The post Canon Has at Least 7 New RF-Mount Cameras in the Works appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Canon is rumored to have seven new RF-mount cameras in the works, including an APS-C model, a high-megapixel model, a niche professional model, and an inexpensive model that will cost less than $ 1000 USD.
This latest round of Canon information comes from Canon Rumors, who explains that they “have attempted to piece together what is coming for the RF-mount camera lineup,” and that the information stems from “multiple known and anonymous sources.”
These new bodies will presumably debut over 2021 and 2022, and Canon Rumors specifically asserts that we will not see any new cameras drop in the last few months of this year. Instead, the EOS R camera lineup will begin to heat up in the first half of 2021; that’s when we can start looking forward to a new batch of powerful Canon models.
So what, specifically, can we expect?
First, there are a few cameras that have been rumored for months, if not longer:
A high-resolution, full-frame mirrorless model, one likely designed for serious landscape and commercial photographers and poised to compete against the Sony a7R IV. Canon Rumors explains that this may be an “R5 body with ‘twice the resolution;’” as the EOS R5 is a respectable 45 MP, that would make any high-megapixel EOS R5 at least 60 MP, but probably more in the 75 to 90 range.
A pro-level camera designed for sports and action photographers in the style of the Canon 1D X Mark III. This camera should offer blazing-fast shooting speeds, class-leading autofocus, and a rugged build.
An APS-C RF-mount model, one that will potentially cater to photographers looking for Canon 7D-like shooting capabilities in a mirrorless body.
There are also two RF-mount cinema cameras on the docket: the Cinema EOS C90 and the Cinema EOS C50. Both of these bodies are designed for videographers but use RF-mount lenses.
Canon Rumors also reports several additional upcoming models, including an “entry-level camera to replace the EOS RP,” which “will be cheaper than the current EOS RP camera body.” Since the EOS RP is currently $ 999 USD, you can expect a sub-$ 1000 USD price tag (and potentially one that’s several hundred dollars lower!). Note that this will still be a full-frame model, so if you’re looking to break into the full-frame mirrorless world but have balked at the prices thus far, this EOS RP replacement could be exactly what you’re after.
Finally, Canon Rumors predicts a model above the future sub-$ 1000 camera but below the EOS R6 in price (so somewhere in the $ 800 USD to $ 2500 USD range). Note that the Canon EOS R currently slots between the EOS RP and EOS R6, but Canon Rumors claims that the new camera is not a direct EOS R replacement.
Regardless, we’ve got quite a lot to look forward to over the next couple of years (not to mention Canon’s RF lens lineup, which should grow substantially). So keep an eye out for further news on these Canon RF-mount cameras.
Now over to you:
Which of these RF-mount camera models are you most looking forward to? Are there any that you’d love to own? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post Canon Has at Least 7 New RF-Mount Cameras in the Works appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post What Is Abstract Photography? (Plus Three Ideas for Getting Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.
What is abstract photography?
The exact definition can be tricky to pin down. It seems that everyone has an opinion, but those opinions can differ wildly depending on who you talk to. Of course, there will always be regional and cultural variants, but let me try and tell you where abstract photography came from.
That way, you can decide what abstract photography means to you.
What is abstract photography?
Abstract photography is no one particular style or technique. It has varied in style and approach for the last century or so.
However, all abstract photographers do have one thing in common: They are always looking to avoid symbolic representation.
What does that mean?
Well, it means that abstract photographers reject the idea that a photograph must always be of something recognizable. Instead, abstract photographers focus on color, shape, and texture.
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM | 100mm | 1/320 sec | f/2.8 | ISO 100
It was in the 1930s that abstract photography really became recognized internationally. Early pioneers include Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, and Dora Maar. For some photographers, the process of making images was just as important as the result, which meant that new techniques and new ways of taking photographs were discovered during this period.
Much abstract photography today involves unusual framing and viewpoints in order to try and disassociate the object being photographed from the resultant images. Abstract photographers almost try and trick our eyes and minds into not being able to easily understand what they’re looking at. Such abstract images often use high contrast, sharp focus, and an emphasis on geometric structure.
Now that we’ve answered the question of what is abstract photography, it’s time to try and put the theory into practice.
Here are three techniques you can use to try and shoot your own abstract photos:
Make it out of focus
One of the first things we all learn in photography is how to get things in focus. In fact, our cameras will do this automatically for us if we want them to!
Accurate focus and good sharpness are two of the most desirable traits that most photographers look for in a photograph. So what happens when you subvert that traditional approach?
This bright red photograph (below) was created by using extension tubes to get right up close to a flower. I then ensured that the entire image was out of focus. The colors and patterns become the focus of the image instead of the flower itself:
Canon EOS 350D | Canon 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 | Extension tubes | 1/1000 sec | ISO 200
You can take this one step further by turning your image black and white to remove all of the color information. This abstracts the subject even more, moving the photograph further away from the original object and reality:
Canon EOS 350D | Canon 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 | Extension tubes | 1/1000 sec | ISO 200
For a photographer who is trying to explore what is abstract photography, this approach of creating out of focus photos can be a great way to start. It forces you to think hard about the composition of your images as you play only with light, color, and shape.
Make it move
There are several ways to “make it move” when you’re doing abstract photography. You can move your subject, or you can move your camera.
Moving the camera can be as simple as panning the camera left to right during long exposures to capture the beautiful tones of a golden beach under blue skies. This will create smooth strips of horizontal color across the photograph.
An exciting way to shoot motion-based abstract photography is to attend sports events. The photograph below was shot at a classic car racing meet, the block colors of the barriers and curb creating stripes of colorful interest in the picture:
For creating abstract images with panning, first set a long exposure. You might need a very low ISO and a narrow aperture in order to get a shutter speed that’s long enough if it’s a sunny day.
