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8 Common Landscape Photography Mistakes (+ How to Fix Them)

23 Aug

The post 8 Common Landscape Photography Mistakes (+ How to Fix Them) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Barry J Brady.

8 common landscape mistakes

Landscape photography is a ton of fun – but even the best landscape shooters make mistakes, which is what this article is all about.

Specifically, I’m going to share the eight mistakes I see all the time, especially in beginner photos. And I’m also going to explain how those mistakes can be fixed, so that the next time you’re out shooting, you know exactly what to do (and what to avoid).

Make sense? Let’s dive right in, starting with the most common landscape photography mistake of all:

1. A lack of stability

Penguins and iceberg in Antarctica.

In landscape photography, you usually want your images to be sharp all the way through, from front to back. To achieve this effect, you must use a narrow aperture, which in turn will reduce your shutter speed and make your images very prone to blur.

Hence, many landscape photographers return home after shooting, only to find their photos plagued by consistent blurriness.

There’s a simple way to deal with this problem, however: Use a tripod! This is especially important if you’re shooting in low light, but in all honesty, I recommend you take your tripod with you everywhere.

Now, there are tripods and there are tripods. For landscape photography, you might want to invest in a more heavy-duty option; while small, lightweight tripods might do the trick for a while, if you are shooting in the wind, you risk tripod shake (plus, your tripod might get blown over). A good tripod will also last a long time and can take a beating, so buy the best tripod you can afford and keep your camera as still as possible when shooting.

Another good piece of equipment to buy is a remote release. You don’t need one of the expensive ones with a built-in intervalometer; just a simple remote shutter is fine. Once you are set up and ready to take your shot, step back from the camera and press the shutter button. There will be no vibration from you hitting the camera shutter button, and your image will be nice and sharp.

(If you don’t want to purchase a remote release, you could use the self-timer, instead.)

2. Not getting the horizon straight

Many a good landscape image has been ruined by a skewed horizon. And while this can be fixed in Photoshop or Lightroom, you might lose some details along the way – which is why I highly recommend you deal with the horizon in camera, not in post-processing.

You can use a few different tools to make sure your horizon is straight. You might try switching on the grid in your camera viewfinder, then always taking the time to line up the horizon with a horizontal gridline. Some tripod heads even have a built-in spirit level, so ensure this is level and your horizon should be fine.

Alternatively, you can purchase a level that mounts to your camera hot shoe. Just connect the level, then do a quick check before taking your photo.

beach photo with a crooked horizon
A crooked horizon is distracting.
straightened horizon of beach sunset
The image looks better now that the horizon is straight.

3. Shooting only in landscape format

Landscape photography is, well, landscape photography – so photographers assume they should shoot in landscape (horizontal) format.

And generally speaking, this is a good idea. The horizontal orientation emphasizes the sweep of a scene, and it can lend a sense of vastness to the shot.

Except, in some cases, a portrait orientation (vertical) can work well, too – sometimes better than a horizontal orientation. Think of a forest scene. The trees stretch into the sky, so a horizontal format will limit their height rather than show it off, and create a less interesting photo in the process.

Bottom line: If the subject’s shape is more vertical than horizontal, you should try it in the portrait format, as it may give the composition a dynamic presence. And if you’re not sure whether to shoot vertical or horizontal, just do both and sort out the issues later!

rocks on a beach
Shoot in portrait format, too!

4. Forgetting about the aperture

Aperture is a camera setting – but it’s also a composition tool. And many landscape photographers forget this.

You see, aperture helps determine your depth of field (i.e., the amount of the scene that appears sharp). And by carefully considering the depth of field, you can create different compositional effects.

The moment you start setting up a composition, you should be thinking about your depth of field. Ask yourself: Do I want everything from the foreground to the background to be in focus? Generally, in landscape photography, this will be the case, but if you’d prefer to keep certain areas soft, you should decide early on.

If you do want foreground-to-background sharpness, make sure your aperture is f/8, f/11, or higher. If you shoot at f/2.8 or f/4 and you focus on the foreground, the background will be out of focus, and the middle of your scene will be soft. And once you’ve taken a shallow depth of field photo, it cannot be fixed in Photoshop.

landscape sunset mountains and beach
In a landscape image, you will likely want everything in focus.

5. Shooting using the camera’s “landscape” mode

Yes, you may have a landscape setting in the scene modes of your camera. But try to use it as infrequently as possible.

Why? Well, it’s not great at producing an even exposure, plus it can’t determine the proper aperture for a given scene (only you can do that!).

So instead of using your Landscape mode, try switching over to Aperture Priority mode or even Manual mode. Both these options will let you dial in your aperture and ISO, and they’ll also let you tweak the shutter speed for the best results.

At first, this may take some getting used to. You won’t be able to rely on a familiar point-and-shoot mentality. But over time, you’ll become more and more familiar with your camera settings, and you’ll end up with better results than your camera’s automatic Landscape mode could ever achieve.

6. Standing next to other photographers

If you see a group of photographers standing on the top of a hill, here’s my advice:

Shoot from somewhere else.

I don’t mean to imply that the other photographers are taking bad shots. Rather, I’d like to emphasize the importance of originality. Do you want to go home with a shot just like everyone else’s? Or do you want a shot that’s uniquely yours?

Of course, in certain situations, the best composition or vantage point is at one particular spot, and all the photographers will congregate in that area. That’s fine; take a shot from there to start. But then look for other places to get a great shot, too.

(Pro tip: It’s a good idea to scout a scene before you shoot it. Go and take a walk around the area the day before, look at where the sun will be setting, and decide on your position. Don’t simply follow the crowd.)

Machu Picchu high vantage point
A different composition of Machu Picchu.

7. Including unnecessary negative space

Negative space is the “empty” area that surrounds your subject, and the inclusion – and exclusion – of negative space can truly make or break your image.

Careful use of negative space can lend your photos a sense of calm and tranquility. But poor use of negative space, as is common in landscape photography, will create static, boring photos.

In most landscape scenes, the sky is the negative space, especially on a clear, sunny day. And you’ll often see beginner landscape photographers include lots of sky in the composition, even though it doesn’t actually add anything interesting to the shot.

So before you include large swathes of sky in your compositions, carefully observe the horizon. Are there elements of interest, such as clouds? Or is there a simple, blank blue?

If the answer is “blank blue,” then make the sky a small portion of your image (of course, if there are some great-looking clouds, then by all means, give it more space in your scene).

This goes for other types of negative space, too. Are you photographing an ocean scene? Make sure not to include too much water, unless it adds atmosphere to the photo. Are you photographing a valley? Make sure not to include lots of empty grass. Got it?

snow with mountains in background
The sky had no clouds, so I made it a small part of the image.

8. Not including a clear subject

It sounds crazy, but it is very easy to have an unclear subject in landscape photography. For instance, if you photograph a forest but just show some random tree chaos, the viewer won’t know where to look – because there’s no clear subject. And if you’re photographing an ocean but you just point your camera at the water and shoot, you’ll end up with some boring water and sky, not a coherent, striking photo.

Instead, identify what matters to you in a scene – and then emphasize it in your shot.

Of course, you don’t need to fill the frame with your subject; it’s perfectly acceptable to show both your subject and the beauty that surrounds it. But if you’re struggling to highlight the subject, do try moving closer or using a longer lens. And check your composition afterward, asking yourself: What stands out? What will the viewer notice? And what do I want the viewer to notice?

If what the viewer will notice and what you want the viewer to notice differ, then you’ve probably made a mistake.

iceberg and ship landscape photography mistake
The iceberg in front of the ship is the clear subject.

Landscape photography mistakes: final words

Well, there you have it:

The eight landscape photography mistakes to avoid the next time you’re out shooting.

When you’re in the field with your camera, run through these mistakes. Make any corrections, then check the photo. I’m guessing you’ll end up with a much improved result!

Now over to you:

Which of these landscape photography mistakes do you make? Do you have any additional mistakes that deserve to be on this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 8 Common Landscape Photography Mistakes (+ How to Fix Them) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Barry J Brady.


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Top 10 Mistakes That Cause Blurry Pictures (And How to Fix Them)

20 Apr

The post Top 10 Mistakes That Cause Blurry Pictures (And How to Fix Them) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anne McKinnell.

top 10 mistakes that cause blurry pictures

“Why are my pictures blurry?”

It’s a common question, and one that doesn’t have an easy answer. The truth is that blurry pictures are caused by many factors – so if your photos are blurry, it’s often difficult to pinpoint the exact problem.

