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In Praise of Program Mode: Why Program Mode is Great for Beginners

14 Jan

The post In Praise of Program Mode: Why Program Mode is Great for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

working with Program mode

Here’s a myth: Being able to shoot in Manual mode is the mark of a professional photographer.

I frequently see articles and beginner photography workshops with titles like Get Off of Automatic Mode. If these instructors don’t promote Manual mode shooting, they will at least tell you that “real” photographers favor Aperture Priority mode. Working with Program mode? They will roll their eyes and joke that maybe you thought the “P” on the mode dial meant “Professional.”

Working with Program mode - I used it then, and I still use it now.
The image of the Blue Angels (left) was taken with one of the first DSLRs Canon produced, the D30. I made the shot many years ago with the only mode I used at the time: Program mode. The Cooper’s Hawk shot (right) was made just a few weeks ago, also with Program mode.

Sure, as you grow as a photographer, you will ultimately want to understand which camera shooting mode might be the best for each situation. But knowing how to drive a manual transmission vehicle will not instantly make you a racecar driver, and knowing how to shoot in Manual mode is not a shortcut to being a great photographer.

car with motion blur
My first car was a 1964 Volkswagen Beetle, and it looked just like this model. Learning to drive a manual transmission as a new driver was a bit like immediately trying to use Manual mode as a new photographer – challenging!

I will date myself here, but when I learned to drive, a 1964 manual transmission Volkswagen Beetle was my first car. Learning to operate the gas, brake, clutch, and gearshift was an “interesting” introduction to driving.

My first camera was an East German Hanimex Practika Nova 1B. That was in the early ’70s. It had no mode dial, no autofocus, and since ISO was controlled by whatever film you used, the only exposure controls were a manual aperture ring on the lens and a shutter speed dial on the top of the camera. Even the exposure meter was not a TTL (through-the-lens) type, but a crude averaging meter that was just above the lens mount.

Hanimex Praktica Nova 1B - My first SLR camera.
My first SLR camera, used back in the early ’70s, was a Hanimex Praktica Nova 1B. It offered no autofocus, no TTL metering, a dial to set the shutter speed, and a ring on the lens to set the aperture. The film determined the ISO (then ASA).

With both the car and the camera, I had to handle all the controls myself. Did the VW make me a better driver? Did the Praktika make me a better photographer? No, and both caused far more frustration as a beginner than if I had started in a car with an automatic transmission and I had started photography with a fully automatic DSLR.

So that’s my point here:

Why you make a photo – choosing to communicate your vision with an image and then using the camera as a machine to capture it – is far more important than how you shoot a photo or what mode you use. If some help from modern automation makes it easier to get there, especially as a beginner, go for it.

Why get whiplash learning to feather the clutch (or as I once did, roll back into the car behind you when at a stop sign at the top of a San Francisco hill) when, as a new driver, you could have an automatic transmission?

Working with Program Mode when doing portraits.
I did a lot of portraits of friends, family, senior photos, and even weddings with some of my DSLRs. I would often use Program mode and a little fill light from the pop-up flash. This typically worked just fine, especially for a new photographer.

Program mode – yes, the “P” setting on your mode dial – is what I would term the “semi-automatic” mode on your camera. Unlike the green, fully-automatic mode where you simply “point-and-shoot” and the camera makes all the decisions, Program mode frees you to override the settings if you so choose.

Let’s use an example to explain how Program mode might work in a given situation.

Program mode: The “semi-automatic” setting

Back in the 35mm film days, you would often choose the film you used based on the shooting conditions you planned to work in.

ISO (or before that, ASA or DIN) was a function of the film. ASA speeds of common film types might be 25, 64, 125, 200, 400, and maybe up to 800. You could go a little higher with special processing. The rub was that, whatever film type you chose, you worked with the same ASA for the entire roll (be it 12, 24, or 36 exposures).

Many film rolls
With film, you had to stick with the same ISO (ASA) for the entire roll.

Working with Program mode can be a little like shooting film – in that the first thing you will do is pick your ISO setting.

This could be ISO 100 for good outdoor light, maybe ISO 200 or 400 for lower lighting conditions, ISO 800 or higher for dim conditions (or perhaps for when you will be shooting action and need to be able to use short exposure times).

Some have called Program mode “ISO Priority,” because once you choose the ISO, it will be the setting that will stay set, even as the shutter speed and aperture change. (Of course, the big difference from film is that you can change the ISO from shot to shot if you so choose).

So you start by setting your ISO.

Then, unless you have a special reason not to, I suggest you use the averaging metering modes: Evaluative on Canon, Matrix on Nikon. These will consider the entire image and calculate the exposure.

If your camera is set to Program mode, you will now see that it has selected both aperture and shutter speed settings. Depending on the available light, these will usually be toward the middle of the settings range – perhaps something like 1/125th of a second, f/5.6, and ISO 100. You may want to change these, and we’ll get into that in a minute, but if not, you’re good to go. Nail focus and take the shot.

You can shoot all day like this, the camera pretty much working as a point-and-shoot machine. As a beginner, rather than puzzle over what your settings should be for each shot, you can concentrate on more important things – chiefly composition – and let the camera figure out the exposure. Take away the clutch and the gearshift and driving is so much easier, right?

Creative control

The one thing you relinquish when you allow the camera to make exposure setting decisions is creative control. We may go a long way with artificial intelligence, but soulless computers or robots, while able to nail exposure, get perfect focus every time, and maybe even edit the shot afterward, will never be able to make true art.

Two concepts to understand as a beginning photographer are how aperture and shutter speed controls not only the exposure, but also the depth of field and the freezing/blurring of motion. If you have not fully grasped those creative concepts, I encourage you to spend time learning the relationship between aperture and depth of field, as well as the relationship between shutter speed and motion capture.

Working with Program mode will almost always get you a correct exposure, but you will also need to understand when you want to override the suggested settings to get the creative look you seek.

Some examples

Let’s break down how you might work in Program mode for different interpretations of the same subject.

  1. It’s an overcast day, so you set the ISO to 800.
  2. Your camera is in Program mode and it suggests an exposure.
  3. You decide you want a deeper depth of field, so you set the aperture to f/22. (Aperture can typically be changed with one dial and the shutter speed with another. Note that when you change one setting, the other setting automatically changes to maintain proper exposure.)
  4. Your settings are now ISO 800, 1/20s, and f/22. (Note that you’ll need to be on a tripod with a 1/20s shutter speed.)
  5. You focus, then take the shot.
smaller aperture setting

You take a look and decide it might be better to isolate the foreground leaves with a shallow depth of field. Still in Program mode, you roll one of your dials to put the aperture at f/4. Your camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed to 1/640th of a second to maintain proper exposure. You take another shot.

larger aperture setting

Easy, huh? The ISO stayed locked in at 800, and as you adjusted the aperture, the shutter speed adjusted itself.

Suppose now you want to see the effect of shutter speed on a moving object. Still in Program mode, you leave the ISO at 800. To freeze the droplets of a fountain, you roll the dial to get a 1/1600th of a second shutter speed. You take the shot.

aperture comparison
Note how the top shot, taken at 1/50s, has more blurred water drops and how the tree is sharper at f/22. The bottom image, taken at 1/1600s, better freezes the water – but at f/4, the depth of field is smaller.

Now, what if you want to get a little motion blur on those drops? Roll the dial to set a slower shutter speed of 1/50th of a second. The aperture automatically adjusts.

Exposure compensation is also possible should you need to make your images a little lighter or darker.

I mentioned earlier that you could lock in your ISO when working with Program mode. Depending on your camera, you might also let the ISO automatically adjust as light conditions change. Try Auto ISO in combination with Program mode and see how it works for you.

Then make the leap

Program mode can help you get good exposures. And if you pay attention to the settings it chooses, you’ll begin to understand the relationship between aperture, depth of field, shutter speed, and motion capture. Program mode can also give you a good jumping-off point to work with a mode such as Aperture Priority.

Say that after making a shot in Program mode, you see the camera chose f/11 as the aperture, and you like the amount of depth of field that resulted. You can then switch over to Aperture Priority mode (Av on Canon, A on Nikon), dial in an f/11 aperture, and start shooting. The camera will stay locked at f/11 while adjusting the shutter speed for various lighting conditions.

The same goes for shutter speed. If your Program mode shot shows a nice amount of motion blur at 1/5th of a second and you want to make subsequent images with that amount of blur, switch to Shutter Priority mode (Tv on Canon, S on Nikon), dial in 1/5th of a second, and shoot away.

The camera will stay locked on the shutter speed you chose and alter the aperture as needed.

aperture/depth of field comparison
In the left photo, the focus is on the tree trunk at the right edge. At f/22, there’s a good amount of depth of field. In Program mode, roll the dial to take the f-stop to f/4 for less depth of field. The camera automatically compensates, putting the shutter speed at 1/160s. The exposure stays identical.

Back to the safe spot

If you play around enough with settings, you may eventually mess things up to where you reach a bad exposure or become totally confused about why things are not working for you. That’s when Program mode comes to the rescue.

