Category: Photography

Photographing Still Life Can Teach You These 3 Things
1. Composition
2. Lighting
3. The importance of taking your time
© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Photographing still life, more than most genres, gives you more control. You can control your subject, location, lighting, composition etc. when you make still life pictures.

Photographing just about anything else gives you have far less control, or it’s much more difficult to control the photo session. Landscape photographers must rely on external factors like the weather and vantage point. Sports photographers are restricted by how close they can get to their subjects. Wildlife photographers are often hampered by their subject’s movements. Portrait photographers have to deal with all manner of moods and emotions from their clients.

Photographing inanimate objects can happen just about anywhere. A studio space is not necessary. You can use your kitchen and set up on the table. Backyards and public parks can be great locations for outdoor still life photography.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Subject matter options are wide open. What do you like looking at? Find something you like – it will be more engaging. Small (but not too small) objects are easier to manage. Still life with large items like refrigerators or park benches will be more challenging to work with. You are not restricted to fruit and bunches of flowers.

Whatever and where ever you chose, you can improve upon three essential skills by photographing still life.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Composition

You have unlimited freedom to place and move your subject material about. This can help you gain a better understanding of composition.

Moving your objects around you will see how they relate differently to each other. You can overlap them or choose to position each one so it’s independent.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Camera position can view your set up from any angle you imagine. Experiment with high and low angles. Watch how this can dramatically affect your composition. Doing this in a situation where you have control and freedom to move about will help you learn to do so other times you are taking photos.

Backgrounds can be varied. You can use just the natural surroundings or add in your own backdrop. If the room ambiance is conducive to the images you want to make, use it well. However, if there are distracting elements behind your set up, insert a backdrop of your own. This can be a piece of card or cloth or something else to help enhance your composition.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Hopefully, photographing still life will stimulate your imagination. Having the freedom to manipulate your compositions will enhance your photography in general.

Lighting

Working with inanimate objects is a great opportunity to learn more about lighting. With people, animals and other things that move about, being consistent with lighting can be challenging. Landscapes and architectural photography can have more complex lighting demands.

Starting with a simple light set up is good if you are new to photography. The kitchen window if your objects are on the kitchen table. Start making your series of photos and then open the kitchen door to let light in from another direction. Compare your photos and see the changes adding more light makes.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Switching on an artificial light source allows you more control. Use a lamp or flashlight. These allow you to see the effect of the light, unlike using a camera flash. Vary the position of the lights. Lift them higher or drop them down lower. Moving them further away will lessen the amount of light on your objects.

Reflectors can be made good use of in still life photography. Even a sheet of white A4 printer paper can be an effective reflector. Try different reflective surfaces of varying sizes and study the difference they have on your scene.

Look at the direction of light and shadows. How do they interact when you have more than one light source?

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

By trying different light sources and setups you will develop a better eye to discern light in other situations where you are taking photos. It can help you to know when to add another light source or reflector.

Taking Your Time

Setting up for a still life photo session somewhere you can leave it a few days or weeks has its benefits. So often people are in too much of a rush to get a photo and move on. Take your time, and work slowly as a painter does. There’s no rush.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Being able to go away and come back to your arrangement of inanimate objects allows you to see it with fresh eyes the next day or next week.

Maybe you will see the relationship between elements differently. The lighting will have changed from morning till afternoon if you are using natural light. You might think of another object you want to add to the scene that will really make the photo. Ideas will come that you had not thought of initially.

Changing lens focal lengths is also good to experiment with. Compare how the objects interact with each other and the background as you view them with different lenses.

© Kevin Landwer-Johan

Setting up outdoors, you can photograph at different times of day and night to see the effects of different light. Does moonlight provide the most interesting lighting for your composition? Or is it best first thing in the morning?

Conclusion

Find yourself some space. Gather together a few of your most aesthetic things. Take your time to move them around and change the lighting. Think about how the objects relate to each other. Think about the different results you achieve when you change the lighting. If you don’t like what you photographed one day, come back another and make some more photos.

Please share with us any still life photos you may have taken in the comments below.

The post Photographing Still Life Can Teach You These 3 Things appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
November 12, 2018
Wedding Photography Gear You Need When Starting Out

What’s in your bag?

Weddings are vibrant and full of emotions, making it all too easy to have a purely romantic view of the day. For the couple and guests, that is very true. However, if you are a supplier on the day, it can be a very different experience. All the more if you are the wedding photographer! The pressure is on, and you have a huge responsibility to capture the day.

