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Take the 10 Meter Photography Challenge Now

25 Sep

The post Take the 10 Meter Photography Challenge Now appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Update: Chase is still doing his thing and we’re still doing ours! We thought it might be FUN to make this week’s challenge a re-do of this one from a good while ago – because it’s fun, and we all need fun right now!

Below for details! Tag them #dPSYourTen if you post on social

We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

The dPS Team.

Today on Twitter (follow DPS here) I was looking at some of the most recent Tweets from a few photographers and came across this one from @chasejarvis:

“There are at least 10 great pictures within 10 meters of you right now.”

He then linked to one he took on his iPhone to prove the point.

OK – so this seemed like a challenge that I thought might be worth sharing here on DPS.

Your challenge is to grab your nearest camera (could be the one on your phone) and to take up to 10 shots with it within 10 meters of where you are right now.

Once you’ve done that – upload it to your favorite photo-sharing site and share a link to it in comments below.

Update: Here are some of the first submissions to our 10 Meter challenge:

Images by Chris Parker (sunset) – Out of Kontrol (light) – Jenyu (Dog) – RedLeader (couch) – Foxor (leaf) – randy adamcyk (guitar) – Jamie (Flower)

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone elses images. Please consider passing on news about this challenge to friends and your network.

The post Take the 10 Meter Photography Challenge Now appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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How to Take the Perfect Selfie: The Right Angle, Lighting and Photo Editor

19 Sep

Taking great selfies requires the right light, angle, setting, and editing. Getting a great shot is so much more than just clicking a button. It requires skill, practice, and good technique. Come along and learn how to master the art of the perfect selfie using photography tricks and tools described below. In general, a great selfie is shot using an Continue Reading
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How to Take Good Pictures in Bright Sunlight: 11 Easy Tips

07 Jun

The post How to Take Good Pictures in Bright Sunlight: 11 Easy Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

how to take good photos in bright sunlight

How can you take good pictures in bright sunlight? As you may be aware, harsh lighting can lead to unwanted contrast, blown-out highlights, lens flare, and colors that look overly saturated. (If you’re shooting portraits, direct sunlight can also lead to the “squint factor.”)

So what’s a photographer to do?

It turns out there are simple methods of capturing stunning shots in bright light. You just have to choose your compositions and camera settings carefully – and at times, get a bit creative.

So to discover 11 quick and simple tips for combating problems caused by bright sunlight, read on:

1. Move into the shade

The simplest way to take beautiful images in direct sunlight?

Just move into the shade.

Obviously, this isn’t always feasible – you certainly can’t move an entire seascape! – but with some subjects, heading into the shade is quick and easy. It’s a good solution when shooting portraits, assuming you’re not tied to a particular location.

After all, sometimes the simplest solutions are best!

2. Make your own shade

For small subjects that aren’t movable – for instance, a small flower in a field – create your own shade!

You have a few different options, some more convenient than others:

Block the light with your body
Ask an assistant to stand between the flower and the light
Hold a piece of cardboard or an umbrella above the flower
Use a pop-up diffuser

Note that some of these options will be more effective depending on the direction of the light (e.g., if the bright sun is directly overhead, it’ll be tough to block it with your own body).

And a diffuser, because it softens the light rather than blocks it, will give you the most balanced, flattering results.

how to take good pictures in direct sunlight umbrellas

3. Use fill flash

One of the biggest problems with shooting in direct sunlight is the harsh shadows. For instance, portrait subjects will get unwanted shadows under the chin, flowers will get heavy shadows underneath the petals, and pets will get dark shadows under their head and body.

In general, these harsh shadows look bad, but there’s an easy solution:

Fill flash.

Simply point a flash toward the dark shadows and fire away! Make sure the flash is on a low power setting – after all, you don’t want to make the underside of your subject brighter than its top! – and experiment with different flash angles for the best results.

You also might try putting the sun behind your subject, then using the fill flash to brighten up your subject’s front. It can look really good, though watch out for lens flare.

4. Use a reflector

Want to fill in harsh shadows but don’t like using flash?

You have another easy option:

A reflector.

Reflectors are white or metallic items that bounce light back into darker areas, and they’re really easy to use. Simply point the reflector at the area you want to brighten up, then adjust it until you get some nice fill (by angling the reflector back and forth, you’ll see the reflected light change position, and you can use this “preview” to fine-tune the effect).

Note that you can also try the same tactic I mentioned in the previous section, where you position your subject in front of the sun and bounce light back onto their front. A reflector isn’t as powerful as a fill flash, so you’ll need to carefully angle it for maximum effect – but if you get it right, the results will be amazing.

5. Change your perspective

Sometimes, moving your subject into the shade isn’t possible – but moving around your subject can give the same effect.

For instance, if you’re shooting an interesting tree in the forest, you might move to the tree’s other side, you might find an interesting part of the tree that’s shrouded in shadow, or you might get low and shoot up.

The idea is to observe your subject carefully, looking for ways to maximize shade and minimize bright highlights and annoying contrast.

6. Use a lens hood

Suffering from lens flare?

While flare can be artistic, it can also be very annoying, especially if you’re after a clean, straightforward image.

Fortunately, many lenses come with hoods, which block flare-causing light and keep your photos flare-free.

If you don’t have a lens hood, don’t fret; it’s not that difficult to construct a hood out of cardboard or to use your hand to shield your lens from the sun.

(Just make sure you keep your makeshift lens hood and your hand out of the shot – otherwise, you’ll be doing a lot of cropping in post-production!)

7. Consider using a filter

Unfortunately, filters don’t offer a magical solution for bright sunlight – there’s no “avoid direct sunlight” filter, at least not currently – but filters can be handy for direct sunlight photography.

For instance, a polarizing filter will help cut down on reflections, plus it’ll help you achieve vibrant colors (including a beautiful blue sky).

And a neutral density filter will reduce the light hitting your camera sensor, allowing for slower shutter speeds and smaller apertures at midday.

(Why might that be useful? Sometimes, you’ll want to shoot with a wide aperture for the shallow depth of field effect, or you’ll want a slow shutter speed to convey motion blur.)

8. Play with your white balance settings

These days, pretty much every digital camera lets you choose between different white balance settings (for instance, you can dial in a white balance preset, such as Cloudy or Daylight, or you can set a custom white balance based on your scene).

Now, you can adjust the white balance later on in post-processing, assuming you’re shooting in RAW. But if you shoot in JPEG, or you simply prefer to get things right in-camera, you’ll want to carefully set your white balance from the start.

How is this helpful for taking good pictures in bright sunlight?

Well, white balances can offer artistic effects that enhance the look of highlights and shadows. A cooler white balance, for instance, can give a neat effect to more monochrome images – while a warm white balance will make bright sunlight appear softer and more inviting.

9. Use spot metering for the best results

Harsh sunlight makes correct metering tricky. So here’s my advice:

Use spot metering. This will force your camera to expose based on a targeted portion of your scene; you can aim at your main subject, then dial in the recommended exposure settings.

