Are you struggling to capture incredible shots in a humid atmosphere? This is the story of almost every photographer. If you have worked in sweltering temperatures, you might be familiar with the preparations and care your camera needs to prevent condensation. Humidity and your camera are rivals. Photographers need to store their cameras and lenses in an ideal storage humidity Continue Reading
Photodoto
Archive for March, 2021
A Guide To Camera Lens And Humidity: Protecting your Equipment
11
Mar
How to Create Panoramas in Affinity Photo
10
Mar
The post How to Create Panoramas in Affinity Photo appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
Want to create a stunning Affinity Photo panorama? It’s easier than you might think!
In fact, Affinity has a built-in, automated feature specifically designed to make creating panoramas easy and fun.
And in this article, I’m going to share with you the step-by-step process for both capturing and editing panoramas – so you can get beautiful results.
Let’s get started.
Nikon D800 | 105mm | f/8 | 1/640s | ISO 400
© Kevin Landwer-Johan
Taking photos for your Affinity Photo panorama
If you don’t have a lens wide enough to capture the vista before you or the skyscraper above you, then creating a panorama is a great option.
Panoramas are often made of wide scenes, but you can also create vertical panoramas of very tall subjects.
Alternatively, you can create an Affinity Photo panorama with images taken in a grid. That way, rather than making a wide or tall panorama, you can stitch together photos to capture an image both taller and wider than you could shoot with your widest lens.
Note that you can make a panorama of anything; it doesn’t have to be a wide or tall scene.
© Kevin Landwer-Johan
Hardcore pano photographers will insist a tripod is necessary. Personally, I prefer not to use one when I make panoramas, with one exception: when I need a slow shutter speed and want to keep my camera steady.
Include overlap
When you take photos for a panorama, you must include a reasonable amount of overlap from one image to the next.
Without this overlap, Affinity Photo can’t seamlessly stitch the photos together.
But how much overlap should you include? Generally, I’d recommend around 25% or 30% overlap for great results.
When I take photos for a panorama, I look at an element in each frame about 25% from the edge. I then include that element in the next frame (also about the same distance from the edge). As I move my camera across or up and down while taking pictures, I am careful to line up the non-joining edges as evenly as I can. Trying to keep a straight line helps to make a panorama that will crop well.
Using a standard focal length lens or longer is best. If you use a wide-angle lens, you will run into problems lining up the images due to edge distortion.
Nikon D800 | 75mm | f/4 | 1/125s | ISO 400
© Kevin Landwer-Johan
Affinity Photo panoramas: the basics
Once you have a series of photographs for your panorama, open Affinity Photo.
If your photos are in RAW format, edit the colors and tones so the images look their best. Try to give each photo similar tones and color temperatures, because if your photos are different exposures or color temperatures, this will be noticeable.
I generally create a resized set of images for each new panorama. I make sure to reduce the file size, especially when I’ve taken a lot of photos. This makes it easier for Affinity Photo to manage many files at once.
(If you leave your images at full size and full resolution, you’ll be waiting a long time for your panorama to render.)
Import photos for your panorama
Once you’ve resized and saved your photos, go to the top menu in Affinity Photo.
Select File>New Panorama. This will open up a dialog box.
Click on Add, then navigate to the folder where you saved your images for the panorama.
Select every file, then click Open. The photos will be imported into Affinity Photo.
Then select Stitch Panorama. Once you’ve clicked this, you will see a preview of your panorama on the right and the individual files on the left.
If there are any images that Affinity Photo cannot stitch with the others, they’ll appear below the preview.
Click OK. Affinity Photo will render your panorama and open it as a new document. This may take a while, depending on:
- The number of images you have
- How large each image is
- How powerful your computer is
Tweaking your panorama in Affinity Photo
Once your panorama is rendered, you will most likely have some blank space around it. There are a few ways you can edit this.