When you first begin photographing weddings, it is important to have a love for weddings and a connection to the occasion. If you hate weddings – which some people do – I suggest you steer clear of wedding photography. It is also beneficial to have a creative eye. If you lack both, it will be apparent on the images you capture.

When starting as a wedding photographer, it is quite understandable that you may not have the full arsenal of cameras, lenses, flashes, etc. Often we start with only the basic equipment in our bag and plenty of creativity (and for some, a healthy dose of confidence).

If you are considering being a wedding photographer and exploring what you can achieve with a basic kit, then this article is for you. These are also just my suggestions. I do not assume that you could not become a competent wedding photographer otherwise.

1. Camera

A full-frame professional camera is ideal, but if you only have a crop-sensor camera, there’s no reason you can’t shoot a wedding. The main impact of this would be the lenses. Unless it is a dedicated crop-sensor lens, a crop-sensor only uses a section of the lens, causing some loss in light and sensor use.

Newer cameras are equipped with better technology to handle noise, especially in low-light conditions. This technology is crucial because regardless of season, weddings will always involve low-light. Often very little natural light. The pixel size of images from newer cameras is also generally larger allowing more room for adjustments like cropping. It also allows better enlargements of your photographs in print. 24MP is now average for a newer camera whereas it was around 12MP 10-years ago.

2. Lenses

I feel lenses are a must. If you want to shoot weddings, at least have the 50mm or 35mm prime lens. They open to larger apertures than the kit lenses (the ones that come with the camera body). A maximum aperture of f/1.8 will do, but even better is f/1.4 and f/1.2. However, these lenses can be pricey though. If you tend not to use a flash unit, the advantage of these lenses is made clear.

A zoom lens is a massive help when capturing unfolding events during a wedding day. You don’t have to zoom with your feet as you do with a prime lens. In my opinion, you can get away with using a zoom kit lens for candid captures and don’t have to shell out for a pricey f/2.8 zoom when starting out. I must also add that these f/2.8 zooms are amazing pieces of glass and are worth the investment if you can afford it.

Top tip: Use a hood or a UV filter on your lens to protect it from knocks and breakage. Some people say filters affect the sharpness. That may be so, but I’d rather have an intact lens and a 99% sharp photo than a broken lens and a 100% sharp photo. The difference is pixel-peeping minuscule.

3. Flash Gun

Many people call themselves a natural light photographer. There is nothing wrong with that. However, if you want to shoot weddings, I encourage you to be open-minded and explore the possibility of learning to use flash. Weddings, especially evening receptions can be notoriously dark and having a flash gun will serve you well.

Top tip: Use a diffuser or bounce card.

4. Memory Cards, Spare Batteries, Remote Triggers or Transceivers (If You Use Off-Camera Flash)

These are self-explanatory. Have spares and spares of spares!

5. Backup Equipment

If you have to borrow extra equipment for back-up, do so. You never know when something will unexpectedly pack-up! When I shot my first wedding, I owned one camera body (a crop-sensor), and I borrowed my sister-in-law’s camera, just in case. I didn’t use it but having it with me gave me peace of mind.

6. Other Helpful Equipment But Non-Essentials

The following can come in handy but in my opinion, you can do without them:

Grey card – You shoot at a fast pace in various lighting scenarios during a wedding – indoors, outdoors, tungsten, LED, natural lights, etc. It would be crazy to use a grey card every time you moved! You can shoot in Kelvin or use Auto White Balance. The important thing is that you shoot in Raw so you can adjust the white balance in post.

Reflector – I used to carry a reflector when I first started, but now I take my flash guns instead. And I never go without at least two of them! But a reflector is handy. Because I don’t carry one with me most of the time now, when I shoot small details, I use a small piece of white card or anything white that may be handy.

Tripod – I never carry a tripod as I find it too cumbersome and heavy! But you’d never see me cover a wedding without a monopod. They are easier to lug around!

7. Non-Essentials That Add Value to Your Service

Brides are often grateful when you magically produce things that they did not expect you to have. For instance, bobby pins, hair grips, scissors, or tissues. Likewise, if you help in other ways when you can, for example, putting the buttonholes on, helping with jewelry, etc. As they say, it’s in the little things.

Lastly, invest in a good, well-padded camera bag. Your equipment will love being in it!