Alternatively, you can spot meter off a midtone in your shot – this will ensure the entire scene is exposed relatively well (as opposed to the former technique, which will ensure you expose for your subject).

After taking an image, check the back of your camera for a preview; you may need to adjust your technique depending on the result. Here, your histogram can be very handy, especially because it’s tough to accurately evaluate an LCD preview in bright sunlight.

Also, if you have the luxury of time, try metering off different parts of the scene while taking multiple shots – that way, you can choose the best option later on.

10. Carefully choose the time of day you shoot

Most of us don’t have the luxury of sitting around all day waiting for the perfect light.

But heading out an hour or two earlier or waiting until an hour or two later might be feasible – and if that’s manageable, I highly recommend you consider it.

You see, the time of day can dramatically impact your shot. Midday offers unpleasant, harsh light, but if you go out in the early morning or late afternoon, even direct sunlight starts to look good. You’ll lose the unwanted contrast, you’ll lose the ugly shadows, and you’ll get soft, golden light that’ll flatter your subjects.

Make sense?

11. Shoot silhouettes

As the saying goes:

If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!

And that applies when photographing subjects in bright sunlight. If the sun is causing you problems, just use it to your advantage; make your subject stand in front of the bright light, then capture stunning silhouettes all day long.

I recommend getting down low (so that you’re shooting against the bright sky). And compose so your subject is clearly defined against the background.

How to take good pictures in bright sunlight: conclusion

Well, there you have it:

Eleven easy tips for shooting in bright sunlight.

Capturing beautiful photos in harsh light might seem difficult – but remember these tips, and your photos will turn out great!

Now over to you:

Do you struggle to shoot in bright sunlight? Do you have any tips or tricks for dealing with these issues? Share your thoughts (and images) in the comments below.

how to take good pictures in direct sunlight city at dusk

The post How to Take Good Pictures in Bright Sunlight: 11 Easy Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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How to Take Great Group Photos: 12 Easy Tips

15 May

The post How to Take Great Group Photos: 12 Easy Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

If you’re looking to take beautiful group photos, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I’m going to share 12 simple tips for capturing stunning photos of groups. Specifically, I’ll discuss:

How to pose a group like a pro
A simple trick to capture everyone in the group looking their best
How to pick the perfect group photo location
Much, much more!

So if you’re ready to become a group photography expert, then let’s get started!

1. Prepare ahead of time

There is nothing that will make group photo subjects turn on you faster than you not being prepared. People don’t like to be kept waiting, so plan ahead.

Here’s what I recommend you do several hours (or days) before the photo:

Scope out the location of your shot beforehand
Think about how you will pose people and frame your shot

Then, a few minutes before the photo:

Make sure everyone you want in the shot knows that you want them in the shot
Make sure your camera is on and has charged batteries

2. Carefully choose the location

The group photo location is important for a number of reasons.

First, it can give the photo context. For example, a shot of a sports team on their playing field says more than a shot of the team in front of a brick wall.

Second, the location can help emphasize your group – or it can draw the eye. To make the group stand out, you’ll need a location with no distractions.

So choose a place where your group will fit, where there is enough light for the shot, and where there are no distracting surroundings. Also, avoid setting up a group shot directly in front of a window where the light from your flash might reflect back in an unpleasant way.

3. Take multiple shots

Sometimes, it’s tough to get everyone looking just right at the exact same time.

That’s why I highly recommend you take multiple photos quickly; I often switch my camera to continuous shooting mode and photograph in short bursts. The first shot is often no good – but the shot or two directly after gives a group that looks less posed and more relaxed.

On a related note, shoot some frames before everyone is ready. Sometimes, the organization of a group shot can be quite comical and image-worthy (as people tell each other where to go and jostle for position).

Also, mix up the framing of your shots a little. If you have a zoom lens, try capturing some shots at a wide focal length and some shots that are more tightly framed.

4. Get in close

Try to get as close as you can to the group you’re photographing (without cutting out group members, of course!). The closer you can get, the more detail you’ll capture in their faces – something that can really elevate a shot.

If your group is small, step in and take some head and shoulder shots. Another effective technique is to get everyone to lean in; that way, you can move even closer without cutting out subjects. You might also try moving everyone out of a one-line formation and placing some people in front and behind.

5. Pose the group

how to take group photos people in uniforms looking up

In most cases, your group will pose itself pretty naturally (after all, we’ve all been in a group shot at some point). Tall people will go to the back, short people to the front. But there are other things you can do to improve the photo’s composition:

If the event is centered around one or two people (like a wedding or a birthday), make the hosts the focal point by putting them right in the middle of the group (you can add variation by taking some shots of everyone looking at the camera and other shots of everyone looking at the person/couple).
For formal group photos, put taller members toward the back center of the shot, with shorter people along the edges.
Try not to make the group too deep (i.e., keep the distance between the front line of people and the back line of people as small as you can). This will help keep everyone in focus. If the composition does end up being deep, use a narrow aperture.
Tell everyone to raise their chins a little; they’ll thank you later when they see the shot without any double chins!

6. Time your group shot well

Carefully pick the moment for your photo. Try to choose a time that works with what is happening at the gathering. I find it best to do a group shot when people are already close together and when there is a lull in the proceedings.

The start of an event can be a good time to shoot; everyone is together, they all look their best, and if there is alcohol involved, it hasn’t significantly affected the group yet.

7. Think about the light

In order to get enough detail in the final shot, you need to have sufficient light. The way you should do this varies from situation to situation – but consider using a flash if the group is small enough and you are close enough for it to take effect, especially if the main source of light is coming from behind the group.

If it’s a bright, sunny day and the sun is low in the sky, try not to face your subjects toward the light – otherwise, you’ll end up with a collection of squinting faces.

8. Take control

I’ve been in a number of group photos where the photographer almost lost control of their subjects. It happened for two reasons:

They weren’t quick enough.
They didn’t communicate well with the group.

When shooting a group photo, it’s important to keep talking, let the group know what you want them to do, motivate them to smile, tell them that they look great, and make clear how long you’ll need them for.

It’s also important to give your subjects a reason to pose for the photograph (and to listen to you). At a wedding, you might motivate people by saying “The happy couple has asked me to get some group shots.” At a sporting event, you could say, “Let’s take a group photo to celebrate our win.” When you give people a reason to pose, you’ll find they are much more willing to stand for a few minutes while you snap photos.

Here’s another very useful line to use with a group: “If you can see the camera, then it can see you.” This one is key if you want to be able to see each person’s face in the final image.

If there are other photographers, just wait until they’ve all finished their shots, then get the attention of the full group. Otherwise, you’ll get everyone looking in different directions.

Of course, you don’t want to be a dictator when posing your group – otherwise, your group shots will include some very angry expressions. The best photographers know how to get people’s attention and communicate what they want, while also keeping people relaxed and having fun.

how to take group photos girls in a line

9. Get up high when photographing large groups

Large groups of people can be very difficult to photograph. Even with careful staggering and tiering, you’ll struggle to fit everyone into the shot.

