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7 Tips for Capturing the Decisive Moment in Street Photography

09 Oct

There is probably no other term as often cited as “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography. Yet there is no real agreement what a decisive moment defines.

The street is normally a very chaotic place. People are walking in every direction and there isn’t much “sense” when putting everything together. The decisive moment is different. Suddenly every single detail that is captured in the photograph has a meaning. Subjects that are normally not connected are in a relation to each other, they don’t know it, but the picture clearly shows it.

Dog Days What is the Decisive Moment

Creating such images is not an easy task in a candid genre. While some state luck as the most important factor, I believe that you can work towards the Decisive Moment and capture it more regularly. Here are seven tips to help you.

#1 – Become Quicker

The street is not a place where you can slack off and take all the time you want to take a shot. There is no second chance to catch candid moments. A decisive moment can last for a few seconds and be gone forever. If you don’t catch it in time, you lose it for eternity.

Photographing is a 2-step process. First, You have to be familiar with your gear. After spotting a beautiful scene, there is no time for adjusting the camera or learning how your equipment actually works. Take your time to experiment with different settings beforehand so you know what works and what doesn’t. Use the technique of zone-focusing and you will be a lot faster capturing interesting subjects too.

Decisive moment street photography 01

The second step is spotting potential scenes in time and developing an instinct even before something interesting happens.

#2 – Get in The Zone

To spot interesting scenes instinctively, you need the right mindset for street photography. Just going out with your thoughts somewhere else, won’t land you the money shot very often. Concentration is needed to absorb the chaotic environment and scan it for potential decisive moments.

There are a lot of distractions in the modern world. Smartphones and your camera are two of the main distractions that can keep your mind away from the street. Before going out on the street, make sure to not have anything important scheduled for the time being and for the best results, turn off your smartphone.

Decisive moment street photography 02

Also, don’t get too distracted by your camera. It is just a tool that helps you to display your vision. You don’t need to have a look at every image that you have taken at the very moment. If possible, try out an analog camera and see how pure minimalism can help you to get in the zone.

#3 – Overcome your Fear

Spotting a scene is only the first step to capture the decisive moment. Afterwards, you have to translate your vision into the form of a photograph. When you still have fear to get close or take an image, it will limit your creative freedom.

There is no need to be afraid of the street and strangers. After years of experience, I can assure you that with a minimum of common sense nothing truly bad will happen to you. In reality, the worst that can happen is that someone asks you to delete the picture, but that’s pretty much it.

Decisive moment street photography 03

The fear on the street is mostly irrational and your mind is playing tricks on you. Part of it is socialization and I will admit, that every social being feels this way, when starting in street photography. Not invading the “private space” of others has been beneficial for forming social groups, historically speaking. But it doesn’t make much sense in our modern world and is only a hindrance for street photography.

To overcome your fear, you could try to get rejected purposely by asking for posed portraits pictures. It will show you that most people are actually very relaxed and even if you do get rejected, it isn’t the end of the world.

#4 – Perfect the Composition

There are a lot of situations happening on the street that you aren’t able to display to their full potential. This is heavily dependent on the way you frame the image and display it.

Decisive moment street photography 04

Lots of images are destroyed because the composition is simply off. I know that street photography is often seen as a genre of freedom. But when it comes to aesthetics, there are natural formulas that are more pleasant than others.

The rule of thirds is not a myth, but a fact. To embrace this in your photography will make your images visually more profound than ignoring your natural instincts.

Additionally to the rule of thirds, I would also focus on leading lines, not pointing away from the main subject. For an even more interesting picture try to fill every layer from the foreground to the background with interesting details.

#5 – Be Inspired

Decisive moment street photography 05

The right mood can also influence you in finding a potential scene that can lead to an outstanding image. Inspiration can stem not only from other photographers that you admire but from any creative source.

Listen to music, watch your favorite movie or read a good book. Anything that helps you to open your mind for creating something outstanding, is suitable to bring you closer to the decisive moment.

#6 – Dedication

Decisive moment street photography 06

Street Photography is not a discipline where you can expect quick results after following a simple guide. It takes years or even decades of dedication to street photography to be able to create the decisive moment, seemingly out of nowhere.

Developing a photographer’s eye takes a lot of training. Therefore, I would recommend forming a group of other photographers who have the same goals in mind. Walking the street with multiple photographers can also open your eyes to their vision. They are able to point out scenes that wouldn’t even cross your mind on your own.

#7 – Stay Curious

Decisive moment street photography 07

Whatever you do, don’t lose interest in your environment and mankind in general. Curiosity can lead you to interesting scenes that otherwise would seem as if they had no potential. Embrace the tourist in your town.

Do you remember the last time you were on vacation and took some holiday pictures? Suddenly even the most mundane places can become interesting when you are in a foreign location. The little ice parlor might be totally boring to the residents, but for you, it was worth a picture.

Follow the same instincts in your own neighborhood. Rather take an image too much, than missing out on the decisive moment. But most importantly, keep the fun. Don’t force yourself too much.

Conclusion

The process of doing street photography should always be fulfilling even when the results might not satisfy you. Get out on the street, be mindful, have fun, and over time the results will follow.

The post 7 Tips for Capturing the Decisive Moment in Street Photography by Sebastian Jacobitz appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Review of the new Agua Versa Backpack 90 by Miggo

09 Oct

Photography is an expensive hobby, and yet still we love doing it whether be it professionally or as a passion. Owning costly camera bodies and lenses is one part of our job, and making sure that they are stored safely in a camera bag is an equally important responsibility. As a street and travel photographer, I am always on the go carrying a camera body, a zoom lens, and a flash. I make sure that I am not carrying all this gear in a heavy backpack.

The Agua Versa Backpack 90 by Miggo is one of a kind. It’s a versatile storm-proof backpack that can be used as a camera bag as well as a normal day-to-day use bag. When it comes to choosing the right camera bag, I am very particular about its quality, comfort, and weight. Now let’s find out if this classy looking backpack comes out as a clear winner or not.

