Posts tagged ‘Photography’
Point and Shoot Camera Photography Tips
Image : http://www.flickr.com
I was recently asked if I can write an article for point-and-shoot (or more specifically, fixed lens camera) users. I think it’s a great idea to do so. With the prices of entry-level digital SLRs dropping to insane levels, it is easy for a beginner to think that a professional-looking DSLR will create better pictures outright, which is totally untrue.
Before we begin, you’ll see me using the term “point-and-shoot” or “P&S” quite often in this article. Technically speaking, it’s not that accurate as any camera that has a program mode (that includes the highest-end DSLR’s in the market with their “Program” modes) can be considered as point-and-shoot. Anytime the camera‘s electronics determine the exposure for you, it’s considered a point-and-shoot. For most people, however, the term P&S is tied up to any camera that doesn’t have interchangeable lenses. I don’t want to pursue this trend, and I’ll call those cameras as fixed-lens cameras (FLC’s) instead. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel, but if the term is inaccurate, why use it?
This photo was taken by a 2002 Canon PowerShot S40 with 4 megapixels. Lighting came from an opaque fiberglass roof from above. Model is my son.
While I do use a digital SLR most of the time, I’m a big, big fan of using portable FLC point-and-shoots, digital or film. The simpler the camera, the easier it is for me to operate, the more creative you have to be – not to mention you always have the excuse of “hey! I was using a cheap, automated camera!” (partial joke here).
Seriously, though, a DSLR will surely make your photography better, no doubt. From the higher resolution of the sensors, much faster response times, better auto-focus, considerably better lens, and all the accessories you can add on to create higher quality output, there isn’t a doubt that a DSLR is better suited than a fixed-lens digital camera.
Let us point out some limitations with digital FLC’s first, and there are a few that you have to consider.
Smaller sensors – A sensor is like a film surface, that’s where all the captured light gets transferred onto a chip that collates all the info to form a photograph image file. The larger the sensor, the more efficient the sensor can capture light. A small FLC will have a much smaller sensor compared to even the smallest of DSLR’s. That physical difference compromises image quality, noise handling, response times, among others. Fuji cameras are well known to have larger-than-average sensors, but recently, their superior sensors can’t compete with the marketing prowess of megapixel count. Quite unfortunate. With the upcoming Canon PowerShot G10 digital camera, however, there seem to be a new direction on sensor development for FLC’s, so it’s a good sign that we’re moving away from the megapixel hype.
Response times – From shutter lag (time difference between the moment you press the shutter to the actual moment a photo is captured) to auto-focus response, FLC’s suffer a more sluggish performance than their SLR counterparts. Part of the reason would be the amount of features that engineers need to cram into a tiny housing, the smaller the camera, the smaller the sensors and chips that process the information needed to create a picture. In high stress environments, a bigger camera usually can do things much faster than a smaller camera.
Lens quality – Again, with size being the main issue, the smaller the lens, the harder it is to capture great amount of detail in photographs. This is especially true with lenses that can cover a wide range of focal length. Even with dedicated SLR lenses, the greater the focal length coverage, the lower the inherent image quality, this problem is multiplied on smaller cameras.
Accessories limitation – Most FLC’s are sized differently from each other, that aspect alone will force manufacturers to design proprietary accessories like batteries specific only to a particular model. The cost of buying proprietary batteries are higher and less convenient than using standard AA batteries. While there are still a few AA-ready FLC’s around, the smaller sized are more marketable and this trend will probably continue in the near future.
There are a lot of benefits from an FLC compared to its larger cousins, though:
FLC’s are compact. There are countless of scenarios when it is impossible, illogical, unsafe, impractical to whip out a full-sized SLR for image capture.
Features that are standard to FLC’s for quite sometime are just starting to migrate into DSLR bodies. Impromptu videos, tiltable LCD’s, instant macro, live-view framing, face detection auto focus, to name a few.
Less conspicuous. A lot of times, when photographing strangers or public places, using a small camera attracts a lot less attention and is less intimidating for your subjects compared to wielding a large camera.
So let’s get started – how to take better photos with a FLC.
I have one tip to get you started, and this tip applies to whatever camera you choose to have. If you don’t heed this advice, the rest of the article will not work for you.
TIP #1 – KNOW YOUR CAMERA BY HEART
It seems obvious, but I can assure you that majority of camera owners (SLR or FLC) are not familiar with what their camera is capable of achieving.
There can be many reasons for this. From changing cameras too often (often blaming the camera for not being able to capture something), not reading and understanding the manual, not asking the right person, to not practicing at all. Reasons that inevitably point to one source, the user’s decision to not know his camera.
