WHETHER travelling on an expedition, or shooting in the Canadian Rockies, I strive to achieve excellence in-camera so that I have very little editing to do later. Here are some pro tips you can utilize to add some “instant sizzle” to your images - allowing you to spend more time shooting the beauty around you and less on editing afterwards..

Get to know your gear to achieve excellence in-camera

Take the time to get to know your equipment, and experiment with all of your settings to find out what works best for you. My favourite cameras to shoot with are my Nikon D4S for its speed, precision and incredibly high ISO capabilities, and my Nikon D800E for the detail I can capture at 36 megapixels. Here are some settings you can try using to achieve fantastic results right out of the camera:

First, set your camera to shoot RAW to capture all the image data recorded by the sensor. That will allow you to edit or correct your image later on with Nikon View NX2 or other photo-editing software without causing a reduction in image quality.

Next, go to your in-camera Picture Control Settings and crank up the saturation and sharpness. Consider tuning your contrast as well, depending on your subject. These adjustments will immediately make a HUGE difference in most images. Experiment with your white balance to warm up or cool down your images. I often use a cloudy or shade setting to warm up a sunrise or sunset.

Your camera’s ISO speed setting determines its sensitivity to light. Higher ISO settings are used in low-light shooting situations to capture more light, but this also often produces image noise or grain. Noise can be an issue on some cameras at ISO sensitivities over 1,000 ISO. In hand-held situations where you are shooting at a higher ISO, set your High ISO Noise Reduction settings to Low or whatever setting works best for your camera.

Nikon’s D-Lighting setting works great to get more detail in the mid-tone to shadow area. I usually leave the D-Lighting set on low or normal. If you don’t have this feature, you can try reducing the contrast when shooting in difficult light and with dark contrasting subjects.

Master the light

Good lighting is a key element to getting an outstanding photograph. When shooting outdoors, it is generally better to do so in the early morning and late evening because the quality of light is lower and warmer. This time of day will create more pleasing shadows, contrast and texture, along with more vibrant colours in your images.

Early morning may bring fog, mist on the water and maybe even some wildlife to complement your image. Mornings generally have less haze and less wind, and that might help you get a clearer shot. Sunsets can be epic and offer warm and wonderful lighting opportunities.

Many photographers pack up and head home right after the sun goes down, but sometimes, the magic starts to happen 10 minutes or so after the sun sets. Powerful colours in the sky begin to appear and you may see bright pink/red hues emerge. If you have some truly interesting clouds, your sky may become electric!

Get creative - Paint with light

One of my favourite techniques is to paint an outdoor night time scene with light. You will have to put your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure while painting the subject with different light sources like flashlights, glow sticks, LEDs, coloured gels, Speedlight flashes, and much more. This technique will help you get dramatic results with vibrant colours and it can be a lot of fun – especially if you share the moment with friends and get them involved.

I would suggest starting with a 20- or 30-second exposure with your camera on a tripod at 100-250 ISO. Set your aperture depending on the depth of field you want to achieve. I suggest f/8 to begin. I exposed my image “Mystical Moon Rise over Botanical Beach” (pictured above) for 180 seconds using a Nikon programmable cable release and a headlamp to paint the waves with light in a swirling pattern while flashing my Nikon Speedlight several times at full power to the left of the image to illuminate the scene.

Know when to use a tripod

Use a tripod when shooting in low light to capture all the brilliance without going too high with your camera ISO settings and causing unnecessary image degradation. To reduce vibrations which may cause camera shake I love to use my Nikon WR-R10 and WR-A10 Wireless Remote Controller and Adapter. You can also use the built-in exposure delay mode available in most new camera settings. If your lens has a VR (Vibration Reduction) function, then turn it on in NORMAL mode for sharper images. If you have to shoot hand-held then try adjusting your shutter to shoot faster, depending on the type of lens you’re using. For example, with a wide-angle lens, try to shoot faster than 1/30 of a second, and with any focal lengths over 70mm, try to shoot faster than 1/250 of a second.

Get comfortable with adjusting your settings in-camera and try something different during every shoot. Allow creativity to flow through you and continually aim to expand your photographic toolbox. Connect to your subject, visualize the final image you want to achieve and take the time to capture it in-camera with excellence.