One solution is to elevate yourself. If I’m photographing a wedding and the couple wants one big group shot, I’ll arrange for a ladder to be present, or I’ll find some other way to get up high (I’ve even climbed up onto church roofs!). A high vantage point lets you fit a lot of people into the frame while still remaining quite close to the group. It also gives an interesting perspective, especially if you’re using a nice, wide focal length.

10. Use a tripod

There are a number of reasons why tripods are great for group photography.

First, a tripod communicates your seriousness and can help get the group’s attention (it’s amazing what a professional-looking setup can do!).

Second, a tripod gives you more freedom to pose your subjects. Simply set your camera on a tripod, set the exposure, and set the focus. Then guide your subjects through different poses – and when everything looks just right, you can quickly press the shutter button!

11. Use an assistant

If you have a very large group, an assistant can be super helpful. For one, they can get the group organized – tell people when to come, where to stand, etc.

An assistant is also incredibly handy if you are taking multiple group shots (like at a wedding when you’re photographing different configurations of a family). In such a case, I often ask the couple to provide me with a family member or a friend who can ensure we have everyone we need in each shot.

Having a family member act as your assistant ensures you don’t miss anyone (assuming they’re related to members of the group). Plus, the group will be familiar with them and will therefore respond well when the “assistant” orders them around.

12. Smile

Yes, you should smile! During a group session, there’s nothing worse than a grumpy, stressed-out photographer. Have fun and enjoy the process of getting your shots, and you’ll find the group will, too.

In fact, after photographing a wedding, I usually come home with an incredibly sore face from all the smiling I’ve done! I find the best way to get the couple and their family to relax and smile is to smile at them. It really does work.

Bonus tip: Let your imagination run wild!

One more quick tip. Get a little creative! You don’t always have to use standard compositions; instead, you can capture more imaginative, unusual photos.

How to take great group photos: conclusion

Group photos might seem difficult, but they’re really not!

Just follow the tips I’ve given you, and your group photos will turn out stunning.

Now over to you:

Have you had success taking group photos? Share your shots in the comments below! Also, if you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the dPS newsletter!

The post How to Take Great Group Photos: 12 Easy Tips appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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How to Take Creative Landscape Shots Using Intentional Camera Movement

21 Feb

The post How to Take Creative Landscape Shots Using Intentional Camera Movement appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Richard Beech.

If you’re looking to capture some unique, creative photos, then I highly recommend trying out intentional camera movement photography.

Now, many photographic situations rely on ensuring your camera is still as possible during exposure for pin-sharp images. But is keeping your camera still always a good thing?

Instead, why not throw caution to the wind, move your camera while the shutter is open, and explore the range of creative opportunities this offers you as a photographer?

In this article, I’ll show you how to do exactly that!

What is intentional camera movement and why should you use it?

Intentional camera movement (or ICM for short) is a photographic technique where you move the camera as the image is taken.

bluebell woods intentional camera movement

One example of ICM is panning. The camera follows a moving subject in order to keep the subject sharp and the background blurred.

But while panning can get some great results, it’s actually a pretty tame form of ICM. Moving your camera during the exposure can open up many more creative options for you to try out.

In particular, intentional camera movement can be used to take some truly unique landscape shots. The technique can be exceptionally liberating, and by reducing the number of sharp details in a landscape, it allows you to concentrate on line, form, and color in your images.

In fact, with ICM, a scene that you may ordinarily consider too cluttered might just come to life – by letting you blend colors and shapes for an interesting abstract shot.

One of the reasons I have grown to love ICM is that it enables you to capture a landscape in a unique and personal way that cannot easily be reproduced. It can even breathe new life into overly familiar scenes, letting you see and capture something unique about a location you may have photographed many times before.

If you’re struggling to find inspiration for your next photographic project, or you want to get your creative juices flowing, intentional camera movement is a technique that you should try at least once.

In fact, it’s relatively easy to take some striking shots with ICM.

Plus, it can be a lot of fun!

So let’s take a look at how intentional camera movement photography actually works:

The best settings for intentional camera movement photography

A key factor to get right when using ICM is your shutter speed.

You see, the exposure needs to be long enough to capture significant motion blur (though different shutter speeds will give different effects).

In general, I recommend anything from 1/3s or 1/2s all the way down to multi-second exposures. Of course, you’re always free to experiment with faster or slower shutter speeds; the core of a creative technique like ICM is simply playing around.

Because of these lengthy shutter speeds, shooting in low-light conditions is ideal for ICM. During the daytime, it can be harder to achieve the required shutter speeds, even at your camera’s lowest ISO setting and your lens’s smallest aperture (i.e., highest f-stop number).

If you do decide to shoot in the day, you may need to use a polarizing filter, a neutral density (ND) filter, or a combination of both. Personally, I prefer to use a polarizing filter as a starting point, as this helps to boost colors and cut down on reflections and glare. I will then add a 2-stop or a 4-stop ND filter if the shutter speed needs to be slowed down any further.

When starting out with ICM, it can help to shoot in Shutter Priority mode. Set the shutter speed to around half a second to start, then turn the ISO to the lowest available setting on your camera.

Once you have practiced at this shutter speed, you can use longer exposure times thanks to a combination of low light and filters.

Make sure you focus manually in advance, and turn off the autofocus to prevent the camera from searching for focus during the long exposure.

Also, if you are using a lens that has image stabilization, remember to turn this off.

How to move your camera

Once you have taken control of the shutter speed, the next step is to determine how you’ll move the camera after pressing the shutter button.

Get creative; there are no rules! You can move the camera vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. You can move it fast or slow. Alternatively, you can rotate the camera 360 degrees to create a spiral effect, or change the focal length on a zoom lens during exposure to create a zoom effect.

With practice, you can combine two or more of these movements to create something truly unique. The look and feel of your final images will be determined by the speed, direction, and smoothness of your chosen movements.

Note that you can always use a tripod to control the camera movement. This will help you to capture a smoother result, which can be useful if you wish to retain a straight horizon line.

(Personally, I prefer to work handheld when moving the camera, as it offers greater flexibility and provides more opportunities to experiment with different movements.)

Bold movements can sometimes be more effective, as there is a risk that subtle movements may end up looking like camera shake in the final image.

So bear in mind:

While waving your camera around may not come naturally and may result in you getting some funny looks from amused onlookers, the end results will definitely be worth it!

What to shoot for the best results

Now that you know how to capture beautiful ICM photos, all that’s left is to pick your ICM subjects.

A good place to begin is by looking for locations that offer striking colors, lines, or patterns.

Forests are a favorite ICM subject of mine, particularly during the spring and autumn seasons. Clean, parallel lines provided by the trees, as well as the vibrant colors of nature (created by flowers in the spring and fallen leaves in autumn), lend themselves to a vertical camera movement shot. The movement can be from the top down or from the bottom up, and it can be fast or slow; it really just depends on the effect you wish to capture and how experimental you want to be.

intentional camera movement in bluebell woods

Seascapes can be a good starting point for side-to-side camera movement, where you pan the camera in line with the horizon. Alternatively, in rougher waters, you can try to match the movement of your camera to the movement of the waves for an altogether different effect.