You have to be familiar with what all the settings and buttons of your camera. I’m not just saying knowing what the button does, but to know HOW each setting affects your photograph or technique. There’s no point bragging about “I know this button is for exposure compensation!” but have no idea how an exposure is calculated in the first place.
You also have to know how to operate your camera with little fuss. Know how to turn on, adjust exposure, lock focus, change white balance, etc. like it’s second nature. If you spend your time fiddling on menus and buttons, you’ll miss whatever chance you have to capture what’s in front of you.
In addition, by knowing your camera‘s strengths, you’ll also know its limitations. You’ll instinctively know how to pre-focus to get an action shot, what settings to use to keep noise to your acceptable limit, how near is your lens’ minimum focusing distance, how far your flash can reach, and so forth.
So know your camera well. Sit at home, reset your camera to its factory default, follow the user’s manual and test every setting to see how it affects your images. That’s the only way for you to know what your camera can do. If you “try” settings out during the time of the shoot, not only are you playing a game of roulette, you also won’t learn anything.
TIP # 2 – STICK TO THE FOUNDATIONS
Photography is about how light is captured on a subject or scene. It’s not about what camera you used or what brand of lens you prefer. If you have decent foundations in photography, the camera you hold has less importance the your photographic vision. The limitations or potential of the camera your holding will become creative inspiration instead of a hindrance to your final photograph.
Composition – Learn basics such as where to place subject, watching out for distracting backgrounds, making use of strong leading lines, looking for a different angle are basic things to keep in mind that can become second nature as your photographic skills grow.
See the light – Learn how and why a certain light is falling on a subject or scene a certain way. Always keep an eye on shadows and how you can manipulate light to create shapes, definition, and depth in your photographs. Experiment by simply asking your subjects (move them if they can’t, in case of still life) slightly and see how the light is changing the shape of the shadows.
Those two simple tips will get you ahead of most other casual photo snappers in the real world. Yes, there are a lot of other things that you can and must learn, but as a starting point, those simple, non-technical pointers will enable your photographs to instantly look more presentable than casual snap shots.
TIP # 3 – DON’T BE LAZY!
Photography requires effort.
You need to think creatively, you need to move around and find good angles before you press the shutter button. You can’t get good angles by standing straight up and shooting at eye level 99% of the time. That will never happen.
Interesting photographs are a result of captured images you don’t often see with your own eyes. Most people are between 5 to 6 feet in height. The 1 to 2 feet vantage point difference isn’t a lot and if you keep shooting at those positions, people will not see anything special even if you captured a pig flying.
You have access to three dimensions when you’re shooting, use it!
Aim your camera upwards, downwards, kneel down, lie prone, lie on your back, do anything BUT shoot from eye level as much as possible.
Walk up to your subject and fill the frame. Climb up a flight of stairs or stand on a stool. Just be different.
How many times have you joined a group tour and as soon as you arrive on site, every single tourist will stand on the same spot and shoot EXACTLY the same image. What’s the point? Just buy a postcard!
Put some effort into it and your photo will stand out from the rest of the pack.
TIP # 4 -DON’T BE A PART OF A HERD
Like my last point, if everyone is shooting the same scene, it’ll be difficult to get anything special. Try shooting when everyone else is too wimpy to take their cameras out.
Shoot in the rain, shoot when you’re just walking around town, shoot when you’re inside a bus, photograph your neighborhood grouch – whatever other people are too LAZY to shoot! Your experience will be very personal and enlightening, to say the least.
TIP # 5 – GET OUT AND SHOOT!
You can read all the books, articles, blogs, forums you want, even attend workshops, but until you actually go out and try out what you’ve learned again and again, you’ll never improve beyond a single instance as your newfound skills are not ingrained in your mind.
Always keep in mind that a camera cannot take a photo by itself, unless you keep shooting, appreciate what you’ve done, and learn from what went right or what went wrong with your photos, your photos will never improve beyond the amount of effort you’ve put in.
(Originally post with images can be viewed from David’s Simple Photography )
14 Techniques for better Photography Part 2 T1i
This is second of two videos which will give you 14 tips to make your pictures better. These tips are demonstrated with a Canon Rebel T1i, but you can easily do them with any camera.
Photography Techniques : How to Use a Camera Lens Hood
A camera lens hood is used in order to prevent a reflection from the sun from going into the camera lens. Find out how to attach a camera lens hood in order to block the sun with help from a photographer in this free video on photography tips and camera lens hoods. Expert: Kight Haberer Contact: actionshootersphotography.com Bio: Kight Haberer has a degree in photography from the University of North Texas. He is the owner of Action Shooters Photography, which is based out of Fort Worth, Texas. Filmmaker: Kevin Haberer
Aerial Photography Genesis
Image : http://www.flickr.com
Check the oil. Check the fuel for impurities. Look over the fuselage for any irregularities. Look over the flaps and rudders to see that they are all attached and functioning properly. Check the landing gear. Climb into the plane and go down the list of items that must be checked prior to flight. “CLEAR” ignition! Awwwww yeah!