Agua Versa Backpack 90 2

What you can store in the Agua Versa Backpack 90

DSLR with attached lens (such as Canon 5D Mark III or IV with 24-70mm f/2.8),
or medium size DSLRs / large size mirrorless cameras
Extra lens (such as 70-200mm f/2.8)
Flash unit
Up to 14.5” laptop (but I am able to store my 15.6-inch laptop)
iPad / tablet
Memory cards
Cables
Extra battery
Extra personal belongings

Appearance

Cover Photo

Trust me when I say that this backpack could make you fall in love with it at first sight, and I am saying this from my personal experience. It’s not just me but my fellow photographers have been asking me about this bag as I have been carrying around for weeks now.

The matte black kind of finish that this bag has is the reason that you may get attracted to it. That is the storm-proof material (tarpaulin) that has been used to create the bag. The combination of black and blue colors makes this bag look elegant as well as stylish at the same time. By looking at the bag you can tell how light and convenient this bag would be to carry on your back.

Inside the Bag

The Agua Versa Backpack 90 has three pockets in total. One on the front side which can be used to store accessories such as lens filters, memory card holder, a mobile phone, etc.

The second pocket is on the right-hand side of the bag which is the main compartment where you can store your laptop (I was easily able to store my 15.6-inch laptop), iPad, pen drive, Gorillapod, etc. You also get a removable padded insert in which I was able to carry my Canon 5D Mark III with the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 lens mounted, a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 lens and the Godox TT685C flash. The best part is that you can carry this padded insert as a standalone camera case during shoots. Once the insert is removed, you can use the backpack as a day-to-day bag as well or store your clothes while you are traveling.

Agua Versa Backpack 90 5

Agua Versa Backpack 90 7

The third pocket which is placed on the left-hand side is a secondary storage space where you can securely store the card reader, important cables, some accessories, and anything that fits inside the pockets.

Agua Versa Backpack 90 4

3 Different Carrying Options

The Agua Versa Backpack 90 allows you to carry the bag in three different ways. The first being the basic backpack position, which is the most comfortable in situations when you are walking a long distance carrying heavy gear. The second way is the X position, in which you can customize the straps in a cross pattern which could be helpful if you are trekking or hiking. The last way is the sling position which basically converts your backpack to a sling bag. By using it as a sling bag, you can easily and quickly draw the camera out of the bag and avoid missing any important moment.

Agua Versa Backpack 90 1b

My personal favorite is the sling position as I do not have to constantly take the bag off my shoulders to take out the camera. Simply swing the bag forward, open the side zip and draw the camera swiftly.

Agua Versa Backpack 90 3

Comfort

One of my favorite things about this backpack is the quality of padding that it has on the back as well as on the straps. I have been using this Miggo bag for weeks now, sometimes for hours at a stretch, and not once did I have any kind of shoulder or back pain despite carrying a camera body, two lenses, a flash and other accessories. Be it the backpack or the sling position, the bag sits comfortably on my shoulders and the lower back padding is just perfect.

Dual-Port Charging Connector

Agua Versa Backpack 90 6

How this backpack by Miggo stands out from the rest is the external USB connector that it features on the lower right-hand side. The USB connector unit has two ports which allow you to use a power bank stored in an internal dedicated pouch inside the bag. This means that using one port you can charge your smartphone or any other USB connected device and by using the second port you can charge that power bank too without taking it out of the bag.

Final Verdict

At a price of $ 169, the Agua Versa Backpack 90, come sling bag, is a good value for your money if you are a frequent traveler or if you shoot in extreme conditions.

Cover Photo

You may be thinking that I am only highlighting the positives of this bag, but there are few negatives as well. This bag lacks a side pocket which can hold a tripod/monopod or a water bottle. The straps are way too long, they roll up and there is a band which holds them up but on some occasions, it comes off.

You can get your hands on the Agua Versa Backpack 90 and a couple of more bags in the Agua series of Miggo brand on Indiegogo.

The post Review of the new Agua Versa Backpack 90 by Miggo by Kunal Malhotra appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette in Lightroom

08 Oct

The vignette is one of the most powerful ways to boost your photos. It reduces your photo’s brightness at corners and sides compared to the image center. It’s mainly used to highlight elements in the center even more. Besides, you can also use it to cover distracting details on the sides of your image.

As popular as it is, it’s just as common to not apply vignettes properly using Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw. Let me show you three powerful tweaks to squeeze out 100% of its potential and present your photos in a better light!

1) How to decide which photo is suited for a vignette

The vignette shifts the focus to the center of your frame. That’s why you’ll ideally have a photo where your subject is placed in the middle. Otherwise, the vignette will make your subject darker and take away the spotlight.

To make the vignette even more powerful, it really helps to have the light in the center of the frame as well. Your subject is either lit up from the front or illuminated by some backlight. Of course, it depends on how strong you apply the vignette. If you use it lightly around the sides and corners, then the subject can also be a bit to the top, bottom, left or right of the frame.

3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

Take a look at the two photos above. The one on the left has the subject on the far left. The vignette not only covers the subject, it also highlights the less important wall in the middle. The right photo, however, has the subject in the center. The vignette blends out the unimportant details of the office and highlights the person and the view in the center. Do you see how the vignette works much better in the example on the right?

Whether you are capturing buildings in a city, trees in the countryside or animals in the zoo, the same rule of thumb applies: place the most important element in the center.

2) How to make the vignette as smooth as possible

The best vignette in the world is the one you barely notice. That’s why you always need to make sure that the transition is as gentle as possible. Once you notice the transition from dark to bright, it’s not done right. Do you see the circle of the vignette in this photo?

3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

The reason for this is generally that the feather slider is too far to the left side. As you can see in the screenshot below, it’s at 33. The more you go to the left, the more visible the transition will be.

Transition Bad - 3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

Always make sure to move the feather slider to the right side. For most of my vignettes, I slide it all the way to 100. That way, you will achieve the smoothest transition for your photos.

Transition Bad - 3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

Once you’ve applied the feather more generously, the vignette’s border will largely disappear. As a result, your vignette will blend more smoothly into the natural light of the scenery. In case the transition remains too strong, you can always reduce the amount a bit as well.

3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

3) How to create a custom vignette

Although the post-crop vignette works best with subjects in the center, you will also use different placements. Luckily, you can always create a custom vignette that is tailored to your composition. The easiest way to do this is to use the Radial Filter.