Then move your whole body to follow the subject with your camera. It will take lots of practice!
Fujifilm X-T20 | Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 R | 35mm | 1/170 sec | f/5.6 | ISO 200| Layered images in Adobe Photoshop
Instead of moving your camera, you can also try moving your subject. The deceptively simple image of a glass bottle (above) is not quite as it seems. It was created from a dozen different shots, layered on top of each other using a Pep Ventosa technique. For each shot, the bottle was rotated slightly to catch the imperfections in the glass and the slight movement.
Make it repetitive
Repetition is a technique that can be used to great effect in abstract photography. It makes the viewer focus on the patterns and shapes rather than the subject.
Fujifilm X-T20 | Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 R | 35mm | 1/340 sec | f/8.0 | ISO 200
Try finding patterns in architecture and then isolating them, rather than photographing the whole building. This kind of approach of looking for details in larger scenes can help you really understand what abstract photography is all about.
If you want to shoot some architectural abstracts, modernist buildings are some of the best subjects. Their clean, smooth lines really lend themselves to abstract photography.
To remove your picture further from reality, you can experiment with color toning the image in Lightroom, or even turn it black and white.
Conclusion: What is abstract photography?
There are many different answers to the question, “What is abstract photography?” And there are many different ways to create abstract images.
What’s important is to try to move away from straight reproductions of scenes and objects that look just like reality.
Try introducing movement, repetition, or even making your images out of focus. Creating abstract photos is a great way to try breaking the rules and pushing the boundaries of what is usually seen as the correct way to do photography!
The post What Is Abstract Photography? (Plus Three Ideas for Getting Started) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Charlie Moss.
The post How to Use Photoshop to Add Lightning to Your Stormy Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
Did you know you can use Photoshop to add lightning bolts to your images?
Thunderstorms are a great photographic subject, and bolts of lightning can add drama to your photos. Unfortunately, they don’t necessarily occur when you want them.
And you can’t always base your photoshoots around natural events. That’s when post-processing comes to your aid.
How to use Photoshop to add lightning
Have you ever seen a thunderstorm and wished it had happened the day before when you were out doing an urbex photoshoot? Or have you ever you looked at one of your photos and thought that a thunderstorm would have added the perfect ambiance?
Unless you’re a professional that specializes in this kind of photography and purposely chases storms, you’ll rarely have a thunderstorm when you’re in the right location with the proper equipment.
And even if you are in the right place at the right time, it’s not always easy to photograph lightning.
Not to worry.
Because there are several different ways to use Photoshop to add lightning – and create the perfect thunderstorm in your photos.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you two ways of adding lightning to your images. The first way is by making a composite. The second way is to create a lightning bolt inside Photoshop.
So choose the one that’s better for you, and let’s get started.
Use Photoshop to add lightning via compositing
This technique is very easy to do, but you must already have a lightning photograph on hand.
Step 1: Choose and open your images
First, you need to choose the two images that you’re going to use. One of them will be the background where the lightning bolt is going to be added.
This method will work best if the image has a moody sky. You can always place a bolt of lightning into a clear blue sky, but an already-moody sky will look more realistic and have more drama. So pick an image with lots of clouds and contrast.
The second image is the one with the lightning bolt in it. If you’ve photographed thunderstorms in the past, then you can use one of those images. If not, you can always get a lightning bolt from a free stock photography website.
Open both images in Photoshop. Then drag the lightning photo onto the new background; this will automatically paste it into a new layer.
Alternatively, you can use the commands Edit>Copy and Edit>Paste.
Step 2: Use Photoshop’s blending modes to add lightning
Your new layer should be covering the background, so you need to blend both layers together and integrate the lightning bolt.
I prefer to keep the original color, but you can also make your lightning image black and white and then make it darker to make the blending easier.
Whether you decide to leave the lightning in color or change it to black and white, you need to change the blend mode. You can do this by opening the drop-down menu in the Layers panel and selecting your desired mode.
For my example, Overlay is the most appropriate. And it can be a good starting point for you, too, but feel free to experiment with other options.
Step 3: Fine-tune your composite
Move and adjust the lightning bolt until it’s positioned the way you want it in the background image. Once everything is in place, you need to do some advanced blending in the Layer Style dialog box.
To open the Layer Style box, just double-click on the layer next to its name. Don’t click on the thumbnail or the name itself, because those are different tools. A pop-up window will appear; that’s the Layer Style box. At the bottom, you’ll find the Blend If option.
Here, you need to move the sliders to the right. Start with the top slider (which controls the current layer). Hold Alt while you drag to split the slider and create a more gradual effect. Then, if necessary, do the same with the slider on the underlying layer. Once the lightning looks integrated into the photo, you can click OK to close the dialog box.
You can now add a layer mask to further fine-tune the effect. The source of the lightning is always lighter than the rest of the sky, so you might need to add a gradient to create that effect.
You can also color black any residual elements that didn’t disappear via the Blend If settings.
That’s it! Your composite is now ready. You can add other filters or do some more editing to finalize your picture.
How to use Photoshop to add (and create) lightning bolts
For this method, you only need to have a background image. Again, the choice is yours, but a cloudy day or dramatic scenery will help create more impact.
Step 1: Create a lightning bolt
Open the background image in Photoshop and create an empty new layer at the top of the layer stack.
To fill it, grab the Gradient tool, set it to Linear Gradient, and drag the tool across the canvas. Make sure that your gradient goes from black to white. These choices can be found in the Options bar at the top of the screen.
With the same layer selected, go to Filter>Render>Difference Clouds. There are no settings (or previews) for this kind of filter; it just generates a pattern using random values.
