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How to Shoot in Low Light – 9 Commonly Asked Questions

24 Nov

The post How to Shoot in Low Light – 9 Commonly Asked Questions appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.

low light photography moon rise — This image of a moonrise over Marietta, Ohio was taken 20 minutes after sunset during the blue hour; the sun had set and the sky was a dark blue. The city lights create a great warm glow over the city.

According to British photojournalist Donald McCullin, “There is no such thing as bad light, just misunderstood light.” Yet many photographers still consider low light to be bad light.

The purpose of this article is to encourage you to not consider low light as inferior or unusable, but to instead look for subjects that work well with the available low light. Shooting in low light can often be a struggle, however, which is why I’ll answer nine of the most frequently asked questions about low light photography.

Keep in mind that low light photography is not exclusively night photography. Low light photography opportunities may appear at any time of the day.

For instance, shooting waterfalls in low light allows you to use a slow shutter speed, prevents overexposure of the white water of the falls, and helps you create a beautiful silky effect (by blurring the moving water).

Using a flash will light up any subject, of course, but let’s take a look at how to improve your photography in naturally-occurring low light.

Low light photography FAQs

low light photography bridge — Low light creates very dramatic scenes. Dark storm clouds turned this potential sunrise into a great low light opportunity.

1. My low light images are blurry. Would a better lens alleviate the blur?

The short answer to this question is, “Yes.” A fast lens with a maximum f-stop of f/1.8, for instance, will give you better results than a kit lens with a maximum f-stop of f/3.5 or f/5.6.

But even the faster, more expensive lenses will give you undesirable results if you’re using the wrong settings. You see, the wider aperture opening on fast lenses allows you to use a faster shutter speed, which helps you capture a sharper image – but unless you dial in the correct shutter speed, your shots will often turn out blurry anyway!

Lenses with larger maximum apertures are called “fast” because they allow you to shoot with faster shutter speeds, thanks to the additional light that enters your camera through the bigger aperture opening.

2. What are the best camera settings for shooting in low light?

These are the best low light camera settings:

Manual mode

Shooting in Manual mode is essential for successful low light photography, as it allows you to control every functional aspect of your camera.

Once in Manual mode, you basically have three ways to get more light onto your camera sensor:

Shutter speed
Aperture
ISO

These three controls are together called the exposure triangle, and each of the settings can have a positive or negative result on your image’s exposure.

Therefore, learning how to use shutter speed, aperture, and ISO for the best result is the key to low light photography.

Note that your in-camera light meter will reveal where adjustments should be made to the camera settings, and well-exposed images will be the result.

Shutter speed

If you are shooting handheld, a good rule of thumb is to set your shutter speed to match the reciprocal of your focal length.

For example, if you are shooting at 50mm, your shutter speed shouldn’t be any slower than 1/50s. Of course, if the subject of your photo is moving, then you will need to increase your shutter speed to freeze the action. Because while choosing a slower shutter speed will allow more light into your camera, you’ll also risk getting a blurry result.

low light photography great blue heron — A great blue heron in a fight was the subject of this low light image. I shot this at 1/250s, f/5.6, and ISO 1250. Using a combination of a slower shutter speed and a higher ISO, I was able to create the blurry wings while panning to match the speed of the fight.

Aperture

In most low light situations, you will probably need to shoot with your aperture wide open.

But if there is enough light to shoot with a smaller f-stop, you’ll get an increased depth of field.

So here’s what to consider:

Choosing a wider aperture will let more light into your camera, but will decrease your depth of field. And this could lead to an important part of your image being out of focus.

So what should you do?

Generally, it’s better to risk an out-of-focus shot than to guarantee a blurry one – so, if necessary, widen that aperture!

ISO

The higher the ISO, the brighter the resulting shot.

But there’s an important trade-off here:

The higher the ISO, the more digital noise you’ll be adding to your image.

So keep your ISO as low as possible, and only increase your ISO after you have decreased your shutter speed and widened your aperture.

Shoot in RAW

For the best results, shooting in RAW is recommended.

This is for one simple reason: Your camera will save more shadow detail in RAW format compared to the compressed JPEG format.

Also, it is very helpful to learn how to check your histogram; that way, you don’t have to just rely on what you see on your camera’s LCD screen. Use the histogram to check your exposure, and avoid clipping the highlights and shadows.

black and white beach house — I used the low light at Huntington Beach, California to create this black and white image with a five-second exposure.

3. How do I take low light action shots?

Shooting action in low light can be very challenging, and it is almost always going to require you to shoot with your aperture at its widest setting.

Once your aperture is set, adjust your shutter speed to match the action you are trying to freeze. Of course, depending on the situation, there may simply not be enough light. If that is the case, adjust the ISO to a higher setting until a good exposure is set. If your ISO setting is so high that you are getting an unacceptable amount of digital noise, you have two options:

Either add light with a flash or some other source, or live with the noise and try to remove some of it in post-processing.

Sometimes, with the noise issue, it comes down to getting the shot with noise versus not taking the shot at all.

4. How do I reduce the digital noise level in low light images?

The simple answer to this question is to shoot at the lowest ISO that you can. But it is also a good idea to know the ISO at which your camera produces noise that you consider unacceptable.

And always make sure your exposure is correct. Even at a low ISO, if your image is underexposed, you will have some noise in the shadow areas.

long exposure waterfall — A cloudy day at Blackwater Falls, West Virginia allowed for a long exposure without blowing out the highlights.

5. How do I focus in low light?

Another reason for blurry images in low light is the fact that some cameras just aren’t manufactured to focus properly with less light.

So what should you do?

Try shining a light on your subject to give your camera enough light to focus. You can also use your lens’s focusing ring to fine-tune your focus.

Focusing via the central AF point may also help, as it usually focuses faster and more accurately than surrounding AF points.