That’s why I wrote this article. I’m going to list the 10 main reasons why you’re ending up with blurry photos. I want you to carefully go through this list. See if any of the reasons stand out.

And then make the necessary changes!

Odds are, if you can address the problem, you’ll be taking tack-sharp images in no time at all.

Let’s dive right in, starting with the biggest reason why your photos are blurry:

1. Your shutter speed is too slow

A too-slow shutter speed is the number one culprit of blurry photos.

You might think you can hold perfectly still for half a second, but I assure you there are very few people in the world who can.

In fact, most folks can only handhold a camera down to the 1/160s to 1/80s range (though this can fluctuate, depending on the focal length of the lens, as well as the size, the lens technology, and the level of magnification).

When handholding your camera, remember this rule of thumb to avoid blur caused by camera shake:

Your shutter speed should be the reciprocal of your lens’s focal length.

So if you’re using a 60mm lens, your shutter speed should be 1/60s or faster. With a 200mm lens, use at least 1/200s. With a 400mm lens, use at least 1/400s.

(The longer your lens length, the more camera shake is magnified, so telephoto lenses require much faster shutter speeds.)

sharp pelican without blur
Using a 400mm lens, I selected a shutter speed of 1/400s to reduce the possibility of camera shake.

Some lenses and cameras have image stabilization technology built into them. Now, image stabilization usually allows you to slow your minimum shutter speed by around 3-5 stops, so you can handhold a 60mm lens past the 1/8s range. But you should always be cautious and take extra shots just to be sure.

What is your minimum shutter speed?

In addition to the reciprocal rule, it’s important to know your own personal minimum shutter speed.

You see, we all shake a little, but some of us shake more than others. So it’s good to know at what point camera shake becomes an issue for you.

Try this exercise:

Put your camera in Shutter Priority mode and take a photo at 1/500s. Then lower your shutter speed and take another image. Keep this going until you head all the way down to 1s or so, then pull up the images on your computer. Ask yourself: When does the blur become a problem? Personally, I rarely go below 1/125s if I’m handholding my camera.

2. Not using a tripod

sharp arches with proper depth of field

If you’re experiencing camera shake and you can’t use a faster shutter speed (due to low-light conditions), or you don’t want to use a faster shutter speed (because you’re purposely trying to blur something in the frame), then you need to steady your camera another way.

And I highly recommend using a tripod. It’ll keep your camera completely steady even as you dial in exposures of one second or longer. If a tripod is too inconvenient, consider a monopod, which is a more compact, flexible option.

Also, when you use a tripod, image stabilization is not necessary and may even be counterproductive, so it’s a good idea to get in the habit of turning any IS off when you put your camera on a tripod.

3. Bad camera-holding technique

For the best stability, practice the official photographer position:

Stand with your feet slightly apart, one staggered forward, and firmly planted to stabilize your body right to left and back to front. Support the camera with your left hand by holding the lens from underneath, and use your right hand to grab the grip and gently press the shutter button. Tuck your elbows tight to your chest and use the viewfinder rather than the Live View screen (holding the camera to your face will help keep it steady).

Some photographers even go so far as to listen to their breathing and heartbeat, taking care to fire the shot between breaths and beats for maximum stability.

photographer handholding camera with technique to prevent blurry photos
Proper technique when handholding your camera.

4. Your aperture is too wide

The size of the aperture determines the depth of field, which is how much of the image is in focus. And this has a direct effect on the sharpness of your photo.

When a lens finds focus, it locks onto a specific distance known as the plane of focus. So if you focus at, say, 15 feet, everything 15 feet away from the camera will have maximum sharpness, and anything in front of or behind that plane will start to blur. The strength of this blur effect – that is, the speed at which sharpness falls off – depends on the aperture.

If you use a wide aperture such as f/2.8, the depth of field will be very shallow. This effect is magnified by longer focal-length lenses. So if you use a telephoto lens and the aperture is f/2.8, there may be only a razor-thin sliver of the image that is in sharp focus. But if you use a small aperture such as f/11 or f/18, the depth of field will be larger. More of the image will be sharp.

desert landscape
Using an aperture of f/20, everything is sharp from foreground to background.

Choosing the right aperture depends on the type of image you want to create. But if you are trying to get everything in the frame as sharp as possible, try using a small aperture (produced by a larger f-number such as f/11 or f/22).

Note that a small aperture will let in less light, so you will need to use a slower shutter speed to compensate. See the first problem on this list!

5. Not using autofocus

These days, cameras are sophisticated. So let them do what they are good at! Cameras do a fantastic job of nailing focus, both with still subjects and subjects in motion.

Is autofocus perfect? No, and later on in this article, I’ll discuss a few times when manual focus is actually helpful. But generally speaking, autofocus is the way to go.

why are my pictures blurry? sharp vulture

6. Not focusing in the correct place

Even if you’re using the perfect handholding technique or a rock-solid tripod, if you focus in the wrong place, you’ll end up with blurry pictures anyway.

Focusing carefully is especially crucial when using a wide aperture (because you’ll have a razor-thin depth of field!). A slight miscalculation in the focus can throw the subject completely out of the focal plane, or give you a subject with perfectly sharp earlobes and blurry eyes.

Photographers often leave their cameras set to an auto AF-area mode – one that tells the camera to decide automatically what part of the picture should be in focus. Most of the time, modern cameras are pretty good at this, particularly if the subject is prominent in the frame. However, with more complex compositions, the camera can get confused and try to focus on the wrong thing. To specify the focal point yourself, switch to a single-point AF-area mode.

When you look through your viewfinder, you should see an array of little dots or squares laid over the display, like this:

AF point spread

These are your focus points, and they show you where in the frame the camera can lock focus. In single-point AF-area modes, you can use the camera’s direction pad to select one of these dots, and the camera will always focus on that point (and that point alone).

Note that, to tell the camera to focus, you would normally depress the shutter button halfway before pressing it the rest of the way to take the shot. This works pretty well, but cameras can be overly sensitive – if you press too lightly, the button may come unpressed and try to re-focus after you’ve already found your point of focus. If you press too hard, you might capture the shot before the focus is ready. And if you take multiple pictures in succession, your camera may try to focus again before each shot. For these reasons, some photographers highly recommend back-button focusing.

7. Using the incorrect autofocus mode

There are three main autofocus modes offered by most cameras. You should be switching between these modes every time you’re faced with a new shooting situation; otherwise, you’re bound to miss shots that you normally could’ve nailed.

Single-shot autofocus, called AF-S or One-Shot AF, is meant to be used with still subjects.

Continuous autofocus, called AF-C or AI Servo AF, is designed to track movement through the frame, so it works best when your subject is in motion.

Finally, there’s an automatic mode, called AF-A or AI Focus AF. This is likely the default setting on your camera. It reads the scene and determines which of the first two modes it should use.

cactus flower

8. Not using manual focus

While I’m a big advocate of autofocus, there is one particular time when manual focus comes in handy:

When your camera is on a tripod, and you’re using a wide aperture to achieve a very shallow depth of field.

If you want to make sure the most important thing in your frame is sharp, switch to manual focus. Then use the LCD zoom function to magnify the display by 5x or 10x. And make tiny adjustments to the focus until you get it just right.

You can also try manual focusing when shooting close-up subjects (e.g., a flower petal) or when photographing landscapes in the darkness.

9. There’s junk on or in front of your lens

A big smear on your lens is going to affect the clarity of your image.

And if you put a cheap plastic filter in front of your lens, that’ll degrade image quality, too.

So make sure your lens is clean. And make sure that all your filters are high quality. If you always shoot with a UV filter and you keep getting blurry pictures, try taking a few shots without the filter to see if the quality of the glass is negatively affecting your images.

10. Poor lens quality

Beginners love to blame their blurry pictures on their optics, though a bad lens is rarely the problem.

That said, lens quality can make a difference, and you’ll occasionally find lenses that are genuinely soft. And some lenses may be sharp in the center but get blurry around the corners and edges of the image, or sharp at certain apertures but slightly fuzzy at others. Every lens has a unique character that may or may not be useful to the type of work you’re doing.

It’s also worth noting that each lens has a “sweet spot” – a certain aperture at which it performs best. This is usually in the middle of its aperture range, around f/8 or f/11.

Fixed focal length lenses are usually sharpest, though it’s not always convenient to carry around two or three lenses rather than a single, all-purpose zoom.

buildings on the water

Mistakes that cause blurry pictures: final words

Well, that’s it:

The 10 most common reasons your pictures are blurry.