The following photo could really need a vignette. That way, we could highlight the sunset and the silhouette even more. In order to create a custom vignette, open the Radial Filter (Shift + M) first. Then you decrease the exposure to a level between -0.20 and -1.0. In this case, I set it to -0.64.

Radial 3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

Click on the subject in your photo, hold and drag the circle around your subject. Everything outside of the circle will become darker.

3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

Remember the first tip how the transition always needs to be smooth? We will do the same for the custom vignette. With the feather slider, you can make the transition from dark (outside the circle) to bright (inside the circle) smoother. The further you slide it to the right, the gentler the transition becomes. For this photo, I changed it to 81 instead of 50.

Radial 3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

When you compare the original photo (left) with the custom vignette (right), you can clearly see the difference. The light atmosphere in the right photo is more intense and the vignette guides the viewer to the subject.

3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette

Conclusion

I hope these three tips for better vignettes will you take your images to the next level. Of course, practice makes perfect. Play around with the sliders as much as possible to get a feel for the right amount. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments and I’m more than happy to help you out!

The post 3 Powerful Tips for the Perfect Vignette in Lightroom by Marius Vieth appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography?

08 Oct

Are you one of those people who winces every time you take a photograph that’s slightly skewed, with a foot cut off, overblown highlights, or too much grain? Well let me tell you something, sometimes the problem might not be with the photograph – it may be you. Are you a perfectionist? Is it affecting how you view your photography?

In this article let’s take a look at this concept and see how it applies to you and your work.

Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography?

How much does it matter?

Needless to say, there are many situations where a skewed horizon, a cutoff limb, or a white sky will ruin the photograph. But there are just as many situations where it won’t matter at all, yet many people will think it does, and they will trash their perfectly good photographs because of this.

It’s hard not to over-think your photographs, especially if you are a bit of a perfectionist or like as much order as possible to things. And even if you’re not, you probably have moments where you over-think the details in your images. We all research cameras that have the sharpest lenses and most megapixels for a reason, don’t we?

Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography?

But a lot of the time, this stuff doesn’t matter that much. What matters is that the photograph looks beautiful, that it’s interesting, and that it has an alluring quality that engages the viewer. In those situations, straight lines and perfect sharpness are just a bonus.

Negative critiques

A big purveyor of this way of thinking comes from photo competitions or photo clubs. While I’m not knocking photo clubs – they are an amazing place for the knowledge, enthusiasm, and comradery. But they can also have the effect of making us question our photos in the wrong way.

In a room full of people, there will always be a few that are hyper-focused on an element that they see as out of line, and this disregards the photo as a whole. No matter what image you show, there is guaranteed to be one person who will find something wrong with it, and that puts a lot of pressure on you.

Similarly, think about the difficulty for judges in photo competitions, where they have to stare at hundreds or thousands of photos to pick a winner. They are just looking for any reason to disregard a photo. Nitpicking the little details is the easiest way to do this, so that becomes a prerequisite for your photo to do well.

Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography?

Find a balance

The result of all of this is that I work with many photographers who get so nervous about making the slightest mistake, and it throws their whole photography experience off. Where they should spend their time enjoying themselves and looking for something amazing, they question their abilities and over-think each detail.

I’m not trying to disregard the importance of technical quality in photography. It’s vital and necessary. You have to have good technical skills to become a good photographer, but the technical aspects should be in the back of your mind instead of in the front.

After all, the only people that pixel peep and gaze at a photograph from six inches away, are other photographers.

Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography?

Embracing imperfections

Going to galleries to view the work of the old masters is a great way to learn this. For every Ansel Adams, there was a Garry Winogrand. Cameras were often downright primitive compared to what we have today. Some of the most famous photographs of all time are slightly blurry or have technical elements that would make the judges of a photo contest today cringe.

Some photographers even look to add imperfection into their work, often by skewing their photographs or including elements in strange compositions. Other photographers even will shoot at high ISOs in all lighting situations because they like to have a grainy look to their images. In this way, imperfections can improve your photographs by making them feel more real and of the moment. It shows that the photograph was a special and unplanned event.

Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography?

I do not want you to forget to think about the technical qualities of your photographs, but I want you to be more in the moment. Take the pressure off yourself. Be more spontaneous, enjoy yourself, and try to get lucky. Focus on the moment more than the photograph, and share that moment with us. If it’s a great moment, it won’t matter how off the horizon is.

Bring back a photo that you love, that you relate to, that you want to put on the wall, and I guarantee there will be others that will love it as much as you do. Don’t worry about the ones who feel differently. Take their opinions into account, but try not to let it consume you.

Just make sure not to photograph someone with a tree coming out of their head.

Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography?

The post Are You Too Much of a Perfectionist With Your Photography? by James Maher appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Tips for Shooting in Low Light Without a Full-Sized Tripod – Video Tutorial

07 Oct

Shooting in low light without a full-sized tripod can be tricky to do and get a sharp image. In this short video from Adorama TV, Gavin Hoey goes over several things you can do to help you in this situation.

Low light photography tips

Some of the things he mentions in the video include:

Using image stabilization
Use a large aperture
Choose a higher ISO
Making the camera stable
Using the self-timer

Editor’s note: Ironically, I was just in London in May and got a pretty similar shot to what Gavin shows in the video. I did, however, use a full-sized tripod. But notice how both his shots and mine are really purple? Interesting, thought it was just the light that night – apparently, London is purple.

Darlene’s image of London bridge, taken with a tripod.

If you want more tips for shooting in low light check out these dPS articles:

How to Shoot in Low Light – 9 Commonly Asked Questions
Low Light Photography: How to Shoot Without a Tripod
5 Tips for Better Concert Photography in Low Light Conditions
5 Tips for Photographing Wildlife in Low Light Conditions
6 Tips for Getting Consistent Results Shooting in Low Light

The post Tips for Shooting in Low Light Without a Full-Sized Tripod – Video Tutorial by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Worm’s Eye View

07 Oct

Last week you had to get up high and look down. Now it’s time to get down low, right on the ground if you can – and shoot from the ant’s perspective.

Photo by Sebastian Unrau on Unsplash

Weekly Photography Challenge – Get Down!

This is sometime’s called a worm’s eye view (opposite bird’s eye view). The world looks different from down there. Check it out. Keep in mind looking straight up also works for this challenge. So don’t make it overly hard on yourself to do this.