You can read more about lenses for wedding photography in an more exhaustive article I have written here.

I hope you found this article helpful and I wish you the best in your journey as a wedding photographer! Do share your thoughts or any equipment you may want to add in the comments below!

The post Wedding Photography Gear You Need When Starting Out appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

November 12, 2018
4 Tips for Capturing Autumn Colors

For those of us who live in North America, autumn is in full swing. The leaves are changing from their bright green colors and are taking on incredible hues of yellow, orange, and red. It’s a time of flux for Mother Nature.

For us photographers, it’s prime time to get out and take advantage of all those beautiful fiery colors that lead into the winter months.

Capturing the brilliant colors of Fall isn’t something that requires a lot of planning other than finding a suitable location. That said, there are things we can do during and after our shoot to ensure we get more from our time outdoors at this time of year. In this article, I’ll share with you four easy ways of capturing autumn colors to achieve the best images of Fall.

Use a Polarizer

If you’re familiar with photography, you’ve likely used or at least heard of a polarizer. Polarizers are filters (circular or square) and attach to the front of your lens. They essentially allow only straightened light rays to pass into your camera. Polarizers help to darken skies, reduce reflections and most importantly, deepen color tones.

When you’re shooting for the maximum color effect it’s a good idea to pack a quality polarizer in your gear bag. Most CPL’s (circular polarizers) allow you to dial in the polarization effect based on your needs. You can add or reduce the impact.

The following images were shot with and without a polarizer. You can see the notable differences in colorization between the images:

On the left we have a 1:1 zoom of a photo taken without a polarizer. On the right, the same scene is shot WITH a polarizer. Note the subtle increase of color saturation as well as the accompanying decrease in light transmission.

Keep in mind; polarizers physically reduce the amount of light entering your lens. A small adjustment in exposure may be needed to make use of this type of filter.

Search for Complementing Colors

A great way to make your images of the autumnal colors pop is to make use of something called ‘Complementary Colors.’ Complementary colors are hues that lie opposite to one another on the standard color wheel.

Aesthetically, complementary colors work together to make a more pleasing image. Oranges, reds, and yellows are the flagship colors of Fall. It’s a good idea to look for their complementary colors (blues and purples) and incorporate them into your compositions.

Don’t limit complementing colors just to shooting scenes of Autumn. Try making use of colors falling opposite one another on the color wheel in all aspects of your photography.

Learn to Use Water

Water is one of the most dynamic elements of nature on our Planet. For photography, it’s one of the great muses. When it comes to bringing out the organic essence of autumn, there are a few things that can help you more than water. Whether it’s reflections, dew or just the earthy feel after a rainstorm, try incorporating water into your images of Fall. It is an excellent way to inject a new level of creativity into your images of Fall colors.

Look for reflections, water droplets or anything else in the scene that has been transformed by the presence of water. If I can offer a rare bit of solid direction, remember that brightly colored leaves floating on water generally make for bulletproof compositions.

Make Use of the HSL Panel

Last but certainly not least, our last tip for photographing the brilliant colors of Fall happens after you capture your image. The HSL Panel in Lightroom (or other software) offers an indispensable way to adjust the hue (H), saturation (S) and luminance (L) of individual colors within our photographs.

This tool is handy for bringing out the colors we want emphasizing without making global changes to our entire photo. I cannot overstate the power of the HSL panel. Not only does it offer the possibility of adjusting the brightness and saturation of individual colors, but also their hues; which can change the entire feel of a photograph.

Using the HSL to control the hues of your color tones is a great way to completely change a photo with just a few clicks.

Some Final Thoughts on Photographing Fall Colors

We are served up such a diverse and accessible photo color palette in the Autumn months. Colors blaze and overall tonality of light and mood offer excellent photographic opportunities virtually any time of day.

Make use of the tips in this article to breathe new life into your images of Fall.

If you have any tips for capturing autumn colors or have images of Fall you would like to share with us, then please do so in the comments below.

The post 4 Tips for Capturing Autumn Colors appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

November 12, 2018
How To Mimic a Cross-Processing Effect in Photoshop
Cross-processing is a technique that comes from the darkroom days. You would purposely develop film in the wrong chemicals to achieve special color effects. When no film or chemicals are involved in digital processing, it is possible to mimic a cross-processing effect in Photoshop. I’ll show you how in a few easy steps.

