You may have a dedicated macro lens – terrific. However, if you don’t have one of those expensive lenses especially made for close-up work, have no fear, you can use extension tubes! With an inexpensive set of extension tubes, you can transform almost any lens into a macro lens. Basically, extension tubes increase the distance from the camera sensor to the lens so you, can move your camera closer to the subject of your picture.

As you will discover, taking extremely close photos reveals details that are not normally noticed. At a casual glance, we would not normally see all the detail in most small objects. That’s what makes shooting macro so special. There are so many moments of photographic amazement.

On a personal note, yours truly actually became hooked on photography when I took my first macro shot with an old point and shoot camera. That’s when I began to take pictures of every bug that would stay in the view finder long enough. And when there was no bug available, I took pictures of flowers. I didn’t realize that there are so many other interesting subjects to shoot in the tiny world of close up photography. Actually, almost any small object is worthy of your attention, including parts of your clothing like buttons and zippers as well as things like eyes and fingers. There really is no limit to what can be photographed.

Now that you are convinced to get started, here are a few hints:

*Start your engine. This seems quite obvious, but lots of us are inclined to get bogged down with the learning process. Yes, there are many classes and tutorials available online and off line, but just go out and take some pictures. You will learn as you go, and it will be so rewarding. Photography is a skill that is best learned “on the job.”

* Don’t worry about mistakes. This goes along with the first hint. Mistakes are an important part of the learning process. They may actually lead to some amazing surprises. Something you messed up can lead to some of your most outstanding images.

*Use a tripod. Close-up photos are prone to give the photographer lots of blur when trying to hand-hold the camera. In addition to the tripod, you can benefit from using the shutter release timer on your T3i, or you can get an inexpensive remote shutter release.

*Use Live View and focus manually. Canon has added a very helpful feature on the Rebel T3i when it comes to macro photography. When in Live View, you can use digital zoom. Digital zoom is used to get a closer view of the subject so you can focus more accurately. At 5 times the magnification (or even 10 times), you can see clearly to focus. This one feature is what sold me on the Canon Rebel T3i.

That’s it. Pretty simple, right? These tips are meant to get you out and shooting.

Let’s go people! Get it off Auto. What’s the use of having a camera that can take fantastic images at your command, and you don’t command.

Even if you just use the Basic Modes, like Portrait, Macro, Landscape and Sports, you will be so far ahead of the curve.

I put together this little video to explain the Basic Modes of your camera. Watch it and use the information. You don’t have to do it all in one day. Use a different setting each day or each week, but do it. You will be glad you did.

Just like any other type of photography, landscape photography has its own set of unique opportunities and challenges. Of course, it is a good idea to be familiar with your camera and equipment. Always experiment with the techniques you plan to use before you get to the actual situation where the skills will be necessary.

Here are a few hints about how you can improve your landscape photography success.

Tip 1: Mount Your Camera on a Good Tripod

Tripods are like a good insurance plan. Always bring a tripod if you plan on shooting landscapes. This is especially important if you are shooting in low light, such as early morning, late evening, or in the fog. But even if the day is sunny, you are always assured of a better result with a tripod. The tripod eliminates any camera shake. Tripods come in many styles and weights. Do your research before buying one, making sure the one you choose is good for you camera and your situation. For instance, don’t get a heavy tripod if you are planning to backpack into the wilderness.

Tip 2: Shoot at the Right Time

For most outdoor photography, especially when shooting landscapes, the best time is early or late in the day. The light at dawn and dusk is extraordinary for photographing landscapes. Definitely avoid times between 10:00 and 3:00. During mid-day the lighting is much too bright, tending to cause harsh shadows and bright highlights. The exception to this rule is during stormy situations. Storms tend to develop some very unique lighting and help you to get some very dramatic results.

Tip 3: Choose the right Lens

When shooting landscapes, a wide angle lens is usually indicated. A wide angle lens will cover a lot of area. A wide angle lens would be in the range from 12mm to 24mm, however, you can use other focal lengths to get different creative shots. So, it is a good idea to have a variety of lenses in your gear bag.

Tip 4: Timer or Cable Release

In addition to using a tripod, consider using the on-camera timer. Coupled with a tripod this will give you the optimum chance for a successful landscape photo. When you press the shutter release button, there is always a chance for camera shake, even when using a tripod. Another choice is to carry a cable release. With a cable release, you can trigger the shutter at precisely the right timing. Timing is not always an issue in landscape photography, but a cable release is an excellent tool to have in your camera bag.

Tip 6: Compose your picture

One of the biggest mistakes made by beginning (and even some pro) photographers is to forget about composition rules when taking landscape pictures. Try to avoid putting the main object of the image in the center of the composition. Remember the rule of thirds. Also pay attention to distracting artifacts like people and other movable objects. It is quite depressing when you upload your images to your computer to find that you did not notice something like a wind blown newspaper or a pedestrian entering the picture.