6. How can I take pro-like images in low light?

Here are four things that most pros do in low light:

Use a tripod
Shoot in RAW
Shoot in Manual mode
Use the histogram

low light photography silhouette — Low light makes for great silhouettes!

7. How do I choose the best white balance for low light?

Set your white balance to match your environment:

Tungsten for photographing indoors with light from a regular lightbulb
Fluorescent for light from fluorescent bulbs
Cloudy for low light created by an overcast day
Shade for shooting in a shaded or shadowy area

One thing to remember:

If you are shooting in RAW, you can adjust your white balance later in post-processing.

But if you are shooting JPEGs, it is very important to get your white balance correct in-camera. For this reason, if your camera is set to capture JPEGs, you should not use the automatic white balance function. White balance is hard, and sometimes impossible, to correct later in a JPEG.

8. Should I raise my ISO or lower my shutter speed in low light?

Assuming that you are shooting with your aperture wide open, in most situations this is an easy one to answer:

Adjust your shutter speed!

And only raise your ISO as a last resort.

Remember that raising your ISO is going to add more noise into the image.

Now, most new DSLRs do a much better job with noise levels at higher ISO settings. But as I mentioned earlier, it is a good idea to know what noise levels are unacceptable, and what ISOs these correspond to. In situations where your subject is moving, it may become necessary to boost the ISO to keep your shutter speed fast enough to freeze the action.

fall scene with fog — Fog created the low light conditions in this fall image.

9. Why aren’t my low light shots sharp even when I use a tripod?

Remember that, in most low light, you will be shooting with your aperture wide open (or nearly so).

Hence, your depth of field will be very shallow (which can lead to blurry results).

So be extra careful to lock your focus (you can even try back-button focus) on the part of your scene that needs to be in sharp focus.

Case in point:

When shooting a low light portrait, it is important to have the subject’s eyes in focus. So focus on the eyes!

Also, if your subject is moving, increase your shutter speed until the subject is frozen by your camera. And when shooting with a tripod, make sure your camera’s image stabilization is turned off, because it can actually create blur!

10. A bonus tip

In low light, the LCD screen on the back of your camera is going to look very bright – and this will give you an inaccurate sense of your photo’s exposure.

So if your camera has an adjustment for the brightness of your LCD screen, turn it down. You want to ensure your image will not seem overly bright when you view it!

How to shoot in low light: conclusion

The trick to low light photography is to take control of your camera, and know that every action or setting will have a reaction.

Now, how is that different from photography in any other type of light?

It’s not, really. Just consider photography in low light as an opportunity to be creative.

Now over to you:

What subjects do you like to shoot in low light? And do you have any low light shooting tips? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post How to Shoot in Low Light – 9 Commonly Asked Questions appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Bruce Wunderlich.

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DPReview TV: We answer your questions about how to start a YouTube channel

05 Nov

Following our DPReview TV video series ‘How to start a YouTube channel’, we received lots of follow-up questions from viewers, so Chris and Jordan sat down to answer some of the most common ones.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get new episodes of DPReview TV every week.

Introduction
How important is it to publish consistently?
How much time does it take to shoot an episode?
How do you get things like health insurance?
How do you know what videos will succeed?
Should you include humor/personality?
Video editing speed round!
Should you focus on making videos for yourself or your audience?
Chris is cold

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Nikon D750: Answers to Your Real Questions

16 Apr

Whether you’ve just purchased the Nikon D750 or you’re still in the research phase, you likely already know this is a DSLR with an amazing price point. It’s still one of the top rated cameras, even after more than 5 years on the market. Lightweight and extremely reliable, with excellent dynamic range, the Nikon D750 is a full frame DSLR Continue Reading

The post Nikon D750: Answers to Your Real Questions appeared first on Photodoto.

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Answers to Your Most Common Lightroom Questions

08 Jan

The post Answers to Your Most Common Lightroom Questions appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

Adobe Lightroom offers ease of use as well as high functionality for novice users and professionals alike. Although many photographers use Photoshop for retouching, they continue to use Lightroom, not only as a global editor but also for its robust organizational capabilities.

Even if you’ve been using Lightroom for a while, you still may be confused about how to get the most out of the software.

Certain questions crop up again and again with Lightroom users. Here are some answers to your most common Lightroom questions.

Answers to Your Most Common Lightroom Questions

Should I use Lightroom CC or Lightroom Classic?

Pardon the pun, but this is the “classic” question when it comes to Lightroom, especially with the changes and updates over the last couple of years.

The current “Lightroom” app was formerly known as Lightroom CC. This is a version that is heavily marketed by Adobe but is not necessarily the best version for the serious photographer.

Lightroom Classic is what used to be known as Lightroom CC.

Are you confused yet?

No worries, because this is the most common Lightroom question!

The current Lightroom CC stores your photos on their servers and charges you $ 10 per terabyte. If you shoot a lot, this can really add up quickly.

It also doesn’t offer you full functionality, like the ability to print from Lightroom or export files in any format other than DNG or JPG.

Lightroom CC also doesn’t contain the Map, Book, Print, Slideshow or Web modules. Essentially, it’s suitable for the entry photographer. Beyond that, you’ll find it won’t give you the full suite of tools you need.

Lightroom Classic, on the other hand, is the subscription-based model that you get with your photography plan.

Not only does this version give you great value, but it also provides you with the complete functionality you expect from a post-processing program.

To find out which version you currently have, just go up to –>Help in the top toolbar and select –>System Info from the dropdown menu.

Answers to Your Most Common Lightroom Questions

What color space should I use?

The conversation about color space is a lot more lengthy than what can take place here, but you should be aware of the differences and those most optimal for what you’re trying to accomplish with your photography.

The most common color spaces are sRGB and Adobe RGB.

camera-color-spaces-explained

sRGB is the defining color space of the digital world. Anything involving digital graphics, whether it be video games or photographs, is built on sRGB.