If you’ve been struggling with blurry photos, you hopefully now know (or can at least guess) the culprit! And you can make adjustments to get things looking sharp.

Now over to you:

Are your photos blurry? Did you figure out why? Which of these mistakes have you been making? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Top 10 Mistakes That Cause Blurry Pictures (And How to Fix Them) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anne McKinnell.


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‘Deep Nostalgia’ AI tech animates old photos and brings them to life

01 Mar

The online genealogy company MyHeritage has launched a new AI-powered service, Deep Nostalgia. This new service animates family photos (or other photos, as we’ll see) to allow users to ‘experience your family history like never before.’

Deep Nostalgia uses AI licensed from D-ID to turn still images into animated photos like the Live Photos feature in iOS portraits in the ‘Harry Potter’ films. Deep Nostalgia relies upon videos of facial animations, which the AI then applies to a still image. For example, an old black and white portrait of a man looking off-camera comes to life, with the subject moving his head, blinking and smiling at the camera.

MyHeritage prepared several drivers for Deep Nostalgia, which are then applied to a face in a still photo. You can animate all the faces in a photo, such as in a family portrait, although a separate animation must be created for each face. The technology automatically selects an animation sequence for a face, but users can select a different sequence as well. The animation sequences are based on genuine human gestures. Different MyHeritage employees are the foundation for many of the animation sequences.

To try Deep Nostalgia for yourself, you must sign up for a free MyHeritage account. Once you sign up, you can begin uploading images, which are animated and turned into a GIF. If you don’t do the full signup process, MyHeritage states that any images you upload will be deleted automatically to protect the user’s privacy. If you are uploading small or blurry images, MyHeritage’s Photo Enhancer will enhance your photos before the animation is applied, as Deep Heritage requires a high-resolution face.

It’s a neat idea to be able to bring old photos back to life. For many, their only connection to family members featured in old photographs is the image itself. They may never have seen them in person. In many cases, including those shared by different users on Twitter, Deep Nostalgia produces pretty impressive results.

As pointed out by The Verge, not everyone is using the service to add life-like qualities to antiquated family photos. Twitter user Flint Dibble opted instead to upload photos of statues from the Acropolis Museum in Athens. If you’ve ever wanted to see a statue of Alexander the Great move and blink, now you can. As Kim Lyons of The Verge asks, ‘I wonder if perhaps there are some photos best left un-animated?’

Jokes aside, Deep Nostalgia is a fascinating technology that can create impressive results. Photographs are the lasting connection we collectively have to our past. When our photos are of lost loved ones, the images take on a much deeper meaning. For some, seeing someone blink and smile again may feel morbid or odd, but it may be a special experience for others.

As MyHeritage writes, ‘Some people love the Deep Nostalgia feature and consider it magical, while others find it creepy and dislike it. Indeed, the results can be controversial, and it’s hard to stay indifferent to this technology.’ To try it for yourself, head over to MyHeritage.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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The Five Most Essential Camera Settings and How to Use Them

20 Oct

The post The Five Most Essential Camera Settings and How to Use Them appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by David Shaw.

Modern cameras, from smartphones to high-end DSLRs, are designed to make decisions for us.

And, for the most part, they do a pretty good job. Slap your DSLR into Auto mode, and more often than not you’ll get images that are sharp with a decent exposure.

Five Most Essential Camera Settings seaside landscape

Now, if you’re just looking to document your world, then go for it. Snap away. But the drawback is that images taken with Auto mode tend to look similar to one another, with a uniform depth of field and exposure.

If you want to move beyond the automatic camera settings, you need to understand your camera, how to use it and, most importantly, what impact changing those settings will have on your final image.

Here are five of the most essential camera settings, what they mean, and how they’ll impact your photos.

ISO

Here’s the first essential camera setting you should know:

ISO.

Now, the acronym “ISO” is terrible, because it’s basically meaningless in terms of photography. It stands for International Organization for Standardization, a European non-governmental organization that makes sure industries apply the same standards.

In the case of photography, the International Organization for Standardization wanted to make sure that an 800 ISO on a Canon camera is the same as on a Nikon, Sony, or a Fuji. If that standard didn’t exist, then settings wouldn’t be applicable across camera brands. So if I set my Canon to make an image at 1/100s at f/2.8 and ISO 400, and you set your Nikon to the same settings, we wouldn’t get the same exposure.

Thankfully, all the major manufacturers do subscribe to the ISO standard.

So what is ISO?

ISO is the measure of the sensitivity of your camera’s digital sensor to light. The lower the number, the lower the sensitivity; the higher the number, the more sensitive the sensor becomes.

Say that you’re shooting in a low light situation, such as in a poorly-lit room or on a dusky evening. An ISO setting of 100 will require that more light reaches the sensor than if you were to use a setting of ISO 400, 800, or 1600.

Five Most Essential Camera Settings fire night image
This night image required a fast shutter speed to retain detail in the flame, so I had to use a high ISO (3200). In the next shot (below), you can see the noise in the original RAW file. (By the way, this image shows what happens when you free methane from a bubble in the ice of a frozen pond in the boreal forest and then set it alight.)

Drawbacks of a high ISO

So why not shoot with a high ISO all the time?

Two reasons:

  1. High ISOs often create digital noise in the image (though camera sensors are getting better and better at avoiding this).
  2. Sometimes you may want to force a slow shutter speed, in which case you need less sensitivity to light. This may be the case if you are trying to capture blurred motion such as water or wind, or if you’re creating pleasing blurs in sports photography.
Five Most Essential Camera Settings ISO
Note the noise in the detail of the person’s clothing and in other shadowed areas.

In short, ISO is one of the three tools you have at your disposal to manipulate your exposure.

Shutter speed

The length of time your camera’s sensor is exposed to light is the shutter speed.

Many cameras have a mechanical shutter that snaps open and closed, allowing light to reach the sensor. Others use a digital shutter that simply turns on the sensor for a set period of time before switching it off again.

Your shutter speed has a huge impact on the final image.

Why?

Because a long shutter speed will create blur in moving subjects. As a landscape photographer, I use long shutter speeds to blur water, capture starlight, or show wind motion.

Five Most Essential Camera Settings beach
For this image, I used a 1/2s shutter speed to blur the waves while retaining some detail.
Five Most Essential Camera Settings shutter speed
A 30s shutter speed blurred the Yukon River into a mirror-like surface.

Short (i.e., fast) shutter speeds have the effect of stopping motion. Use a shutter speed of 1/2000s and the motion of a runner or a cyclist will be stopped dead.

Five Most Essential Camera Settings shutter speed
This image of a passing bike required a shutter speed of 1/500s. The shutter speed was just fast enough to make the image sharp overall while retaining some sense of motion in the spinning tire.

Your use of shutter speed must be thoughtful to create a good image. Think about the final image you want to create. Does it have blurred components or is it all sharp? Do you want to stop your subject or convey a sense of motion?

Consider, experiment, then decide on your shutter speed.

Aperture

The aperture, or f-stop, might be the most confusing aspect of photography for many photographers. This is because it affects images in unexpected ways.

Essentially, the aperture is how big the hole in the lens is. The smaller the hole, the less light that is allowed in; the larger the hole, the more light that gets through.

What often confuses people is the numbering system:

The smaller the number, the larger the hole.

So a setting of f/2.8 corresponds to a larger opening than f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, and so on. Lenses with a wide maximum aperture (i.e., a small number like f/2) are considered fast, meaning that they are capable of allowing in more light.

But it’s not just about light and how wide a lens can open. The aperture also affects image sharpness.

You see, most, if not all, lenses are sharper a few f-stops down (called the sweet spot). A lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 will create a sharper image at f/8 than at f/2.8. The better the lens, the less this matters, but it is noticeable on most lenses.

Depth of field and its applications

The aperture also controls the depth of field.

The depth of field is the amount of the image from close to far that is in focus. A lens set to its widest aperture (say f/2.8) will give less depth of field than the same lens set to f/11.

Five Most Essential Camera Settings aperture grouse
A very shallow depth of field in this image brings the grouse hiding in the brush into focus while the surrounding chaos of branches blurs into a haze.

As with shutter speed, your use of aperture should be purposeful. Have a landscape image that you want in focus from front to back? You better select a high f-stop (such as f/11). How about a portrait where you want a clean, soft background but a tack-sharp eye? Then use a small f-stop (such as f/2.8 or f/4) and carefully choose your focus point.

Five Most Essential Camera Settings aperture
An f-stop of f/11 at 17mm was sufficient to make the entire scene, from inches in front of the lens to the cliffs in the distance, sharp.

