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How to Photograph Sun Flares: 14 Tips for Beginners

15 Nov

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.

photographing sun flares aperture comparison

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.

sun flare cut off at the topic of the frame

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.

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dPS Roundup: The Best Photos of October

15 Nov

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.”

dps photo of the month minimalism — dPS Minimalism | Photo by © Chris Roe

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.

dps photo of the month iconic — dPS Iconic | Photo by © Peter/Cdatar

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!

dps photo of the month bicycle — dPS Bicycle | Photo by © Stamatis Iliadakis

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.

dps photo of the month silhouette — dPS Silhouette | Photo by © Piotr Plaskon

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!

dps photo of the month grey — dPS Grey | Photo by © Paula Gallagher Brown

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.

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10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots

14 Nov

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.

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Weekly Photography Challenge – Coffee

14 Nov

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!

Photography & Coffee seem to go together pretty well, so I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with this week!

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.

Weekly Photography Challenge – Looking Up

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.

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Insta360 One R Review: An Action Camera With a Twist

13 Nov

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.

Insta360 One R review with mods — 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.

Insta360 One R review — Image taken with the Insta360 One R and the 4K Mod before Pure Shot was added.

Insta360 One R sample image — 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.

Insta360 One R sample photo — 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.

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.

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.

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 One R desktop editing program — 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.

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Dare to be Different With Your Photos

12 Nov

The post Dare to be Different With Your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

It’s estimated that over two billion photos are uploaded to the internet every day. We are deluged with images. So if you’re a photographer looking to stand out from the crowd, then going to the same iconic locations, framing up and shooting the same compositions, and looking to emulate the great images you might find from skilled photographers is not what you should do.

You need to dare to be different with your photography – by making the shot in a way people haven’t seen before. If the reaction you want is “Wow!” rather than “Meh,” you need to mix it up.

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone — Not a bad photo of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, but how different is my shot than the tens of thousands of other shots made from the same vantage point?

Where’d you shoot that?

I belong to a camera club, and we routinely show our images for review and critique. Something I hear too often when a great photo is displayed is, “Where’d you shoot that?”

I guess it’s a fair question. But I’m always concerned that the person asking it is thinking: If I go there, get the same light, perhaps use the same camera settings, and shoot from the same spot, I could make a great photo, too!”

But why would you want to be a copycat?

Sure, we all like to go to the iconic spots, but why not try to make a shot that is different and uniquely yours, one that stands out from the crowd?

the statue of Liberty — No doubt millions of photos have been taken of this iconic location, so kudos to friend and fellow photographer Harold Hall, who found a unique perspective for this familiar New York City landmark.

To be seen, don’t be one of the “herd.”

Go where others don’t

I just got back from a trip to Yellowstone National Park. While I was there, I wanted to see the Grand Prismatic Spring, a very iconic spot and a natural wonder well worth seeing.

Upon reaching the overlook, I had to wait to even get to the edge as dozens of tourists took turns at the rail, shooting with their cellphone cameras, posing for selfies, even asking photographers like me, who were carrying obviously more sophisticated camera gear, if we’d snap their group photo with their cellphone.

Grand Prismatic Spring abstract detail — Here’s a different abstract take at the Grand Prismatic Spring, and a shot more likely to be uniquely mine. Dare to be different with your photography.

I get it: They wanted a photographic souvenir of being at the Grand Prismatic Spring, a shot they could post on social media to share with their friends.

That’s fine, but what about you? Are you a serious photographer looking to make artistic photographs? Or are you a tourist looking for a snapshot?

Sure, I wanted to see the Grand Prismatic Spring. And yes, I took my camera and made a shot.

In fact, I’ve photographed next to other photographers at similar iconic locations. How could you not photograph the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, or the Sydney Opera House in Australia (the list goes on)?

So hit the iconic spots, make the usual shot, and check it off your bucket list.

But then find ways to change things up. Go to the lesser-known spots and make some photographs others won’t have considered – images that are uniquely yours.

But how do you make shots that don’t look like the tens of thousands taken by others?

Let’s explore that.

Dare to be different Oceanside Pier — Lots of photos have been done of the Oceanside Pier in southern California, so I tried to make my shot different by shooting a long, 30-second exposure during the blue hour.

