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5 Ways to Create More Artistic Photos (Fast!)

30 Jan

The post 5 Ways to Create More Artistic Photos (Fast!) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Are you looking to create more artistic photos? Do you feel like your photos need a bit of an upgrade?

You’re not alone.

This type of struggle is one that most photographers feel at one point or another. I’ve felt it myself, which is why I developed several methods for increasing the artistry in my own photography.

And I’m going to share these methods with you today.

So if you’re looking to add a level of creative and artistic flair to your photos, keep reading.

300mm, 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200

1. Use minimalism to improve your compositions

Creating more artistic photos can start by changing up your compositions.

Because here’s the thing:

After doing photography for a bit, you start to fall into compositional patterns. You’ll take the same type of photo, over and over again. You may not even realize it.

So in order to take things to the next level…

…you should make a strong effort to break free of your compositional patterns.

One of my favorite ways to do that is with minimalism. Minimalism involves using lots of negative space, while also positioning your subject toward the edges of the frame.

400mm, 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400

For instance, a minimalistic photographer might take a single plant and place it down at the very top or bottom of the frame, while the rest of the scene stays primarily white:

100mm, 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320

Minimalism is great, and one of the things I love most about it is how it feels so different from normal compositional techniques. Once you start thinking minimalist, your whole outlook can change.

And your photos will start to look far more artistic.

2. Add split toning to enhance the colors

If you’re looking to increase the artistry in your photos, ask yourself:

How am I doing with color?

Because color is one of the most neglected aspects of photography, despite its important role in most photos.

Color adds contrast, creates harmony and disharmony, and evokes different moods.

(All in a wonderfully subtle way!)

Now, one aspect of improving the use of color in your photography involves looking for interesting color combinations when out shooting.

But you can also make changes after you’ve finished your photoshoots.

More specifically, split toning will allow you to add a bit of mood and contrast to your photos.

Here’s a photo with a bit of split toning to deepen the yellow highlights and the green shadows:

90mm, 1/160 sec, f/9.0, ISO 320

Basically, a split tone just involves putting one color cast in the highlights of your photo and one color cast in the shadows of your photo. Cold shadows and warm highlights are pretty common, so you could easily go with a blue/yellow split-tone combination. But you should also experiment with other possibilities to make things as artistic (and interesting!) as possible.

Note that pretty much every RAW photo editor offers split toning in one form or another. So no matter your preferred post-processing software, you’ll be able to add some color!

3. Decrease the depth of field for a softer look

This is one of my personal favorites for making photos more artistic:

Bringing down that depth of field.

With a shallow depth of field, you can create all sorts of interesting effects: Stunning background bokeh, soft subjects, and even abstract-type images.

50mm, 1/2000 sec, Freelensed, ISO 250

Now, to create a shallow depth of field look, you’ll need to use a lens with a wide maximum aperture (something in the area of f/1.2 to f/2.8 is best). You’ll also want a lens of at least 50mm, and you’ll want to get close to your subject, if possible. The closer you are to your subject, the better the soft-focus effect.

Note that it can be difficult to focus when working at such a wide aperture. So you may need to switch your lens over to manual, in order to ensure you nail focus every time.

To add additional interest, you might try positioning a light source in the background, so that you can create cool bokeh, like this:

90mm, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320

I’d also recommend thinking about your subject a bit differently. Don’t envision the subject as a single entity; instead, look for shapes and lines that you can use for a more powerful composition. That way, you’ll be able to use the soft-focus effect for more artistic, abstract-style images.

4. Look at the work of good photographers for inspiration

If you’re the type of person who likes to get out and practice photography, you may grumble at this suggestion. After all, practice makes perfect, right?

But it’s important to realize that it’s hard to know what perfect would mean…

…if you haven’t ever seen it.

That’s why I urge you to look at the work of photographers you admire. Do it all the time. If you like, you can simply look at photographers in your favorite genres.

Image: One of the photographers whose work I view over and over again is Jess Findlay. While he and...

One of the photographers whose work I view over and over again is Jess Findlay. While he and I gravitate toward different subjects, his work serves as a constant inspiration to me.

Or you can expand your horizons, looking for photographers in many different areas.

(In fact, I like to look at work that’s not in my areas of interest; I find that it gives me fresh ideas that would’ve never occurred to me if I’d stuck to my preferred genres.)

