tips for taking outdoor photos

• Take photos in the early morning and late afternoon when light is softer and longer shadows gives scenes a greater sense of depth and texture.
• Animals are often easier to see at dawn or dusk, but be sure to use fast speed settings (say 400ISO) when shooting in low light conditions.
• On sunny days avoid deep shadows by getting people to face the sun and remove their hat.
• Keep shooting when the weather turns nasty -- some of the best photos are taking during, or just after storms.
• Avoid camera shake in low light levels by resting the camera against a railing or tree.
• Use a tripod whenever possible, even under good lighting conditions -- if nothing else it helps to concentrate on the perfect framing.
• Don't use a polarizing filter when shooting into the sun -- streaks and flares can occur.
• On white-sky days, include less of the sky choosing to concentrate on subjects close at hand. The softer light of overcast days is excellent for photographing the subtle textures in close-up