Cropping is the easiest. When you click on the Crop tool, a new menu bar will appear above your document. If you select the option to Crop to Opaque, Affinity Photo will automatically adjust the crop bounding box to exclude any areas that are blank.
You can also rotate your panorama if your horizon or verticals are not straight. And you can freehand crop your panorama.
Another option is to Inpaint Missing Areas. You’ll see an icon in the middle of your screen above your document (though you’ll need to deselect the Crop tool first; otherwise, the icon won’t be visible).
When you click Inpaint Missing Areas, Affinity Photo will use its AI technology to autofill the blank areas around your panorama. This works best when there is not much detail along the panorama edges.
As you can see in my example below, Affinity has managed to fill in the sky very well. But at the bottom, the inpainting is not good because there’s too much detail in the rice field:
With the Inpaint Missing Areas tool selected, click Apply. Affinity Photo will render your panorama and present it as a single image file.
For this example, I chose to use the automatic inpainting because it filled in the sky nicely. Once my panorama rendered, I then cropped the funky area from the bottom where Affinity did not extend the rice field well.
Creating Affinity Photo panoramas: conclusion
Affinity Photo panoramas are very easy to create, especially if you’re careful to add plenty of overlap when taking your photos.
If you haven’t tried creating a panorama, give it a go. Experiment with a simple series of images to start with. You can make a panorama with two to five photos to keep things less complicated. Then, once you have a feel for the process, start to include more images in each series.
Try using different focal lengths to see which you prefer. If you want to make a very detailed panorama, use a long lens and take lots of photos.
Remember, though: The more photos you include, the longer it will take to render your panorama!
Now over to you:
What types of panoramas do you want to create with Affinity Photo? Share your thoughts – and photos – in the comments below!
The post How to Create Panoramas in Affinity Photo appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.
How to Reduce Camera Shake – 6 Techniques
09
Mar
The post How to Reduce Camera Shake – 6 Techniques appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Natalie Norton.
Are you struggling with camera shake? Do your photos turn out blurry whenever you hand-hold the camera?
You’re not alone.
Camera shake is a huge problem. It’s the reason why beginners (and even experienced photographers!) end up with soft, blurry, unwanted photos.
Fortunately, there are a few simple techniques you can use…
…to ensure that your photos never suffer from camera shake again!
So here are six simple techniques for avoiding camera shake and achieving crisp, delicious images – no matter what.
Let’s dive right in, starting with the very first technique:
1. Tuck your elbows in
This technique is simple, yet it really works.
Just pull your elbows in toward your body and let them rest against your chest.
(You can press your elbows firmly into your chest for even greater stability.)
Like this:
It will give your arms a rock-solid foundation to work with so that your hands are utterly motionless.
And when you press the shutter button, you’ll have no camera shake to speak of.
Another quick tip:
Once you have your elbows tucked in, exhale completely before hitting the shutter.
Why?
Because even the slightest movement can cause unwanted shake, especially as you increase your shutter speed.
2. Raise your left shoulder
If you’re a right-eyed photographer, then you’ll need to shift to your left eye to use this technique. If you’re a left-eyed photographer, then you won’t need to change a thing!
Here’s what you do:
Raise your left shoulder high. Then brace your left elbow against your ribcage.
For further stability, you can pull your right elbow into your chest (as discussed in the previous technique).
Also, make sure you exhale completely before pressing the shutter button to avoid introducing additional camera shake.
3. Create a tripod with your knee
If you’re taking a photo low to the ground…
Or you don’t mind getting a little dirty…
Then this is the camera shake reduction technique for you!
And it’s pretty darn easy to pull off.
Simply sit down.
Bring your knee up.
Then rest your elbow on it, like this:
Again, bring in that other elbow for greater support.
You’re essentially creating your own tripod – so you have solid support wherever you go.
4. Lie down on the ground
In general, this is the most effective way to avoid camera shake without a tripod.
All you do is lie flat and let the lens sit directly on the ground.
To prevent any downward tilt of the camera, you can put a hand underneath the lens barrel or lens hood.
