Sometimes we’re too perfect in our judgement of order. Even though the world has a wonderful orderliness about it, the real challenge is to view and arrange objects into basic elements to create a visually stunning image. By understanding four basic principles of composition, we can see the landscape in a totally new and exciting way.

The meter in your camera may be part of the most advanced metering system available, yet it cannot be considered accurate all the time. This is not because of a technological shortfall, but because of a simple principle: your camera’s meter is designed to meter for reflected light and reflected light varies according to the surface colour or tone.

Here are are 10 tips that will help you take your digital photography to the next level.

Some of the most captivating images of people are those caught candidly. One dictionary defines the word candid as “free from bias, prejudice, or malice; marked by honest sincere expression; relating to photography of subjects acting naturally or spontaneously without being posed. “From this is easy to see that candid photography is the most honest kind of portrait. Formal portraits endeavour to capture the essence of the subject. Candid portraits do that without even trying.

Recently I got into a somewhat heated discussion at a Camera club meeting and immediately wished I hadn’t. It was the same old fight. Yet again it was the subject of Photographic purity, the alleged softness of zoom lenses and the argument that you can’t use filters because ‘that would be changing reality’. These “sacred cows” of the photographic gerontocracy need to be slaughtered - once and for all.

A good subject in itself does not mean a good photo. Composition, lighting and color make important differences to the final image. But there’s another aspect of your image that’s just as significant as the subject - the background. Often photographers are so excited and so intent on taking the pictures that they forget about everything else in the frame. We’ve all been guilty of that.

The Ricoh GR DIGITAL II  is a compact digital camera designed for consumers who want a slim line, yet advanced digital camera that is easy to operate.

Even though we are well into the digital age, photography remains strongly linked to the past, as Ian Rolfe explains…

Corel has released Paint Shop Pro Photo XI, and there is no doubt about it, it’s fabulous. We look at how some of its features can be used in combination to make masterpieces of your images. Our editor, Shelton Muller, shows us how he scratched the surface of this amazing software.