The technique is called cross-processing because it referred to the processing of negative film with a chemical developer designed for reversal film. Or vice versa. You will also find it under the name ‘x-pro’ or ‘Xpro.’

Of course, replicating this effect directly in camera isn’t possible, but you can reproduce the results with Photoshop. You can make your image look like it’s the result of cross-processing.

In Photoshop there’s often a preset that solves your problems. Cross-processing is no exception. I will show you a step-by-step way to do it so that you can have more control over the end result. There is no right or wrong. One is no better than the other. It’s about giving you a choice so you can decide what works best for you.

So, let’s get started.

The Cross-Processing Preset

To find the ‘Cross-processing’ preset add an ‘Adjustment’ layer. Click the button at the bottom of the layers panel and choose ‘Curves’ from the pop-up menu.

From the ‘Properties’ panel open the ‘Preset’ menu. Change it from ‘Default’ to ‘Cross-Process (RGB).’

Notice the colors of the image are very saturated and have a definite green color cast. The graph now has three colored lines: Red, Green and Blue. Each line has a different shape.

Those three colored lines represent the three channels (Red, Blue and Green) adjusted by the Preset to create the effect. Therefore, you may create this effect manually without using the preset. You can achieve this manually by tampering with each color channel separately.

Using Curve Properties to Achieve the Cross-Processing Effect

For this, instead of changing the preset menu, open the ‘RGB menu.’ Go into each color and move the curve in the graph.

However, many people don’t find the ‘Curves’ tool very comfortable. So I’ll show you a tool to work with sliders to achieve similar results.

Discard the ‘Curves’ layer or hide it by clicking the ‘Eye’ symbol to the left of the layer. That way you can work with the original image. Now add an ‘Adjustment’ Layer with a ‘Channel Mixer.’

In the Properties panel, find the ‘Output Channel.’ Here, open the drop-down menu to change from one color channel to another.

In each color output channel, you can see the corresponding color slider will be at 100%, while the other two are set to ‘0.’ So, in the ‘Red’ channel, the Red slider is set at ‘100’ while Green and Blue are at ‘0.’ In the ‘Green’ channel, the green is set at ‘100’ and the Red and Blue are at ‘0.’ In the ‘Blue’ channel, the blue is set at ‘100’ with Red and Green at ‘0.’

Move the sliders to create your own cross-processed image. Move all three channels sliders around until you’re satisfied.

Remember, you don’t need to duplicate the result that the Preset proposed. But if that is your objective, you don’t need to go into moving any setting individually.

To reiterate, to achieve an image that suggests cross-processing, more than one formula exists.

A few things to keep in mind:
- Cross-processing was initially a ‘mistake’ (even if done on purpose) causing unpredictable results. Thus, feel free to experiment and be creative because there is no wrong answer.
- Cross-processed images look oversaturated with a distinct color cast.
- Using the wrong chemical would often distress the image, to mimic this you can introduce some noise.
Adding Noise to Your Image

To add noise to your image, select your image layer and go to Menu -> Filters -> Noise -> Add Noise. A pop-up window will open giving you a preview of the filter you are applying and the sliders to adjust it. Make adjustments to your preference.

Keep experimenting and have fun!

If you have you experimented with cross-processing effects in Photoshop, please share with us in the comments below.

The post How To Mimic a Cross-Processing Effect in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
November 11, 2018
X-Peditions 2019 Workshops Have Filled

Strobist’s 2019 X-Peditions workshops (Havana in January and Hanoi in the fall) have both filled.

Hanoi actually filled before any public announcement. So if you think you might be interested in a future workshop, please make sure to sign up for advance notice on the X-Peditions info page.

If you would like to be placed on a wait list for either trip, you may do so at the individual workshop pages linked above.
Strobist

November 11, 2018
How to Photograph Kids Playing, Running Around and Generally Being Kids
If you’re a people photographer, it’s hard to resist photographing kids as they play, run around and… well, be kids. It’s also a great chance for you to play as a photographer.

Here are seven tips to help you capture photographs of kids at play.

It was a grey hazy day at the beach so I focused on silhouette photos of my kids at play.

1. Use Your Phone Instead of Missing the Moment

I teach people how to use their new DSLR cameras. One of their biggest frustrations is that their friends seem to take better photos with a phone than they can with their complicated DSLR.