(If that doesn’t do the trick, you can always create a fist.)
In the first image, you’ll notice that I placed my hand flat against the cement and balanced the lens on top to give myself some height:
In the second image, I created a fist with my hand to give myself even more room to shoot.
Of course, this technique isn’t always feasible. If your subject is high off the ground, you’re probably not going to want to shoot from such a low angle.
(Imagine doing an engagement session while lying flat against the ground!)
Plus, lying on the ground can be uncomfortable, especially if you’re shooting on cement, in mud, in water, etc.
So work with this technique when you can, but don’t be afraid to use one of the other options on the list if need be.
5. The machine gun hold
This next technique is sometimes referred to as the machine gun hold, because you hold your camera like, well, a machine gun.
Personally, I don’t use this technique much. I find it awkward and difficult to maintain for more than a second or two.
But just because it doesn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. So give it a try and see what you think!
Here’s what you do:
Hold your camera to your eye with your right hand. Then raise your left elbow until your lens barrel can rest on it comfortably.
For added stability, place your left hand on your right bicep.
Like this:
6. Cradle your camera
Here’s your final technique for reducing camera shake:
Cradle your camera!
Like this:
As you can see, I crouched down and placed my left elbow on my knee.
Then I created a sort of cradle for the lens between my shoulder and my wrist.
It’s a pretty solid hold. Unfortunately, it’s tough to change positions once you’re cradling your lens, so the hold works best if you’re shooting an unmoving subject (e.g., a model during a portrait session).
Six techniques to reduce camera shake: conclusion
Well, there you have it!
You now know six simple techniques for reducing – or eliminating – camera shake.
And I can assure you that they work well; they’re the exact techniques that I myself use to avoid “The Shake.”
Now over to you:
Which of these techniques is your favorite? Have you tried any of them? Share your thoughts on camera shake – and camera shake reduction techniques – in the comments below!
Get more daily tips like this one by subscribing to Digital Photography School.
The post How to Reduce Camera Shake – 6 Techniques appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Natalie Norton.
OnePlus announces 3-year partnership with Hasselblad, reveals 9 Series smartphone launch details
08
Mar
Smartphone manufacturer OnePlus has announced it’s partnering with Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad to ‘co-develop the next generation of smartphone camera systems’ inside OnePlus’ mobile devices, including the new OnePlus 9 Series, which will launch on March 23.
The partnership is a three-year deal that will see Hasselblad work alongside OnePlus to improve the camera technology inside its flagship smartphones. OnePlus says the partnership will start ‘with software improvements including color tuning and sensor calibration, and extending to more dimensions in the future.’
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OnePlus says the first fruits of the partnership is a new color science technology it calls ‘Natural Color Calibration with Hasselblad.’ OnePlus says it’s worked for months with Hasselblad to fine-tune the color science of its smartphone images to deliver more perceptually-accurate and natural-looking colors to images taken with flagship OnePlus devices.
Another improvement already in the works is a revamp of the camera interface in OnePlus devices. New OnePlus smartphones will eschew the previous first-party camera app design for a new experience called ‘Hasselblad Camera for Mobile,’ which ‘allows for an unprecedented amount of control for professional photographers to fine-tune their photos, with the ability to adjust ISO, focus, exposure times, white balance, and more,’ according to OnePlus.
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Within the new Hasselblad Camera for Mobil will be ‘Hasselblad Pro Mode, which is effectively a 12-bit Raw capture mode. It’s unknown at this time whether this will be a standard Raw capture or a more AI-powered approach akin to Apple’s ProRAW technology.
OnePlus isn’t the first smartphone manufacturer Hasselblad has teamed up with over the years. Unfortunately though, despite Hasselblad’s impressive legacy as a camera manufacturer, its mobile partnerships haven’t resulted in any ground-breaking technology — although its True Zoom Moto Mod was a unique offering.