If your photos will appear online, you’ll need to use sRGB. If you upload an image in AdobeRGB, it will look desaturated and dull because the browser will convert it to sRGB and do a poor job of it.

However, if you anticipate your work being professionally printed at all, you’ll most likely need AdobeRGB files. This is a color space developed by Adobe Systems and HP to be compatible with CMYK printers.

Stock agencies often request files to be upload in AdobeRGB because they can be converted to sRGB. Just note that the reverse isn’t true.

Both sRGB and AdobeRGB have the same number of colors but the range is narrower in sRGB. AdobeRGB has a 35% wider color gamut, which means prints will be more vibrant and saturated.

ProPhotoRGB encompasses the largest color space available and is ideal when using Lightroom with other programs like Photoshop to process 16-bit photos. 8-bit cannot use the whole available color range. Prophoto is also ideal if you are printing your photos with a professional printery that uses a printer that can print between 7-10 colors.

sRGB vs AdobeRGB on a computer screen

How can I speed up Lightroom’s performance?

An important factor in keeping Lightroom running smoothly is to set it up for optimal performance.

One common Lightroom question is how to speed up Lightroom’s performance.

To start with, as with any software program, you should always make sure it’s updated and that you have enough hard drive space. You need at least 20% free space for Lightroom to run optimally.

Also, make sure your catalog is optimized. Lightroom continually updates the catalog file, but eventually, the data structure becomes less optimal over time. It has an “optimize catalog” option you can enable to improve performance.

To access this option, go to Lightroom -> Preferences and click on -> Performance.

Then click on -> Optimize Performance.

lightroom common questions-optimize catalog

common questions-lightroom performance

Set up Lightroom to back up on a regular schedule, and set it to optimize the catalog following the backup.

Another tip for improving performance is to import your files as DNG files.

DNG is short for Digital Negative. It’s a RAW file format created by Adobe.

When you convert a file into DNG, Lightroom adds Fast Load Data to the file. This results in a partially processed preview that allows Lightroom to render faster previews in the Develop module.

Adobe claims that a DNG file with Fast Load Data can load up to eight times faster.

Another benefit of converting to DNG files is that they are smaller files than other RAW formats and take up 20% less space on your hard drive.

To enable this Fast Load Data under your Lightroom Preferences tab go to -> File Handling and check off Embed Fast Load Data. Make sure you have DNG selected as the file extension.

Answers to Your Most Common Lightroom Questions

Should I use one or multiple catalogs?

Another of the common Lightroom questions is how many catalogs users should use, and often garners much debate.

Some photographers vehemently proclaim that you should only use one catalog, while others insist one catalog is an accident waiting to happen.

When you use one catalog, you risk it becoming corrupt from, for example, constant opening and closing the catalog. It’s actually a rare thing, but it has happened to me a couple of times.

The antidote to this is backing up every day and keeping only the last couple of backups so they don’t clog up your computer.

Catalogs can be a nice way to organize your images. You can, at the very least, have one for your personal photos and another for professional photos.

But you can also have one catalog by utilizing Collections. To me, the whole point of Lightroom is to keep you more organized, so this is a large part of the functionality of the program.

When you have several catalogs, you have to make sure each is properly backed up, which is tedious and adds to your workflow. Also, you cannot have more than one catalog open at a time.

So, in my opinion, it’s easier to back up and manage one master catalog and that you make the most use out of the Collections feature.

Where should I save my files?

The key to success with Lightroom is to keep things as streamlined as possible. It functions as a powerful photo database, but a few missteps can result in a mess.

One of the most common Lightroom questions is where should I save my files?

I recommend that you have a hierarchical folder structure where you have a top-level folder, and in that folder, you have a folder for the year, month, and shoot name – in that order.

This folder structure will make it easy makes it easy to locate certain photos quickly.

It will also allow you to easily back up your photos or copy them to an external hard drive by copying the top-level folder

For example, if you want to back up your entire photo collection to another hard drive, it’s as simple as copying the top-level folder.

folder-stucture-common-lightroom-questions

Conclusion

Despite how user-friendly Lightroom is, it contains a fair amount of complexity. Knowing all the ins-and-outs will help you get the most out of the software program. Hopefully, this article has clarified some of your most common Lightroom questions.

The post Answers to Your Most Common Lightroom Questions appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

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5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear

18 Oct

The post 5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

I’ve bought a lot of used gear over the last decade.

Cameras.

Lenses.

Batteries.

And more.

Questions-to-Ask-Before-Buying-Used-Camera-Gear

A lot of those purchases turned out great. Some of them I still use to this day.

But a large chunk of the used purchases I made?

Trash.

In fact, in my more naive years, I was forced to return over 50% of the gear that I purchased. There were just so many problems: sand in focusing rings, stains on the front element, shutter buttons that couldn’t communicate with the shutter. (Oh, and my least favorite: Fungus inside the lens. Doesn’t that just make you shiver?)

And here’s the kicker:

I bought all of this gear through respectable buyers, who described the equipment as in “excellent condition,” “flawless,” “perfect,” “like new,” – you name it.

It got so bad that I considered leaving the used market entirely and just buying new. But I resisted.

Why?

Used camera gear is a real bargain – if you buy carefully. This is why I took all of my negative gear-buying experiences and turned them into a process for making sure I purchased good used gear.

At the core of that process is a series of questions. Questions that I’m going to share with you today. Some of the questions are for you, the buyer. Others should be posed to the seller before you put any cash down.

Are you ready to discover how to buy used gear effectively?

Let’s get started!

Questions-to-Ask-Before-Buying-Used-Camera-Gear

Question 1: Are you buying from a reputable seller with a money-back guarantee?

This is the number one most important thing that you should do when buying used gear.

