Achieving the right colors in your photography can make or break you. And it seems like it should be simple, with the right color calibration tool. But the use of color is truly an art of its own. To stay true to your artistic vision, you have to capture exactly the right balance of dark and light, of warm and Continue Reading
The post Killing the Art of Color Calibration appeared first on Photodoto.
The post The dPS Top Photography Tips of 2018 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
This week on dPS we’re featuring some of the top articles in different categories that were published on the site over 2018.
To begin, this one is all about the best all-round photography tips of the year.
3 Misunderstood But Important Buttons on Your Camera Explained
5 Camera Settings That All Macro Photographers Should Know
Adobe RGB Versus sRGB – Which Color Space Should You Be Using and Why
5 Reasons Why Your Sunrise or Sunset Photos Don’t Look So Stunning
How to Create Colorful Artistic Images Using Oil and Water
9 More Great Apps You Need for Your Smartphone
8 Ways to Create More Dramatic Flower Photos
4 Tips for Photographing Fog to Create Mystical Images
A Quick Guide to Using Bounce Flash for More Natural-Looking Photos
Five Simple Exercises to Improve your Photography
How to Choose the Right ISO for Landscape Photography
Aperture Versus Shutter Priority – Which Shooting Mode to Use and When
Five Ways to Take Your Macro Photography to the Next Level
5 Ways to Invest in Your Photography Over the Next 365 Days
9 Water Photography Ideas to Make a Splash
Next up, we’ll show you The dPS Top Photography Gear Tips of 2018.
The post The dPS Top Photography Tips of 2018 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
The post Happy Holidays 2018 from the dPS Team appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
Merry Christmas from the dPS Team! Here in Australia, where most of the team are based, it’s Christmas day already.
Thank you for being a regular reader and fan of dPS and for helping us to continue to provide quality photography education for you and other photography enthusiasts.
However you celebrate this holiday season, we hope you have a fantastic Christmas and Holiday Season.
We look forward to our continued journey together!
Cheers!
The post Happy Holidays 2018 from the dPS Team appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
The post Gear Review: Fujifilm 50-140mm vs 55-200mm appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
One of the biggest questions all Fujifilm X-Series users have to contend with is, “which telephoto zoom lens should I buy?” Luckily, there are three great Fujifilm X telephoto lenses to choose from:
All three lenses are fantastic in their own rights, but which one is best for you? In this article, we’ll take a look at two telephoto lenses in particular: the 55-200mm and 50-140mm. Why these two? Because they’re intended to fill the role of the standard 70-200mm zoom lens, an important tool in every professional photographer’s gear kit. If you’re unfamiliar with Fujifilm, note that all X-Series cameras are crop sensors, so these lenses have a 35mm equivalent.
Based on specs alone, there are big differences between these two lenses. The 50-140mm is much larger, heavier, and more expensive. Although, it doesn’t even cover nearly as much range as the 55-200mm. What gives? For starters, the 50-140mm is one of few Fujifilm lenses to receive the Red XF Zoom Badge. It’s similar in concept to Canon’s L-lens designation, indicating that red badge lenses are more premium and geared toward professionals.
There are two qualities in particular that make the 50-140mm more premium: weather sealing, and the constant f/2.8 aperture. Both features make this lens more flexible in terms of shooting in bad weather and in low lighting conditions. Both important features for professional photographers. Unfortunately, that also means the price is much higher with the 50-140mm costing more than double the 55-200mm.
Specs aside, let’s talk about how these two lenses compare in terms of handling and physical construction.
Both telephoto lenses are made of a combination of metal and rubber. There’s a rubber ring to control the zoom and another rubber ring for manual focus. The lenses also have Fujifilm’s signature aperture ring that allows the user to twist to select the aperture. There’s a key difference in that the 50-140mm has a marked Auto Aperture ring, whereas this takes the form of a switch on the 55-200mm. Both lenses also have a switch to turn OIS on or off.
Another big difference between these lenses is how they zoom. The 55-200mm has an external zoom, which means it extends as the zoom ring is turned. When fully extended, the 55-200mm is nearly the same length as the 50-140mm. This can be positive in that the lens ends up being quite compact when not fully extended. However, when fully extended, there’s an added risk of damaging the lens. On the other hand, the 50-140mm lens zooms internally, meaning it physically remains the same length even as you zoom in and out.
Both the 50-140mm and 55-200mm come with plastic lens hoods. The 50-140mm’s lens hood is scalloped and has an opening allowing easy access to lens filters (ie. circular polarizers).