When you look at photography that you like, ask yourself:

What is it that makes this work special? What is it that makes it so artistic?

Then come up with some ideas for incorporating that level of artistry into your own work. Don’t copy blindly, but try to pull out bits and pieces of wisdom that you can use to enhance your own photos.

For instance, if you notice that a photographer likes to shoot from a low angle, start shooting from a low angle yourself.

If you notice that a photographer loves to juxtapose two contrasting subjects, try juxtaposing some contrasting subjects yourself.

Just give it a try. My guess is that you’ll notice improvements in your own photos pretty quickly.

And then you won’t want to stop looking at other photos!

5. Lengthen your shutter speeds for more abstract photos

Here’s a final, practical tip for creating more artistic photos:

Use creatively long shutter speeds.

For instance, photograph moving a flower, but drop the shutter speed way down, so you get a cool blur effect.

And then move your camera around, even as you’re taking the photo. That’ll give you an even more interesting abstract:

100mm, 1/6 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250

Personally, I love doing handheld abstracts with long shutter speeds. Sure, they take a lot of experimentation, but they’re also very liberating. And they’re great for situations where the light is too low to get sharp shots handheld and you don’t want to use a tripod.

Now, to pull off this type of abstract image, you’ll need to put your camera in Manual mode (or Shutter Priority) and drop the shutter speed until it reaches 1/10s to 1s (or longer). Then, as you hit the shutter button, move your camera. I’d recommend aligning the movement with compositional elements in your scene (e.g., if there are trees in the scene, move the camera along the tree trunks).

You’ll end up with some very artistic blurs!

Five ways to make your photography more artistic: Conclusion

Hopefully, you now know a few easy ways to make your photos more artistic.

After all, capturing artistic photos doesn’t have to be hard…

…it just involves changing things up!

So try some of the ideas I’ve suggested, and see how things go. I bet you’ll like the result!

300mm, 1/400 sec, f/6.3, ISO 320

Do you have ideas for creating more artistic photos? Share them in the comments!

The post 5 Ways to Create More Artistic Photos (Fast!) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Fujifilm pushes out firmware updates for its X-Pro3 and X-T3 mirrorless cameras

30 Jan

Fujifilm has released firmware updates for its X-T3 and X-Pro3 mirrorless camera systems. The X-Pro3 update is rather minor, while the X-T3 update brings a number of substantially improved features.

Firmware version 1.03 for the X-Pro3 fixes an issue wherein the camera could ‘in rare cases’ freeze without warning as well as addresses a problem where ‘the color tone of recorded images is not recorded correctly in AF-C mode and continuous shooting.’ Aside from that, no other details are mentioned in the changelog. You can download the firmware version 1.03 for the X-Pro3 from Fujifilm’s website.

Moving onto the X-T3, firmware version 3.20 improves the autofocus capabilities. Specifically, Fujifilm says it improves tracking performance with eye AF, improves face-detection performance when there are different-sized faces in the same frame, and improves autofocus on foreground subjects. ‘even when there is a mixture of foreground and background subjects within a AF frame.’

Other updates in firmware version 3.20 include the ability to save up to 9,999 images in each folder (a dramatic increase from the current 999 image limit) and fixes for issues with movie autofocus, including ‘focus hunting at the minimum aperture’ and an issue that sometimes caused a black line to appear at the bottom of the frame. Other smaller bug fixes have been addressed as well.

You can find out more information about firmware version 3.20 for the X-T3 and download it on Fujifilm’s website.

Fujifilm has also updated its Camera Remote app for Android and iOS. The update adds support for Apple and Google’s latest operating systems, iOS 13 and Android 10, respectively. You can download Fujifilm Camera Remote in the Google Play Store and iOS App Store for free.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Xiaomi VP says under-display front camera tech is not ready yet

30 Jan

Over the last year or so we have seen some smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi and Oppo, experimenting with under-display front cameras. The technology could allow for the design of displays without a ‘notch’ or front camera ‘punch hole’ but also means that incoming light has to first travel through the display before it hits the camera lens.

The latter is a major challenges to overcome and a reason why, according to Xiaomi VP Lu Weibing, we should not expect the technology to arrive any time soon in a production device.

