As a learner, I work, like you, to improve my photography skills. I use my camera (whatever kind it is!) look through its menus, and watch videos online. But a great way to improve your skills is to look at a photography magazine. You can buy a paper copy or a digital one.
Reading a Digital Magazine
I read Digital Camera Magazine on an app called Zinio on my iPad. Every month, this magazine shares new ideas and techniques for all levels, from beginners to experts. It features exciting topics like photographing Puffins and Formula 1 cars but also more realistic projects that you can try yourself.
Composition Inspiration
One of the features I read about in a recent issue (October 2025) about is one I am excited to show you here because I know it is something you can try too.
The magazine featured an informative and easy to follow series on composition taken from a book by Richard Garvey-Williams called ‘Mastering Composition‘. [Affiliate] It takes the subject much further than my basic beginner’s article by going deeper into the hows and whys, in plain English.
As you can see from the very small snippet here. Mr Garvey-Williams covers the role of tone and how our eyes are drawn from darkness to light.
He shows an example in the magazine of a bird of prey where the background is very dark. This allows the light to outline the bird’s wings, and highlight its intense gaze, in a breathtakingly simple portrait.
How I Created My Tone Portrait
If you are like me, when you read about a technique or concept; as a beginner your mind starts to look for potential locations where you might be able to practise, and then maybe get ready to try a setting or two. My chance came when I discovered Jack in the bedroom basking in a sunbeam and I knew I had just a short time before he moved so I had to grab my chance.
As you can see from the slideshow it took me a while to compose a good shot. Jack moved, and then I moved the wrong way. The perils of composing a cat photo.
I raised my Nikon Z50 and took several shots [Aperture Priority] and managed to capture a portrait, mostly, without over exposed highlights on Jack’s muzzle. As I am experimenting with spot metering* at the moment I was able to focus on the bright part of his face which was a help in darkening the background. [I am including a Nikon definition below but, spot metering means there is a very small area your camera checks the light on.]
There was no time to try Manual mode, but I may get another opportunity as Jack spends a lot of time napping in that spot. For this shot the camera had an ISO of 400, slightly brighter than my usual starting setting of 200, and f.5 so the depth of field, if you could see it, would not be very sharp.
Jack’s Tone Portrait
The settings are: ISO400 70 mm f.5
Spot * metering is a camera exposure mode that measures the brightness of a small area of the frame, typically around 2.5% of the image. This mode is useful for high-contrast scenes, allowing for precise exposure adjustments based on the specific subject you want to highlight.”
Nikon
Master Jack in Manual Mode
When I want to try the next step I have a perfect opportunity to prepare as I know Jack likes to nap in that spot so I made a list of the steps I will need to try and take.
So, I will switch to Manual mode. Manual settings lock all three variables, ISO, shutter seed and metering (for me)) preventing the camera from automatically trying to brighten the background, which is what I want to avoid for this tone portrait.
- I can set my ISO (start at my preferred ISO 200, or ISO 400 if needed for shutter speed).
- Set my Aperture (f/stop). To truly isolate Jack and throw the background into deep shadow, try a wider aperture (smaller f-number) like f/2.8 or f/4, if your lens allows. This will also give me a more pleasingly blurred (shallow) depth of field.
- Use my Spot Metering on the brightest part of Jack (the muzzle). Adjust the Shutter Speed until the exposure meter is close to zero (or slightly underexposed, maybe ?1/3 to ?2/3 stop, to ensure the background stays dark).
Gorgeous portrait of Jack! Love all the tips you share to help other aspiring shutterbugs become the best they can be and really have fun capturing special – and frame-worthy- images of their pets! As a photojournalist, it would have been lovely to have these tips decades ago when I was starting out! And even being a season photographer, I appreciate your posts and info! Sharing and Pinning to my Shutterbuggin’ board!
Those photos are amazing and I love reading about the different techniques although I do not try them all as I would drive myself nuts LOL, thanks as always
Fantastic picture of Jack and what a cutie he is😻We don’t do camera’s anymore, Granny got really confused about it, so she only does her best on the simple camera, her phone😺She wished she had some of your skills, Marjorie. Extra Pawkisses for all of you🐾😽💞
Great new technique for taking photos, Marjorie. Excellent tutorial as always. I love how you make everything look so easy and doable. It always makes me want to jump in and try it with Henry. The photos of Jack are award-winning! I hope you enter them in a contest. I’m sharing with all my pet parents so they can learn as well.
Those photos of Jack are amazing! They are so professional. I’m still starting to master some basics.
Oops! I meant to say I’m still “trying” to master basics, not “starting” LOL!
I’m going to try this with my dogs! I’ve created a photo challenge list for myself with different colors/themes to try and take as many pictures as I can of them. This will make a very interesting shot.
It takes determination to learn a new skill or build off an exsisting one. You demonstate this with great explaination of what you needed and where your struggles are. You got this and captured some beautiful shots.
Your pictures are lovely, and it’s amazing to me how much patience and commitment you have to always learning new skills. I’m very interested in learning to take better pictures, but I get lost when hearing the technical side of photography. My biggest challenge is taking the time every day to photograph something as a way of practicing. I also think a lot has to do with someone’s “eye.” My husband and I can take the same picture with the same phone, but his always come out so much better.
The photo came out great!
I am afraid you lost me near the beginning, but the portrait came out beautifully.
Our son just acquired an Olympus mirrorless camera…a birthday present for himself. mo now he has to learn all about using it and the lenses he got with it. Not sure what the lenses are as far as numbers…
I learned a few things from my father, but truthfully I am just your average joe blow when it comes to taking pictures. I might take 100 and get one good one, LOL! At least I don’t waste film…teehee!
I am not finding it the easiest camera to get my head around, I admit.
Oops, I forgot to say Thanks for joining Angel Brian’s Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.
Brian’s Home Forever
You really are quiet the photo pro, hooray for you!
Brian’s Home Forever
What fabulous pictures of sleepy Jack!
Most of it is Greek to me, but you get such amazing photos, I admire how you are always trying something different.