Likely due to its size and weight, the 50-140mm comes with a metal tripod collar. This allows for the lens to be mounted to a tripod, rather than the camera body, resulting in better overall balance. The tripod collar has several knobs that allow it to easily be turned in any position, or removed altogether. Compared to other telephoto zooms such as the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8, Fujifilm’s tripod collar is much lighter and easier to remove. Overall, the tripod collar seems to be one of the best and most surprising features of this lens.
The 55-200mm lens does come with a tripod collar.
Let’s start with the 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 lens as its price point and size makes it the easiest to add to your kit. Overall, the lens performs extremely well. Images are sharp and in focus. Even when shooting at 200mm f/4.8, image bokeh is smooth and there’s a good separation between the photo subject and background. However, it’s still a variable aperture lens. When shooting in low lighting or needing to isolate your subject with creamy bokeh background, this lens is blown out of the water by the 50-140mm.
The 50-140mm at f/2.8 performs incredibly well in low lighting.
Moving on to the 50-140mm f/2.8 lens. This lens is definitely much beefier and you’ll need more room in your bag to lug it around. Its size can make it an awkward match for some of Fujifilm’s more compact cameras such as the X-E bodies. If your camera comes with an optional battery grip, using it can help the lens and camera feel more balanced. Personally, I had a hard time turning the aperture ring with the tripod collar attached, although the collar did help hold the lens steady.
In terms of image quality, the 50-140mm offers sharp, crisp images at all focal lengths and apertures. It has an obvious upper hand when it comes to low light shooting and bokeh with that f/2.8. However, if you’ve gotten used to shooting with the 55-200mm, you might miss that extra zoom range that you can’t get with the 50-140mm.
55-200mm at 55mm f/3.5
50-140mm lens at 140mm f/2.8
So which of these two Fujifilm telephoto lenses is best for you? It’s hard to say. If you’re on a budget, don’t want a bulky lens, or don’t shoot in a lot of low lighting scenarios, the 55-200mm is a great deal that will still give you sharp, clear images. However, if your budget can stretch a bit and you really value having a constant f/2.8 aperture, splurge on the 50-140mm. Despite being larger, pricier, and offering less range, the 50-140mm is a sturdy, reliable lens that will last you a long time.
50-140mm lens at 140mm f/11
55-200mm at 200mm f/11
55-200mm
50-140mm
Have you used either of these lenses? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Gear Review: Fujifilm 50-140mm vs 55-200mm appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
The post How to Use the NIK Filter Collection with Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
Have you downloaded the NIK filter collection but now you don’t know how to use it? It’s great to have all these tools available, but they can be daunting to use for the first time. When there are so many choices available, it’s difficult to choose or even figure out where to start. So, keep reading for a quick introductory guide to the Nik filter interface.
When you launch Photoshop, the Nik Filter Panel launches too. This panel is independent of the Photoshop interface. You can move it around your screen, minimize or close it without affecting Photoshop.
If you close it and want to open it again without re-launching Photoshop, go to Menu -> File -> Automate -> Nik Collection Selective Tool. If you don’t want the entire panel, but a specific filter you can go to Menu -> Filters -> Nik Collection and choose the one you want from the menu. However, keep in mind that this option is only active if you have already opened an image.
While I’m using Color Efex Pro to show you around, this tutorial is an introduction to the entire collection. Therefore, I won’t go into much detail about this or any other particular filter. Instead, I discuss only what they share. When you launch the desired filter, a window pops up. This window has a canvas area where you can see the image and one or two adjustment panels on the side.
*Note that Dfine, Viveza and Sharpener Pro only have the adjustment panel on the right.
Let’s start with the Canvas. Canvas is the area where you can see your image and the adjustments you’re making to it. First of all, you can change the background color so that you can best appreciate the photo. By clicking the button on top that has a lightbulb in it, you can switch to black, white or grey.
The default setting displays the canvas and the panels, that way you can see what you’re doing. However, you can hide the panels at any time by clicking the buttons on the top corner(s). You can also press the Tab key on your keyboard for this.
Still on the top bar, and regardless of how many panels you have shown, there’s always the display choices. You can have the Single Image Mode that shows your entire image with the adjustments. To see the original image, you can click the Compare button.
Using the Compare button gives you a side by side comparison or a split image comparison. The two buttons are on top next to the Single View one.
Regarding panels, on the left, you’ll have the available filters when you are in Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro, Analogue Pro, Silver Efex Pro. In this section, you can see all the possible filters or narrow down the choices by category.
Also, in most of them (except Color Efex Pro), you’ll have a thumbnail preview of them.