If you’re still struggling with your DSLR, don’t be afraid to use your phone as a camera. As long as you keep in mind the most important parts of a photo – light, moment, and composition – your phone will take great photos.

This photo of my daughter running through a puddle was captured with my iPhone 4s. Because it was a bright day, the shutter speed was fast and froze the water as it splashed.

2. Be an Observer Instead of a Boss

If you’re going to photograph kids at play, it’s best to have them acting candidly rather than telling them what to do. Just let them play, and they’ll give you countless moments to photograph. The moment you step in and tell them what to do or how to play, you’ll ruin the moment.

I wanted a nice portrait of my daughter with these fall colors, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to make her stand still for one. So I let her walk on ahead of me. When I called her name she looked back, and I snapped the photo.

3. Angles

While photographing kids at play, consider the angle you’re using. Your photos will look more exciting if you go for low angles or face to face. Get down to their level (if not lower) and into their world.

I achieved this extremely low angle by laying down on the ground and looking straight up.

Before it was hauled away, my kids turned this mattress into a trampoline. A low angle helped to capture how high he was jumping.

4. Get Close

Join in the play, and get as close as you can while using a wide angle. When you look at the photo it will make you feel like you’re right back there in the moment.

This son was wrestling with his dad so I decided to get in as close as I could. The wide-angle helped to exaggerate the moment.

5. Get Behind Them

Photographing people from behind adds a bit of mystery to your photo. It lets the viewer bring a little more of their own imagination to the photo. When we can’t see the person’s face, it makes us imagine what they’re up to.

This over-the-shoulder shot anticipates the action that’s about to happen.

This photo was taken in a massive outdoor sandbox. Obviously, he’s been sliding down the dirt hills on his bum.

This combines taking a photo from behind with getting in close. (Taken with an iPhone.)

6. Play With Your Shutter Speed

One of the biggest problems you’ll face when capturing action is motion blur. So you’ll need a fast shutter speed.

But you can also play with a slow shutter speed and capture creative motion blur.

I took advantage of my iPhone’s slow shutter speed to capture this portrait of my daughter. As you can see her face is basically sharp while the background is quite blurry. This was achieved by having her walk toward me while I walked backward. To the camera everything is moving except for her.

7. Tell a Story With Your Photos

You can tell a story with your photos. It might be a ‘before and after’ story using just two photos. Or it could be a beginning, middle and end with three photos. It might even be a longer story that fills a photo book.

This story begins with a little girl taking her daddy by the hand and leading him.

Then in the middle of the story, she dances with her daddy.

The story ends with her daddy swinging her around wildly.

Final Checklist

Here’s a checklist for photographing kids as they run around and play.
- Consider this playtime for you as a photographer.
- Use any camera you’ve got – even your phone.
- Stand back and let moments happen on their own.
- Be creative with your angles.
- Get in close.
- Add mystery to your photo by photographing kids from behind.
- Be creative with your shutter speed.
- Tell stories with multiple photos.
Now go out there and take some great photos of those kids being kids and share them with us in the comments.

The post How to Photograph Kids Playing, Running Around and Generally Being Kids appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
November 11, 2018
Weekly Challenge – Industrial Photography

This week’s photography topic for our weekly challenge is INDUSTRIAL photography!

View of Steelworks and Port from Christy Drive in Port Kembla NSW Australia by Caz Nowaczyk.

Industrial is quite a broad topic and can consist of industrial landscapes through to close-ups of industrial equipment, textures or their environmental impact.

Think industrial buildings, rusting old silos and equipment, metal industrial pipes, smokestacks, and manufacturing spaces.

Views across the Illawarra from Mt Keira including steel industry by Caz Nowaczyk.

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on finding and shooting industrial pictures.

How to Photograph Industrial Deserts

Working with Textures – 8 Ideas to Get You Started

Photography Weekly Challenge – Industrial

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 #DPSINDUSTRIAL 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.

Steelworks in Port Kembla, NSW Australia at night by Caz Nowaczyk.

The post Weekly Challenge – Industrial Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

November 10, 2018
5 Tips for Better Road Trip Photos
Are you heading out on a road trip anytime soon? Packing up the car and hitting the road with friends, family, or even running solo can make for a great adventure.

But as photographers, our thoughts aren’t just on the experience itself. Documenting it with your camera adds to the occasion for creative types, but doing it on the road adds another level of challenge!

Here’s a 2-minute video from Tajreen&Co which outlines 5 top tips for getting better road trip photos, that make for better memories and pictures.