Now invert it by going to Image>Adjustments>Invert. You can also use the shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + I.
Then go to Image>Adjustments>Levels. In the pop-up window, you’ll find a histogram with a slider (this is the Levels adjustment). Drag it to the right until the background is all black and only white lines are visible. You’ll notice that some of these white lines resemble lightning bolts.
Pick a “lightning bolt” and start painting with black to cover the other lines using the Brush tool. Keep going until you leave only a line that looks like lightning. The size and shape are up to you; there’s no specific formula.
If you only want to add that lightning bolt, then just adjust the blend mode of the layer and position it where you want it (see the composite technique explained in the first part of this article).
If you’d like to add several lightning bolts or one lightning bolt with a more complex shape and multiple branches, then I recommend you make a brush.
Step 2: Make a custom brush
To create a brush, you have to select the lightning bolt you just made. To do that, you can use any selection tool that is comfortable for you. In this case, I’d recommend using Color Range.
Once you’ve selected your lightning bolt, click on Edit>Define Brush Preset and give it a name. To make the lightning more dynamic, you can adjust the settings and make it change size and direction.
Now you have a lightning bolt brush that you can use in any photograph without having to create one again and again. At this point, you can hide or delete the lightning layer.
Step 3: Add lightning bolts in Photoshop
Create a new empty layer on top of the background. That way, you can have the lightning bolts in a separate layer to edit and modify them as required.
Start painting one or more lightning bolts until you’re satisfied with the thunderstorm effect.
Step 4: Fine-tune the effect
You can add a layer mask to integrate the lightning using a gradient to make it look more natural.
You can also add a Solid Color layer above the lightning layer. You can then use the Blend If tool to color only the lightning bolts.
Your thunderstorm is ready now! However, you can continue to post-process the final image if you want to give it a specific look. Black and white usually works very well for these type of images, so give that a try.
How to use Photoshop to add lightning: conclusion
I hope this article helped you see how easy it is to use Photoshop to add lightning.
Feel free to share tips and your own amazing images in the comments section below!
The post How to Use Photoshop to Add Lightning to Your Stormy Photographs appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
The post How to Read and Use Histograms appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.
The histogram is a useful but often misunderstood tool that your camera provides to help you get the correct exposure in your images.
In this article, we’re going to look at how to read a histogram, and how to use it to your advantage. Getting the best exposure (there is no such thing as the “correct” exposure, as it’s all subjective) in-camera should be your goal every time you click the shutter.
Using these tips should help you increase your photographic success rate!
What is a histogram?
Here’s the dictionary definition:
A histogram is a bar graph of a frequency distribution in which the widths of the bars are proportional to the classes into which the variable has been divided and the heights of the bars are proportional to the class frequencies.
Huh? Anyone else confused? So what does a histogram really do? And how do you read it?
Let’s have a look!
How to read the histogram
A histogram is a graphical representation of the pixels in your image. The left side of the graph represents the blacks or shadows, the right side represents the highlights or bright areas, and the middle section represents the midtones (middle or 18% gray).
The heights of the peaks represent the number of pixels of a particular tone (with each peak corresponding to a different tone). Each tone from 0-255 (0 being black and 255 being white) is one pixel wide on the graph, so imagine the histogram as a bar graph all squished together with no spaces between each bar.
Have a look at the diagrams below:
What can we learn from a histogram?
There are many things we can learn about an image just by looking at its histogram.
We can tell that an image is well-exposed if it reaches fully from edge to edge without a gap on one side of the graph, and it isn’t heavily going up one side or the other. In an ideal world, the graph should just touch the left and right edges of the histogram, and not spill up the sides. The graph should also have a nice arch in the center.
However, this “ideal histogram” doesn’t always apply in every situation for every scene. Here are a few examples:
This is how an ideal histogram might look, evenly distributed, edge to edge, not up the sides.
This is a histogram for a dark subject. It is not wrong; it is just more shifted to the left to represent the tones of the subject. This might be a black cat on dark pavement.
This is a histogram for a light subject (e.g., a white cat) with mostly light tones in the scene and few dark areas. See how it is shifted to the right compared to the dark subject? This is what you want, assuming your scene is mostly light-toned. If you change your exposure to keep the graph centered, you will end up with a gray cat, not a white one.
When the histogram tells you to adjust your exposure
Gaps on either end indicate you are missing information and your exposure can be shifted safely without losing detail. When your graph is shifted too far in one direction or the other direction, so that it does not even touch the other edge, you can safely shift your exposure to cover more of the range of tones. Let’s look!
This graph shows an overexposed image; notice the gap on the left side indicating a lack of any blacks in the image. It also means you will lose lots of detail in the white areas that may not be recoverable. In this case, shift to give your image less exposure and shoot the scene again.
This histogram shows the opposite. Now we see a gap on the right side of the graph indicating there are no whites represented, so the image will be dark – too dark. You can safely give the image more exposure until you see the tones just touch the right edge of the histogram.
What do the spikes up the sides mean?
Spikes up the left or right edge of the histogram indicate “clipping” of that tone and a loss of detail in that area. Clipped areas are often unrecoverable, especially in the highlights.
It is generally advised to expose so that your graph just touches the right edge (which indicates that you’ve kept your highlight details). It is usually easier to recover some shadow detail and retain a decent image than to try and create highlight detail that isn’t in the file.
In some scenes, however, it may not be possible to keep the graph within an acceptable range. For example, you’ll struggle to get great results if you are photographing a scene with extreme contrast, such as:
Sunset
Bright sunlight and deep shadows
A building interior where you also show the area outside the windows
In all of those cases, you will not be able to keep from clipping either your blacks, your whites, or both.
High contrast graph
The graph above shows an image with extreme contrast, lots of blacks, a spike of white, and not much in the middle.
