Tips on Photography
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At BetterPhoto.com, we offer every great photography tip we can find. Here is a collection of quick ideas that will improve photographic results. Feel free to add your own tip or read our Top Ten Tips for more ideas to help point you in the right direction.
286 Tips
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1. Composition: Don't Stop Now ... Keep Shooting
Whenever I find a photogenic (and static) scene that really motivates me, I work it every which way I can within whatever time constraints I have. This means trying different compositions, different focal lengths, or different lighting angles. But this process also might mean the following:
- Try different f/stops ... in order to experiment with the depth of field (the range of sharpness in a scene that has front-to-back depth).
- Try different shutter speeds ... in order to experiment with subject motion - by freezing the action or by showing a soft blur of movement.
Kerry Drager
KerryDrager.com
Kerry's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Creative Close-ups
Creative Light and Composition
7/17/2008 3:57:00 PM
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2. Focusing on Graphic Design
Finding strong graphic design when you are shooting architecture and cityscapes is a lot easier than when photographing nature and wildlife. Architects are very much aware of beautiful lines and shapes and they design their buildings.
Indeed, architects work to incorporate strong graphic design in the doors, the windows, the facade, and the overall shape of the structure. Buildings built on a tight budget usually have to sacrifice the beauty of an elegant or captivating design, but many older works of architecture as well as modern engineering marvels are truly stunning.
Even though a building or skyline is graphically dynamic, the way you compose the photograph still has to be carefully considered. You don't want to include distracting elements like power lines, out-of-focus trees in the foreground, and unattractive shadows. I feel that too much concrete or asphalt is a problem as well. Don't include a lot of the street in the foreground so it dominates the picture. Our attention should be drawn to the lines of the building.
Jim Zuckerman
CorporateFineArt.com
Jim's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Making Masterpieces with Corel Painter
4-Week Short Course: Taking the Mystery Out of Flash Photography
4-Week Short Course: Techniques of Natural Light Photography
4-Week Short Course: Wildlife Photography
Developing Your Creative Artistic Vision
Eight Steps to More Dramatic Photography
Fundamentals of Photography Made Easy
Making Money with Your Photography
Perfect Digital Exposure
Photoshop: Advanced Creative Techniques
Photoshop: Creative Techniques
Self-Discovery in Photography: Where Does Your Passion Lie?
7/17/2008 3:52:00 PM
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3. Remember Your Camera Settings
It's easy to change white balance, ISO, etc., in your camera settings, all within the same photography session. But it's not always so easy to remember to change those settings back - especially while in the heat of the excitement! We take care of this problem with a piece of colored gaffer tape, which we move into an area that can be seen easily as a reminder that we have made a change to the original settings.
This is critically important when using exposure compensation. After returning your setting(s) back to normal, then we place the tape in a spot where it does not get much attention. This tape can be reused in this manner many times and will still adhere well and does not leave any residue.
Susan and Neil Silverman
theSilvermansPhotography.com
Susan and Neil's Photo Courses:
Digital Photography Course
Jump Start to Digital Photography
Street and People Photography
7/17/2008 3:41:00 PM
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4. Photographing Children Around the World
One of the delights in traveling internationally is interacting with children of many cultures. They are almost universally both shy and curious.
There are only two types of natural light that should be used for shooting children, or for that matter any person, when outdoors: diffused and low angled sunlight.
Diffused light occurs when a cloud cover disperses sunlight similar to what a softbox does to a flash head in the studio. It is soft and shadowless, and your subject can be placed anywhere where the background is complementary to the composition.
However, if the sun is high in the sky, harsh shadows and contrasty light will invariably degrade the image. Under these circumstances, ask the child (if necessary, through an interpreter or with hand gestures) if he or she will move into the shade of a tree or building. This takes care of the problem. If you have a diffusion panel, it can be held above the child to soften the sunlight, enabling you to shoot in the open. The only problem is that large, unfamiliar objects might frighten small children and dissuade them from posing naturally.
The second type of natural light that can be used effectively is low-angled sunlight. Early morning and late afternoon light, when the sun is close to the horizon, provides flattering, golden illumination that can be effective for either front, back or side lighting.
Jim Zuckerman
CorporateFineArt.com
Jim's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Making Masterpieces with Corel Painter
4-Week Short Course: Taking the Mystery Out of Flash Photography
4-Week Short Course: Techniques of Natural Light Photography
4-Week Short Course: Wildlife Photography
Developing Your Creative Artistic Vision
Eight Steps to More Dramatic Photography
Fundamentals of Photography Made Easy
Making Money with Your Photography
Perfect Digital Exposure
Photoshop: Advanced Creative Techniques
Photoshop: Creative Techniques
Self-Discovery in Photography: Where Does Your Passion Lie?
7/17/2008 3:28:00 PM
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5. Night Photography: Bright Lights and Bold Colors
Shooting long exposures at night is one of my favorite kinds of photography - buildings, car trails, star trails, bridges, subways, traffic jams or just the city lights. So many amazing ideas seem to come alive at night as well as the impact of the bright lights and intense colors.
