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Black Friday and Cyber Monday Photography Deals

23 Nov

Black Friday Cyber Monday Photography Deals

It’s that time of the year – if you’re looking for a good deal, then you’re sure to be on alert for the next few days! We’re taking the opportunity to re-launch two of our popular courses for the year with some big savings and great bonuses.

31 Days to Becoming a Better Photographer Course – Save $ 200

This course only opens a few times a year and is currently our only instructor-supported course with a dedicated Facebook group. Students have direct access to photographer Jim Hamel for 3 months, and they love it!

I have taken other on-line courses and found them not to as comprehensive as 31 Days to Becoming a Better Photographer. Since I took this course may photography has reach a whole new level. I am more confident in my camera settings; I have learned how to look and analyze the scene before I take the shot and not to be afraid to experiment. The concept of doing a daily photo after each lesson helps to put into practice what you have just learned. Jim Hamel is a wonderful instructor and I like that he is available for questions and answers back quickly. I have recommended this course to others that are just beginning. I also love the Facebook Group. It is such a supportive place for not just beginners but for photographers of all levels as we can always learn from each other.

Bett Cox

Canada

Usually $ 199, we are repeating the original launch special of just $ 49. And, if you buy in the next few days you’ll also get a $ 50 credit to spend on our Landscape & Nature Photography course below. But you don’t have to spend it now, because we know you’ll want to do the 31 Days course first – so we’re letting you claim it up until the 31st of March 2019.

Act quickly if you want to get into the next intake of 31 Days to Becoming a Better Photographer because the will doors close for registration in less than two weeks. It’s one of the best ways to get your photography kickstarted for 2019.

Learn More?

Ready for something a little more challenging now?

Landcape & Nature Photography Course – $ 237 in Bonuses

This was another popular video course we launched earlier this year with some great bonuses offered by instructor Johny Spencer.

Exactly what I was looking for. Johny has a unique Aussie way about him and his enthusiasm comes through. Easy to follow and I can take all the information in during my own time. Good length individual segments. My equipment and photographic knowledge is vastly improved now I’m ready to get out there and try with confidence. A very worthwhile investment.

Bill Vincent

Now the bonuses are even better with the addition of 15 landscape and nature video masterclasses worth $ 150 (previously only available via his community membership). But you’ll need to be quick to grab this and two other bonuses during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale. And if the bonuses were not enough, we’ve also taken $ 50 off the course fee too.

Learn More?

Looking for Photography Gear Deals?

We took a quick look at what Amazon is offering. We get a commission if you buy anything through our links below, at no extra cost to you.

There is a big sale happening in their Camera, Photo and Video section. Their specials are changing all the time so do check back later to see what else they’ve added. Or take a look at our most popular digital cameras and gear page for some hints as to what others are buying. Many of the cameras listed there are currently on sale at Amazon too.

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5 Tips for Capturing Nature Across Different Seasons

23 Nov

Taking photographs of nature can be an incredibly rewarding experience. During the year the change in seasons provides you with wonderful photo opportunities to capture the variety of nature subjects on offer. Here are some tips for capturing nature across the different seasons.

Lavendar, Provence, France

1) Shoot The Same Location in Different Seasons

You may have a favorite location that you like to visit. For example, it could be a local woodland, a landscape or a place of interest you enjoy visiting during a holiday. When visiting there, you may find the scenery looks unique at different times of the year. The changing seasons mean the conditions may vary dramatically from one period to the next. Snowfall in winter makes way for spring flowers and lush green vegetation in the summer, which can have a significant effect on the look and feel of your image.

Frosty sunrise, Kings Sutton, Oxfordshire, England

Frosty sunrise, Kings Sutton, Oxfordshire, England

A blanket of snow or frost transforms the landscape, giving the most mundane subjects, such as your favorite tree, some magical appeal. While winter provides a striking and crisp scene, spring’s greens and blues can give a more vibrant and colorful image. I recommend you return to your favorite place, observe the scene during a few different seasons and capture the seasonal changes.

2) Shoot More Sunrises and Sunsets in Winter

One significant advantage of photographing nature during winter is that sunrise and sunset times are more favorable than in summer. Many people prefer to spend the colder months of the winter season indoors. However, this is a great time to head outdoors while the days are shorter and timings are better than the rest of the year. Later sunrises allow you more sleeping time, and earlier sunsets mean you do not have to wait around for hours to capture it.

3) Capture the Season of Changing Colours

Autumn is a magical season to be out with the camera and is the favored time of year for many landscape photographers. The season brings a fantastic variety of warm and vivid colors. You can capture a variety of subjects during the fall from woodlands to foliage and wildlife.

Consider the light and decide what you want to capture. You could zoom in on the leaves, or find a striking scene that is well lit. You can also shoot into the sun and work with backlight to create a dynamic image.

4) Capture the Changing Light

The Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons

Dramatic lighting and changes in weather occur at any time of the year. Striking storm clouds replace sunny spells in an instant providing fantastic subjects for your nature photography. I find that during the summer months, storms can be very dramatic and give great moments of fleeting light. Passing rains can give way to radiant glows and if you are lucky – beautiful rainbows. I captured this scene in June while out walking. The change in light that occurred as the sun re-emerged after a considerable downpour was wonderfully atmospheric.

I recommend capturing the change in light during autumn and winter seasons too, as the sun stays lower in the sky compared to the summer. Thus, providing longer shadows with which to play. The height of the sun can make an image look very different in the winter compared to the summer. In winter the sun strikes the scene from a lower angle making the overall composition and lighting unique.

5) Capture the Seasons in All Weather

Come rain or shine you should go out with your camera to capture the various seasons during all weather conditions. Don’t be discouraged from venturing out with your camera if it’s raining outside or the skies are grey and leaden. There may be breaks in the weather, and the rain eventually stops. Mist can often form after periods of rain making an attractive scene to photograph.

Misty landscape, Northern Ireland

If the rain is persistent, think of other ways to photograph the adverse weather. Photographing abstract scenes, water droplets, and close-ups of flowers or fresh water on lush landscapes can work. Waterfalls look good with overcast skies, and additional rainfall adds beauty with more water.

Conclusion

In summary, capturing nature in different seasons can be very enjoyable at any time of the year. Photograph your favorite place in changing seasons, take advantage of early winter sunsets and capture the changing light in all weathers.

Whatever Mother Nature serves you next, get out there and capture the fantastic changes in our beautiful world in all its seasons. Once you do, please share your images with us below.

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Advantages DSLRs Have Over Smartphones, and Why They’ll Always Have Them

22 Nov

I love watching the annual press events of Apple, Google, Samsung and others where they show off their latest high-tech gadgets, including mobile phones. With each new iPhone, Pixel, and Galaxy they seem to repeat a common refrain: “And the camera is the best one ever in a smartphone”.

Are DSLRs fading away with modern advances in smartphone camera technology? Or are they primed and ready for an entirely new life?