Shooting at sunrise or sunset can provide you with a greater variety of colors to work with, and shooting city lights after dark can also offer a wide range of creative options.

Once you’ve identified a suitable location, you will probably find yourself taking multiple shots with various different movements.

(I should warn you that intentional camera movement photography can sometimes be quite addictive, and you’ll often find your memory cards filling up quickly!)

You may find it useful to set your camera to shoot in burst mode so that you can take a series of shots in quick succession while moving the camera in a particular direction.

That way, you’ll end up with a lot of images to choose from – plus, every new shot will offer you a slightly different composition and effect!

A few intentional camera movement tips

As with any type of photography, images created using intentional camera movement are not going to be to everybody’s taste.

It’s a highly subjective art form, and what works for you will not work for others.

Also, keep in mind basic principles of photography, such as composition and exposure – these are still very important!

Also, while the ICM technique will give you a very abstract result, you may find it helpful to have at least one element of the scene sharp or recognizable in the final image.

Finally, there is an element of trial and error when starting out with intentional camera movement. You’ll quickly find out what works for you and what doesn’t; this will help you develop your own style.

And don’t be too concerned if you do not get an effect you like right away – the technique can be quite hit-and-miss sometimes. Take a lot of shots, and don’t be too quick to delete images that you feel haven’t worked. There is a chance that, after a few days, you may take another look and see something that you like, after all!

Intentional camera movement photography: The next step

One of the great things about intentional camera movement photography is that it is all about how you express yourself!

Think of your camera as your paintbrush.

Get creative, have fun, and start seeing landscapes in an exciting new way.

Now over to you:

Do you have any intentional camera movement photos you’d like to share? Please feel free to display them in the comments below!

The post How to Take Creative Landscape Shots Using Intentional Camera Movement appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Richard Beech.

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How to Use Facial View and Camera Angle to take Flattering Portraits

10 Jan

The post How to Use Facial View and Camera Angle to take Flattering Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.

use face angle and camera angle for flattering portrait photography

How do camera and face angles affect your portrait photography? And how can you use different angles to create gorgeous portraits?

It’s all in this article!

Because today, we’re going to examine facial views and camera angles. I’ll discuss how to use both these concepts to your advantage – and how you can use them to flatter your subject.

Let’s get started!

What is facial view? What is camera angle?

Simply put, facial view is the portion or angle of the face that is showing toward the camera. It’s how the subject’s face is turned or angled relative to the lens.

Your camera angle is where you place your camera in relation to the subject – that is, the height, distance, and angle relative to the subject’s face.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? It is – but small differences in facial view or camera angle can produce undesirable results. We’ll dig a bit deeper into that in a bit, so stay with me!

Facial views

First, let’s look at the four main facial views used in portraiture. They are:

Full face, where your subject’s nose is pointing directly toward the lens. You’ll see equal amounts of both sides of their face:

3/4 view, where your subject turns their face just slightly in one direction until you cannot see their far ear anymore:

2/3 view, where the subject turns their head until the line of the nose is almost touching the outline of their cheek on the far side. Be careful not to turn them past that point, because you don’t want the nose to break the line of the cheek. This isn’t a rule, but it doesn’t look as flattering.

Note: Check out the subject’s earrings in the image above, and how her right earring is not showing below her jawline. When she turned her face just a little more, the earring looked like it was coming out of her face, so I had her remove it for the image. Watch for things like that as the facial angle changes.

Profile, where the subject’s face is turned almost exactly 90 degrees from front, so that their nose is basically pointing sideways. In a true profile, you should only be able to see one side of the subject’s face and not the eye on the far side.

Note: Once again, watch for things like earrings and hair hanging down under the chin, which can look a bit odd. I usually brush the hair back and have the subject remove an earring if it doesn’t look right or if it looks like it’s dangling under the chin or neck.

Camera angle

Where you place your camera makes a huge difference to how your subject appears in the final image.

However, keep in mind that I can’t offer hard and fast rules here. Instead, use my advice as guidelines and starting points, then use your best judgment – because each person is unique. Portray the subject how they wish to be portrayed. When you learn these tips and see how they work in practice, it becomes easier and easier to know how to approach each portrait.

Here are your camera angle tips:

A high camera angle (above the subject’s eye level) will emphasize the face more than the body. This is good for a heavy-set person to help them appear slimmer if that’s desired. (Most women will not get upset if you make them look slimmer!)
A low camera angle (below their eye level or even below their chin level) can make a person look taller or make them seem more powerful. But this is not very flattering for most people. You end up looking up their nostrils, and the body appears larger than the head and face, which is generally unflattering.
For group portraits, the camera position should be about eye level or slightly lower. This cuts down on distortion of body parts and prevents the subjects from looking oddly proportioned.
For a portrait of one or two people, having the camera at eye level or slightly higher is often the most flattering option.

Lenses

In addition to the camera height and angle, the lens you select will change the look of your portrait drastically.

Consider what you know about different lenses:

Wide-angle lenses emphasize perspective, distort things, and make scenes seem more three-dimensional
Telephoto or long lenses compress things, isolate subjects, and make them look less three-dimensional

That’s all I’m going to tell you about this; I want you to find out what I’m talking about by trying it yourself. Look at my examples below, then find yourself a person to photograph. Use different lenses and see how they change the image.

portraits at different focal lengths and camera angles

What do you notice about the examples here? What changes in each photo?

How long does it take to master this stuff?

One of the most common questions I get asked by my students is “How long did it take you to learn all this stuff?”

The answer is two-fold: 4 weeks and 25 years!

I say that tongue in cheek, but it’s true. I “learned” all the concepts and guidelines relatively quickly, because I was in a two-year program that immersed me completely in photography. It’s like learning a new language; if you move to a new country and you have to speak the language all the time, you will learn a lot faster than if you only speak it once a month. So the best advice I can give you on how to learn faster is to get out and photograph more often.

The second part of my answer, the “25 years” bit, means that I’m still learning. I’ve learned things from my students and from other photographers and do so continually. Don’t ever expect to suddenly “get” it so that you can stop learning. Photography education is a process and it’s always ongoing. As soon as you think you’ve learned it all, or that you know it all, then it’s time to quit – because you’ve probably lost the passion. That’s my opinion, anyway.

Camera and face angles: Practice at home

This is not an assignment, but rather a suggestion for improvement.

Whenever possible, notice the facial view of your subject and how you can adjust it. If you sit a person by a light source such as a window, you can see that turning their head toward the light will also change the lighting pattern that falls on their face. See how this information can then be used to your advantage.

Different facial views will be flattering for different people. Experiment and see what works best for each person you photograph. Have the person sit and just turn their face, then see how the shape of their face changes and how the light falls on them differently.

