Kyle McMillan

This year in photography I learned a substantial amount about digital photography. Prior to taking this class I was only using my iPhone for photos and mind you, the iPhone does take great pictures but I was interested in being able to take higher quality photos on a digital camera. That's where this class steps in, this class has taught me more about exposure, shutter speed, and aperture than I ever thought I'd understand. Not only that but the relationship between each. Then you pair that up with new experience in composition and depth of field, I believe my photography is a much higher quality than previously. Taking the picture is only the first part of it, now comes editing. Working with only an iPhone before, I did not have access to, or wanted access to, Adobe Lightroom. So that program was a bit of a learning curve but we did spend some class time going over the basics which really helped. But I found most of what I learned was from just messing around in the progra

In this article , Darren Rowse outlines twelve tips to make your photography a little more creative and random. A lot of photographers can find themselves in a rut where they don't know what to do to make their photography different from their peers. Hopefully, these twelve tips help remedy that narrow vision. 1. Move Your Camera 2. Zooming While Shooting 3. Creative Focusing 4. Shoot From Your Boots 5. Over Expose Your Shots 6. Slow Sync Flash 7. Get Up High 8. Multiple Exposures 9. Go Grainy 10. White Balance 11. Master The Bulb Setting 12. Infrared Remember to follow the link to the article for more details on each of these tips but hopefully they will help you make your photography a little more creative or maybe even original. Take these tips and run.

Photo Information: Sony A7iii 46mm f/11 ISO 100 1/100 This photo was taken out near Pioneer Park here in Billings with the intention to capture the contrast between the fall leaves and the blue sky but after some editing, I was pleased with how the greyscale made this landscape more abstract. Photo Information: Sony A7iii 55mm f/5.0 ISO 400 1/125 This photo was taken by the Indian Cliffs as a close up of a random bush for practice with depth of field. The cloudy, grey background offers a good contrast to the green and lighter blues of the bush exaggerating the contrast and ultimately the depth of field. Photo Information: Sony A7iii 70mm f/5.6 ISO 320 1/200 This photo was taken at sunset near the sanctuary on Shiloh here in Billings. The intention was to capture the main subject with a background subject not in focus. The placement of the ducks is strategic to leave room in the direction they are both looking. The sunset also shines in

When it comes to taking pictures, there is always room for improvement. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned pro, you may need to work on something as simple (or complex) as composition or maybe something a little more detailed such as histograms. In an article by  Digital Photography School  there are ten tips to take your photography to the next level. 1. Always have a camera in your pocket 2. Your background is as important as the subject 3. Everything is light 4. Treat your work as wine 5. Shoot with your heart first 6. Ask why 7. You are less limited by your gear than you think 8. Let go of technical perfection 9. Think making photographs, not taking pictures 10. Make your photographs sticky Each of these tips may be more geared towards a photographer earlier in their career or even a hobbies, but the seasoned professional may lose sight of some of these basic tips. Either way, I would recommend a read of this article to learn something new.

Photo Information: Sony A7iii 70mm f/5.6 ISO 320 1/200 Photo Information: Sony A7iii 69mm f/16 ISO 400 1/25

For the new individuals to digital photography, follow these simple tips to take your photography to the next level or just have a beginning understanding of digital photography. In this article, they mention the following: 1. Use Rule of Thirds 2. Avoid Camera Shake 3. Learn to Use the Exposure Triangle 4. Use a Polarizing Filter 5. Create a Sense of Depth 6. Use Simple Backgrounds 7. Don't Use Flash Indoors 8. Choose the Right ISO 9. Pan to Create Motion 10. Experiment with Shutter Speed Even though an experienced photographer might find some of these tips rudimentary, I believe there might be something in here for every level. This article  I found to be very helpful when I was first starting out and I continue to take these tips with me everywhere I go with my camera. For more information follow this link: https://www.exposureguide.com/top-10-digital-photography-tips/.

In The Outdoor Photographer's article "Cold Weather Photo Tips," we look at reasons we may want to take pictures in the cold or at high altitudes and how to compose and produce those photos to a higher caliber. Believe it or not, one of the biggest limiting factors to cold weather photography is your camera gear. Needless to say here are a few of Paul Zizka's tips for cold weather photography: 1. Bundle Up 2. Battery Power 3. Know Your Gear 4. Watch for Moisture 5. Bracket Your Images 6. Insulate Metal Parts 7. Keep Food and Hot Drinks Handy 8. Use Two Camera Bodies 9. Take Advantage of Conditions 10. Seal It 11. Give It Time 12. Embrace Discomfort Now there is a lot of tips in this article so to read more follow the link . Some of these tips may also be applied to other conditions, besides just the cold, that may require a little more attention than what we are used to. Either way, there is something to be learned from this article and I hope it hel

Photo Information: Sony A7iii 28mm f/11 ISO 125 1/30 Photo Information: Sony A7iii 34mm f/4 ISO 100 1/160

With the group photography trip leaving for Yellowstone National Park this weekend I decided to look up tips and maybe some areas to visit when we are there. In this article , Jairo Rodriguez goes over a few of these points. For example, a few of the places he recommends include: Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser Basin, Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful, and more. Now in each of these locations he also makes various recommendations for settings, angles, and editing tips. Jairo also gives the best times of years to go. All in all, I would recommend giving this article a read before your next trip to Yellowstone National Park.

Photo Information: Sony A7iii 70mm f/11 ISO 100 1/80 Photo Information: Sony A7iii 70mm f/5.6 ISO 100 1/60

We live on such a beautiful globe and with more cultures and destinations than any one person can count on their hands the potential for great photography is virtually limitless. That being said, what can we do to be a better travel photographer? An article by The Outdoor Photographer speaks on this subject. The author, William Woodward, talks on the following seven points: 1. Composition is Key 2. Nail the Exposure 3. White Balance 4. The Basic Adjustments 5. Understanding Luminance 6. "Copy and Paste" Adjustments 7. Clean Your Image Now, a lot of these tips can be applied to all photography but in the article, the author goes into greater detail and how to get the iconic luster that so many travel photos possess. For more information on this topic follow this link .

Man, have the times have changed. Digital has changed the game of photography in many ways, and black and white photography is not the least of which. Prior to the digital age, you would need to use two separate washes of the film, big bulky camera, and special rooms to actually produce the photo. Now if we compare that to today, many cameras have [in house] black and white photography settings. So, the advantages are in the realm of time. With the way we take black and white photography, ExposureGuide has given us a few tips for better pictures. 1) Slow Down 2) Keep ISO Low 3) Don't Burn Out Your Highlights or Block Up Your Shadows 4) Shoot Raw 5) Understand Tone 6) Light Changes Color 7) Avoid Black and White Conversion Presets With all of the tips listed above, I'm hoping to take my photography to the next level by introducing and practicing black and white photography. As with all things, it will take practice but with these guidelines and tips, I believe we w

Photo Information: Sony A7iii 29mm f/11 ISO 400 1/800 Photo Information: Sony A7iii 60mm f/11 ISO 100 1/25

In reading an article by Outdoor Photographer on techniques to capture fall colors, they gave the following tips and tricks: 1. Backlight for Foliage that Pops 2. Long Exposures for Ethereal Waterscapes 3. Long Lenses to Isolate Color 4. Shallow Depth of Field 5. Move that Camera 6. Creative Use of Exposure Compensation 7. Reflections 8. Get Low and Go Wide 9. Add a Sunstar 10. Summon your Inner Ansel Each of these tips go into greater detail and I would suggest going to their website and reading more detail ( Outdoor Photographer ). Some of those details include recommended aperture, focal lengths, exposure compensations, etc.