Below the categories and filters, you’ll find the Recipes. Presets and Recipes are a combination of filters that allow you to apply multiple filters and adjustments with one click. These are handy if you’re a beginner and want to have options that are more automized. However, you can create your own so that you can apply the same adjustments to multiple images. It’s a very useful tool.
Be careful not to apply it after you’ve already made some adjustments because they get overwritten by the recipe.
Note: If you change your mind about the recipe or anything else you’ve done, you’ll find the History button at the bottom where you can retrace your steps and go back.
On the right panel, you’ll have all the adjustments to personalize the filter or effect that you’re working on. This is available in all of the filters, but each one has different choices and possibilities.
Finally, when you click OK at the bottom, the changes get applied as a new layer on top of the original image.
However, if you only want to apply it to specific areas, click on Brush instead of clicking OK. That way, it gets applied as a layer mask. Then you can ‘paint’ the changes onto the desired parts. When you’re done, click Apply on the bottom of the Nik panel.
I hope you feel a bit more confident to start moving around the settings and finding your way into all the potential these filters offer. Remember, you can always go back a step or two when making changes. Also, don’t be afraid of damaging your original file while you learn because any changes are made on a separate layer. Most of all get creative and enjoy.
Have you used the collection? What are your thoughts?
How to Boost Your Creativity with Lightroom Presets
How to Use Import and Export Presets in Lightroom Classic CC
How to Make Creative Lightroom Develop Presets for Portraits
The post How to Use the NIK Filter Collection with Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
The post Day 6: Take Your Photography to Expert Level with The Photography Express appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
Ready to take things to expert level? Fittingly, this is the last stop for The Photography Express – two amazing deals from Josh Dunlop at Expert Photography.
Want to go straight to the deals?
Over 50,000 students in 138 countries have benefited from the passion Josh has for photography. And many dPS readers enjoyed the Milky Way Mastery course he presented with Casey Kiernan last year – and they’re back collaborating again in a new course (see the second of our deals below).
Do you want to take the kinds of photos that make people say “Wow! How’d you take that?”
You can learn how to capture impressive creative and trick photography, with basic gear, all from the comfort of your own home. Josh Dunlop from Expert Photography is offering 40% off this amazing course exclusively for dPS. Some of the shots include:
30 great shots in total, taught step-by-step in detail will keep your busy for weeks and your social media will never look the same again! Josh even shows you how to post your amazing photos to Facebook and Instagram so you can share your new skills.
Now only $ 77 USD (Save $ 120) for just 24 hours only!
Check out the deal and sample lesson now
Maybe you want some magic after the shot? Josh has you covered there too in this collaboration course with Casey Kiernan.
Do you want to professionally edit hundreds of photos in minutes… not hours?
NEW course – Effortless Editing with Lightroom provides a simple way to edit your photos so quickly and beautifully that your friends beg you for prints. This always-up-to-date course is Josh Dunlop’s best selling course ever and he’s giving it to you for 40% off.
In addition to learning the exact workflow Josh and Casey use 100% of the time, they’ll also teach you:
How much is your time worth and how much would you rather be out shooting than burning hours at your screen?
Now only $ 77 USD (save $ 120) for just 24 hours only!
Check out the deal and stunning before and afters here
We hope you’ve enjoyed your visits from The Photography Express this year and that you’ve been able to pick up some great deals to keep your photography sharp going into 2019.
Josh offers a very generous 90-day money back guarantee, so you really have nothing to lose and a whole lot of skill to gain. And he usually has more than a couple of surprise bonuses too – so it’s worth checking out the deals!
Disclosure: We receive a commission from our partners if you buy via our promotion, but it is at no cost to you. In fact, you’re getting an even better price than usual!
The post Day 6: Take Your Photography to Expert Level with The Photography Express appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
The post How to Use High-Speed Video to Capture Action Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.
Sometimes 6, 7 or 12 frames per second (fps) isn’t fast enough to get the shot you want. Sometimes the action is so fast it is best to use a different concept altogether. I’m talking specifically about how to use high-speed video to capture action photos that you want.
Think of it this way; standard frame rate for video is either 24fps or 30fps. That’s good, but may not be fast enough. Most smartphones these days can shoot 120fps, which makes them a possible tool for this technique. Or you can step up to a camera with much higher frame rates, maybe 480fps or even 1000fps.
No matter the camera, the technique below opens up a world of possibilities for freezing high-speed action.
I had a request from my client Andy Suzuki & The Method to capture slow-motion burning clocks for a music video, which turned out to be perfect material for this post.
When shooting at a high speed, lighting can be critical, as it is with any quality photography. The high frame rate should be accompanied by a higher shutter speed, which can be accomplished with more light, an open aperture and higher ISO.
