You hike. You paddle. You ski. You snap incredible pictures in an endorphin-soaked state of awe as you reach a summit, waterfall, or beautiful overlook. You go home, download your masterpiece to your computer, and think, "Hmm. This picture is kind of boring. There must be something wrong with my camera. What's wrong with my camera? I need a new camera!"

Anyone who takes pictures has experienced such a mo­ment. For those of us who are intimately involved with the outdoors and spend hours on a trail or river getting to that spectacular vista, it can be especially painful to return with mediocre photos. A photo can go bad (or just boring) for many reasons, but they all boil down to the fact that it is very challenging to create a compelling two-dimensional repre­sentation of a complex three-dimensional space. In addition, if you're on an adrenaline-charged adventure, it is easy to slip up and make technical mistakes in the heat of the moment. But rest assured, if you memorize and practice a few of the following tips, you will come home with a higher percentage of winning shots and be able to save your money for the next adventure trip instead of an expensive new camera. With one exception ("Polarize"), these tips are applicable whether you use a top-of-the-line digital SLR or a simple digital point-and-shoot.

Get Out and Tune In

To make great outdoor photographs on a consistent basis, you need to get out and explore the natural world as much as possible and "tune in" to the place you are exploring. Stop and think about the story you are trying to tell with your camera when you take it out and start shooting. Don't just snap documents of the scene in front of you, but consciously determine the purpose of your photograph and concentrate on making that the dominant feature of your picture. For example, if your hiking partner is acting goofy on the trail, make sure he or she is big in the frame, not just a speck on the horizon. On the other hand, if you are trying to show the immense size of Tuckerman Ravine, fill the frame with the headwall and include a person in a small part of the frame to better depict the large scale of the landscape.

Maximize light: A small cascade, in Mount Washington's Ammonoosuc Ravine, is captured in the even, natural light of over cast skies.

Maximize the Light

Photography is about light, and the best way to improve your photos is to learn how to use the right light for your sub­ject. I love to photograph with two types of natural light: the even light under overcast skies and the warm, low-con­trast light just after sunrise and just before sun­set, the so-called "golden hours." My least favorite light is the bright sunlight of mid-day, which is harsh and creates unpleas­ant, contrasty shad­ows with a cold-blue cast. For photogra­phers, the middle of sunny days are meant for putting mileage under your boots and scouting out photo lo­cations for the end of the day, when you can take advantage of better light.

Use the warm colors of late-day and early-morn­ing sunshine to light big landscape scenes, nature details, and adventure shots. Your photos will have colors that are more vibrant and "pop" instead of appear­ing washed out, and the low angle of the light will allow you to capture details in your shadows as well as the rich tex­tures of your sub­ject matter. On the flip side, the lack of direct sunlight on overcast days is great for shooting scenes in the forest, which can become a confusing mess of harsh sun­light broken up by dark shadows on a sunny day. The only rule on overcast days is to avoid including the sky in your photo, as it will appear as a big, boring, white distraction. If you have always wanted to capture that classic scene of a trail tunneling through the forest, try shooting it on an over­cast day in the early summer or fall and you won't be disap­pointed. Waterfalls and forest wildflowers also look great in overcast light.

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