Category: Photography

Nikon Announces D6 in the Making, Plus Rumored D6 Specs

The post Nikon Announces D6 in the Making, Plus Rumored D6 Specs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Well, it’s official:

The Nikon D6 is under development, as announced by Nikon earlier this week.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, because the Nikon D6 has been whispered about for months, including a lengthy list of rumored specifications.

But it’s nice to know the D6 is on its way.

Unfortunately, Nikon’s announcement includes no details on the D6, except that it will be the company’s “most advanced DSLR to date.” This may be a reference to the D6’s autofocus system, which is rumored to be better than even the Nikon D5’s incredible system.

Note that the Nikon D5 is famed for its autofocus capabilities. The D5 AF system featured 153 focus points, including 99 cross-type points. Better autofocus capabilities would be an exciting upgrade for action photographers, especially if it includes some form of Live View autofocus to rival Canon’s Dual Pixel system.

The announcement also indicated that the D6 will be a DSLR rather than a mirrorless camera. This puts to rest any speculation about Nikon’s flagship system moving to mirrorless, though rumors suggest the D6 will have several mirrorless-style features.

For instance, the D6 will likely include in-body image stabilization, which Nikon included in its full-frame mirrorless bodies, the Nikon Z6 and Nikon Z7. The camera may also have a high-performing silent shooting mode, which will be appreciated by photographers who need to remain discrete at events.

Now, the Nikon D6 is a professional’s camera, competing primarily with the Canon 1DX Mark II (and its likely successor, the Canon 1DX Mark III). The Nikon D6 line is primarily designed with professional sports photographers in mind, hence the incredible autofocus capabilities. It will undoubtedly feature a rugged body and lightning-fast continuous shooting speed, as well.

The Nikon D6 will likely begin shipping in early 2020, which will give professional sports photographers plenty of time to get used to its capabilities before the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

So if you’re a professional sports photographer, don’t worry:

The D6 is in the works, and it’s guaranteed to impress.

Are you a Nikon user? Will you be getting the Nikon D6 or are you switching over to mirrorless? Let us know in the comments!

The post Nikon Announces D6 in the Making, Plus Rumored D6 Specs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

September 7, 2019
How to Make a Cool Double Exposure Effect Using Photoshop [video]
The post How to Make a Cool Double Exposure Effect Using Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this video from tutvid, you’ll learn to make a cool double exposure effect using photoshop.

?

Some of the things that you will learn while going through this double exposure effect in Photoshop tutorial include:
- How to isolate an image from its background using the magic wand tool and the Select and Mask Tool.
- Fine-tuning your selection in the Select and Mask Window using the paintbrush.
- How to output your mask selection to a new Photoshop layer – so that you save your original image.
- Making a new Layer and fill it with a solid color.
- Using the pen tool to create a path you can then make a selection from.
- Making your image Monochromatic.
- Using the Channel Mixer, Curves and Levels to fine-tune your monochrome image.
- Turning your image Monochrome using the Black and White Adjustment Layer.
- Working with contrast.
- Merging multiple Layers.
- How to choose images that will work together.
- Adding your second image to your original as a new layer.
- Using Photoshop Blend Modes.
- Saving and loading selections.
- Dragging Layer Masks to new Layers to create your double exposure.
- Fine-tuning your double exposure by painting out parts of your layer mask.
- Using the High Pass Filter to add more detail to your image.
- Using Camera Raw to fine-tune your image.
- Working with Gradient Maps.
Try this out for yourself, and share your creations with us in the comments section below!

The post How to Make a Cool Double Exposure Effect Using Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School
September 7, 2019
Weekly Photography Challenge – Suburbia

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Suburbia appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

This week’s photography challenge topic is SUBURBIA!

Gustavo Zambelli

The suburbs can be a photography wonderland, with fantastic old and new houses and kids playing in the yard. Then there are the day-to-day things about the suburbs, like the washing line, cars parked in driveways, bikes and toys strewn across lawns, letterboxes and picket fences, and street signs.

So go out and capture anything that represents the suburbs to you. They can be color, black and white, moody or bright. Just so long as they are suburban! You get the picture! Have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Sophie Dale

Michael Tuszynski

Rodolfo Mari

Robert Gramner

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge. While some apply to cities, you can apply the principles to photographing in suburbia.