Currently the pixel-dense displays of modern smartphones block too much of the incoming light. Combined with the small image sensors deployed in most front cameras this means the imaging module’s light gathering capabilities are much more limited than on a more conventional camera, resulting in sub-par image quality.

Researchers and engineers are looking to develop technologies that allow for a combination of high pixel density and good light transmittance but are not quite there yet. Until the problem is solved there probably aren’t too many consumers willing to sacrifice front camera image quality for a more streamlined device design which is we’ll likely have to wait a little longer for the technology to make it into mass production.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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New UK bill would enable police to stop, search and seize drones

30 Jan

The United Kingdom is cracking down on the unsafe and potentially illegal use of drones via the new Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill, which went before the UK’s Parliament for a second reading on January 27. According to an announcement from Parliament, this bill would give UK Police the power to order a drone to land, inspect it and, when applicable, seize it.

This new bill would grant the UK police a variety of new powers, including the option to stop and search drones being operated around airports and prisons, both sensitive locations where drones can be used for everything from drug smuggling to wreaking havoc on society.

As part of an amendment to the Police Act 1997, UK Police forces, as well as ‘senior prison authorities,’ will be granted the powers to use counter-drone measures in cases where drones are being used illegally. As well, this bill would make it possible for police to fine drone operators ‘on the spot’ if they commit certain offenses, including failure to prove that they have the right permissions or exemptions that authorize them to violate any rules they’re caught breaking (flying too close to a particular building, for example).

The UK government stresses that this bill would only impact drone operators who are illegally flying UAVs and who are putting other people at risk. Photographers are specifically mentioned as one of the groups of people who will still be able to operate drones, assuming they follow all of the local laws and regulations, of course.

The full bill, as well as minutes of the proceedings, can be found on Parliament’s website.

Via: DroneDJ

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Ways to Correct Perspective in Photography

29 Jan

The post Ways to Correct Perspective in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

Back in pre-digital days, the only way to correct perspective in architectural pictures was with a tilt-shift lens. Using such a lens remedies the “keystoning” effect you get when pointing a lens upwards at a building, where all verticals in the picture converge.

A Nikon 19mm f/4 PC-E tilt-shift lens. Photo: Jeffrey M Dean at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA]

The main disadvantage of a tilt-shift lens has always been its price, especially if you stick to marque brands like Canon or Nikon. That hasn’t changed. With perspective correction now being widely available in editing software, why would you even think of buying such a lens today?

Tilt-shift lens vs digital perspective correction

Two benefits spring to mind when comparing a tilt-shift lens to digital perspective correction:

Image quality suffers when you digitally alter perspective in editing software. The degree to which this is noticeable varies and is likely to be trivial for most purposes. But, you’ll often notice mild degradation at 100%.
Most digital perspective tools crop the image, effectively reducing the resolution of the image sensor. And because the image is cropped, you lose WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) predictability when taking photos.

These factors are serious if you’re a pro photographer creating architectural photos for commercial clients. A tilt-shift lens maintains image quality and full resolution. You’d normally use a tripod with such a lens.

Using Adobe software to correct perspective

Correcting perspective has been possible in Photoshop for a long time, but it became easier from CS2 onwards. That edition introduced the Lens Correction tool.

Fixing perspective using the Lens Correction tool of 13-year-old Adobe Photoshop CS3.

In 2013, Adobe introduced automatic perspective correction, which saved considerable time compared to manual adjustments. Even today, many of Adobe’s competitors do not offer this luxury. You can fix the perspective in ACR or Lightroom within seconds.

If this feature is important to you but you don’t necessarily want to sign up for Adobe software, what else is out there?

Correct Perspective in Other Software

The idea for this article came about when I decided to break away from my Adobe subscription. I take a lot of building photos, so perspective-correction tools are useful to me. Programs vary a lot in what they offer in this regard. (In fact, a lot of the stuff you take for granted with Adobe goes AWOL if you go-a-wandering.)

DxO Viewpoint

I was using DxO Viewpoint a decade or more ago. It’s been around a while. At that time, it seemed quicker to use than Photoshop for perspective correction. Then, as now, ViewPoint worked as either a plugin or a standalone app.

I shot this from below, so there was keystoning in the original image. The auto controls in ViewPoint 3 have fixed it, making it look like I shot the Art Nouveau sign from directly in front.

