The post 15 Ways to Find Photography Inspiration in 2021 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
Photography inspiration is easy to lose.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to ignite your creativity and get you excited about shooting again!
In this article, you’ll discover 15 ways to feed your photographic inspiration.
Let’s dive right in.
1. Make a list
Photography inspiration can manifest in mysterious ways. And while it may seem removed from the photographic process, list-making can actually help inspire new creative photography ideas.
Try compiling a list of photography goals to work through, or make a list of subjects to photograph. These lists can be as detailed as needed, so grab a pen and paper and brainstorm your next move.
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II with extension tubes | 1/6400s | f/1.8 | ISO 100
2. Get some exercise
Researchers have found that mood and creativity can be improved by physical exercise.
So if you’re in the midst of a creative lull, lace up your shoes and head out the door for a quick walk around the block – you could even bring your camera!
3. Try a new medium
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II with extension tubes | 1/80s | f/4.0 | ISO 100
Trying a new artistic medium can often provide surprising artistic perspectives that feed into photographic inspiration.
Activities like drawing or painting can open you up to fresh compositional insights that inspire intriguing creative possibilities.
4. Keep a journal
Maintaining a written journal is a great way to get down your important photographic processes on paper.
Journaling encourages introspection, which will help you nail down the effective aspects of your photography (and which you can reflect on later).
Ultimately, keeping a journal can give you a clear sense of creative direction, inspiring new photography ideas and approaches.
5. Make time for photography
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day. But actively setting aside dedicated photography time feeds photographic inspiration and facilitates creative growth.
Regularly making time for photography will help exercise your creative muscles – even if it’s only an hour a week.
6. Try new equipment
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II with extension tubes | 1/250s | f/2.8 | ISO 100
Trying new equipment can broaden photographic possibilities considerably.
Simple and cost-effective accessories like extension tubes, prisms, and filters are economical ways to inspire new methods of photography.
7. Make a mood board or a visual diary
Mood boards and visual diaries are used by artists to keep creative information in one place. By creating an accessible source of inspiration, artists can more easily expand on their own processes and ideas.
Traditionally, visual diaries were kept on paper. Today, websites like Pinterest and Tumblr allow you to maintain a visual diary or mood board online.
No matter which method you use, mood boards and visual diaries are a tried-and-true source of valuable photographic inspiration.
8. Catch up on art history
Art has a rich and varied history dating back millennia. Familiarizing yourself with art history contextualizes, informs, and expands creative output.
In fact, a good knowledge of art history can help you identify the subjects and approaches that have inspired creatives over the centuries, which you can then use in your own photography!
9. Revisit old photographs
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM | 1/160s | f/5.0 | ISO 100
The depths of a photographic library can be a great source of inspiration. When sifting through old photographs, opportunities to revisit past subjects and locations may reveal themselves, inspiring new photography ideas.
Looking through old photographs can also reveal consistent errors to fix in future photoshoots. And it can draw attention to how far you’ve developed over a period of time, encouraging a positive sense of creative growth.
10. Check out art establishments
Art establishments, such as galleries, are full of inspirational material.
And since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, plenty of galleries have added online tours and online events that allow you to experience art from the comfort of your own home.
11. Read photography books and magazines
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II with extension tubes | 1/1000s | f/2.5 | ISO 100
These days, most visual art material comes from a digital screen. But reading photography books and magazines can inspire a greater appreciation for printed photography, which can feed new creative possibilities.
12. Find photography inspiration by learning from past mistakes
From forgetting gear to technical or practical mishaps, photography, like any art form, is full of easy mistakes.
But when mistakes happen, don’t get discouraged. Instead, make a note of what went wrong – and be inspired to do better next time.
13. Reach out to fellow photographers
Photography often seems like a single-person endeavor, but reaching out to other creatives is an important way to generate and share inspiration.
From Instagram to in-person photography meetups, there are plenty of ways to connect with fellow creatives; ultimately, you can encourage growth and creativity in yourself and other photographers.
14. Photograph a favorite subject
Canon 5D Mark II | Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM | 1/400s | f/16 | ISO 100
Photographing a favorite subject can help you remember the reason you took up photography in the first place.
While it isn’t always easy, prioritizing a session of photography simply for the sake of reconnecting with a favorite subject is an effective way to boost photography inspiration.
15. Challenge yourself
Photographing challenging subjects supports creative growth. Sure, photographing tricky subject matter can be intimidating. But getting outside your comfort zone is a surefire way to generate photography inspiration.
If you like landscape photography, give portraiture a try. Or if you’re into abstract photography, why not focus on wildlife for a change?
In short, take the opportunity to branch out. This will broaden your photographic experience and help you develop a more versatile approach to capturing images.
Ways to find photography inspiration: Conclusion
From photographing a favorite subject to maintaining a journal, there are many simple ways to get out of a creative rut.
And while it’s true that photography inspiration can be elusive, making these changes to your creative habits is a great way to build your skills and develop new approaches!
Do you have any additional tips for finding photographic inspiration? Share them in the comments below!
The post 15 Ways to Find Photography Inspiration in 2021 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
Recently, I kicked off a new series of articles comparing the software provided by camera manufacturers with one of their most popular third-party alternatives, pitting Canon Digital Photo Professional head-to-head against Adobe Camera Raw. Now, I’m back with the second in the series, in which we’ll take a look at how Adobe’s raw processing rivals that offered for free with Nikon’s cameras.
Nikon ViewNX-i version 1.4.3’s user interface.
There’s a bit more to discuss this time around, as Nikon offers a choice of two different raw processing apps for free — the somewhat inconsistently-named ViewNX-i and Capture NX-D. As in the previous article, I’ll be limiting discussion mostly to each application’s user interface and image quality in the interests of keeping things to a readable length, and won’t be addressing features like image management, tethering or printing.
The ground rules
In this article, I’m comparing Adobe Camera Raw 12.4 alongside Adobe Bridge 10.1.1 versus Nikon ViewNX-i 1.4.3 and Capture NX-D 1.6.3, all of which are their current versions. My computer is a 2018-vintage Dell XPS 15 9570 laptop running Windows 10 version 1909.
To level the playing field as much as possible, I’ve once again aimed to reproduce the look of already-processed images from our galleries, without any prior knowledge as to the recipes behind them. I’ve chosen images from the Nikon Z6 for use in this comparison, since it’s similar in price and resolution to the EOS R used in the first article, and has been around long enough for Adobe to fine-tune its support.
Adobe Camera Raw version 12.4’s user interface.
To avoid getting too far into the weeds, sharpness and noise reduction were left at their defaults, while lens corrections were enabled for all three apps where possible.