Tips for Shooting SUBURBIA

8 Tips – How to do Storytelling With Your Images

The Ultimate Guide to Street Photography

7 Street Photography Tips and Exercises to Try This Season

5 Tips for Photographing Houses

How to do Great Photography Even When Your Surroundings are Boring

5 Tips for Thinking Out of the Box to Inspire Your Photography at Home

Photograph Close to Home to Improve Your Photography

Weekly Photography Challenge – SUBURBIA

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSsuburbia to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Suburbia appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Digital Photography School

September 7, 2019
Which Way? When to Photograph in Portrait or Landscape Orientation

The post Which Way? When to Photograph in Portrait or Landscape Orientation appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

The standard camera sensor is rectangular in shape – a configuration that allows for both portrait and landscape orientations.

But is landscape orientation crucial to the execution of a landscape photograph? Must portraiture always be photographed in portrait orientation?

Plus, what if you’re photographing a subject that’s neither a portrait nor a landscape? What orientation works best?

In this article, we’ll have a look at how to choose between a portrait or landscape orientation in photography.

A bit of history

Landscape orientation

Portrait and landscape designations likely stem from the orientations of canvasses used in art.

The dimensions of a horizontal rectangle best accommodate the wide vistas depicted by landscape artists. This earned the format its landscape title.

However, the landscape orientation is not restricted to landscape photos. Yes, landscape masterpieces by Vincent Van Gogh, Hokusai, and Monet have been in a landscape format. But artists like Sandro Botticelli and Wassily Kandinsky have created non-landscape art using landscape orientation. Frans Lanting, Andreas Gursky, and Gregory Crewdson all depict photographic subjects with the landscape orientation.

It’s the same for portrait photography. Photographers such as Robert Frank and Annie Lebovitz have approached portraiture in a landscape format.

The landscape orientation of this image of a leaf conveys a more relaxed viewing approach

Portrait orientation

A canvas taller than it is wide has become known as portrait orientation.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring are famous examples of portraits depicted in the traditional format. And Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother and Steve McCurry’s Afghan Girl are well-known examples of portrait photography executed in a portrait format.

But portrait orientation isn’t limited to depicting people. Painters like Rachel Ruysch and Claude Monet worked in a portrait format to accommodate non-human subject matter.

And Edward Henry Weston used a portrait format to lend a formal quality to his investigations of organic materials, while the Bechers made hundreds of portrait-oriented images of urban landmarks.

The portrait orientation of this leaf abstract lends a more formal quality to the image.

Should you use portrait or landscape orientation?

Fitting the subject

One of the deciding factors in choosing between a portrait or landscape orientation is the dimensions of the subject itself.

In terms of framing the face and body of a human, a portrait format can be ideal. The vertical nature of the human body works well with a portrait orientation.

Vertical subjects like tall buildings, trees, and waterfalls may also require a portrait orientation to be captured in their entirety.

Subjects made up of horizontal elements (like aircraft and landscapes) can fit better in landscape orientation.

Landscape orientation can also provide more room for incorporating additional elements into a photograph.

This is particularly useful in genres of photography like environmental portraiture, where the setting of the photograph is as important as the subject.

Because of the dimensions of aircraft, aviation photography is often carried out in a landscape orientation

Emphasis

The orientation of an image contributes significantly to visual emphasis.

A portrait orientation exaggerates the upright extension of subjects in a photograph. But a portrait orientation also speaks to our associations with tall subjects, emphasizing a sense of independence, wonder, modernity, and even superiority or unease.

In contrast, a landscape orientation places extra emphasis on space, illustrating ease and immersion.

In the simple example below you can see the different emphasis being placed on the floral silhouettes.

The portrait example emphasizes the energetic, upright quality of the flower. The landscape orientation creates a more relaxed perspective.

Cropping

Every photographic situation is different and sometimes an element in a potential image is less than ideal.

If there are elements present within a photo that you would rather omit, switching camera orientations might help achieve a more polished image, either in-camera or in post-processing.

Cropping out excess information with a portrait orientation will simplify an image and minimize distractions.

Switching from a portrait to landscape orientation will decrease image height, prioritizing the horizontal flow in a photograph instead.