Working with Program Mode will very often get the job done and is a good option for the new photographer.
These were some of the first images I made when I got my Canon 10D years ago. Program mode was all I knew, but it got the job done. Don’t think you have to immediately learn to shoot in Manual mode to make nice shots.

Put the camera in Program mode, put the ISO back to a setting appropriate for your lighting situation (ISO 200 might be a good starting point), and it’ll be like hitting the reset button: you’ll be back to letting the camera choose exposure settings.

If you find Auto ISO works well, try that, too. The idea is to have a setup you can always turn to if you get confused (one that you can rely on to make good exposures consistently if needed).

exploring depth of field with leaves in grass
It’s easy to explore the relationship between aperture and depth of field while in Program mode. This series starts at f/4 on the left, before a roll of the dial took the aperture to f/8 (middle), and then to f/22 on the right. The camera did all the exposure calculations. As simple as one, two, three!

Regardless of what mode I choose to shoot in, even Manual, I always put the dial back to Program mode before turning off the camera and putting it back in my bag. Then, if that once-in-a-lifetime shot presents itself and I must grab the camera, quickly power up, and shoot, I can be assured I will get a reasonably well-exposed shot.

I hope you will not take this article to mean you shouldn’t learn to shoot in Aperture Priority mode or Manual mode, because it’s true that a great number of professionals use these settings. But if you are new to photography and are confronted with more information than you can immediately absorb, working in Program mode might just be the helping hand you need.

leaves and beach photos
Working in Program mode will free you to concentrate on composition while letting the camera figure out exposure.

Concentrate first on learning good composition. And make sure your images are well-focused, because blurry shots are impossible to fix in editing.

For now, let your camera help you with exposure until you begin to wrap your head around all there is to know. Even if you are a more experienced photographer, you might occasionally find that turning the mode dial and working in Program mode is the right choice for a given situation.

Mode doesn’t matter

monochrome images
Make a nice shot and no one is going to ask what camera mode you used.

People don’t usually ask what kind of paint, brushes, or canvas Leonardo da Vinci used when he painted the Mona Lisa. And when you make a great shot, no one should care what camera mode you used, what your settings were, or even what camera and lens you used.

Conversely, when your shot is poorly composed, doesn’t have an easily identifiable subject, or just doesn’t speak to the viewer, it doesn’t matter how masterful you might be in Manual mode or if you have the best camera money can buy.

Determine why you want to make a particular photo, find your vision, know what it is you want to communicate, and then use the machine that is your camera to produce that image. If working in Program mode gets you to that result, it’s a perfect choice.

Best wishes for great photos!

What do you think about Program mode? Have you ever used it? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post In Praise of Program Mode: Why Program Mode is Great for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.


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Long Exposure Fire Photography – 5 Tips for Beginners

11 Jan

The post Long Exposure Fire Photography – 5 Tips for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.

long exposure fire photography tips

Do you want to capture stunning long exposure fire photography?

A long exposure photo can make flames look soft and feathery, capture spark trails, and create a romantic or cozy mood. 

The tips in this article will help you get started taking gorgeous long exposure fire photos, today!

Long exposure fire photography: 5 tips for beginners

A word of caution:

Be careful as you practice your fire photography. Fire can be dangerous, and it’s easy to be careless when thinking more about your photography than the fire. Maintaining a safe distance is important for you and your gear.

tips for long exposure fire photography
5s | f/10 | ISO 100

1. Use a slow shutter speed

To take a long exposure photo, the camera shutter needs to be open long enough to blur motion and light. Here are a couple of ways to ensure that the shutter stays open:

  • Shutter Priority mode: Here, you choose the shutter speed and your camera selects the aperture
  • Aperture Priority mode: Here, the camera chooses the shutter speed, but you can control its choice based on the aperture you select

Fire photography with Shutter Priority

Put your camera in Shutter Priority mode, choose your desired shutter speed, and let the camera do the rest.

This will force your camera to let in light for the amount of time you’ve chosen. Your camera will choose your ISO (if it’s set to Auto) and your aperture.

Shutter Priority will give you different results depending on how much light is available – and shooting this way can be a lot of fun.

When you choose a shutter speed of five or six seconds, you can capture interesting flame shapes and lots of spark trails. In fact, the bonfire and torch photos in this article were captured in Shutter Priority mode.

long exposure fire photo
6s | f/10 | ISO 100

Fire photography with Aperture Priority

You could also set your camera to Aperture Priority, choose a mid-range aperture (f/8-f/11), set a low ISO (100-200), and let your camera choose the shutter speed. If you’re shooting at night (when it’s really dark) and the fire is your main light source, your camera will choose a slow shutter speed. This should give you a photo with a large depth of field, and one that’s relatively free of grain (i.e., noise).

If Aperture Priority causes your shutter to be open for longer than you want, increase the ISO. This will decrease the shutter speed, though it will also start adding noise (fortunately, this can be reduced during editing). 

The card game and match photos in this article were shot using Aperture Priority mode.

long exposure flame photo
1s | f/11 | ISO 100

Anyway, those are just a couple of suggestions to get you started. Long exposure fire photography is all about playing around and having fun! Make sure to try lots of different apertures and shutter speeds. 

If you’re like me, you’ll get excited as you review each shot and see the interesting shapes you’ve captured.

2. Set your camera on a tripod

When capturing a long exposure fire photo, you’ll want to reduce camera shake, which results in blurry photos. 

Camera shake occurs when the camera moves while the shutter is open. Slow shutter speeds (of more than one second) make it impossible to handhold your camera and still get sharp images. 

But using a tripod will keep your camera steady – and therefore prevent camera shake plus the resulting blur.

3. Use a remote shutter release or set the self-timer

A remote shutter release (or the camera’s self-timer) can also help you cut down on camera shake. 

You see, when you press the shutter release, the camera moves slightly – and this can cause blur in your photos.

But when you use a remote shutter release (or you set your camera’s self-timer), you don’t have to worry about this movement.

Using a remote shutter release may seem like a small thing, but it can significantly affect your image sharpness.

long exposure fire spark trails
6s | f/6.3 | ISO 320
Spark trails.

Note that, when capturing match flames, a remote works best. While a self-timer will prevent camera shake, the delay makes it tough to capture that initial burst of flame with any real precision.

4. Choose your subject

Do you want your main focus to be the fire itself? Or are you trying to capture the mood created by the fire? 

When capturing the mood, it can be tricky to get sharp shots of people. It’s not easy for anyone to sit still during a long exposure, and movement will create blur in your photos.

So first identify your subject, and then adjust your camera settings to keep the subject sharp.

The following photos were shot in Aperture Priority mode with an aperture of f/8. For the first photo, I set the ISO to 100, and my camera chose a shutter speed of 5 seconds. That was too long for my daughter to stay still, so the photo turned out blurry.

long exposure fire photography tips
5s | f/8 | ISO 200

For the second photo, I set the ISO to 400, which cut the shutter speed in half (to 2.5 seconds). That made it easier for my subject to stay still, and the photo is sharper.

long exposure fire photography tips
2.5s | f/8 | ISO 400

5. Switch to manual focus

Autofocus doesn’t always work well in the dark. And autofocusing on a moving fire can be tough.

That’s where manual focus comes in.

Now, you don’t need to turn off your autofocus immediately. Instead, try autofocusing on something near the fire, then switch to manual focus to capture the shot you’re after.

How do you do this?

First, shine your flashlight on an object near the fire. Train your camera on the object, and press the shutter button halfway. When the autofocus locks on, turn off the flashlight and switch to manual focus.

Finally, without adjusting anything on the camera, take your shot. Your camera will maintain the same focus point – and you’ll end up with a sharp photo.

Note: You could also try back button focus!

Where will you practice?

Do you enjoy a cozy fire at your campsite or bonfires on the beach? Do you like candle-lit dinners? What about backyard marshmallow roasts? All of these would be great places to practice long exposure fire photography.

long exposure bonfire
6s | f/5.6 | ISO 160

Experimenting with long exposures around a campfire can be a little addictive. The more you practice, the more fun you’ll have.

And don’t forget your flashlight! You’ll need it to see your camera controls, to help with focusing, and to get you safely back to your car.

long exposure fire photography tips
5s | f/16 | ISO 100

Now over to you:

Do you enjoy creating long exposures of fire? Share your tips and photos by commenting down below!

The post Long Exposure Fire Photography – 5 Tips for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.


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How to Photograph Sun Flares: 14 Tips for Beginners

15 Nov

The post How to Photograph Sun Flares: 14 Tips for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.

Sun flares can add beauty and drama to your photos. Cameras and lenses are designed to cut down on flare – so when it comes to sun flares, you have to be a rule-breaker right from the beginning.

In this article, I’ll share 14 tips to help you get started photographing sun flares!

photographing sun flares

Photographing sun flares: 14 tips for beginners

There are no rules for sun flare photography; it’s all about creativity. You can capture sun flares at any time of day, and with these easy tips, you’ll be out experimenting in no time.

1. Try various aperture settings

Have you noticed that in some photos sun flares look soft and diffused, while in others they look bold and defined? That has a lot to do with which aperture setting was used.