Mobile phone cameras are mind-blowing marvels of modern technology. With some of the tech showcased in the recent Pixel 3 announcement, you might be wondering if traditional DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are even relevant anymore.

The answer is more complicated than you might think.

Before you get too deep into this post, I want to make one thing abundantly clear. No-one can tell you which camera is best for you. If you have a 3-megapixel point-and-shoot that does what you want, then, by all means, keep using it and don’t let anyone stop you. Also, if your smartphone takes selfies and Instagram-worthy photos of your morning coffee, then keep snapping away.

In this article, I’ll be looking at some advantages traditional cameras have over smartphones. However, I won’t be telling you which one to buy, and I certainly won’t be telling you to stop using the camera you already have. Too often, the point is missed entirely when people get caught up in silly arguments on internet forums and message boards about whether such-and-such camera is better.

It’s important to know the advantages and disadvantages of different cameras, so you have enough information to choose one that best suits you and your needs. However, please don’t think I’m trying to tell you what you should or shouldn’t buy.

In almost every way I can think of, modern smartphones can take incredible images compared to those from just a few years ago. These days they have real-time HDR, depth mapping, background separation, multiple lenses, machine learning, portrait mode, selective bokeh adjustment, and even computer-assisted sub-pixel digital zooming. It’s enough to make even the most staunch DSLR owner feel a tad envious.

Still, don’t toss out your Canon or Pentax just yet. DSLRs and other traditional cameras have a treasure trove of advantages no current smartphone can match, and some features they may never be able to achieve.

Lens Selection

What’s the essential advantage of DSLRs over smartphones? I couldn’t tell you, but lens selection would undoubtedly be near the top of the list. Despite all the advances in smartphone photography in recent years, some laws of physics and photons are only overcome when switching lenses like a traditional camera. Most mobile phones have lenses roughly equivalent to a 28mm lens on a full-frame DSLR, although some dual-camera models roughly mimic a 50mm field of view to try and recreate professional-style portraits. Even though you can get adapters (such as the Olloclip) that let you do some creative experimentation, they rarely hold up to dedicated lenses mounted on interchangeable-lens cameras.

By comparison, DLSRs can use hundreds of different lenses, each designed for specific photography needs and situations. No matter what you need from a DSLR, there’s a lens that does it – from wide-angle primes and telephoto zooms to basic kit lenses, tilt-shift, and specialized macro lenses.

A photo like this, which requires a telephoto lens with a wide aperture, isn’t currently possible on any smartphone (and may never be).

The AI-powered tricks and computational somersaults modern cell phones are capable of can work wonders for different photographic situations. But when it comes to choosing the perfect lens for the job, smartphones simply can’t compete. If you want to shoot close-up images, far-away wildlife, fast-moving sports or pleasing group portraits, your mobile phone will probably come up short. Sure, you can’t install apps on most DSLRs. But you can change out lenses which, when it comes to photography, is infinitely more useful.

The portrait mode on mobile phones is amazing. But it doesn’t come close to what you can achieve with a portrait lens on a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Customizable Settings

While phones can produce amazing photographs in lots of different conditions, you’re fairly limited in terms of settings. You usually can’t change the aperture or focal length (and no, digital cropping is not the same as changing focal lengths). All you can really control are the ISO and shutter speed, and the native camera apps rarely even let you do that much.

When you press the button to take a picture on your phone, you’re letting the computer do most of the thinking it terms of white balance, shutter speed, ISO, and even which part of the image should be properly exposed.

One of the biggest selling points of DSLRs and other dedicated cameras is that (while they have auto modes that do much of the heavy lifting) they have manual modes that let you choose everything – aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and even the focal length if you’re using a zoom lens. Admittedly, not everyone wants that much control, and you can choose to shoot in auto or semi-auto if you want. But having such fine-grain control is a huge advantage over smartphones.

I could choose a slow shutter speed to get this shot on my Fuji X100F, whereas most mobile phones would have used a much faster shutter speed resulting in a vastly different image.

Smartphones and the software that powers them are so advanced and sophisticated that people are perfectly happy letting them make the decisions and do most of the heavy lifting. But if you want more control you won’t get it on a mobile phone. Even the dedicated camera apps run up against physical limitations such as focal lengths that can’t be changed.

There are times when the photo you want to take isn’t the photo your camera wants to take. In those situations, a dedicated camera will let you change aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to get the exact photo you want.

I shot this image at 200mm, f/2.8, ISO 100, and 1/4000 second, which is impossible for any mobile phone.

Low-Light Shooting

DSLRs will always have the advantage over mobile phones in low light due to the way camera sensors collect light. Larger sensors mean larger photosensitive sites, which means they can capture more information about incoming light when there isn’t a lot of it.

At Google’s recent Pixel 3 announcement they demonstrated a feature that vastly improves its low-light shooting. But it only works with still subjects. It also runs into the same limitations all mobile phones have such as fixed focal length and limited options for changing settings.

I took this deep under the earth in Mammoth Cave National Park, 23mm, f/2.0, 1/20 second, ISO 6400. While some phones could have taken a shot similar to this they would have needed much longer shutter speeds, which would make the people a blurry mess.

Try it for yourself to see what I mean. Even with the best night-mode options on the newest mobile phone, you’ll still struggle to get clear shots of moving subjects. It’s great if you only require pictures of static compositions such as buildings or parked cars. But if you want to capture shots of kids, animals or anything that moves around, your mobile phone will probably leave you wanting more.

As the technology advances, low-light photography on mobile phones will improve. But there will always be physical limitations inherent in the platform that DSLRs and mirrorless cameras simply don’t have to deal with. Much of it stems from their larger image sensors, which collect much more light data per pixel. But the fact cameras let you specify the ISO value you need to get the image you want is also a big advantage.

Model train in a dim basement, shot at 50mm, f/2.8, 1/60 second, ISO 3200.

Not Quite There… Yet

I’m a big believer in the promise of computational photography in mobile phones. If the best camera is the one you have with you, then for hundreds of millions of people around the world their mobile phone is the ideal choice. But even with all the rapid advances in technology, there are still plenty of reasons to own a traditional camera.

If you have one that’s been relegated to a dark closet or dusty shelf and replaced by a high-tech mobile phone, get it out and see what it can do. The results may surprise you and have you wanting to use it more and explore the possibilities it offers.

What about you? What are the advantages of using traditional cameras that keep you coming back to them time after time? I’d also like to hear your thoughts about mobile phones and the technology they offer photographers.

One thing is clear. No matter where you stand on this issue, we certainly live in exciting times for photography.

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Center Field – 9 Acceptable Ways For Breaking Rule of Thirds in Photography

22 Nov

When starting, most photographers tend to shoot all subjects center-frame. As they learn more about photography and composition, they learn that centering a subject is not appealing and that they must follow the ‘Rule of Thirds’ to have a good composition. What if I suggest breaking Rule of Thirds?