Formality vs relaxation

Over time, our historic use of image orientation has associated specific visual qualities with both portrait and landscape formats.

Portrait orientation is associated with the formality of historic portraiture. It is also associated with being upright, which is attached to wakefulness, sociability, and energy.

A landscape format, on the other hand, can lend a more relaxed, organic impression to a photograph. So a horizontal orientation is associated with laying down, lending a more tranquil quality to an image.

Conclusion

Choosing between a portrait or landscape orientation isn’t easy. There are many aspects to consider, and the orientation of an image depends heavily on the situation.

But if you understand the benefits and drawbacks of different orientations, you’ll be in a good position to decide which orientation to use!

Do you lean towards portrait or landscape orientation? Share with us in the comments!

The post Which Way? When to Photograph in Portrait or Landscape Orientation appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Digital Photography School

September 6, 2019
Everything You Need to Know About Photographing Cars

Car photography is every bit as exciting as photographing people. Each car is unique and has its own beautiful traits that translate perfectly into a photo. Whether you are taking photographs of vehicles on an F1 circuit or a full-on photoshoot of the most beautiful antique cars at an exhibition, your ultimate goal is to portray the personality and uniqueness Continue Reading

The post Everything You Need to Know About Photographing Cars appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

September 6, 2019
5 Essential Tools for Wedding Photography That Aren’t Gear-Related

The post 5 Essential Tools for Wedding Photography That Aren’t Gear-Related appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Weddings are fast-paced with long hours. So to get you through the wedding day, we’re listing five essential tools for wedding photography that are going to make any wedding day go much smoother for you. These aren’t gear-related. They’re the things that you may have never thought of but will make all the difference during those long wedding days.

1. Bring comfortable, durable shoes

Bringing comfortable and durable shoes is almost as important as bringing your favorite lens. Shoes can keep you from falling or tripping, and they can stop your feet from hurting after several hours on the job.

Shoes that have thick soles are what you’re looking for; they must be able to withstand hours upon hours of wear. It’s also important that they’re comfortable on the inside.

Unfortunately, flats and dress shoes don’t really fit into this category, since neither are very durable or can withstand long hours of use without giving you major discomfort. Shoes that aren’t made for long hours can fall apart or rip.

Most importantly, flats and dress shoes provide no actual support for you as you photograph the main events of the wedding. Durable and comfortable shoes that are high quality and can be worn for long hours will keep your feet safe, comfortable, and will give you the back support you need.

If the wedding you’re photographing is mostly on pavement, you’ll be glad you looked for comfortable shoes, because those hot pavement and cement sidewalks are terrible on thin-soled shoes.

You can also get shoe inserts that help support and cushion the inside of the shoe to better withstand long hours. While this is a fast and convenient fix, it’s best if you find a shoe that provides this from the get-go, and then you can add the insert for extra support.

2. Hire an assistant

If you have the budget (maybe factor this into your wedding package) hire an assistant. This is not to be confused with a second shooter who helps you to photograph a wedding. No, an assistant is there to help you carry your things and be an extra pair of hands.

Assistants can be responsible for equipment, lens changes, battery changes, helping fluff out the bride’s dress, keeping you on track with the timeline, and lining up the family during group portraits. Assistants are great because they help you with things that don’t need your full attention.

They can also be quicker at getting a forgotten bouquet or holding your flash at a certain angle. Plus, the extra pair of hands will keep your gear close, so that you can focus on making the shots and not worrying about whether you forgot your tripod at the ceremony.

Have assistants be a part of your team. It’s good to highlight this before you cover the wedding. Outline the responsibilities, show them your equipment and what you’ll need, along with any details specific to the event you’re photographing.

3. Bring snacks

Snacks are crucial for long wedding days or even short ones. Weddings take a lot of energy out of you both mentally and physically with the posing, styling, photographing, directing, customer service, and being in charge of your team, so it’s really great to have easy and light snacks on hand.

Best snacks for wedding days include small packets of trail mix with nuts and chocolate to get your energy up, energy bars or protein bars, small reusable water bottles, fruits like an apple, and granola bars.