Certain gear helps get you from a good shot to an incredible shot. First, obviously, is a tripod. Most night shots without flash are long exposures, and a good tripod is crucial. Next is a cable release, which lets you push a switch on the end of a cable to open your shutter without the need for you to touch the camera. It also keeps the shutter open for as long as you want. Having a small flashlight helps, too, to make sure all of your camera settings are correct.
Scott Stulberg
Contact Scott
Scott's Premium Gallery
scottstulberg.com
member since: 3/31/2004
7/17/2008 3:11:00 PM
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6. Showing Motion: Flash-Blur
This is done by combining the flash with a long exposure. The result actually looks like a double exposure because the flash gives you a sharp rendition of the subject while the slow shutter speed results in a blur.
I find that dancers are among the best subjects to shoot because of the colorful costumes and artistic movements of their bodies. But you can also photograph athletes in motion, race cars at night, flowers blowing in the wind in low light, horses running and many other things.
The best circumstance for flash-blur photography is in low light conditions: indoors on stage, outside under a thick cloud cover, or at night.
Jim Zuckerman
CorporateFineArt.com
Jim's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Making Masterpieces with Corel Painter
4-Week Short Course: Taking the Mystery Out of Flash Photography
4-Week Short Course: Techniques of Natural Light Photography
4-Week Short Course: Wildlife Photography
Developing Your Creative Artistic Vision
Eight Steps to More Dramatic Photography
Fundamentals of Photography Made Easy
Making Money with Your Photography
Perfect Digital Exposure
Photoshop: Advanced Creative Techniques
Photoshop: Creative Techniques
Self-Discovery in Photography: Where Does Your Passion Lie?
7/17/2008 3:07:00 PM
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7. A Key to Flower Photography Success: Background!
Watch out for busy backgrounds, hot spots, black holes, and extraneous elements entering the frame. In fact, the background is at least as important as the subject. Nothing can kill an image quicker than a busy background. There may be as little as an inch or less of camera repositioning to go from a distracting background to a pleasing, detail-less, muted background.
Tony Sweet
TonyTSweet.com
Tony's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Creative Nature/Outdoor Photos with Lensbabies
4-Week Short Course: Mastering the Nikon D200 and D2X/D2Xs
4-Week Short Course: Mastering the Nikon D300
Fine Art Flower Photography
Image Design: Revealing Your Personal Vision
7/17/2008 3:00:00 PM
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8. Any Lens Can Be a Close-up Lens!
You don't always need fancy equipment for capturing photogenic details and close-ups! Sure, you may not be able move in super-tight on tiny objects - that's what macro specialty equipment is for - but you might be surprised how close you can get with everyday lenses. This applies to any focal length ... with wide, "normal," and telephoto each providing its own unique close-up perspective. Have fun experimenting with close-ups!
Kerry Drager
KerryDrager.com
Kerry's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Creative Close-ups
Creative Light and Composition
7/17/2008 2:55:00 PM
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9. Shutter Speed Charts for Intentional Blurring
If you've wanted to blur that waterfall or bicyclist, or the moving train, Fotosharp charts, called 'cheat sheets' can help you. They have produced a series of laminated cards to carry in your camera bag, that offer a quick reference for just about everything photographic - shutter speeds being one of them. These are great tools to get you started and to remind you of where to begin with certain types of movement and focal length combinations. You can buy a set or just the cards you need. www.fotosharp.com. I have a set and find them very useful when teaching to guide students in getting a starting point for their blurred action pictures.
Brenda Tharp
BrendaTharpPhotography.com
Brenda's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Mastering Macro Nature Photography
4-Week Short Course: Mastering Macro Nature Photography: Advanced Techniques
Creating Visual Impact
Travel Photography: Capturing a Sense of Place
7/16/2008 8:15:00 PM
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10. How to photograph candid moments
My travel class just talked about the challenges of getting candid images without getting caught. Here are some ideas to do this. Idea #1: You can put on a long telephoto, but then people usually walk in front of you as they don't know you're photographing! Not a good choice, always. Idea #2: Put on a medium to short lens, 28-100mm range and get in there closer. But how to do this and not be seen? If you stand in one place long enough, say in a market, most people begin to ignore you and you end up blending in more. That's when you can make pictures without being noticed. Sit anywhere for a while and that happens, even at a festival. Idea #3: Put your camera in aperture priority, choose a focal length on your zoom and keep it there (or use a fixed focal length lens). Set an aperture that will give you depth of field for 8-20 feet, roughly, and prefocus on the hyperfocal distance setting to give you that DOF. Turn off auto-focus, too. Then, as you walk around, the camera is ready for action - and all you have to do is pick it up, frame the scene and press the shutter - without touching that focusing ring or anything else you've preset! It takes a while to get use to this, as it's out of focus, but the DOF will take care of that. The best National Geographi photoraphers and photojournalists used this method for years, before we had automated cameras; many still work this way today. Even with auto focus, you still can miss the moment if it's a slower lens and it’s seeking for focus. Try this preset technique, and see how it works for you the next time you want to capture candids quickly.