The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is taking a frame and dividing it into three equal sections both horizontally and vertically, creating a rectangular ‘tic-tac-toe’ box. Framing a subject so that it falls on one of the four intersecting points of that box can sometimes make an image more appealing to a viewer engaging with it.

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Implementing the Rule of Thirds.

While you may not perfectly frame your subject to fall within one of those four points, if your subject falls on one of the four internal lines within the box, in most cases, it still gives a better appeal than a centered image.

When It’s a Good Idea to Center Your Subject

1. Centering as a Compositional Tool

Placing your subject dead-center can work to your benefit if the subject still tends to comply with the Rule of Thirds guideline. Such as, when more than one point of focus falls on more than one line within that ‘Rule of Thirds’ box as shown in the image below.

The sets of pillars fall on one of the two vertical lines in the frame according to the Rule of Thirds even though the entire image is centered.

2. Place Focus on Your Main Subject

Sometimes when there is a busy foreground or background, placing your subject dead-center helps to draw the viewer’s attention to it. While the image below shows much texture, centering the stool brings focus to it.

4- Breaking Rule of Thirds in Photography

Bring better focus to a subject by centering.

3. Emphasize Symmetry

You may sometimes run into a subject that has a symmetrical value to it. The item could include columns at a building’s entrance, a person’s face or something with repetitional characteristics. Centering the subject, in this case, allows the viewer to relax because the order in the image makes sense.

5- Breaking Rule of Thirds in Photography

This nonsymmetrical image is not as appealing as the image below.

In the next image, there is a sense of order due to the equal number of pillars to the right and left of the fountain, producing symmetry.

6 - Breaking Rule of Thirds in Photography

This image represents symmetry.

4. Draw the Viewer’s Eye Inward

One of the most common goals for a photographer is to draw a viewer’s attention into the image instead of out of it. Straight roadways, paths, or sidewalks are great examples that keep your viewer’s attention within the frame – by drawing the eye inward.

The hall and chandeliers are centered taking the eye inward into the photo.

5. Create a Sense of Size and Space

Centering a subject can often showcase its size, especially when surrounded by people, buildings or other objects that serve as a comparison. Such as in the image below.

8 - Breaking Rule of Thirds in Photography

Centering a subject can sometimes emphasize the size of a subject.

Centering a subject can also give a sense of space. A good example is when there is water or cityscape in the foreground of an image and a clear sky in an upper part of the image. See an example below.

9 - Breaking Rule of Thirds in Photography

Centering the Eiffel Tower in this image works to show a sense of space.

6. Square Image Format

A great way to justify centering an image is when you use the square image format. A square has all equal sides in length, so placing a subject dead-center works well. I also like it because, in most cases, it’s an equal distance from the subject to all edges of the sides.

Centering the Eiffel Tower in this image works to show a sense of space.

7. Shooting With Shallow Depth of Field

When you open up your aperture and shoot with shallow depth of field around your subject, it creates a more three-dimensional feel, adding depth to your image. In this case, centering your subject works because it washes out distraction around your subject, as in the image below.

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Shooting with a shallow depth of field.

8. Overcoming Location Difficulties

Sometimes the location of a fixed subject makes it difficult to capture a stunning shot. During these times try to get creative, as I did in the image of the clock at Grand Central Terminal in New York City below. I could’ve taken that shot from any number of directions or angles. However, for a better shot, I centered it at an angle that included the American flag in the background.

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Center a subject to overcome location difficulties.

9. Simplicity

You know the saying, ‘less is more?’ While placing a subject off-center adds tension to an image, placing a subject dead center can give a calm and orderly feeling. In addition, placing your subject in a central position is like opening a book to its story. You are making it the most important element in the image. A natural environment, a natural face – it’s an open book. What is your subject’s story that you are introducing to your viewers?

13 - Breaking Rule of Thirds in Photography

Simplicity

Tying It Altogether…

Some ‘rules’ are meant to be broken. The Rule of Thirds is not the only way to guarantee a good composition. As long as you understand why you’re breaking the rules and foregoing guidelines with a specific intention, your images can be as compelling subject-centered as with your subject off-center.

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How to Apply Compositional Theory to Still Life Photography

21 Nov

The so-called ‘rules of composition’ aren’t so much rules as guiding principles.

Rules of Composition for Still Life Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Why? Because not every compositional tool works for every image. Art is subjective, and what works well for one image may not work so well for another.

That being said, good photography involves not only technical skill but also choosing the right composition.

It’s especially true in still life photography, where composition can really make or break an image. So here are some tips on how you can apply these compositional ‘rules’ to your still life photography.

Rules of Composition for Still Life Photography-Darina Kopcok-Dps

The Golden Ratio

If you’re new to photography, you may have not heard of the ‘Golden Ratio’ (also known as the ‘Divine Proportion,’ the ‘Golden Mean,’ and the ‘Greek Letter ?’).

Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of them. While artists and architects have been using this principle for hundreds (if not thousands) of years, I was well into my stint at photography school before I’d even heard about it.

It’s a mathematical expression that can describe a wide variety of phenomena found in nature. But when it’s used in art, the results are harmonious and aesthetically pleasant compositions.

You can find the Golden Ratio everywhere – from the works of Michelangelo to the great Egyptian pyramids to a nautilus shell. It’s also found in the human face and body, and even in our DNA.

Rule of Thirds Grid

Most photographers are familiar with the ‘Rule of Thirds.’ This compositional guideline divides an image into nine equal sections using two horizontal and two vertical lines, just like a tic-tac-toe board. The important elements in the scene should fall along these lines or at the points where they intersect.

Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds works well for images such as landscapes but can be limiting for still life photography. The resulting images often feel awkward or unbalanced.

The Phi Grid

The ‘Phi Grid’ uses a similar concept but is much more powerful than the Rule of Thirds. Its center lines are closer together and express the Golden Ratio of 1:1:618.

Phi Grid

The Phi Grid is one expression of the Golden Ratio.

Rules of Composition for Still Life Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

This image uses the Phi Grid. Notice how the chestnut in the focal point is placed differently to the others, drawing the eye.

Fibonacci Spiral

Another expression of the Golden Ratio is the Fibonacci Spiral, which exhibits the same numerical pattern that makes up the Golden Ratio.

You can use this numerical pattern to draw a series of squares. If you draw an arc from one corner to the opposite corner in each square starting from the smallest square, you’ll end up with the Fibonacci Spiral.

This is a guiding principle you can use in your still life photography. By setting your subjects along a curve rather than a straight line you create flow and movement, and help guide the viewer’s eye through the image. It works particularly well in overhead shots that have several elements in the frame.

You can flip or turn the spiral so long as your focal point falls in the smallest part of the spiral. Other important elements should be placed along the curve.

Fibonnaci Spiral

Golden Triangle

Using triangles is a powerful way to create tension in a still life image, and retain the attention of the eye within the frame.