Keep snacks small. That way, they won’t add weight to your bags, are easy to carry, and won’t make a mess. You can also keep a small lunch bag with you and have your assistant carry it during, particularly long wedding days.

Having your own snacks will keep your energy up and keep you feeling great all throughout the event. No one likes a grumpy, hungry photographer!

4. Bring a small hand towel

Due to the fact that weddings are long, they tend to have a lot of sun. This means that, while your clients might be in the shade, you may find yourself in harsh sunlight.

A small hand towel can keep sweat off your face and your camera during those really hot summer days. This will keep you looking fresh and stop you from having to ask the guests or venue for something to wipe off your sweat with.

The hand towel can also be useful for other things: You can use it to shine wedding rings or to wipe a table you want to use in the background.

5. Bring command hooks and other styling items

Command hooks are super versatile, and getting a couple can really help you when it comes to styling certain wedding details. For example, because the strip can be taken off walls without doing damage, you can use a command hook to hang the wedding dress anywhere you want.

Examples of really elegant command hooks that are removable.

These hooks come in different styles and finishes, and it’s good to stock up on a few so that you won’t be without one come the wedding day. Make sure to get hooks with an adhesive that can be taken off without harming walls.

Conclusion

Not all wedding day prep is about gear. These tools will help keep you at 100 percent while photographing one-of-a-kind moments for your clients.

Do you have any essential tools for wedding photography to make the day run smoothly? Share them in the comments!

The post 5 Essential Tools for Wedding Photography That Aren’t Gear-Related appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

Digital Photography School

September 6, 2019
Canon Announces Two New RF Lenses: The 15-35mm and the 24-70mm

The post Canon Announces Two New RF Lenses: The 15-35mm and the 24-70mm appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Canon has just announced two more lenses for their RF lineup: the RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS and the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS.

Note that the RF line is designed for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless bodies, which currently includes the Canon EOS R and the Canon EOS RP. This is excellent news for Canon mirrorless users, who have previously had to contend with Canon’s relatively weak mirrorless lens lineup.

So if you’re a Canon mirrorless fan, this is for you.

These two lenses were unveiled by Canon back in February. But we now have specifications, prices, and release dates to share.

The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS

If you’re a landscape photographer, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate a high-quality wide zoom such as the Canon 15-35mm f/2.8L IS.

The focal length is perfect for a mix of wide and ultra-wide landscapes, and the image stabilization makes it possible to handhold photos, even with a deep depth of field.

Plus, the image quality is bound to be stellar.

This lens could easily become a landscape photography workhorse. It could also make its way into the bags of wedding photographers who are looking for a high-performing wide zoom.

The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS will be sold for $ 2,299 USD starting at the end of September. While the price isn’t cheap, serious landscape photographers will appreciate the focal length, the optical quality, and the image stabilization.

The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM

Compared to the 15-35mm, the 24-70mm is more of an all-around option and one that’ll hold its own with the best in the field.

First, the wide maximum aperture and standard zoom focal length make this lens a good choice for portraits. The 9-bladed aperture is also bound to produce some gorgeous bokeh. So for portrait photographers, this is a lens worth looking at.

Event photographers will also appreciate the fast aperture, while the 5-stop image stabilization will make handholding in low light easy to pull off.

Even landscape photographers should consider the 24-70mm f/2.8. For landscape photographers who like a tighter look, the 24-70mm focal length range is exactly what is needed.

The Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM will start shipping at the end of September for $ 2,299 USD.

Conclusion

If you’re a mirrorless landscape photographer, then this is a good day, because you’ve got two amazing new RF lenses to look forward to.

Same goes for portrait and event photographers, who should appreciate the image stabilization and fast apertures these two lenses bring to the table.

If this is a sign of things to come, then the future is bright.

What do you think about these new lenses? Will you purchase them when the come out? Share in the comments!

The post Canon Announces Two New RF Lenses: The 15-35mm and the 24-70mm appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Digital Photography School

September 5, 2019
Thoughts and a Field Test: The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony

The post Thoughts and a Field Test: The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

Sony lenses are notoriously expensive, so it’s a welcome relief that third-party manufacturers have been making solid E-Mount lenses. The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is one such lens. It is the highly anticipated follow-up to the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, which was announced in 2018 and is almost always on backorder due to its popularity. After testing the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8, I have no doubt that this lens will be equally popular.

