Lens Eye View

Sometimes it's just being at the right place at the right time. This was a simple point and shoot--the content was already there.

Don't be afraid to get up close and take only part of the picture. Sure, a full shot of a giraffe from head to toe is great, but being able to see her face (look at the eye) is even more fantastic.

Not everyone will take a picture of a horse's behind, but the overall composition of this photo doesn't accent just the back end of the horse. I like the way the shadow from the tree draws your eye to the ground and the head of the horse grazing.

Everyone who sees a panda usually thinks "how cute." In this photo I captured her with her paw exposing the claws, not exactly "cute."

Rule of thirds applies here. The palm tree is in the right third of the overall photo. Also, watch out for crooked horizon lines. I had to nudge this one in Photoshop so the horizon line was straight.

Instead of taking a far away shot of the USS Constitution, I zoomed in on the masts to create this really unique photo.

An incredible photo can sometimes be made even more spectacular by converting it to grayscale.

Shooting up or down often makes for an interesting look.

To make your photos a little different, use creative edges.

Combine a photographic edge with the liquefy filter in Photoshop for an unusual way to make the red panda stand out.

Using the crosshatch filter gives your photo a "hand-crafted" look.

Sometimes getting really close up to flowers brings out their unusual features. Notice the little buds within the larger flower.