Here’s an image that expresses this principle.

Rules of Composition for Still Life Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Notice the diagonal line going from one corner to the opposite, and the lines meeting that diagonal from the other corners? Where the lines meet are your points of interest, which you should use to place your focal point and divide your frame.

While horizontal and vertical lines suggest stability, triangles add a sense of flow and movement.

You can compose your image to imply triangles, rather than being strict about composing them exactly this way.

Other Helpful Principles

Rule of Odds

In still life photography, having an odd number of elements in a frame is more visually interesting than having an even number of elements.

Odd numbers create harmony, balance and a resting point for the eyes, whereas even numbers compete with each other and can divide our attention.

Aim to have three or five elements in your image. You can have more, but the mind has trouble registering higher numbers meaning your photograph will not have the same effect. If you do have more, put them into groups of odd numbers wherever possible.

Odd numbers create tension

Negative Space

Positive space is the area your subjects take up.

Negative space is the empty area where the eye can rest.

Negative space can provide the feeling of movement, and emphasize your subject. Without any space for the eye to rest, a picture can feel chaotic or claustrophobic.

You see negatives space a lot in magazines or product packaging, where it’s used for text placement.

Rules of Composition for Still Life Photography-Darina Kopcok-DPS

Color

You may not think of color as a compositional tool. But it’s actually a very important one. It evokes emotion and creates the mood of the photograph.

Cool and dark colors such as navy blue and black recede, while light and warm colors such as yellow bring objects forward.

Color combinations can be monochromatic, or any of those found on the color wheel.

One of the most powerful combinations is complementary colors (i.e. colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel). Blue and yellow is one such combination, which you see a lot in food photography.

Take into account the color of the background or surface you’re shooting on. Colors that are too bright can detract from your subject. Make sure your background matches the mood you’re trying to create and works harmoniously with your chosen elements.

Complementary colors make your images pop

In Conclusion

It can take years for a photographer to learn to shoot intuitively using compositional principles. Visualizing your focal point on a Phi Grid is one thing, but visualizing the Fibonacci Spiral while you’re shooting may be more difficult.

Thankfully, with still life photography, you can tether your camera to your computer or use its Live View function to estimate where your subject and focal point should fall.

Editing software such as Lightroom and Photoshop can help you place the various elements in your frame with overlays of compositional guides. You can shoot wider than you need for the final result and crop in post-processing.

The more you implement these compositional guidelines and work with them in post the more you’ll internalize them, which can only improve your still life photography.

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Top Tips for Editing Music Photography

21 Nov

So in my last article, we looked at how you can get to shoot live music. Hopefully, some of you will have used that article as the motivation to actually get out there and shoot. Great! If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?

This time, I want to write based on a comment I received about how to edit music photography, with some top tips to get your music editing to rock god standard. There is no right or wrong way to edit photos. You have your style of editing, and I have mine, so when looking at this if you think ‘I prefer more contrast’ then simply add more contrast.

I use Capture One Pro editing software. I know a huge percentage of you use Lightroom, but in reality, things are very similar. The buttons are in different places, but they do the same thing. What I want to do with this article is give you some pointers, rather than an exact step-by-step guide. Like all good recipes, you need to adjust for your oven and how spicy you like your food. With that said, let’s get cooking.

Speed

The thrill of a gig fades, for the fans, for the bands and for the publications that put the images out there. While speed is not super important when editing for small bands, I would always advise you to get your editing done as soon as possible. That way if you are delivering images to the band, they will still be hyped about the show and seeing your amazing photos will make them even more excited.

When I am editing for a publication, the idea is to get the images out as soon as possible. Therefore my editing technique is designed with speed as a factor. For portfolio images, or ones you love, by all means, go into Photoshop and remove things, touch up the skin, etc., But in general, this is not required.

This tight deadline means you have to sometimes decide against removing the distracting lights or fire exit sign. It is much quicker to do now that Capture One, Lightroom, et al. have these features built-in. However, be warned, you can still easily get caught up in this process.

Many of you may be starting out, so you can spend time finessing the details a little more. There are many great tutorials on DPS about Photoshop and more advanced editing techniques, so make sure you read up on them if this is something you want to do.

Editing Starts in Camera When Shooting

I can’t stress this enough. The tendency to overshoot is strong! In a digital age, we can shoot and delete so quickly that we get carried away. The thrill of being at an event shooting live music can add to this, as you want to get THE shot. However, try to restrain yourself a bit. Every image you shoot is something you have to go back to and edit, so bear this in mind. That said, I have been guilty and when a singer is bursting around the stage, shooting at the camera’s max FPS is something that can help you get that great shot.

Metadata (AKA the Boring Habit That is Good to Get Into Early)

Metadata is the information that is attached to your file. It includes camera settings etc., but when you shoot for organizations or stock agencies, you need to include metadata within your images. It is best to get into this habit early.

Make your contact information into a preset, so it can be added easily on import to save time. The first data you need to add is the content field, which contains the following sections:

Headline

Description

Culling Images

You now need to narrow it down to a reasonable set of images to edit. I recommend around 10 to 15 max. You have to be ruthless in this selection process! When choosing shots, you may need to focus on minute details (and sometimes even perceived differences) to narrow it down. The key here is to be ruthless. Just like a holiday slideshow from your relatives – no matter how fantastic you think they are, nobody wants to see all 128 shots of a band that are in focus and well exposed. You want a small set of images that capture the intensity of being there. That way, they have much more impact. You will wow people rather than have them thinking ‘isn’t this shot just the same as the last one?’

This is what a typical image out-of-camera will look like. The color is out, there are some exposure issues, but this is a great starting point.

White Balance / Color Correction

White Balance and Color correction are the hardest part. You find so many variations of color at a concert that getting a realistic skin tone may be impossible. In this case, you can either embrace the colors or go to black and white. It comes down to your eye, and you may have to compromise.

As the screenshots show below, in mixed light, this can be quite extreme because your cameras’ white balance can miss by quite a way. Regarding camera setting, I leave the white balance on auto. Lighting changes so much in a concert situation, that even guessing what mode to set it to is not practical. Leave it in auto. Let the camera do its best, and then (and I hate to use this term) fix it in post.

This is where you choose if you want it in black and white. Sometimes you have a great shot, but the color is beyond fixing (red light is killer, and for some reason, lighting guys love red!). So the only option is black and white. Now as I said in my last article when doing this for media outlets, black and white is generally a no-go, but for personal work (and even portfolio) there is nothing wrong with black and white. I love the look.

The other option is to go with the color and let it be part of the atmosphere of the photo. I have a shot of Ian Brown from the Stone Roses (whom I idolized as a youngster) looking through his tambourine and straight down the lens. The lighting meant that I would never be able to get natural skin tones, so I embraced the color and edited it with that in mind.

Alex Luciano of the New York band Diet Cig

Colour balance makes this image much better, but there is still work to do.