OnePlus hasn’t revealed all the specifications of its forthcoming 9 Series devices, but has confirmed it will use a customized variant of Sony’s IMX789 sensor, which OnePlus calls ‘the largest and most advanced main camera sensor ever on a OnePlus device.’ The first 9 Series devices will be announced on March 23 at 10am ET on OnePlus’ launch website.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Nikon’s Future: A Flagship Z Camera, 8K Video, and Affordable Lenses
08
Mar
The post Nikon’s Future: A Flagship Z Camera, 8K Video, and Affordable Lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Nikon will be releasing “a flagship Nikon Z-series mirrorless camera…within the year,” said Keiji Oishi, a Department Manager of Nikon’s Imaging Business Unit. The camera “is being developed with the goal of surpassing the D6.”
This comes from a recently published DPReview interview with Oishi, which touches on the past, present, and future of Nikon’s camera business, including new cameras, lenses, Nikon’s mirrorless sales success, and the pursuit of 8K recording.
The development of a flagship mirrorless model is welcome news for Nikon fans; it firmly reinforces Nikon’s commitment to growth and innovation in the face of supply struggles and questions about the company’s viability.
While Oishi didn’t offer many details on Nikon’s upcoming flagship camera, he did claim it “will respond to the advanced needs of professionals” and will “debut a newly developed, high-resolution stacked CMOS sensor.” The term “high-resolution” is a relative one, but this could signal Nikon’s intent to compete with the upcoming Sony a1, an all-around powerhouse packing a 50 MP sensor, class-leading autofocus, and 8K/30p recording.
In other words: Nikon’s flagship model may look to satisfy more than just professional sports photographers. Were the camera to pack 45+ megapixels while offering fast autofocus and shooting speeds in the spirit of the D6, it’d be capable of capturing sports, events, portraits, and even pro-level landscapes.
As for video:
Oishi claims that Nikon’s engineers “are considering powerful video features such as 8K that respond to the needs of all kinds of content creators and professionals.”
So while 8K video isn’t a guarantee, it’ll likely find its way into the upcoming flagship model. With the 2020 arrival of the Canon EOS R5 and the days-away release of the Sony a1, Nikon will soon be the only leading camera manufacturer without an 8K hybrid camera. And while Nikon is ostensibly a stills-centric brand, the 8K bandwagon is one that it won’t want to miss.
So when can we expect this high-resolution, high-performance, 8K powerhouse?
Given the lack of recent leaks, don’t hope for anything before summer 2021, and fall or winter is a realistic possibility. But we’ll definitely see the camera before the year is out, assuming all goes to plan.
A few other interesting tidbits from the interview:
Nikon aims to produce lenses “with a focus on more compactness and affordability” in the hopes of “mak[ing]…lenses more accessible to more people.” This will come alongside an effort to offer an expanded lineup of APS-C Z-mount cameras.
(Currently, Nikon only offers a single APS-C Z-mount model, the Z50.)
Nikon camera sales have “defied expectations” these last few months, especially with the launch of the Z6 II and the Z7 II. As Oishi explains, “In the last quarter, we reported record mirrorless sales, which was helped by strong performance of the Z7 II and Z6 II. We observed strong sales of new products, both mirrorless cameras and lenses.”
Oishi thinks the hot Z6 II and Z7 II sales come from DSLR holdouts; he states that “many loyal Nikon users [were] waiting on the second generation of the Z series,” and that, thanks to “the improvements we put into the second generation,” Nikon DSLR shooters have finally bought into the Z system.
This is all excellent news for Nikon fans, and while the company still has a long way to go, it’s clearly taking steps in the right direction.
Now over to you:
What do you think about Nikon’s upcoming flagship mirrorless camera? Where do you see Nikon headed over the next few years? And what affordable lenses would you like Nikon to produce? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Nikon’s Future: A Flagship Z Camera, 8K Video, and Affordable Lenses appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Apple confirms it’s discontinuing its iMac Pro lineup
07
Mar
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Apple has confirmed it will be discontinuing its iMac Pro lineup.