Read on to find out why.

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 tech specs

First off, 17-28mm is indeed a niche and unique focal length. No other manufacturer makes a lens with this range. The closest comparison is the 16-35mm f/2.8, a focal length made by Sony, Canon, and Nikon.

If you’re disappointed about having less reach with the Tamron, consider that if you use this lens with a Sony full-frame, you can always shoot in APS-C mode, which gives you more range. This is one of the most useful features on my Sony a7R III.

Why Tamron went for this slightly more limited focal length is puzzling, but it likely explains how they kept the lens to such a small size. In the comparison photo below, you’ll see that the 17-28mm is essentially the same size as the original Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 and the Sony 24-70mm f/4. Weight-wise, the Tamron is the lightest, coming in at 420 g (0.93 lbs). That is quite a bit lighter than Sony’s own 16-35mm f/2.8, which weighs a whopping 680 g (1.5 lbs).

Since we’re on the subject of comparisons, let’s talk price. Sony charges $ 2,200 USD for their 16-35mm f/2.8 lens. While their lens offers more solid construction and a more flexible focal range, this is still a chunk of change. On the other hand, the Tamron 17-28mm is priced at $ 899 USD, which is quite reasonable for an f/2.8 lens.

Size comparison of the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 (left), the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 (center), and the Sony 24-70mm f/4 (right).

Image stabilization

The Tamron 17-28mm lens does not have optical image stabilization (OIS). However, it’s so lightweight that it’s still pretty easy to shoot stable photos and videos handheld. In fact, its size goes well with the Sony a7R III and the Sony a7 III.

Autofocus

The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is equipped with a smooth and quiet autofocus (AF) system. It pairs well with modern Sony mirrorless cameras, and all AF modes are available, including Eye AF. In practice, I found Eye AF to be a bit sluggish and hit or miss. But then again, I don’t consider 17-28mm to be my ideal focal range for portraits anyway, and I would rather reach for a midrange zoom or a standard 50mm lens.

Best uses for the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8

A wide-angle lens like the 17-28mm is ideal for capturing landscapes, interiors, and real estate. Those are the types of photography I focused on while testing this lens. The portraiture I did was minimal, and it was mainly for the purpose of shooting at an aperture other than f/11 to see how the bokeh performed (it did very well).

A handheld shot taken from a doors-off helicopter ride.

Image quality

For my first test shooting with the 17-28mm, I took it on a doors-off helicopter ride. If you’ve ever been on one of these, you know how incredibly windy it can be in the main cabin and how difficult it is to get any shots in focus. This is very much a “spray and pray” kind of photography scenario. To my surprise, the 17-28mm did incredibly well.

From the moment I started shooting with the Tamron 17-28mm, I almost immediately forgot it was a third-party lens. Autofocus was snappy (I wasn’t using Eye AF), there was zero lag or miscommunication between the lens and the camera, and the image quality was stunning. Photos were tack sharp, there was no distortion, and the colors even seemed to pop a little more than usual.

Physical construction

Since this lens is so compact and lightweight, don’t expect all-metal or polycarbonate materials like Sony uses in their GM lenses. However, the build quality of the Tamron 17-28mm still feels very solid in the hands, and I think it would hold up well over time.

Tamron says the 17-28mm is equipped with “moisture-resistant construction” and a hydrophobic fluorine coating to repel dirt and fingerprints. Not much else is said about weather sealing, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable subjecting this lens to extreme weather conditions.

6-year Tamron warranty

One of the biggest benefits of buying a Tamron lens is their generous 6-year warranty. Effective for six years from the date of purchase (in the USA only), Tamron lenses are “warranted against defective materials or workmanship.” Meanwhile, Sony provides 1 year of warranty on their lenses.

A match made in photographer heaven

Based purely on specs, this lens pairs beautifully with the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8. In fact, Tamron claims the combined weight of both of those lenses equates to less than 1 kg (2.2 lbs), which is incredibly light for two f/2.8 lenses. Both lenses also take the same filter size of 67mm, making it easy to swap polarizers and ND filters. This feature alone makes it very compelling to invest in both lenses.

