Congratulations to Dave Radowits of Abbotsford, BC for receiving the most votes in the “By Popular Vote” monthly photo contest! “Early morning sun’s reflection on the water” is a perfect representation of February’s theme, Perspectives. Thanks Dave for this amazing moment.

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What inspires you to get outside? Take our 2013 photo challenge to show us Canada’s naturally wondrous creations and inspirations.

A new section we’re adding featuring tips, comments and questions from members. Got something to say? Send us a message

People who love outdoor photography may ask "Why the photos I took look so different than the ones professional photographer's did?" The answer is so called "photographer's eye", and I like to call it the ability to "read" our surroundings. There are no fixed rules to follow, but always guidelines to help create unique images. The following are 5 tips based on my past experiences.

• Tip 1: shoot from a low angle
  Always try a low angle shot at any scene, this might be wrong for some situations, but it doesn't hurt to give it a try. This method is best for intimate shots, but it is also applicable to landscapes at a large scale, such as framing a mountain top through a few rocks on the ground.
• Tip 2: contrast, contrast and contrast
  A good practice in outdoor photography is to look for contrast. When next time you go out to shoot, pay attention to your surroundings, and look for contrasts such as warm tones and cool tones, moving subjects and still subjects, softness and hardness etc. If you can properly include them in your picture, they can bring dramas and stories to your work, and dramas and stories bring a still image to life.
• Tip 3: shoot differently in popular photo spots
  When shooting well-known subjects such as lake Louise, CN tower or the golden gate bridge, avoid an angle that most people shoot from. A different time of the day, a different position or a different weather can sometimes bring plenty of creativity and uniqueness.
• Tip 4: pay attention to small things
  When photographing outdoors, don’t always pay attention to the main subjects you planned to shoot, but instead look for small things, such as a leaf or a bug. These small things sometimes play big roles, and if you look hard enough, you can find the beauty behind them.
• Tip 5: always evaluate the unexpected subjects
  Unexpected elements are important in outdoor photography, for example, a person suddenly shows up on the site that you want to shoot sunrise from, or a deer runs across your view finder. Respect them and accommodate them in your scene, and sometimes they can become the wow factor of your image.

Bio:
Victor Liu is a multi-award winning photographer based in Calgary, Alberta. He is specialized in landscape, wildlife and macro photography. His works have been published on magazines such as Canadian Geographic, Outdoor Photography Canada and Canadian Camera. For more information, please visit his website