If you use a fairly wide aperture, like f/5.6, you’ll get soft flares. But if you use a small aperture, like f/22, you’ll get stronger, more defined flares.

photographing sun flares aperture comparison

In the split image above, the f/5.6 shot is a softer-looking flare, and the f/22 shot is more defined. The points of the flare are created by the blades of the aperture inside your lens. When the blades come closer together (as with narrow apertures like f/22), you get more defined points in your flares.

Using different apertures will give you a variety of looks to choose from when you’re editing. You’ll also learn which type of sun flare you prefer, depending on the setting and feel you want in your photo.

2. Use Aperture Priority mode

The easiest way to control the aperture (as discussed above) is to put your camera in Aperture Priority mode (indicated with an “AV” on a Canon camera, and an “A” on a Nikon camera). That way, you’ll be able to easily adjust the aperture setting.

And with your camera set to Auto ISO, it will automatically choose the ISO and shutter speed settings for you.

Now you’ll be able to quickly switch apertures and see the difference it makes to your sun flares.

3. Partially hide the sun

Use an object (such as a fence post, building, or tree, etc.) to partially hide the sun. This will allow you to capture flare while adding an artistic touch to the object you’re shooting.

photographing sun flares

Move around the object and let the sun peek out at different locations as you keep taking photos. I love doing this, and I always come away with something unique.

4. Move around and take lots of pictures

When shooting sun flares, it really helps to move around – a lot. If you are partially hiding the sun (as mentioned in the previous tip), a slight movement to the right or left will cause a big change in the flare. Your photo could be flooded with too much light, or you might miss the flare altogether. But moving could also reveal the flare in just the right spot to create the look you want.

sun flares through leaves

It’s important to take lots of pictures. You’ll eventually learn how much sun to include in relation to the amount of flare you want.

sun flare in forest

Sun flares can be unpredictable; that’s part of what makes them fun to work with.

5. Try using some filters

When photographing sun flares, filters can be helpful. I recommend considering either of the following options:

  • Polarizing filter: You’ll get different effects as you rotate this filter. It can help increase color saturation and decrease reflections. If you have a polarizer, play around with it and see how it affects the flares.
  • Graduated neutral density filter: This filter is darker at the top and becomes lighter near the bottom. It can prevent part of the image from looking blown-out when shooting into the sun.
graduated neutral density filter

I used a graduated neutral density filter for the photo on the right. It helped control the light, which kept the colors richer.

6. Shoot during different times of day

Around sunrise and sunset, the sunlight comes in at a unique angle. This creates a warmer, golden color, whereas during midday, there is a cooler (bluish) or more neutral light.

In the following image, two of the photos were taken around sunset, and the other two were taken a few hours after sunrise. Can you guess when each photo was taken?

images shot at different times of day

I bet you got it right – the images on the left were taken near sunset. They have a warmer feel, don’t they? Whereas the images on the right have a cooler feel.

7. Divide the sun with your camera

You can get a softer, more diffused look by composing your photo so that the sun is not fully in the frame. Try cutting the sun in half, or only including its bottom third.

sun flare cut off at the topic of the frame

Play with it. Create different effects and see which you prefer.

8. Use a tripod and a remote shutter release

As I mentioned earlier, a smaller aperture setting (higher f-number) will give you a sharper, more defined flare.

But using a small aperture also means that your camera will require more time to take the photo. The longer the image takes, the more chance there is for camera shake to cause blur.

If you are handholding your camera, this could be a problem. When your camera is on a tripod, there is much less chance of camera shake.

photographing with a tripod

Using a tripod will help keep your photos looking sharp and your sun flares looking crisp. By using a remote shutter release (or your camera’s self-timer), you’ll reduce camera shake even more.

9. Keep the sun at your model’s back

By keeping the sun at your model’s back, you’ll allow the light of the flare to spill out around them in interesting ways.

sun flare portrait

Depending on the time of day, you might need to lie down, and have your model sit or lie down, too. The image above was taken around 3:00 PM in the afternoon, and I was lying on the ground.

The higher the sun is, the lower you’ll need to be in order to place the flare at your model’s head or at your model’s shoulders. Having your model sit down will make it easier for you.

And when the sun is lower in the sky, positioning becomes easier for both of you.

10. Use a reflector

A reflector is designed to reflect the light back onto your subject. Reflectors are usually made of fabric (white, silver, or gold) and can be handheld, hung from a freestanding base, or placed on the ground.

Using a reflector can be helpful if your model is in the shade. It helps to brighten the face, making the photo look more pleasing.

11. Cover the sun with your hand to focus

It can be hard to focus when shooting sun flares. There is so much light that your camera may struggle to lock focus on the right spot. 

When this happens, hold up your hand to cover the sun, compose your photo, and press your shutter release halfway. Once your camera focuses, take your hand down and press the shutter the rest of the way.

You may have to try this a number of times until you get exactly what you want.

12. Place the sun out of the frame

To get a really soft flare effect without a bright point, try placing the sun out of your frame.

the sun in the upper right corner

I love how this adds soft light (as shown in the photo above), and how the eye is drawn up to the source of light.

13. Use spot metering

Spot metering handles bright light really well, so if you’ve got a choice, go with this metering mode. All but one of the photos in this article were taken using spot metering. 

If your camera does not have spot metering, then partial metering is the next best choice. Note that I use autofocus with the focus point set to the center (as the focus point is where your metering mode will be active).

14. Have fun!

This last tip is probably the most important:

When photographing sun flares, experiment and have fun.

Don’t be afraid to take tons of pictures, try different aperture settings, and move around. Sun flares are wild and unpredictable. Be creative and use different objects to block (or diffuse) the light. You’re bound to get lots of overexposed and underexposed photos, but you’ll get a lot of gorgeous results, as well.

Photographing sun flares: Now it’s your turn

I would love to see your sun flare photos and hear your tips! Please share them in the comments below.

The post How to Photograph Sun Flares: 14 Tips for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.


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A Beginners Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography

10 Nov

The post A Beginners Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Emily Hancock, a professional Hampshire Photographer, submitted the following tutorial on capturing motion in photography.

Motion-Photography-Introduction.png

(Image by T.MoE)

Photographs, by definition, capture and immortalize a small slice of life. There isn’t an easy way for the viewer to infer what happens before or after that moment. However, there are images that need to communicate motion.

For example, you may want to capture a dog running, a train barreling down the tracks, or trees blowing in the wind. Each of these scenes can come alive within your photographs if you learn how to convey motion properly.

Today, I’ll describe how you can use different shutter speeds and panning to capture motion in your photography. I’ll also explain a potential issue you might experience when photographing moving subjects – along with tips to resolve it.

Let’s get started!

Reasons to capture motion

Beginning photographers have likely seen captivating photographs that capture motion. There are several ways to achieve these photos, and each has a slightly different goal.

You see, sometimes there is a need to blur certain elements in the image while focusing sharply on a few subjects in the foreground. Other times, you may want to freeze or blur everything. The direction you take depends on your objective for your photograph.

A lot of photographers capture motion simply to convey that an object is moving. But there are also other reasons to do this. Movement can communicate mood. Trees rustling in the wind suggests serenity, while throngs of people on a busy city block implies hurried activity.

You can also use motion to eliminate elements in a scene that may serve as distractions to the viewer. For example, you may want to photograph a person standing on a sidewalk corner as cars move behind them. By blurring everything but your primary subject (i.e., the man on the corner), you can eliminate potential distractions and focus the viewer’s attention.

Two primary techniques for capturing motion in photography

The shutter speed you use while photographing a scene plays a key role in capturing motion in your image.

The faster the shutter speed, the sharper the focus on your subject. On the other hand, a slower shutter speed will blur a moving object. There are two main approaches here (though I’ll discuss a couple of alternatives in a moment).

1. Blurred subject with the background in focus

light trails
Photo by paulaloe

Let’s assume you’re photographing a speeding train against a wall of trees in the background. You can blur the train while leaving the trees in focus. Doing so would instantly communicate to the viewer that the train is moving quickly.

To accomplish this, you would use a slow shutter speed.

(It’s also important to use a tripod. That way, your camera remains steady.)

You’ll often see this technique used in nighttime photographs with car headlights cutting through the image.

2. Blurred background with the subject in focus

This second technique keeps your subject in sharp focus while the background is blurred.

Using our train example, the train would be in focus and the wall of trees would be blurred, thereby conveying the train’s movement.

Similar to the first method, you’ll need to use a slow shutter speed. However, instead of using a tripod, you’ll be panning your camera along the directional path of your subject.

But what actually is panning?

Panning explained

motion in photography biker moving fast
Photo by fabbriciuse

Most beginning photographers are trained to “secure” their cameras. That is, beginners are taught that the camera should remain as still as possible for certain types of shots.

By contrast, panning requires that you move your camera with your subject. Specifically, you’ll be matching your subject’s rate of movement and the direction in which it is traveling.

In our bike example, assume the man on the bike is moving from east to west. In that case, you’ll need to pan your camera in the same east-to-west direction, matching the speed of the bike. The best results occur when you have a clear view of the moving object and ample room to swivel your camera along a parallel axis.

Panning effectively can be difficult. You can practice and perfect your technique by photographing athletes who move quickly (for example, basketball players). Try to capture their facial expressions while blurring everything in the background. It will take some time to get it right, but once you do, the technique can be a valuable addition to your repertoire.