Purchase from a seller that you trust – and that gives you an enforceable money-back guarantee. You don’t want to purchase a camera online, only to find that it’s full of water damage and sports a cracked LCD.

This means that buying used through Amazon is fine. All of their products are backed by Amazon month-long guarantees.

Buying used through eBay is also fine. Ebay’s buyer protection ensures that you’re not going to get ripped off in such an obvious fashion.

5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear

But this makes most forums (if not all forums) off-limits. If the forum doesn’t have a serious money-back guarantee that’s honored by the site itself, then stay away.

This also makes in-person sales off-limits, such as those done through Craigslist. Sure, you can inspect the item upon receipt, but what are you going to do when you get home, put that lens under a light, and realize it’s filled with an army of fungus?

It’ll be too late, and your seller may not be so receptive to a return.

So just don’t do it. Instead, use sites like Amazon, eBay, B&H, or KEH, which all have clear money-back guarantees.

Question 2: Does the seller include actual pictures of the gear?

Sellers not including pictures is a big warning sign, especially on a website like eBay, where pictures are the norm. It should make you ask: Why doesn’t the seller want to show off their “excellent condition” item? Is there something they’re trying to hide?

Another red flag is only showing a stock photo. These are easy to spot; they look way better than anything that a casual, eBay-selling photographer would have taken, and there tends to be only one or two of them.

5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear

If you like the price and everything else checks out, then go ahead and shoot the seller an email, asking for in-depth pictures of the item. If the seller refuses, then it’s time to look elsewhere.

You might come across some sellers who are offering many units of the same item (e.g., five Canon 7D Mark II’s). In this case, they likely have shown a stock photo, or a photo of one item, because they don’t want to go through the effort of photographing each piece of kit.

In such cases, you should message the seller and ask for pictures of the exact item that you’ll be purchasing. It’s too easy, especially with these big sellers, to end up with an item that you’ll have to send back.

Question 3: How many shutter actuations has the camera fired?

(Note: This section is for buying cameras.)

First things first: A shutter actuation refers to a single shot taken with a camera.

Every camera has a number of actuations its shutter is rated for. Once the shutter has reached around that point, it just…fails. While you can get the shutter replaced, it generally costs enough that you’re probably better off buying a new camera body.

5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear

If you want to know the shutter actuation rating of any particular camera, you can look it up through a quick Google search.

Of course, the shutter rating isn’t a hard and fast rule. There are some cameras that go far beyond their predicted shutter count, and there are some cameras that fail far sooner. The shutter count is just an average.

Now, when you look at camera listings online, you’ll see that shutter actuations are reported about fifty percent of the time.

But the other fifty percent of the time, there will be no mention of them.

This is for three possible reasons:

The seller doesn’t know about the importance of shutter actuations.
The seller can’t figure out how to determine the shutter actuations for their camera.
The seller doesn’t wish to share the shutter count because it won’t help the sale.

I would never buy a camera without knowing its shutter count. Therefore, I recommend reaching out to the seller and asking.

If the seller refuses to share the count, then let the camera go. If the seller claims they don’t know how to view the shutter count, explain that they should be able to find it easily, either within the camera itself or through a website such as https://www.camerashuttercount.com/.

If they still won’t give you the count, then don’t buy. It’s not worth risking it.

Question Four: Does the lens have any blemishes on the glass, fungus, scratches, haze, or problems with the focusing ring?

(Note that this is for purchasing lenses.)

This is a question to ask the seller, and I suggest you do it every single time you make a purchase.

5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear

Yes, the seller may be annoyed by your specific question. But this is a transaction; it’s not about being nice to the seller! And I’ve never had someone refuse to sell to me because I annoyed them with questions.

In fact, what makes this question so valuable is that it often forces sellers to actually consider the equipment they’re selling. Up until this point, the seller may not have really thought about some of these things. So it can act as a bit of a wake-up call and make the seller describe the item beyond “excellent condition.”

When you ask this question, make it clear that you want a detailed description. You genuinely want the seller to check for scratches on the glass, fungus in the lens, problems with the focusing ring, and more. You don’t want a perfunctory examination.

Unfortunately, there will still be some people who don’t do a serious examination, or who lie in the hopes that you won’t notice the issues (or be bothered enough to make a return). But asking the question is the best you can do.

Question Five: Has the seller noticed any issues with the item in the past?

This is another question to ask the seller before you hit the Buy button. It’s meant as a final attempt to determine whether the item has any issues.

In this case, by asking about the item’s past.

5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear

Unfortunately, there will be sellers who have had an item break repeatedly – but, as long as it’s working at the moment they take the photos, they’ll give it the “perfect condition” label. Fortunately, many sellers will still be honest with you. If they’ve had a problem with the item, they’ll say.

So it’s definitely worth asking – just to be safe.

5 Questions to ask before buying used camera gear: Conclusion

Now that you know the five most important questions to ask before buying used camera gear, you’re well equipped to start buying gear online.

Questions-to-Ask-Before-Buying-Used-Camera-Gear

Yes, you’re still going to run into the occasional issue, but if you’re careful, and you think about these crucial questions to ask before buying used camera gear…

…the number of issues will be far, far lower.

And you’ll be able to effectively take advantage of used camera equipment!

Questions-to-Ask-Before-Buying-Used-Camera-Gear

The post 5 Questions to Ask Before Buying Used Camera Gear appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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10 Questions to Ask a Tour Operator Before Signing up for a Photography Tour

14 Jun

The post 10 Questions to Ask a Tour Operator Before Signing up for a Photography Tour appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

The company has an entrancing website and bedazzling photos. The itinerary looks all-encompassing and the testimonials seem positive. You’re excited and have your credit card ready for the deposit.

Slow down, partner.

Before you hand over your money, it’s a good idea to ask a number of questions of the photography tour operator.