Bottom Line

Landscape photography is a wonderful way to use your digital camera as an artistic tool of expression. Think about these helpful tips the next time you plan an excursion to take landscape photos, and you will be much happier with the results. My recommendation for help in this category is Digital Photography Success. Amy Renfry is an accomplished photographer and an excellent teacher.

Digital SLR cameras are amazing tools.

One of the first things you need to learn about digital photography is that it costs you nothing to take pictures. Keep that in mind as you get used to your camera. Take lots of pictures.

If you are new to digital photography, or you just love learning more, you will benefit by trying out these 10 techniques. They are very basic concepts and easy to implement in your photography work flow.

1. Choosing the Right Resolution: Every digital camera has a setting for picture size and quality. In order to get the best quality from your digital camera, always use the highest number of megapixels allowed. That may mean you’re able to store fewer pictures on your camera or your memory card, but you can always carry extra memory cards in your camera case. The only reason you might choose a lower resolution is if you intend only to post the photos on the Web (like on Facebook) for friends and family to view. However, even then you might end up taking a photo you want to frame and display, so keep the resolution at its highest setting. To compensate for being able to store less pictures, consider buying a larger storage card. Once you get used to your new toy…er.. tool, and you learn more about digital photography, try using the RAW setting. There is a whole new learning curve involved with RAW.

Check the composition and camera settings.

3. Finding an Angle: As mentioned above, think about the photo you are about to capture. To take artistic photographs, try unusual angles that offer a unique perspective of your subject matter. For instance, you may want get lower by crouching down or putting your camera on the ground and point the camera upward when taking your photo. Or, conversely, find a higher perch to get that creative angle. Move around. You will surprise yourself at how much this will improve your photos.

4. Planning Your Composition: When planning your composition ask yourself what the main focus of your photo is. Decide where you want the subject positioned—in the center, off to the side, or at the top or bottom of the photo. Decide how much background you want to reveal in proportion to your subject. Take into account the lighting. Remember that your eyes see things much differently than the camera lens. So practice in different lighting situations and take mental note of what works best. In fact practice is the best teacher. You might even carry a notebook in your camera bag to record your successes and no-so successes so you can repeat or delete certain techniques. Keeping notes and referring back to them will exponentially increase what you learn about digital photography.

5. Fill the Frame: A great digital photo makes use of the whole frame. When you look through the lens or view the LCD of a digital camera, take the whole picture in visually. Is that what you want when you process your photo? Images and detail that are well distributed throughout the frame make for an interesting photograph. Filling the frame does not mean to fill it with clutter and distracting elements, rather fill it with your intended subject. A little thought before pressing the shutter button can save you much disappointment when you get back to your computer to view your images.

6. Compensate for Lighting With the White Balance Setting: Digital cameras have an automatic default white balance setting, which sometimes results in pictures that lack vibrancy. If you are using the JPEG quality setting, make sure you select the proper scene. You may be able to choose from a wide variety of scenes, or maybe just a few, but make sure you use these settings to get the right color. Cameras may make the wrong choice for you when left on auto. You may also take some artsy photos by choosing the incorrect white balance or scene setting. Again, practice and experiment. One of the joys of that you will learn about digital photography (if you have not already) is that you don’t have to pay for mistakes as you do with film. So take lots of photos. This will help you to become much more confident in your ability, as well as being comfortable with your individual camera.

7. Capturing Motion: A wonderful way to capture a moving object against a stagnant background is to force your digital camera’s shutter to remain open for a couple of extra seconds. The effect is softly flowing, slow motion. You may want to set your camera on a tripod or on a solid surface for this one. It works really well with waterfalls.

8. Use Filters for Fun and Creativity: Filters can be attached to your lens for many different reasons. Purchasing a polarizing filter for your digital camera will not only help you reduce glare, but it will also enable you to minimize unwanted reflections. Polarizing filters create more saturated color, especially in your outdoor pictures. There are also Neutral Density filters that help to with very diverse lighting. And then there are a bunch of creative filters for changing colors, taking infrared photos, and whatever else floats your boat.

9. Post Processing: One sad thing you have to accept as you learn about digital photography is that you will make mistakes. If you take a bad shot, don’t fret. There is always a computer waiting to help. This is a whole separate topic, but just know that even poorly composed or exposed photos are not necessarily a lost cause. As you work with your camera, your photo’s composition won’t always turn out like you planned, sometimes you’ll want to use a photo editing program like Adobe® Photoshop® to frame the best part of the picture and crop out the rest. You can also fix over or under exposed photos, poor white balance, and practically everything else.

10. Change Lenses: Maybe this should have been number one. It’s probably why you got your camera in the first place. Don’t forget it. Changing the lens changes a lot about the end result. Don’t be intimidated by the technology. Use it. And don’t be afraid to use different lenses for the same shot just to see what the differences are. For instance, use your wide angle lens to take a close up shot instead of the macro lens.

Check out the links on the right. There are some really awesome and helpful web sites listed to assist you in your quest for digital photo knowledge. Actually there is one that promise that you can learn about digital photography in 14 days (or your money back, of course).