DxO Viewpoint also blends seamlessly into DxO PhotoLab as a module. It’s a little controversial that DxO makes you pay extra for perspective correction, but maybe that modular system helps keep the entry price down.

A short time ago, I upgraded from ViewPoint 1 to ViewPoint 3. The latter offers automatic corrections, so I no longer have to place anchor points on each image. Sometimes it’s necessary to correct perspective manually, but the auto function saves a lot of time.

Paintshop Pro 2020

Paintshop Pro has a good perspective tool that is akin to perspective cropping in Photoshop. While it’s not a one-click solution, it’s still quick and easy to use. A grid inside the crop area lets you check all the lines as you work. This is like using ViewPoint manually, where you force parallelism by setting the position of vertical and/or horizontal lines.

If you’re only fixing verticals with the Paintshop Pro perspective tool, you must keep the horizontal lines in the grid level (or vice-versa).

By checking the “crop image” box before applying your adjustment, Paintshop Pro will automatically crop the image to its largest usable dimensions. One thing you can’t do is adjust the intensity of the effect after applying it. You’d have to go back and redo it if you weren’t happy with the result.

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2020

I’m fond of ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate for its comprehensive dual-set of editing tools and its DAM capabilities. But how is it for perspective control? Like many photo editors, the tools are all manual whether you’re in Develop or Edit mode.

If you’re only looking to correct verticals, you can achieve that easily with the vertical slider in Develop mode. This mode is really meant for raw files, but you can run rendered files through it just like you can with ACR.

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate - fixing keystoning

An adjustment of the vertical slider in ACDSee’s Develop mode has fixed some mild keystoning here.

In ACDSee’s Edit mode, you get perspective cropping like that of Photoshop, but it differs in one notable way. As you drag the corner points, the perspective changes in real-time, so you get to preview the result before saving it. A downside is the lack of auto-cropping. That means you need to crop separately if you drag points inside of the image frame.

Hugin

The main purpose of Hugin is to stitch photos together for panoramas, but it also corrects perspective. And, it’s free!

There are downsides.

You have to go through the motions of creating project files, the software doesn’t preserve aspect ratio, and it strips out EXIF data. You also lose a chunk of the image to cropping, but that’s normal. Hugin will give you the largest usable area after the correction.

Correcting converging verticals in Hugin.

I fix verticals in Hugin by creating a fake one-image panoramic.

If you’re familiar with Hugin and know ways around the problems mentioned above, please let me know. Since auto perspective correction is absent from many high-end photo editors, this program is worth knowing about. Although its chief role is creating panoramic photos, perspective correction is an inherent part of that process. Hugin is good at it.

Below is a quick summary of the Hugin process (or the one I use) to correct verticals:

Open the panorama editor, then open the simple interface
Click on “Load Images” and load the file you want to correct
Agree to add image to current project if a dialogue box pops up
Click on “Align”
Click on “Create panorama” even though you’re not creating one
Set output parameters
Save project
Hugin says it is stitching – it isn’t, but it is processing the file. You’ll see “batch successfully completed” in another window.

That’s it. Your corrected image awaits.

You can also perform vertical and horizontal perspective corrections as per this article. I tend not to make drastic corrections because they have a negative effect on image quality. If you shift the subject a lot, a large part of the image will look soft.

A final Hugin corrected image with original in the inset.

Darktable

Darktable is a raw processor of amazing depth. Its learning curve is steep, but it deserves a place in this article for its perspective correction module. You can correct perspective with one click, which is rare in free editing software. It might be unique. As well, there’s automatic cropping with “original aspect ratio” or “largest area” options.

A “get structure” button color codes lines in the image and tells you what the software has concluded about them. For example, a green line is a relevant vertical converging line, while a red line is vertical but not included as one of the converging verticals. You can adjust the status of these lines if you think the software has made a bad call.

Perspective correction in Darktable - get structure.

This is what appears if you hit “get structure” in Darktable. You can see the software is pretty good at telling true verticals (green) from false angled or curving verticals (red).

The only thing you can’t do in Darktable is back off the auto adjustment if you want a slightly converging result. You’d have to edit manually for that. But still, this feature is superb.

Honorable mentions

Naturally, other photo editors also include perspective correction. Capture One is one of the most evolved pieces of photo software I’ve seen. Its perspective control is like that of ViewPoint in manual mode, where you line up verticals or horizontals by hand to correct the image.