Adobe Camera Raw doesn’t allow built-in corrections to be disabled at all. ViewNX-i doesn’t allow you to change whether or not distortion correction is enabled, and just abides by what’s set in the raw file. Only Capture NX-D allows corrections to be enabled/disabled (although even it prevents disabling distortion correction for certain lenses).
Images processed in ACR were saved at JPEG quality 11, just as used in our galleries. For NX-i and NX-D, I saved at JPEG quality 86, producing similarly-sized files.
The main differences
Click or tap for the full-sized ACR version; here for ViewNX-i version
Of course, the most immediately obvious differences between ACR and NX-i / NX-D are their camera support and price tag. You already paid for NX-i and NX-D when you bought your Nikon camera, so it’s effectively free. While it only supports Raw files from the company’s own cameras, you can expect full Raw support for every Nikon camera to be available pretty much immediately upon release.
By contrast, ACR comes with a recurring subscription fee. While it supports a vast range of cameras from many manufacturers – including every single interchangeable-lens Nikon camera made to date – that support can sometimes take a while to arrive after the release of new models.
It’s also sometimes more limited than that in first-party software, especially for Coolpix compacts. While Adobe offers ‘camera matching’ profiles for almost every Nikon ILC, for example, it’s not available for a fair few compacts, including the relatively recent Coolpix A1000.
As for the differences between ViewNX-i and Capture NX-D, we’ll describe those in more detail when we look at NX-D on the next page. Suffice it to say that NX-i is the simpler, more approachable of the pair, however.
ACR is a little cleaner, but NX-i is approachable too
Click or tap for the full-sized ACR version; here for ViewNX-i version
For the remainder of this page, we’ll focus solely on ViewNX-i. Although its interface isn’t quite as modern as that of ACR, it’s still pretty clean overall, with relatively few controls on offer. Some features like sharpening are combined into a single easy-to-use slider, while others like noise reduction are controlled entirely automatically.
The selection of controls available to the user is sometimes a bit odd, though. For example, I’d wager that most NX-i users won’t have the first clue what “axial color aberration” means, nor will they find any tooltip explaining it if they hover over the control. Yet several more common (and easily-understood) attributes like distortion and vignetting corrections cannot be controlled by the end-user.
The selection of controls available in ViewNX-i is sometimes curious. For example, there are controls for more obscure functions like aberration and diffraction, but none for more easily-understood variables like distortion and vignetting.
The good news is that, with fewer controls on offer, Nikon gives you access to everything up front. Editing functionality isn’t hidden behind buttons or under menus. Nor is it strewn across multiple tabs of controls, as in some applications.
Instead, you’ll find all available editing tools grouped together in a single, relatively short scrollable panel. And sliders move smoothly rather than in large steps, so making fine-grained adjustments is easy.
Like ACR, modern features like support for 4K displays, touch-screens and pen control are pretty good, although if you switch between 4K and Full HD displays — especially while NX-i is running — you’ll often have to resize panels or perhaps even restart the application entirely so it redetects the screen resolution before you can get to work.
ACR is still the speed champ, but ViewNX-i isn’t that far behind
Click or tap for the full-sized ACR version; here for ViewNX-i version
ViewNX-i isn’t quite as fast as ACR, especially when it comes to previewing changes as controls are adjusted. Still, it trails Adobe by only around a third in terms of final rendering times, which is much better than some rivals. All six images in this preview took ViewNX-i around 26 seconds to batch-process, compared to 19.5 seconds for ACR.
And while image previews aren’t adjusted in near real-time as in ACR, they never take more than a second or less to catch up to your changes, and render in a single pass. The accuracy of that preview isn’t perfect when viewing full images, so for the finest adjustments you’ll want to switch to a 1:1 view instead, but it’s certainly good enough to get you close.
Unfortunately, there’s no indicator to show when the preview is updating, which is a bit frustrating when making more subtle adjustments.
ACR gives you much more control, especially over shadows and highlights
Click or tap for the full-sized ACR version; here for ViewNX-i version
As noted previously, ViewNX-i offers a smaller selection of controls than does Capture NX-D, and the same goes doubly when compared to Adobe Camera Raw. A particularly surprising omission in an app aimed at less-experienced users is the lack of a one-click auto control to help get everything in the ballpark. Much like ACR, ViewNX-i includes slider control over brightness, contrast, shadows and highlights.
NX-i also has D-Lighting HS and Color Booster sliders, the latter replacing the separate saturation/vibrance sliders offered by Adobe, and providing a choice of people or nature modes for some control over skin tones. Sharpening control is likewise limited to a single slider with no fine-tuning possible. And Nikon’s app lacks ACR’s sliders for texture, clarity, dehazing or black-points and white-points entirely, as well as its noise reduction and curves controls.
The D-Lighting HS slider makes it really easy to recover shadow detail, but I found its interactions with the shadow protection and contrast sliders in particular to be a bit difficult to predict and control. With D-Lighting HS set in the upper half of its range, as little as a 2-3% change in the contrast slider could have a pretty major effect overall and badly block up deeper shadows. This was particularly true of the shots inside the aircraft hangar, as well as the backlit model shot.
The fixed noise reduction is too heavy-handed by far
Click or tap for the full-sized ACR version; here for ViewNX-i version
With less challenging scenes, though, I thought ViewNX-i did a pretty good job in most respects. It yielded pleasingly lifelike color with relatively little effort, and I found myself preferring its rendering of foliage and skies in particular over those of ACR.
The fly in the ointment is that its noise reduction – which, remember, can’t be disabled – is quite heavy-handed. This is particularly noticeable in portrait shots, where much fine detail is lost in things like hair or thread patterns in clothing, and skin can end up looking unnaturally plasticky. This, more than anything else, will push more experienced photographers to either Capture NX-D or a third-party alternative like ACR.
ViewNX-i’s default noise reduction can lead to slightly plasticky-looking skin.
If your shot doesn’t have much noise to start off with, though, ViewNX-i can extract about almost as much detail as can ACR. (And can appear a little crisper at default settings, thanks to slightly stronger unsharp masking).
Final thoughts on ViewNX-i
Click or tap for the full-sized ACR version; here for ViewNX-i version
Less experienced photographers might, perhaps, find ViewNX-i to be a bit less intimidating than Capture NX-D or Adobe Camera Raw, and it’s certainly capable of providing decent results if you can live with its noise reduction performance. Performance is decent too, especially in terms of final rendering, although Adobe still takes the win handily in this respect. But for many, the limited controls on offer and the heavy-handed noise reduction will push them to Capture NX-D or a third-party alternative instead — and rightly so.