I was literally shoulder-to-shoulder with maybe a hundred other photographers while waiting for a sunset that never showed at the Bass Harbor Lighthouse in Acadia National Park in Maine. I tried to be a little different with a six-second exposure to blur the clouds and waves.
Canon 6D | Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM | 6s | f/11 | ISO 200

Seek a new perspective

Amateur photographers almost never use tripods. So they often raise their camera to their eye and shoot from a standing position.

Hence, the great majority of their shots are from a five- to six-foot, eye-level height, even when the subject suggests that something else might be better.

A shot of a small child is typically made looking down on the subject, as is a picture of a flower or some other shorter subject. If shooting with a standard digital camera, the great majority of images will be in landscape mode; if shooting with a phone, most shots will be in portrait mode. Little – if any – thought is given to rotating the camera to best suit the subject. The subject will typically be placed dead-center in the frame, so that if the photo is a portrait, then there is an excessive amount of headroom. This type of photographer has never heard of the rule of thirds.

Dare to be different. Grand Fountain Geyer. Yellowstone National Park. — Another iconic location with a couple dozen other photographers shooting at the Grand Fountain Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Always look for how you can make your image dramatic and different than what the other photographers will make.

We expect student photographers to be a little better, right? They might shoot with a tripod. Yet I have been to plenty of photo workshops where the photographers are lined up like gunners in a firing squad, cameras on tripods but at that same eye-level height, all trained on the same iconic subject. How much different will their shots be? Maybe they ought to just buy a postcard in the gift shop.

“Sometimes, to stand out, you need to sit down.”

Anthony T. Hincks

I’m not sure of the context in which Mr. Hincks was speaking when he authored this quote. But appropriating it so that it applies to photographers, you need to consider various perspectives to better suit your subject and create images that bring new interpretations and compositions. Get up, get down, shoot from a bird’s-eye perspective or a worm’s-eye perspective. Shoot through objects that create natural frames. Try some point-of-view (POV) shots.

There are lots of things to try in order to explore new looks and create interest, excitement, and mood in your photos.

As a photographer, I expect you are more of a visual learner, so here are some shots to help communicate these concepts:

Photos from a worm's-eye perspective. — Get down to the ground and get a “worms-eye view” for a perspective the average photographer shooting from eye-level won’t get. The shot on the left is with an LG V30 cellphone.

Images shot from low down — For the image of the Snow Cone in Craters of the Moon National Park on the left, a cellphone camera was placed on the lava. For the shot on the right, the camera was directly on the stage at “foot level.”

Abstract shots of the ground — Look down. Sometimes the shot is right at your feet.

Photos taken while looking up — Look up. Sometimes the shot is straight overhead.

Compare how high and low angles change the way we view these trains. — A high vantage point allowed me to capture much of the long train in the first shot. The low angle for the Union Pacific 844 steam train (in the second shot) emphasized its immense power.

Hot air balloons lift off from Ann Morrison Park in Boise, Idaho. — To get this unique angle when photographing the hot air balloons ascending from Ann Morrison Park in Boise, Idaho, you had to be in one of them. My photographer son Mark Ohnsman was, and he got this great shot.

Great aerial photos can be made out the window of commercial airliners with your cellphone. — Another way to get high-angle aerial shots is by shooting out the window of a commercial flight. I got these images with my LG V30 cellphone. The shot on the left was made somewhere over the Nevada desert; the shot on the right was made during the final approach to the Boise, Idaho airport.

Seaside cliffs near Cape Arago, Oregon. — Drone photography is yet another way to get a high vantage point. This could have been made with a drone (if I had one), but instead was done off a cliff near Cape Arago State Park in Oregon.

Get down low when photographing flowers and vegetation for a more dramatic impact. — When shooting flowers or low vegetation, sometimes you want to get down in it. Get low with your camera and make shots others won’t get from an eye-level perspective.

Near-far style photography examples. — The “near-far” look is done with a wide-angle lens and a small aperture so that objects from a few feet away to infinity are all in focus. Sometimes, focus stacking might be needed to ensure front-to-back sharpness. The technique produces images with great depth. Photo at left by Rick Ohnsman; photo at right by Dan Mottaz.

Different ways to shoot low-angle photos and still use a tripod. — For getting low while keeping your camera steady, a tripod with no center column, a tripod (left) with a replaceable short center column, or something like the Gorillapod (right) is the ticket.

Find "natural frames" to enhance your photos. — Think about “natural framing,” where you use things in the scene that frame your image as a way to make your shot different than what others might get.