Asking questions before paying for a photography tour is all about setting expectations – both yours and the operators. It’s also a chance to learn about the professionalism of the person or company you are signing up with.

Here then are 10 key questions to help you with your tour choice.

1. Do they have insurance? And what will it cover?

Protecting yourself is important with any tour, and it’s important to know what your tour operator has in place before you sign up. With the proliferation of photographers jumping to offering tours, it’s possible not all have put serious thought into insurance matters.

At the least, your operator should have insurance covering accidents during the trip – both ones they cause and ones out of their control.

The reason operators may skimp on insurance is simple – it’s expensive. And that cuts into profits. It’s also often the reason two operators who offer roughly the same itinerary will differ in price by 10-20%. Make sure you are covered before paying your deposit.

2. What is their guest to instructor ratio?

Everyone has their own ideal when it comes to instructor-to-guest ratios. Some enjoy one-on-one instruction all the time, and others prefer a small group of maybe five or six. Still, others may love the anonymity of a large 15-person group so they can do their own thing without interference.

I prefer groups no larger than six guests per instructor. This allows for some hands-on, one-on-one time. It also ensures the instructor is not being asked 5,000 questions while you wait for your chance.

Also, realize that an instructor may have a low ratio, but the over-group size might be larger, meaning they may bring in other instructors to help out. This is usually not a problem, but if you are hoping to hear directly from the lead instructor who attracted you to the tour, be aware you might not get the amount of facetime you’re expecting.

3. Is this a tour or workshop?

What’s the difference between a workshop and a photo tour? Susan Portnoy has a good comparison on her site, The Insatiable Traveler.

A tour is a chance to be guided through an area typically rich in photographic content. There is less direct hands-on instruction, moment to moment, and the subject matter can cover a large spectrum.

A workshop, by contrast, is usually more hands-on and directed to a specific goal. An example of this is a one day workshop on street photography. Your instructor will be close at hand to make all those small course corrections and critiques needed for improvement.

4. Do they have any other assignments during this trip or is this their only gig?

I’ve run across this myself while taking a tour. The instructors brought us to a scenic overlook and then POOF! Gone.

It turned out they had an assignment in that area. While they only headed off five minutes away, it was rather disconcerting to think I, and the other guests, were less important for that hour of ‘other work.’

It’s important to also realize that having other work isn’t necessarily horrible for you. However, it’s important to know about it up front, and then you can decide if it is acceptable. Most of us are okay with some deviation if we know about it in advance.

5. Will there be daily opportunities to review work?

Some people love to have constant feedback and need that on their tour. While others could not care less because their art is a personal endeavor.

If you want regular feedback, ask about it. Again, it’s about setting expectations, so you’re not disappointed when your needs aren’t being met.

Sometimes the reviews are just back-of-camera check-ins to see what you’re seeing and offer correction or encouragement. Or maybe you want an hour of the instructor’s time every three nights in front of a laptop so you can get more in-depth critiques. Either way, know before you go.

6. Why do they run tours to this location?

This is a big question that should be easy for any operator to answer. I believe the best answer is, “Because I love the area/region/country!” Often, the answer in the background is, “Because it is highly profitable or super popular.”

There’s nothing wrong with making a profit or leading tours to popular spots, but I feel it is important to know why the operator is running the tours they run. If it’s for the love of an area, you’re more likely to get hard-to-acquire information, background details, and unique locations. Experience certainly matters in the photography tour business for access to hidden experiences.

7. What is their cancelation policy?

This item is pretty straightforward. You should ask this for tours, workshops or any time you are plopping down a large sum of cash for a service. Do they offer full refunds? What is the deadline for canceling without a fee? Do they offer to reschedule if extenuating circumstances or family health are involved?

What about the operator canceling a tour? Will they try to rebook you with another, similar operator? How quickly will they offer a return of all funds?

8. What is a typical day like?

The advertisements and website you researched looked incredible! Beautiful images and exotic locations abound in that slick presentation.

But what will it really be like when you’re on the tour? Sure, no two days will be the same if you’re traveling all around. However, it is important to understand if you’ll be on a bus for five hours each day or if dinner is planned without thought to sunset timing each night. It’s often the difference between a photo tour and a regular tour.

In my mind, a photo tour should be a balance of exposure to opportunities with time to reflect and take a break. Food is also very important to keep energy up for shooting all day. If you’re always on the move, you won’t have time for photos. If your itinerary covers too much ground, you’ll see a lot of things through car or bus windows without many opportunities.

Pacing can be essential during a week or two-week long tour. If every day is packed with 18 hours of photography and instruction, you’re going to be exhausted by Day 3. Flexibility is also important so that one event taking extra time doesn’t make the rest of the day’s itinerary crumble.

9. How much instruction can you expect?

This question is also a chance to make your expectations known. If you want hand-holding the whole time, and have barely touched a camera, let the operator know so they can decide if the trip will be a good fit.

Perhaps you have a particular skill set you want to develop. Letting the operator know early will help them prepare, and both of you can work on a simple plan to help you improve during the tour. Everyone on your trip will have different aspects of photography they want to improve. Expressing your desires will help all involved.

10. Do they handle all logistics or work with local operators?

This is another question that has no right or wrong answer, but it’s important to know in setting your expectations. Some operators, to increase profits or because they desire more control, will want to book all the hotels, events, admissions, etc., themselves. This can also lead to a lower cost for guests. But it can also lead to the operator taking more time away from instructing.

On the other hand, an operator who hires a local guide or tour company should have more time for instructing. It can also help to have a local when things go sideways, and a deep understanding of local customs and protocol is essential. It allows for a division of labor; the local guide can go ahead and check the group into a hotel and have rooms ready while the group continues to soak up a particularly beautiful sunset.