Is this wrong? Can you correct for it?
No, it’s not wrong.
And you can’t really “correct” for it, but you do have a decision to make when you see something like this. Do you shift the graph left and maintain highlight detail, or shift it right and keep shadow detail?
There is no right or wrong here. It’s all how you interpret the scene before you. If in doubt, shoot both and decide later. The graph above comes from the image below, so as you can see it is not the incorrect exposure at all. There are simply no midtones in the scene:
Here’s another example of a scene that will potentially go off the graph on both ends:
Notice the skylight at the top of the roof is blown out, and the deep shadows have little detail.
Notice how, in this image, the details have been retained in both the highlights and the shadows.
Using advanced techniques like image merging and blending, HDR, or careful post-processing, you can compress the tonal range of a scene to fit within the histogram and therefore have details in all areas.
For the image above, I’ve used four bracketed images (taken two stops apart) and the HDR tone mapping process to bring the dynamic range of the scene down within a printable range.
One more handy thing on your camera: the “blinkies”
To help you establish how far you can go when exposing, most cameras have a setting called “highlight warnings.” It will make any overexposed highlights flash or blink when you preview your images on the camera LCD. Many people affectionately call these “the blinkies.”
Notice the flashing areas; that means the highlights are being clipped in those parts of the image.
To do this on a Nikon camera, preview an image and press the Up or Down button (near the OK button) until you see the highlights flashing or outlined. This is the “highlight mode.” If you choose this setting, your camera will remember to use it for the next image you preview. You may need to activate the “highlight warnings” feature in your settings menu first, however.
To do this with a Canon camera, press the Display or Info button (depending on your model) until the blinking highlights show up on the screen when previewing images. You may also need to turn on this feature in the menu settings. Check your camera manual if you aren’t sure how to do this.
Summary
By using the tools your camera provides you, it’s easier to understand how to adjust your image exposure. There is a lot more to know about the histogram, and you can use it when you process your images in Photoshop or Lightroom, as well.
Just keep in mind that, if you shoot in JPEG format, nailing the exposure in-camera is even more critical. If you shoot in RAW format, you have some leeway to make adjustments later, but it’s still a better idea to get it right in the first place.
The post How to Read and Use Histograms appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darlene Hildebrandt.
The post The Sony a7 IV Will Launch in 2021, With a 30+ MP Sensor and 4K/60p Recording appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The Sony a7 IV will likely be the next a7 model to launch, around a year after the a7S III (pictured above).
It’s been over two years since the release of the Sony a7 III, but it seems like we’re finally getting close to its successor.
According to Sony Alpha Rumors, the a7 IV will debut midway through 2021. And while the camera won’t offer any truly groundbreaking features, SAR’s “usually very good source” suggests a suite of intriguing specs.
First, the sensor will no longer fit Sony’s 24 MP mold. Instead, we’ll be treated to a megapixel upgrade, something in the “30-32 MP region.” If this is true, the Sony a7 IV resolution will offer a meaningful boost over the 24 MP a7 III and a7C, without reachingthe storage-hogging heights of the a7R series. Personally, I’m a big fan of this megapixel “middle ground” – it guarantees some additional pixels without significantly affecting high-ISO noise performance (and you can bet that Sony’s done a good job with the sensor, which means that it’ll offer a noise performance at least comparable to the excellent a7 III).
One of the few areas where the a7 III has lagged behind the competition is with the electronic viewfinder, which comes in at 2.36M-dots, compared to the Canon EOS R’s and the Nikon Z6’s 3.69M-dot resolution. But while the a7 IV won’t compete with its 5.76M-dot sibling, the a7R IV, SAR claims the a7 IV should offer a 3.69M-dot EVF, which puts it in a “professional” range and should improve the overall a7 IV shooting experience.
Sony Alpha Rumors also claims that, despite a “cheap” LCD, the “image quality and AF will be top-notch.” While I wouldn’t expect anything less from an a7 III successor, it’s nice to hear it from a source.
As for video:
The a7 IV will offer (unsurprisingly) 4K/60p recording, which should be enough for most videographers, though it certainly won’t turn heads like the a7S III with its 4K/120p capabilities, or the Canon EOS R5 with its 8K option.
Finally, you can expect a price of around $ 2500 USD, which is expensive without heading into that “niche professional” category.
We’re a long way off from an announcement, but make sure to check back on dPS for any relevant updates!
The post The Sony a7 IV Will Launch in 2021, With a 30+ MP Sensor and 4K/60p Recording appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post How to Photograph Sun Flares: 14 Tips for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.
Sun flares can add beauty and drama to your photos. Cameras and lenses are designed to cut down on flare – so when it comes to sun flares, you have to be a rule-breaker right from the beginning.
In this article, I’ll share 14 tips to help you get started photographing sun flares!
Photographing sun flares: 14 tips for beginners
There are no rules for sun flare photography; it’s all about creativity. You can capture sun flares at any time of day, and with these easy tips, you’ll be out experimenting in no time.
1. Try various aperture settings
Have you noticed that in some photos sun flares look soft and diffused, while in others they look bold and defined? That has a lot to do with which aperture setting was used.
If you use a fairly wide aperture, like f/5.6, you’ll get soft flares. But if you use a small aperture, like f/22, you’ll get stronger, more defined flares.
In the split image above, the f/5.6 shot is a softer-looking flare, and the f/22 shot is more defined. The points of the flare are created by the blades of the aperture inside your lens. When the blades come closer together (as with narrow apertures like f/22), you get more defined points in your flares.
Using different apertures will give you a variety of looks to choose from when you’re editing. You’ll also learn which type of sun flare you prefer, depending on the setting and feel you want in your photo.