Exposure

Once you have your color set, you can begin to work on exposure. Similar to any other editing you do, but the main difference is how much you use the ‘recover highlights’ and ‘shadows sliders.’ Concert lighting is usually high contrast, especially if you have the background lights in the shot. Using the recovery sliders can help here. Background lights are generally the only time I do a bit of retouching. If I have a fantastic photo with a distracting background light, I quickly remove it. This is the beauty of only having ten images to edit rather than 75. You can spend a little more time with each image, even when you are on a tight turnaround. Another tip here is to lower the saturation to help take the edge of hard colors. You can also work with individual colors too, which helps.

For the image we are working with here, I reduced exposure by just under 1-stop and recovered the highlights. I also added a little clarity & contrast to the image for more punch.

Levels/Curves

For my final tweaks, I use ‘curves.’ You can also use ‘levels,’ but this is down your preference. Whichever you use, it is a case of working with each color channel to create a more balanced final color. Tweak the contrast until you are happy.

With the image we are using here, I tweaked the ‘mid-tones’ a little. I adjusted each of the red and green channels, making subtle changes (subtlety is key here) to get a better balance of color in the image.

Crop

If needed, you can crop the image. I’m not going to bore you with how to, but it is just something to keep in mind. Remember, a little crop can remove things like fire exit signs a lot quicker than Photoshopping them out.

Final Tweak

I always like to add a small vignette to my images. Usually very subtle, but I just like the way it draws attention to the subject. I think sometimes it is more a force of habit rather than necessary. Again, this is up to you.

Last Check

Walk away from your monitor for a couple of minutes. Grab a drink, or go to the bathroom. The key is to get away from the screen for a couple of minutes. You can easily push things like contrast too far without realizing. So take 2-minutes away then come back and check if you are happy.

The final image that went to the publication.

Copy, Paste, Tweak, Repeat.

When editing more images from the same show, the starting point is always copying and pasting the settings form the image you already edited. Generally, this gives you a great starting point. However, the lighting for the first song and the third song are not always the same, so you may have to start from scratch. As with anything, the more you do, the easier it becomes.

Black and White

The color version of this show just wasn’t working for me, but I loved the energy, so decided to go black and white.

Finally, let’s go through black and white. I always follow the same process as for color photos as above. It helps me to know if a photo works best in black and white or color. With this image, I couldn’t get the color right. To me, it lacked something, but I loved the energy. So, I decided to try black and white instead.

When converting to black and white, I always start with a preset because I find ‘Capture One’ has some great ones. The preset is used to get the image close to what I want and then I tweak to my taste. Using black and white is a savior for when the light is mostly red. Red can make for some amazing black and white photos. However, when you know you have to deliver in color, it’s great that the sound of the music drowns out your swearing at the lighting technicians!

Black & White made this image pop, and a quick crop removed the distracting photographer to create this final image.

I hope you found this article helpful. Unfortunately, there is no preset or magic bullet to offer, as all lighting situations are different. However, I hope you found this article helpful for editing music photography images of your own.

As always, pop any comments below and I will do my best to answer.

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Essential Tools for Making Videos on Your Mirrorless Camera

21 Nov

The mirrorless camera wars are heating up with the announcements of the Nikon Z7, Canon EOS R, and Panasonic full-frame. If you’re entering the world of mirrorless with the idea of making videos, you’ll need to consider a host of accessories to add to your camera kit. Here are some essential videography tools to add to your kit to help you make stellar videos on your mirrorless camera.

The Fujifilm X-H1 (left) and Sony A7rIII.

Camera

This article won’t deep dive into recommended cameras and lenses for filmmaking, since there’s a wide range of options out there. These days, you can even use a smartphone to shoot quality video. Also, the exact video specs needed will vary from person to person. But generally speaking, you’ll want to consider cameras that have these features:

Some form of in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS) to help reduce shake
The ability to shoot in at least 1080p, or ideally 4K resolution
The option to shoot in log (the video equivalent of RAW files), which give you more color grading options

Currently, the most popular mirrorless cameras for video are the Panasonic GH-5, Fujifilm X-H1, Sony A7sII, and A7III. The new Nikon Z6 and Z7 also look like promising full-frame mirrorless video camera alternatives.

Lens

As for ideal filmmaking lenses, this is also a highly debatable topic. However, it’s best to use lenses that have some form of stabilization. The exact terminology depends on the lens brand, but examples include Sony’s Optical Steady Shot (OSS), Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR), and Canon’s Image Stabilization (IS). Also, size matters when it comes to filmmaking lenses, so smaller tends to be better, especially if you plan on doing a lot of run-and-gun shooting. Personally, I’m able to pull off a majority of my video shoots with the Sony 24-70mm f/4, a moderately fast mid-range zoom with OSS that doesn’t break the bank.

Sony OSS -Essential Tools for Making Videos on Your Mirrorless Camera

This Sony lens has OSS (Optical SteadyShot) which gives it optical image stabilization.

Camera and Lens Cleaning Kit

Compared to still photos, it is significantly harder to remove dirt and dust spots from videos in post-production. As a result, it’s essential to carry a camera and lens cleaning kit when shooting video. At the very least, have a lens cloth and rocket blower with you.

Extra Batteries

Recording video takes much more power from your camera, so you’ll want to carry multiple batteries with you. Or consider investing in a battery grip to enhance your camera’s video recording life. Some cameras such as the Fujifilm X-H1 even offer more features (an extra audio socket) when using the optional vertical battery grip. If your camera has the ability to charge via USB (ie. Sony cameras), carry an external battery pack such as the Anker PowerCore 10000.

Microphone

While mirrorless cameras have decent built-in microphones, it’s always best to bring your own sound equipment to capture the best audio. Shotgun microphones such as the Rode VideoMicro are the most straightforward option. This ultra-compact mic is powered by your camera battery, so all you need is the included microphone, windscreen, and connection cable. Simply plug them in, and you’re ready to go! If your camera has an audio jack, also consider using headphones to monitor the audio while you’re shooting.

As you advance in video making, you may also need to add the following sound equipment to your gear kit:

a lavalier microphone
sound recorder (your iPhone may also work)
wireless lavalier mic system

Rode VideoMicro - Essential Tools for Making Videos on Your Mirrorless Camera

Fujifilm X-T3 with the Rode VideoMicro microphone and windscreen.

Camera Stabilizer

It used to be essential to use a stabilizer of some sort when shooting videos with older camera models. Thankfully, most mirrorless cameras are shipping with some form of in-camera stability. Some cameras (Fujifilm X-H1, Sony a7III) have in-body stabilization (IBIS), and many camera brands offer stabilized lenses. When using a camera with IBIS and/or stabilized lenses, you may be able to get away with shooting video without any extra stabilization. However, if your camera doesn’t have IBIS or you need absolutely smooth footage, you may want to invest in a couple of stabilization accessories.