Flower and plant images. — Another way to make unique images others won’t get, and also to explore the wonders of an unseen world, is to try close-up and macro photography.

Two photos of sand on a beach. — Work a scene, shooting wide, medium, and close-up shots. Digital film is cheap, so never take a “one-and-done” approach to your photography. I made the first shot here on Sand Beach in Acadia National Park. A little while later, I noticed and photographed the interesting patterns in the sand.

Dare to be different — Explore various focal lengths and crops when making portraits. From left to right: close-up, medium-wide, medium, and ultra-close-up.

abstract photography examples — A great way to ensure your photos will be uniquely yours is to embrace abstract photography. There is no end to the possible subjects.

Dare to be different. Photos that tell a story. — A picture is worth 1000 words, they say. What does your photo say? Try making photos that tell a story; this will better involve your viewer in the image.

Vertical image of a rock — Remember to turn your camera to a vertical (portrait) position if the subject dictates it. You’d be surprised at the amateurs who never consider this.

Car photos with diagonals — Diagonal lines add drama. When shooting cars, I like to employ a “Dutch tilt.” See if you can discover scenes where tilting the camera will make your images more unique and interesting.

Examples of foggy photos. — When the weather gets bad, the photos get good. There’s nothing like some fog to add mood to a shot. If you want unique and compelling photos that are different from the rest of the crowd, brave the elements and get out when the weather keeps fair-weather photographers inside.

Foggy trees in Yellowstone National Park. — Morning fog and steam from nearby thermal springs made for the perfect moody shot in Yellowstone National Park.

Lupine leaf macro — Dare to be different when editing. This is the same shot of water drops on a lupine leaf, but as a monochrome positive on the left and a negative image on the right.

Focus-stacked forest — You can shoot differently when you know your editing options. Here, multiple images taken of the trees at the Boardman, Oregon tree farm were made at various focus points and then focus-stacked with Helicon Focus. Such depth of field would not have been possible in a single shot.

Examples of standard subjects photographed in different ways — Sometimes, the way to make photos that are uniquely yours is to see common things in different ways. The key, as with all photography, is to look for the light.

Dare to be different with your photos: the next step

People might call me names, but as a photographer, there’s one name I hope never applies: Snapshooter. I consider a snapshooter to be the photographer who sees something that catches their attention, raises the camera to their eye, and takes a snapshot. That is the person who gives no thought to composition, angle, perspective, subject, storytelling, or concept. They don’t understand camera controls, exposure, depth of field, or ways to use the camera as a tool to communicate their vision. They probably don’t even grasp the concept of a vision. They don’t take the time to consider what they might do to make their photographs better or different. Can they even communicate what they are trying to say with their images?

But that’s not you, right? You have come to a place called the Digital Photography School, presumably as a person looking to learn how to make better images.

So I challenge you: Dare to be different with your photos. Make photographs that are intentionally creative, unique, tell a story, and show the viewer something in a way they may not have seen it before.

“You walk like others? You talk like others? You think like others? Then the world doesn’t need you, because others are already abundant in the world! Be original!”

Mehmet Murat ildan

The post Dare to be Different With Your Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.

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Darktable: Is This Free Lightroom Alternative Right for You?

11 Nov

The post Darktable: Is This Free Lightroom Alternative Right for You? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

When most people think about software for managing and editing their photographs, the most prominent program that comes to mind is Adobe Lightroom.

And while there are other options, such as Capture One and Apple Photos, there’s another program worth considering:

Darktable.

Darktable is an open-source alternative to the mainstream options, and while it might not have every single feature of its counterparts, it does have one enormous advantage: it’s free. That alone makes it worth checking out, but is it the right solution for you?

Read on to find out.

What is Darktable?

Darktable might be a new name for you, but it has been around since 2009 and has been steadily growing in popularity ever since. In an era where software costs are skyrocketing and more programs are moving to a subscription model, Darktable’s approach seems almost quaint.

Anyone can use Darktable for free – with no worries about contracts, upgrades, or missing features. This alone makes it a highly compelling editing solution, and certainly one worth considering for photographers without an unlimited budget.

There are some important tradeoffs with Darktable, especially if you are used to using Lightroom or another commercial program. Keep your expectations in check, and remember that the phrase “You get what you pay for” is popular for a reason.