I love it. I simply love it. I can feel the adrenaline level increase as the carburetor starts to warm up while sitting on the tarmac. Headphones on. Listening for the latest weather report. Air traffic control buzzing through instructing another small plane coming in for a touch down. Its time. We taxi to the airfield. “Mid-valley Nancy 3812 Lima request permission to take of from runway 13 mid field” a brief pause…Nancy 3812 Lima you are cleared for take off.” Now the real butterflies hit my stomach” The wind is coming from the south east at about 16 knots so we have plenty of headwind to get a mid field take off. Seats locked thorough look around for any unknown air traffic and here we go. Throttle engage and we begin cruising down the run way. 30, 40, 50, then 60 MPH and we have enough for lift. That’s it…we’re flying! What a rush. Today we will be leaving Weslaco mid field and heading west towards Rio Grande City. Our destination is McAllen, Texas. We will fly over Donna, Pharr, San Juan, Alamo. At 2000 feet altitude we can clearly see Edinburg and Mission as well as Hidalgo Texas. The air is warm and the sky is clear. This should be a wonderful day for aerial Photography.
Professional Photography Tips For Compact Digital Camera Users – How to Take Good Portrait Photos
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If you’ve seen many beautiful portrait photos and you might be wondering how to take stunning pictures of your subjects’ faces – it can be done by using both SLR cameras and compact digital cameras. However, as for amateur photographers (those who have limited knowledge about photography) – if you’re under this category; you might be having difficulties of producing good portrait pictures with your point-and-shoot camera.
Certainly, there are few tips that you can take dazzling portrait photos by using your point-and-shoot camera:
Tip No.1: Taking multiple photo shoots in different angles
Basically, your subject’s face is normally focused and placed at the center of the picture during a portrait photo shoot. In that case, not all subjects look nice by staring straightly at the camera lens during the photo shoot. Therefore, you can request the subject to stare slightly to the left or right at the lens during the photo shooting process. At the other way around, let the subject naturally look at you – this time, the photographer changes the position of her camera, i.e. by adjusting the height of the tripod, or taking few shots at different angles.
Tip No.2: Having different backdrops or themes for your subject
Choosing the right backdrop or theme is important to make your subject’s face (a.k.a. the foreground) more noticeable and well-perceived by others. Avoid using striking colored backgrounds that could overshadow your subject. You can use other materials such as solid colored wrinkled cloths, boards or walls as your backdrops which can create different tones on your subject’s face.
If you want to have real underwater themes – you can use the Canon waterproof digital camera to take clear and excellent underwater portrait photos which is impossibly taken by using conventional types of digital cameras.
Tip No. 3: Try suitable shooting mode for the right photo-taking condition
Make use of the advanced presets or shooting modes so that you can take high-quality portrait pictures in different conditions. For Canon PowerShot digital camera users, they would usually use the “Sunset/Evening Shooting Mode” to capture portrait pictures outdoors in the evening with the brightness, colors and contrast are well-adjusted.
Tip No. 4: Dress your subject
Based on the well-known quote – “Clothes make the man”; in this case, your subject’s appearance can be enhanced with pleasant-looking attires. If you want to make your subject looks elegant – for instance, wearing a matching business suit can make your portrait picture look formal. In contrast, you can have your subjects to wear sports apparels (including baseball cap, sports jacket, jerseys) that would create a perfect athletic impression as well as develop a refreshing view of your subjects’ faces.
How You Can Have Money by Using Digital Camera Photography
Image : http://www.flickr.com
If you’ve a digital camera and appreciate taking images, probabilities are you have thought about creating some additional money together with your photos. Electronic photography is a single with the international quickest raising hobbies. It isn’t difficult to consider your hobby towards the next degree, with the right knowledge and some creative energy. Really, there are several methods that you can make some extra cash together with your electronic camera.
All it takes is really a small imagination, a flair for showmanship, a bit of salesmanship and the willingness to complete some work – and you are set. If you’re currently involved with electronic photography then there is a good chance which you already have all of the equipment that’s required to start. The very first point that you’re likely to need for this really is a electronic camera with features comparable to individuals of a SLR film digital camera, along with a tripod for some occasions. You’ll also need an excellent printer or printing support.