The cheapest and most straightforward option is to use a tripod or monopod with a video head. This is great if you plan on remaining relatively still while shooting video. However, if you plan on walking or moving while capturing footage, a gimbal is an essential tool. The Zhiyun Crane V2 is a great option, as is the DJI Ronin S. Gimbals can be fussy and difficult to set up. If you’re on the market for a gimbal, be sure to do your research to understand how gimbals work and make sure it’s a good choice for you.

Zhiyun Crane V2 gimbal - Essential Tools for Making Videos on Your Mirrorless Camera

Fujifilm X-T3 mounted on the Zhiyun Crane V2 gimbal.

High Capacity Memory Cards

Modern mirrorless cameras are currently letting you record up to 4K video resolution. This is fantastic for getting crisp, details footage, but it can put a strain on your wallet. If you choose to shoot video in 4K, you’ll need memory cards with a fast enough write speed to ensure smooth video recording without dropped frames.

Additionally, it’s best to invest in large capacity memory cards since video takes up a lot of space. Personally, I never shoot with an SD card with less than 64GB, ultimately preferring 125 GB when possible.

External Hard Drives

Speaking of storage, fast hard drives are also essential to edit and store your video footage. You’ll run out of external hard drive space quickly as you shoot video (especially in 4K resolution). Thus, it’s a good idea to stock up on the largest capacity hard drives you can find. Per the 3-2-1 backup strategy, it’s best to have 2 but ideally 3 copies of your data, so multiple hard drives are always a good idea.

Thankfully, hard drives have dropped in price and are relatively inexpensive. I use these Samsung SSD hard drives for editing on the go. I also carry a couple of Lacie Rugged hard drives as secondary and tertiary backups. When editing at home, I back everything up on Western Digital MyBook desktop external hard drives.

Memory cards - Essential Tools for Making Videos on Your Mirrorless Camera

High-megapixel cameras come at a price as they eat up storage on your memory cards and hard drives.

Video Editing Software

The professionals’ choices for video editing are Adobe Premiere, Final Cut X or Avid Media Composer. However, another option worth investigating is DaVinci Resolve. There’s a free version of Resolve that offers enough tools to pull off a majority of the video editing techniques you’ll need, and the paid version unlocks even more features. Like Final Cut, Resolve is a one-time fee, unlike Adobe’s monthly or annual subscription model. Video editing software can be expensive, but it’s absolutely worth the investment for serious filmmaking.

In Conclusion

If this sounds like a lot of gear to invest in for making videos, don’t be overwhelmed! The good news is that modern mirrorless cameras make it easy to start making videos without too many extra gadgets. All of these accessories can definitely be acquired over time as your interest in video grows.

Do you have any other tools to add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!

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How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits

20 Nov

Planning and being intentional about your street photography portraits will affect the quality of your pictures. Have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Think about what you need to do and where you need to be. Consider the time of day and how the light is. When will you most likely see a lot of people out and about?

The more purposeful you are about your street photography and what you want to achieve, the more you will build your own style.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Happy Market Porter in Chiang Mai

Snapping or Anticipating

Grabbing the action as it happens requires a tight combination of skill and good luck. Anticipating potential action before it happens can often mean you get more consistently good photographs. Either approach is a matter of personal taste and style.

I prefer to find a location where I’m comfortable, not in anyone’s way and not in the hot sun. Somewhere that gives me a good angle to capture the action as it happens.

Having a good knowledge of the location helps a lot. Being aware of the flow of life in any particular place will help you anticipate when you might get the best photos.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Market Shopping With Dad In Chiang Mai, Thailand © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Traveling often brings you to different and unfamiliar places. Learning to stop and observe before you photograph will give you a useful sense of the place.

In your own neighborhood, you should be more familiar with the pace of life and the feel of the streets. But it still doesn’t hurt to pause and pay attention. Look at what’s happening and see the patterns and repetitions.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Street Shave © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Find a balance between planning and spontaneity. Be ready. Over-planning can kill the natural feel. You don’t want to be creating overly contrived street photos. We’ve all seen too many of them.

Set Your Camera Subconsciously

Knowing your camera, especially its basic operations, is vital to capturing the decisive moments. It takes frequent and focused practice. If you rarely use your camera it’s harder to work with it fluidly.

Choose settings you’re comfortable with. Aperture priority is often popular because with street portraits there’s likely to be some movement. In aperture priority mode you can set your shutter speed so it’s fast enough to avoid motion blur.

When making portraits in the streets you generally have no control over the lighting. You need to choose appropriate locations where the light is good when you can. If you see someone you want to photograph and the light isn’t good, you’ll need to make some creative choices.

Aperture priority or any of the auto modes may allow you to make pictures more quickly. The downside is you’re restricted to whatever exposure the camera chooses unless you use exposure compensation. But this can slow you down as you may not have compensation applied when you most need it.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Buying Fruit © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Learning manual mode allows you to have tighter control of your exposures, and to know at a glance exactly what settings you’re working with. Yes, it takes more practice. But unless you practice you’ll never know the advantages you have when you’re in control. If you’re happy using an auto mode, stick with it and enjoy yourself.

Whatever mode you use, be confident with it. Being able to use your camera without having to focus on it allows you to participate more in your environment, which is particularly important when you’re making portraits.

To Connect or Not To Connect

I often like to connect and engage with the people I photograph in the streets. Whether you connect or not is a personal choice. But it can make a meaningful difference in the style of portraits you create.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Vendors Enjoying Their Portrait Being Made © Kevin Landwer-Johan

This couple sells eggs at their stall at a local rural market not far from our house. I hadn’t been to this market before and found it fascinating. Out of the thousands of people there, I seemed to be the only Caucasian. It wasn’t a tourist spot, and the locals obviously didn’t encounter foreigners often.

My intention was to photograph them. I started by photographing their trays and bags of eggs. While doing so I paid attention to their comfort level. If they seemed awkward with my presence I wouldn’t have talked with them. But they were happy and relaxed, so I asked if I could make their portrait. They gave me a positive response.

In other circumstances, it’s best to just stand back and let life go on. Interrupting the flow can prevent you from getting natural images. I never hide my camera. I’m constantly looking to see whether the people I photograph are uncomfortable with my presence. Being in northern Thailand I find this approach is important. People here are generally very polite and I think it’s important to show respect.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Life Goes On © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Cultures and the nature of people vary from country to country. Even in the same country, the characteristics of people can be vastly different. For example, people in Bangkok tend to be less friendly and relaxed. Wherever you’re making street portraits, it’s important to have a feel for the location and the vibe of the people.

Sometimes it’s best to boldly get in people’s faces. In other locations with other people, this could land you in trouble. Read situations carefully and adjust the way you do things to suit.

If you choose to approach people and engage with them, be aware that your manner will influence them. Greeting someone with a smile and showing interest in them and what they’re doing usually brings a positive response. Even if they decline to have their portrait made, you can stills enjoy some conversation.