Brenda Tharp
BrendaTharpPhotography.com
Brenda's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Mastering Macro Nature Photography
4-Week Short Course: Mastering Macro Nature Photography: Advanced Techniques
Creating Visual Impact
Travel Photography: Capturing a Sense of Place
6/30/2008 5:26:00 PM
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11. Squint Your Eyes
A quick tip to analyse the composure of your pics is an old "graphic design trick", and it's very simple.... just squint. Yes, that's right... "squint" at your pic.
When you squint your eyes you cannot see any detail, all you can see is the the overall "look" and "balance" of the pic (or design).
For even more effect, display your creation on your computer screen then step back to the other side of the room, look at it from afar and squint again.
This will instantly give you an impression of the balance and focal point of your pic. Graphic Designers do this all the time. Try it.
Roy Blinston
Contact Roy
Roy's Gallery
member since: 1/4/2005
6/10/2008 8:32:00 AM
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12. Analyzing a Photograph's Effectiveness
If you look at your picture in front of you quickly, you can often see what grabs your attention right away, and where the eyes travels. If you try to do this after you've been looking at something else for a few seconds or minutes, it's easier. I put my picture up on my computer, then I look at a magazine or something on my desk, for a moment or two, and when I look back at the computer, I'm mentally ready to analyze what grabbed my attention first, where my eye traveled, etc., and what things I found distracting. I have used this in classes, where I will have everyone look at the projected image, and then I'll move off it, then move back to it, and ask them right before I change to quickly 'read' the picture when it comes up. That first impression tells us so much about how well we did with composing our picture.
Brenda Tharp
BrendaTharpPhotography.com
Brenda's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Mastering Macro Nature Photography
4-Week Short Course: Mastering Macro Nature Photography: Advanced Techniques
Creating Visual Impact
Travel Photography: Capturing a Sense of Place
6/5/2008 10:33:00 PM
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13. Noise Reducing Software
I had bought NeatImage several months ago, but was never able to figure out how to use it (am computer literate and been working with computers since 1980). I think it might well be a very good program, but it is not well-served by the documentation. I was frustrated beyond belief when I stumbled across a program from AKVIS, called Noise Buster. It is absolutely intuitive and a incredibly easy to try out various sections of your image so you can see what critical areas will look like. I've been using it for a month now, and am very grateful. It is at www.akvis.com
Clair Dunn
Contact Clair
Clair's Premium Gallery
member since: 9/20/2007
2/27/2008 4:41:00 AM
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14. Cutting digital noise
There are two great programs out there to help cut the digital noise from your images, either from a high ISO setting, a small image or low-quality image sensor, or a scanned piece of film.Neat Image: neatimage.com
This is the one I use- it's quick, has tons of controls or a basic auto setting, and works well. It's a Photoshop plug-in, so it's easy to access when your image is open in Photoshop. NoiseNinja
I've also heard good things about this program as well. I've never used it, but it compares with NeatImage. Both are priced between $50-100 and well worth it. Now you can use a higher ISO if you are willing to fix it later in Photoshop!
Sean Arbabi
Arbabi.org
Sean's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Better Exposure: How to Meter Light
2/4/2008 1:19:00 PM
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15. Upgrade Your BetterPhoto Website!
As an instructor with BetterPhoto, many local photographers in my area ask me about my website, and where they can get one like mine. I always point them to BetterPhoto.com.Recently, I spent a few hours updating my website, hosted here on BetterPhoto, in order to showcase more of my work for my students to view, and also share with many local photographers I work with in Michigan. It was a blast! If you want your photography to get noticed, I strongly suggest you investigate upgrading your site to the Deluxe or Pro plan. I did, and I am planning on shutting down my professional site, redirecting all my visitors to my Deluxe BetterPhoto site. One of the biggest advantages to BetterPhoto's offerings, is that you don't need to be a techie to build a site, BetterPhoto's website builder is all forms based, you don't need to know a lick of HTML! Anyone can do it, and tutorials and instructions are available on all your pages while building your website. I receive a lot of requests from people about purchasing my fine-art prints, which I do sell locally here in Michigan. To accomodate my customers easily, I'll soon be selling my artwork directly on my BetterPhoto website by upgrading to the Pro option. Its simple! and all transactions are handled through a secure PayPal account! In summary, I highly recommend looking at BetterPhoto to host your website, If you have one already, consider moving it here. Check the prices, you'll see it is much more cost-effective as well. You can tour my website at http://thekevinmossgallery.com.
Kevin Moss
theKevinMossGallery.com
Kevin's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Photoshop and Elements for Nature Photographers
1/22/2008 6:13:00 AM
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16. Upgrading to a Digital SLR
I often get questions from my BetterPhoto students on upgrading their compact digital camera's to digital SLR's, like the Nikon D40x, Canon Digital Rebel, etc. I thought I would share my thoughts:There is no question that upgrading your camera to a digital SLR opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities, and a lot of expense to go with it.