2. Use Aperture Priority mode
The easiest way to control the aperture (as discussed above) is to put your camera in Aperture Priority mode (indicated with an “AV” on a Canon camera, and an “A” on a Nikon camera). That way, you’ll be able to easily adjust the aperture setting.
And with your camera set to Auto ISO, it will automatically choose the ISO and shutter speed settings for you.
Now you’ll be able to quickly switch apertures and see the difference it makes to your sun flares.
3. Partially hide the sun
Use an object (such as a fence post, building, or tree, etc.) to partially hide the sun. This will allow you to capture flare while adding an artistic touch to the object you’re shooting.
Move around the object and let the sun peek out at different locations as you keep taking photos. I love doing this, and I always come away with something unique.
4. Move around and take lots of pictures
When shooting sun flares, it really helps to move around – a lot. If you are partially hiding the sun (as mentioned in the previous tip), a slight movement to the right or left will cause a big change in the flare. Your photo could be flooded with too much light, or you might miss the flare altogether. But moving could also reveal the flare in just the right spot to create the look you want.
It’s important to take lots of pictures. You’ll eventually learn how much sun to include in relation to the amount of flare you want.
Sun flares can be unpredictable; that’s part of what makes them fun to work with.
5. Try using some filters
When photographing sun flares, filters can be helpful. I recommend considering either of the following options:
Polarizing filter: You’ll get different effects as you rotate this filter. It can help increase color saturation and decrease reflections. If you have a polarizer, play around with it and see how it affects the flares.
Graduated neutral density filter: This filter is darker at the top and becomes lighter near the bottom. It can prevent part of the image from looking blown-out when shooting into the sun.
I used a graduated neutral density filter for the photo on the right. It helped control the light, which kept the colors richer.
6. Shoot during different times of day
Around sunrise and sunset, the sunlight comes in at a unique angle. This creates a warmer, golden color, whereas during midday, there is a cooler (bluish) or more neutral light.
In the following image, two of the photos were taken around sunset, and the other two were taken a few hours after sunrise. Can you guess when each photo was taken?
I bet you got it right – the images on the left were taken near sunset. They have a warmer feel, don’t they? Whereas the images on the right have a cooler feel.
7. Divide the sun with your camera
You can get a softer, more diffused look by composing your photo so that the sun is not fully in the frame. Try cutting the sun in half, or only including its bottom third.
Play with it. Create different effects and see which you prefer.
8. Use a tripod and a remote shutter release
As I mentioned earlier, a smaller aperture setting (higher f-number) will give you a sharper, more defined flare.
But using a small aperture also means that your camera will require more time to take the photo. The longer the image takes, the more chance there is for camera shake to cause blur.
If you are handholding your camera, this could be a problem. When your camera is on a tripod, there is much less chance of camera shake.
Using a tripod will help keep your photos looking sharp and your sun flares looking crisp. By using a remote shutter release (or your camera’s self-timer), you’ll reduce camera shake even more.
9. Keep the sun at your model’s back
By keeping the sun at your model’s back, you’ll allow the light of the flare to spill out around them in interesting ways.
Depending on the time of day, you might need to lie down, and have your model sit or lie down, too. The image above was taken around 3:00 PM in the afternoon, and I was lying on the ground.
The higher the sun is, the lower you’ll need to be in order to place the flare at your model’s head or at your model’s shoulders. Having your model sit down will make it easier for you.
And when the sun is lower in the sky, positioning becomes easier for both of you.
10. Use a reflector
A reflector is designed to reflect the light back onto your subject. Reflectors are usually made of fabric (white, silver, or gold) and can be handheld, hung from a freestanding base, or placed on the ground.
Using a reflector can be helpful if your model is in the shade. It helps to brighten the face, making the photo look more pleasing.
11. Cover the sun with your hand to focus
It can be hard to focus when shooting sun flares. There is so much light that your camera may struggle to lock focus on the right spot.
When this happens, hold up your hand to cover the sun, compose your photo, and press your shutter release halfway. Once your camera focuses, take your hand down and press the shutter the rest of the way.
You may have to try this a number of times until you get exactly what you want.
12. Place the sun out of the frame
To get a really soft flare effect without a bright point, try placing the sun out of your frame.
I love how this adds soft light (as shown in the photo above), and how the eye is drawn up to the source of light.
13. Use spot metering
Spot metering handles bright light really well, so if you’ve got a choice, go with this metering mode. All but one of the photos in this article were taken using spot metering.
If your camera does not have spot metering, then partial metering is the next best choice. Note that I use autofocus with the focus point set to the center (as the focus point is where your metering mode will be active).
14. Have fun!
This last tip is probably the most important:
When photographing sun flares, experiment and have fun.
Don’t be afraid to take tons of pictures, try different aperture settings, and move around. Sun flares are wild and unpredictable. Be creative and use different objects to block (or diffuse) the light. You’re bound to get lots of overexposed and underexposed photos, but you’ll get a lot of gorgeous results, as well.
Photographing sun flares: Now it’s your turn
I would love to see your sun flare photos and hear your tips! Please share them in the comments below.
The post How to Photograph Sun Flares: 14 Tips for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.
The post dPS Roundup: The Best Photos of October appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
Welcome to a new segment we like to call “dPS Roundup: The Best Photos of the Month,” which is exactly what it sounds like:
We share a handful of some fantastic photographs that you have submitted to our weekly challenge!
Don’t know what our weekly challenge is? You can find the current challenge, as well as all of our previous challenges, right here. Feel free to work your way back through the archive and try them all!
Our themes for October were Minimalism, Iconic, Bicycle, Silhouette, and Grey (if you missed them, you can still post a photo).
So let’s take a look at the best photos of the month!