Conclusion

Many of the questions I posed here have no right or wrong answer. However, I feel they are all important to ask in setting expectations before investing time and money in a tour. Asking them can also help expose a guide who is not organized or ready to take a group on a trip due to lack of diligence.

Can you think of other important questions to ask? We’d love to hear them in the comments section below.

The post 10 Questions to Ask a Tour Operator Before Signing up for a Photography Tour appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.

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5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

10 Jun

You probably know a few professional photographers, and you’ve undoubtedly found them to be an invaluable fount of information. However, there are a few questions that beginners commonly ask that they secretly despise. Let’s take a look at five of those questions, and what you can ask instead.

#1 – Which camera should I get?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - small Sony camera

You’re just starting out with photography. You’ve discovered your creative eye through your phone, and you’re looking to get serious. Photography sounds like a fun hobby – it gets you outside and allows you to share your unique view of the world with others.

Perhaps you have some friends who are also photographers, and you don’t want to be left out when they start getting excited about apertures and bokeh. So where do you begin? You ask which camera you should buy, right? Wrong!

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because it’s too vague. There are so many cameras out there, and they’re all designed to cater to specific needs. A camera is a very personal thing – much like a car – so others may find it difficult to advise your purchase.

A pigeon judges the tourist with a camera in a city park.

Do you want to shoot stunning stars at night (which would benefit from a full-frame camera), or do you want to build your fashion Instagram account? Are you looking to photograph wildlife (where a cropped sensor might come in handy), or are you interested in portraiture? Will you be traveling a lot and need something small and portable (mirrorless)? What is your budget? These all come into play choosing a camera.

It also depends greatly on your experience. If you’ve never played with f-stops, ISO, and shutter speeds, then any entry-level camera that teaches you these things will serve you well. Practice with the fundamentals of photography, learn what you enjoy shooting, and get more familiar with what all the features actually mean. Then you can make a much more informed decision or ask more directed questions.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - photo of a bunch of cameras and lenses

What to ask instead

Do a little research first in order to understand your own needs. Narrow down the type of photography that interests you, and identify the features that are most important to you. Use Google! Armed with this knowledge, you can then confidently approach a pro (preferably one who does the kind of photography what you’d like to shoot, as they’ll be more knowledgeable and helpful to you) and ask specifics to help narrow your choices.

Here are some examples of good questions to ask:

I really want to shoot the Milky Way, but I can’t afford a full-frame camera. Do you know of a less-expensive model that does well in low light?
I want a super compact camera for my vacations that can take better snapshots than my phone. It would be great if it also has built-in wireless so I can upload photos on the go. What would you recommend?
I get a lot of beautiful birds in my backyard. I’d love a better camera to capture them and perhaps some of the flowers in my garden. Can you suggest a basic camera, hopefully, one with a flip-out LCD screen?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - red leaves

Bonus tip

Rent! Just like a test drive, you can easily rent cameras, lenses, and accessories from your local camera shop to try out equipment and find what you really like before you invest the big bucks. Many shops even have weekend deals (pick up on Friday, return on Monday) at very affordable prices ($ 20-100 range).

#2 – Which is better: Canon or Nikon?

So now you’ve narrowed down the type of photography you wish to pursue, and you even have a few ideas of camera models that might be good for that. As you continue to research, however, you see options from Canon and Nikon. But which is better?

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because it’s a silly competition the really needn’t exist. Which is better, Toyota or Honda? Marvel or DC? Deep dish or thin crust?

“Better” is such a subjective term, and asking this question really won’t give you a good answer. If you ask this of several photographers, you’re likely to get divided opinions, and this won’t help you in your final decision. Many photographers started with one brand, and they’ve simply stuck with it as it’s too expensive to switch (most brands are also deliberately not cross-compatible).

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead - a Canon camera

The truth is, these are competing camera makers. One will pull ahead with some fancy technology, and the other will jump up to match, adding its own new feature to gain an edge. And guess what? There are other brands, too – gasp!

Sony has been making amazing headway in its mirrorless department, and even Fuji has become popular with some photographers for their compact system. Just like camera models, they each offer different things, and it depends on the features most important to you.

Do you want to take low light pictures with little noise? Do you care about good dynamic range? Is superb multi-point autofocus important to you? Do you like using knobs and buttons over a digital menu? Brands are more about the specific features, and while pros can sometimes be polarized on which is “better,” they’ll generally agree that certain ones will perform better with regards to a given feature.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Shot with a Canon camera.

Shot with a Fuji camera.

What to ask instead

Just like the cameras above, figure out what you want most out of the camera you’re looking to buy, and ask about specifics. This will help you steer toward the camera that would be best for you, and it will be more than just an opportunity for the photographer you’re asking to sell you on their favorite brand.

I want to shoot landscapes at sunset, but I worry about the sky being too bright while the foreground is all in shadow. Which cameras perform better in these situations?
I find all of these menus far too complicated. Is there a camera that lets me adjust the settings more naturally?
Which brand generally has cleaner pictures at a high ISO?

Bonus tip

Be sure to ask your questions of multiple people (preferably using various brands) to get a balanced viewpoint. Even with more specific questions, “best” can still be subjective.

#3 – What settings/camera/lens are you using?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Okay, so now you have a good idea of what camera you want, and you’re excited to start shooting. You’re observing your pro photographer friends, and you want to emulate their setup.

But what camera settings are they using?

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate these questions mostly because of context. While these can certainly be legitimate questions under the right circumstances, most pros are asked these under less-than-flattering implications.

“Wow, that’s a great picture! What camera are you using?” This implies that the art of the photograph is completely removed from the photographer and can be accomplished through mere equipment alone. This will irritate a photographer faster than asking a chef if his food is so good because he uses expensive spoons and knives.