Nikon ViewNX-i
Pros
Cons
Available free with your camera
Excellent support for Nikon’s cameras from launch day
Realistic color with minimal effort
Impressive shadow recovery from D-Lighting HS
Decent performance, albeit still not as good as ACR
Only supports Nikon cameras
Lacks many controls offered by ACR and other rivals
Selection of controls doesn’t make sense for less-experienced shooters
No one-click auto control
Can’t use distortion correction if it wasn’t enabled at capture time
Denoising robs fine detail and can’t be disabled
Interactions between controls can prove challenging
Adobe Camera Raw
Pros
Cons
More modern user interface
Supports a vast range of cameras from many brands
Great performance and accurate real-time preview
Great image quality overall
Holds onto more fine detail than ViewNX-i
Does a great job with highlights/shadows
Recurring subscription fee with no perpetual license option
Camera support can take a while to arrive
Less pleasing color than Nikon’s software by default
Leaves significantly more noise in images by default
And with our Nikon ViewNX-i vs. Adobe Camera Raw comparison complete, it’s time to see how Capture NX-D fares against its third-party rival. Continue reading on the next page!
The post Sony Releases a Gorgeous (and Expensive) 35mm f/1.4 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Just last week, Sony unveiled its latest high-powered creation:
A 35mm f/1.4 GM lens, designed for full-frame, E-mount cameras, and offering an impressive set of capabilities (for an eye-watering price).
As you’d expect from a G Master lens, the 35mm f/1.4 features a no-holds-barred, pro-level design. You get a beautifully-constructed barrel, a handy aperture ring (for changing the aperture on the fly without having to fiddle with camera dials), plus dust and moisture resistance. The lens is relatively light and compact (Sony highlights its 524 g/18.5 oz weight, as well as its ability to sit “comfortably in the palm of your hand”), which makes it ideal for travel and on-location photoshoots. In fact, Sony has managed to create a lens that you’ll want in your bag for pretty much any photography scenario, be it studio work, natural light portraiture, landscape photography, street photography, or event photography.
Aside from its build, what makes the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM so special?
First, there’s the optics. Sony claims that the 35mm f/1.4 offers “extraordinary resolution” and “stunning contrast,” and early reviews bear this out, commenting on the lens’s impressive sharpness, even at f/1.4. This makes the 35mm f/1.4 a worthy choice for landscape photographers after a mid-wide prime, as well as for architectural photographers.
Then there’s the f/1.4 maximum aperture. Wide open, you can capture buckets of light; this is perfect for event photographers who frequently shoot indoors and need to keep their shutter speeds high, even at night. Plus, the f/1.4 setting combined with an 11-blade aperture is practically guaranteed to produce class-leading bokeh – for the kind of portrait backgrounds that will leave the viewer stunned.
Sony also promises speedy autofocus (specifically, “fast, smooth, and silent AF performance”), as well as effortless (“immediate and precise”) manual focus for those portrait photographers, landscape photographers, and videographers who require intense control when adjusting focus.
Of course, a big part of a lens’s appeal is its focal length, and here the Sony 35mm f/1.4 excels. On a full-frame camera, you get a medium-wide field of view for landscapes, environmental portraits, and wider street shots. Mount the Sony 35mm f/1.4 on a crop-sensor body, and you’ll have a handy 50mm lens, one that’ll work for standard portraits, tighter street photos, walkaround shooting, and more.
Unfortunately, the Sony 35mm f/1.4’s price tag sits just under $ 1400 USD. However, if you can afford the cost and require the absolute best image quality and bokeh around, the Sony 35mm f/1.4 won’t disappoint.
You can check out the Sony 35mm f/1.4 right here; shipping starts on February 15th.
Now over to you:
What do you think of the Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM? Are you interested? Is the lens too pricey? Or is it worth the cost? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Sony Releases a Gorgeous (and Expensive) 35mm f/1.4 Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
TTartisan has announced a new special-edition version of its fully-manual 50mm F0.95 Leica M mount lens to celebrate the Year of the Ox.
The lens is optically identical to its more monochrome siblings, featuring eleven elements in eight groups including one double-sided aspherical element, one ultra-low dispersion element and five high-refractive elements. It features an aperture range of F0.95 to F16, offers a minimum focusing distance of 70cm (28“), uses a 14-blade aperture diaphragm and has a 67mm front filter thread.
What sets this lens apart is its bright red paint job and a custom-engraved lens cap with a stylized silhouette of an ox. TTartisan says it’s only produced 500 units, which will be sold by retailers around the world.
The lens measures 89mm (3.5″) long, 72mm diameter and weighs 687g (1.5lbs). While it’s available at various retailers, Photo Rumors has it listed for $ 909 (international shipping included) — a roughly $ 132 premium over the black and silver version of the lens.
The post 13 Snow Photography Tips: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.
Does your heart jump a little on a snowy winter day?
Do you want to run outside and start shooting?
I know how you feel; I love snow photography, too!
So if you’re after some stunning snow photos…
…then read on!
13 snow photography tips: a beginner’s guide
The tips in this article will help you get some great photos in the snow – while also keeping your camera safe.
So make sure to keep these tips and techniques in mind the next time you head out for a snow photoshoot!
1. Focus on contrast
Autofocus can have a hard time when everything is white. So you’ll need to be extra-careful, and do your best to focus on a contrast-heavy area of your snow scene.
It helps to focus on something dark, like the bark that’s just below a lump of snow on a tree branch.
Remember:
Your camera’s autofocus system uses contrast to focus, so a plain white mound of snow may cause issues.
Press your shutter halfway. If the focus won’t lock on, move your focus point to a darker area of the subject and try again. This usually does the trick.
2. Camera settings
Set your camera to shoot in RAW. When you take photos in RAW, you will have more information to work with when editing – whereas JPEG files are compressed, so they don’t allow for much post-processing latitude.
(Learn more about why you should shoot in RAW here.)
Choose Evaluative metering (which is called Matrix metering on Nikon cameras). Evaluative metering will do a good job of getting you a correct exposure, and it’s what I used for all the photos in this post.
If the weather is really sunny, you may also want to try Spot or Partial metering to see if it can handle the light better.
Exposure compensation. Your camera will try to make snow look gray, so set your exposure compensation to +1 or +2. That will keep the snow looking white. You can also adjust the exposure during editing.
3. Shoot in Aperture Priority mode
Aperture Priority mode (AV on Canon, A on Nikon) will allow you to quickly change your depth of field. When shooting in Aperture Priority, the camera will choose the ISO (if the camera is set to Auto ISO) and the shutter speed, so all you have to do is switch between aperture settings.