Other techniques to capture motion

Besides the two main techniques described above, you can also freeze the entire scene or blur everything.

Freezing the entire scene can give your photographs a unique look, especially if the objects strongly imply movement. For example, consider a bird flying in front of a waterfall. Both imply motion to the viewer. Freezing the entire scene captures all that motion and can produce a breathtaking image. You should use a shutter speed of at least 1/1000s for that type of shot.

slow shutter speed
Photo by llimllib

Blurring everything produces the best results when the scene offers bright, contrasting colors or varying tones. In most cases, capturing motion in this manner is done purely for artistic purposes.

Another effective method for capturing motion within your images is “chrono photography.”

skateboarder jumping
Photo by monkeyc

Using the continuous shooting feature on your camera, you can capture a series of shots and join them together in the post-processing stage to create the effect shown above. A tripod is essential when attempting to shoot motion using this method.

chrono photography
Image by Jolantis

Determine the proper shutter speed

A lot of novice photographers ask what the proper shutter speed is, given their objective.

But every situation is unique. One speed doesn’t suit all circumstances. To identify the right shutter speed, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions:

  1. How fast is your subject moving?
  2. How much distance exists between the camera and the subject?
  3. How much motion do you want your photograph to convey to the viewer?

The faster the shutter speed, the more frozen and crisply-defined your subject will be. Most cameras today will allow you to freeze a scene using 1/8000s or faster.

That being said, the numbers only serve as a rough guideline. You’ll need to experiment with different shutter speeds in a variety of situations.

Potential issue: excess light

Here’s a potential issue you may encounter when trying to capture motion in photography:

When you slow your shutter speed to blur elements in your image, there’s a chance that too much light will enter and impact your photograph (which will result in overexposure).

This is a common problem, but there are a couple of ways to resolve it:

First, check the aperture on your camera. The wider it is, the more likely excess light will enter. Try adjusting the settings to reduce its size.

Second, review your ISO setting. When the ISO is high, the image sensor in your camera may be overly sensitive to light. This can create a too-bright image, as well as unwanted noise, so consider dropping your ISO.

Mastering the art of motion capture

Becoming proficient at capturing motion in photography requires practice and experience. You’ll need to spend time learning how different shutter speeds impact the quality of your images. Even if you’re just setting your camera on its tripod, timing a perfect shot of a fast-moving object can be difficult.

In the end, capturing motion in your photography is part technique and part art. Fortunately, with practice, you can master it!

The post A Beginners Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.


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The Top Best Photo and Video Tools for Beginners

05 Nov

The importance of post-processing and editing in photos and videos cannot be overemphasized. For every great photograph, great view, lighting, and aesthetics, there is a precise amount of effort that was put in place to achieve that result that has become a focus of all eyes. A bulk of these efforts come into play in the post-processing aspect, editing in Continue Reading

The post The Top Best Photo and Video Tools for Beginners appeared first on Photodoto.


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Review: the DJI Mavic Mini 2 is the perfect drone for beginners

05 Nov

DJI Mini 2
$ 449 | DJI.com

A little over a year ago, DJI introduced the Mavic Mini. Its most notable feature was a takeoff weight that fell below the threshold of 250g (0.55 lbs). Now DJI is back with the Mini 2, which addresses the most important requests from users and still checks in at 249g. In the process, the Mavic branding has given way to a shorter name: the DJI Mini 2.

Camera | Controls | DJI app | Other upgrades | What’s it like to fly? | Who’s it for?

The original Mini was packed full of features and easy to operate; the DJI Fly app was introduced at the same time with a slick, pared-down and intuitive interface. But the drone also came with limitations that frustrated users, including spotty transmission and the ability to only capture JPEG files were frequently cited shortcomings.

The Mini 2 addresses these concerns and more. Users will pay slightly more for a drone with a higher quality camera that can record up to 4K/30p video, capture Raw+JPEG files, and features DJI’s robust OcuSync 2.0 transmission technology instead of relying on Wi-Fi. So, is it worth upgrading from the original Mini? Let’s find out.

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View our DJI Mini 2 sample gallery

Key Features

  • 249g total weight
  • OcuSync 2.0 transmission
  • 1/2.3″ CMOS image sensor
  • 24mm equivalent lens (84º FOV)
  • F2.8 aperture (fixed)
  • 12MP photo resolution
  • JPEG + RAW images
  • 4K/30p and 1080/60p video (100 Mbps bit rate)
  • Up to 4X (2X lossless) zoom
  • 31-minute flight time

Let’s start by comparing the Mini 2 to its predecessor, the Mavic Mini. Though some specifications are similar, those that have changed are significant.

Mavic Mini Mini 2
Takeoff weight 249g 249g
Flight time 30 minutes 31 minutes
Drone size (Folded) 140x81x57 mm 131x81x58 mm
Camera Sensor 1/2.3-inch CMOS, 12MP 1/2.3-inch CMOS, 12MP
Max. Video Resolution 2.7K/30p @ 40 Mbps 4K/30p @ 100 Mbps
Lens F2.8, FOV 83º, 35mm equivalent at 24mm F2.8, FOV 83º, 35mm equivalent at 24mm
Photo File Type JPEG JPEG + RAW
Video File Type .MP4 .MP4
Zoom Capabilities None 2X @ 4K, 2X @ 2.7K, 4X @ 1080p
Return to Home No Yes
Transmission Wi-Fi OcuSync 2.0
Maximum Distance 4km 10km
Image Modes Timed Shots AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) Triple Shot, Timed Shots

Not much has changed when it comes to the overall design of the Mini 2. Its body is compact, its propellers need to be screwed in, the legs are foldable, the battery and MicroSD slots are located in the rear, and the vision positioning sensors are placed on the bottom of the aircraft. If not for the ‘4K’ lettering imprinted on the camera and a ‘Mini 2’ logo on the top left-hand arm of the vehicle, it would be difficult to tell them apart.

Registering the Mini 2 with the FAA, or other regulatory agencies with a similar 250g cut-off isn’t required

Also worth noting: the Mini 2’s 249g weight doesn’t exempt anyone from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) rules and regulations for operating unmanned aircraft. It just means registering a Mavic Mini with the FAA, or regulatory agencies in other countries with a similar 250g cut-off isn’t required.

Camera

The Mini 2 has a 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor with a 12MP camera, much like the original Mini and Mavic Pro. The camera has a 24mm (equiv.) fixed-aperture F2.8 lens with an 83º FOV, and an ISO range of 100-3200. What many buyers will appreciate this time around is the ability to capture Raw images in addition to JPEG.

The camera on the Mini 2 fits into an impressively small, but effective, 3-axis gimbal.

For those not familiar with the Mavic Mini and looking at a Mini 2 for the first time, you’ll be impressed with the 3-axis gimbal DJI managed to place on such a tiny machine that easily fits in the palm of your hand. The footage captured is typically smooth and stable. DJI also claims this particular drone can withstand wind speeds up to 24mph, thanks in part to upgraded motors.

For those looking at a miniature drone for the fist time, you’ll be impressed with the 3-axis gimbal

A useful feature that seasoned photographers will surely make use of is Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB); the Mini 2 can take up three shots, one underexposed, one normal, and one overexposed. While DJI says the shots are automatically stitched together, I found all three appeared separately on my memory card. Either way, they can be combined in post-processing for an HDR image.

The original Mavic Mini could only capture up to 2.7K/30p footage at 40 Mbps. The Mini 2 now allows you to record in resolutions up to 4K/30p, 2.7K/30p, and 1080p/60p at 100 Mbps. You can also zoom in on subjects while recording. Both 4K and 2.7K allow up to 2X zooming, and 1080p resolution allows you to hone in on a subject up to 4X, though the quality only remains lossless at 2X zoom.

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The Controls

DJI decided it was time to do away with the remote from the first Mavic Mini. Replacing it is a remote that replicates the design and functionality of the controller on the Mavic Air 2. This upgrade makes sense for a lot of reasons; it’s easier to hold and despite the fact that I still find it challenging at times to clamp my smartphone in, its placement above rather than beneath the remote makes viewing the display screen way more convenient.

The remote for the Mini 2 follows the trend of the new Mavic Air 2, mounting a smartphone above the control sticks instead of below for improved visibility.

The front of the remote contains a ‘Return to Home’ button on the left-center area. This is a useful feature for beginner pilots who may not be comfortable with flying back to the home point – especially when battery life is running low. In the center is a switch that allows you to navigate between three flight modes – ‘Cine,’ which slows the drone down to 13 mph for cinematic-type footage, ‘Normal’ (22 mph), and ‘Sport’ which lets you fly up to 36 mph. To the right is the ‘Power’ button. I’m a fan of this simple layout as it gives you instant access to necessary commands.

An ‘Fn’ button on the top-left-hand corner activates an auxiliary light that’s useful for visibility when landing in poorly lit scenarios. On the upper-right-hand side is the ‘Photo/Video toggle’ button that allows you to instantly switch back and forth between the two modes. A gimbal wheel on the top-left-hand corner allows you to tilt the camera up and down while the top-right-hand corner contains a shutter button for taking images or recording video clips. The joysticks can be unscrewed and stored on the bottom of the remote for easier transport.