While you’ve got your subject for the last exercise, see if you can slip this in, too:

Take five images of your subject from different camera heights. Don’t change the focal length or distance to the subject – just the camera height.

Here are the photos I recommend you take:

One slightly below the subject’s chin
One slightly below the subject’s eye level
One at eye level
One slightly above the subject’s eye level
One at quite a bit above the subject’s eye level

Then ask yourself:

Which is the most flattering angle for that person? From which angle would they most want to be photographed? Why?

Facial views and camera angles: Conclusion

Now that you’ve finished this article, you should be well on your way to using face angles and camera angles to create stunning portraits.

Just make sure you practice frequently. And before you know it, you’ll be an expert!

What’s your favorite face angle? What’s your favorite camera angle? Do you have any tips for working with these angles? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post How to Use Facial View and Camera Angle to take Flattering Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.

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How to Take Sharp Images

09 Dec

The post How to Take Sharp Images appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Taking sharp images is something that most photographers want – but clean, crisp, sharp images can be difficult to achieve.

Before we start exploring how to improve sharpness, let’s talk about the main causes of a lack of sharpness:

Poor focus – The most obvious way to get images that are ‘un-sharp’ is by shooting them out of focus. This might be a result of focusing on the wrong part of the image, being too close to your subject for the camera to focus, selecting an aperture that produces a very narrow depth of field, or taking an image too quickly without checking that it is in focus.
Subject movement – Another type of blur in shots is the result of your subject moving; this is generally related to the shutter speed being too slow.
Camera shake – You can get blur if you, as the photographer, generate movement while taking the image. This often relates to shutter speed and/or the stillness of your camera.
Noise – Noisy shots are pixelated and look like they have lots of little dots over them (get up close to your TV, and you’ll get the same effect).

10 Ways to Take Sharper Images: Tips for Beginners

Here’s a list of 10 basic things to think about when shooting – so you can get consistently sharp images.

(Note: There’s also a lot you can do in Photoshop after taking your images!)

1. Hold your camera well

A lot of blur in the photos that I see is a direct result of camera shake (i.e., the movement of your camera for that split second when your shutter is open).

While the best way to tackle camera shake is to use a tripod (see below!), there are many times when using one is impractical, and you’ll need to shoot while holding your camera.

I’ve written a tutorial previously on how to hold a digital camera, but in brief:

Use both hands, keep the camera close to your body, and support yourself with a wall, tree, or some other solid object.

2. Use a tripod

Regular readers of this site will have seen our articles on tripods and know that we’re a big fan of using tripods as a way to reduce (and even eliminate) camera shake.

While tripods are not always practical, the result you’ll get when you do go to the effort of hauling one around can be well worth it.

Related Article: A Beginner’s Guide to Tripods

3. Select a fast shutter speed

Perhaps one of the first things to think about in your quest for sharp images is the shutter speed that you select.

Now, the faster your shutter speed, the less impact camera shake will have, and the more you’ll freeze movement in your shots.

As a result, you reduce the likelihood of two of the main types of blur in one go (subject movement and camera movement).

But how do you pick the right shutter speed? I recommend the “rule” for handholding:

Choose a shutter speed with a denominator that is larger than the focal length of the lens.

So:

If you have a lens that is 50mm in length, don’t shoot any slower than 1/60th of a second
If you have a lens with a 100mm focal length, shoot at 1/125th of a second or faster
If you are shooting with a 200mm lens, shoot at 1/250th of a second or faster

Keep in mind that the faster your shutter speed is, the larger you’ll need to make your aperture to compensate (see the next section!). And this will mean you have a smaller depth of field, which makes focusing more of a challenge.

4. Choose a narrower aperture

Aperture impacts the depth of field (the zone that is in focus) of your images. Decreasing your aperture size (which means increasing the f-number) will increase the depth of field – meaning that the zone in focus will include both close and distant objects.

Do the opposite (by moving to f/4, for example), and the foreground and background of your images will be more out of focus. Therefore, you’ll need to be exact with your lens focusing.

Keep in mind that the smaller your aperture, the longer your shutter speed will need to be – which makes moving subjects more difficult to keep sharp.

5. Keep your ISO as low as possible

The third element of the exposure triangle is ISO, which has a direct impact on the noisiness of your shots.

Choose a larger ISO, and you’ll be able to use a faster shutter speed and a smaller aperture (which, as we’ve seen, helps with sharpness). On the other hand, this will increase the noise in your shots.

Depending on your camera (and how much you plan to enlarge your images), you can probably get away with using an ISO of up to 400 (or even 800 or 1600 on some cameras) without too much noise. But for pin sharp images, keep the ISO as low as possible.

6. If you have image stabilization, use it

Many cameras and lenses are now being released with different forms of image stabilization (IS).

Image stabilization won’t eliminate camera shake, but can definitely help reduce its impact. I find that using IS lenses gives me an extra two or three stops (i.e., I can drop the shutter speed by around two to three stops) when handholding my camera.

Keep in mind that IS helps with camera movement but not subject movement – so it’s not helpful in low-light action scenarios.

Also, don’t use image stabilization when you mount your camera to a tripod.

7. Nail focus as often as possible

Perhaps the most obvious technique to work on when aiming for sharp images is focusing. Most of us use our camera’s autofocusing, and this works well – but don’t assume that your camera will always get it right.

Make sure you check what part of the image is in focus before hitting the shutter. And if the focusing isn’t right, then try again or switch to manual focus. This is particularly important if you’re shooting with a large aperture (small depth of field), where even the slightest focusing error can result in your subject being noticeably out of focus.

Most modern cameras have a range of focus modes you can shoot in, and choosing the right focusing mode is very important. You can learn how to do that here.

8. Make sure your lenses are sharp

This one is for DSLR and mirrorless owners:

If you have the budget for it, invest in good-quality lenses, because this can have a major impact upon the sharpness of your images.

For example, shortly after buying my first DSLR, I was in the market for an everyday zoom lens that would give me the ability to have both wide and telephoto zoom capabilities. I bought a Canon EF 28-135mm lens. It was a good lens (and reasonably priced), but it wasn’t as sharp as some of my other lenses.

A few months later, I borrowed a Canon EF 24-105mm “L” lens (“L” is Canon’s professional series of lenses) from a friend, and I was amazed by the difference in sharpness between the lenses.

While the first lens was good for what I paid for it, I ended up going for an upgrade. The new lens is now almost permanently attached to my camera.

9. Get your eyes checked

Since I was young, I’ve worn glasses. But in recent years, I’ve been a little slack in getting my eyes checked.

Recently, I got them tested for the first time in a number of years, and I was surprised to find that they’d deteriorated significantly. Getting new glasses improved a number of areas of my life, one of which was my photography.

Also connected to this is checking the diopter on your camera, if it has one.

What’s a diopter?

It’s usually a little wheel positioned next to your viewfinder that lets you tweak the sharpness of the image you see when shooting. The diopter is particularly useful for people with poor eyesight, because you can use it to compensate for your vision (so you won’t have to remember to wear glasses when out shooting!).