This is great in cold weather (where cold fingers make it tough to change settings on the fly), and allows for a lot of creativity.
4. Capture snow while it’s still fresh
There’s nothing like a fresh snowfall.
If you want footprint-free snow, you should plan the photos you’re going to take and the order you’ll take them in (so you don’t trample the snow during the shooting process!).
Capturing fresh snow might also mean going out early to shoot (before the kids get up!).
5. Keep your batteries warm
In cold weather, your batteries won’t last long. So charge two, and keep one in an inside pocket.
When the battery in your camera runs low, replace it with the warm one. Then put the drained battery in your pocket; you may even be able to use it again once it warms up.
6. Bag your camera
Condensation can form on the outside and inside of your camera when you bring it in from the cold. That’s scary, but it’s easy to avoid.
When you are heading out into the cold, just bring along a large zip-lock bag. I usually keep one in my camera bag or jacket pocket.
Then, when you’re ready to go inside, put your camera in the bag and make sure the lock is sealed tight.
Once you’re in the house, put your camera somewhere it can warm up slowly. When the camera reaches room temperature, you can take it out of the bag and use it normally.
I leave my camera bag in the car while I’m taking photos. But before getting back into the car, I put my camera in the zip-lock bag, then in the camera bag. That way, the camera comes up to temperature slowly and condensation doesn’t form.
7. Don’t let the weather stop you
Snowy landscapes look good in both sunny and cloudy weather.
On cloudy days, when everything is white, include elements that will break up the monotony and add interest to your photo.
Also, if it’s snowing, use an umbrella to protect your camera. And if it’s too cold to go out, roll down your car window, grab your shot, and roll it back up.
While I don’t take my camera out in super cold weather, some people do. Read more about protecting your camera and yourself in cold weather (by David Shaw, who’s in Alaska and knows all about cold weather!)
8. Act fast
Snow can change quickly. It can start or stop falling in an instant.
And when the sun comes out, snow can start melting very fast. Those beautiful trees can go from dazzling to drab in no time at all.
So don’t wait.
Get out there and do some snow photography!
9. Be patient
Light can change fast.
The sun can go behind a large cloud and totally change how the snow looks. You may need to wait for the sun to come out again. This can be hard when it’s cold, but it’s worth it!
After all, sunshine and shadows add beauty and drama to a snowy scene.
10. Keep all your images
Don’t delete any photos from your camera.
Instead, wait until you’re warm and comfy and you’re sitting in front of the computer.
You’ll be able to see your photos more clearly, and your fingers won’t freeze!
11. Play with perspective
Shoot from different perspectives. Try to show the way snow blankets the ground, weighs things down, and clings to everything.
But watch out for falling snow. It’s not so nice to have a clump land on your camera!
12. Play with shutter speed
Shutter Priority mode allows you to choose your shutter speed while the camera takes care of the rest (assuming you’re using Auto ISO).
And by experimenting with your shutter speed, you can create all sorts of cool effects!
For instance, with a fast shutter speed, you can freeze falling snow in midair.
With a slow shutter speed, you can turn those flakes into long white streaks.
Nice, right?
13. Capture some bokeh
A sunny winter day is a great time to create bokeh. And with all that sparkling snow and ice, this shouldn’t be too hard!
To create bokeh in your photos, look for a subject that has something bright or shiny in the background.
This could be the light reflected off the ice or melting snow. Use a wide-open aperture (e.g., f/2.8 or f/4), and make sure there is some distance between your subject and the shiny background.
With a shallow depth of field (from the wide aperture), your subject will be in focus, but not the shiny background elements.
And this will create lovely background bokeh, like in the photo below:
Let it snow!
Will you be out taking photos on the next snow day? I’m planning on it, and I hope you are, too.
Have fun with your snow photography, and experiment with different settings for creative results. Just remember to dress for the weather and bag your camera.
If you have some snowy photos to share, I would love to see them! I hope you’ll share your favorite snow photography tips, too – just add them in the comments below!
The post 13 Snow Photography Tips: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dena Haines.
The post 7 Tips for Black and White Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.
In the era of digital cameras capable of capturing millions of colors, why would you choose to do black and white portrait photography?
For me – and many others – it’s a simple matter of aesthetics. A good black and white treatment has a way of stripping unneeded information from an image, helping you emphasize specific elements without the distractions color can create.
And fortunately, portrait photography is a genre where black and white images can really shine.
However, like any photographic technique, there are tips you can follow to make sure your images have the most impact. In this article, I offer 7 simple tips that will instantly improve your black and white portraits – no matter your level of experience.
So if you’re looking to take your black and white portrait shooting to the next level, read on!
1. Start with black and white in mind
For many photographers, black and white is more than a creative choice at the post-production stage; instead, it’s a mindset. If you can start creating an image knowing that you ultimately intend it to be black and white, you can take steps to ensure that all of the elements of a good monochrome image are in place before you press the shutter.
Things like tonal contrast, lighting contrast, and appropriate expressions from your subjects are all elements that are difficult, if not impossible, to fix after an image is taken.
If you have trouble imagining how an image may look in black and white, try using the monochrome setting on your camera. While I don’t recommend you use an in-camera black and white conversion for your final image, as long as you shoot in a RAW file format, then all of your image’s color data will still be present in the file, and Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw will reset the photo back to color once it’s imported.
Working in black and white will give you an idea of how an image will look without color, while still providing the highest amount of versatility in post-production.
2. Keep the eyes sharp and well-lit
In the majority of portraits, the most important part is the eyes. Eyes are usually the focal point that the rest of your image is built around.
And this is especially true in black and white.
Due to the lack of color, a black and white image often breaks down into graphic forms and shapes. Eyes are shapes that everyone recognizes, and they immediately capture the attention of your viewers.
So make sure that your subject’s eyes are well-lit and in-focus for a stunning black and white portrait.
3. Expressions are emphasized in black and white portraits
As with the eyes, other facial features become very prominent in a black and white portrait.
Use this to your advantage by conveying emotion in your images. Even tiny changes in your subject’s expression can make a difference. Things like a raised eyebrow, a twitch at the corner of the mouth, and smile lines under the eyes can all be used to great effect.
Here is an exercise you can do with your portrait subjects to get a mixture of great expressions:
Prepare a list of words or phrases, then ask your subject to react to each one.
The words you choose can be simple descriptors of emotion, such as love, sadness, joy, anger, and melancholy.
For more diverse expressions, try abstract words. You can even go for funny words, such as cheeseburger, politics, Teletubbies, or Hulk smash. Plus, if you have a subject who’s tense or nervous, this can easily lighten the mood.