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The DJI Fly app

With the release of last year’s Mavic Mini, DJI also introduced the Fly app. It’s cleaner, powers the Mavic Air 2, and is more streamlined than DJI’s GO 4 app – which is compatible with more advanced drones including the Phantom 4 and Mavic 2 series. A top progress line allows you to view how much battery life is left on the drone, and the control panel can be accessed in the upper-right-hand corner.

The DJI Fly app is more streamlined than the DJI GO 4 app used with DJI’s more advanced drones, and offers a good balance of simplicity and control for beginners.

On the left-hand side, above the shutter button, is a rectangular photo icon. This pulls out a menu that serves as access to all the features you need to capture imagery. Starting from the inside, a menu displaying the options of Photo, Video, QuickShot, and Pano appears. From there, you can customize your settings for each mode.

On the photo end, you can select regular, AEB, and Timed Shots. Video pulls out to a menu that allows you to select resolution and frames-per-second. When you start recording, a zoom button displaying either ‘2X’ or ‘4X’ depending on the resolution appears next to the Shutter button on the right-hand side. You can also slide it up and down for smoother zooming. It’s easy to use even while recording.

This sample reel from the Mini 2 includes 4K, 2.7K and 1080 footage, as well as 2x and 4x zoom shots.

The Mini 2 features five different options for QuickShots versus the original Mini’s four. As before there’s the “Dronie”, which flies up to 120 feet above its target, the “Helix” which spirals at a distance up to 120 feet as well, the “Rocket”, and the “Circle”. The latest addition, “Boomerang”, flies away from and back to the subject in an oval path. Like the original Mini, there aren’t any Intelligent Flight modes, like ActiveTrack or Point of Interest, available.

Finally, there are three different options for creating a panorama. “Sphere”, which resembles a tiny planet, captures twenty-six images. “180º” captures seven images for a landscape perspective while wide captures a 3×3 tile consisting of nine images. Unlike the Mavic Air 2, there isn’t an option to create a vertical panorama.

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Other important upgrades

There are two other significant upgrades to the latest Mini beyond the camera: upgraded motors and the addition of DJI’s OcuSync 2.0 transmission technology.

Regarding the motors, the Mini 2 is no longer ‘quite noisy for such a little machine,’ as I stated in my review of the original Mavic Mini, and also accelerates at a faster pace when taking off and in the air, especially in windier conditions.

As for the transmission tech, the Mini 2 doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi communication. With OcuSync 2.0, dual-frequency transmission automatically alternates between channels to prevent signal interference between the remote and drone. DJI claims connectivity up to 10km (6.21 miles). While that’s impressive, it is important to keep the drone within your visual line of sight at all times.

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What’s it Like to Fly?

I was impressed with the original Mavic Mini and am even more delighted with the upgrades that the Mini 2 boasts. The updated motors really make all the difference as far as general noise and acceleration are concerned. Lately, it’s been windy where I live, and the drone handled gusts quite well, delivering smooth footage and crisp images.

What I enjoy most about this entry-level drone is how compact it is. DJI sent me the Fly More combo ($ 599), which also includes three batteries, a charging hub and a case. Everything, including the three-battery charger, fits neatly into the case and all components weigh a little over a pound. I found myself taking off unexpectedly in places, on impromptu shoots, where I may have hesitated with larger drones that needed the propellers snapped on. It feels effortless to launch and fly.

I was impressed with the original Mavic Mini and am even more delighted with the upgrades that the Mini 2 boasts.

The only minor snag I encountered is that the gimbal would sometimes flip back up slightly if I pointed it straight down. It may be an issue with the review unit, but I was a bit annoyed when I had to readjust the camera to achieve a top-down shot.

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Who’s if For?

The Mavic Mini 2 is an excellent drone for hobbyists and beginners alike. One particular line that resonates is that this is ‘a drone that grows with you.’ The original Mini had its limitations with JPEG-only imagery, 2.7K video footage, and a Wi-Fi signal. DJI took the logical next steps to ensure that anyone purchasing the Mini 2 could accomplish a lot more with their investment.

That being said, with the recent release of the Mavic Air 2, which retails at a few hundred dollars more than the Mini 2, it’s clear that Intelligent Flight modes, which allow you to track and follow subjects, won’t ever be included. If you’re looking to upgrade to a drone with a similar camera that includes those capabilities, can produce higher-quality .MOV film clips, shoot hyperlapses, and even simulate FPV flight, all while offering obstacle avoidance, you will need to upgrade. Serious photographers may even want the 1″ CMOS sensor that the Mavic 2 Pro offers.

One final thing I found odd for drone aimed at beginners is that images taken for panoramas aren’t stitched together, or synthesized, in the aircraft. This is something the Mavic 2 series and Mavic Air 2 performs automatically. While you can pull a completed version of your pano off the media library in your Fly app and instantly share it to social channels, the quality is inferior compared to the imagery from your memory card, which stores images from each panorama in a separate folder. This strikes me as a strange move on DJI’s part since most beginners may not be ready or willing to do the extra work in post-processing.

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Final Thoughts

DJI took an excellent initial concept for a beginner-level drone, listened to feedback from the community, and made some significant improvements. Despite some minor issues, the Mini 2 is a versatile little machine that is easy and convenient to transport and packs a number of sophisticated features into a small package. Mavic Mini owners will definitely want to upgrade and for those first-time buyers, the extra $ 100 you’ll spend is well worth it.

What We Like:

  • 4K camera with zoom capabilities
  • Raw photo capture
  • OccuSync 2.0 transmission
  • Quieter motors than predecessor

What We Don’t:

  • No obstacle avoidance sensors
  • No .MOV files
  • Gimbal can be jerky when facing directly downward

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Photography Equipment for Beginners: What to Buy When Starting Out

24 Oct

The post Photography Equipment for Beginners: What to Buy When Starting Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

You’ve decided you want to get more serious about photography, move beyond just making snapshots with your cellphone, and perhaps even pursue making money from your hobby. You’re ready to start shopping for a better camera and the accessories that go with it.

Many articles about photography equipment for beginners will immediately start recommending makes and models. Or, if you walk into a traditional brick-and-mortar photo store, a salesperson might start showing you equipment, eager to make a big sale.

photography equipment for beginners
Your needs should dictate what to buy. Might a simple point-and-shoot be a good starter camera, or will you need a full-frame DSLR with a long lens and a big tripod? Don’t just buy what a salesperson or someone else tells you is “the best.” Ask yourself some important questions.

Ask other photographers, “What should I buy?” and many will launch into a list of equipment they like, probably favoring the make and model of the gear they own.

(Stay far away from “fanboys,” people who will tell you Brand X is the only way to go and only idiots would buy anything else.)

I’m here to suggest that, rather than immediately seeking a make/model answer to the “What should I buy?” question, you should instead start by asking yourself some more general questions.

Assessing your needs

Cameras and associated equipment will not make you a great photographer, any more than buying an expensive sports car will instantly make you a winning race car driver. To take that analogy further, why would you plunk down the big bucks for that exotic sports car when all you need is something to drive to the grocery store?

The same goes for simply buying the “latest and greatest” gear because that’s what other photographers are excited about, or because that make/model is the buzz of trade magazines and online photo sites. Porsche sports cars have a great reputation, but do you need one? The new mirrorless cameras from the big-name camera manufacturers are exciting, but are they right for you?

If money is no object (I wish that were my situation!), does that mean you should buy the most expensive, sophisticated camera and all the lenses and goodies to go with it? Will that guarantee you have the “best” and most capable gear that will ensure you make stellar photos?

I hope you don’t just reach for your wallet. Instead, do a little self-assessment and homework first.

photography equipment for beginners camera
You could just buy the top-of-the-line flagship camera from one of the big-name companies and figure it would do everything you’d ever need. But when you’re still learning, the plethora of buttons, dials, knobs, and menus would likely overwhelm you. Then you’d be paying for things you won’t use or understand. The “best” is not always what is best for you.

So, let’s explore the questions you should be asking yourself as we dive into photography equipment for beginners.

What do you already know about photography?

If you’re looking for photography equipment for beginners, here’s the first question you should ask:

What do you already know about photography?

How much knowledge and experience do you already have? Have you only made some “pretty pictures” with a single press of the shutter button on your cellphone? Have you heard of the exposure triangle? Do you understand what ISO, shutter speed, and aperture are and how they interact to control exposure, depth of field, and motion capture? Have you had or might you have an interest in pursuing formal instruction to better learn both the artistic composition of photos and the technical operation of the camera?

exposure triangle
What do you already know about photography? Do you understand the exposure triangle? When exploring photography equipment for beginners, your pre-existing knowledge, as well as your interest in learning, should be factors in deciding the right gear for you.

Sure, you can buy a fancier, more expensive camera with the idea that you will “grow into it.” Of course, that more sophisticated camera with buttons, knobs, dials, and cryptic menus could also overwhelm you as a beginner. Sometimes simpler is better, especially when you’re still learning.

On the flip side, a cheap point-and-shoot, highly automatic camera might be easy to learn, but can very quickly create limitations for you as you grow as a photographer.