On Friday, March 5, Mac Rumors noticed Apple had added a ‘while supplies last’ notice to its iMac Pro product page and removed all optional upgrade options. In the past, Apple has done this in advance of a product or product line is being discontinued.
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Mac Rumors then published a follow-up article yesterday, March 6, to say it’s since confirmed with Apple the iMac Pro lineup will no longer be available once the current supply runs out. Mac Rumors didn’t specifically quote the Apple representative it spoke with, but did have the following to say regarding the rationale for this discontinuation:
‘Apple says the latest 27-inch iMac introduced in August is the preferred choice for the vast majority of pro iMac users, and said customers who need even more performance and expandability can choose the Mac Pro.’
The 27″ iMac Pro was first released back in December 2017 and was meant to be a more powerful version of Apple’s longstanding iMac line. Since its release, the iMac Pro line has been a popular choice for creative professionals, due to its all-in-one design that matched impressive specifications with a high-quality display. The last iMac update was introduced in August 2020 and featured a 5K display, with up to a 10-core 10th-generation Intel Core i9 processor, up to 8TB of storage, up to an AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT GPU and the option to upgrade to a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port.
Going forward, it sounds as though users will have the option to go with Apple’s standard iMac lineup or upgrade to the more powerful and modular Mac Pro if the iMac options don’t cut it. Apple is expected to announce new iMacs — and potentially a new Mac Pro — powered by its own chipsets after dropping Intel and releasing its M1-powered Mac Mini, MacBook Air and 13” MacBook Pro computers back in November.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Getting Landscapes Sharp: Hyperfocal Distances and Aperture Selection
07
Mar
The post Getting Landscapes Sharp: Hyperfocal Distances and Aperture Selection appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elliot Hook.
Want to know how to master depth of field and hyperfocal distance – so you can capture consistently sharp landscape photos?
You’ve come to the right place.
Because in this article, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about hyperfocal distance.
And by the time you’ve finished, you’ll be able to confidently use it in your own landscape photography.
Let’s get started.
Keeping your landscape photos sharp: depth of field
Great landscape photos generally have all of their key elements sharp.
This includes foreground objects that are just meters from your camera, as well as background elements that are kilometers away.
So how do you achieve such perfect front-to-back sharpness?
By ensuring that your depth of field is large enough to render everything of interest suitably sharp.
Let me explain:
When you focus on an individual point within your landscape, you are creating a plane of focus that lies parallel to the sensor.
Everything in front of and behind that plane is technically not in focus. But there is a region within which objects will appear acceptably sharp – even though they’re not in focus!
That region is the depth of field.
Put another way, the depth of field is the range of acceptable sharpness within a scene, moving outward from the point of focus.
For instance, in the graphic below, the camera is focused on a rock:
So the plane of focus sits parallel to the sensor at that rock, and the limits of acceptable sharpness that form the edges of the depth of field lie in front of and behind that plane.
If you were to fire the shutter button on that camera, you’d get a photo with a sharp rock. The front of the first tree would be sharp, and the rest of the trees would fade into softness.
Make sense?
Factors affecting depth of field
Thus far, I’ve talked about depth of field as if it were a fixed property.
But it’s not. Your depth of field can change depending on three key factors:
- Focal length
- Aperture
- The distance between the camera and the point of focus.
Let’s take a closer look at how each of these elements affects depth of field, starting with:
Focal Length
A short focal length (e.g., 20mm) will give you a greater depth of field than a long focal length (e.g., 400mm).
So while it’s easy to keep an entire scene in focus with a wide-angle lens, you’ll struggle to do the same with a long telephoto.
Of course, changing your focal length will alter your field of view and therefore your composition, so you should rarely adjust your focal length to change the depth of field. Instead, select your focal length, frame your composition, and then use the next factor on this list to achieve the perfect depth of field:
Aperture
A narrower aperture, such as f/16, will produce a deep depth of field. A wider aperture, such as f/2.8, will give you a shallow depth of field.