Asking about settings is arguably better, as this provides insight as to how a waterfall was blurred into silky smoothness, or how a hummingbird was completely frozen in the shot. When pros receive this question, though, they often get the impression that beginners are looking for a silver bullet for how to take good pictures.

Settings are very specific to the photograph. This question will only be useful to you if you’re looking to shoot the same kinds of things under the same conditions. And they are only helpful if you understand what the settings mean – and how to make adjustments for your specific situation.

As well, megapixels has become this magic number that consumers have come to equate with quality. 24-megapixels is worth the extra $ 300 because it’s so much better than the 20-megapixel model, right? While more megapixels does mean slightly better quality, this number really doesn’t matter to the average photographer. Many pros don’t even pay much attention to this number (unless they’re in the business of fine art prints).

Typical photographs are printed at 300 dpi (dots per inch). Even an 8×10 print (2400 x 3000 pixels = 7.2 million pixels) requires only 7.2 megapixels. 20+ megapixels don’t come into play until you’re talking poster prints. If you’re only looking to print a few images at home or share them on social media, you needn’t worry about spending more for a higher number; most modern cameras will easily have you covered.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

What you can ask instead

The camera never makes the photographer. Incredible images can be produced from the most elementary equipment. Know that a camera is a tool that only allows you to perform your job more effectively, but the art is still created by your vision. Know what you want to create, and ask informed questions of the tools – without the implication that the art wouldn’t be possible without them.

Understand what the settings mean before asking about them so you know how best to apply them to your own work.

I admire your macro shots. I’ve been trying to accomplish something similar with my flowers, but I can’t seem to get mine as sharp as yours. What shutter speed are you using?
I know you do a lot of night photography. Which wide-angle lens do you prefer to use for those shots?
I’d like to start printing larger images for my wall at home. Your prints turn out really well. How many megapixels does your camera have?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Bonus tip

A wise person once told me to never buy any equipment until you feel limited by what you own. Before you go drooling over someone else’s camera or lenses, ask yourself if an upgrade would afford you shooting opportunities you cannot already do (and that you’d actually want to do – that’s the hard bit!).

And know that just because a pro has more megapixels than you (or a newer model camera, or a more expensive lens) they aren’t necessarily able to take pictures that you can’t. It’s your experience that separates you, not your equipment.

#4 – How can I make money with photography?

You have your camera. You more-or-less understand the settings, and you’ve gotten pretty good. Now, you want to see if you can turn these pixels into profit.

So you ask a professional photographer you know how you can make some money with your photography.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because many don’t know the answer themselves. Or they do, but they don’t want to disappoint you.

The truth is that photography is a very difficult industry to break into, and it is seldom lucrative. With better cameras being more affordable to the average user, anyone can fairly easily take high-quality photos. In short, few want to pay you for pictures they could take themselves.

It’s a troublesome question to answer because so many are struggling to find just the right path to that elusive pay check.

Additionally, much like the above topics, there is no single perfect answer. There are specific types of photography that are more successful at earning a living wage than others (hint: they directly involve people), but a new photographer will find it challenging to see money out of their photography without a lot of hard work, effective self-marketing, and a niche business model.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Most pros have several sources of income. It’s rare that a single tactic will prove sufficiently effective.

What you can ask instead

Take a look at your local market to see what’s popular and where a need exists. Spend some time identifying what sets you apart from everyone else and build a portfolio with which to market yourself. Then you can approach those pros with specifics to help you develop your business plan.

I love photographing people at conventions in all of their colorful costumes. What do you typically charge for a single session?
I’d like to upload some of my photos to a stock photography site. Which ones give the best payouts to photographers?
How much do you charge for travel to wedding locations? Do you think I should offer free engagement sessions?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

Bonus tip

This day and age, the money is with people. If you have a fear of working with people, you’re unlikely to make a living at photography. Portraits, events, and weddings are far more likely to see income streams than landscapes, abstracts, and macro images.

That doesn’t mean the latter isn’t possible, it’s just more difficult. And even those areas require marketing yourself to galleries, travel and tourism companies, and individuals. So get used to interacting with people!

#5 – Thoughts?

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

You have some experience under your belt now, and maybe you’re even making a few bucks on the side. You have a general understanding of what makes a good photograph, but you want to take it to the next level.

How can you improve?

Why pros hate this question

Pros hate this question because it’s also vague. You post an image on a photography forum with just the single word, “Thoughts?” While it’s great to request feedback on your images, this question puts a lot of work on the responder to generate a viable conversation about your photograph.

This is also likely to garner some less-than-helpful (and possibly less than desired) responses, as it’s so open-ended. What type of feedback are you looking for, exactly? Are you displeased with the composition and you’re looking for pointers? Do you want some tips on ways you can make a person’s eyes stand out more? Gain more sharpness to that mountain landscape?

In many instances, this is not actually an invitation for critique but rather praise. Therefore, you might receive criticism you’re unprepared to receive. Being clearer with your request can spare you and others some angst.

What you can ask instead

When seeking feedback, figure out what you actually want to know about your photo and direct your questions in that manner. Specifics help guide people answering you, and you’re more likely to get more and better responses.

5 Questions Professional Photographers Hate and What You Can Ask Instead

It’s also perfectly acceptable if you just want to share your pictures without constructive criticism. Just make that clear so you don’t get any undesired feedback.

I really don’t like how this picture seems a bit fuzzy. Is there anything I can do to sharpen it, or should I do something different when taking the picture?
This was my first time shooting waterfalls. I’m not looking for criticisms at this time, I just wanted to share.
I tried doing an HDR with this sunset, but it looks a little fake. How can I make it look more natural?

Bonus tip

Feedback is a wonderful way to improve. However, be prepared to hear it if you put the request out there. Even the most thick-skinned of photographers can find criticism difficult to take. Listen to the feedback you receive, take each with a grain of salt (in the end, it’s your art), and try to not be defensive (it’s a natural reaction).