The real question here is, “How serious are you about photography?”

Do you simply want a camera you will use on occasion, perhaps take on vacation, and that will make good photos with its automatic modes? Or do you plan to make this a serious hobby in which you will invest time, study, and frequent practice? Do you want to dig in and really learn?

What type of photos will you be making?

Cameras don’t make photographs; photographers do. A camera is simply a tool a photographer uses to create a photograph.

In any endeavor, having the right tool for the job makes the work easier and gives improved results. So, when choosing the right camera for your photography, an essential question is, “What kind of photographs do I intend to make?”

I purposely use the word “make” rather than what many people say about “taking photos.” Snapshooters might take photos, seeing something of interest and quickly, without much thought, snapping a shot. Serious photographers, however, are craftspersons, thinking about composition, camera settings, and many other things involved in creating and “making” a photograph.

Whether you just want to take snapshots or make photographs will also influence what kind of equipment you should buy.

So what kind of photos do you want to make? What subject matter is your favorite?

I hear some saying, “I’d like to make all kinds of photos of whatever catches my eye.” So let’s ask the question this way: “What kind of photos do you envision making 80% of the time?” Photos of your kids as they grow up? Formal portraits? Landscapes? Vacation photos? Wildlife photos? There are hundreds of photo genres to explore and, while some camera and lens combinations might be able to handle a greater variety of these, expect to pay more for such photography equipment.

Specialized kinds of photography, such as bird or wildlife shooting where fast camera responsiveness and long lenses are required, will take more specialized gear. Perhaps you want to take photos of your kids playing soccer or engaging in other sports. You might consider an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera, but even if it does have a built-in 10x “superzoom,” will the lag-time between when you press the shutter and when it fires cause you to frequently miss the action? Will the tiny built-in flash have enough power to light your kid at the other end of the basketball court as he hits the winning shot at the buzzer?

Finding the balance between spending enough to have the most versatile equipment and yet not paying for things you will never or only rarely use can be hard. Back to the “80% factor” I mentioned: Buy the gear that will accommodate 80% of your needs. If you suddenly get to photograph that African safari and don’t have the equipment you need, then you can upgrade or, better yet, rent the equipment to handle that unique opportunity.

How will your photos be used?

Before digital photography and the internet, a photograph meant a print. Today, it’s becoming rarer and rarer to see printed photos. Some of these statistics are from 2017, so they’re already dated, but still amazing to consider:

  • An estimated 1.3 trillion photos are taken each year
  • 75% of those photos are taken with cellphones
  • Less than 13% of photos are taken with dedicated digital cameras
  • Approximately 121.5 million digital cameras were sold in 2010; that dropped to 14.8 million in 2019
lots of photos are taken each year
Over 1.3 trillion photos are being taken each year, the vast majority with cellphone cameras. Just a small percentage of those are printed. If you don’t plan to make prints, do you need a high-megapixel camera?

Do you wonder why companies such as Olympus have folded and even the largest digital camera makers are struggling? Sure, you’re reading this because you intend to continue pursuing digital photography, but the question I’m heading toward is, “What percentage of your images do you intend to print?”

Do you need a high-megapixel camera?

Top-end camera manufacturers like to boast about the high-megapixel cameras they are producing and, yes, these can produce some amazing images. Cameras from the top manufacturers now tout specs showing sensors between 40 and 60 megapixels (with prices to match).

The question is: If the vast majority of the images you shoot are only for display on your monitor or online, do you need such high megapixel counts? You can print a beautiful 300 DPI 16” x 20” print with a 4800 x 6000 pixel (28.8 MP) image.

At the time of writing, the Sony A7R IV is the highest megapixel full-frame camera, and it produces a 9504 x 6336 pixel (60.2 MP) image. Printing that at 300 DPI would give you a nice 20″ x 30″ print, and it would be quite easy to go far bigger than that.

On the other hand, if the largest you’d ever print is 8″ x 10″ (about an A4 size using European standards), a 7.2-megapixel image would be just fine. Most current smartphones produce higher resolution images than that.

photography equipment for beginners printer
If you do intend to make prints, think about how large you’d like to make them. My Canon Pixma Pro-100 can print up to 13″ x 19″. To print at 300 DPI, that means I need a 3900 x 5700 pixel image. My Canon 6D is a 20.2-megapixel camera with a maximum resolution of 5472 x 3648 pixels. 13” x 19” is about the maximum I can go with good quality. There are ways to go larger, but give consideration to your printing needs when purchasing a camera.

I don’t mean to confuse you with math. But I want you to ask yourself the question, “Do I expect to be printing my photos and, if so, how large might I print them?”

Do you need an expensive, full-frame, high-megapixel camera if all you’ll ever do is share your work on social media?

Nikon Coolpix 950
My first digital camera was the 1.2 MP Nikon Coolpix 950. I still have it.
seaside tree
Here’s a slightly-cropped image from the Nikon Coolpix 950. The maximum resolution for that camera was 1600 x 1200 pixels, just enough to make a 4″ x 6″ print. If all I wanted to do was post images online or to social media, however, that still would be plenty of resolution. What you intend to do with your photos should be an important consideration when purchasing a camera.
bee on flower
The little Coolpix 950 excelled at macro shots.

Size, weight, and environmental factors

You’ve heard the saying, “The best camera is the one you have with you.” I suppose the corollary to that is, “The worst camera is the one you left at home” (or in your car, or anywhere that is not with you). If you buy a camera (and lenses, and tripods, and other equipment) that becomes a nuisance to bring along, or makes you wish it were smaller and lighter, you’ve probably bought the wrong gear.

Interestingly, many people believed the way to save on size and weight was to move to the latest mirrorless cameras. Yes, mirrorless cameras are marginally smaller and lighter, but lenses for them are not appreciably smaller and lighter. Many mirrorless cameras also draw more battery power, and so the weight saved with smaller equipment is offset by having to carry more batteries. About the only thing that has grown appreciably lighter are photographers’ wallets, because the new smaller, lighter cameras often carry a premium price.

Something else to be considered when shopping for photography equipment for beginners is where and how the camera and accessories will be used. If you’re taking a camera on vacation for travel photos, how much equipment do you want to pack and carry around all day? If you’re a backpacker or outdoorsman, do you want to take a tripod? An array of lenses? Might one of the more sophisticated bridge cameras be a better option for a travel camera?

Another consideration might be the operating environment in which you intend to make photos. If you will frequently be in dusty environments, you may not want a camera with interchangeable lenses. Maybe you frequently shoot in the wet, rain, snow, or in other inclement weather. If so, a camera that is weather-sealed might be worth considering.

Upgradability

If you intend to pursue photography for many years, you will want to give consideration to upgrading your equipment as you improve, as new innovations come along, as you diversify in your shooting, or even as equipment wears out.

Photographers who shoot with interchangeable lenses often find that they soon have more money invested in good lenses than their camera bodies. “Good glass” that can still be used when a camera body is replaced becomes a good investment. Because camera manufacturer lens mounts are usually proprietary to that brand, once you select a make and purchase a few lenses, you will likely want to stick with that manufacturer in the future, rather than sell off everything and start all over.

camera setup
Once you start buying lenses and accessories, you will soon have invested more than the price of your camera body. Because each camera make typically has its own proprietary mount, picking and sticking with a camera brand makes upgrades less expensive. You’ll be reluctant to switch brands if it means selling off everything and starting over.

New, used, or refurbished?

Some people only want to buy new equipment and, if paying full-price for equipment to get factory-fresh gear with a full warranty is worth it to you, go for it.

But sometimes, when researching photography equipment for beginners, substantial savings can be had by buying well-cared-for, used equipment (with stress on well-cared-for). Here’s a good article from Jaymes Dempsey about considerations when buying used photo equipment, and here’s another by Tom Mason. I have had generally good experiences buying used equipment because I:

  • Buy from photographers I personally know who take good care of their gear, or
  • Buy from top resellers such as B&H, Adorama, KEH, and others that check and give their used equipment full inspections, ratings, and even limited warranties, or
  • Buy directly from manufacturers who service, inspect, sell, and warranty refurbished equipment.
new and used equipment
Do you need the “latest and greatest” as a beginner? Do you need new equipment, or might a slightly used and well-cared-for earlier model save you some money and be more than adequate for you?

Excellent savings can often be had by purchasing used when new equipment is just coming out. Photographers with GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) just have to have the latest, greatest thing. Many of these shooters, eager to trade up, are willing to sell their slightly used equipment for bargain prices.

Now, as a beginning photographer, you don’t need the newest cutting-edge equipment, because you likely still have to master the basics. If last year’s top (and now slightly used) camera can be had, helps you learn the basics, allows you to better understand your needs, and fits the bill at a reduced price, so what if you only have it a short while before you upgrade?

Who to purchase from?

Some good advice about buying photo equipment (or anything else for that matter) is the Latin phrase caveat emptor. You likely know that means let the buyer beware.