The aperture directly impacts the shutter speed. A narrow aperture will require you to use a longer shutter speed to attain a proper exposure, just as a wider aperture will allow you to use a faster shutter speed. Aperture and shutter speed are completely interrelated; there is no escaping it.

So you need a strong understanding of both.

White balance

White balance, like ISO, relates to the sensor.

But, in this case, it has to do with the color of the light, rather than its brightness.

Different light sources have different color tones. Our eyes often don’t detect these differences, but you can bet your camera will. Have you ever seen a photo of a home interior lit by soft white bulbs, but including a window? Usually, the interior of the room looks natural while the outdoor light looks artificially blue.

That’s white balance. The camera (or photographer) decided to use the interior light (the warm-toned bulbs) as the neutral color, but then the natural light outdoors shifted toward blue.

Now, when the white balance is set wrong, the colors are off. They look too yellow, blue, or orange.

But when the white balance is correct, everything looks natural, as our eyes detect it.

Five Most Essential Camera Settings white balance aurora
Here is an image with the camera’s white balance set to Auto. The colors of the aurora borealis appear too purple and yellow.
Five Most Essential Camera Settings white balance aurora
In this version, I adjusted the white balance further into the blue range, making the colors of the lights appear more natural and pleasing.

What about Auto White Balance?

I’ve got a confession to make here:

I almost always use the Auto White Balance setting on my camera. Cameras are pretty darn good at assessing color tones and deciding on the appropriate white balance. When my camera does get it wrong, I can check the image on the LCD and make the correction for the next shot.

Also, I shoot exclusively in RAW format, which means that I can make adjustments to the white balance during post-processing. I trust the image on my computer screen more than I trust the tiny LCD on the back of my camera.

That said, there are times you should adjust the camera’s white balance setting. The first is if you are shooting JPEGs. The JPEG file format will not allow you to effectively adjust the white balance later, so you must get it right in-camera.

The second time you’ll want to adjust your white balance setting is when stacking images, either for high-contrast scenes or for panoramas. When stacking, slight changes in color tones will make combining several images into a single HDR photo or a panorama much more difficult or even impossible.

You can also adjust your white balance if you purposely want to make an image look cool or warm, or if you are using artificial lights.

So be mindful of your white balance; know what it does and how it will impact your images. Then decide how to use it.

Exposure compensation

What is exposure compensation?

Exposure compensation allows you to very quickly add or subtract light from an image.

Too dark? Use the exposure compensation feature to add a stop of light. Too bright? Exposure compensation can quickly darken the image.

Homer sunset

For the image above, I used exposure compensation to make sure the scene showed details in the foreground, while keeping the bright sunset in the background from being blown out.

And the image below was made in bright sunlight, but a deliberate underexposure of three stops (via exposure compensation) reduced the mountains to black but retained detail in the sky, resulting in a surreal image.

landscape with reflection

Know your camera well

Exposure compensation is a tool you should know how to adjust without lowering the camera from your eye. How it is set depends on your camera settings.

I use Aperture Priority mode most often on my camera. So I select the aperture, and the camera decides the shutter speed. If I adjust the exposure compensation, my camera will retain my chosen aperture and simply adjust the shutter speed up or down to get the desired exposure.

And if I were to use Shutter Priority mode, as I sometimes do, the camera would adjust the aperture, instead.

(In Auto mode, the camera makes this decision for you.)

I use exposure compensation constantly. It is my go-to method for fine-tuning my exposures in the field. On my Canon DSLR, I can adjust it with a simple twitch of my thumb on the rear wheel of the camera. Other cameras have their exposure compensation control as a wheel near the shutter button, or as part of a system of buttons on the back.

Know how your camera works and learn to adjust the exposure compensation quickly and efficiently. Understanding this important tool will mean you don’t miss your chance to get the shot right when you are working in the field or the studio.

Essential camera settings: Conclusion

These five camera settings are the most important things to understand about your camera.

Experiment with them so you know how they affect your final image. Learn to change each setting quickly and without fuss.

Once you’ve done this, you’ll have taken charge of your photography.

And you’ll be on your way to creating purposeful images.

If you have any comments or questions, please add them below!

The post The Five Most Essential Camera Settings and How to Use Them appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by David Shaw.


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The two most-produced 35mm cameras of all time? You’ve probably never heard of them

28 Aug
Photo: Stephen Dowling

What were the most-produced 35mm cameras of all time, you ask? Perhaps the Kodak Brownie, or the Argus C3, the Olympus Trip 35, or maybe the Nikon F? Nope, those cameras didn’t even come close the the number of Soviet-era Smena-8’s and Smena 8M’s that rolled off the assembly line; a combined 21 million in total. The next closest of the cameras mentioned is the Olympus Trip 35 with 5.4 million units made.

So what’s the deal with these apparently ubiquitous cameras, produced by Leningradskoye Optiko-Mekhanicheskoye Obyedinenie (Lomo), which many of us have probably never seen/heard of? Our good friends over at Kosmo Foto have the full scoop and more. Click the link and read on!

Read: Kosmo Foto – These are the most produced 35mm cameras of all time

About Film Fridays: We recently launched an analog forum and in a continuing effort to promote the fun of the medium, we’ll be sharing film-related content on Fridays, including articles from our friends at KosmoFoto and 35mmc.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier

10 Jun

The post How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

catalog and store your photos

Keeping track of the photos you’ve taken is a vital element of the photography workflow. In this article, you’ll learn about different ways you can catalog and store your photos. This is important because, first of all, you’ll want to be able to easily find the photos that you took several years ago. You’ll also want to review your photos periodically to see where you can improve your work. This is easier with a well-managed photo library. Let’s take a look at the options available to you then.

How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
Keeping your photo library up to date is vital.

Will you catalog and store your photos in the cloud?

The options available to store large amounts of file data have grown in recent years. It’s a good job because the amount of memory most photographers go through has also grown. The biggest rule here is that if you only have one copy of something, you might as well have none. The day your hard drive fails means you could lose everything, so diversify and keep multiple copies. Let’s look at some of the options you could take.

Internal hard drive

The first and most convenient place to store your photos is on your computers internal hard drive. Doing this means the files are easy to reach, and you don’t need to play around with wires to plug other devices in.

The drawback here, of course, is that most internal hard drives are limited in storage capacity, even more so if you’re using a laptop. At best, keeping photos on your internal hard drive should only be for your most recent photos. Even then, you need to back them up on a separate external hard drive.

How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
External hard drives like these are one solution.

External hard drive

The next option is to use external hard drives.

The capacity of external hard drives continues to rise, and with the introduction of solid-state hard drives, their reliability has also improved. Large external hard drives that have terabytes of storage space are the best solutions for photographers wishing to back up their work. While you can have storage from flashcards and pen drives, it’s realistically far too small to database your library.

A word of warning though, most hard drives have a shelf life. That means for each external hard drive you have, you need a separate backup external hard drive.

Cloud services

The newest version of storage is cloud storage. It’s become increasingly popular, and with good reason. Companies that provide these services need to ensure your data is protected, as a result they need to keep several copies in the event one of their storage systems goes down. Your files being kept in a remote location is also safer, especially if you use cloud storage in conjunction with an external hard drive.

  • Dropbox – One of the first cloud storage services, they offer a good service.
  • Adobe – Anyone using Adobe products can sign up and store their photos on Adobe’s servers.
  • iCloud – Those using apple products will be familiar with the iCloud, it works as a hub to link up all your devices.

The downside to this type of service is that there is an ongoing subscription fee if you want storage sizes capable of backing up your photography. That compares with an external hard drive that has a one time fee. You’re also reliant on a fast, reliable internet connection, something you might not find if you’re traveling somewhere that’s more remote.

How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
Cataloging your photos by type works well, this is a cityscape.

What’s the best solution?

Burning to a DVD was once a way you’d store photo library’s, but this has now become outdated as storage size has far outstripped this method. The best solution is to diversify. Keep backup copies of your photos on separate external hard drives, and use a cloud service for that extra protection.

Which is the best software to use for your library?

Now you know what hardware you’ll use to store your photos, the next step is to decide which program you’re going to use to store them. Once again, there are several options, and here are some of them.

Catalog in folders

One option is to simply set up folders, and then subfolders on your hard drive. You can use these to store individual sets of photos. The problem is this takes a lot of work, and could quickly become disorganized if you’re not on top of it all the time.

How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
Photos is the current storage option for apple users.