Being confident with your camera when you do engage with someone means you can give your attention to them and not so much to your camera.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Samlor in Chiang Mai, Thailand © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Practice Your Method Consistently

Method is important. Find your groove and stick with it. If you try something only once, you’ll never master it. If you frequently change methods it will take a long time to build your skills and style.

Find the camera settings and lens you enjoy the most and use them. Pick locations you’re comfortable with and revisit them often. Get a feel for what happens there and how to photograph it. Go there when the light and activity are positive for you.

Connect or not. Try both ways, even if you’re uncomfortable to connect with strangers. I used to be petrified too. Working as a newspaper photographer I had to push myself beyond my comfort zone. And that made me a better photographer.

Learn How To Easily Improve Your Street Photography Portraits Happy Kid © Kevin Landwer-Johan

Repeating the same method of making street portraits will help you get a feel for your favorite way of working. Find your groove, but don’t get stuck in a rut. When you’re not enjoying it as much anymore it’s time to change before your creativity stagnates.

Try This

Choose your location and time of day you’re most likely to make some street portraits.

Visit this place five or ten times and make at least five portraits when you don’t engage with your subjects. Then do it again, only this time make at least five portraits when you do engage. You may be uncomfortable when you start. But if you persevere you may just find that you love the experience and make some great portraits.

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A Behind-The-Scenes Look at a Family Photo Session

19 Nov

You’re probably used to seeing perfect family photos on Pinterest. After all, photographers love showing their best work. But you’ll learn a lot more from seeing an entire family photo session rather than just one perfect photo.

So today I’m giving you a glimpse into one of my traditional family photo sessions. I’ll tell you what gear I used, my thought processes during the shoot, how many photos it took to get a keeper, and how your mistakes can help you develop as a photographer.

I’ll show you the good, the bad, and the photos I didn’t even let the family see.

I love photos like this with golden back light in idyllic scenes. But the reality is for every ‘perfect’ photo like this there are dozens (if not hundreds) that don’t look so nice.

Gear

For this family photo session, I used a Nikon D7100. For most of the photos, my lens was an 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5, although a few were taken with a 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 lens. I decided to shoot in RAW and JPEG but only processed the RAW files using Lightroom.

Lightroom is my favorite post-processing program. I had 982 photos from this session. To narrow them down I flag the photos that stand out to me and then highlight the final keepers in yellow.

The Session

This session is from my earlier days as a family photographer. I chose it because there was a lot I hadn’t learned yet, and I’d rather show you a tough session because it will help you a lot more.

There was an infant and most of the kids were under five. Thankfully, I had a lot of experience photographing young kids after being a school photographer for a couple of years.

The aim was to get a variety of photos of the family, siblings and individual kids.

This photo is straight out of the camera (SOOC) and is typical of the photos I ended up with. It can be really challenging to get a family of six to all look at the camera and smile at the same time. One or two kids are always looking away or not smiling. Inevitably, the mom and dad end up looking at the kids instead of the camera. You’ll need to learn to capture their attention.

This is what the photos look like after editing with Lightroom. It took 70 photos to get this one. I was discouraged, but it taught me that I needed to get better at interacting with groups.

This photo is SOOC. It can be really tough to get four siblings (one of them an infant) to look at the camera and smile at the same time. It helps to have a parent or assistant standing directly behind you to get their attention. That person should be playful and silly to engage the kids. This is far better than having adults off to the side yelling at the kids to “look here!”

This is a nice photo after editing with Lightroom. It took 33 bad photos to get this good one.

Sometimes you’ve got to let little kids get the silliness out of them. Why shouldn’t a photo session be fun for them? But be careful. Sometimes letting them be silly unleashes too much craziness. Honestly, I think they were much happier by this point.

By now, you can see that most of my photos were underexposed. I had to brighten them a lot in Lightroom. Now I use a combination of aperture priority and exposure compensation. I aim for the brightest exposure I can without overexposing it. Them I can make final adjustments in Lightroom.

This final photo (edited in Lightroom) has a pretty relaxed feeling to it. I’m not always looking for stillness and perfect posture in a photo.

I found it much easier working with each child individually. I could connect with each of them and provoke nice expressions. As a group, it’s difficult to engage them all at once.

SOOC. Typically, infants don’t sit up very well on their own, especially while sitting on bales of hay. I always have a parent sitting nearby to steady them. They pull their arm away for a few seconds while I’m snapping photos.

When they’re in a good mood it’s so much fun to make an infant smile.

Infants and toddlers can be really tough to photograph when they’re in a bad mood. They need lots of snacks (but not bribes) and time to be themselves between photos.

This photo session should teach you the value of paying attention to your exposure in the moment. Watch your histogram and use exposure compensation to make adjustments.

Practice engaging kids and small groups of people so you can do it effortlessly at photo sessions.

Don’t worry that it might take you 10–20 photos to get one worth keeping. That’s pretty normal for many photographers.

One thing I hadn’t learned at this stage was the creative power of angles. Angles and candid moments are now the most important part of my approach to family photo sessions. The creative use of angles in combination with candid moments help make each photo more unique and personal.

Candid Moments

While I had a fair bit of photography experience at this point (yearbook, several weddings, school photos, and some families), I certainly hadn’t developed my own vision or style. But this session was part of that development.

I share these candid photos with you because it was photos such as these that helped me develop as a photographer and made me who I am today.

This photo was taken right at the beginning on the way out to the sunflower field. You can take candid photos at the beginning of the session as a way to warm up and get everyone used to the camera.

This was a quiet moment before the session began. I love the soft light on the mom’s face.

This is a pretty good example of letting infants and toddlers explore during the session. They’re curious about the world around them. So let them explore and you’ll likely make some great candid photos.

The last place we took a family photo was outside a big barn. The girls played with the barn cats and I couldn’t resist a few photos (even though I felt like my job was to focus on posed photos). My camera misfocused, so this picture is blurry. But there’s something so priceless about the moment that I consider this photo worth keeping anyway. I actually find something nostalgic about the misfocus. It doesn’t look so bad as a small print or on a small screen. But I wouldn’t give this to the family or put it in my portfolio.

This photo of the family walking together was captured as we moved from one location to the other. These days I plan a circuit for sessions and capture candid photos between locations.

This candid moment came after a few posed photos with the mom and her little one.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the early stages of being a family photographer, don’t feel bad if you haven’t settled in yet. Keep persevering through the tough moments and you’ll grow. Those rare photos that make your heart skip a beat are clues to who you will become as a photographer. Pursue more of those, but understand that you also need to pursue lots of other things because you never know what will make your heart skip a beat.

I saved this photo for last because it was one of the moments that changed me forever as a photographer. While I was photographing the mom and little sister I looked over and saw the big sister dancing on the path. To me, it was the essence of childhood. It didn’t take me 70 tries to get this shot. In fact, right after I took this photo she stopped dancing and posed. To this day, dancing is part of many photo sessions.

