Learn what lens focal length is, how zoom works, and when to use a wide-angle, portrait, or telephoto lens.

Do you have a camera with a basic lens (like an 18–55 mm), love taking portraits, but still can’t seem to get that beautiful blurry background you see in other portraits? Let’s be honest—a portrait with a nicely blurred background just looks more professional than one where everything is in sharp focus. Don’t worry, you don’t need to rush out and buy an expensive lens. To start with, you can work with the gear you already have.  

Do you want your creative still life photography to look like it came straight out of a fairy tale? In this article, I share some simple camera tricks you can try at home, from rainbow effects to making objects levitate, and crafting frozen-glass scenes. You’ll learn how to work with light, a polarizing filter, and everyday props that make your photos eye-catching at first glance. All you need is a bit of creativity and a few easy-to-find items.  

Creative still lifes are the perfect outlet for photographers who want to stay creative, even when they can’t or don’t want to go outside. If it’s pouring rain and the light is terrible, you can still be creative. All you need are a few props, a bit of light, and most importantly: an idea. Often, coming up with that idea is harder than mastering technique or choosing the right equipment.   

Learn how to maintain sharpness when light painting. Flash is not the only way—lighting, color, and movement can be utilized in creative ways. Learn to light your models so they look natural. Also, learn how to create depth while working with multiple light sources. Finally, where does color theory come into play? In this installment, we’ll take a look at advanced techniques that will take your light painting portraits to the next level.  

Almost every photographer has tried light painting at some point. Long exposures, running around with a flashlight or string of lights is great fun, but we usually don’t expect much from the resulting photos. They’re just light trails. But with some patience and creativity, this technique can be used to create stunning works of art, including light-painted portraits.