Apple Photos

Apple Photos is now the default photo storage program that comes with apple devices, be that a phone or a computer. It’s taken over from the older iPhoto, and the concept with the program is to share between devices. That means all your files will be synced to the iCloud account you have. You’ll likely need to pay the subscription fee for this functionality to be of any use.

The program comes with some basic editing functions, with the ability to catalog your photos into albums. You can further organize your work by putting these albums into folders. You can download Apple photos to use with windows as well.

Adobe Bridge and Lightroom

Adobe is the choice of many photographers, especially Adobe Lightroom.

There are actually two separate programs to create a library from. The two programs create folders on your hard drive, as opposed to Apple Photos, that has a closed-off app.

You can select the folder you’re going to use, so putting these photos on an external hard drive will work well.

Bridge and Lightroom allow you to organize your photos by folder, but you can also put them into collections. Where Lightroom differs from Bridge is that it offers an advanced photo editing suite. For many photographers, this is all they need.

As is becoming increasingly standard, there is also the option to store your photos in Adobe’s cloud service through these programs.

How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
Adobe is the most popular service for most photographers.

Other options

There are many other options you can use to organize and store your photos. If you’re using a Mac, using Photos or Lightroom is probably the best move. If you’re using a Windows machine, Lightroom is a great option. However you could buy a different program if you wish, this article gives a list of some of the possible alternative options.

How will you subdivide your collection into folders?

The last step in organizing your photos is putting them into categories that will make them easy to find. This comes down to some basic organization. Typically, you’ll want to start with a broad way of labeling photos, and then get more specific for the subfolders you put these photos into.

The year

Every year it’s time to reset and look again at your photos. It’s also a good time to begin a new folder for that year’s photos. In doing this, you’ll prevent any folder or library from becoming too large.

How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
A location like a national park is a good name for a folder.

The location

This is a category you can obviously narrow down further from the broad area of just the location. The following are some suggestions on how you might do just that.

  • Country – Every time you make a trip to a new country, this should have its own folder. In fact, you might decide to make a whole new library with the year and country as the title for this library.
  • City/Town/Village – The next step down from the country is the place you visit within that country. Often an urban center of some description will be the next folder you use.
  • National park – Visiting an area of natural beauty will be high on the landscape photographer list. These are often national parks, so this would also form a folder.
  • District/Market/Lake/Mountain – To further narrow down where the photo was taken, look to the district or market you visited in an urban center. Likewise, if you’re in the countryside, look for things like lakes or mountains to signify the photo’s location.
How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
This photo could be labelled portrait, light painting, or wire wool.

The day

Now you’re getting down to the nitty gritty of how to catalog and store your photos.

How you apply this to your organizational structure will depend. If you’re visiting a country for one week you might dispense with the city or national park, and just name each day France day 1, France day 2 and so on. However, if you’re in a country for longer, you might decide to use Paris day 1, Paris day 2, Lyon day 1, and so on.

The event

Photographing at festivals and events is a great way of getting unique photos, as they’re dynamic and you’ll be constantly on the lookout for moments of capture. Events like these will typically lead you to take many photos. If the event lasts several days, you’ll likely want to catalog by day.

The photography technique

Another approach to organizing your photos is to do it by type. In this case, you might be working on a photographic project, and you’ll want to keep all the photos of a particular type together. Below are a few examples you could try.

  • Color – Take a series of photos that are all the same color.
  • Technique – Use a technique like silhouettes, light painting or Lensball photography.
  • Portraits – If you’re a portrait photographer, you’ll likely want to sub-genre this topic. If you’re a travel photographer, it might form its own folder.
  • Street – Street photography is a great topic to try out and lends well to anyone living in an urban center.
  • Urban – Urban photography could include things like cityscapes, architecture, or rooftop photography.
How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier
Festivals provide many photographic moments.

Favorites

Lastly, one of the best folders of photos any photographer can have is the favorites.

Each day you’ll choose your favorites from that day. However, at the end of the year or the end of a trip, it’s worth refining your selection further. To do this, go back over your favorites from each day and pick the very best images. Then use those images to create a portfolio folder for your very best work.

What’s your preferred way to catalog and store your photos?

There is a definite process you need to follow when you catalog and store your photos. This article lays out where and how to store photos so that you don’t lose control of your database of images.

There are many ways to do this, so how do you catalog and store your photos? If you use a different approach, we’d love to hear your ideas in the comments section.

Likewise, if you use any of the approaches in this article, which have you found the best? It’s always good to be organized, so organize your photos today so you can add more of them to your collection tomorrow!

The post How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.


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10 mistakes most first-time film shooters make (and how to avoid them)

08 May

Introduction

You’ve bought your first camera. You’ve bought some film. You’re ready to load up and start shooting. What could possibly go wrong? Lots of things! When you make a mistake with your digital camera, you’ll know right away, but with film, it’s not until days or weeks later, when you’re home from your once-in-a-lifetime trip that you discover you’ve screwed up the picture you can never re-create. This is what makes film so awesome.

The good news is that you are not alone – with film, mistakes are part of the process. I can’t stop you from screwing up (and I wouldn’t want to, because misery loves company), but I can give you a heads-up on common mistakes to look out for – and, in some cases, how to fix them.

Photos by: Dan Bracaglia (except where noted)

1. Loading the camera wrong

Nearly every film shooter will at some point get developed negatives back from the lab with nothing but edge writing and numbers on them. There are two possibilities: 1) Your light meter is way, way, way, way, way off, or 2) you didn’t load the film properly.

For 35mm cameras, a good indicator of the latter is that you loaded a 36-exposure roll last week and you’re on your 67th shot. Take-up reels don’t always grab the film properly, so make sure you fire-and-wind at least one shot before you close up the camera in order to verify that the film is moving, and once the back is closed, rotate the rewind lever to (gently) tension the film.

If the winder continues to rotate freely, that means the film sprockets didn’t engage (and commiserations – you just accidentally rewound an unexposed roll of film). If you loaded the camera correctly, once the slack has been taken up, the rewind knob should turn on its own as you advance the film.

For medium-format cameras, a surprisingly common misstep is loading the film backwards so that the backing paper, not the film, faces the lens. You might say, “Well, the backing paper has writing on it. How stupid must I be to get that wrong?” But in the case of cameras that use detachable film magazines, things can get very confusing indeed, because the paper markings will be facing inwards on the magazine. So a better question to ask is, “How stupid must the camera be?” Take it slow, visualize how the magazine fits into the camera and you should be fine. Better yet, read the manual.

2. Trying to load a camera that’s already loaded

Not all cameras have a nifty little film window.

This is another of the classic “oh crap” moments in film photography: You pop open the back of the camera and see there’s already film there. (Alternatively, you drop the camera and the back opens. Happens to all of us.) The very first thing to do – preferably during and not after the obligatory cursing – is to close the camera back right away. (Seems obvious, but we all get paralyzed by disbelief.)

Have you just ruined all your pictures? Probably not. You’ll definitely lose the current exposure, and the two or three previous will likely be spoiled or partially fogged. But most cameras wind the film tightly enough that the rest of the photos will be okay if you get the back closed quickly enough. Film still in the cartridge will be fine; just fire off a couple of “blank” shots to get past the film that was exposed when you opened the back.

Some 35mm auto-wind cameras, like Canon Rebel SLRs, protect against this sort of thing by winding all of the film out of the cartridge when you load them and then rewinding as you shoot. That way, any pictures you’ve already taken are safe, and it’s only possible to ruin the unexposed portion of the film. (Isn’t it nice to know a camera was designed with the assumption you’d screw up?) Chances are in this situation that the rest of the roll is still usable once you’ve shot past the frames which are definitely ruined, but if you’re shooting anything important, it’s best to play it safe – rewind the film and load up a fresh roll.

3. Forgetting if there’s film in the camera

As someone with a bad case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), I have a lot of cameras and I can’t always remember which ones I’ve loaded with film. To be fair, I often can’t remember what I had for breakfast or where I left my keys or my children, either. Auto-wind cameras usually have an icon to tell you if they’re loaded, but what about manual-wind cameras that don’t?

Easy solution: Remember earlier how we tested that the film was loaded properly by tensioning the film with the rewind knob? That trick will also tell you if there’s film loaded. Pop out the rewind knob and turn it gently. If there’s film, it should move freely at first then start resisting as you take up the slack. (Don’t turn with too much force or you may rip the sprockets on the film.)

4. Shooting a roll of film at the wrong speed

You rewind your last roll of film, pop in a new one, go to set the ASA/ISO dial, and your heart sinks – you see the dial is set at 100, but the film you just pulled out is 400. Cue the movie guy running in slo-mo and yelling “NOOOOOOOO!!!”

