outdoor photography

3 Ways To Spice Up A Dull Location

There is nothing fun about trying to take an amazing photo with a dull location showing up in the background. It has probably happened to most of you where you find yourself taking portraits, at a wedding or even while taking landscape photos, and the location is just not as artistic as you would like. No matter what it is that you are shooting, there are plenty of ways you can spice up a dull location and we want to share 3 ways with you today.

1. Add In Some Extra Lighting

Adding in a little bit of light can really make a difference in spicing up your location and making the photos look great. Take some time when you arrive at the location and scope out unique details of the background that would be great to draw a little extra attention to with the lighting. 

2. Think About The Time Of Day

You may find that a specific location may be boring at one time of day, but may look totally different at another time. It is always important to scope out your location, so perhaps visit the spot at different times prior to your shoot to see what time of day is best. See what it looks like either early in the morning or late in the evening. Or, think about how the scene would look at night. Each time can bring a totally different look to the photos even though you take them from the exact same spot. 

Photo credit: wildpianist via Flickr

Photo credit: wildpianist via Flickr

3. Snap Photos From Different Angles

Just snapping a photo while you are standing straight in front of your subject is wonderful but if you move to a higher or lower angle to take the same photo can make it stand out that much more. While preparing for your shot, try and  visualize different angles you can try out. Perhaps you are photographing a family at a park and you can get up on top of a table or playground to shoot them from above. Or maybe you can try lying in front of the subject you are photographing so you photograph them from below catching a great background of the blue sky in the distance.

These are just a few ways to spice up a dull location when you are taking photos. If you are out taking photos and find yourself in a location with a less than stellar look to it, be sure to consider all of these options to take the best photos you possibly can. 

If you liked these tips, here are a few more you may enjoy: 


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Great Weather Photography From 2016

The last year brought with it so many significant weather events and Kevin Ambrose captured many of the different weather situations that he witnessed in the Washington D.C. region throughout 2016. We saw all of his photos in an article he wrote in The Washington Post and we wanted to share a few of them with you today. 

Kevin said in his article "It’s great to live in a city with four distinct seasons." We hope you enjoy his photos below! 

Distant lightning from a departing thunderstorm, July 19, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Distant lightning from a departing thunderstorm, July 19, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Sledding at the Capitol after Snowzilla, January 25, 2016. 

Sledding at the Capitol after Snowzilla, January 25, 2016. 

A small thunderstorm during sunset at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, June 12, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

A small thunderstorm during sunset at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, June 12, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Ducks on the Tidal Basin with Cherry Blossoms in full bloom, March 26, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Ducks on the Tidal Basin with Cherry Blossoms in full bloom, March 26, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

The Harvest Moon rises above Washington D.C., September 17, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

The Harvest Moon rises above Washington D.C., September 17, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial with heavy snow, February 15, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial with heavy snow, February 15, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Kayaking Great Falls during autumn, October 23, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Kayaking Great Falls during autumn, October 23, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

A stormy sunset at the Manassas National Battlefield Park, October 14, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose 

A stormy sunset at the Manassas National Battlefield Park, October 14, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose 

Great Falls frosted with snow, March 4, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Great Falls frosted with snow, March 4, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Autumn sunrise at the Tidal Basin with the Jefferson Memorial, November 13, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Autumn sunrise at the Tidal Basin with the Jefferson Memorial, November 13, 2016. Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

This photo is so unique and really showcases how beautiful each of the changing seasons can be. Here is a photo taken by Kevin Ambrose where he spliced together a photo from each season from the exact same spot in Washington D.C.  

Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose

Photo credit: Kevin Ambrose


Do you take animal photographs or other shots outdoors and sometimes need to fix the sky? If you ever want to add clouds or sunsets to your photos then this Pretty Sky Overlays is for you! For $124.99, you will get 110 overlays that will allow you to fix a blown out sky or edit in a specific mood. 

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE PRETTY SKY OVERLAYS NOW!

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11 Epic Landscape Photos By Andrew Ling

Seattle-based photographer Andrew Ling, 22, loves to photograph sweeping landscapes that show the scale and beauty of the world. He captures everything from the vast desert landscapes of Death Valley to the glaciers of Patagonia... and his work shows just how beautiful the world around us is. 

Ling told Weather.com in their recent article, “When I travel, I look for a place that is trying to tell a story. Mountains and glaciers don’t tend to have voices, so I try to create one for them: Who has climbed them? How are we losing them?”

Ling does tons of travel each year to capture his photos. Last year, he drove 3,000 miles across the United States in six days in order to capture panoramic views of America’s landscapes. This year, he traveled to Chile to experience the breathtaking Torres del Paine National Park. As you can see from some of his photos below, he likes to photographs himself or other travelers against landscapes in order to give a sense of scale. He also likes to uses the weather to help enhance the feel of his photography.

“The weather is everything to my photography.” he said. “I love taking photos just an hour before the sun goes down - the golden hour - and also in good fog or some snow.”

We hope you enjoy these photos from Andrew Ling as much as we do! 

Big Sur, California

Big Sur, California

Death Valley National Park, California

Death Valley National Park, California

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Palouse Falls State Park, Washington

Palouse Falls State Park, Washington

Taft Point, Yosemite National Park, California

Taft Point, Yosemite National Park, California

Death Valley National Park, California

Death Valley National Park, California

Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, California

Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, California

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Be sure to check out more of Andrew Ling's work on his Instagram.

Did you love these landscape photos? Here are a few others you may enjoy! 


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