That’s not to say you should ignore Darktable, but just be aware of what you are getting into.

Darktable overview

At its core, Darktable is similar to other programs you might already use. It’s a non-destructive image editor (it can handle RAW, JPEG, and many other formats) with a bevy of tools and options to edit your images.

Darktable has two central modes:

Lighttable and Darkroom.

These function much like the Library and Develop modules in Lightroom. Darktable lets you import, categorize, sort, rate, flag, and tag images just like most other programs. Even the name Darktable is a play on the word Lightroom.

That said, there is a bit of a learning curve to Darktable because the features it offers are so overwhelming. Some new users are put off by this at first, but it doesn’t take much time to pick up the basics and start editing.

One additional thing worth noting:

I have found Darktable to be noticeably slower than Lightroom. Edits are shown in real time, but there is just a bit of lag as you drag sliders and change values. It’s not a dealbreaker, but something to be aware of.

highly detailed Darktable editing tools — Many of the editing tools in Darktable are highly detailed and quite powerful.

In order to find out if Darktable is right for you, it’s helpful to understand precisely how its two main components, Lighttable and Darkroom, function.

Lighttable

In a broad sense, the Lighttable mode is similar to Lightroom’s Library module. You use Lighttable for importing images as well as tagging, rating, sorting, and general organizing.

The Import dialog lets you select files or a folder of images from your computer that is then loaded into the application. You can select multiple files and perform batch operations such as adding keywords, assigning color labels, and even applying GPX files for location data.

The sheer number of options is a bit overwhelming at first, but like any program, the more you use it the more it makes sense. Much of the Lighttable interface will be familiar to longtime Lightroom users, though the program does not strive for 1:1 feature parity. Instead, Darktable presents a logical series of actions and options designed to help photographers manage and import images.

Note also that the Export panel is in the Lighttable module, which is one way in which Darktable differentiates itself from Lightroom and other programs. In the screenshot below, you can see some of the many options available for exporting, which gives you a sense of the sheer depth offered by Darktable:

Darktable export — You can customize many different elements of the export process.

While things seem great up to this point, I do need to temper your expectations a bit. My biggest issue with Darktable is evident just from using the Lighttable module: overall responsiveness is not great. Scrolling through images, selecting pictures, editing metadata information, and other simple operations take far longer than other programs. Not that Lightroom and Capture One are speed demons – but comparing them to Darktable is like comparing a Ferrari to a Toyota Corolla. The latter will get the job done, but the former will do it way faster.

That’s not necessarily the only peg to hang your editing hat on, though. While speed is important, it’s not everything, and many quibbles with Darktable are mitigated by its price.

After all, despite my issues with Darktable’s user interface and lack of polish, it’s impossible to overlook the cost. I am still kind of amazed that all these features are in a free program that continues to be actively developed. For frugal photographers, it would be difficult not to recommend Darktable, and for everyone else, it just helps to have some patience.

The Lighttable feature — Lighttable allows you to assign color labels, star ratings, flags, and more.

One note for more technical users: Darktable doesn’t operate with a catalog like Lightroom.

Instead, the program stores all metadata in sidecar XMP files that reside next to your images on your computer. That means any information, such as keywords, star ratings, color tags, and edits, can be transferred along with your images just by copying the XMP files.

Some people find this more freeing than the catalog system in Lightroom, and while I have never had any issues with a catalog system, I do see the benefits of this approach.

Darkroom

While the Lighttable module is used for sorting and organizing your images, Darkroom is designed for the type of in-depth editing you would expect from a program that caters to the most demanding photo editors.

In fact, in terms of sheer editing prowess, Darktable blows Lightroom clear out of the water.

Darkroom in Darktable — The Darkroom interface is where you edit your photos, much like the Develop module in Lightroom.

On the left side of the Darkroom interface, you will find elements that operate similarly to Lightroom and other editors. Darkroom contains a history panel, a system for managing duplicate images, a snapshot browser, and more. Across the bottom is a series of thumbnails for selecting images. The right side shows a histogram and a series of modules for editing things such as white balance, tone curves, sharpness, lens imperfections, and more.

The final two words of the previous paragraph hide the true strength of Darkroom: the sheer quantity of editing options available is absolutely stunning. Whereas Lightroom has nine modules to choose from, Darktable has dozens. So many, in fact, that most of them aren’t even shown by default and are instead kept tucked away under a module called “More Modules.”