10. Clean your equipment

Recently, my wife and I went on a window-cleaning frenzy at our place. Over the previous months, the grime on our windows had gradually built up without us really noticing it.

But when we did clean the windows, we were amazed at how much more light got through and how much better the view outside was!

The same can be true for your lens. Keep it clean, and you’ll eliminate the smudges, dust, and grime that can impact your shots.

Similarly, a clean image sensor is a wonderful thing if you have a DSLR or a mirrorless camera, as getting dust on it can produce noticeable blotches in your final images.

11. Use your lens’s aperture sweet spot

Lenses have some spots in their aperture ranges that are especially sharp. In many cases, the ultimate “sweet spot” is one or two stops from the maximum aperture.

So instead of shooting with your lens wide open (i.e., where the f-numbers are smallest), pull it back a stop or two, and you might get a little more clarity in your shots. Learn more about identifying your lens’s sweet spot here.

10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits

05 Dec

The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

How do you take portraits that have the wow factor?

Today, I want to talk about taking portraits that are a little out of the box. You see, it’s all well and good to have a portrait that follows all the rules – but it recently hit me that often the most striking portraits are those that break the rules.

I want to look at some ways to break out of the mold and take striking portraits by breaking (or at least bending) the rules and by adding a little randomness to your portrait photography.

1. Alter your perspective

Most portraits are taken with the camera at (or around) the eye level of the subject. While this is good common sense, completely changing the angle that you shoot from can give your portraits a real wow factor.

Get up high and shoot down on your subject, or get as close to the ground as you can and shoot up. Either way, you’ll be seeing your subject from an angle that is bound to create interest.

stunning portrait shooting from low down

2. Play with eye contact

It is amazing how much the direction of your subject’s eyes can impact an image. Most portraits have the subject looking down the lens – something that can create a real sense of connection between a subject and those viewing the image.

But there are a couple of other things to try:

A. Looking off-camera. Have your subject focus their attention on something outside the field of view of your camera. This can create a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue and interest as the viewer of the shot wonders what the subject is looking at. This intrigue is particularly strong when the subject is showing some kind of emotion (i.e., “What’s making them laugh?” or “What is making them look surprised?”). Just be aware that, when you have a subject looking out of the frame, you can also draw the eye of the viewer to the edge of the image, and this will take them away from the point of interest in your shot: the subject.

B. Looking within the frame. Alternatively, you could have your subject looking at something (or someone) within the frame. A child looking at a ball, a woman looking at her new baby, or a man looking hungrily at a big plate of pasta – it can all work. You see, when you give your subject something to look at that is inside the frame, you create a second point of interest and a relationship between it and your primary subject. It also helps create a story within the image.

woman looking at child stunning portrait

3. Break the rules of composition

There are a lot of “rules” out there when it comes to composition, and I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with them. My theory is that, while composition rules are useful to know and employ, they are also useful to know so you can purposely break them – as this can lead to eye-catching results.

The rule of thirds is one rule that can be effective to break. You see, placing your subject dead-center can sometimes create a powerful image. And creative placement with your subject right on the edge of a shot can sometimes create interesting images.

Another “rule” that we often talk about in portrait photography is to give your subject room to look into. This can work really well – but again, sometimes rules are made to be broken.

4. Experiment with lighting

Another element of randomness you can introduce in your portraits is the way you light them. There are almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to using light in portrait photography.

Sidelighting can create mood, while backlighting and silhouetting your subject to hide their features can be powerful.

Also, using techniques like slow sync flash (as well as long exposures combined with light painting) can create impressive images.

5. Move your subject out of their comfort zone

I was chatting with a photographer recently who told me about a corporate portrait shoot that he had done with a businessman at his home. They’d taken a lot of head and shoulder shots, shots at the desk, shots in front of framed degrees, and other “corporate” type images. The photos had all turned out fairly standard – but there was nothing that really stood out from the crowd.

The photographer and the subject agreed that there were plenty of usable shots, but they wanted to create something special and out-of-the-box. The photographer suggested they try some “jumping” shots. The subject was a little hesitant at first, but stepped out of his comfort zone – and then, dressed in his suit and tie, started jumping!

The shots were amazing, surprising, and quite funny. The shoot culminated with the subject jumping into his pool for one last image!

While this might all sound a little silly, the shots ended up being featured in a magazine spread about the subject. It was the series of out-of-the-box images that convinced the magazine the subject was someone they’d want to feature.

6. Shoot candidly

Sometimes, posed shots can look somewhat…posed. Some people don’t look good in a posed environment, and so switching to a candid-type approach can work well.

Photograph your subject at work, with family, or doing something that they love. This will put them more at ease, and you can end up getting some special shots with your subject reacting naturally to the situation they are in. You might even want to grab a longer zoom lens to give your subject space and get really “paparazzi” with them.

I find that this can work particularly well when photographing children.

7. Introduce a prop

Add a prop of some kind, and you create another point of interest that can enhance your shot.

Yes, you might run the risk of taking too much focus away from your main subject. But you can also really add a sense of story and place to the image that takes it in a new direction, and gives the person you’re photographing an extra layer of depth that they wouldn’t have had without the prop.

8. Focus on one body part (and get close up!)

Use a lens with a long focal length, or get up close so that you can just photograph a part of your subject. Photographing a person’s hands, eyes, mouth, or even just their lower body can leave a lot to the imagination of the viewer.

Sometimes, it’s what is left out of an image that says more than what is included.

9. Obscure part of your subject

A variation on the idea of zooming in on one part of the body is to obscure parts of your portrait subject’s face or body. You can do this with clothing, objects, your subject’s hands, or just by framing part of them out of the image.

Doing this means that you leave a little to the imagination of the viewer. And you also focus the viewer’s attention on the parts of your subject that you want focused on.

10. Take a series of shots

Switch your camera into burst mode (also known as continuous shooting mode) and fire off several shots.

In doing this, you create a series of images that could be presented together, instead of just one static image.

This technique can work very well when you’re photographing children – or really when you’re photographing any active subject that is changing their position or pose in quick succession, like the runners below:

10 ways to take great portraits: conclusion

Capturing stunning portraits is easy – as long as you remember a few of these simple tips!

And if you’re interested in improving your portrait photography even further, make sure you’re subscribed to the Digital Photography School newsletter, where we share lots of photography tips and techniques every single week.

Also, make sure you check out the second half of this series here: 10 More Tips for Stunning Portrait Photography, as well as our Portraits: Making the Shot eBook!

And start taking some great portraits, today!

The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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X-tra promises a fresh take on the conventional camera battery with its innovative offering

20 Nov

Camera batteries are difficult to get excited about, but they are a critical part of any camera kit. Sure, they come in different shapes and sizes, but they’re basically all functionally identical. A new Kickstarter project hopes to change this by improving upon the conventional camera battery. The X-tra battery promises increased capacity, improved usability, and quite simply, a better user experience for photographers and videographers on the go.