Share your images below:

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. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

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

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Worm’s Eye View by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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5 Tips for Taking and Caring for Your Camera Equipment in Far Away Places

06 Oct

If the thought of being away from all your camera equipment stresses you out, this article is exactly what you need! I can safely say that being on the road for over two and a half months teaches you a thing or two about need and necessity versus wants.

Road trip

For the longest time, one of my dreams has been to live away from home and travel with my family for an extended period of time. I used to dream about all the places I could travel to, and how much fun I would have living a nomadic life. Of course, then I would wake up and the realities of my responsibilities would take over.

However, earlier this year after suffering a big life setback with the loss of my mom to cancer, I decided that my life was too short to not make my dreams come true. After several months of discussion and planning, my husband and I decided that our little family would spend our summer in India – traveling and visiting family. Somewhere along the way a trip to Ladakh, London, Zurich and Rome got added to my roster and pretty soon I was in charge of planning and packing for a life on the road for two and a half months living out of just four suitcases – one for each one of us. Being a photographer, I knew that somewhere in there I had to pack my camera equipment along with my essentials.

Taking and Caring for Your Camera Equipment in Far Away Places

Sunsets along Lake Zurich were magical – one of my favorite cities that I have ever visited!

Here are a few things that really helped me make the most of my time away from home. It is very likely that I have missed some key photographic opportunities but overall I am very happy with my time away, the opportunities that my family has experienced, and the images that I have created. And as an added bonus, all the camera equipment I did take made it back without any major mishaps along the way.

#1 – Gear Choices

Let’s face the reality of life as a photographer – we all love and want all the gear that we think we need wherever we go. When I was packing I realized that as a photographer I had so many things I wanted to bring, but as a mom, the need for gear was quickly overruled by the need for practical things like clothes, shoes, books, toys, etc. I had to make some very hard choices on the camera equipment that I could take, versus the gear I wanted to take. I narrowed down my list based on where my travels would take me and what gear I could realistically carry and transport safely without any damage.

So, in the end, I settled for this kit:

A wide zoom lens – Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8.
A simple point and shoot camera (yes, this was my backup as weight was a concern when flying to and from Asia with layovers on the way there and back).
One telephoto lens – Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L.
One camera body – Canon 5D MK III.
Four camera batteries.
One battery charger.
A small travel tripod – just a generic brand – mine fits in my carry-on bag.
A remote trigger.
Five camera CF cards ranging from 8GB to 32GB.
Two 2TB External Hard drives ( primary photo storage and a backup photo storage).
Two generic lens and camera cleaner kits.

All of these things comfortably fit into my REI brand hiking backpack. I use this bag for everything and store my gear in individual soft-cover bags inside the pack. This is what I have done since day one and something that has worked well for me.

The one thing I wish I had taken with me was a rain cover for my camera. My backpack had its own rain cover which I used numerous times during the trip because we got caught in sudden downpours in the mountains. But without a separate rain over my camera, I was not able to use my gear in the rain.

#2 – Be Prepared and Organized

For me, being prepared and organized included having a rough idea of where I was going and the kind of environment I was going to expose myself and my gear to. Before I left, I jotted down all the serial numbers, make, and brand for my camera equipment and stored them in a document on my cloud-based Dropbox account. All my external hard drives were stored off-site at a friend’s place as well as the remainder of my gear.

Now, obviously, this is a friend I trust. But another option would be to lock it in off-site storage facility. As part of your research, another good thing to keep in your back pocket is the name, address, and contact information of authorized service dealers for your gear in the country you are visiting. Sometimes things just go wrong no matter how prepared you are. Being prepared with this information about services centers and authorized dealers for your gear is a time saver especially when you are traveling in areas where the internet connection is not very reliable.

An hour’s hike from our campsite in the Himalayas got us to this beautiful alpine lake. But by the time I could get the camera and tripod out, the fog set it…and it was magical!

During my travels, my gear choices on the road would depend on the activities that were planned for the day and the fact that this was a family travel trip, not just a photography expedition. In Rome and Zurich we traveled everywhere either on foot or used public transportation. So I just carried my camera body and the 24-70mm lens among other daily necessities in my backpack. The rest of my camera equipment was either packed away in the hotel room safe or locked away in my suitcase.

When we hiked and camped in the Himalayas, my camera along with both my lenses were always on my person, and the tripod was handed off to the porters that were carrying our camping gear. For my camping trip, I just carried all my CF cards and ditched the charger and external hard drive at the house where we were staying because it was highly unlikely I’d find a charging port on that journey.

All these choices were possible because of the research I had done ahead of time.

Much of Ladakh is dry and barren and upwards of 10,000 feet above sea level. Altitude sickness is very real and sometimes your gear also acts up. Of course, these dramatic views almost make up for any hardships.

Additionally, a good mindset to have when you travel to far-off exotic locations is one of acceptance of physical and mental limitations – both for yourself and your camera gear. I experienced some altitude sickness in Ladakh as we were traveling on roads at almost 17,000 feet above sea level. I also found my gear did not function as efficiently at that altitude. My batteries did not last as long and the camera also did not shoot as fast. The first few times it happened I freaked out. But then I just accepted it as something beyond my control and gave myself some extra time to be patient in getting the shot that I wanted.

#3 – Know Your Gear

This one is too basic to include here but it is amazing how many of us don’t follow this simple tip. We are so enamored with the latest and greatest gear available, but yet don’t quite know how to use the stuff that we do own.

The best way to get over this is to really limit yourself to a few key pieces of camera equipment for an extended period of time. One of my goals for this trip was to try and capture star trails and The Milky Way when I traveled to Ladakh. After all, I was going to be in a remote part of the country at an altitude of almost 15,000-17,000 feet above sea level. Barring any bad weather, I should be able to get relatively clear shots of The Milky Way and star trails.

Now astrophotography is not my thing. I always limited myself from trying it out because I don’t usually travel with a tripod, nor do I own an intervalometer. So this time I actually downloaded the camera manual on my phone and studied it before I left. With that information, I was able to comfortably and confidently use the B (a.k.a Bulb mode) on my camera to capture star trails in Ladahk. It was quite a thrilling experience for my maiden attempt.