A stunning photograph from our #dPSMinimalism challenge comes from Chris Roe. What is minimalism as applied to a photograph? Well, it’s subjective, I guess. But it’s generally described as such:
“Minimalist photography is a form of photography that is distinguished by extreme, austere simplicity. It emphasizes spareness and focuses solely on the smallest number of objects in the composition process.”
Iconic was our second theme for October. Again, that subjective phrase comes into play; I guess things can be iconic for different reasons to different people! There were some amazing images, but this is one that jumped out at us by Peter. Maybe because it’s “our city” #dPSIconic – Flinders Street Station.
I may have chosen the #dPSBicycle theme as I had just picked up my new bicycle (an attempt to regain some fitness!) and was (and still am!) inspired! We had some fantastic images submitted for this theme, but the one we’ve chosen for the round-up is from Stamatis Iliadakis and combines some great aspects: leading lines, slow shutter, and “silly walks!” (if you know, you know). Well done, Stamatis!
This stunning photograph for our #dPSSilhouette theme is by Piotr Plaskon, and was a stand-out for me! If you want to try silhouette photography but you’re not sure how, take a look at this post to get some tips.
Our last challenge for the month of October was #dPSGrey, and our stand-out photo comes from Paula Gallagher Brown in our Facebook group (join, it’s fun!). Well done, Paula!
There are so many well-thought-out, perfectly photographed images every week! Thank you for joining in the weekly challenge, and we hope to see your photographs up here for November!
The post dPS Roundup: The Best Photos of October appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
The post 10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sean Gannon.
Creating beautiful headshots can seem like a daunting prospect. To have one person in front of your camera, looking to you for direction and positivity, can be tough. Plus, people are generally very critical of themselves when in front of the camera and can feel very nervous.
However, there are some simple things that you can do to make headshots a lot easier for everyone.
So here are 10 tips to help you photograph headshots:
1. Have a pre-session consultation
Before your session, make sure you know how the images will be used and what style your subject would like. You can have this “pre-session consultation” on the phone or face-to-face. Talking to your subject will help them relax so much more than an email, and a consultation will allow you to help them prepare for the session.
Make sure they know what to expect and are as relaxed as possible.
Find out what profession your subject is involved in; a corporate lawyer may opt for a clean white background look (above), while a more relaxed style of business (e.g., a yoga instructor) may prefer a more colorful, environmental image (below). Find out in the consultation what they want so you are prepared on the day.
2. Help your subject choose the right clothes
Generally speaking, solid, neutral colors work best for headshots, as you want to avoid anything that distracts from people’s faces.
If you’re looking to achieve a formal style, make sure that everyone gets the message and remembers to bring formal work clothes with them. Men often forget their jackets, so for a consistent look, try to have a spare one on hand, even if you need to clip it at the back.
If you know you’ll have lots of time with a person, get them to bring a few items of clothing. Remind them to iron their clothes, as well.
Here are some examples of good clothing choices:
3. Create separation from the background
For great headshots, make sure your subject doesn’t stand too close to the background.
If you are using a studio background (or the wall in an office) and you position someone close to it, you may see shadows on the wall, which makes the images look less professional.
For environmental headshots outdoors, I still recommend separation from the background. The resulting bokeh will create a nice, nondescript background, especially when you shoot at a wide aperture. Typically, I aim for an aperture of f/4 for environmental and natural light sessions, and f/8 for studio-style sessions with lights.
4. Starting the session
Whether you are photographing headshots for a single person or a whole team, make sure you have a general chat with each person first to help them relax.
This can be just a 10-second, confident handshake and a “How are you?” People generally feel very nervous about having their photograph taken, and talking about something within their comfort zone (where they live, if they have children or pets, etc.) will really help them to become (and to appear!) more comfortable.
5. Silly faces!
A great way of helping people relax in front of the camera – especially if you don’t have much time with them – is to ask them to pull a funny face for the first frame.
Use this as a lighting test for a new person, as well. It’s a great way to break the ice, and very few people will refuse to do it. Once your subject has pulled a silly face, everything else is easy!
6. Lighting and positioning
For business and actors’ headshots, I tend to light quite evenly. There are a few circumstances where the images are low-key, but for the most part, they are evenly lit. A classic beauty lighting setup works well, with one light above and a second light, or a reflector, supplying fill light from below.
Ensure the subject is turned with their body 45 degrees away from the camera and toward the main light source (if your lighting allows for this). Their face should be pointed straight toward the camera. You may need to guide people to look straight down the lens. It’s surprising how many people look off-camera, at the flash, or somewhere random.
7. Sit people down
People may be more comfortable sitting down, and by asking them to rest their hands on the tops of their thighs, it gives them something to do with their hands. It also ensures that the subjects all know where they need to be, and that they don’t move around too much.
8. It’s all about the little adjustments
What separates a great headshot from an average one is generally very small changes. These little adjustments can make all the difference. The slight tilt to the head, leaning forward, a gentle but intriguing smile. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to make very specific changes to their expression and position until you get the image you’re looking for.
9. Keep talking and be positive
When you’re in the midst of taking photographs, make sure that you keep talking to your subject. Reassure them that they’re doing it right and you’re getting great images.
Even if you’re not satisfied with the images you get when your subject turns their head in a certain direction or when the light falls in a bad way, never express those feelings. Silence will kill the atmosphere, so no matter what is happening, just keep chatting and being positive.
10. Shoot tethered
If you have all the necessary equipment, shooting tethered is a fantastic way to get great headshots. When people see a couple of shots on the screen, they can very quickly get an idea of what needs to be changed. The immediate feedback from the screen will help everyone massively.
Photographing great headshots: conclusion
I hope you find these tips for better headshots helpful.