Programs like ON1 Photo Raw, Luminar and Exposure allow perspective control via a familiar system of sliders. You align the architectural lines of a photo with the lines of a grid. It works, but there’s no auto mode.

Am I obsessed with auto mode? Kind of, because it’s fast and does a good job. If you can tweak the result, so much the better.

The clean interface and “Canvas” toolset of Luminar 4, including perspective sliders.

Bottom Line

If you’re straying from Adobe and need perspective correction, I’ve gotta give top prize to DxO ViewPoint 3.

You can manually adjust perspective to your heart’s content or have the software swiftly do it for you. Importantly, you can back up a bit from auto results if the verticals look too forced.

The standalone ViewPoint 3 also includes an attractive browser, corrects for volume deformation and offers a tilt-shift “miniature effect”. What’s not to like?

The ViewPoint 3 browser.

For those that don’t want to pay extra for this functionality, look at Darktable. You might be scratching your head at its vast array of modules, but persistence pays off. Its perspective control is great at this price point!

All the software mentioned is eminently usable, so it’s a question of how valuable one-click corrections and versatility are to you. I hope I’ve helped in a few decisions.

Do you know any other software that helps correct perspective in photography? Share with us in the comments!

The post Ways to Correct Perspective in Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Glenn Harper.

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Nikon D780 initial sample gallery

29 Jan

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We’ve been putting the new Nikon D780 to the test in places close to home and not so close – here in the snowy/rainy streets of Seattle, out at a professional rugby match and far away in the sun-drenched streets of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Have a look, and check back soon as we’ll be updating this gallery with conversions when we get Raw support.

See our Nikon D780 sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Getting Started with Off-Camera Flash in Photography: Equipment

29 Jan

The post Getting Started with Off-Camera Flash in Photography: Equipment appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

When you are just getting started with it, off-camera flash in photography can feel incredibly difficult. You then look at all the amazing work of others and begin to wonder why your photos never look like that.

In this short series, we will look at getting you started with off-camera flash. We’ll take you from a complete novice through to someone who will feel confident and able to get the most out of their flash.

Let’s start with the things that I will cover in this series:

How off-camera flash works
What gear you will need
The technical bit
Using modifiers
Adding more flashes.

Off camera flash photography with a Hasselblad

Off-Camera flash in photography is something that can take your portraits to the next level. It is also not as scary as you might think.

The Gear

If you are getting into off-camera flash, you have several options. Some of you may have a flash for use on-camera, some of you may not. For this article, I will go through what you need.

If you are looking for a shopping list, it is as follows:

A flash
Flash triggers
A flash stand
Umbrella bracket
A flash modifier

I will then suggest a setup for those on a budget and a setup for those with a little more cash to spare.

As with all recommendations for gear, I am not paid by any brand to push their gear (I should really push this out with a plug shouldn’t I? hit me up camera companies!!) And they are my opinions, so please let’s not argue about this in the comments guys.

Right, Let’s go through each item one by one.

A Flash

The Vivitar 285Hv, AKA “The Tank.” Smashed, missing pieces and hit by skateboards. It still works fine. I even replaced the flash foot with a metal one when I snapped it.

This can be any flash. You can use an old manual flash bought for under $ 20 on eBay, through to the latest and greatest speedlite from your camera company, which will cost you over $ 400. Going even further, you could get a battery-powered studio strobe. What you need or want will depend on your budget and your needs.

There will be very little difference in these in terms of light quality. The difference will be in the ease of use and the power of the light.

The temptation may be to go with the same brand as your camera, but in all honesty, you can get much better value for money.

Now at the budget end, you can still get great mileage out of an old, fully-manual flash like the Vivitar 285. This flash is an ugly beast of a thing that is full manual. It doesn’t even have an LCD screen.

However, it is built like a tank, and you can buy it for around $ 20 to $ 30 on eBay. You can also get old flashes by Canon and Nikon for a little more. Remember, when using manual flash, you do not need to worry about which brand you are using. You can just as easily use a Canon flash on a Nikon camera and vice versa.

If you have more money to spend, then you really cannot look at flash these days without looking at the Godox brand. Godox produces a great range of flashes in all shapes and sizes. They also come with triggers built-in. This means you only need to buy a trigger for your camera and you are good to go.