The G9 and similar cameras allow you still to take great photos, and if you use good techniques (tripod use, aperture/shutter priority, good composition, etc.), using these types of cameras, you'll still get great results.
Digital SLR's have some advantages over compact "all in one" cameras. The ability to upgrade and change lenses, better resolution, less noise in shadow areas, and overall faster operation with no shutter lag time. The expense is greater though. If you want to upgrade to a digital SLR like a Canon Digital Rebel, I would suggest investing in Canon "L" lenses, which are quite expensive.
A lot depends on your budget too!
Kevin Moss
theKevinMossGallery.com
Kevin's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Photoshop and Elements for Nature Photographers
1/19/2008 9:19:00 AM
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17. Shooting RAW with a Canon 5D
I am venturing into RAW for the first time. I am saving edited RAW images as Tiff files in IPhoto 6. When I upload RAW images into my computer, it says they are aprox. 12-15 MB but after I edit them and convert to Tiff files, they turn into 80-90 MB!! Is this for real??!! Thanks, sincerely, Darrel
Darrel Giesbrecht
member since: 8/19/2007
12/19/2007 8:28:00 AM
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18. Finding Lost Images
If you have ever mistakenly deleted your images from your compact flash card, all may not be lost. Most of the card makers provide a software program that you can download and it will help to retrieve almost all of your images, even if your camera may tell you that there are no photos on that card. When you purchase a card, check the manufacturer's Web site for downloadable retrieval software. And if you are traveling with your laptop, keep it on your computer. Hopefully, it will be one program that you do not need!
Susan and Neil Silverman
theSilvermansPhotography.com
Susan and Neil's Photo Courses:
Digital Photography Course
Jump Start to Digital Photography
Street and People Photography
11/19/2007 9:06:00 AM
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19. tripod weight
i use a bungi cord just step on it
Ted Mullen
Contact Ted
Ted's Gallery
member since: 11/27/2004
11/6/2007 5:31:00 PM
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20. Getting the most out of your course...
I'm pretty happy about the course I'm taking and what I'm learning through the lesson and the assignment. One thing I think that offers a tremendous opportunity to amplify your learning is to look at the photo's from fellow students, their settings, and the instructor's comments. I think I've learned as much -- in a practical sense -- from that as from the course itself.
David Ryan
Contact David
David's Gallery
member since: 10/24/2007
11/6/2007 5:34:00 AM
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21. Make Your Lightweight Tripod Sturdier!
One way to add stability to a lightweight tripod is to add weight. An
easy way to do this is to put a gallon bottle full of water into a
market bag. Then I put the handles of the bag around the top of the
tripod. I like this because I can fill up the bottle at the site rather
than carrying the extra weight with me, or I can use water I brought
for other reasons.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
11/2/2007 10:24:00 AM
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22. Get better flower Shots
If you place a black jacket behind the flowers before you take the picture it will provide a nice cheap background for the flowers.
David J. Carr
Contact David
David's Gallery
member since: 10/11/2007
10/16/2007 10:43:00 AM
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23. The Polarizer: More Than Just Blue Skies!
Best known for deepening a pale blue sky, the polarizer also can enhance colors by reducing glare on most reflective objects - i.e., foliage, water, windows, painted objects, wet rocks, etc. Incidentally, on an overcast day, the polarizer works its visual magic on many surfaces too.
Note #1: There's a verrrrry good reason that this unique filter rotates in its mount: The polarizer must have the proper orientation! :-) Thus, it's essential to turn the filter while previewing the possible effects in your camera's viewfinder.
Note #2: If you aren't certain whether the polarizer will help your picture, then shoot the same scene both with and without the filter. After all, there's nothing like comparison!
More info: Learn all sorts of cool shooting techniques from Kerry Drager in his online courses: Creative Light and Composition and Creative Close-ups.
Kerry Drager
KerryDrager.com
Kerry's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Creative Close-ups
Creative Light and Composition
9/25/2007 7:55:00 PM
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24. Changing Color Space on Camera (Nikon D70 Example)
Many DSLR cameras have more than one color space (reflecting the gamut of color it can capture). You can change this based on what you establish as a workflow and how you want to handle color. You will want to consult your manual to find out how to make the change. Let's look at how to change color space on a Nikon D70 as an example. 1. Press the Menu button on the left of the camera back.
2. Scroll down to Shooting Menu and press the right arrow.
3. Scroll to Optimize Image and press the right arrow.
4. Scroll to Custom and press the right arrow.
5. Scroll to Color Mode and press the right arrow.
6. Scroll to your desired space.
7. Click the right arrow to accept. The color space you choose should be one that you can incorporate logically into your workflow. For more information on developing a complete color workflow, see my course From Monitor to Print: Photoshop Color Workflow.