It used to be that you could walk into a camera store and deal face-to-face with the store owner or at least a salesperson. Even then, you always had to be wary of the unscrupulous salesperson who, once you were pegged as a beginner without much knowledge, would try to upsell you into purchasing far more gear (or more expensive gear) than you really needed. You hoped instead that you’d get a dealer who really wanted to understand your needs and outfit you with the best equipment suited to your budget and needs. This second type of dealer would ask the kinds of questions we’re exploring here, knowing that a satisfied customer would tell others of their good experience and thus bring in more business.

Sadly, these kinds of brick-and-mortar camera stores are becoming rare (the last dealer in my town closed shop about a month ago after 74 years in the photo business). That doesn’t mean there aren’t reputable online dealers who offer good customer service on photo equipment. You just have to do your research. Talk to experienced photographers and ask them where they buy their equipment, who gives good deals, who provides good advice and service, and who honors warranties.

Idaho camera
Idaho Camera had been the camera store in my town for 74 years. They closed permanently this past month, a victim of changing economic times, competition with online dealers and, finally, the Covid-19 crisis.

Always be cautious of dealers who have questionable reputations and, even more so, offer deals that are too-good-to-be-true. Often photo equipment manufacturers will require all dealers to offer their equipment at the same price, and so where you shop won’t change the price. Some dealers will thus come up with their own incentives and offer packages of accessories they throw in to sweeten the deal. Look carefully at whether this is really worthwhile. You might get a cheap cleaning kit, a worse-than-nothing tripod, or a shoddy camera bag, stuff that’s not worth it if it tempts you to do business with a shady dealer.

Also, beware of the dealer who tries high-pressure tactics to get you to add on stuff you didn’t initially intend to buy or a questionable “extended warranty.” And beware of “gray market” equipment, which most manufacturers won’t warranty at all.

Using online buying guides

I have refrained from suggesting any specific makes or models targeted as specific photography equipment for beginners. If, after asking yourself the questions I’ve outlined, you think you’re ready to begin looking at specific gear, there are some great places to check out.

Here on the Digital Photography School (dPS) site, check out the Cameras & Equipment section.

photography equipment for beginners DPS gear section
Check out the Cameras & Equipment section here on dPS for good information and reviews of photo equipment.

Another place I particularly like is the Digital Photography Review site (DPReview.com) and their Buying Guides section. The Cameras by Use Case pages are great for helping suggest makes and models based on how you intend to use your camera.

I’ve primarily discussed cameras, but if you’re shopping for tripods, lighting equipment, or any other kind of photo accessories, places such as dPS and DPReview offer a wealth of information. There are also forums where you can learn from other photographers about the ins-and-outs of specific gear.

Do be cautious, however. Fanboys and trolls like to hang out in places like that, so don’t just go with the first opinion you read.

photography equipment for beginners DPReview
The Digital Photography Review site. Cameras by Use Case is great for helping you explore photography equipment for beginners and is specifically geared toward how you intend to use your equipment.

Photography equipment for beginners: The questions to ask

I’ve thrown out a lot of stuff here, so let’s summarize with a list of questions to ask yourself:

  • What are my needs for a camera (or other photo gear)?
  • How much do I know about photography?
  • How serious do I intend to get? Will I pursue learning opportunities?
  • How often will I use this equipment?
  • What kind of photos will I be making (use the 80% rule)?
  • Do I want to specialize in a particular photo genre/subject?
  • How will I use my photos? (Online? Print? Sell?)
  • How much resolution (megapixels) do I need?
  • Is size/weight an important factor?
  • Where will I use my gear (environmental factors)?
  • Do I plan to upgrade, add lenses, and add accessories?
  • Do I want new gear, or might I consider used or refurbished equipment?
  • Who should I buy from? A store, an online dealer, or a private individual?
  • Have I done research (via buying guides, and/or discussions with trusted photographers)?
camera on money
Here, take my money! I guess if money is no object, you might just buy what someone else tells you is the “best.” But, for most of us, research will help you get what you need, and what will be the best tool for the job at the best price.

Now take my money

Some people aren’t much for researching purchases and simply want someone to tell them what to buy. It’s easy to find salespeople perfectly willing to tell you what you “need” and take your money.

I suspect that, if you’ve read this article, you are not one of those people.

So, in writing this guide to photography equipment for beginners, my aim is not to tell you what to buy, but rather to have you ask yourself the right questions. If you do that, you can best make a wise purchase and get the photo tools that best suit your task.

The ultimate objective is that you learn and grow as a photographer, enjoy photography, and make increasingly better photographs. Best wishes!

The post Photography Equipment for Beginners: What to Buy When Starting Out appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.


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Manual Exposure Cheat Sheet for Beginners: How to Expose Manually

22 Oct

The post Manual Exposure Cheat Sheet for Beginners: How to Expose Manually appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

Photographers are visual people. Learning is often made easier for us with the help of graphics and images. In this article, I want to break down this classic manual exposure cheat sheet:

manual exposure cheat sheet

Beginner photographers, and even more experienced ones, often think that Manual mode is complicated.

It’s not.

But to learn how to use Manual mode well, you need to understand a few basics. These are the three camera controls that manage exposure:

  • Aperture
  • Shutter speed
  • ISO

You also need to use the exposure meter, LCD, or viewfinder to assist you in choosing the best settings. If you read the light, you can then set your exposure.

This manual exposure cheat sheet will help you understand these few essentials.

Woman in a red sofa outdoors manual exposure cheat sheet
© Kevin Landwer-Johan | Nikon D800 | Nikon 35mm f/1.8 | 1/125 sec | ISO 100

Reading the light

All modern cameras have a built-in exposure meter. This tool indicates when you have your settings balanced to achieve a good exposure. In most cameras, it looks something like this:

Exposure meter illustration manual exposure cheat sheet

Some cameras use a number system and a + or – symbol to show the exposure value.

Whatever display method your camera uses, you are aiming to have the meter read “0.” This is the indication you have a good exposure. If the display indicates the exposure is toward the – side, your photo will be underexposed. If it’s showing that the exposure is toward the + side, your photo will be overexposed.

This is a very simplified explanation of the metering system. To gain a more in-depth understanding of how it works, please read this article: Understanding Exposure Metering Modes.

With many cameras, you can also use the rear LCD to help you determine the best exposure settings. Additionally, mirrorless cameras allow you to see the effect of changes you make via the viewfinder.

To discover if your camera has this function, turn on Live View and set your camera to Manual mode. Now adjust your aperture and/or shutter speed. Can you see the brightness value of the LCD change as you do this? If so, you can use your LCD screen and/or viewfinder to help you manage your exposure settings. If you are new to using Manual mode, this method will make learning easier.

Whether you look at the exposure meter graphic or use your viewfinder/LCD to help you choose your settings, treat these as a guide. Your camera does not know what the main subject of your composition is. You must control the exposure so the most important part of your image is well exposed.

Tropical sunset manual exposure cheat sheet
© Kevin Landwer-Johan | Nikon D700 | 20mm | 1/125 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 400

Adjusting your aperture

Every lens has an aperture. This is an adjustable diaphragm that controls how much light can enter the lens. Each aperture setting corresponds to an f-stop.

A smaller f-stop number indicates more light will enter the lens. A higher number means the opening is smaller and less light will enter.

Aperture illustration for manual exposure cheat sheet

On this manual exposure cheat sheet, you can see there is a range of aperture settings. The smallest aperture setting, on the left, is f/16. To the right of the graphic is the widest setting, at f/1.4. Not all lenses have the same aperture settings. Some will have wider or narrower minimum and maximum settings.

Along with governing the amount of light that enters the lens, the aperture setting influences depth of field (DOF).

DOF is the amount of the photo that is acceptably sharp. The wider the aperture setting you choose, the shallower the DOF will be. You can see this on the cheat sheet graphic of the person and tree. At f/16, both the person and tree are sharp. At f/1.4, the person is sharp and the tree in the background is out of focus.

A narrow aperture setting allows less light to enter the lens. It also means you’ll have more of your photo in focus. A wide aperture setting allows more light into the lens and the DOF is shallower.

You can adjust the aperture setting to help balance your exposure and control how much of your composition is in focus. The amount of DOF can be used creatively in your photographs.

Woman taking a photograph manual exposure cheat sheet
© Kevin Landwer-Johan | Nikon D800 | 105mm | 1/320 sec | f/2.8 | ISO 100

Setting your shutter speed

Inside your camera, there’s a shutter. This typically consists of two “blinds” that open and close when you press the shutter release button. Opening the shutter exposes the camera sensor to light, which allows it to create an image.

The duration the shutter is open for controls how much light will affect the sensor. If the shutter is open for too long, the photo will be overexposed. If the shutter is open for a duration that is too short, the photo will be underexposed.

Your choice of shutter speed can also affect how sharp your photos will be.

If you choose a shutter speed that’s too slow and your camera moves during the time the shutter is open, your photo will be blurred. This is known as camera shake.

If you have a moving subject and use a slow shutter speed, your subject will be blurred. This is known as motion blur.

Using a faster shutter speed will help you avoid camera shake and unwanted motion blur.

Shutter speed illustration manual exposure cheat sheet

In the manual exposure cheat sheet, you can see the graphic of a person running. At a shutter speed setting of 1/1000s, the figure is sharp. At a setting of 1/60s, the figure is blurred a little. At a shutter speed of 1 second, the figure is very blurred. The relationship between how fast your subject is moving and the shutter speed will determine how much blurring occurs.