By going with something like the Godox system, you also have the luxury of being able to change your flash power from the camera. This makes the process a lot easier, but it does come at a cost.

If you are buying a new flash from Godox or similar, make sure you invest in the flash specific to your camera brand.

A great mid-range flash would be the Godox 860II. This flash has Godox’s wireless system built-in and uses a Li-ion battery and recycles quickly even at full power. You also get a huge amount of flashes per charge (over 500) that will last even the most eager photographer for a full day of shooting.

From here, you can get bigger options with more power, but my honest recommendation is that, when starting out, you generally won’t really take advantage of what these units offer. Save your money and then invest in these later as you need them and, more importantly, once you know why.

Two of the most popular flash triggers made by Godox. they are rebadged under several names. In this case, PixaPro.

Flash triggers

Okay, you have the flash, now you need to trigger them.

Flash triggers come in many varieties. From a super simple trigger and receiver, through to a controller with an LED screen that allows you to see exactly what setting your flash is on and change them remotely.

What you need here depends on the type of flash you have (or purchase). For the budget option – old school flash with no built-in trigger – we will stick with the basic, but functional, option.

You can get a set comprising of a receiver and two triggers for around $ 20. They are as basic as they sound; however, they generally do the job and are pretty reliable. There is no screen, and from past experience, you may need to carry both triggers even when using one flash as they can occasionally be temperamental. There is no control of the flash at all. If you need to change your flash power, you need to go to your flash and change it by hand. It does the job and does it well without any bells or whistles.

Stepping up, look at the Godox trigger.

When you add the Godox trigger to a Godox flash, you can change the power remotely, and as you get more advanced, you get to do other things such as change groups, and high-speed sync. Basically, this trigger will allow you complete control of your flash from wherever you are shooting.

You will expect to pay around $ 50 and up for the trigger. You won’t need a receiver in this setup as the flash has one built-in (one less thing to forget to put into your bag). Overall, you get much more control here.

The more you invest in a trigger system, the more reliable it will be. For an amateur, this isn’t a huge issue, but if you are doing paid work, it really is worth investing in a decent set of flash triggers.

Flash stand

Unless you have an understanding friend or family member, you need a stand to put your flash on. If you are doing this on a budget and already have a tripod, you can use that as an interim measure, but flash stands are cheap. You can get a flash stand for $ 15 to $ 20. When stepping up in price, the main things you gain are better build quality, better quality knobs, and air cushioning.

Air cushioning means, if you undo the stand, the light doesn’t simply drop, it is cushioned by air, reducing the risk of damage to your flash. However, this is designed more for larger, studio-style flashes, so there is not a huge benefit in this for a speedlite-style flash, especially if you are looking to save money.

A flash stand by a company such as Manfrotto will cost you in the region of $ 80-$ 100. However, these are a purchase for life. Unless something major happens, a good-quality flash stand will last you for years and never need software updates.

Two different types of umbrella bracket. The metal cold shoe is the reason I had to put a new foot onto the Vivitar 285 you saw above.

Umbrella bracket

This is the key piece of equipment that allows you to fix your flash to your light stand. It also allows you to add modifiers to your flash, such as umbrellas and softboxes.

As with light stands above, the only difference with flash brackets is the build quality and the quality of the knobs.
A good umbrella bracket will cost around $ 20 to $ 30. I would suggest investing in this straight away. You can get cheaper, but not by much. It is worth the extra few dollars to buy a higher quality one.

A thing to remember here is that you may also need to buy a cold shoe for your umbrella bracket. This screws into the umbrella bracket via a spigot and has a shoe for your flash to mount to. These only run at a few dollars and some umbrella brackets have them built-in. Make sure you check and purchase as necessary as you may end up incredibly frustrated if your shiny new gear turns up, and you cannot connect your flash to your light stand. Trust me; I’m talking from experience here.

With a cold shoe, the main question is do you go for a metal or plastic one. Personally, I prefer plastic. The reason being that if your flash does happen to take a tumble and you are on a plastic cold shoe, it will usually snap. This may seem like a bad thing, but with a metal cold shoe, physics means it will snap at the weakest point. This is usually the base of the flashgun. Instead of snapping the cold shoe, you will snap the base of your flash off.

