How many times have you been out in the snow snapping away only to end up with grey casts over them? This is a common issue when shooting in the snow, how is it caused I hear you ask?

Shooting at night can show you the world through a different lens; shapes turn into interesting artwork as the street lights illuminate the way.  Bridges flooding waterways with their bright lights, shooting at night can be a photographic reward that many miss out on. Night photography can pose quite a few problems but with a little thought and preparation most can be easily overcome.

A huge misconception exists in the photography world that metering for digital photography is far less important than with traditional film photography. This could not be further from the truth. Although we have a greater freedom in correcting photos like never before with the advent of digital photography, there is the question of why make extra work for you. Also an incorrectly exposed shot can lose subtle highlight and shadows that are often impossible to bring back.

I am sure you have seen wonderful panoramic photos on the internet, you may have given it a try and always come away with mixed results. There are a few simple rules to go by when making your panoramic photo, simple but important, so I though I'd highlight them below.

The program that you use is really up to you, so I will deal with everything that goes on before you input your pictures to ensure great results in the end.

Basked in golden light as the sun shimmers over the water the sunset can truly be a magnificent sight. When you are travelling or even local try to be a little more creative with your sunset photography, too often we see the standard sunset shot with little to remind you of where it was taken.

Although it can be tempting to have a clear sunset shot, you are really missing creativity and visual reminders of where the shot was taken. If you are away on holiday or somewhere new, try and capture the essence of the place you are visiting, framing the shot with a little thought can turn a nice sunset into a spectacular memorable photo.

An often-overlooked component to modern digital format photography is what format the file is being saved in. If you want your photography to move to a new level you need to understand the different file types and why you would use them.

You will have seen those amazing shots of lightning, have you ever wondered how you capture the raw intensity of bolts of white and purple shooting across the sky?
Shooting lightning is not easy and is one of the more difficult photography techniques to master although with a bit of practise and the right conditions you too will be able to add dramatic lightning photographs to your collection.

I have been taking photos at concerts I have been to over the last 4 or 5 years and normally come away with a few keepers but I have always been left a little frustrated that due to camera restrictions, I could only take in my point and shoot. A few months ago I put my name down as a contributer for an online magazine so I could start building my portfolio and confidence as a live shooter. There is no pay for this but it's a great time and I am getting to see bands I'd never see.

So, what have I learnt so far? read on....

Modern digital cameras are full of functions, shooting modes and add on features but believe it or not only two settings are at the foundation of taking a photo.

Even though we have seen great advancement in camera technology the basis of the camera has not changed in essence it is a box that contains a light sensitive element, in traditional photography that is the film and in digital cameras a sensor.

Photography is an art and like any artistic endeavour it takes time to master, before you know yourself you will be walking around seeing life one frame at a time. With modern editing software you have power at your finger tips that has brought a whole new and exciting world to photography, but with a little care and understanding you will be able to produce more dramatic shots with less time spent in front of the computer.