5 Top Tips for Getting Better Road Trip Photos
1. Shoot with the kit you already have – even your phone!
2. Interact with your environment
3. Exaggerate your shots – explore angles and backdrops
4. Capture moments and emotions – it’s all about the experience
5. Plan your shoots even on a road trip
What are your tips for achieving better road trip photos?

The post 5 Tips for Better Road Trip Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
November 9, 2018
How to Find the Right Website Platform that Works For You
A while ago, I heard an interesting fact from the former managing editor of dPS. According to their reader survey, less than 18% of dPS readers own photography websites/blogs. So, I assume that the rest of them are posting photos on places like Instagram, Flickr, Facebook, etc.

Rented Land (Social Media) or Permanent Home (Your Website)

There’s nothing inherently wrong with social media, but it’s a little concerning not having a ‘permanent home’ for your photos. Instagram is probably the king of social media today (especially for us photographers), but we don’t know how long the popularity will last. The top places today may be deserted if a better platform comes along (do you remember MySpace!?). You’ll end up having to re-build your online presence all over again.

So, rather than having your photography home on ‘rented land,’ why not set up a website/blog as your ‘permanent home’ to stand the test of time? In this post, I’ll talk about three options to set up your own photography home.

My website is specifically for cityscape photography shot at blue hour. It’s a portfolio site with galleries, but I also share my experiences and tips using blog posts.

Free Blogging Platform

A free blogging platform is the easiest and cheapest (free) way. There are more than a handful of platforms, namely WordPress.com (free plan), Tumblr, Google Blogger, Weebly (free plan) to name but a few. If you’ve ever set up your social media account, you shouldn’t have any trouble starting with these platforms, either.

Unlike social media platforms (that give you no control over how your page looks), these platforms have quite a few themes (design templates) available. You should be able to find one that you like.

WordPress.com is one of the most popular platforms today. It has one free and three paid plans.

Tumblr is entirely free and lets you fully edit HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Pros:
1. Free of charge and easy to set up.
2. Comes with social networking features (e.g., follow others on the same platform) that get you noticed faster.
3. Possible to outlive you (As long as the service exists, even if you die, your free blog remains hosted).
Cons:
1. Very little scalability (cannot do much besides blogging).
2. Their insert their branded ads (e.g., Powered by Weebly). To remove these, you need to upgrade to a paid plan (where applicable).
3. You have no control over the direction of the blogging platform (it may suddenly decide to compress uploaded photos, and you have no say in their decision).
4. Themes are not always fully customizable (depending on platforms).
5. Your default web address includes their brand name (e.g., your-chosen-name.wordpress.com). To remove their brand from the URL, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan (where applicable) or buy a custom domain that costs USD$ 10-15 a year.
  If your primary purpose is just photo blogging, these free blogging platforms should be sufficient. If you’re planning to scale up beyond photo blogging (e.g., selling photography prints on your website), I’d recommend one of the next two options.
Self-hosted Website

Self-hosting is how I host my photography website, and probably the case with many of fellow dPS contributors. If you’re aiming to scale up and do much more than photo blogging (e.g., selling eBooks, starting a tutorial site like dPS, running workshops and letting participants book and pay online), a self-hosted website is your go-to platform. I’m using WordPress (.org) which powers 31% of the web today.

Don’t get WordPress.org mixed up with the WordPress.com as mentioned above which is a free blogging platform (I know this always confuses people). Self-hosted WordPress is a content management system that you install on a web server by purchasing a web hosting plan (USD$ 100 or less a year including a domain name) with a hosting company like Bluehost. It’s a little more complicated to set it up, but you don’t have to be very techy to manage a self-hosted WordPress website. Many web hosting companies offer one-click installation with no coding skill required to run the site.

That said, being tech-savvy helps if you’re a control freak like me and you want to customize the look and function of your website down to the finest details by editing HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript. Self-hosted WordPress is the only platform mentioned in this post that allows you full control from beginning to end.

WordPress powers 31% of the web today, and the number is growing every year.