Now hopefully, your flashes never take a tumble, but I know mine definitely has. A gust of wind can come from nowhere. I have replaced several plastic cold shoes, but have luckily never snapped the base off a flashgun yet (touch wood, fingers crossed, etc.)

Off-camera flash in photography with a simple umbrella of a woman in a green coat at sunset

One of the first off-camera flash portraits I shot. Simple gear can create great results.

Modifiers

Softboxes, beauty dishes – there are many different modifiers, and the prices range from the insanely cheap through to the incredibly expensive.

I would always advise starting with umbrellas as a modifier as they are cheap, cheerful, and versatile. Also, learn one modifier inside and out before investing in more. When you know a modifier, you can use it in several ways and will allow you to create a variety of looks as you get used to working with it.

You can buy a 30” convertible umbrella for under $ 10 (you can shoot through it or shoot it reflectively). You will not get a better price-to-performance ratio from any other modifier.

It is tempting to buy a bucket load of modifiers if you have the money to invest, but what happens is, you become unfocused and try different modifiers, not really knowing the uses of each.

Buy one, learn it, then buy another. Don’t waste your money buying fancy gear just for the sake of it.

Extras

Please, please invest in (or make) a sandbag. A sandbag goes onto the bottom of your light stand and holds everything down, which means a minimal risk that your nice new equipment gets smashed on the floor.

You can make one of these incredibly cheaply, but they are worth their weight, literally. If you don’t have one (or have forgotten to get one), a camera bag will do in a pinch.

When using an umbrella outside, it is like having your flash gear attached to a kite. If you don’t weigh it down and the wind catches it, you may be picking your flash kit up in pieces.

Buy one and use it. If you don’t, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

So, how much are we talking about?

I have priced these beginner kits for those on a tight budget, and those with a bigger budget. Please note, I haven’t gone crazy with the larger budget. What you see here is what I truly believe to be the best beginner kit for getting started.

You will gain nothing from spending lots of money. The aim here is getting the gear to get started without over-complicating things.

The cheap and cheerful

This shot was taken on a setup almost identical to the one below.

Flash: Vivitar 285HV from eBay: $ 30

Triggers: Alzo Trigger Set $ 21 (There are several weird and wonderful companies producing this type of trigger, check Amazon/eBay for them.)

Flash Stand: $ 23

Umbrella Bracket: $ 10

Convertible Umbrella: $ 7.50

Sandbag: Use your camera bag

Total: $ 91.50

You read that right, $ 91.50. You can get started in off-camera flash for the price of a meal out.

A little to invest

Off-camera flash photography with one light and a reflector.

This portrait was taken with only one light and a reflector. There is so much to learn when getting started in off-camera-flash photography that adding more lights will add problems.

Flash: Godox 860ii: $ 179

Trigger: Godox XPro C: $ 69

Air Cushioned Flash Stand: $ 29.65

Umbrella Bracket: $ 29.48 plus cold shoe $ 9.95

Convertible Umbrella: $ 7.47

Sandbag:$ 21.95

Total: $ 346.50

What do you get for the extra cash?

More control.

You can control the flash output directly from the camera plus advanced features such as add groups when you add more flashes in the future. You also get a flash that will take a lot more shots and recycle much quicker between photos. Lastly, if you don’t get on with off-camera flash, you have an awesome flash to use on your camera.

Right, so now you have your shopping list for off-camera flash in photography, next up comes the science part. I’ve just got to go out and get myself a new lab coat, so enjoy this article and see you next time.

Is there a set up that you use for off-camera flash in photography? Please share with us in the comments.

The Jollylook Mini Auto is an updated Instax Mini camera with auto exposure and more

29 Jan

Three years after launching its first Jollylook Instant Camera, the company is back at it with a new and improved version.

The new version is called the Jollylook Mini Auto. As its name suggests, this updated version features automatic exposure, a built-in flash and an adjustable aperture (F16, F22, F32, F45, F64 and pinhole). Other improvements include the addition of a multiple exposure option, as well as the inclusion of a polarizing filter.

The camera and flash are powered by a rechargeable (microUSB) lithium-ion battery that’s rated for up to 80 images when the flash is used at 50%). Using an onboard light sensor, the shutter speed is automatically set with a range between 1/200 of a second to 60 seconds, as well as a bulb setting.