4. Do your lighting carefully
When it comes to lighting black and white portrait photography, there are no hard and fast rules. If you like high-contrast images with hard gradations in tone, then choose a harder source of light. If you like soft tones and subtler images, then you want a softer light source.
It’s all about personal preference, here. If you’re not sure what you like, search for black and white portraits on the internet. Find the first ten black and white portraits that stand out to you the most and see if you can deconstruct the lighting.
Then try to use those lighting techniques in your own images!
5. Add contrast with light
If you want to create high-contrast black and white portrait photos, the best advice is to add contrast with light, not Photoshop.
Small global adjustments are okay and won’t hurt your images, but definitely do not crank the Contrast slider to 100. Try to keep it between +15 and -15.
For local adjustments in post-processing, use a dodging and burning technique of your choice. The key point here, and in all post-production, is subtlety.
Ultimately, you can use contrast adjustments while editing. But strive to make the largest changes with your lighting setup!
6. You can’t save a bad image with black and white
If you’re working on an image that you feel isn’t up to scratch and you ask yourself if it might work in black and white, the answer is probably “No.”
A black and white treatment will often emphasize the flaws that made you question the image in the first place – and a bad photo is a bad photo, regardless of its color scheme (or lack thereof).
7. Choose black and white in spite of color
Certain subjects practically beg to be shot in black and white.
Other subjects may not be so obvious.
Bright, punchy hues make for vivid color photos. But by removing the color element, you can completely change how a subject or scene is perceived. When you want to ensure your viewer is focused on a particular element, color can become a distraction.
So try getting rid of it.
This can be a difficult concept to understand without seeing it in action, so I have included the color version of one of the black and white portrait photos above.
Look at the image, then ask yourself: How did my perception of the photo change? What did I notice first in each version of the image? Do I respond differently when I see the image in color versus black and white?
Hopefully, you can see that even though bold colors can make for vivid images, so can a lack of color.
Black and white portrait photography: Conclusion
If you’re new to black and white portrait photography, do remember that these are guidelines, not rules.
So if you need to stray from my tips to get the result you’re after, do so without hesitation.
Finally, if you try black and white and you like it:
Welcome to the addiction!
Now it’s your turn:
Do you have any tips for black and white portraits that I missed? Do you have a favorite black and white portrait technique? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post 7 Tips for Black and White Portrait Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by John McIntire.
The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Water appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
There are so many ways to photograph ‘water’ be it running, still, lakes, oceans, rivers… The list is likely to be endless and all-encompassing. #dPSWater
Tag your photograph #dPSWater if you share it on social media.
Slowing your shutter down and capturing the life in water, above with 1/10th of a second – unexpected and out on a shelf of rock with no filters, I had to stop my lens wayyyy down (f22) to get the slow shutter speed – just remember though, really high F numbers show you just how dirty your sensor is! (Clean it!)
Don’t know how to slow that shutter down? Click Here, try it, them come post your water photograph for this week’s challenge! Details on how to submit at the base of this post.
Maybe combine elements of water and sky to give your image extra levels of interest.
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.
Join and post in our Facebook Group
The post Weekly Photo Challenge – Water appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.
The post How to Use a Snoot in Photography: The Complete Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
What is a snoot in photography, and how can you use one for stunning photos?
That’s what this article is all about.
I’m going to take you through everything you need to know about snoots – including what they are, why they matter, and how you can use them to capture stunning images.
So if you’re ready to become a snoot expert…
…then let’s get started.
What is a snoot?
A snoot is basically a tube that goes over the front of your flash unit and creates a hard, concentrated beam of light.
Two examples of snoots mounted to flashes.
A snoot allows you to light your main subject – without lighting the surrounding scene. And this can be great for dramatic, low key photography.
A snoot is good for directing the light and creating low key images with lots of contrast. Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 50mm f/1.2L | 1/20s | f/2 | ISO 400
Now, you can pick up a snoot from plenty of off-camera lighting manufacturers. (More on that in a moment!)
But because snoots are simple, you can actually make your own, which is what the next section is all about.
Making your own DIY snoot
You can make your own snoot using basic household objects. You just need to make a tube that fits over your flash!
There are some design elements you must consider, though. For instance, you’ll want a color-neutral material, because if your snoot includes intense colors, you might get unwanted casts in your photos.
Bearing this in mind, here are the two simplest options for creating snoots:
Cereal box: Cut the box into a rectangular prism with a hole at either end. Add black tape around the outside of the snoot to prevent light from leaking out.
Pringles tube: Cut a hole in one end of the Pringles tube for the flash to fit inside, making sure the tube sits straight on your flash (so you get a clear, directed beam of light).
In either case, you can modify the type of light the snoot creates by making the snoot longer or shorter.
Just remember:
The longer the snoot, the smaller and more concentrated your source of light will be.
Buying a snoot
The other option is to buy a snoot, and there are plenty of good snoots available for you to choose from.
Here’s a nice snoot you can grab at a great price.
That said, given how easy it is to make an effective snoot yourself, if you’re going to buy one, you may want it to have some sort of extra functionality.
That’s why I highly recommend the Rogue FlashBender, which can be used as a snoot, a reflector, or a softbox.
(In other words: You get your money’s worth!)
When to use a snoot in photography
A snoot can be a highly useful tool in the studio.
Broadly speaking, a snoot produces hard light, which creates lots of shadows. A snoot also creates lots of contrast between your subject and the background (assuming the background isn’t lit independently).
Let’s take a look at a few cases where you might want to use a snoot:
Spotlight
Have you ever used a flashlight on a dark night to light up your face in a spooky way?
If so, you’ve essentially spotlighted your face – and broadly speaking, you’re doing the same with a flash and snoot.
Now, you can go for that spooky effect with a snoot, but you can also direct your light in different ways for different spotlight effects. You can highlight various parts of your subject while keeping the background dark, which tends to look both stunning and dramatic.
Low key effect
Low key photography involves partially underexposing your shots for a mostly black image.
Like this:
This is an example of low key light produced by a snoot. Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 135mm f/2L | 1/60s | f/5.6 | ISO 640
And a snoot is the perfect tool to create this type of image.
Simply direct your light at the main subject, whether that’s a still life or a model’s face. And ensure the light falls off before hitting the background for that dark, dramatic, low key look.
Rim light
You can use snoots to create beautiful rim lighting – which is any form of light that hits the edge of your subject.
And one of the most useful forms of rim lighting is the hair light.