Pros:
1. You have the freedom to add any functionalities (gallery, contact form, sliders, forum, etc.) by installing plugins. The design is fully customizable by tweaking the code.
2. As the website is ‘self-hosted,’ you don’t need to rely on anyone to run it, unlike free blogging platforms that may be discontinued anytime.
3. Being such a popular platform, a ton of resources are available.
Cons:
1. You’re responsible for your website’s security and maintenance. Although, you can utilize a few plugins and seek help from a hosting company’s support team.
2. Compared to free blogging platforms with built-in social networking features, it typically takes longer to get noticed and build an audience.
3. E-commerce doesn’t come equipped. There are very few options available if you want to sell prints directly on your website (try Fotomoto plugin if going this route).
A blog is a perfect place to talk about behind-the-scenes stories of your photos.

Made-For-Photographer Platforms

If selling photography prints on your website is the main criteria, or you’re doing client work (e.g., for event or wedding photography), services like SmugMug and Zenfolio are a good option. They are paid, but they let you host a website with a built-in print and digital download store. It also handles printing and shipping for you.

Their strength lies in the fact that the platform is made solely for photographers and understands their needs very well. Most importantly, it lets you focus on what matters most to photographers: taking photos. You can leave the rest for them to handle.

SmugMug is probably the most significant player among made-for-photographers platforms. It has recently acquired Flickr.

Zenfolio is another big player that has a strong fan base.

Pros:
1. Selling made easy with a built-in shopping cart plus payment processing. One of several professional labs automatically fulfills print orders.
2. Equipped with robust tools like client proofing, boutique packaging, custom coupons for promotions, etc.
3. Excellent customer support and a thriving community forum.
Cons:
1. Running cost is higher than a self-hosted website.
2. Themes are not fully customizable.
Conclusion

Hopefully, this post helps you set up ‘permanent home’ for your photos. What platform to go with is totally up to you and your needs, but I’m sure that your fun will be doubled (photography + your own website). Lastly, let me end this post with a quote by Derek Sivers —

“When you make a company, you make a utopia. It’s where you design your perfect world”.

Replace ‘company’ with ‘website.’ That’s what you get when you have your own website!

If you have any questions or info to share, feel free to do so in the comments below.

The post How to Find the Right Website Platform that Works For You appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
November 9, 2018
5 Reasons to Use Prime Lenses For Better Photos

The difference between prime lenses and zoom lenses can often be a source of confusion for photographers who are picking up a camera for the first time.

I remember when I first started with photography, wondering why someone would choose a lens with a fixed focal length over one with a whole range of focal lengths built into one.

Surely that would mean creating more work for yourself?!

Fast forward a few years, and I’d stepped into the world of wedding photography with my chunky DSLR and equally chunky 24-70mm zoom lens. Shooting an entire wedding with just that one lens was a piece of cake – I could go from wide-angle shots of the church to a tight, flattering portrait shot with just a twist of the zoom ring.

I’d found the perfect tool for the job… but I had to admit – it wasn’t enjoyable.

Then I started reading more about prime lenses and their various advantages. The only compromise was that I’d have walk closer to my subject, rather than just zooming in with my lens. I looked down and remembered I had two good legs, so I decided to take up the challenge!

I’m not going to tell you that prime lenses are better than zoom lenses, as they aren’t. Neither one is better than the other – it just depends on your needs.

What I’d like to do with this article is to explain why I believe that using prime lenses has helped me to produce better photos. I hope that it gives you some perspective on why you may want to choose a prime lens over a zoom lens too.

1. Composition

I’m not saying I couldn’t have composed this photo with a zoom lens, but using a lens with a fixed focal length helped me pre-visualise the shot before I took it, making the whole process much faster.

Some might think that being able to change your composition with a zoom lens without even moving your feet would be an advantage.

However, I found it confusing to have an entire range of focal lengths literally at my fingers, and wouldn’t know where to stand before I lifted the lens to my eye. After all, a quick swivel of the barrel would ‘correct’ any distance issues, so standing in just the right spot seemed less critical.

Prepare to spit out your coffee at your screen with my next statement: Zooms can make you a bit lazy with your compositions.

However, using a prime lens encourages you to envisage the composition by the constraints of your focal length. You get set in place to take the shot even before holding the camera to your eye.

The more you get used to using just one focal length, the quicker you’ll be able to visualize your final shot by looking at the scene (with your eyes, sans camera!). In my opinion, zoom lenses with their myriad focal length options don’t encourage you to develop this skill as much.

2. Light

In the last light of the day, capturing this image without a fast prime lens (shot at f/1.4) could have proven difficult.