Beneath the histogram are icons that let you choose from a default set of modules most photographers find particularly useful: Basic, Tone, Color, Correction, and Effects. Click any of these to load modules that correspond to that type of edit.

For instance, click the Basic Group icon to access modules such as Base Curve, Tone Equalizer, Crop and Rotate, Exposure, and White Balance. You can also create your own custom set of editing modules and use the “Search Module” feature to locate a particular module just by typing its name.

histogram in Darktable — Below the histogram is a row of icons that let you switch between sets of commonly-used editing modules. The search bar helps you find a particular editing module quickly.

Click any of the module titles to open its editing parameters, and you will see a familiar set of sliders and numerical values. The key difference with Darktable is the sheer quantity of sliders, values, and editing options at your disposal.

For instance, the Color Balance module contains sliders such as Input Saturation, Output Saturation, Contrast Fulcrum, and Contrast. In addition, there are three separate values (Factor, Hue, and Saturation) for Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights.

Compare this to the options in Lightroom, and you’ll quickly see that Darktable clearly pulls ahead in terms of editing efficacy. And Color Balance is just one of the editing modules available to you. Some of the modules are so technical that Darktable lets you adjust their parameters but actively discourages you from doing so:

Another powerful feature in Darktable is its implementation of custom masks. Most of the editing options can be combined with masks that can be accessed in the Mask Manager on the left side.

This lets you use common shapes, such as a brush or a circle, to create masks. However, Darktable goes one step further by letting you draw custom masks. This is helpful for anyone whose editing has been stymied by the comparatively limited options available in Lightroom.

the Pen tool — You can create masks of all shapes and sizes in Darktable, which are useful for applying edits in specific image locations.

Again, I need to temper expectations. Performing many of the editing maneuvers is an exercise in patience, even on a newer computer. Drawing a mask, moving a slider, or even cropping an image often involves precious seconds of wait time, which can really add up when going through hundreds of images.

There is also no mobile support, meaning photographers who rely on tablets or phones as essential components of their editing workflow will be left out in the cold.

Proceed with caution

At this point, you might be ready to cancel all your editing software subscriptions and jump on the Darktable bandwagon.

But before you take the leap, I need to offer a few words of caution. This article is not meant to be a review of Darktable, but rather a tool to help you decide if this program is right for you. And while there is no doubt that Darktable can handle any image editing tasks you throw at it, including more advanced options such as tethered shooting, slideshows, and printing, there are a host of drawbacks, as well.

As much as I want to like Darktable, I just can’t get around its overall sluggishness and lack of polish. Implementing edits is slow, and drawing custom masks can be a patience-draining exercise. Odd interface quirks abound, like truncated slider names and weird thumbnail resizing when switching in and out of the Lighttable mode.

Darktable glitches — Glitches like this show up far more than I’d prefer. Here, the Lighttable interface is unusable until all the thumbnails can be properly re-loaded by the program.

The sheer level of complexity can also be a significant detriment. It takes a great deal of experimentation, trial and error, and online searching to figure out all the tools at your disposal. While this is true of any image editing program, the relatively small Darktable user base means that there just aren’t as many resources available to aspiring users compared to Lightroom and others.

Is Darktable right for you?

The best person to answer that question is you, and since Darktable is free for anyone to download, I recommend you give it a shot and see what you think.

However, if you want a bit more guidance, the following information might help.

I recommend Darktable for:

Photographers on a budget who still want powerful editing software
Highly technical editors who enjoy really digging into the editing process and don’t mind some software quirks
Users who are unsatisfied with current offerings from Adobe, Capture One, and others, and want to try something different

I do not recommend Darktable for some people, including:

Photographers who value speed and efficiency in their workflow
Editors who want robust software that gets regular, substantive updates to fix bugs and add new features
Casual users who value simplicity and user-friendliness over sheer editing power
Mobile-centric photographers who prefer solutions that work on phones and tablets

Children whispering — For many photographers, Darktable is the best-kept secret in image editing.

Where you fall along this spectrum is up to you to decide. You can’t lose anything just by downloading Darktable and taking it for a test drive.

You might very well be surprised by what it can do for you!

You can download the latest version of Darktable here.

The post Darktable: Is This Free Lightroom Alternative Right for You? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.

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A Beginners Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography

10 Nov

The post A Beginners Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

Emily Hancock, a professional Hampshire Photographer, submitted the following tutorial on capturing motion in photography.

