If you do need one of these, then you should be able to find them on second-hand sites such as eBay.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about memory cards

Q. What is the best memory card?

A. The best memory card is the fastest you can afford, in the right format for your camera. You may also want to consider the brand, and whether there are any extras included, for example, some companies provide free recovery software, so that you can recover deleted images. It’s also worth checking the warranty provided and any “tough” credentials.

Q. Can I use a microSD card instead of an SD card?

A. Short answer, yes. Yes, you can, as many MicroSD cards come with an adapter to let you use them in cameras (or devices) with an SD card slot. However, they are smaller and can be fiddly in comparison, with the adapter adding an extra level of connection that could go wrong.

Q. Should I format the memory card in my camera or on my computer?

A. The general advice is that you should format the memory card in your camera (after backing up all your photos), as then the memory card will be setup with the right file format needed for your camera. If you format the card on your computer, then there are multiple options that could potentially be incompatible with your camera.

Q. What are the disadvantages of an SD card?

A. SD cards are small, and fragile, with small, thin plastic pieces that can easily be damaged if they’re not taken care of. Some companies, such as Sony, offer a range of “TOUGH” SD cards designed to be stronger than normal, and if you’re concerned about breaking a card, then these are worth the extra cost.

Q. How do I choose a memory card?

A. Look for a card with the fastest WRITE speeds. Often a card will say how quick it is in MB/s, and the majority of the time the READ speeds are quicker than write speeds, so you could have a UHS-II card with an impressive 260MB/s read speed, but only 100MB/s write speed, which whilst still quick, isn’t as impressive as the higher number. Why does this matter? Well, the read speed is how quickly you can get your photos or video off the memory card, which is useful for copying and backing up your data, BUT, it’s the write speed that matters when it comes to taking photos and video, and any slow-down here could result in your missing the shot (when shooting continuous), or video recording stopping, if the card can’t keep up with your camera.

Beware of fake memory cards

As the old saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is. There are a number of no-name memory cards available, but if you see a 1TB card available for the same price as a 64GB card, then it’s likely it’s not going to work, or even offer that much storage. Similarly, we’d recommend sticking to trusted retailers when buying a memory card, rather than trying to find a cheap deal on eBay. If you do end up with a fake or faulty memory card, then you could end up losing precious photos and being unable to recover them.

Memory card readers

If you have a high-speed card, then you’re going to need a high-speed memory card reader, so make sure you get the latest USB 3.x memory card reader that is compatible with your computer. To get the full speed benefits of the card, you need to make sure it supports your memory card, so if you have a UHS-II SD card, make sure you get a high-speed memory card reader designed for use with UHS-II cards.

Related reading:

• How to make sure you never lose your photos again
• How to recover your photos for free
• Beginners guide to file and photo management

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