Do you have any other tips we missed? Please share them – and your favorite headshot photos – in the comments below!
On Pinterest? Here’s an image to pin.
The post 10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sean Gannon.
The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Coffee appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
Right then! This is a little self-indulgent, but, I like to photograph my coffee (not even kidding!) and I thought it might be fun to see how others around the world take their coffee, so let’s try it – #dPSCoffee is the theme! You have to make a new photograph, none of that plucking one from the archives – head out and grab a coffee, trek to the kitchen, whatever you prefer! Will you light it, place it in the morning sun? What will it be!
Morning shadows & coffee
Photography & Coffee seem to go together pretty well, so I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with this week!
An espresso in the morning sun.
Great! Where do I upload my photos?
Simply upload your shot into the comments 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 favourite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them.
Share in the dPS Facebook Group
You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.
If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSCoffee to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.
Follow us on Instagram?
The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Coffee appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
The post Insta360 One R Review: An Action Camera With a Twist appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
The Insta360 One R debuted in February 2020 and was touted as an all-in-one modular action camera that can transform from a 4K wide-angle camera into a 360 camera – or even into a one-inch camera with an ultra-wide Leica lens.
From left to right: The Insta360 Core Module attached to the 4K Mod, the 360 Mod, and the One-Inch Leica Mod.
The Insta360 One R is supposed to be the ultimate action camera alternative to GoPro models and the DJI Osmo Action. But how does this camera hold up in practice, and does it deliver on its promise of being the ultimate all-in-one action camera?
Read this Insta360 One R review to find out!
Recent firmware updates
When the Insta360 One R first came out, some initial reviewers reported technical problems with the camera, such as bugs and low external microphone sound quality. Fortunately, Insta360 responded very quickly to these problems by issuing several firmware updates. A recent firmware update (version 1.2.13) came out in September 2020 and fixed many of these issues.
So if you read a previous negative review of the Insta360 One R, it’s worth revisiting the camera, since improvements have been made over the past few months.
How the Insta360 One R works
Unlike other action cameras, the Insta360 One R is made of 3 pieces: the Core Module with a touchscreen live view display, the camera module, and an 1190 mAh lithium-ion battery base that holds the two Mods together.
The Camera Module can be swapped out for one of three different options: the 5.7K 360 Mod (7.2mm focal length, f/2.0), a 4K wide-angle Mod (16.4mm focal length, f/2.8), or a One-Inch Mod (14.4mm focal length, f/3.2). The touchscreen block can also be attached to the screen facing forward or backward, which is useful for vlogging situations.
The camera’s battery base can be charged via a USB-C cable. It takes roughly 65 minutes to charge fully. You can also get an optional double battery base hub for faster charging. Battery life is rated at about 70 minutes while shooting at 4K/60p. There’s a single micro-USB card slot, and the camera accepts memory cards up to 256 GB.
Which Mods should you get?
There are several different ways to purchase the Insta360 One R.
The Insta360 One R Twin Edition is the most popular option, as it comes with both the 5.7K 360 Mod and the 4K wide-angle Mod. If you want to add the One-Inch Mod, you can purchase it separately to add to your Twin Edition set.
Alternatively, you can buy the Insta360 One R 1-inch edition if you don’t want the extra two Mods. In practice, I found the 360 Mod and the One-Inch Mod to be the most used of the three.
Photo and video capabilities
Like most action cameras on the market, the Insta360 One R can shoot both videos and photos (JPEG and DNG format). The recent September firmware update introduced PureShot, a new AI-powered shooting mode for creating HDR-like photos when editing images via the Insta360 smartphone app.
But while the photo modes on the Insta360 One R are good, the camera excels at video.
Image taken with the Insta360 One R and the 4K Mod before Pure Shot was added.
Image taken with the Insta360 One R and the 4K mod after Pure Shot was added.
Note that image quality and resolution depend on which Mod you use. The 4K wide-angle Mod is equivalent to 16.4mm at f/2.8. It produces 12-megapixel photos, as well as videos at up to 4K/60p, plus high-definition slow motion at 1080p and 200fps.
The Dual-Lens 360 Mod is equivalent to 7.2mm at f/2.0. It produces 18.4-megapixel photos, as well as videos at up to 5.7K/30p, though it can also shoot 100fps at 3K.
The One-Inch Leica Mod uses a 14.4mm equivalent wide-angle lens. It can shoot at up to 5K/30p, as well as 4K/60p.
Taken with the Insta360 One R using the Leica One-Inch Mod.
Compact size, but…
Despite there being many pieces to this camera, it is very compact when it is assembled. The size and weight of the Insta360 One R is comparable to your average action camera.
However, there are a couple of drawbacks to the modular nature of this camera.
First, it takes time to take the camera apart if you ever need to swap out the lens or rearrange the position of the touchscreen.
Second, although there is a nice rubber protective sleeve for the 360 Mod, no carrying case for the camera Mods is included, so you’ll have to come up with your own solution.
Action-ready
Since the Insta360 One R is an action camera, it is waterproof up to five meters and can withstand most rugged conditions, though you’ll want to make sure that your Mods are tightly snapped together and assembled in the included mounting bracket before throwing it in the water.
For those wanting to dive even deeper, there’s an optional Dive Case that lets you submerge the camera at up to 60 meters.
Speaking of the bracket:
You’ll have to use it if you want to add a GoPro-like connection point for sticking the camera on a handle or tripod. No tripod or GoPro mount is built into the camera itself.
Sample image taken with the Insta360 One R and the 4K Mod.
Usability
The Insta360 One R can be controlled via the Core Mod’s touchscreen display, or by connecting to the Insta360 smartphone app via Bluetooth. I found the touchscreen display to be the fastest and easiest way to control the camera.
