Have you ever wondered how photographers capture soft cotton-like clouds or silky flowing water on the beach or astride a stream? It’s a common technique known as “shutter drag” that’s very easy to accomplish.

If you’ve never tried your hand at wildlife photography, we hope to change that today, with the simple primer below that covers all the basics. You’ll pick up a variety of technical tips, shooting advice, and suggestions for finding appropriate subjects wherever you happen to be.

Should you shoot Raw images or JPEGs with your camera? This is an incredibly common question from new photographers, and you’re bound to get different answers depending on who you speak with.

Most landscape photographers carry a polarizing filter in their bag for darkening pale skies, making colors more vibrant, and eliminating distracting reflections from water. But what if you’re out in the field and your polarizer is at home?