So if you’re after an ultra-sharp, deep-depth-of-field shot, you’ll want to use a narrow aperture.
But be careful; extremely narrow apertures are subject to an optical effect called diffraction, which will degrade image sharpness. So while you should absolutely use aperture to adjust the depth of field, be on the lookout for blur.
Distance to the point of focus
If your focal point is close to the camera, then you’ll get a shallower depth of field. If your focal point is far from the camera, you’ll get a deeper depth of field. So if you shoot a distant subject, it’ll be much easier to get the entire scene sharp!
In other words:
To increase the depth of field, you can either choose a more distant subject…
…or you can back up to frame a wider shot.
Note that these three factors work together to determine the depth of field.
No one factor is important than any of the others; instead, they’re three variables in the depth of field equation.
So if you want a deep depth of field, you could use a narrow aperture or move farther away from your subject or use a wide-angle lens.
(You could also do all three of these things for an ultra-deep depth of field.)
And if you want a shallow depth of field, you could use a wide aperture or move closer to your subject or use a telephoto lens.
Keeping the entire scene sharp with hyperfocal distance
If you’re dead-set on capturing a scene with front-to-back sharpness, then you’ll need to understand another key concept:
Hyperfocal distance.
Hyperfocal distance is the point of focus that maximizes your depth of field.
In fact, by focusing at the hyperfocal distance, you can often ensure that the entire scene is sharp, from your nearest foreground subject to the most distant background element.
Look at the graphic below:
Do you see how the area from the point (or plane) of focus onward is sharp?
That’s what the hyperfocal distance will do for you.
And it’s the reason landscape photographers love using the hyperfocal distance.
Because by selecting a narrow aperture, and by moving the point of focus to the hyperfocal distance, you can render the entire scene in focus – for a stunning result!
(By the way, when focusing at the hyperfocal distance, the near acceptable sharpness limit is half of the hyperfocal distance.)
Now, you’re probably wondering:
How do you determine the hyperfocal distance when out shooting?
Technically, you can do a mental calculation, but this can get pretty complex. So I’d recommend you use a hyperfocal distance chart or calculator (there are plenty of apps for this, such as PhotoPills).
Eventually, you’ll be able to intuitively identify hyperfocal distances for common apertures and focal lengths – so you won’t even need to use an app!
Aperture selection and the dangers of diffraction
As you should now be aware, a narrow aperture deepens the depth of field.
So if you want your entire scene sharp, you generally need a narrow aperture.
Unfortunately, choosing your aperture isn’t as simple as dialing in f/22. Thanks to diffraction, if you set such a narrow aperture, you may get the entire scene in focus – but still end up with a blurry image.
For example, the image below shows a comparison of the same scene, shot at f/8 (left) and f/16 (right):
The frosty fern leaf is an important part of the foreground interest here. And though both images look perfectly sharp when resized and compressed for browser viewing, the 100% crop for each image below shows a significant difference in detail:
Do you see how the image on the right (taken at f/16) is blurrier than the image on the left (taken at f/8)?
That’s diffraction at work.
And note that, for the scene in question, both apertures resulted in a depth of field that extends from before the fern leaf to infinity.
(In other words: The blurriness has nothing to do with depth of field.)
Diffraction becomes an issue in all lenses as the aperture gets smaller, though it is more pronounced on inexpensive lenses. Typically, the sweet spot, in terms of lens performance, is somewhere between f/8 and f/11.
So when selecting your aperture, you’ll want to keep your lens as close to the sweet spot as possible, while also ensuring sufficient depth of field.
Getting landscapes sharp: conclusion
Now that you’ve finished this article, you can hopefully see that it’s worth understanding hyperfocal distance, aperture selection, and how they affect each other.
So make sure you find a nice hyperfocal distance app.
And remember to avoid tiny apertures (because they cause diffraction).