A 26-minute exposure while sleeping in the car near Jisp along the drive to Leh was one of the highlights of my trip. This is one of my first star trails shot and now I find myself looking out for stars every night! This would have been impossible without a tripod and proper remote trigger.

Another good thing to practice before you head out is gear maintenance. I had to routinely clean my lens and camera throughout this trip. I made the decision to carry two camera cleaning kits just because I knew my gear would get a lot of use. Before every major outing, I spent the time to clean out the dirt and dust from the camera and the lens. The dust pen was kept in my camera bag just in case I needed it while I was out and about photographing.

#4 – Be Local and Think Like a Local

I have to include this one in any travel photography related article because it does relate indirectly to taking care of yourself and your gear. Often times I find photographers I meet along my journeys have a fake sense of entitlement. When you are a guest in someone’s house, are you not on your best behavior? Why is it that when you are a guest in another country, common sense and basic manners seem to fly out the window.

Locals are still people who deserve the same amount of respect and courtesy as anyone. Put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine what they experience when someone shoves a camera in their face without so much as a hello or a smile.

While in Ladhak, we visited a lot of beautiful monasteries. Most of them are still in use and we saw many temples where the monks were in prayer. Even if there is no sign discouraging photography, please use common sense to not invade their private space especially when they are chanting. I cannot tell you how many times I came across tourists that almost jumped over each other or hanging out of moving cars just to take pictures of them chanting and praying. Seeing this rude behavior almost made me embarrassed to take my camera out.

The infamous cable cars in Lucern, Switzerland…the clouds adds a certain mystery and aura to these engineering marvels!

Additionally flashing your fancy gear around is almost begging for the wrong kind of attention. I remember this one evening in Rome, I was out with my kids taking photos around some of the beautiful horse-drawn carriages. We lost track of time and soon found ourselves in a fairly deserted alley. I quickly put my gear away in my backpack, stuffed it with our jackets, grabbed my kids, and sprinted towards a more crowded piazza.

#5 – Make Friends with Local Photographers

The internet is an amazing tool for almost anything. It is such a great resource to find and connect with other photographers, especially if you are traveling to areas that are new and foreign to you. I was able to connect with some photographers in India as well as in Rome this summer. We chatted on the phone, met for dinner and just became friends.

They even gave me advice on some of the local, non-touristy spots to photograph as well as offered to lend me gear if I needed it. We tried to plan a shoot in India but the timing was not right, I know that the next time around we are going to create some magic, though.

I met up with another photographer and we attempted to do night photography in Mumbai. But the moisture in the air because of the monsoons was causing some weird light trails against all the lights. So we went for ice cream instead! But it was a cool experience none the less.

Conclusion

I hope these tips are helpful as you plan your next vacation in a far-off destination. If you have other tips and tricks that worked for you, please share them with the community so we may all learn new ways to have an exciting and creatively satisfying vacation.

The post 5 Tips for Taking and Caring for Your Camera Equipment in Far Away Places by Karthika Gupta appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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From Mundane to Magical: Tips on Taking Your Photos to the Next Level

05 Oct

You may be at a point with your photography where you are comfortable operating your camera and are capable of taking a good picture. You can work with exposure, you understand composition, and can even enhance your photos in post-processing. You should be pleased with this, as this puts you ahead of the vast majority of other photographers. But at the same time, perhaps you are not seeing the elevation in your results that you expect. You are beginning to wonder why you aren’t getting more stunning pictures. Are you doing something wrong? Is there some part of this you’re not getting?

From Mundane to Magical: Tips on Taking Your Photos to the Next Level

We all go through a phase where we feel like we know what we’re doing but are frustrated by a lack of great results. In fact, for some of us, it always feels like this. You’ll never go through a time where you’re hitting magical shot after magical shot. It just doesn’t work like that. You are after something extraordinary, and by definition that is rare.

How do you maximize your chances of finding these great shots? The short version is, “through a lot of effort,” and – while true – that isn’t very helpful. So here are some areas where I focus my efforts and perhaps they will help you too.

1. It Starts with Location

We all seem to want to take our cameras down to the local park or take a stroll around a nearby lake and then come home with stunning pictures. For the most part, it just doesn’t work like that. You typically need a great location in order to end up with a great picture.

You have likely heard that “you can take a great picture anywhere” – and that is true. But just because it is possible doesn’t mean it is probable. Magical lighting or sheer genius may allow some to get great shots in ordinary places, but it is extremely unlikely. To put the odds in your favor, you need to start with an extraordinary location.

How to Scout Your Photography Locations

From Mundane to Magical: Tips on Taking Your Photos to the Next Level

Everyone from tourists to photographers, to the producers of the Game of Thrones use this location as the background for their shots. Dark Hedges, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

How do you find such a location? There are lots of ways. If you are going to a well-traveled place such as a large city or a national park, some enterprising photographer has likely done the work for you. They will have written a book on how to photograph that particular place. These guides are invaluable and often all you will ever need. Beyond that, there are a plethora of online resources. I personally start with the 500px World Map and look at where great shots have been taken. I also like to check out the work of photographers who specialize in whatever I am going.

These resources will help you pick out good places to go. But they will also help you pinpoint specific spots to head to once you are in the area. None of this is to say you should slavishly copy any of these people, but rather that you should let their work inspire you and give you an idea of great locations that might serve as a backdrop for your upcoming stunning picture.

2. Getting that Magical Lighting

A great location alone will not result in a stunning picture. I’ve been to countless areas of great natural beauty or stunning urban environments only to walk away empty-handed. To create the stunning picture you are after, you are also going to need great lighting.

Some of you will create your own lighting through the use of flash. In that case, you’ll be able to create your own stunning lighting – and the whole thing is up to you. But that doesn’t work for me since I am always out and about photographing scenes, which aren’t as conducive to using flash.

Assuming you are like me and are relying on natural lighting, you just cannot guarantee great lighting. We all have to deal with bad weather and occasionally things don’t work out. That said, you can put the odds more in your favor.

Photograph at Sunrise and Sunset

When you are photographing the outdoors, the sky is often a big part of the picture. A great sunrise or sunset, therefore, goes a long way toward helping you create a great picture.

The first thing to do is make sure you are photographing around sunrise or sunset. I cannot tell you the number of times people have asked me how to elevate their photography and when I look at their pictures I find that they were all taken in the middle of the day. Usually, that’s just not going to work.