Panic not, my petal, for this is a common mistake with an easy fix. If you’re shooting color print film and you’re only off by a stop (½ or 2x the right ISO) or even two, you probably don’t need to worry. Consumer-level C-41 process film has a lot of latitude; in fact, disposables and other cheapie cameras with limited exposure settings count on this built-in flexibility. (Traditional-process black and white and some “pro” print films are less forgiving, and slide film even less so.) If in doubt, just tell your lab what happened. If necessary, they should be able to compensate with processing (albeit sometimes at extra cost).

5. Changing the ISO (ASA) dial on the fly

Nope, can’t do that with film! On a digital camera, turning the ISO dial changes how the camera records images, but on a film camera all it does is calibrate the meter so that you get correct readings for the film speed you’re using. If you want consistent metering (and you usually do) the whole roll has to be shot at the same ISO. The only exception to this is for exposure compensation. If you’re shooting ISO 200 film on a bright snowy day, setting the ISO to 100, or even 64, will help compensate. Similarly, if you’re shooting a moody portrait of someone wearing dark clothing, setting the ISO dial to 400 or 800 will prevent skintones from coming out too dark.

Many more advanced film cameras offer a dial with +/-2 stops of exposure compensation to make this easier to get your head around, but it’s the exact same thing (with the advantage that it’s quicker to dial in, and you’re less likely to forget to unset the compensation later).

You also have the option of pushing or pull your film. Pushing is when you intentionally under-expose your film, then compensate by over-developing, and pulling is the opposite. The pictures won’t be perfect; they may have more grain, more or less contrast, or color shifts, but they will come out. (Some film stocks respond better to pushing and pulling than others.) Why would anyone do this? Sometimes it can lead to an interesting look, and it’s also a handy way to get more (or less) sensitivity in a pinch.

For example, when shooting indoors under low light, instead of using dedicated high-speed film, I push my 400-speed Ilford HP5 Plus film two stops by setting the meter to 1600, then alter my developing as outlined on the data sheet. There’s more grain and contrast, but I happen to like the look.

6. Letting the light meter lie to you

Modern digital cameras have sophisticated multi-zone meters that can figure out tricky lighting situations. I’m amazed at how even my phone can get pictures that would be impossible for most film camera meters to sort out. Then again, I’m amazed that my phone can make phone calls and that they can fill up soda bottles without the soda fizzing all over the factory. Seriously, how do they do that?

Anyway, multi-zone metering was in its infancy when film gave way to digital, and most film camera meters are center-weighted, meaning they take an average of the scene with more emphasis on what’s in the middle (presumably what you’re pointing the camera at) and a little less on the top part (presumably the sky, which screws things up when you rotate the camera for a vertical shot). As I mentioned earlier, bright or dark backgrounds, deep shadows, snow, nuclear fireballs and other scenes with large light or dark patches can fool the meter and throw off your exposure.

What do to? Serious photographers carry a gray card, but serious photographers tote enough gear to flatten a pack mule. In a pinch, you can take a meter reading off the grass or a patch of medium-toned fabric – just make sure the camera is pointing in the same general direction as your subject. If the readings are different, the scene is probably fooling your camera’s meter and you should adjust accordingly.

If in doubt (and assuming you don’t mind burning through film a little faster) just take a handful of shots at slightly different exposure settings to make sure. At least one of them is likely to turn out.

7. Asking on a forum which film is best

Asking a bunch of photographers which film is best is like asking them which letter of the alphabet is best. As sure as loading 800 ASA film makes the sun come out and 50 ASA makes it rain, you’ll get 85 replies and no consensus. That’s because different films have different characteristics, and “best” is a matter of personal preference (which is why there are so many choices). Everything I’ve ever read on any forum about a given film being good or bad has been wrong – not because the people don’t know what they were talking about (though a couple obviously didn’t), but because the question of film quality is so subjective.

The best way to find the right film for you is to try different kinds and see what you like. I recommend starting with well-known staples like Kodak Gold or Ilford HP5+ to get some sort of a baseline for yourself. (Best not to start with slide film, as it’s really picky about proper exposure.) Then you can ask a different kind of question on the forums: “I’ve been shooting BlastMax 200 and I was thinking about trying a roll of Elbowchrome. What can I expect?” Now that your fellow shooters know your baseline, they can give you a more meaningful answer by comparing the new film to what you know. Better yet, don’t ask – just buy a roll and decide for yourself.

8. Getting obsessed with the Zone System

For those who haven’t heard of it, the Zone System is how famed landscape photographer Ansel Adams made his amazing black-and-white landscape photos. It’s an elaborate method that involves treating exposure, developing and printing as a unified system: you make adjustments in one part of the process that are compensated by adjustments in the others. Incidentally, you can use a form of the Zone System in digital photography, and it’s quite a bit easier since your “processing” is electronic.

The Zone System has understandable appeal to digital photographers who are used to mining the data to draw details out of their exposures. If you’re developing and printing your own black-and-white film, then by all means, dive into the Zone System. But, really, you don’t need to. Bracketing, where you shoot a couple of exposures over and under your metered exposure at ½- or 1-stop increments, as descried earlier, is a better way to give yourself options, and always a good idea with slide film. Better to concentrate on things like composition, because a boring photo is a boring photo no matter how perfectly it’s exposed.

Photo: Ansel Adams / US National Archives and Records Administration

9. Starting with slide film

Someone recently wrote in DPReview’s Film Photography Talk forum, “If you want to hate film photography with a passion, start with slide film.” Truer words have never been typed. This isn’t a mistake all newbies make, but it’s one to be avoided. Here’s the deal: Slide film is exceptionally sensitive to proper exposure. If you (or your camera) is off by even a little, the picture won’t look good. Back In The Day, shooting slide film gave you bragging rights, but that’s when the film and processing didn’t cost much more than print film. You could afford to burn half a roll by bracketing (shooting pictures over and under your camera’s meter reading) to get that perfect shot.

Today, slide film and its processing is more expensive, and with so many photographers using a digital workflow (scanning and printing), many negative films are now optimized for scanning. Slides are still cool, slide film is typically sharper and finer grained than equivalent print emulsions, and slides look great when projected. If you want to shoot slides, I certainly won’t try to stop you. But I suggest waiting until you have some experience with your camera.

10. Not using UV filters

Neglecting to fit a UV filter is a mistake you might not realize you’ve made until it’s too late. Though they do filter UV light (not really a concern with modern films; older film stocks could go a bit blue without one) their real job is to protect your lens in case you drop the camera or hit it against something, which I absolutely guarantee you will do at some point. And yes, this is experience talking – I’ve done it both ways. Most recently, I had a Nikon zoom fall off a shelf and land face-down. The $ 8 filter shattered and the $ 50 lens was unscathed. I could have kissed that filter, except that putting broken glass to your lips is a bad idea.

I’ve heard people argue against protective filters by saying that a shattered filter could scratch the lens surface, but this is rare. I have, however, heard many, many, many stories about photographers bashing their cameras into rocks or walls or furniture or people and having the UV filter save the lens. UV filters cost from $ 5-$ 10 up to $ 100+ (personally I use these Amazon Basics filters) and they’re worth it, protecting you from the consequences of bad spur-of-the-moment decisions.

Photo: Magnus Akselvoll

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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TFP Shoots – What They Are and When to Use Them

13 Dec

The post TFP Shoots – What They Are and When to Use Them appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.

tfp-shoots-in-photography

Trade work (or TFP shoots) is probably the topmost contentious subject in the photography world, paired with the everlasting pricing debate. However, there are several big reasons to consider TFP shoots, just as there are some valid reasons to laugh at the suggestion!

Every artistic profession requires a level of ‘paying your dues’ so to speak. As is the catch-22, “you need a job to get experience, but you need the experience to get a job.” We are a bit luckier in the artistic profession as art is a more collaborative effort that can involve the trading of services. In photography, this is known as TFP, or “trade for print.”

Here is our guide to TFP shoots, when to use them, and when to avoid the inquiry.

What is a TFP Shoot?

TFP-shoots-in-photography

Anabel DFlux on set with rock band Killin Candace

A TFP shoot is a photo shoot that is not compensated monetarily, but instead, as a trade of services. Everyone donates their time – models, stylists, and photographers – and all parties are welcome to use the resulting images for their own purposes or self-gain.

It’s just a fancy way of saying that the team will work for free but receive images they need for xyz reason with permission to use them.