That way, you can get consistently sharp landscape shots!
Now over to you:
Do you struggle to keep your landscape photos looking sharp? Do you think an insufficient depth of field is the culprit? Or is it diffraction? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Getting Landscapes Sharp: Hyperfocal Distances and Aperture Selection appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elliot Hook.
DPReview TV: Fujifilm X-S10 vs Sony a6400 – two great cameras with different superpowers
06
Mar
We compare two popular APS-C cameras: the Fujifilm X-S10 and the Sony a6400. In a bizarre twist, Chris is left to argue with himself (literally). Meanwhile, Jordan is stuck in Pentax K-01 video purgatory. It’s enough to make your head spin.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.
- Introduction
- Handling
- Displays
- Autofocus
- Image quality
- Video performance
- Battery life
- Lens lineup
- The wrap
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
9 Pet Photography Tips
06
Mar
The post 9 Pet Photography Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.
If you’re looking to capture some stunning pet photography, then you’ve come to the right place.
Because while pets are unbelievably cute, taking pictures of your best friend isn’t easy.
Pets, unlike humans, do not understand what we are trying to do. They won’t just pose for the camera!
That’s where this article comes in handy.
I’m going to give you nine simple tips for pet photography…
…that will get you taking beautiful pet photos in minutes!
Let’s dive right in.
1. Use natural light
When doing pet photography, always use natural light.
Why?
For one, flash can cause the red-eye effect, which looks, well, bad.
Plus, flash bursts can scare animals.
That’s why I recommend shooting outside (go out when it’s cloudy for some soft diffused light).
You can also try shooting indoors, but make sure you’re in a well-lit room (ideally one with a large window).
2. Keep the eyes sharp
Sharp eyes are always important in portrait photography – and pet photography is no different!
As they say, “The eyes are the window to the soul.” And your pet’s eyes can be very expressive.
So make sure to focus on your pet’s eyes. Keep them tack sharp.
(If you’re working with a shallow depth of field and can only get one eye in focus, make sure it’s the one closer to the camera!)
These days, some cameras offer eye AF for animals. With eye AF activated, your camera will identify your pet’s eyes – and nail focus consistently! So if your camera does offer this feature, I highly recommend you try it out.
3. Go to your pet
It is very important that your pet feels comfortable and at ease.
So instead of forcing your pet to come to you…
…go to them.
Most importantly, get down on your pet’s level. Sit on the floor or lie on your belly and remember to shoot from your pet’s eye level or below.
We all know how a dog looks when viewed from above; this is the way we always see them.
Instead, show us how your pet sees the world!
4. Highlight your pet’s character
You know your pet better than anyone else, and a successful picture is one that conveys the character of its subject.
So try to display your pet’s character in your photos.
If you have a lazy cat, show them yawning. If your animal is of the playful type, show them in action performing their favorite trick.
Really, the opportunities are endless! Just ask yourself: What is special about my pet?
And then try to communicate that in your next photo!
5. Go macro
Macro pet photography is intimate and often stunning.
And it’s not tough to do, either.
Simply use a macro lens, a telephoto lens, or some type of close-focusing camera.
Then fill the frame with your pet’s face and fur!
You’ll soon find that close-up shots make some of the best pet portraits!
6. Surprise your pet
One of the most difficult aspects of pet photography is keeping your pet still.
(Especially if you have a pretty energetic pet…)
So here’s an easy trick:
First, let your pet play quietly.
Then, once you have your camera set up and ready, give a quick whistle.
This will surprise your pet. With luck, you’ll have a few seconds to capture them in a nice, alert posture!
7. Time your session carefully
If you want to capture some formal-looking pet photography, then “schedule” your photoshoot when your animal is somewhat sleepy.
You might shoot after your pet has woken up from a nap. Or you might shoot late in the day, when your pet is tired and lacks energy.
That way, it will be much easier to capture a sharp shot.