It will doubtless be painful at first, but you will be a better photographer for it.

Conclusion

Questions pros hate 15

Those more experienced in your field are generally happy to help, and they welcome your questions. But they want to make sure you’ve done a little research on your own first so you understand what you’re asking. Assess what you enjoy shooting, experiment a bit, and possibly check out renting some gear.

In the right context, and with the proper information on what your needs are, pros can be an excellent resource for improving your own skills in photography.

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Compound interest questions and answers pdf

25 Aug

as the bank pays simple interest this amount stays the same. These could be quarterly, having a mastery of these topics will likely give you all the necessary knowledge to tackle the problems you compound interest questions and answers pdf encounter during the technical interview. PII is information that can be used to identify you, […]
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O henry biography pdf nd questions

24 Aug

The Jesuits were “regarded as impressive especially for their knowledge of astronomy, Facsimile provided by the Library Services of o henry biography pdf nd questions Serbian Academy for Sciences and Arts, the society is engaged in evangelization and apostolic ministry in 112 nations on six continents. the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
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7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

09 Aug

People often ask me for advice on which camera to buy. Most often they expect me to say, “Buy a Nikon” because that’s what I use. But that is not what I tell them.

If you were to ask me which camera you should buy I would first ask you a series of questions. From the answers, you give me I would guide you towards either a compact camera, mirrorless, or DSLR. So if you aren’t sure which camera to get, ask yourself these seven questions before you go shopping.

1. Why do you want a camera?

Doesn’t your phone take good enough photos? I’m not joking, this is a serious question.

Phone - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

I know if you are asking questions about buying a new camera you’ve already given some thought to the decision and are reasonably serious about it. I’m looking for an answer telling me how your phone is failing you in your endeavors to make photos. I want to know what you are hoping a camera will do that your phone cannot. Your answer will help me guide you towarwd the type of camera that will best suit you and your needs.

2. How and when will you use your camera?

The answer to this question will help determine what size camera to buy. Recently I’ve had two friends who are embarking on a once in a lifetime traveling experience ask me about what camera to buy. Both were thinking of buying DSLRs, expecting that those big cameras would give them the best results. But, I encouraged them each not to buy a DSLR because they are big and heavy!

It’s often said that the best camera is the one you have with you. If your camera is reasonably small you are more likely to want to carry it everywhere with you while traveling. Read more on this subject here: Must Have Gear for Travel Photography Newbies.

Compact travel camera - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

If you want to mainly use a camera to photograph products for your online store or to take pics of your garden I would be more likely to suggest you look at DSLRs (depending on the answers you give to some of the following questions).

The size and weight of a camera must be seriously considered because it’s no good buying a camera you find too big and heavy to carry with you. You will not use it often and will be disappointed with your purchase.

3. What will you use the photos for?

Enthusiast - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

Your answer to this question will ascertain the level of image quality you will need. These days most people want photos to share on social media. If this is you, then you will not need a camera with the maximum megapixels available! Most compact cameras these days will produce images of high enough pixel quality for social media posting.

Producing prints, photo books or photos to sell online will require a camera with a larger sensor. For people who enjoy time in front of their computers post-processing photos, more megapixels and a larger sensors in DSLR and mirrorless models will be an advantage. Which leads me to the next question.

4. Do you take time to post-process your photos?

Full frame dslr - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

If you enjoy taking the time to do some post-processing on your photos and want to maintain high technical results, this starts to narrow down your camera options. Generally, cameras with larger sensors will produce photos that hold up to more post-processing. For example, a full frame sensor (36mm X 24mm) containing 24 megapixels will allow more post-processing before the image starts to deteriorate than a smaller 24 megapixel micro four thirds sensor (17.3mm X 13mm.)

You want to have confidence that your image quality will remain intact as you apply some color balancing and filters or more advanced post-processing techniques.

5. How big are your hands?

Small hands - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

Seriously! If you have small hands you will find it difficult to use a large camera. If you have big hands, you will find it more difficult to use a small camera. You will need to consider the layout of the buttons and dials on a camera so you are comfortable using it.

Some camera manufactures manage to design small cameras which have well configured layouts and are easy to use, others do not seem to do such a good job. Before you buy, go hold the cameras you have short listed in your hands and see how they feel.

Small hands - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

6. What’s your budget?

This is an obvious consideration for most people, but you are best to consider it along with these other questions, not separately. Sometimes budget limits your choice considerably. Sometimes the answers to other questions will lead you to purchase a camera and spend less than you may have thought initially. I think both my friends who asked for travel camera advice found this to be the case.

You may find a high-end compact camera with a one-inch sensor will give you more pleasure and provide high enough quality photos than a DSLR … because it’s small and you will take it with you everywhere.

Compact happy - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

7. Do you have a preferred brand?

I do have a preferred brand of camera. But I will never push people to buy the brand I use just because I like it. If you are already familiar with a camera brand and are happy with it, that is a good reason to stick with it.

Dslr - 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy

Camera manufacturers often configure their cameras to feel and function the same with each upgrade they produce. I like it when I purchase a new camera that has the same feel in my hand as the one from which I’m upgrading. It makes it quicker and easier to start using the camera intuitively.

If you do not have a preferred brand I encourage you to stick with one of the major brands that fit within your budget.

Conclusion

Doing some careful research will help you make a decision to be able to buy a camera you’ll be satisfied with, one that will hopefully last you a long time. Using your new camera frequently and enrolling in a course or taking a few workshops will help you up-skill more quickly and gain more enjoyment from your purchase.

What other questions might you ask yourself before making a decision on which camera to buy? Do you have any other tips or advice for photography newbies just starting out? Please share in the comments section below.

The post 7 Questions That Will Help You Decide Which Camera To Buy by Kevin Landwer-Johan appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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