Photographing at sunrise or sunset has a myriad of advantages. The sky will often be very colorful. You will also not have to deal with the extreme contrast created by bright light and dark shadows. The diffuse rays of the sun are more pleasing as well. Think about it this way: there is a reason people sit outside and watch the sun come up or go down. Take advantage of that.

Don’t Overlook Bad Weather

Keep in mind that bad weather can often lead to the best shot. It is very much a risk/reward situation. Most of the time, cloudy hazy conditions result in failure. Sometimes, however, the sun might peek through or do something interesting such that you get magical rays in your photo. Typically, nice weather will result in nice pictures. Dramatic weather can result in dramatic pictures, and that is what you are going for.

Even an average marina can become a great shot when there is a storm approaching.

3. Creating the Composition

A great scene does not necessarily make a great photo. You’re probably familiar with rules of composition such as the rule of thirds. That is great, but this alone won’t result in the stunning photos you are after. To get there, you need something more. Here are some ideas to think about.

Start with a Center of Interest

The first thing you need is a subject or center of interest. Again, simply capturing a scene in front of you might create a nice picture, but not the shot that will cause people to say “wow” that you are after. You need something to hold the picture together. I cannot tell you exactly what that is since there are so many different things to use in this world, just be on the lookout for that.

Lead the Viewer’s Eye

Another thing that will help you is if you think about leading the viewer’s eye. You might immediately leap to the concept of leading lines, but it goes further than that. Think about where you want the viewer’s eye to start in your picture and then the route you want them to travel around it. Many times this is done in the post-processing phase. Remember that the eye is attracted to areas of brightness and sharpness. You might darken areas where you don’t want the viewer to concentrate while sharpening areas where you do want their eyes to go.

A nice view made more interesting by the path leading the viewer’s eye into the picture.

Concentrate on the Foreground

While you’re setting up your picture, be sure to think hard about the foreground. Think of your pictures as consisting of a background, subject, and foreground. The background is already largely set by your choice of location and lighting. The subject might be the thing that caused you to raise your camera to your eye in the first place (or in any event, you will already have thought about it). That leaves the foreground as the final variable. Don’t give it short shrift. Very often, getting low to the ground gives a sense that the viewer can walk into the picture and really enhances the image.

Add Mood and Emotion

Finally, be sure to think about the mood of your picture. A great picture stirs some emotion in your viewer. Therefore you’ll need to think about the emotion or mood as you are creating it. In the field, you might underexpose a bit to add some drama to your shot. Later, when you are on your computer, you will have time to consider this further and tweak your photo with an eye towards setting this mood.

4. Enhancing the Shot with Post Processing

There are photographers who shun the use of post-processing and devote all their time and energy to getting the shot right in the field. I’m not one of them. I have never taken a shot that I didn’t think could be improved with the use of post-processing.

From Mundane to Magical: Tips on Taking Your Photos to the Next Level

Of course, there are a million things you can do to enhance your photos in post-processing. It is not my intent to walk through them all here. Rather, I just want to stress the importance of taking your time and thinking about what you want to accomplish with your picture when you sit down with it at your computer. When you are sitting down in front of your computer, you have time to think it through and work on it. In the field, you may have been rushed – dealing with a moving subject or fleeting light. Now you have as much time as you want.

Think about what your picture is about. If a part of your image does not support that idea, crop it out. Use some selective sharpening and brightening/darkening to lead the viewer’s eye. Set the mood of your picture using brightness values.

The point is not to take a mundane picture and try to post-process it into some masterpiece. Rather, selectively take a few shots and enhance them with an eye towards both (a) what you were trying to accomplish and (b) what you want the viewer to think/feel when they are looking at your photo.

From Mundane to Magical: Tips on Taking Your Photos to the Next Level

5. Have Realistic Expectations

Finally, it is important to have realistic expectations. You aren’t going to go out and come home with a stunning picture every time. I fail all the time, and to avoid getting frustrated about it, I think about the words of Ansel Adams. He once said that he got about one great picture a month. Only one a month! If this master of photography was forced to settle for that kind of hit rate, then who am I to think I can do better? I ought to be happy with one shot a year.

From Mundane to Magical: Tips on Taking Your Photos to the Next Level

Creating the Magic

This all takes time and effort. In a lot of ways, it is like waiting for the stars to come together. There is no magic formula for going out and getting a stunning picture every time. If there were, we would all do it. Again, the whole idea is that you are looking for the extraordinary – and that doesn’t happen all the time.

Of course, these factors all work together somewhat. You can have magical lighting at a mundane location and end up with a stunning picture. Or the right post-processing can take a B+ picture and turn it into a winner. The point is not to get you to wait around for perfect conditions. Rather just to keep moving forward with the mindset that it isn’t always going to work, but when it does it is magic.

These are the things I look for in trying to create a great photo. But that’s not to say there aren’t other – even better – ways to go about it. What do you look for in trying to elevate your photos from the mundane into something magical? Please let us know in the comments below.

The post From Mundane to Magical: Tips on Taking Your Photos to the Next Level by Jim Hamel appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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6 Tips for Getting Consistent Results Shooting in Low Light

05 Oct

It’s often challenging for photographers to get consistent results in low light. Problems encountered may include camera shake, out of focus photos, and noisy images. There are three main reasons that these things happen.

How to Get Consistent Results Shooting in Low Light

You may not be using shutter speeds fast enough to hand-hold your camera without getting camera shake.
Your camera may struggle to focus properly in low light.
Your photos might be noisy because of high ISO settings, underexposure, or a combination of both.

With this in mind, let’s look at some steps you can take to get consistent results when shooting in low light conditions.

1. Take your camera off full automatic

If you’re using your camera in a fully automatic exposure mode, such as portrait or night scene, it’s time to stop. You have little or no control over your camera’s settings by using these modes. That stops you from getting the best results in low light.

The only modes I recommend that you ever use are Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Program Auto or Manual (the last one only if you really know what you’re doing).

How to Get Consistent Results Shooting in Low Light

For best results in low light avoid your camera’s fully automatic exposure modes!

2. Avoid using the built-in flash

Fully automatic exposure modes may also engage the camera’s built-in flash in low light. The problem is that built-in flash doesn’t provide high-quality light.