By using a snoot to direct rim light (i.e., hair light) onto the back of a model’s head, you can add depth and interest to a photo, without impacting the front of the subject or the background.
For the best results, keep the rim light a little to the side and out of frame.
Of course, a rim light is only part of a lighting setup, so you’ll want to use it in conjunction with other lights. That way, you can capture a portrait like this one:
A hair light helps create a better-quality portrait photo. Canon 5D Mark III | Canon 135mm f/2L | 1/200s | f/3.2 | ISO 100
Flare
While photographers generally keep their off-camera lights out of the frame…
…there may be times when you want the lights to appear in your photos!
Specifically, you can use a snoot to create lens flare, as shown in the photo below:
Snooted strobes can be used to create lens flare when pointed toward the camera. Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 17-40mm f/4L | 42 seconds | f/5 | ISO 250
Now, you can create this artistic effect with several light modifiers (or just a naked flash).
But a snooted flash will help you control the light, so the source appears to be some sort of street light, rather than a flash unit.
How to use a snoot effectively
When using a snoot in photography, you’ll want to think about a few key factors, including:
The direction of the light
The distance of the flash
The length of the snoot
The brightness of the flash
These will dramatically impact how your photos turn out – so if you’re looking to really fine-tune your snoot photography, make sure you pay careful attention to the next few sections.
Direction of the light
Thinking about the direction of light is important in all forms of photography, but it is essential when working with a concentrated beam of light.
By positioning your snoot behind the subject, in front of the subject, or off to the side of the subject, you’ll get dramatically different results – so before taking a single shot, ask yourself:
What am I hoping to achieve with this snoot?
And position your snooted flash accordingly.
Distance of the flash
The distance from the flash to the main subject has three effects when used with a snoot:
First, the farther the flash is from the subject, the less bright the light becomes. If you position your light at the back of the room, you’ll get a darker image (though you can always adjust your exposure to compensate for the reduced light intensity).
Second, the farther the flash is from the subject, the harder the light becomes. If you’re looking for a softer effect with more gradual shadows, you’ll want to keep your snooted flash close to your subject – whereas if you’re after a harder effect with abrupt transitions from light to shadow, then you’ll need to increase the distance between the flash and the subject.
Third, as the distance between the flash and the main subject increases, the light radius becomes larger. This allows you to light more of your subject – so if you want to light your subject’s entire body, move the snooted flash back, whereas if you want to light only your subject’s head, you’ll need to move the flash in close.
Length of the snoot
Snoots can come in different lengths, with longer snoots offering a more concentrated beam of light, and shorter snoots producing wider lighting effects. Depending on the snoot length, you can create a precise spotlight effect, or you can widen the flash beam to light the entire scene.
Some snoots are actually adjustable, and if you make DIY snoots, you can create several of differing lengths.
Brightness of the flash
Of course, the brightness of the flash also needs to be considered.
You see, the light you’re creating with a snoot is going to be hard light. The subject will be lit, and the background will likely be dark.
But if you wish to show some background detail via ambient light, you can reduce the intensity of the flash and increase the exposure on your camera.
The key is to make sure the area lit by the flash is correctly exposed, then adjust your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO accordingly.
How will you use a snoot in photography?
The smoke in this photo was picked up by directed light from a strobe. Canon 5D Mark II | Canon 135mm f/2L | 1/200s | f/7.1 | ISO 160
Using a snoot in photography gives you plenty of artistic options.
A snoot is a simple, cheap, and effective way of doing something different with your photography.
So make sure you remember the tips and techniques I shared in this article…
…and start practicing with a snoot right away.
Have you tried photographing with a snoot? How did it go? Share your thoughts and photos in the comments below!
The post How to Use a Snoot in Photography: The Complete Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
The post In Praise of Program Mode: Why Program Mode is Great for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
Here’s a myth: Being able to shoot in Manual mode is the mark of a professional photographer.
I frequently see articles and beginner photography workshops with titles like Get Off of Automatic Mode. If these instructors don’t promote Manual mode shooting, they will at least tell you that “real” photographers favor Aperture Priority mode. Working with Program mode? They will roll their eyes and joke that maybe you thought the “P” on the mode dial meant “Professional.”
The image of the Blue Angels (left) was taken with one of the first DSLRs Canon produced, the D30. I made the shot many years ago with the only mode I used at the time: Program mode. The Cooper’s Hawk shot (right) was made just a few weeks ago, also with Program mode.
Sure, as you grow as a photographer, you will ultimately want to understand which camera shooting mode might be the best for each situation. But knowing how to drive a manual transmission vehicle will not instantly make you a racecar driver, and knowing how to shoot in Manual mode is not a shortcut to being a great photographer.
My first car was a 1964 Volkswagen Beetle, and it looked just like this model. Learning to drive a manual transmission as a new driver was a bit like immediately trying to use Manual mode as a new photographer – challenging!
I will date myself here, but when I learned to drive, a 1964 manual transmission Volkswagen Beetle was my first car. Learning to operate the gas, brake, clutch, and gearshift was an “interesting” introduction to driving.
My first camera was an East German Hanimex Practika Nova 1B. That was in the early ’70s. It had no mode dial, no autofocus, and since ISO was controlled by whatever film you used, the only exposure controls were a manual aperture ring on the lens and a shutter speed dial on the top of the camera. Even the exposure meter was not a TTL (through-the-lens) type, but a crude averaging meter that was just above the lens mount.
My first SLR camera, used back in the early ’70s, was a Hanimex Praktica Nova 1B. It offered no autofocus, no TTL metering, a dial to set the shutter speed, and a ring on the lens to set the aperture. The film determined the ISO (then ASA).
With both the car and the camera, I had to handle all the controls myself. Did the VW make me a better driver? Did the Praktika make me a better photographer? No, and both caused far more frustration as a beginner than if I had started in a car with an automatic transmission and I had started photography with a fully automatic DSLR.
So that’s my point here:
Why you make a photo – choosing to communicate your vision with an image and then using the camera as a machine to capture it – is far more important than how you shoot a photo or what mode you use. If some help from modern automation makes it easier to get there, especially as a beginner, go for it.
Why get whiplash learning to feather the clutch (or as I once did, roll back into the car behind you when at a stop sign at the top of a San Francisco hill) when, as a new driver, you could have an automatic transmission?
I did a lot of portraits of friends, family, senior photos, and even weddings with some of my DSLRs. I would often use Program mode and a little fill light from the pop-up flash. This typically worked just fine, especially for a new photographer.
Program mode – yes, the “P” setting on your mode dial – is what I would term the “semi-automatic” mode on your camera. Unlike the green, fully-automatic mode where you simply “point-and-shoot” and the camera makes all the decisions, Program mode frees you to override the settings if you so choose.