Prime lenses, in general, have wider maximum apertures than zooms. More light is let in when the shutter opens, meaning you’ll be able to get the exposure you need in a low light situation without having to increase your ISO or lower your shutter speed.

Being able to shoot with a lower ISO means clearer images. And being able to use a faster shutter speed will help to improve the sharpness of your shot.

If you’ve ever wondered why those indoor shots of your kids taken with your kit lens (I’m guessing it’s a f/3.5-5.6 zoom, or similar) are slightly blurry, there’s a good chance it’s because your lens isn’t letting in enough light. Your camera is slowing down the shutter speed a bit too much to compensate.

By investing in a f/1.8 prime lens, for example, you give your camera more of a fighting chance. You allow it to take advantage of higher shutter speeds to produce sharper images.

3. Depth of Field

By shooting wide open (f/1.4), brings the viewer’s attention to the bride’s face, despite its unusual positioning in the frame.

Now, depth of field is the main reason most photographers love using prime lenses. Prime lenses have a wider maximum aperture than zooms, enabling you to take advantage of a shallower depth of field.

Depth of Field refers to the range of focus in your image. Shooting at a wide aperture of f/1.4 provides more out-of-focus blurring effect (‘bokeh’) than there would be if you were to shoot at f/2.8. Assuming that all other variables remain constant.

The ability to blur the area both in front and behind your subject using a wide aperture helps to separate your subject from other elements in the photo. The subject stands out more.

You can still produce nice bokeh with a telephoto zoom lens by shooting at the maximum aperture at a longer focal length. In turn, altering perspective and creating a different look to the image.

While shooting with a wide aperture won’t make you a better photographer, it does allow a higher degree of creative control over your image. Being able to fine tune what is and isn’t in focus in your picture using a wider aperture is just one other great way to take your photography to the next level.

4. Size/Weight

You may require more than one prime lens to allow you to shoot subjects at various distances. The size/weight of each lens is usually much less than a zoom.

Size and weight of your lens is a subjective one. I think that in general, every photographer would prefer to have a lighter lens on their camera, given a choice!

When I switched from using a heavy 24-70mm zoom to a lightweight 35mm prime lens, it was as if I’d bought a whole new camera. The shooting experience just felt so much better.

Now I’m not suggesting that just by having a smaller, lighter camera in your hands, that you’ll be able to produce better photos. However, the shooting experience will undoubtedly be more pleasurable. Having fun with your photography is an excellent catalyst for taking more pictures, which will eventually mean you’ll improve. You see what I’m getting at here?!

One thing to note: a prime lens doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be small and light. Indeed, many fast (i.e., wide aperture) prime lenses are rather large and heavy. Similarly, there are plenty of small, lightweight zooms.

For the most part, you’ll be able to find a small, lightweight prime lens that offers all the advantages listed in this article. I guarantee it’ll feel better on the end of your camera than a zoom.

5. Image Quality

Ok, hold your horses for a second. I don’t want to wage a prime versus zoom war here! The difference in sharpness and general image quality between these two types of modern-day lenses is, for the most part, indiscernible.

However, the above statement is only valid for expensive, ‘pro-grade’ zoom lenses – usually the ones with a fixed aperture, i.e., a zoom lens which doesn’t automatically change its aperture when you twist the zoom ring. Or only ones that contain a large amount of high-quality glass.

Fixed aperture zooms are bigger, heavier, more expensive, and usually on par in image quality with even the best prime lenses.

Instead, I’m referring to the difference in image quality between a cheap prime lens and a cheap zoom lens. For around $ 100, you’ll be able to get a much sharper image from a cheap prime lens than you would an equivalent zoom.

All the major camera brands offer a cheap prime lens that ticks the above boxes. It’ll be able to knock the socks off the zoom lens that came with your camera.

Final Comment

I used zoom lenses for the first few months in my career as a wedding photographer, then switched to primes. I’ve never looked back.

I currently shoot with a 35mm lens for 99% of the wedding day. When I can’t get close enough to the action, I use an 85mm lens. Having only two focal lengths to think about is incredibly liberating. Through consistently limiting my focal length options, I’m able to ‘see’ in 35mm or 85mm terms, whether the camera is to my eye or not.

I appreciate zoom lenses have their place and are an excellent choice for many photographers. That said, I encourage you to have a play around with a prime lens to see how it can improve your photography too.

The post 5 Reasons to Use Prime Lenses For Better Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

November 8, 2018