Don’t get me wrong. There will always be circumstances where it’s more important to get the photo than to worry about its aesthetic qualities. If you’re photographing a friend or loved one in the dark, it’s better to use the flash and capture the moment, however ugly the light, than not capture it all. But if you want to create beautiful photos, then you will want to either learn to use off-camera flash or make the most of the available light.

I made this photo at dusk using an off-camera flash with a softbox. There’s no way you can replicate this quality of the light in this image without the right equipment.

How to Get Consistent Results Shooting in Low Light

3. Use Image Stabilization

Image Stabilization lets you take sharp photos using longer shutter speeds than you could with a non-stabilized lens. This is useful to know if your photos tend to suffer from camera shake in low light.

There are two types of Image Stabilization. Canon and Nikon build it into their lenses. That means the technology only works if you have the right lens. As most kit lenses are image stabilized it is likely you own at least one image such lens you can use in low light.

Other manufacturers, like Olympus and Panasonic, place the image stabilization mechanism in the camera body. The advantage of this system is that it works with any lens. If you’re not sure how image stabilization works with your camera then check your manual for the details.

Most image stabilization systems give you a four-stop advantage. Let’s look at what that means in practice.

Let’s say you’re using an 18-55mm kit lens on an APS-C camera. Ideally, without image stabilization, you need a shutter speed of around 1/125 second to achieve a sharp image with a hand-held camera (some photographers may argue you could use a slower shutter speed). An image stabilization system that gives you a 4 stop advantage means you can drop the shutter speed to 1/8th of a second and still get a sharp image. That’s very helpful in low light.

For example, I made this photo in a dimly lit museum with a non-stabilized 18-55mm lens at 1/160 second, f5.6, ISO 1600. If the lens was image stabilized I would have had the option of using ISO 100 and 1/10th of a second, giving me a much cleaner image with less noise.

How to Get Consistent Results Shooting in Low Light

4. Don’t be afraid of high ISO

Most modern digital cameras give you excellent performance at high ISOs. It’s quite possible your camera is capable of giving great results at ISO 3200, 6400, or even higher. You won’t know until you try. This is another good reason for taking your camera off fully automatic. Now you can decide what ISO to use, rather than leaving it up to your camera.

The best thing to do is test your camera at all its high ISO levels to find your noise tolerance level. For example, you might find that ISO 6400 is the highest setting you’re comfortable using. Once you’ve decided this, you know the ISO range you can work with for your camera.

This photo is taken at ISO 6400, the highest ISO I’m comfortable using on my camera. I had to use the high ISO setting because the photo was taken indoors in low light.

Low light

5. Use a prime lens

If you don’t have one already then it’s worth considering buying a prime lens. For example, most 18-55mm kit lenses have a maximum aperture of f/5.6 at the 55mm end. But on a 50mm prime lens that maximum aperture could be f/1.8 (or even wider). That’s a difference of over three stops (eight times more light), which means that you can take photos in much lower light conditions.

The only caveat is that there is much less depth of field at wide apertures. But you can use this to your advantage by exploring the use of bokeh in your low light photos. I made this photo of a Chinese lantern, taken at night, using an 85mm lens set to f/2.

Low light

6. Use a tripod

A tripod comes in really handy for taking photos of landscapes and cityscapes in low light. All the methods listed so far, such as using a high ISO, Image Stabilization, prime lenses and so on, have disadvantages. Noise increases at high ISOs, wide apertures don’t give much depth of field, and even Image Stabilization has its limits.

The benefit of a tripod is that you can use your camera at its lowest ISO setting (giving good image quality), and a small aperture such as f/8 or f/11 (allowing for a greater depth of field).

Shutter speeds will slow right down at these settings. Again, use this to your advantage. Slow shutter speeds are great for landscape photography because moving parts of the landscape, like water, become a silky blur. With cityscapes, the light from passing traffic becomes long streaks of light.

A tripod also opens up techniques like long exposure photography (photos taken with shutter speeds between a minute and eight minutes long) and painting with light (using flash or torchlight to illuminate the scene during a long exposure).

I used a tripod to create this landscape photo, which needed an exposure of 30 seconds at f/8 and ISO 100. The water blurred during the exposure, which helps add mood and atmosphere to the photo.

Conclusion

The key to getting consistent results shooting in low light is understanding the limitations of your equipment and taking control of your camera to make it do what you need, rather than what it wants. With a bit of work and patience, you can learn to take great photos in low light. The benefit is that low light conditions are often beautiful. Most places and landscapes look beautiful at dusk. Shooting at these times will help you take moody photos.

Do you have any ideas for shooting in low light? Let us know in the comments!

If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about the creative side of photography then please check out my ebook Mastering Photography. It shows you how to take control of and be creative with your digital camera, no matter what your skill level!

The post 6 Tips for Getting Consistent Results Shooting in Low Light by Andrew S. Gibson appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Benefits of Using a Large Aperture and Tips for Shooting Wide Open

04 Oct

Upon first glance of one of my most prized lenses, the Canon 50mm f/1.2L USM, a bewildered remark typically arises from professionals and hobbyists alike. Though absolutely spectacular photographers in the industry love working with a wide open aperture, there are equally as many who wouldn’t touch anything lower than a f/4.0 with a ten foot pole.

“I’d never shoot as wide as f/1.2” is a common comment I’ve encountered over the years of working as a professional photographer.

Stylistic choices aside, upon further inquiry as to why the response to a f/1.2, f/1.8, or f/ 2.0 f-stop yielded such results the truth came out. There are common misunderstandings of how to use and work with a wide open aperture! If your artistic aesthetic drools over soft, dreamy photographs and creamy bokeh, then you better get ready to play with some low, low, low numbers.

Tips for Overcoming Common Misunderstanding of Shooting Wide Open

Before we get to the “how”, let’s discuss the “why”. There are several beneficial reasons to shoot with a wide open aperture, aside from simply liking the result.

Benefit #1 – Working with a Difficult Location

Depending on the type of photography that you do, you may not always have the option of utilizing an ideal location. Maybe your client is only able to commute to one place? Maybe the location of a shoot that was booked months prior has changed for the worse upon your arrival on site? Or maybe you just have to get a specific photo done pronto and you aren’t able to find a new spot?