The key to TFP shoots is that all parties receive an equal benefit within the collaboration. Most often, that means that the photographer can use the images to advertise their photography services. Stylists can add them to their portfolio and can advertise. The model can also use the images in their pursuit of more modeling work.

As a general statement, TFP shoots are good for portfolio-building, education, bringing a personal collaboration to fruition, and genuine exposure and resume addition and for increasing credibility.

Pros of doing TFP shoots

Explaining how to do TFP shoots is a bit of a delicate matter. So to begin, here are the Pros of doing TFP shoots:

Portfolio-building

Image: Model: Kevin Thrasher

Model: Kevin Thrasher

If you lack a solid portfolio, or a portfolio at all, TFP photo sessions are an excellent way to build that book very fast.

Portfolios are of the utmost importance in this industry, and ensuring you have a solid body of work should be one of your top concerns if photography is to become your profession.

You will likely find yourself doing several TFP shoots when starting out for this very reason.

A learning experience

TFP-shoots-in-photography

Model: Alex Crescioni

The educational aspect of TFP shoots goes hand-in-hand with portfolio-building. TFP shoots are a great way to learn, try something new, and experiment with your craft.

You don’t want to go into a client session unprepared, nor should a paying client be your guinea pig.

Bringing an idea to life

TFP-shoots-in-photography

Model: Gaiapatra

As for bringing a personal collaboration to fruition, art is for yourself as much as it is for others. If you have an idea, and that idea jives with another person, a collaboration is a great way to keep yourself creatively motivated and inspired. These tend to be TFP shoots by nature.

Worthwhile exposure

TFP-shoots-in-photography

Model: Luna Marie with Maksa from the JABCECC

Exposure has become such a deeply hated word in the artistic world. This is due entirely to abuse and misuse in the art world. I am in full agreement and stand firm with paying everyone their worth. Unfortunately, the world isn’t idealistic. There is a fine balance between encouraging the end of improper practices and looking out for yourself and your needs.

Looking at it from the perspective of marketing, branding, and other fundamental business concepts, there are certain TFP shoots that you should do for exposure. These shoots tend to involve a certain level of prestige, in which your participation really will put your work in front of a broader audience.

Also, partaking in higher caliber sessions will build a trustworthy reputation and your credibility in a highly competitive industry.

Cons of doing TFP Shoots

Now that we’ve covered the pros, here are the cons for TFP shoots:

Devaluing your work

Image: Model: Brin Hamblin

Model: Brin Hamblin

There does come a bit of an issue if you get known around town as the TFP photographer who offers some exceptional work for no pay. You’ll get offers left and right, and all will end with “collaboration,” which translates to “do this work for free because I need it and don’t want to pay for it.”

If you give in to these pressures, you’re effectively devaluing your own work’s worth.

There has to be a limit to when you’ve well surpassed the need for TFP shoots. I stopped doing TFP many years ago when my resume far surpassed its need and have not looked back since. That is because photography is a career for me, not a hobby.

The public misuse of TFP shoots

TFP Shoots – What They Are and When to Use Them

The public has taken hold of the TFP phrase recently, and decided they are entitled to them too.

TFP has, and should always be, a term for those within the industry looking for a mutually beneficial work opportunity.

Your neighbor begging online for a TFP family session for their nephews is not TFP – that’s “work for free.”

Your sister’s friend’s wedding inquiry should not be “TFP” – that is their wedding day! Not a styled shoot!

The public should not get TFP shoots – plain and simple. This goes back to the previous point of “devaluing work.”

What is the happy medium?

Image: TFP can be pet shoots too!

TFP can be pet shoots too!

The key to keeping a happy medium for your own artistic pursuits and endeavors is to know when to say no. That’s really all there is. If you want to embark on TFP shoots for your own reasons, go ahead and organize one! However, if you aren’t looking to pursue TFP, say no.

Understand your worth when someone approaches you, and determine what course of action is the best one to take.

My general rules are:

“If someone approaches me unsolicited, I will send over a rate sheet.”
“If someone responds to a solicited TFP casting, then that’s a different story.”

Tips for a smooth TFP shoot (if you go down this route)

TFP-shoots-in-photography

Models: Spencer Hayden and Bina Monique

Despite no money exchanging hands, general business principles still apply.

Here are some quick tips for successful TFP shoots:

  • Have open communication detailing your needs, wants, and expectations for the photo shoot.
  • Set boundaries. Clearly express what the result of the photo session will yield, and listen to the model’s limitations as well. Be respectful.
  • Have everything in writing! A TFP contract is a great idea and will protect both the model and the photographer.
  • Make sure to have model release forms, property release forms, or any other necessary paperwork on hand.
  • Have fun, be professional, and make beautiful art!

Final thoughts

Image: Models: Carrie Martinez with Nova the wolfdog

Models: Carrie Martinez with Nova the wolfdog

At the end of the day, how you run your business or your artistic craft is at your own discretion.

With that said, I did want to mention for the aspiring photographers out there: Just because a photo session is a trade shoot, doesn’t mean that your professionalism should fly out the window. You do need to treat this session like a job, which means being punctual, being on your best behavior, and delivering upon your end of the bargain.

Have you participated in any TFP shoots? What was your experience? Share with us in the comments.

The post TFP Shoots – What They Are and When to Use Them appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Anabel DFlux.


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Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 2)

08 Dec

The post Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 2) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.

photoshop-adjustment-layers-explained-part-2

Part 1 of How to Use Photoshop Adjustment Layers introduced you to the first eight of the adjustment layer type editing tools, which allow you to work non-destructively. Here, we continue to look at some of the other tools available as Adjustment Layers.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 2)

1. Photo Filter

Did you know that there are colored filters that you place in front of your camera lens that alter the color temperature and balance of your final image? Well, the Photo Filter adjustment layer adds a color filter to your image similar to this.

There are many preset photo filters in Photoshop, but the most common are those that make your image warm or cool. You can further tweak each preset to your liking. For instance, you can change the density of the effect easily using the Density slider. There is also the Preserve Luminosity box to check so that the applied filter does not darken your image.

You can also choose an exact color that you would like to overlay as a filter by clicking on “color” and chosing from the color menu or by using the eyedropper tool to chose a color from your image.

Image: Warm (oranges) and Cool (Blues) Photo filters applied to the image above

Warm (oranges) and Cool (Blues) Photo filters applied to the image above

2. Channel Mixer

The Channel Mixer Photoshop Adjustment Layer is another great tool to create stunning black and white and tinted images.

The principle is similar to that used by the Black and White Adjustment Layer. In each of these, you can adjust the displayed grayscale image by changing the tonal values of the color elements of the image.

There are three channels in the RGB view: red, green and blue. Note: The source channel is the one that defaults to 100%. The Channel Mixer, therefore, allows you to combine and mix the best of each channel. It does this by adding (or subtracting) grayscale data from your source channel to another channel.

Also, of note, adding more color to a channel gives you a negative value and vice versa. Hence, at the end of your edit, it is advisable that all your numbers total 100%.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 2)

The Channel Mixer also allows you to exaggerate color and make creative color adjustments to your image.

3. Color Lookup

The Color Lookup adjustment layer uses presets to instantly color grade or change the “look” of your image. The presets are called LUTs or lookup tables. Each lookup table contains specific instructions for Photoshop to remap the colors in your image to a different set of colors to create the selected look.

Image: Applying the Late Sunset LUT creates a dramatic finish

Applying the Late Sunset LUT creates a dramatic finish

When you choose the Color Lookup Adjustment Layer, three options are available to you: 3DLUT File, Abstract and Device Link.

Most of the presets reside under the 3DLUT File option. Of note, 3D (in 3DLUT) refers to Photoshop’s RGB color channels (and not three-dimension).

Image: Late Sunset LUT applied at 60% opacity for a more realistic finish

Late Sunset LUT applied at 60% opacity for a more realistic finish

Furthermore, LUTS are available for download from various websites or you can create your own LUT.

4. Invert

The Invert Photoshop Adjustment Layer is self-explanatory. It inverts the colors and is an easy way to make a negative of your image for an interesting effect.

Image: The first image with colors inverted gives a surreal otherworldly effect

The first image with colors inverted gives a surreal otherworldly effect

5. Posterize

Looking for a flat, poster-like finish? The Posterize Adjustment Layer gives you that by reducing the number of brightness values available in your image.

You can make an image have as much or as little detail as you like by selecting the number in the levels slider. The higher the number, the more detail your image has. The lower the number, the less detail your image has.