You can adjust the shutter speed to help balance your exposure and to control blur from camera shake or motion. Motion blur and camera shake, or a lack thereof, can be used creatively in your photography.

Woman at the fresh market - manual exposure cheat sheet
© Kevin Landwer-Johan | Nikon D800 |35mm | 1/2 sec | f/11 | ISO 100

Determining your ISO

ISO settings control how responsive your camera’s sensor is to light. A low number means your sensor is going to be less responsive than when you use a high number.

I prefer to use my ISO as a foundation for my exposure. I generally only adjust it when lighting conditions change significantly.

Outside on a sunny day, you will want to choose a low ISO. Inside or at night, you will want to choose a high ISO.

ISO illustration manual exposure cheat sheet

Unlike your other two exposure settings, ISO has no creative influence on your photos. It will affect the technical quality, though. At higher ISO settings, digital noise will start to appear in your photos. The color and contrast will also tend to flatten out.

In the manual exposure cheat sheet, you can see that lower ISO settings mean the sensor is less responsive compared to higher ISO settings. To avoid seeing digital noise in your photos, always aim to use the lowest ISO setting you can.

Thai entertainment
© Kevin Landwer-Johan | Nikon D800 | 105mm | 1/250 sec | f/4 | ISO 6400

Stop! This is important

Each incremental change indicated by the manual exposure cheat sheet is one “stop.” The term “stop” in photography is the measurement of exposure. Plus one stop means the exposure is doubled. Minus one stop means the exposure is halved.

A stop can be controlled by aperture, shutter speed, or ISO. If you adjust one setting by plus one stop, you can always achieve the same initial exposure by adjusting another setting by minus one stop, and so on.

As you can see on the cheat sheet, the increments I have used for the shutter speed and ISO are clearly half or double the adjacent numbers. The f-stop numbers appear a bit random, however. This is because they indicate the aperture opening size in relation to the lens focal length. But each f-stop setting is either half or double the setting on either side of it.

red lanterns against a blue sky
© Kevin Landwer-Johan | Nikon D700 | 20mm | 1/60 sec | f/4 | ISO 400

Manual exposure cheat sheet: Conclusion

Manual exposure of your photographs is not so complicated. All you need to do is manage the relationship between the three exposure settings.

The relationship between aperture settings, exposure, and depth of field is plain to see on this cheat sheet. How your choice of shutter speed affects both exposure and blurring is also well illustrated. Keep your ISO in mind and make it as low as you can. But don’t hesitate to alter it when you need to.

Print the manual exposure cheat sheet to make learning and mastering Manual mode a little easier. It will not happen without some commitment and practice.

But once you become familiar with Manual mode and manage your exposures well, your photography will become more creative.

The post Manual Exposure Cheat Sheet for Beginners: How to Expose Manually appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.


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Ilford Photo Darkroom Guide video series reveals printing techniques and more for beginners

20 Oct

Black and white film and paper manufacturer Ilford Photo has produced a series of videos to help beginners get to grips with essential darkroom techniques. Hosted by Rachel Brewster-Wright from Little Vintage Photography the collection of videos tackles some of the basics of common darkroom questions in a simple to follow format.

So far, subjects covered in the 16-video playlist include dodging and burning, selenium toning, using multi-grade paper and more. The series sits alongside a mass of other educational content from the film-maker that covers issues such as how an enlarger works, pinhole photography, a checklist for setting up your own darkroom and processing your first roll of film. This is mixed with inspirational interviews with black and white photographers and printers, as well as footage inside the Ilford Factory in the UK.

If you want to get started in black and white film photography, or you want a refresher on how it’s all done check out the Ilford Photo YouTube channel.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How To Find Your Lens’ Sweet Spot: A Beginner’s Guide to Sharper Images

06 Oct

The post How To Find Your Lens’ Sweet Spot: A Beginner’s Guide to Sharper Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.

How To Find Your Lens' Sweet Spot: A Beginner's Guide to Sharper Images

Are you tired of blurry images?

It’s time to learn how to capture sharper images by finding your lens’s sweet spot. This will give you more confidence, save time, and help you take better photos.

In this article, you’ll learn:

  • How to find your lens’s sweet spot (for sharper images)
  • Why you should shoot in Aperture Priority mode (and how to use it)
  • How to perform a test to get the sharpest image every time
  • How important your lens’s sweet spot really is

Mid range aperture sharper than wide open

In the above images of the clock, the one on the right is sharper. Look closely at the words. The f/9 image is sharper throughout because it was shot using my lens’s sweet spot. The f/3.5 one was not.

First, take a look at your lens

In this beginner’s guide, we’ll use an entry-level zoom lens as our example. Most kit lenses (the basic lens that comes with a DSLR) generally shoot their sharpest at a mid-range aperture setting. To determine the mid-range aperture of your lens, you’ll need to know its widest (or maximum) aperture setting. This is located on the side or end of the lens and will look something like 1:3.5-5.6.

For example, here it is on my Canon 18-55mm zoom lens:

Lens aperture range

This means that when my lens is zoomed all the way out to 18mm, its widest aperture is f/3.5. When zoomed all the way in to 55mm, its widest aperture is f/5.6.

The rule for finding that mid-range sweet spot is to count up two full f-stops (aperture settings are called f-stops) from the widest aperture. On my lens, the widest aperture is f/3.5. Two full stops from there would bring me to a sweet spot of around f/7.1.

Use this chart to count your f-stops:

Robin Parmar

By Robin Parmar

There is some wiggle room in what counts as mid-range, so anything from f/7.1 to f/10 will capture a sharp image. Once you know the mid-range aperture of your lens, you can do an easy test to get your sharpest image. To perform the test you’ll need to shoot in Aperture Priority mode.

Take control with Aperture Priority mode

Shooting in Aperture Priority allows you to choose the aperture setting you want, which gives you more creative control than Auto mode.

By controlling the aperture setting, it’s much easier to get a sharp image. And because your camera still chooses the ISO (if it’s set to Auto ISO) and the shutter speed automatically, it’s very easy to use.

You’ve probably heard that apertures like f/16 and f/22 are best for keeping everything in focus. While that can be true, focus does not always equal overall sharpness. Choosing a mid-range aperture will give you sharper images throughout. You can improve your photos even further by reducing camera shake by way of a tripod and a remote shutter release (or your camera’s self-timer).

Here’s an example of how shooting in your lens’s sweet spot will give you sharper images:

Sharp images shot in lens sweet spot

Mid range f stop sharper than small f stop

In the above image, the f/9 shot is sharper than the f/22 one. The needles and shadows are not as soft or blurry as in the f/22 shot (look at the crispness and sparkles in the snow, too).

Switching from Auto to Aperture Priority mode

To take your camera off of Auto and put it in Aperture Priority, just turn the large mode dial to Aperture Priority. This is what that looks like on my Canon (on Nikon and other brands look for the “A”).

Aperture priority on canon mode dial

Auto mode is the green rectangle; Aperture Priority mode is the Av (or A on a Nikon). Once your camera is in Aperture Priority mode, turn the smaller main dial (shown here on the top of my Canon) to choose your f-stop.

Main dial canon

As you turn that dial, you’ll see the f-number changing on your screen. In the next picture, it’s set to f/9.5:

Aperture setting on canon LCD screen

Perform a lens sweet spot test

Once you have your camera set up on a tripod, performing a sweet spot test only takes a couple of minutes. To begin, put your camera in Aperture Priority mode, then compose your shot and take photos at varying apertures. Start with a shot at the widest aperture, then rotate that main dial a couple of times (to narrow the aperture) and take another shot. Keep doing that until you’ve taken seven or eight photos.

Upload your photos to your computer and zoom in. You’ll quickly see which aperture settings gave you the sharpest overall image.

This next photo of my daughter was shot using natural light. Shooting in my lens’s sweet spot gave me a pretty sharp image, even in this low light setting:

Mid range aperture sharp image low light

Find your lens sweet spot for sharper images

The close-up of the mug shows the advantage of shooting in the lens’s sweet spot. Whenever you want to make sure you get the sharpest capture possible, take a shot at each mid-range setting: f/7.1, f/8, f/9, and f/10.

Getting your sharpest images

Now that you know your lens’s sweet spot, it’s time to practice. I hope you’re as pleased with the results as I’ve been!

Mid range aperture for sharper images

I love shooting in natural light, and learning how to capture sharper images in low light has made me so much happier with my photos.

Tips for capturing the sharpest images

  • Shoot in Aperture Priority mode
  • Choose a mid-range aperture (usually f/7.1 to f/10)
  • Use a tripod and a remote shutter release (or your camera’s self-timer) to reduce camera shake
  • Take a series of shots at f/7.1 through f/10 when a sharp capture is especially important

But don’t stop there. Keep playing with settings in Aperture Priority mode. It’s awesome to get images that are sharp throughout, but there’s a lot more to aperture than that.

Learn more about aperture and depth of field here.

The post How To Find Your Lens’ Sweet Spot: A Beginner’s Guide to Sharper Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.


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