To focus in the dark for night photography, use live view, zoom in to a bright star or distant light at 10x magnification, and turn your focus ring until the point of light is as small and sharp as possible. Then lock your focus ring with tape or switch to manual focus to avoid accidental refocusing.
For macro photography of flowers and insects, use a narrow aperture (f/8 to f/16) to maximize your shallow depth of field, keep ISO as low as possible (100 to 400), and set your shutter speed to at least 1/200s to avoid blur from subject movement or camera shake. Manual focus with focus peaking gives you the most control.
To photograph deer without startling them, approach slowly from downwind, wear neutral or earth-toned clothing, and stop moving the moment the deer looks up. Use a 200mm to 400mm telephoto lens so you can keep your distance. Set your shutter speed to at least 1/500s to freeze their movement.
For waterfall photography, a 6-stop ND filter (ND64) is the most versatile choice. It gives you enough light reduction to shoot at f/11 and ISO 100 while creating silky water blur at shutter speeds between 1/4 second and 2 seconds. A 10-stop ND is better for very bright midday conditions.
To photograph in fog, use a wider aperture (f/5.6 to f/8), keep your ISO between 200 and 400, and set your shutter speed based on available light. A tripod is essential. Fog adds mood and depth to landscape shots that clear days simply cannot match.
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