This can come in handy when you want to screenprint your image. You can limit the tones of black and white. This is also true of the Threshold Adjustment Layer.

Image: Posterize Adjustment Layer

Posterize Adjustment Layer

6. Threshold

When you select Threshold from your Photoshop Adjustment Layers list, your image changes to black and white. By changing the Threshold Level value, you control the number of pixels that are black or white.

Image: Threshold Adjustment Layer

Threshold Adjustment Layer

7. Gradient Map

The Gradient Map lets you map different colors to different tones in your image. The gradient fill, therefore, sets the colors representing both the shadow tones on one end and highlight tones on the other end of the gradient.

Likewise, checking the “Reverse” box swaps around the colors of your gradient. This means that the shadow colors are moved to the highlights end and vice versa.

A good rule of thumb is to keep your shadows dark and your highlights brighter for ease of reference.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 2)

Your gradient map also makes available many presets that are adjustable via the gradient editor window. Additionally, you can also define/create your own gradients by changing the slider colors.

8. Selective Color

Use the Selective Color Adjustment Layer to modify specific amounts of a primary color without modifying other primary colors in your image. Check the Absolute box if you want to adjust the color in absolute values.

Example: If you have a pixel that is 50% yellow and you add 10%, you are now at a 60% total. The Relative box is a little more complicated as it would adjust the yellow pixel only by the percentage it contributes to the total. Using the same example, if you add 10% to the yellow slider (with relative checked), it actually adds 50% of the 10%, which brings your total to 55%. Relative, therefore, gives you a more subtle effect.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 2)

However, when it comes to this editing tool, the potential is far beyond this simplistic edit technique. You can use it to correct skin tones and for general toning.

While selective color adjustments are similar to hue/saturation adjustments, there are subtle differences. Selective Color allows you to subtract/add color values, whereas Hue/Saturation does not.

The Hue/Saturation adjustment allows you to work with a range of hues that are included with the six color ranges in Selective Color, so there is more control there if you need it.

Conclusion

These basic examples of how to use the Photoshop Adjustment Layers tools merely scratch the surface of their capabilities. Certainly, you will appreciate editing non-destructively, whether you are just starting out or advanced with adjustment layers.

Some of the adjustment layers seem similar, but each has its differences and its pros and cons. Either way, there are many possibilities of playing around with your image, while preserving the original.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Part 1 in this series.

Do you use Photoshop Adjustment Layers? If so, which ones do you use and why? Share with us in the comments.

The post Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 2) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.


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Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1)

02 Dec

The post Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1)

If you use Photoshop, you probably already know that layers are a great non-destructive way to edit. Within the realm of layers, there exists a group of very useful editing tools called Adjustment Layers that allows for easy editing of your images. As with most Photoshop tools, there are several ways to achieve the same result. When you use Photoshop adjustment layers (as with other layer types), you can make changes, save it as a Photoshop file (PSD) and undo/change it many years later. Since no pixels are destroyed or changed, your original image stays intact. Let’s take a look at the basics of using Photoshop Adjustment Layers.

Accessing Photoshop Adjustment Layers

There are two ways to access Photoshop Adjustment Layers.

1. To access via the Layers Menu; choose Layer->New Adjustment Layer, and choose one of the many adjustment types (which are expanded upon below).

photoshop-adjustment-layers-explained

2. To access via the Layers Panel; click on the half black/half white circle at the bottom of the Layers Panel, and choose the adjustment type you want to work with.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1)

Adjustment Layer Types

1. Brightness and Contrast

Brightness and Contrast allow you to make simple adjustments to the brightness and contrast levels within your photo. When you adjust brightness, the overall lightness (or darkness) of each pixel in your frame is changed. To increase a photo’s tonal values and increase the highlights, slide the Brightness to the right. To decrease a photo’s tonal values and increase the shadows, slide the Brightness to the left.

Contrast, however, adjusts the difference between the brightness of the elements in your image.  Thus, if you increase brightness you make every pixel lighter, whereas if you increase contrast you make the light areas lighter and the dark areas darker.

photoshop-adjustment-layers-explained

2. Levels

The levels tool adjusts the tonal range and color balance of your image. It does this by adjusting the intensity levels of the shadows, mid-tones, and highlights in your image. Levels Presets can be saved and then easily applied to further images.

Of note, if you use the Image menu to open the levels tool (Image->Adjustments->Levels) a separate layer will not be created and the changes will be committed directly (destructively) to your image layer. Thus, I recommend using the Adjustment Layers menu (as shown above)  to access this very useful tool.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1)

3. Curves

While the Levels adjustment allows you to adjust all the tones proportionally in your image, the Curves adjustment lets you choose the section of the tonal scale you want to change. On the Levels graph, the upper-right area represents the highlights, while the lower-left area represents the shadows.

Use either of these adjustments (levels or curves) to correct your tone when your image’s contrast is off (either too low or high).

The Levels Adjustment works well if you need to apply a global adjustment to your tone. To apply more selective adjustments, you are better off using Curves. This includes adjustments to just a small section of the tonal range or if you only want to adjust light or dark tones.

photoshop-adjustment-layers-explained

4. Exposure

When you think of exposing an image properly, you are concerned with capturing the ideal brightness, which will give you details in both the highlights and shadows. In Photoshop Adjustment Layers, the Exposure Adjustment has three sliders that adjust Exposure, Offset and Gamma.

Use the Exposure slider to adjust the highlights of the image, the Offset slider for the mid-tones and the Gamma to target the dark tones only.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1)

5. Vibrance

Use the Vibrance Adjustment Layer to boost the duller colors in your image. The great thing about increasing vibrance is that it focuses on the less-saturated areas and does not affect colors that are already saturated.

Image: Vibrance adjusts only the duller colors in an image

Vibrance adjusts only the duller colors in an image

photoshop-adjustment-layers-explained

Look at the difference in the greens between this image and the one above. Saturation adjusts all the colors (and tonal range) in an image.

6. Hue/Saturation

Hue and Saturation, allows you to change the overall color hue of your image, as well as how saturated the color is.

You can change the hue (color) of your entire image by keeping “Master” selected in the dropdown (this is set by default). Alternatively, you can pinpoint the color you would like to change the hue of. You can choose from Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyan, Blues or Magentas.

In addition to adjusting the obvious hue and color saturation of your image, this Photoshop Adjustment Layer allows you to adjust the lightness of your entire image as well as work with specified colors. Keep in mind that changing the overall saturation of an image affects your tonal range.

Image: Use the Hue Adjustment to get creative

Use the Hue Adjustment to get creative

Color Balance

The Color Balance Adjustment layer is used to change the overall mixture of colors in an image and works well for color correction.

photoshop-adjustment-layers-explained

Color Balance adjusted for the mid-tones to include more red

You first need to select either Shadows, Midtones or Highlights, to choose the tonal range you want to change.

Check the Preserve Luminosity box to preserve your luminosity values (brightness or darkness) and maintain the tonal balance as you change the color in your image. Move your slider toward the color you want to increase and away from the color you wish to decrease.

Black and White

As the name implies, the Black and White adjustment layer allows you to easily take your images to a grayscale version or apply a color tint entirely.

There are many ways to achieve black and white image processing. The Black and White Photoshop Adjustment Layer is one of the better ones. It allows you to lighten or darken specific color ranges to enhance your black and white conversion. Example: If you want the blues of your color image to stand out more when converted to black and white, simply toggle that slider. You can add more or less contrast by making particular colors lighter or darker.

photoshop-adjustment-layers-explained

1. When you choose the Black & White Adjustment Layer, you get a default black & white conversion 2. You can tweak the image based on selective colors. In this example, the blues and yellows were adjusted 3. You can apply a tint (of any color) over the entire image by ticking the Tint box and selecting the color you wish to overlay.

Important Note: While most of these adjustments are available under the Image menu (Image->Adjustments), using them from there does not work the same. The main difference is that these are applied directly to the image (destructively) as opposed to when done under Adjustment Layers. When done under Adjustment Layers, you can turn the adjustment on and off by selecting and deselecting the “eye” in the layers panel.

Conclusion

Photoshop Adjustment Layers are a great group of tools that allow you to smartly edit your image in a non-destructive way. Your original pixels are preserved, so you are able to come back and change your edits years later. Thus, they give you the power to undo easier and work more efficiently.

Photoshop Adjustment Layers group together the most common editing tasks, along with a few others to help you bring your images to life.

In Part 2, we will explore some other tools in the Adjustment suite.

Share with us in the comments your favorite adjustment tool and how you use them.

The post Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.


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