Whatever the reason for your woes, a wide open aperture is here to help! With the depth-of-field being so shallow, whatever troubles you about the background can easily melt into a beautiful creamy bokeh. Utilizing an f-stop of f/2.0 or lower helps you work with a less than immaculate location, as the extremely shallow depth of field allows you to mask the flaws.

Tips for Overcoming Common Misunderstanding of Shooting Wide Open

Benefit #2 – Excellent for Detail Shots

A shallow depth of field can make for very beautiful detail shots. If you look through current wedding photography trends, you may find that several heavy-hitters in the industry are turning to wide open apertures to capture photographs of the bouquets, rings, and table settings. This is because photographs taken with a large aperture allow all of the focus to lie on the subject, and the background ceases to remain a distraction.

With events such as weddings, where the arrangements can appear cluttered if you only want to focus on one little aspect of the set-up, a shallow depth of field will keep the interest solely on your single subject. Music photography adores wide apertures for the same exact reason. If you want to bring out a detail while photographing behind-the-scenes of a recording session, f/1.2 is wonderful.

Tips for Overcoming Common Misunderstanding of Shooting Wide Open

Benefit #3 – Create a Dreamy Photographs without Post-Processing

With all of the technology available for photo editing, almost anything is possible with the right knowledge. However, rather than spending countless hours in the editing room creating a specific look artificially, why not get it right in the camera?

For those who adore dreamy, ethereal, or soft photographs, a wide aperture will quickly become your most trusted friend. Filmmakers consistently utilize wide open apertures in order to create a soft focus with a shallow depth of field to give the viewer the illusion of a dream-like state. When we dream, it is often hard to clearly and sharply recollect some of those thoughts when we wake. So the idea of soft and not perfectly in focus images came to mind.

We can replicate this using an aperture of f/1.2 easily, especially if you have objects in the foreground which are just as out of focus as the objects in the background.

Tips for Overcoming Common Misunderstanding of Shooting Wide Open

Benefit #4 – Makes Low Light Photography a Breeze

Possibly one of the most dreaded phrases in photography is “low light”. Two very short, simple words that cause some of the biggest photographer headaches. This is because there isn’t a lot of available light to play with, and as such, getting the right exposure can be hard.

However, if you want to take a well exposed photo in low light, you need a lens with a wide enough aperture to let in more light. Using a lens that goes down to f/1.8, for example, is a great way to let enough light in and make the frame bright. Remember, the aperture is the hole the light passes through in your lens. The wider the aperture, the more light that enters the camera.

Tips for Overcoming Common Misunderstanding of Shooting Wide Open

Now that we’ve covered some of the “why”, let’s have a nice chat about the “how.” Many of the challenges associated with a wide aperture revolve around the focus and photographing in bright light. From a recent poll I took, here are the primary issues troubling photographers about low f-stops, and some solutions to help you solve them.

Tip #1 – Shooting in Bright Sunlight Without Overexposing

With the aperture being the opening that lets light in through the lens, and a wide aperture which lets in a lot of light, one may think that shooting in the bright sunlight is off-limits. The solution to this dilemma is taking advantage of tinted filters that darken your lens, such as a neutral-density (or ND) filter. The purpose (and benefit) of an ND filter is to reduce the amount of light entering the lens. Doing so allows you to utilize a wide aperture that would otherwise produce overexposed pictures.

Benefits of Using a Large Aperture and Tips for Shooting Wide Open

Tip #2 – Getting Critical Focus

To quickly refresh you of the basics, when you focus your camera on a subject, it establishes a focal plane. To get your subject in focus, it has to be on the focal plane. Focal planes happen on an x (horizontal) and y (vertical) axis. This means anything along either of those axes will be in focus, and anything not on them will be out of focus.

Simple, right? Well, the difficulty with a wide open aperture is that your focal plane is quite small. As you decrease your aperture number and make the opening wider, the invisible area in front and behind the plane of focus will get smaller and smaller, leaving you with much less wiggle-room. As such, distance from the subject plays a key role in your focus.

When shooting wide open, even the smallest diversion from either of the focal plane axes will cause your subject to be out-of-focus photo. You cannot take a step forward or back without the need to refocus when shooting at a wide aperture. But by keeping this in mind, you can adjust your photography technique to better accommodate the small focal plane.

Benefits of Using a Large Aperture and Tips for Shooting Wide Open
A trick to help make sure that what you want in focus is indeed sharp, is to use single point autofocus. By default, your camera will probably select either the object that’s closest to the camera or what’s in the center of the frame. By using single point autofocus, you tell the camera exactly where to focus, which is extremely helpful with low aperture numbers. Refer to your camera model’s manual to find how to change the focus setting!

Benefits of Using a Large Aperture and Tips for Shooting Wide Open

Tip #3 – Getting Multiple Subjects Sharp

Keeping in mind how the focal plane works, there are several things you can do to ensure your multiple subjects are all in focus. First, try to set up all of your subjects on the same axis. Keep everything you want perfectly in focus the same distance from the camera.

Secondly, the farther away you are from the subject, the easier it is to get the subjects all in focus. If you have a large group of subjects you’d like in focus, move further away from them!

Benefits of Using a Large Aperture and Tips for Shooting Wide Open

Tip #4 – Getting Sharp Images Generally

Sharpness is an interesting concept. How sharp a subject appears is a matter of two things: the focus the camera captures and the amount of contrast on your subject. The term “sharpness” is, in fact, an illusion. You see, for an image to be considered sharp, it needs to have contrast. If the there is little contrast in the image, the subject will not look three-dimensional regardless of whether the focus is perfect or not.

Biologically, the way that our eyes work, our vision naturally detects edges to register sharpness, and shadows and highlights in order to record the depth in a subject. This is a very important concept to understand when answering the question of how to make images look sharp.

With this now in your knowledge arsenal, proper lighting aids significantly in making your images look sharp. The other factor in an image being sharp is, of course, the focus. Ensuring that your subject is in focus using the aforementioned techniques, combined with great lighting, will make certain that your images come out sharp.

Benefits of Using a Large Aperture and Tips for Shooting Wide Open

Now that you know how to take advantage of those low numbers and wide openings, go forth, and create!

Benefits of Using a Large Aperture and Tips for Shooting Wide Open

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