Conclusion

During the reigning days of DSLRs, many photographers scoffed at third-party lenses, saying that “you get what you pay for.” Perhaps back then they had a point.

But today, third-party lenses have really stepped up their game, and the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 is one of the best examples of superior third-party glass. If you’re in the market for a wide-angle lens for your Sony body, you can’t go wrong with this lens.

For more information on the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 lens for Sony, check out this video I filmed, along with some additional sample photos below:

?

The post Thoughts and a Field Test: The Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

Digital Photography School

September 4, 2019
Your Comprehensive Guide to Photography Post-Processing Software

The post Your Comprehensive Guide to Photography Post-Processing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

My recent article, 3 Alternative Post-Processing Applications that Challenge the Adobe Throne, presented just three of the many post-processing software packages available (both free and paid) that provide excellent post-processing capabilities. In this article, I’ll give you a much longer list of post-processing software. To be impartial, I’ll list the titles in alphabetical order.

DXO Photolab 2

A few of the titles added by readers in the Comments section of the “3 Alternatives” article impressed me with their power and innovative design. I’ve been editing digital images with every software package available since late 1986, and I thought I’d seen most of them. However, it seems that the list of capable editing software grows weekly.

As you will notice, I do not mention ALL the software available for download or online use. Those that made the cut will be actual production titles with a minimum set of well-designed editing functions.

To be honest, I’ve looked at a significant number of offerings that are little more than public domain routines. They are not fully implemented or even adequately defined. These were considered but not listed.

Listed below is a wide variety of packages on both mobile and laptop/desktop platforms; a true variety pack that covers the field from hobbyist to professional users. No matter what your preference, you’ll find something here to tickle your fancy and meet your demands.

ACDSee Photo Studio Professional

As was welcomed in my first article, additional post-processing software titles should be added to this list by readers who have discovered (and used) them.

It is important to recognize all such products in a desire for fairness and sharing information. Because this list includes many more titles, I will not mention individual features of these titles, only a brief mention of the product’s most notable features.

This is where you can really contribute…

I’ll rely on you to describe your favorite features and benefits of your favorite titles. Let’s make this a very collaborative group effort BUT with one important request: please be brief and succinct with your comments. Limit your comments to one or two of the features that make your favorite app stand out from all others. That way, we learn from each other without monopolizing the mutual pulpit.

Skylum Luminar 3

List of photography post-processing software

ACDSee Photo Studio

Publisher: ACDSee Systems International

Website: https://www.acdsee.com/en/index/

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 60 Mac/Win/Mobile

Afterlight 2

Publisher: Afterlight Collective

Android Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fueled.afterlight&hl=en_US

Apple Website: https://apps.apple.com/app/id1293122457

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 60 Mac/Win/Mobile

Affinity Photo

Publisher: Serif

Website: www.affinity.serif.com

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 50 Mac/Win/iPad

Capture One

Publisher: Phase One

Website: https://www.phaseone.com/en/

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 299 or $ 20/month Mac/Win

Darktable

Website: www.darktable.org

Price: Free

Exposure X4.5

Publisher: Alien Skin

Website: https://www.alienskin.com

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 119 Mac/Win Computer

Fotor

Publisher: Fotor

Android Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.everimaging.photoeffectstudio&hl=en_US

Apple Website: https://apps.apple.com/app/id440159265?referrer=click%3D8cd7ac09-77a3-42f6-9005-ed622bd3e17f

Price: Free

Gimp

Publisher: Gimp

Website: https://www.gimp.org

Price: Free Mac/Win Computers

Google Photos

Publisher: Google

Website: https://www.google.com/photos

Price: Free online

Lightroom CC and Lightroom Classic

Publisher: Adobe Systems

Website: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 10/mo Mac/Win

Adobe Lightroom Tablet/Computer/Mobile

Online Photo Editor

Publisher: PicMonkey

Website: https://www.picmonkey.com/

Trial: Free/7 days

Price: Starts at $ 7.99/month

Photo RAW

Publisher: ON1

Website: https://www.on1.com/products

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 80

PhotoLab 2

Publisher: DxO

Website: https://shop.dxo.com

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 129 Mac/Win Mobile/Computer