You will also need good electronic photo editing software program. The best applications that you can use are Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Corel Paint Shop Pro X, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 5. If possible, you should invest a couple hundred dollars in advertising materials.
Prior to we move on, this really is a good time to clear up one misconception. It isn’t impossible to create a great earnings from your photography, as many people believe. They point out that almost everybody has a digital camera or at least a digital camera telephone. I can hear you saying, “Why would individuals spend for pictures once they can take their personal?” It is this way. It’s true that just about every household includes a electronic digital camera, or a film digital camera. However, how lots of people can truly use them?
You might want to consider a appear at how many images individuals consider. Let’s be honest. They’re horrible. You will find generally motion blur pictures from holding the camera the incorrect way. Bad color too. Awkwardly positioned objects. There are no composition skills. They do not know how to avoid points like shadows over their subjects faces. Even if these individuals understood how to use electronic photo editing software properly, many of their images are beyond help. There is only so much you are able to do to correct a bad photograph.
What do you think is going to happen when these individuals attempt and print their pictures. I’m certain you’ve seen pictures like this. The prints have bad resolution. This happens when the photographer had no idea how you can adjust the digital camera settings to create printable photos. This really is superb news for you personally. With your superb digital photography skills, you are able to easily display prospective clients a few samples that will get them signing on the dotted line.
Perhaps you do not think this is likely. I attended a birthday party lately and I’m going to tell you about it. The hostess engaged the services of an experienced amateur photographer who was hoping to begin her own company – just like you. Most with the people at the party brought their personal digital cameras, but most people forgot to consider pictures. And individuals shots that we did take had been unplanned and poorly positioned.
The photograph nevertheless got cash for what they did. Two days later, she uploaded her photographs to some web website. The party guests had been sent an email having a link towards the page. We downloaded the pictures we wanted and printed them or saved them to our computer. This photographer experienced a good gig, because she didn’t even need to bother with printing and delivering the function, although she received generous spend.
How cool is that?
You can do this as well. So, learn all you can about photography and picture editing, create a marketing strategy, and get out there!
Learn Digital Photography – Canon EOS 550D Or Rebel T2i Review
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Canon have done it again with their new 550D/ Rebel T2i out on the market soon. Who would’ve thought that less than a year after the launch of the EOS 500D that a replacement would be ready to roll. Looking at the 500D it’s basically a baby 7D. Some of its features out perform the current EOS 50D. Ready to take it’s place in the consumer market, the 550D looks a great buy
The 18 megapixel sensor is a step up from the 500D’s 15 megapixel system although to really notice the difference the increase you need a full 50% size increase. It’s significantly increased movie mode will also make it a hard competitor to beat. Although it replaces the 500D, the 500D will continue to be sold for the rest of 2010, most likely at a more attractive pricing structure.
Let’s take a look at some of the improvements and additional features Canon has added over the current 500D offering.
1. 18 megapixel sensor
This is a great improvement and takes it to the leader in it’s class. Although megapixels are not critical to great images it still is a great feature to have. How it handles those extra pixels is what counts. The sensor is similar to the 7D’s but not the same while using the same vibration technology to get rid of dust.
2. LCD screen
This is the first Canon camera to have a genuine 3:2 ratio screen which displays exactly what you see on the sensor. There is no cropping reflected on the screen. This is not the crop factor we are talking about, just the size displayed on the LCD. They haven’t increased the size of the screen but have upgraded the resolution which gives you increased clarity and a better ability to check your images while shooting.
3. iFCL metering system
This is another great improvement by Canon over the 500D, a real advance in the use of technology in metering systems. It features the new 63 zone system which continually analyses colour, luminance and focus simultaneously. This provides far more accurate and consistent metering and was up till now found in the more expensive cameras such as the 7D.
4. ISO
Graininess is kept to a minimum by the Digic Four processor but the 550D offers the standard ISO 6400 expandable up to 12800. This increase allows photography in low light situations where flash is not permitted.
5. HD Video
You now have full control over frame rate and the ability to capture fast moving subjects by manually adjusting settings. There are a number of improvements when shooting at 1080p and 720p. Again the choice of frame rates increases the desirability of this camera over its competitors.
I’ll be taking a serious look at this camera. It has the same look a feel as the 500D as Canon does not make major cosmetic changes very easily. All the controls are basically in the same places and by upgrading you don’t need to learn a whole new series of positions.
These are just some of the improvements over the 500D giving you an upgrade worth while. Making the decision to go from 500D to 550D would be a personal one and whether it’s worth it to you paying for these additions, I’ll leave that to you. Overall it’s a great little camera and a leader in its class. However, before making the change, check out the review sites and see if the features are what you are prepared to pay more money for.