Richard Lynch
HiddenElements.com
Richard's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Correct and Enhance Your Images
4-Week Short Course: From Monitor to Print: Photoshop Color Workflow
4-Week Short Course: Photoshop 101: The Photoshop Essentials Primer
Leveraging Layers: Photoshop's Most Powerful Tool
9/19/2007 1:31:00 PM
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25. Developing a Tripod Workflow
I use a tripod for every landscape scene - to achieve the best in image quality and to fine-tune my compositions. But that doesn't mean I break out the tripod immediately upon seeing a subject I like. After making the effort to expand the tripod legs and lock the camera in place, it's verrrrry tempting to stay put, without fully exploring the subject. That's not the artistic approach!Instead, the tripod set-up should come near the end of the creative process, not the beginning! Let me explain my tripod "workflow": When I come across a promising landscape scene, I set the tripod aside (assuming there's a safe place). Then, with camera in hand, I'll wander around in search of the best viewpoint, the right lens focal length, etc. Only when I've lined up the approximate shot do I grab the tripod, attach the camera, and frame the composition just the way I envisioned it.
Kerry Drager
KerryDrager.com
Kerry's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Creative Close-ups
Creative Light and Composition
8/30/2007 10:42:00 PM
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26. HAVE A FREEDOM DAY
It is so easy to get caught up with all the "tech things" in photography (exposures, lighting, aperture, ISO speed, lens choice, composition).
Every once in a while I decide to have a FREEDOM DAY - a day where I set my camera on AUTO - use a medium lens - and head off to photograph anything that takes my fancy - from any angle I choose at the time - all gut feeling. No restrictions, no rules, no mess, no tech bits.
Admittedly I throw many pics in the bin, but occasionally I discover new worlds, or new feelings in photography. It's nice to have a FREEDOM DAY.
Roy Blinston
Contact Roy
Roy's Gallery
member since: 1/4/2005
7/27/2007 9:12:00 PM
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27. 5 Tips for Getting More Out of Betterphoto Courses
1) Ask questions of the instructor when you have them -- after trying something twice. If you have questions others in the course likely have the same ones -- they just aren't asking them either.2) Read the assignment, and then read it again, and maybe one more time. Re-reading is free-reading; understanding the ideas in a lesson may take more than one pass through the materials. Retaining is priceless. 3) Use title and description to add information to your images when uploading. This allows for easy reference (by image name) and helps you customize your experience in the course by supplying the instructor with direction to target comments to what you want most. For example, you will get critique on composition if you mention compositon in your description. 4) Participate with other students by looking at their portfolios, making helpful comments, and offering encouragement. Interaction between students enriches a class experience for all involved. 5) Make time to do the assignments, and get them in. Most learn best not just from reading, but from a combination of reading and applying techniques hands-on. Doing the assignments gets your hands dirty in the projects instructors hope you will do.
Richard Lynch
HiddenElements.com
Richard's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Correct and Enhance Your Images
4-Week Short Course: From Monitor to Print: Photoshop Color Workflow
4-Week Short Course: Photoshop 101: The Photoshop Essentials Primer
Leveraging Layers: Photoshop's Most Powerful Tool
7/20/2007 4:32:00 PM
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28. Diffuse on camera flash
I learned this neat trick from a National Geographic photographer. When using the pop up flash and photographing people, cut the end from a Bandaid and paste it over the flash. This gives you a warm diffused light. The Bandaid is easily removed and can remain stuck on the camera for other pictures.
George H. Dalsheimer
Contact George
George's Gallery
member since: 7/13/2006
7/6/2007 5:55:00 AM
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29. How to Photograph Fireworks
For those of you who are in the United States or elsewhere where fireworks will be a feature of summer activity, I thought I'd share my tips on exposing for fireworks. This technique works for fireworks at a good distance away, not for close-up shooting. 1. Mount the camera on a tripod and point the lens toward the area where the fireworks will explode. 2. Use a telephoto lens or set the lens you have to the longest telephoto zoom setting. 3. Focus the lens on infinity--the fartherest point at which the lens will focus. For setup, focus on a distant tree or rock or star. 4. Set the camera to M (Manual) mode. Then set the exposure thusly: ISO: 200
Aperture: f/11
Shutter Speed: 1/3rd sec. Now it's a matter of timing to catch the explosions at their peak before the smoke begins to form. Take some practice shots, and you'll soon get the hang of it. Then you can take a seat next to the camera, pressing the shutter button once in awhile as you enjoy the show! You can also capture multiple bursts on the same frame by setting the camera to Bulb and using a black card to cover the lens between bursts. When a burst happens that you want to capture, remove the black card from the lens for a few seconds, and then replace the black card until another burst happens. This takes some practice, but can result in great shots! It's also advisable to use a cable release instead of pressing the shutter button with your finger.