Paint Shop Pro X9

Publisher: Corel

Website: https://www.paintshoppro.com/en/

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 80 Mac/Win

Anthropics Portrait Pro 2

Photoshop/Camera RAW

Publisher: Adobe Systems

Website: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 10/mo Mac/Win

Photoshop Elements

Publisher: Adobe Systems

Website: https://www.adobe.com/creativecloud/photography.html

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 59.99 Mac/Win

Photoshop Express

Publisher: Adobe Systems

Android Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.adobe.psmobile&hl=en

Apple Website: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/photoshop-express-photo-editor/id331975235?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Price: Free

PhotoPad

Publisher: NCH Software

Website: https://www.nchsoftware.com

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 40

PicsArt

Publisher: PicsArt

Android Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.picsart.studio

Apple Website: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picsart-photo-studio/id587366035

Price: Free

Pixlr Editor

Publisher: Pixlr

Android Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pixlr.express&hl=en_US

Apple Website: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pixlr-photo-collages-effect/id526783584

Price: Free online

Pixlr Mobile Android/IOS

PortraitPro 18

Publisher: Anthropics

Website: https://www.anthropics.com

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 45 Mac/Win

RAW Therapee

Publisher: Softpedia

Website: https://www.softpedia.com

Price: Free (but only offered on Windows)

Skylum Luminar 3

Publisher: Skylum

Website: https://skylum.com/luminar

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 70 Mac/Win Computer

Smart Photo Editor

Publisher: Anthropics

Website: https://www.anthropics.com/smartphotoeditor/product/

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 30 Wind/Mac

Snapseed

Publisher: Google

Android Website: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.niksoftware.snapseed&hl=en_US

Apple Website: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snapseed/id439438619

Price: Free

Sumo Paint

Publisher: Sumo

Website: https://www.sumopaint.com

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: Free version, but Sumo Pro is $ 4/month

Topaz Studio 2

Publisher: Topaz Labs

Website: topazlabs.com

Trial: Free/30 days

Price: $ 100 Mac/Win

Anthropics Smart Photo Editor

Conclusion

Some titles didn’t make this list’s cut simply because they are only marginally useful. Needless to say, in today’s market, there is an innumerable slew of entertainment-level phone/tablet-based image “editing” apps also available. There are way too many even to mention, let alone keep current information on.

Many of these apps are made for the amusement of the younger social media crowd who appreciate more unicorns and stickers than serious editing power. Not to sound judgmental, there is an app for everything and everyone, but this listing is “focused” on actual photo editing capabilities more than the social media aspect.

The post Your Comprehensive Guide to Photography Post-Processing Software appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Herb Paynter.

Digital Photography School

September 4, 2019
How to Use a Pinhole Body Cap for Awesome, Creative Photography

The post How to Use a Pinhole Body Cap for Awesome, Creative Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Making a pinhole body cap is a rite of passage on any digital photographer’s journey. It’s a great way to get some of the unpredictability of analog photography without spending loads money on film or having to wait for the results to come back from a lab.

But how do you make a pinhole body cap? And what do you shoot once you’ve made your pinhole body cap?

That’s what you’ll discover in this article.

What is a pinhole body cap and how do you make one?

First things first:

Let’s talk about pinhole body caps and how you make one. For that, you need to know what a pinhole camera is.

A pinhole camera is essentially a light-proof box with a small hole in one side. Light passes through the hole and projects an image on the opposite side of the box. It’s a tiny camera obscura – an optical phenomenon that has been known and used for hundreds of years. If you put photographic film or paper inside the box, you can record the image that the camera obscura produces!

So by modifying a camera body cap, you’re essentially creating a digital version of the camera obscura.

It’s very easy to do! You just need to buy a cheap body cap for your camera (don’t worry about it being on-brand and don’t destroy the one that came with your camera) and put a hole in the middle of it.

I use a tiny drill bit (and a holder meant for model-making) to put the smallest hole I can create in the center of the body cap. Then I take a small piece of black construction paper and put a hole in it with just the very tip of a skinny sewing needle.

Next, tape the construction paper into place on top of the hole you’ve just drilled, lining up the two holes as carefully as possible.

Finally, place the body cap directly onto the camera body and you should be ready to go!