(Image by T.MoE)

Photographs, by definition, capture and immortalize a small slice of life. There isn’t an easy way for the viewer to infer what happens before or after that moment. However, there are images that need to communicate motion.

For example, you may want to capture a dog running, a train barreling down the tracks, or trees blowing in the wind. Each of these scenes can come alive within your photographs if you learn how to convey motion properly.

Today, I’ll describe how you can use different shutter speeds and panning to capture motion in your photography. I’ll also explain a potential issue you might experience when photographing moving subjects – along with tips to resolve it.

Let’s get started!

Reasons to capture motion

Beginning photographers have likely seen captivating photographs that capture motion. There are several ways to achieve these photos, and each has a slightly different goal.

You see, sometimes there is a need to blur certain elements in the image while focusing sharply on a few subjects in the foreground. Other times, you may want to freeze or blur everything. The direction you take depends on your objective for your photograph.

A lot of photographers capture motion simply to convey that an object is moving. But there are also other reasons to do this. Movement can communicate mood. Trees rustling in the wind suggests serenity, while throngs of people on a busy city block implies hurried activity.

You can also use motion to eliminate elements in a scene that may serve as distractions to the viewer. For example, you may want to photograph a person standing on a sidewalk corner as cars move behind them. By blurring everything but your primary subject (i.e., the man on the corner), you can eliminate potential distractions and focus the viewer’s attention.

Two primary techniques for capturing motion in photography

The shutter speed you use while photographing a scene plays a key role in capturing motion in your image.

The faster the shutter speed, the sharper the focus on your subject. On the other hand, a slower shutter speed will blur a moving object. There are two main approaches here (though I’ll discuss a couple of alternatives in a moment).

1. Blurred subject with the background in focus

Let’s assume you’re photographing a speeding train against a wall of trees in the background. You can blur the train while leaving the trees in focus. Doing so would instantly communicate to the viewer that the train is moving quickly.

To accomplish this, you would use a slow shutter speed.

(It’s also important to use a tripod. That way, your camera remains steady.)

You’ll often see this technique used in nighttime photographs with car headlights cutting through the image.

2. Blurred background with the subject in focus

This second technique keeps your subject in sharp focus while the background is blurred.

Using our train example, the train would be in focus and the wall of trees would be blurred, thereby conveying the train’s movement.

Similar to the first method, you’ll need to use a slow shutter speed. However, instead of using a tripod, you’ll be panning your camera along the directional path of your subject.

But what actually is panning?

Panning explained

motion in photography biker moving fast — Photo by fabbriciuse

Most beginning photographers are trained to “secure” their cameras. That is, beginners are taught that the camera should remain as still as possible for certain types of shots.

By contrast, panning requires that you move your camera with your subject. Specifically, you’ll be matching your subject’s rate of movement and the direction in which it is traveling.

In our bike example, assume the man on the bike is moving from east to west. In that case, you’ll need to pan your camera in the same east-to-west direction, matching the speed of the bike. The best results occur when you have a clear view of the moving object and ample room to swivel your camera along a parallel axis.

Panning effectively can be difficult. You can practice and perfect your technique by photographing athletes who move quickly (for example, basketball players). Try to capture their facial expressions while blurring everything in the background. It will take some time to get it right, but once you do, the technique can be a valuable addition to your repertoire.

Other techniques to capture motion

Besides the two main techniques described above, you can also freeze the entire scene or blur everything.

Freezing the entire scene can give your photographs a unique look, especially if the objects strongly imply movement. For example, consider a bird flying in front of a waterfall. Both imply motion to the viewer. Freezing the entire scene captures all that motion and can produce a breathtaking image. You should use a shutter speed of at least 1/1000s for that type of shot.

Blurring everything produces the best results when the scene offers bright, contrasting colors or varying tones. In most cases, capturing motion in this manner is done purely for artistic purposes.

Another effective method for capturing motion within your images is “chrono photography.”

Using the continuous shooting feature on your camera, you can capture a series of shots and join them together in the post-processing stage to create the effect shown above. A tripod is essential when attempting to shoot motion using this method.

Determine the proper shutter speed

A lot of novice photographers ask what the proper shutter speed is, given their objective.