What else do you need to know?

I’m happy to share anything about this family photo session with you. Let me know in the comments what else would be helpful to you.

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Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

19 Nov

The first lens many photographers will own is the kit lens. This lens typically covers a focal range of 18-55mm and has a variable maximum aperture. So before you move onto other lenses, how can you get the most out of this particular lens? Well, there is an awful lot that can be achieved with this lens when you put your mind to it. There are limitations of course, but there is even more room to experiment with your kit lens creativity! So let’s look at some of the ways you can do just that.

Kinetic Light Painting - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

This photo used the kit lenses ability to zoom to do some kinetic light painting.

1 – Kinetic Light Painting

Light painting is an exciting form of photography and one that you can experiment with using a humble kit lens. What the kit lens is well suited for is a niche form of light painting, called kinetic light painting. This form of light painting involves moving the camera, as opposed to moving the light source. Light painting uses a long exposure, and as with all long exposure shots, it’s a good idea to use a tripod. So what types of kinetic light painting will work well?

Camera rotation – This is a type of light painting that involves moving the camera around while it is attached to a tripod. Use a wide focal length, and experiment with light sources that are above the camera. Tall structures like skyscrapers often work well for this technique.
Zoom – The 18-55mm focal range is ideal for zoom light painting work, good for kit lens creativity. In fact, perhaps the only better lens would be a superzoom 18-300mm. This time you’ll change the focal length of the lens during the photo, causing light to be painted across the scene.

Panning - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

Panning is a great technique to practice, and it’s fun.

2 – Panning

While it’s true you can use more or less any lens for panning, you don’t need an upgrade from your kit lens to make this type of photo either. In fact, a focal length of around 55mm is often ideal for this particular technique. You simply require a shutter speed of around 1/20th second. There are some excellent guides on this subject, and the technique is simple and fun to master.

Find an area where you’re moving subject will move across the area you intend to photograph. You’ll want your moving object to run parallel to you, relative to where you’re positioned.
Use a shutter speed of around 1/20th. You can increase or decrease this if you wish. At slower shutter speeds the chance of camera shake increases, so you will need to be very steady when tracking the motion of the object you’re panning. It’s possible to use a faster shutter speed for panning, but then you’ll need a fast moving object to pan with.
As the object you’re panning approaches, begin to follow the motion with your camera. When you’re confident you’re following the motion steadily, press your shutter gently as you continue to move with the object.

Zoom Burst - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

Using your lens for long exposure photos can be creative.

3 – Zoom Burst

You’ll notice zoom is a kinetic light painting technique. It can also be used during the day, to create a dynamic feel to your photo. The shutter speed needed is similar to that of panning, so around 1/20th. You can also use a tripod for extra stabilization of your photo. It’s best to zoom into your subject when practicing this technique, which can work very nicely for portrait photos. Once again the kit lens is well suited to this since it allows a zoom range from 18mm to 55mm.

4 – Glass Ball Refraction Photography

Refraction photography is a niche that can use any kind of camera. You can certainly use a kit lens to get this type of photograph. The technique revolves around using a crystal ball, though other objects such as wine glasses filled with water will work. When you consider that a glass ball works like an external lens optic, in a sense, you’re getting your creativity from another lens. However, you still need a kit lens to take the photo! As these photos work best with a blurred background look to photograph at 55mm, and with the largest aperture you can.

$Refraction - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity$

In this photo, a wine glass was used to show refraction.

5 – Low-Key Light Portrait

You don’t need low light to create low-key portraits, and with that in mind, the kit lens can be a very useful lens. Using your lens at around 50mm will work nicely for your portrait, and you can use your camera body to expose at -2 or -3 exposure value. You’ll need to set your aperture and shutter speed to the appropriate settings to get this exposure value, depending on the environment you’re in. To make a low-key photo you’ll need a large difference in light from model to the background. This can be achieved through finding a place where a shard of sunlight comes through a gap in the roofing, perhaps at a market. You now need your model to be lit up by the sun, while the background will be underexposed, and therefore dark.

Low-Key Portraits - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

You can use any lens for low-key portraits, including the kit lens.

6 – Long Exposure Photography

Your kit lens will not restrict your ability to take long exposure photos. The limiting factor here will be a lack of a tripod, and perhaps a lack of the correct filter. That means you can take amazing long exposure photos with a kit lens, so long as you have the correct additional equipment.

Car light trails – Find the right location above a road with plenty of traffic, and you can take photos of light trails produced by cars. Close down the aperture, and you’ll also create a starburst effect with any street lights nearby. You’ll need exposure times of 5 seconds or more for this type of photo.
Moving water – Moving water can look attractive in your photo, and a kit lens can certainly capture this. Exposure times of around 1 second or more will give moving water a silky look when photographed.
Light painting – The merits of the kit lens for kinetic light painting has already been discussed. It’s no surprise you can also up your kit lens creativity with light painting of any type.

Long Exposures - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

Fireworks can be recorded using a kit lens, and it’s great for capturing the whole scene at wide focal lengths.

7 – Attaching a Filter

A great way to increase your kit lens creativity is to add a filter, and that’s not the digital kind. There are a good variety of filters you can add to your kit lens that will give you extra options as a photographer. These can be graduated sunset filters, that add warms tones to the sky. Alternatively, a strong ND filter will allow you to take long exposure photos during the day, using your kit lens and a tripod. This article will give you an idea of some of the available filters you can use. You’ll need to use the correct sized filter, with 52mm or 58mm being typical for a kit lens.

Adding Filters - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

Filters can be attached to your kit lens. This photo was taken with an infra-red filter attached to a kit lens.

8 – Get Wide

At 18mm your kit lens is wide enough to capture a good amount of the scene in a landscape photo. This means as you travel with this lens you can take some photos of amazing viewpoints. Combine this with a technique such as long exposure or kinetic light painting and you will get your kit lens creativity! Note that if you’re using a crop sensor APS-C camera 18mm is effectively 28.8mm on a full-frame camera.

9 – Portrait Work

At the other end of the scale with your kit lens is 55mm. Once again when using an APS-C camera this will effectively be 88mm if this was used on a full-frame camera. These focal lengths are ideal for portrait photography though. Any compression of the face won’t be too extreme at the effective focal length of 88mm. So focal lengths from around 30mm through to 55mm will give you some good compression ratios to work with for portrait photography.

Get Wide - Nine Ways to Boost Your Kit Lens Creativity

Whether your portraits are street photos, posed, or travel, the kit lens is going to give you nice results.

How Will You Get Your Kit Lens Creativity?

The drive for more creativity is always there with photography. There is a lot you can do using your kit lens if you choose to. The list above gives you some examples of how you might go about doing that. Have you tried any of these techniques with the kit lens? Are there any other ways you’ve taken interesting photos with this particular lens? Please share your thoughts, and photos in the comments section.

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