There are benefits and drawbacks to increasing each of these factors that depend on your intended outcome. I find Adobe Lightroom does a good job of cleaning up most ISO noise, so I prefer to increase the ISO before anything.
Adding more light is the next variable I would adjust. Although, as you can see in my example here, it was not an option. Next, I will adjust the aperture as open as I can make it while still ensuring my depth of field is adequate for my subject.
Grabbing the appropriate frame in Lightroom is incredibly simple.
Downloading your video in Lightroom, and while in the Library Module, play your video until you get to the frame you desire. When you find it, hit ‘pause’. The forward and backward arrows can be used to step your video frame-by-frame until you find the frame you need. You can run this exercise multiple times if you need or want multiple frames.
Once you have the frame you want on your screen, click on the rectangle at the bottom of the preview area.
There will be two options Capture frame and Set poster frame. Simply click Capture frame and a JPG of the frame will be stacked with the video.
The capture will be the same size as the original video. In this case, with high-speed video on a Sony RX-100 V, as demonstrated here, the image is 1920×1080. There will be some balance you need to strike in order to ensure the final image is large enough for your intended use.
High-speed video is an excellent way to produce images it would take hours to capture. Think of splashing on puddles, wine poured into a glass, breaking ice or any number of fast-moving subjects. The method described here does have some limitations, but it is fast, easy and just a bit of fun.
The post How to Use High-Speed Video to Capture Action Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Peter West Carey.
The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Christmas Lights appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
In the spirit of the Christmas season, this week’s photography challenge topic is CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!
You could take portraits using christmas/fairy lights, use the lights for creative bokeh, photograph Christmas trees or houses all lit up. So many possibilities!
Some Instagram Inspiration:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.
Step-by-step Guide to Long Exposure Photography
6 Tips for Shooting Long Exposure Night Photographs
How to Take Photos of Kids with a Christmas Tree Bokeh Background
How to Take Beautiful Bokeh Christmas Images [With 39 Stunning Examples]
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.
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 #DPSChristmasLights 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 – Christmas Lights appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
The post 5 Creative Portrait Lighting Tricks Using Only Phone Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
In this video by Derrick Freske, you’ll learn 5 creative portrait lighting tricks using only phone light!
Using only a phone light and some handy reflective props, you can achieve some of the great portrait photography looks in Derrick’s video.
Try these out and we’d love to see some in the comments section below.
Follow Derrick Freske on Instagram.
How to use Colored Gels to Create Unique and Creative Portraits
How to Make a Dramatic Portrait with Light Painting Using Items Found in Your Home
Tips for Planning and Capturing a Creative Portrait
How to Make Unique Portraits Using Light Painting
One Speedlight Portrait Lighting Tutorial
The post 5 Creative Portrait Lighting Tricks Using Only Phone Light appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
The post Day 5: 24 Photography eBooks, $ 9 each, 24 hours only appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.
If you’ve been eyeing off some of our dPS titles, waiting for a sale, it’s time to make like a squirrel and go nuts! We’ve got the full Photo Nuts collection for 80% off and the rest of our eBooks just $ 9 USD.
We know that some of you may already have these titles. If so, please consider forwarding these offers to a friend who you’ve inspired with your own photography. We’d also love you to hit reply and tell us what topics you’d like covered in new eBooks or courses in 2019.
If you missed the recent 31 Days to Becoming a Better Photographer course, and you enjoy learning at your own convenience and pace, Neil Creek has covered all the fundamentals of photography in these Video Courses and Ebooks. You’ll be taking beautiful images in no time.
The collection includes:
Pretty much everything you need to get off auto and confidently enjoy your photography.
Just $ 59 USD you save $ 245 (that’s 80% off) for just 24 hours only!
Take me to the deal
Looking to learn something new over the holidays? Browse our eBook titles and find something you can get started on this holiday season.
With 24 titles in our eBook store there’s loads to choose from. If you see more than one that you like you can create your own little bundle of photography training and still not break the budget.
Includes our latest release Wedding Photography eBook and our most valuable title Going Pro (save 80% on this one). Other popular titles include:
All eBooks just $ 9 (save up to 80%) for just 24 hours only!
See all eBooks on sale
We hope you find a gem or two among our collection to learn something new for 2019.
We offer a 60-day money back guarantee, so you can easily buy now to secure the deal and if it’s not right for you, we’ll refund you.
Don’t miss the last two deals – sign up here for The Photography Express!
Disclosure: We receive a commission from our partners if you buy via our promotion, but it is at no cost to you. In fact, you’re getting an even better price than usual!
The post Day 5: 24 Photography eBooks, $ 9 each, 24 hours only appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.