(Note: On some digital cameras, you may need to use a setting that allows you to shoot without a lens attached. If you’re struggling to find this, check your camera manual.)

What’s so special about pinhole shooting?

There are a few great features of pinhole camera photography that you might want to think about as you plan what to shoot. Using a pinhole body cap is completely different than shooting with a traditional lens.

Concentrating on shape and texture can create striking pinhole body cap images.

Almost infinite focus

The first thing to note is that pinhole cameras have an incredibly large depth of field. You can’t focus a pinhole body cap, but that’s okay. You don’t need to. You’ll get images that are sharp throughout.

(However, this means you’ll lose any shallow depth of field or bokeh effects.)

Instead of blurring out any inconvenient backgrounds, you need to work with your surroundings in mind when you compose images.

No distortion

If you’re using a wide-angle pinhole body cap (the focal length of your pinhole body cap is the distance from the pinhole to the sensor), then there will be no lens distortion. When you are shooting architecture, the walls of the building will appear completely straight rather than curved as they would with many wide-angle lenses.

Using hard light to create contrast can be a way to make images appear sharper.

It is possible to increase the focal length of your pinhole body cap by using extension tubes and the like (or a cardboard toilet roll with the inside painted black).

Test out different focal lengths and see what you can achieve!

Long exposure times

The downside of all that depth of field is that you’ll generally need a pretty long exposure time for most shots. This does mean that you can work with interesting blur effects. If you’re shooting urban spaces you can also blur out most of the people in the image, too.

On the other hand, you generally need to take a tripod with you when you go out shooting with your pinhole body cap. The exposures will probably be too long to handhold your camera.

Asking your subject to move while photographing them can produce interesting effects.

It can be interesting to explore either intentional camera movement effects or long exposures on moving subjects with a pinhole body cap. I particularly enjoy using a pinhole body cap to shoot portraits of people.

Try looking at the portrait work of Victorian photographers who used wet plates, or the more modern long exposure portraits (with a large format camera) by Sally Mann. These can provide some inspiration for your pinhole photography of people.

Help! All my images are soft!

The sharpness of a pinhole image depends largely on the size and accuracy of the pinhole you create when building your pinhole body cap. Unsurprisingly, putting a hole in a piece of construction paper is a pretty inaccurate way to build photographic equipment.

The smaller the pinhole, the more accurate the image will be. And the neater the edges of the pinhole, the more perfect the circle around your image will be.

These two images are a direct comparison of a 35mm lens on a Fujifilm body (about a 50mm equivalent) and a pinhole body cap on the same body. The camera wasn’t moved between shots, and both images were cropped the same.

Ultimately, you’re going to need to embrace the heavy imperfections of this style when you plan what you’re going to shoot. Images will be in focus, but they will be very soft – and that’s not something you can correct afterward! If you really enjoy digital pinhole photography then you may want to explore some of the laser cut pinholes that are available on the market. They are very tiny, accurate circles and will create a more technically perfect image.

Of course, the smaller the pinhole, the longer the exposure you’ll need. This is because less light is hitting the sensor, so everything is a trade-off. With extremely tiny pinholes you can be looking at exposures of many minutes rather than a few seconds.

Seeing the world differently

I find that using a pinhole body cap forces me to approach photography differently. Because of the soft quality of the images and the large depth of field, I tend to focus on things like color and shape rather than the subject matter itself. It’s a great way to think about different kinds of composition rules.

If you end up with a pinhole that isn’t quite circular (like most of mine), that can also be a good thing to experiment with. Finding objects that fit inside the pinhole shape you’ve made can create some really unusual images.

What are you waiting for?

Time to get out and shoot! One of the best ways to improve your pinhole body cap photography is simply to head out and start capturing a ton of images. You need to learn how the things around you will translate into pinhole images. It’s only then that you’ll start to see the possibilities for pinhole photography.

Don’t be discouraged at first. It takes time to hit your stride with this style of photography. You may need to let go of some ingrained inhibitions and embrace the imperfections and flaws instead of aiming for technical excellence.

But eventually, you’ll be capturing some stunning photos!

We’d love to see your pinhole images! Share with us in the comments section.

The post How to Use a Pinhole Body Cap for Awesome, Creative Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.

Digital Photography School

September 4, 2019