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  The subject is the essence of a photograph. Granted, many other elements go into making a successful image, but a great subject – or a mundane subject presented in an unusual way is essential. There are many treatments that can be used to select and accentuate the subject in your image: Where you place…

Limitations can be a catalyst for unleashing creative expression and pushing creative boundaries. It compels you to explore beyond the obvious and discover new ways to capture a scene. LImitations are a condition for the creation of true art. In photography, the adage “Less is More” can be applied in many different ways: It can…

Shenandoah County Fair, Woodstock, VA County and state fairs have been an agricultural tradition in the United States for over 200 years and the late summer months are “prime time” for county and state fairs in the DC Metro area! Fairs trace their roots back to ancient times where they began as commercial events for…

Color photography is a beautiful medium, especially when color is essential to the subject of the picture, as it should be in pictures of flowers, dresses, food, landscapes, sunrises, sunsets, products, and abstract work. But there are times when the beauty of color distracts from the meaning and the message of the picture. Think of…

We wish all of our clients and friends a very Happy New Year as we enter 2024, the 25th Anniversary year of Washington Photo Safari with 45,500 customers who have signed up for more than 6,600 photo safaris since 1999 and have given us hundreds of 5 star reviews! You have made us one of…

Although Winter officially starts on December 21, Meteorological Winter starts on December 1! According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, because of El Niño – the natural warming of ocean water in the Pacific, which affects the Jet Stream and how much cold air comes down from Canada – the DC area should expect to see…

As the fall foliage gives way to holiday decorations, it’s time to plan your trips to photograph the holiday decorations and light displays! Here are some tips and techniques for creating memorable images: First, use a sturdy tripod and a remote release or the timer on your camera to keep the images sharp. Use a…

Photography is as much about what we exclude from the frame as it is about what we include. To create a compelling image, it is as important to exclude what is not wanted in the image as well as what is wanted. If not enough elements are excluded, then too much is introduced into the…

Soon, there will be cooler temperatures here in the DC area, bringing with it, fall foliage which only lasts for a few weeks, so take advantage of every opportunity to photograph those brilliant fall colors! Here are some ideas for photographing the fall foliage: Rain produces wonderful reflections and color saturation! You may need to…

Cosmos Negative space simply refers to empty space around the subject (which is called positive space). The word negative in this case is not a bad connotation, but a way of guiding the viewer directly to the subject since the rest of the space has little to no visual interest. Negative space is relatively uniform,…

Les Colombes (The Doves), Washington National Cathedral When you lift your camera to your eye, what is happening in your mind? In thinking about the scene before you, is your mind working on finding more creative angles and perspectives, avoiding cluttered backgrounds, looking at how light is falling on the subject or considering other elements…