For many photographers, particularly those using mirrorless cameras with smaller batteries and larger power consumption, it’s a foregone conclusion that you need to carry extra batteries. Keeping your charged and empty batteries organized and swapping out batteries is an inconvenience. The X-tra battery aims to reduce the hassle by delivering an increased capacity of 3,700 mAh, including a built-in charge level indicator, reducing the time it takes to swap out batteries and allowing for easy recharging, even while shooting. The 3,700 mAh capacity is about twice that of a Canon LP-E6 battery.

X-tra battery diagram and physical features

To use the X-tra battery, you must remove the battery slot door on your camera, as the X-tra battery is larger than standard batteries. The tradeoff here is that you get an extra area to grip your camera, plus you have access to the X-tra battery’s quick-release system. Of course, it’s possible that the overhanging portion of the battery will impact your ability to use existing tripod plates and other accessories. To remove the X-tra battery, you simply push in and it slides out. To install a new X-tra battery, just pop into place.

To check the capacity of the X-tra battery, you press and hold the button on the bottom of the battery. There are four illuminated indicators, signaling the level of charge remaining in the battery. This is great if you want to check an X-tra battery’s life without inserting it into your camera and check the remaining battery life. If you need to power your camera for an extended period, such as when shooting timelapse video, you can use the X-tra’s included USB-C port.

The X-tra battery includes many features not found in traditional camera batteries.

There is also an included X-tra Charging Case. This case allows you to quickly charge the X-tra battery via USB-C. Further, when you put an X-tra battery inside this case, you can use the battery as a power bank.

Given its design, the X-tra is not universally compatible with all cameras. You can view the full compatibility below. As you can see, the X-tra will work with numerous Sony, Canon and Nikon cameras, including both DSLR and mirrorless cameras. The team will update the final compatibility list before the campaign ends in a little under a month.

Current X-tra compatibility chart. Click to enlarge.

The X-tra has already eclipsed its Kickstarter campaign goals. The product is expected to begin shipping in March 2021. As of writing, you can pledge $ 99 USD to receive an X-tra and the charging case. $ 188 will net you an additional battery and case. Additional combos are also available to backers. The planned MSRP for the X-tra is $ 145 per battery/case combo. For more information and to make your own pledge, visit the X-tra Kickstarter campaign.

Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Review: The DJI Pocket 2 is a vlogging machine you can take anywhere (even in your pocket)

09 Nov

DJI Pocket 2
$ 349 | DJI.com

The DJI Pocket 2 is a second-generation all-in-one camera with a built-in three-axis stabilizer. A follow up to the Osmo Pocket, the camera remains roughly the same size as the original but features a larger sensor, a wider lens, an improved autofocus system, more microphones, and the ability to shoot higher-quality photos and videos.

The camera remains incredibly easy to use and is a great option for vloggers and content-creators who need to capture stabilized video and don’t want to be weighed down with lots of gear.

Jump to:

Sample Photos | Specifications & Design | Video | Photos | Conclusion

Sample photos

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View our DJI Pocket 2 sample gallery

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Key Specifications:

1/1.7” CMOS sensor
20mm (equiv.) F1.8 lens
64MP and 16MP photo modes
Video: 4K/60p, 2.7K/60p, 1080/60p
8x zoom (64MP mode), 4x lossless zoom in 1080p or 16MP mode
Panorama modes in 3×3 and 180°
4 microphones with directional audio and sound tracking
Micro SD slot up to 256 GB
140 min. battery life (1080/24p)
Weight: 117 g
Dimensions: 124.7×38.1×30 mm
HDR Video: 2.7K/30p (arriving in a future firmware update)

Body and design

The exterior design of the Pocket 2 is similar to the original but now includes a Mini Control Stick that slides into the area previously reserved for a smartphone connection. If you’re using the Mini Control Stick, the buttons to control the Pocket increase to five from the original two. Although there are some changes with the button layout, the operation remains familiar to the original.

The Mini Control Stick (just below the screen at left) makes the Pocket 2 easier to operate than the original.

The Pocket’s power button sits on the right side of the camera, and the micro SD card slides into a slot on the left. The bottom left record button records video or shoots stills, and the button next to it allows you to swap between the two modes easily. The Pocket 2 now has the ability to pause recording while shooting video by pressing and holding the record button.

If you’ve slid the Mini Control Stick into position, you will be able to customize the joystick to Zoom or Tilt and switch between Tilt Lock, FPV, and Follow using the button on the top right. Touchscreen controls allow you to access additional shooting modes (slow-mo, timelapse, pano, HDR Video), customize the Mini Control Stick settings, select recording resolution, review files, and access Pro Mode.

Some Pocket 2 accessories: Do-It-All handle (attached to the base of camera), a wireless mic with windscreen, tripod mount and smartphone connectors.

The Pocket 2 has been redesigned so that the wrist strap can attach to the camera instead of just the carrying case. It’s a subtle upgrade but a useful one. The Pocket now has a detachable base that can be swapped out for a base with a tripod mount or an accessory called the Do-It-All handle ($ 99), which turns the Pocket into a live streaming tool and allows you to use it with the DJI Mimo app without attaching your phone to the camera. The Do-It-All handle increases the total size a bit, but the benefits that come with this tool make that extra bulk worth it.

The Pocket still comes with accessories to connect to your smartphone without that Do-It-All handle, but doing so requires that you remove your phone case to make the connection, and the setup feels unbalanced. You’ll also have to control zoom and tilt through the app, which isn’t as intuitive as that new Mini Control Stick. The Do-It-All handle is really the way to go if you want to use your phone as a monitor or use the Pocket for live streaming. You’ll need to use the Mimo app and the Do-It-All handle if you intend to go live with the Pocket.

ISO 100 | 1/120 sec | F1.8

The majority of the time, I used the Pocket as a standalone product. The Pocket’s real genius is its simplicity and small size, and if you’re shooting with a smartphone connected, it makes things a bit more complicated. Having the Do-It-All handle attached to the Pocket and reviewing images and videos through the Mimo app was quite helpful, though.

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Video

When the original Pocket launched last year, it was clearly aimed at vloggers who needed stabilized footage while they walked-and-talked. Still, the original lens was a 25.7mm F2, resulting in shots that featured a whole lot of face and required relatively bright conditions. The new version has a wider 20mm F1.8 lens and a larger sensor, making it a much better option for those who need stabilized footage of themselves.

The Pocket 2 adds two additional mics, bringing the total to four, and features directional audio. With a future update, a new feature called SoundTrack will allow those microphones to follow whatever is making noise in a scene. The SoundTrack feature wasn’t available during our time with the Pocket, so we haven’t evaluated it, but DJI says it will arrive by way of a firmware update.

This Pocket 2 sample reel includes 4K/60p footage shot in New York City.

The audio quality on the original Pocket left something to be desired. The additional mics and new audio features make for recordings that sound better than what you might be able to get with a smartphone. The new Pocket also comes with an optional wireless mic accessory that communicates with the Do-It-All handle for even cleaner audio—a great choice for interviews done on the fly or capturing voices in noisy locations.