Charlotte K. Lowrie
Charlotte's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Camera Raw: From Capture to Finished Photo
4-Week Short Course: Learning the Canon Digital Rebel Camera
6/23/2007 2:51:00 PM
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30. Close Up Lenses-An Alternative
We like the macro and micro lenses the best BUT a great inexpensive way to get wonderful effects is to purchase the nikon diopters even if you shoot with a different model camera than Nikon. They come in 52-mm filter thread size and in 62-mm thread size. we recommend that you get either the 3t, 4t set or the 5t, 6t set (this is the 62-mm ones) and then purchase a set of stacking rings to hold them securely when you are not using them. If you have a set of 3t and 4t, then you can use just one of them or you can stack them and use them both together. we usually use these on a zoom lens such as a 80 to 200 zoom or thereabouts. Or they can be used on a macro or micro lens as well. If your lens does not have a thread size that corresponds to 52-mm or 62-mm then you will need to purchase a step up ring or a step down ring -whichever is appropriate for your lens, diopter combination and then screw that on the lens and screw the diopter into the other side of the ring. This will allow you go focus much closer to the subject or object and therefore get more magnification.
Susan and Neil Silverman
theSilvermansPhotography.com
Susan and Neil's Photo Courses:
Digital Photography Course
Jump Start to Digital Photography
Street and People Photography
5/17/2007 8:04:00 AM
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31. Controlling Depth of Field with a Point and Click
You can achieve images with soft, intentionally out of focus backgrounds even if you do not have an SLR camera.
1) Choose Macro or Close Up mode on your compact camera (most cameras have this feature).
2) Have a scene with a foreground subject, and one or two subjects in the background that are some distance away from the foreground object (you can work with salt and pepper shakers, for example).
3) Put your camera as close as you can to the foreground subject and still be able to focus (the closest focusing distance--your manual will tell you what it is)
4) Focus on your close, foreground subject by depressing your shutter halfway down.
5) Do NOT release the shutter button, but DO recompose so as to include the background subjects in your image and then completely depress the shutter button.You can achieve images with soft, intentionally out of focus backgrounds even if you do not have an SLR camera.
1) Choose Macro or Close Up mode on your compact camera (most cameras have this feature).
2) Have a scene with a foreground subject, and one or two subjects in the background that are some distance away from the foreground object (you can work with salt and pepper shakers, for example).
3) Put your camera as close as you can to the foreground subject and still be able to focus (the closest focusing distance--your manual will tell you what it is)
4) Focus on your close, foreground subject by depressing your shutter halfway down.
5) Do NOT release the shutter button, but DO recompose so as to include the background subjects in your image and then completely depress the shutter button.
Susan and Neil Silverman
theSilvermansPhotography.com
Susan and Neil's Photo Courses:
Digital Photography Course
Jump Start to Digital Photography
Street and People Photography
5/16/2007 5:35:00 PM
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32. ISO Selection
Always try to work with the lowest ISO setting that you can in the circumstance you are photographing; you will have better color saturation and less chance of what is called noise, or graininess. As you increase your ISO, you wil have faster shutter speeds and so it is wonderful for darker lighting situations, but always be aware that you might have more noise in the image than you wanted.
Susan and Neil Silverman
theSilvermansPhotography.com
Susan and Neil's Photo Courses:
Digital Photography Course
Jump Start to Digital Photography
Street and People Photography
5/15/2007 10:55:00 PM
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33. Where to crop an arm or leg for a photo
The "rule" is that you do not want to crop at a joint, for example if you were to crop off a photo involving some legs, you would want to not crop right at the knees,but do crop either above or below the knee joint; it then appears to be a crop of artistic intention rather than being a photo of a subject who might have had an amputation.
Susan and Neil Silverman
theSilvermansPhotography.com
Susan and Neil's Photo Courses:
Digital Photography Course
Jump Start to Digital Photography
Street and People Photography
5/15/2007 10:49:00 PM
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34. Thinking about Getting a Tripod?
The type of photography that you want to do with it is a real consideration and where you are using it. For example if you use it in sand or salt water situations or not. If you are in windy situations or not. Your height is also an important situation. These are just some of the things as well as your ability to carry extra weight since less expensive ones can be quite a bit heavier and more awkward that more expensive ones. A rule of thumb is that you want a good sturdy tripod and you would like it to be as tall as you might need without extending the center column; if you extend the center column, essentially you are creating a mono-pod and not benefitting from the solid stance of the three legs of the tripod.
Susan and Neil Silverman
theSilvermansPhotography.com
Susan and Neil's Photo Courses:
Digital Photography Course
Jump Start to Digital Photography
Street and People Photography
5/15/2007 10:45:00 PM
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35. Overlooking opacity
After adding an effect that appears in the layers palette, you can adjust the opacity slider to soften the impact of the effect. Many times an effect will be pitched if it doesn't immediately look right, when a change in opacity would fine tune the effect to your satisfaction. It also saves time because you don't have to start over.