But every situation is unique. One speed doesn’t suit all circumstances. To identify the right shutter speed, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions:

How fast is your subject moving?
How much distance exists between the camera and the subject?
How much motion do you want your photograph to convey to the viewer?

The faster the shutter speed, the more frozen and crisply-defined your subject will be. Most cameras today will allow you to freeze a scene using 1/8000s or faster.

That being said, the numbers only serve as a rough guideline. You’ll need to experiment with different shutter speeds in a variety of situations.

Potential issue: excess light

Here’s a potential issue you may encounter when trying to capture motion in photography:

When you slow your shutter speed to blur elements in your image, there’s a chance that too much light will enter and impact your photograph (which will result in overexposure).

This is a common problem, but there are a couple of ways to resolve it:

First, check the aperture on your camera. The wider it is, the more likely excess light will enter. Try adjusting the settings to reduce its size.

Second, review your ISO setting. When the ISO is high, the image sensor in your camera may be overly sensitive to light. This can create a too-bright image, as well as unwanted noise, so consider dropping your ISO.

Mastering the art of motion capture

Becoming proficient at capturing motion in photography requires practice and experience. You’ll need to spend time learning how different shutter speeds impact the quality of your images. Even if you’re just setting your camera on its tripod, timing a perfect shot of a fast-moving object can be difficult.

In the end, capturing motion in your photography is part technique and part art. Fortunately, with practice, you can master it!

The post A Beginners Guide to Capturing Motion in Your Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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This is Why You Need a Camera Lens Protector

10 Nov

Nothing rattles the photography community faster than talking about lens protectors. Some swear by it, while others wouldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole. What is the rage about, and what is the approach you should take with lens protectors? We will discuss all of them in this article. What is a Lens Protector Lens protectors are pieces of glass Continue Reading

The post This is Why You Need a Camera Lens Protector appeared first on Photodoto.

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Canon’s Exciting New RF Lenses: The 70-200mm f/4 and 50mm f/1.8

09 Nov

The post Canon’s Exciting New RF Lenses: The 70-200mm f/4 and 50mm f/1.8 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Last Tuesday, Canon announced two new RF lenses:

The Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM and the Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM.

Canon's new RF lens, the 50mm f/1.8 STM — The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM

Both of these lenses will ship in the first half of December, though they’re currently available for preorder ($ 1599 USD for the 70-200mm f/4L IS and $ 199.99 USD for the 50mm f/1.8).

The new lenses will undoubtedly appeal to the many Canon photographers who have already embraced the EOS R system, especially those who are looking for cheaper alternatives to the existing RF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS and the RF 50mm f/1.2.

Canon's new RF lens, the 70-200mm f/4L IS — The Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS

In fact, the 70-200mm f/4 and the 50mm f/1.8 have already garnered something of a reputation, thanks to their top-notch EF equivalents. The EF 70-200mm f/4L IS, for instance, is a high-quality, reasonably-priced option for landscape photographers, amateur portrait photographers, and more – while the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is just about the handiest Canon lens you can own, combining optical prowess with affordability and compactness.

And while the RF 70-200mm and the RF 50mm f/1.8 won’t be quite as cheap as their EF counterparts, they’re certainly cheap enough to draw Canon photographers of all stripes, including a mix of professionals and hobbyists (for the 70-200mm f/4), as well as amateurs (for the 50mm f/1.8).

Plus, Canon has added several significant upgrades to these RF lenses. The 70-200mm f/4L IS, for instance, will offer up to 5 stops of image stabilization, which expands to 7.5 stops when combined with in-body image stabilization. It’s also Canon’s “shortest and lightest 70-200mm f/4 zoom lens to date,” making it an even more compelling option for landscape photographers who hike for hours on end.

As for the RF 50mm f/1.8:

You get the ultra-useful 50mm focal length for just $ 200 USD, not to mention the Canon RF lens control ring (which you can use to tweak camera settings on the fly). And the lens will be both compact and light – in other words, perfect for a casual photographer, or even a street photographer, looking to fire off shots without attracting much attention.

So if you’re after an affordable, high-quality lens with a wide maximum aperture and great ergonomics, check out the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, which is available for preorder for just under $ 200 USD.

Alternatively, if you’re hoping to capture gorgeous landscapes, portraits, or even outdoor event photos without breaking the bank, you can preorder the Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS USM here for $ 1599 USD.

The post Canon’s Exciting New RF Lenses: The 70-200mm f/4 and 50mm f/1.8 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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