The Pocket 2 features hybrid AF, which uses both phase-detect autofocus and contrast-detect autofocus. We found that it did a nice job grabbing onto subjects and moving with them, like the kids dancing at a hardcore show and the band’s lead singer moving around the street. The Pocket 2 can now record 4K video up to 60fps at a 100Mbps bitrate.

The Pocket’s stabilization remains one of its most impressive features.

The Pocket’s stabilization remains one of its most impressive features. The Pocket 2 is much easier to use than larger gimbals but just as reliable. I’d never be able to ride my bike while holding a stabilizer and a traditional camera. With the Pocket, it’s possible, and it delivered footage that was remarkably smooth as I cruised around, although it did struggle as I rolled over some New York City potholes.

The camera is drop-aware, and although I didn’t intentionally drop the Pocket, it does seem sensitive. It will shut itself off if it thinks the gimbal is in danger. I tried and failed to record footage while biking over the Williamsburg bridge with the Pocket zipped into the front pocket of my jacket with the lens sticking out and the gimbal locked, but apparently, that ride was just a bit too bumpy for the Pocket 2 to feel safe and secure.

ISO 100 | 1/60 sec | F1.8

Eventually, the Pocket 2 will also shoot HDR video similar to the Mavic 2 Air drone, but according to DJI, the firmware to enable this feature won’t ship until later in 2020.

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Photos

Still image quality is noticeably improved compared to the original Osmo Pocket, partly due to the larger 1/1.7” sensor and faster F1.8 lens. Regular JPEGs top out at 16MP, but if you’re shooting in high-resolution mode, you can get 64MP files. If you swap the camera into PRO mode, you can capture Raw DNG files that clock in around 127.7 MB each. It’s a big leap in quality from the 12MP files on the original Pocket.

One interesting quirk we discovered is that the Pocket 2 won’t let you record Raw+JPEG images simultaneously—it’s an either/or decision.

The RAW files have a lot of flexibility in editing, although we noticed some chromatic aberration when zoomed in. According to DJI, the Pocket offers 8x zoom and 4x lossless zoom. In our experience, photos look crisp when the camera is at its widest vantage point, but as you zoom in, it becomes harder to nail sharp focus and the loss of quality becomes noticeable.

Boo!
ISO 100 | 1/40 sec | F1.8

The Pocket 2 has the ability to shoot 3×3 panoramas in addition to the 180º panoramas. The 180º panorama shoots four photos and stitches them into one long image, while the 3×3 panorama mode shoots 9 images and then stitches them into a 5×7 image. The process is fast, and stitching is all done within the Mimo app. A tripod comes in handy with 3×3 panoramas to limit camera shake.

The second-generation Pocket does a slightly better job capturing action, but this probably isn’t the tool you want to shoot sports photos. It does a decent job grabbing and holding focus on musicians and wiggly pets, though.

Thankfully, the ergonomic changes to the buttons on the second-generation Pocket make it nearly impossible to accidentally swap between shooting modes, which was an issue with the original.

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Conclusion:

The Pocket 2 addresses many of the original Osmo Pocket’s shortcomings, which was a great tool to capture stabilized video footage quickly, but which had notable limitations. The larger sensor, faster and wider lens, improved autofocus capabilities, and additional mics make this a more robust tool for content creators, vloggers, and possibly even professional shooters looking to capture supplementary footage for big jobs.

The controls have gotten more intuitive, and it’s no longer easy to swap between shooting modes accidentally. The zooming capabilities and the Mini Control Stick accessory are incredibly useful—the same goes for the interchangeable grips. Although the Do-It-All handle is an accessory that needs to be purchased at an additional cost, we really think it’s worth paying extra. It performs well and makes it easy to use your smartphone to monitor, review, and download footage on the go and use the Pocket as a tool for live streams—something that we only see becoming more common as large in-person events are on hold.

It’s possible to control the Pocket 2 through your smartphone, but it feels unbalanced and requires you to adjust tilt and zoom from your phone’s screen. We much prefer using the Do-It-All handle ($ 99) with the Mini Control Stick.

The ability to shoot 64MP Raw images with the Pocket is a massive leap from the original, but the loss in quality at 8x zoom is noticeable, and at the end of the day, we think the Pocket is best suited as a video tool. The Pocket is nice for capturing candid moments and unique perspectives, but realistically we think people are more likely to use their smartphone to capture those. The Panorama modes do offer something unique. Unlike smartphones, the Pocket doesn’t necessarily have to rely on steady human hands to move in a straight line to create a perfectly stitched together image.

The Pocket remains small and simple to operate and isn’t nearly as intimidating to use as larger gimbals on the market—for us, that’s a win.

What we like:

Stabilized 4K video footage
Mini Control Stick with zoom capabilities
Optional Do-It-All handle
Live streaming capability (requires Do-It-All handle)
Improved audio quality
Improved autofocus
Redesigned control buttons
Responsive touchscreen controls

What we don’t:

Image quality drops when zoomed
Still feels unbalanced when a smartphone is attached

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Posts Tagged ‘Take’

1. Move into the shade

2. Make your own shade

3. Use fill flash

4. Use a reflector

5. Change your perspective

6. Use a lens hood

7. Consider using a filter

8. Play with your white balance settings

9. Use spot metering for the best results

10. Carefully choose the time of day you shoot

11. Shoot silhouettes

How to take good pictures in bright sunlight: conclusion

1. Prepare ahead of time

2. Carefully choose the location

3. Take multiple shots

4. Get in close

5. Pose the group

6. Time your group shot well

7. Think about the light

8. Take control

9. Get up high when photographing large groups

10. Use a tripod

11. Use an assistant

12. Smile

Bonus tip: Let your imagination run wild!

How to take great group photos: conclusion

What is intentional camera movement and why should you use it?

The best settings for intentional camera movement photography

How to move your camera

What to shoot for the best results

A few intentional camera movement tips

Intentional camera movement photography: The next step

What is facial view? What is camera angle?

Facial views

Camera angle

Lenses

How long does it take to master this stuff?

Camera and face angles: Practice at home

Facial views and camera angles: Conclusion

10 Ways to Take Sharper Images: Tips for Beginners

1. Hold your camera well

2. Use a tripod

3. Select a fast shutter speed

4. Choose a narrower aperture

5. Keep your ISO as low as possible

6. If you have image stabilization, use it

7. Nail focus as often as possible

8. Make sure your lenses are sharp

9. Get your eyes checked

10. Clean your equipment

11. Use your lens’s aperture sweet spot

Further reading about how to take sharp images

1. Alter your perspective

2. Play with eye contact

3. Break the rules of composition

4. Experiment with lighting

5. Move your subject out of their comfort zone

6. Shoot candidly

7. Introduce a prop

8. Focus on one body part (and get close up!)

9. Obscure part of your subject

10. Take a series of shots

10 ways to take great portraits: conclusion

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Sample photos

Key Specifications:

Body and design

Video

Photos

Conclusion:

What we like:

What we don’t:

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