The opacity slider is at the top right corner of the Layers palette. Click on it and move the slider to change opacity. nikTrick:
After using nikSharpener, which we use, a sharpening layer appears in the layers palette. You can change the opacity of the sharpness. So, if the image is over sharpened, rather than redoing the sharpening process, changing the opacity can fine tune the sharpness. Remembering to change the opacity of an effect rather than re-doing it results in a faster, smoother, and more efficient workflow.
Tony Sweet
TonyTSweet.com
Tony's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Creative Nature/Outdoor Photos with Lensbabies
4-Week Short Course: Mastering the Nikon D200 and D2X/D2Xs
4-Week Short Course: Mastering the Nikon D300
Fine Art Flower Photography
Image Design: Revealing Your Personal Vision
5/11/2007 5:21:00 AM
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36. Photoshop CS3
I love it. Admittedly the new features for photographers are not as abundant or splashy as in recent releases. The newest additions, however are great. My top favorite is the new Black and White features. The Raw Converter now has the capability to render beautiful Black and White renditions from color images. Go to the HSL tab and click Convert to Grayscale. The sliders in the HSL tab will allow you to brighten and darken individual colors! This is huge addition for the B&W Photographer. The sky is the limit. Be warned though. Pushing any of these sliders too far can lead to an unnatural pixelating. As with any tool, moderation is the key. You can always continue to work on the images contrast and brightness in Photoshop. Think of this as the first step. The fine tuning will come later. In Photoshop proper the Black and White command takes the form of an adjustment layer and has similar controls. For those photographers who were fond of toning B&W prints in the darkroom check out the toning options in either one of these black and white areas.
Tim Cooper
Contact Tim
Tim's Premium Gallery
member since: 12/11/2005
4/27/2007 4:44:00 PM
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37. Get people to notice your photographs online
Can't think of a day when I don't work at promoting myself. As a photographer, it's ingrained in my daily schedule. What I do is write every day in my blog. But that's not all it takes...there's promotion of my blog that comes along with making and submitting posts. There's key words to attend to (as in getting Google to notice me through what people search for). So far Google has acknowledged that I'm known as the "Digital Traveler" on the Internet and places me first with those key words. The also know that I know what "Yerba Matte" is. Go ahead and type those keywords into Google and see for yourself. So hurry and start a blog in Blogspot (Google's blog platform) and connect it up to your Betterphoto portfolio and before you know it, Google will notice you. If you want more hits than normal get to know what RSS means along with news "feed" and you'll be on your way. Oh, and you may want to take my class--Photography for Writers and Bloggers to get in the fast lane to get your photographs noticed!
Matthew A. Bamberg
Contact Matthew
Matthew's Premium Gallery
member since: 3/23/2006
4/9/2007 11:53:00 AM
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38. CS3 Extended or Standard?
By now, you've probably heard that Photoshop CS3 will available in two configurations - Standard and Extended. The good news is that most photographers will be fine with the Standard version. Only those wanting to work with videos and/or needing very specific measurement tools such as forensic photographers or other specialty needs will benefit from Extended. Don't let the name "Standard" throw you, though - there are all sorts of new and improved features. Camera Raw has a highlight and shadow recovery feature, retouching tools and parametric Curves, along with great new color controls. (Camera Raw is very similar to the Develop module in Lightroom.) Bridge is greatly improved with compare and loupe features. Photoshop has Smart Filters - which makes filters re-adjustable - a great new Black and White adjustment, new Curves, improved cloning with overlays and lots more.
Ellen Anon
Contact Ellen
Ellen's Premium Gallery
member since: 3/13/2006
3/30/2007 7:54:00 AM
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39. It's all about the picture
Despite all the technology involved with digital photography, photography is still “all about the picture.” With every image, evaluate all of the elements in the frame; do they support the “story” you’re telling or distract from it? Does the lighting set the mood for the story you want to tell? What aperture or shutter speed best reinforces the story? And, finally, evaluate what image editing techniques that will further emphasize the message. This is a lot to think about, but it pays big dividends in making strong, polished, memorable images.
Charlotte K. Lowrie
Charlotte's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Camera Raw: From Capture to Finished Photo
4-Week Short Course: Learning the Canon Digital Rebel Camera
3/19/2007 4:58:00 PM
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40. The Power of Personal Projects
One of the best ways to hone your skills as a photographer is to always have a personal project in progress. Pick a subject—any subject: Maybe it’s a photo story on how an elder copes with living alone, the first months of a baby’s life, how to use color as the subject of a series of images, or the ongoing construction of a new building. Develop a body of work around the project theme. Then set a limit on the final number of images that you can display. Shooting, editing, and compiling project image into a coherent story is a great way to learn how to tightly edit your work choosing the strongest, most meaningful images. And in the process, you’ll learn which images work and which don’t work, and why.
Charlotte K. Lowrie
Charlotte's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: Camera Raw: From Capture to Finished Photo
4-Week Short Course: Learning the Canon Digital Rebel Camera
3/19/2007 4:31:00 PM
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41. A Photo for Each Year of Your Life
Having trouble deciding what subject matter to photograph? Go back in time, say as far back as you remember and write down one event from each year of your life. Try photographing things relating to them. You'll find some cool ideas for sure!