Touchscreen responsiveness is excellent, but the menu differs from that of other action cameras and is not the most intuitive. That said, it’s easy to use once you learn where all of the features are.
Digital lenses for “zooming”
One of the best features of the Insta360 One R is the ability to use built-in digital lenses. You can choose from ultra-wide, wide, linear, and a narrow field of view when shooting both photos and videos. This adds some flexibility to the otherwise fixed lens on the Camera Mod.
Ability to add an external mic
The internal microphones on the Insta360 One R are okay, but there is a lot of noise when you are moving with the camera. If you plan to vlog with this camera and/or want the very best sound, using an external microphone is your best option.
Like other action cameras on the market, the Insta360 One R does not have a built-in mic jack, but you can add one by purchasing a mic jack adapter. This tiny adapter does not add much bulk or weight to the camera, though it can be easy to misplace. Using an adapter lets you add an external microphone such as a shotgun mic or a wireless mic to enhance sound.
When using an external mic, there’s a handy icon that appears on the camera’s display to verify that the mic is connected. Early reviews reported that external mic levels were too low, but that problem has been corrected as of the September 2020 firmware update.
The Insta360 One R with the optional 3.5mm mic adapter and Joby Wavo Mobile microphone.
Image quality and color
Considering that this is a first-generation camera, the image quality for both videos and photos is impressive.
However, as mentioned previously, the Insta360 One R is a video camera first, and that’s where its strengths are concentrated. You can shoot in a flat video mode and apply your own LUT or color grading in post-production. Or you can choose from a color profile built into the camera. New in the recent firmware update is a Vivid color profile, as well as AquaVision, which uses AI to color-correct video shot underwater.
Related to video quality, the Insta360 One R now records video as a .MP4 file as a default. This makes it easier to edit the videos in your video editing software of choice. Prior to the September firmware update, the camera only recorded in a proprietary .INSV video file, which could only be read by the Insta360 Studio app.
Video stabilization
The Insta360 One R provides silky-smooth video footage via FlowState Stabilization, meaning you don’t need to use a gimbal with this camera.
Just note that the stabilization is added in post-production. This means that you must import the video footage into the Insta360 Studio app to enable stabilization, and then export it into your video editing software of choice. This extra step can be a workflow hurdle if you prefer using a single application to edit your videos.
On the plus side, Insta360 has released updates that allow you to add stabilization via Adobe Premiere or Final Cut X. In my experience with Final Cut X, this integration is laggy and not quite usable, but that will likely be fixed in a future firmware update.
Sample photo taken with the Insta360 One R and the 360 Mod.
Use it as a webcam
Also new as of the September firmware update:
The Insta360 One R can be used as a webcam when connected to a Mac or PC. In this work-from-home age of Zoom calls and FaceTime, this is a pretty cool feature, especially since the webcam can be used with the 360 Mod to show a split-screen effect of your surroundings.
When using the 4K wide-angle Mod, the webcam also has an automatic face-tracking effect that can follow you as you move around a room. These features are best demonstrated in video format, but they add an extra layer of fun to otherwise monotonous webcam experiences.
Zero bugs
During my month of vigorously using the Insta360 One R, I was pleased to experience no bugs or glitches when using the camera. It was very responsive and did exactly what I asked it to with no delays or problems. While I might’ve just gotten lucky, this was a welcome seamless experience, given the bugs that tend to be present in other action cameras (e.g., GoPro).
High quality and affordable optional hardware
In addition to the camera Mods, there are lots of useful Insta360 One R accessories that may be worth buying, depending on how you plan to use the camera. The fast-charging hub or boosted battery is a good add-on to ensure that you have enough power for a full day of shooting. Also, the Invisible Selfie Stick is handy, not only for shooting 360 videos, but also for regular use as a handgrip or selfie stick.
There are also dive cases for the 4K Mod and the 360 Mod to dive even deeper (up to 60 meters), rugged lens protectors for the 360 Mod lenses, and an aerial Mod to add the Insta360 One R to a drone.
The Insta360 One R with the Invisible Selfie Stick and Bullet Time tripod.
A few drawbacks
Like any other camera, the Insta360 One R comes with a few drawbacks to consider:
If you need a mount, you must use the Insta360 One R in a case
The Insta360 One R must be placed in a mounting bracket to use it with a tripod. This can be cumbersome when trying to place the One-Inch Mod in the bracket and doing a lens Mod change.
(Here’s a quick tip for working with the One-Inch Mod: Unscrew the lens to get it to fit!)
Certain features are only unlocked when editing in the app
The Insta360 One R can shoot time lapses, star lapses, and can even use a cool feature called Bullet Time that produces a drone-like circling effect on a subject. There are also some creative video editing effects that can be applied to videos in post-production. However, the resulting videos cannot be previewed on the camera. You must use either the Insta360 phone app or the Insta360 Studio app to get the desired effects.
This can be a drawback if you would rather use your own editing software of choice and not deal with an intermediary step.
Insta360 Studio desktop editing program
An uncertain future
Even though the Insta360 One R isn’t even a year old, it’s still fair to question its future. Will this first-generation camera get an update? If so, what’s the timeline, and will the update take full advantage of the modular camera setup?
Ideally, you could reuse certain Mods and not have to buy them again when a newer version comes out. But since this is a first-gen camera, it’s hard to say what direction the company will go in.
Insta360 One R Review: Conclusion
Future speculation aside, the Insta360 One R delivers on its promise of being a unique, all-in-one action camera.
The ability to go from a wide-angle lens to a 360 lens using the same camera is extremely convenient, and other action camera companies should take note.
You can purchase the Insta360 One R here for just under $ 500 USD.
The post Insta360 One R Review: An Action Camera With a Twist appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.