Of course, if you want a more dynamic series of shots, then grab your camera at a time when your pet is especially active!
8. Be patient
Pet photography requires a lot of patience.
Dogs, cats, and other pets can be pretty excitable – but if you’re patient enough, your furry friend will end up relaxing.
And that’s when you can get some of your best shots!
In fact, you might consider starting your photoshoot with action images.
Then, as your pet calms down, you can capture intimate close-ups, cute poses, and more.
9. Experiment
Here’s your final pet photography tip:
Experiment!
Because while the advice in this article will certainly get you some great shots…
…there’s always room to try new things!
So take your time and enjoy the session. Don’t be afraid to test different approaches, angles, and compositions.
Shoot a lot; you can worry about the results later!
Pet photography tips: Final words
Hopefully, you now feel well-equipped to capture some stunning pet photos!
By getting low, being patient, carefully timing your session, and more, you can practically guarantee gorgeous results.
Now over to you:
What pets do you like to photograph? Share your favorite pet photography in the comments below!
This guest post on pet photography was submitted by Antoine Khater at All Day I Dream About Photography. Read more unique photography and retouching tips on Antoine’s website or subscribe to his RSS feed.
Table of contents
Pet Photography
-
GENERAL
-
9 Pet Photography Tips
- 1. Use natural light
- 2. Keep the eyes sharp
- 3. Go to your pet
- 4. Highlight your pet’s character
- 5. Go macro
- 6. Surprise your pet
- 7. Time your session carefully
- 8. Be patient
- 9. Experiment
- Pet photography tips: Final words
- 1. Use natural light
- 2. Keep the eyes sharp
- 3. Go to your pet
- 4. Highlight your pet’s character
- 5. Go macro
- 6. Surprise your pet
- 7. Time your session carefully
- 8. Be patient
- 9. Experiment
- Pet photography tips: Final words
-
9 Tips for Taking Better Photos of Cats
-
Beginner's Guide to Photographing Horses
-
Why Taking Pictures of Your Pets Will Help Make You a Better Photographer
-
How to get the Money Shot in Pet Photography
-
What Are Your Pet Photography Peeves?
-
-
PREPARATION
-
6 Tips for Working with Unruly Animals in Pet Photography
-
-
LIGHTING
-
Tips for Great Lighting for Pet Photography
-
-
GEAR
-
4 of the Best Lenses for Creative Dog Photography
-
Pros and Cons of Photographing Dogs with a Prime Lens
-
-
CREATIVE TECHNIQUES
-
Five Tips for Creative Pet Photography
-
10 Amazing Camera Hacks for Better Dog Photography
-
-
POST-PROCESSING
-
Fixing Animal Eyes in Lightroom
-
-
BUSINESS
-
Five Things You Need to Know Before Starting a Pet Photography Business
-
-
ADVANCED GUIDES
-
6 Tips for Photographing Dogs in Action
-
How to Shoot Animal Portraits
-
How to Photograph Agility Events and Other Dog Sports
-
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The post 9 Pet Photography Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.
Weekly Photo Challenge – Cars
06
Mar
The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Cars appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
We’ve had ‘transport’ but I thought maybe this week we’ll look at cars specifically!
We have SO many tips for photographing cars, and I’ve gathered a search for you (Click Here) and I also want to share a link to a friend of mine’s website, Larry Chen, he’s a Canon Explorer of Light and an amazing car photographer (Click Here) for some inspiration.
Don’t forget, you can go back and try ALL of our CHALLENGES over HERE!
Quick Car Photography tips? Here’s a list of seven that might help you.
Think about details and angles that you don’t often see or think about, perhaps you could try panning for a different looking photo?
You can upload your photo here (comments down below) or over in our Facebook Group.
Share on Instagram or Twitter and use the hashtag #dPSCars so we can see them!
How do I upload my photo to the comments?
Simply upload your shot into the comments field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see. Or, if you’d prefer, upload them to your favourite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.
The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Cars appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
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