The camera is constructed of a new laminated fiberboard and the optics are constructed of acrylic. The Fujifilm Instax Mini film it uses is ejected through a manual crank mechanism.

Admittedly, Jollylook’s first Kickstarter proved underwhelming, with slow delivery and subpar build quality, based on the initial reviews. So, even more so than usual, we urge you to be cautious about funding this project. Still though, it’s a neat little device that might well be worth a little fun after its initial crowdfunding campaign ends and it’s available to the general public.

A few sample photos taken with the camera.

If you’re feeling brave though, head on over to the Kickstarter campaign to find out more information and to secure your pledge. The ‘Super Early Bird’ pledge will secure you a Jollylook Mini Auto for $ 79. The first units are expected to ship out November 2020, if all goes to plan.

Disclaimer: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Filmic’s Double Take iOS app records with two cameras at the same time

29 Jan

Under iOS 13 more recent Apple iPhones are capable of simultaneously recording video with several cameras. This feature was first demonstrated by the people behind the popular Filmic Pro video app at the iPhone 11 launch event.

Now Filmic Pro has made multi-camera recording available in an app, but it’s not Filmic Pro. Instead, the company has created a new stand-alone app called Double Take.

Double Take is a simpler app than Filmic Pro, aimed at users who don’t want to fight their way through a jungle of options. Filmic calls it a tool for everything from ‘professional broadcast-style news interviews to YouTubers capturing multiple angles during live events.’ Still, it comes with a variety of shooting modes that allow you to shoot either with front and rear cam at the same time or shoot with two different focal lengths on the rear cam (iPhone 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro and 11 only).

In Shot/Reverse Shot mode you can record two full size 1080p clips with the front and rear cameras. This will create A/B tracks that you can switch between in editing. This mode is useful for capturing the interaction between two actors or an interviewer and their subject, for example.

In Varied Rear Lenses mode you can record with any two available rear cameras at the same time and create a Picture-in-Picture (PiP) view. The PiP can be moved around inside the main video and its size is adjustable.

Splitscreen Composite Mode lets you record side-by-side footage using any two cameras. The final output footage shows a 50/50 split-screen effect and is saved as a single composite video. More information is available on the Filmic website. You can download Double Take from the App Store for free.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Moment launches new line of variable ND filters for DSLRs, mirrorless cameras and drones

29 Jan

Moment has announced the launch of its first variable ND filters for cameras and drones. The company is offering a total of four variable ND filter products at this time, one designed for the DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone. According to the company’s website, it designed its new filters to ‘hit the sweet spot on affordability, functionality, and quality.’

The Moment variable ND filters are made with machined aerospace-grade aluminum and Schott B270 Pro Cinema Glass. The three products designed for use with cameras utilize ‘unique geometry and laser-etched graphics’ that enable photographers to view the stop using the viewfinder. As well, the camera filters feature a design that prevents cross-polarization when rotating the filter.

In addition to the camera filters, Moment has also launched a filter for drones, specifically the Mavic 2 Pro. According to the company, this is the first cinema-grade variable ND filter for the Mavic 2 Pro. Offered in 2-5 Stop and 6-9 Stop varieties, this product is made from fused silica glass coated for ‘cinematic color and rugged durability.’ As with the camera filters, these drone filters are designed to prevent cross-polarization.

All four new variable ND filter products are available from Moment now. The Mavic 2 Pro Cine Variable ND filters are priced at $ 80 each; the camera filters are available in 67mm, 77mm and 82mm sizes for $ 150, $ 160 and $ 170, respectively.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Archive for January, 2020

1. Use minimalism to improve your compositions

2. Add split toning to enhance the colors

3. Decrease the depth of field for a softer look

4. Look at the work of good photographers for inspiration

5. Lengthen your shutter speeds for more abstract photos

Five ways to make your photography more artistic: Conclusion

Tilt-shift lens vs digital perspective correction

Using Adobe software to correct perspective

Correct Perspective in Other Software

DxO Viewpoint

Paintshop Pro 2020

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2020

Hugin

Darktable

Honorable mentions

Bottom Line

The Gear

A Flash

Flash triggers

Flash stand

Umbrella bracket

Modifiers

Extras

So, how much are we talking about?

The cheap and cheerful

A little to invest

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