Matthew A. Bamberg
Contact Matthew
Matthew's Premium Gallery
member since: 3/23/2006
3/5/2007 3:45:00 PM
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42. Like What You See Behind the Pastry Counter
Okay, the glass is reflecting badly in front of some of the most beautiful pastries you've ever seen. You want to photograph them. You want to get behind the counter. No worries--put your camera in auto mode, set your focal length and hand it to the person behind the counter asking him if he will shoot the pastries for you. Trust them. I've never gotten a bad shot from people behind the counter.
Matthew A. Bamberg
Contact Matthew
Matthew's Premium Gallery
member since: 3/23/2006
3/5/2007 3:41:00 PM
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43. Predict the Weather Yourself
Did you know that many meteorologists don't bother to look out the window to predict the weather? They rely on computer models. To know for sure what the weather will be later in the day, say in Paris, look directly at the weather map yourself. If you see a sweeping cold front just to the northwest (in the northern hemisphere) a short distance from the city, bring some rain gear and a jacket. If you see a high pressure, within good distances around the city in you're in, you've got it made--sun and fun. Vice versa--see a low pressure to the west of your city expect rain. Matt--I got a BS in Meteorology : )
Matthew A. Bamberg
Contact Matthew
Matthew's Premium Gallery
member since: 3/23/2006
3/5/2007 3:37:00 PM
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44. In Praise of Garbage Bags!
Keep a medium size garbage bag in your camera case. In a pinch, you can
make it into a rainproof cover for your camera. There are a lot of
great images to be captured in lousy weather!
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 5:06:00 PM
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45. Pro Advice: Filter Samples
Rosco and other companies that do filters for lights make swatch books
that are about 1.5X3.25 inches. These generally have over 100 different filter samples. The samples are just the right size to fit over most of the camera strobe. You can get a huge color sampler for nothing or close to it.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 11:08:00 AM
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46. Flash Fill Tip
Camera brackets are a great thing to use with strobes for flash fill.
Since they move the light away from the lens, they move the catch light
out of the middle of the eye. This looks more natural!
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 11:06:00 AM
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47. Pro Advice: Tape Safeguard
Keep gaffers’ tape on the outside of your cases. This has saved me a
bunch of times. If you forget the tape, and we all know how important
gaffers' tape can be, you still have some on the case. Also it makes
your cases look less attractive to thieves!
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 11:06:00 AM
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48. Pro Advice: Of Filters and Cases
I have basic filters for lights - orange, 1/2 orange and 1/4 orange, along with some neutral-density filters in each lighting case. Hate to forget the filters, since I have about nine lighting cases!
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 11:04:00 AM
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49. Pro Advice: Of Cases and Lists
I have different cases for my camera depending on how I’m going to be
shooting. I have a hard Pelican case for the studio and a soft case for
jobs with multiple locations. I have a list of the things I need in
each case. I have forgotten things too often, and such a list solves that
problem.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 11:03:00 AM
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50. Strobe Check-up
Take good care of your strobes and they’ll take good care of you.
Always charge up the batteries when you get back and get any repairs
done right away. You should check all of your strobe gear a couple of
times a year. Better to find a problem when your looking for it than on
a shoot.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 11:02:00 AM
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51. Pro Shooter's Check List
Among the things that should be in your camera case are model release, extra battery, gray card, and a couple of business cards.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 11:00:00 AM
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52. Commercial Lighting Tip - Extra Cord
Always keep an extra sync cord for your strobe. It doesn’t cost a lot or
weigh a lot, or take up much room. But it can save a shoot.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 10:38:00 AM
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53. Low-Light Focusing
A laser pointer can help you focus in low light. Just make the bright
spot from the laser as small as possible and you’re in focus. Just be
careful where you point the laser.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 10:34:00 AM
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54. Studio Lighting Tip - Cases
Buy cases for your lighting gear that you can stand on. You never know
when you’ll need to be 2 feet taller. Don’t let any of your cases get
too heavy, better to have several small cases you can lift than a heavy
one you can’t lift. I use army surplus ammo cares for a lot of my
lights. Not only are they tough they’re sealed against water.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 10:30:00 AM
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55. Infrared triggers
This is just a quick observation. I used to use an infrared triggering
system for my strobe. This consisted of a little stobe with an infrared
trigger that fit in my hot shoe and a very sensitive infrared slave
that triggered my lights. I gave this up because the trigger unit ran
on AA batteries and took forever to recycle. I had an expensive strobe
that recycled in less than 2 seconds, but my trigger unit wasn’t ready
for 7 seconds. I now use radio slave, which I like much better.
John H. Siskin
John-Siskin.com
John's Photo Courses:
4-Week Short Course: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting
4-Week Short Course: Portrait Photography Lighting on Location and in the Studio
2/19/2007 10:29:00 AM
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56. Getting sharper pictures in low light
If you are working | |