Let’s use an example to explain how Program mode might work in a given situation.
Program mode: The “semi-automatic” setting
Back in the 35mm film days, you would often choose the film you used based on the shooting conditions you planned to work in.
ISO (or before that, ASA or DIN) was a function of the film. ASA speeds of common film types might be 25, 64, 125, 200, 400, and maybe up to 800. You could go a little higher with special processing. The rub was that, whatever film type you chose, you worked with the same ASA for the entire roll (be it 12, 24, or 36 exposures).
With film, you had to stick with the same ISO (ASA) for the entire roll.
Working with Program mode can be a little like shooting film – in that the first thing you will do is pick your ISO setting.
This could be ISO 100 for good outdoor light, maybe ISO 200 or 400 for lower lighting conditions, ISO 800 or higher for dim conditions (or perhaps for when you will be shooting action and need to be able to use short exposure times).
Some have called Program mode “ISO Priority,” because once you choose the ISO, it will be the setting that will stay set, even as the shutter speed and aperture change. (Of course, the big difference from film is that you can change the ISO from shot to shot if you so choose).
So you start by setting your ISO.
Then, unless you have a special reason not to, I suggest you use the averaging metering modes: Evaluative on Canon, Matrix on Nikon. These will consider the entire image and calculate the exposure.
If your camera is set to Program mode, you will now see that it has selected both aperture and shutter speed settings. Depending on the available light, these will usually be toward the middle of the settings range – perhaps something like 1/125th of a second, f/5.6, and ISO 100. You may want to change these, and we’ll get into that in a minute, but if not, you’re good to go. Nail focus and take the shot.
You can shoot all day like this, the camera pretty much working as a point-and-shoot machine. As a beginner, rather than puzzle over what your settings should be for each shot, you can concentrate on more important things – chiefly composition – and let the camera figure out the exposure. Take away the clutch and the gearshift and driving is so much easier, right?
Creative control
The one thing you relinquish when you allow the camera to make exposure setting decisions is creative control. We may go a long way with artificial intelligence, but soulless computers or robots, while able to nail exposure, get perfect focus every time, and maybe even edit the shot afterward, will never be able to make true art.
Two concepts to understand as a beginning photographer are how aperture and shutter speed controls not only the exposure, but also the depth of field and the freezing/blurring of motion. If you have not fully grasped those creative concepts, I encourage you to spend time learning the relationship between aperture and depth of field, as well as the relationship between shutter speed and motion capture.
Working with Program mode will almost always get you a correct exposure, but you will also need to understand when you want to override the suggested settings to get the creative look you seek.
Some examples
Let’s break down how you might work in Program mode for different interpretations of the same subject.
It’s an overcast day, so you set the ISO to 800.
Your camera is in Program mode and it suggests an exposure.
You decide you want a deeper depth of field, so you set the aperture to f/22. (Aperture can typically be changed with one dial and the shutter speed with another. Note that when you change one setting, the other setting automatically changes to maintain proper exposure.)
Your settings are now ISO 800, 1/20s, and f/22. (Note that you’ll need to be on a tripod with a 1/20s shutter speed.)
You focus, then take the shot.
You take a look and decide it might be better to isolate the foreground leaves with a shallow depth of field. Still in Program mode, you roll one of your dials to put the aperture at f/4. Your camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed to 1/640th of a second to maintain proper exposure. You take another shot.
Easy, huh? The ISO stayed locked in at 800, and as you adjusted the aperture, the shutter speed adjusted itself.
Suppose now you want to see the effect of shutter speed on a moving object. Still in Program mode, you leave the ISO at 800. To freeze the droplets of a fountain, you roll the dial to get a 1/1600th of a second shutter speed. You take the shot.
Note how the top shot, taken at 1/50s, has more blurred water drops and how the tree is sharper at f/22. The bottom image, taken at 1/1600s, better freezes the water – but at f/4, the depth of field is smaller.
Now, what if you want to get a little motion blur on those drops? Roll the dial to set a slower shutter speed of 1/50th of a second. The aperture automatically adjusts.
Exposure compensation is also possible should you need to make your images a little lighter or darker.
I mentioned earlier that you could lock in your ISO when working with Program mode. Depending on your camera, you might also let the ISO automatically adjust as light conditions change. Try Auto ISO in combination with Program mode and see how it works for you.
Then make the leap
Program mode can help you get good exposures. And if you pay attention to the settings it chooses, you’ll begin to understand the relationship between aperture, depth of field, shutter speed, and motion capture. Program mode can also give you a good jumping-off point to work with a mode such as Aperture Priority.
Say that after making a shot in Program mode, you see the camera chose f/11 as the aperture, and you like the amount of depth of field that resulted. You can then switch over to Aperture Priority mode (Av on Canon, A on Nikon), dial in an f/11 aperture, and start shooting. The camera will stay locked at f/11 while adjusting the shutter speed for various lighting conditions.
The same goes for shutter speed. If your Program mode shot shows a nice amount of motion blur at 1/5th of a second and you want to make subsequent images with that amount of blur, switch to Shutter Priority mode (Tv on Canon, S on Nikon), dial in 1/5th of a second, and shoot away.
The camera will stay locked on the shutter speed you chose and alter the aperture as needed.
In the left photo, the focus is on the tree trunk at the right edge. At f/22, there’s a good amount of depth of field. In Program mode, roll the dial to take the f-stop to f/4 for less depth of field. The camera automatically compensates, putting the shutter speed at 1/160s. The exposure stays identical.
Back to the safe spot
If you play around enough with settings, you may eventually mess things up to where you reach a bad exposure or become totally confused about why things are not working for you. That’s when Program mode comes to the rescue.
These were some of the first images I made when I got my Canon 10D years ago. Program mode was all I knew, but it got the job done. Don’t think you have to immediately learn to shoot in Manual mode to make nice shots.
Put the camera in Program mode, put the ISO back to a setting appropriate for your lighting situation (ISO 200 might be a good starting point), and it’ll be like hitting the reset button: you’ll be back to letting the camera choose exposure settings.
If you find Auto ISO works well, try that, too. The idea is to have a setup you can always turn to if you get confused (one that you can rely on to make good exposures consistently if needed).
It’s easy to explore the relationship between aperture and depth of field while in Program mode. This series starts at f/4 on the left, before a roll of the dial took the aperture to f/8 (middle), and then to f/22 on the right. The camera did all the exposure calculations. As simple as one, two, three!
Regardless of what mode I choose to shoot in, even Manual, I always put the dial back to Program mode before turning off the camera and putting it back in my bag. Then, if that once-in-a-lifetime shot presents itself and I must grab the camera, quickly power up, and shoot, I can be assured I will get a reasonably well-exposed shot.
I hope you will not take this article to mean you shouldn’t learn to shoot in Aperture Priority mode or Manual mode, because it’s true that a great number of professionals use these settings. But if you are new to photography and are confronted with more information than you can immediately absorb, working in Program mode might just be the helping hand you need.
Working in Program mode will free you to concentrate on composition while letting the camera figure out exposure.
Concentrate first on learning good composition. And make sure your images are well-focused, because blurry shots are impossible to fix in editing.
For now, let your camera help you with exposure until you begin to wrap your head around all there is to know. Even if you are a more experienced photographer, you might occasionally find that turning the mode dial and working in Program mode is the right choice for a given situation.
Mode doesn’t matter
Make a nice shot and no one is going to ask what camera mode you used.
People don’t usually ask what kind of paint, brushes, or canvas Leonardo da Vinci used when he painted the Mona Lisa. And when you make a great shot, no one should care what camera mode you used, what your settings were, or even what camera and lens you used.
Conversely, when your shot is poorly composed, doesn’t have an easily identifiable subject, or just doesn’t speak to the viewer, it doesn’t matter how masterful you might be in Manual mode or if you have the best camera money can buy.
Determine why you want to make a particular photo, find your vision, know what it is you want to communicate, and then use the machine that is your camera to produce that image. If working in Program mode gets you to that result, it’s a perfect choice.
Best wishes for great photos!
What do you think about Program mode? Have you ever used it? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post In Praise of Program Mode: Why Program Mode is Great for Beginners appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Rick Ohnsman.
Samsung has announced its latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21 Plus and the Galaxy S21 Ultra. The S21 and S21 Plus are essentially identical phones, save for their screen size and other minor differences. The S21 Ultra is designed to be not only the best phone in Samsung’s diverse lineup of Android smartphones, but Samsung believes it’s the best phone available.
Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus
The S21 and S21 Plus cost $ 800 and $ 1,000 respectively. This is $ 200 less than their predecessor’s launch prices last year. As The Verge points out, the 6.2″ S21 and 6.7″ S21 Plus have given something up in order to reach this lower price point. While both phones continue to deliver 120Hz refresh rates, something Apple’s latest iPhone 12 models don’t offer, the displays no longer have the subtle curved edges of the Galaxy S20. Further, resolution has decreased from 3,200 x 1,440 to 2,400 x 1,080. In terms of internal components, RAM has decreased from 12GB to 8GB.
Build quality has changed as well. Whereas the S20 had an aluminum back panel, the smaller S21 uses plastic on the back and doesn’t include an ultra-wideband radio. The larger S21 Plus does have this connectivity feature, allowing for relatively superior compatibility with Samsung’s new Galaxy SmartTag, the Korean company’s new Tile competitor.
Another cost-saving measure is that Samsung will no longer be including a charging brick or headphones in the box. Like Apple, the company says it’s for environmental reasons. It’s only been three months since Samsung poked fun at Apple for no longer including a charger with the new iPhone models.
In addition to making cuts to reduce the price of the S21 and S21 Plus, Samsung has made improvements as well. While the quality of the materials has changed, the design looks very nice. On the inside of the new models is the latest Snapdragon chipset, which promises improved performance. The fingerprint sensor has Qualcomm’s new 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2, resulting in improved speed. Both models feature 5G integration, supporting mmWave and sub-6GHz networks, so the new phones will be faster in that respect too, assuming you are in an area with support for 5G.
The two-tone design of the Galaxy S21/S21 Plus works around the camera protrusion. The camera system is basically the same on these models as it was last year. The S21 and S21 Plus each include a 12MP wide-angle camera, 12MP ultrawide camera and a 64MP telephoto lens. The front-facing camera is 10MP, although the S21 Plus has ditched the depth sensor.
While the hardware is unchanged, there have been some adjustments to software. There’s a 30x ‘Space Zoom’ mode, a ‘Director’s View’ mode for recording video allowing easier swapping between lenses, and additions to the ‘Single Take’ mode. Further, the default image processing no longer excessively smooths faces, although if that’s your style, it remains an option.
The Samsung Galaxy S21 and S21 Plus models will be available starting January 29 and are available for preorder now. The S21 and S21 Plus include 128GB of internal storage. If you’d like 256GB of storage, it adds $ 50 to the price of each model. The S21 is available in Phantom Gray, Phantom White, Phantom Violet and Phantom Pink colorways, with the latter two having a rose gold two-tone design. The S21 Plus is available in violet, black, silver, gold and red, with the latter two colors being made to order and shipping in 3-4 weeks, as of writing.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra is the star of the show. Where the S21/S21 Plus are a mix of cost-cutting measures and improvements, the S21 Ultra is all about pushing hardware forward. The Ultra has a price to match, starting at $ 1,200.
For your money, you get a large 6.8″ OLED display with 120Hz refresh rates at full 3,200 x 1,440 resolution, something the S20 Ultra couldn’t do. The S21 Ultra includes 12GB of RAM, a 5,000mAh battery and offers storage capacity up to 512GB. The Ultra also includes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor. In terms of user experience, beyond promised speed improvements, the S21 Ultra is compatible with the Samsung S Pen, although it is an optional extra and many customers will likely want a compatible case with a holder for the pen as well.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra offers similar top-level camera specs as the S20 Ultra, including 100x zoom, a 108MP camera and 8K video recording, but there’s more to it than that and some important differences to consider. For example, the S21 Ultra includes more rear cameras than the S20 Ultra. The S21 Ultra has a 12MP ultrawide camera, 10MP camera with 3x zoom and a 10MP camera with 10x zoom. Previously, the 10x zoom was digital zoom, rather than optical.
Further, the primary image sensor is larger in the new model, although Samsung hasn’t stated by precisely how much. CNet writes that Samsung promises ‘more than three times the dynamic range of the S20 Ultra.’ Like the S21/S21 Plus, the S21 Ultra includes the same new software features for photo and video as well.
As mentioned, all these features come at a high price. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra starts at $ 1,200 with 128GB of storage. 256GB and 512GB models are also available at $ 1,250 and $ 1,380, respectively. The S21 Ultra is available in Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy and Phantom Brown, with the lattermost three color options being available as ‘made to order’ options, which currently adds 4-5 weeks to expected shipping time. The S21 Ultra in black and silver will ship by January 27. For those interested in the Phantom Black color, Samsung published a video specifically about designing this color.
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