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How Do You Know When You’re Ready to Start Charging for Your Photography?

09 May

The post How Do You Know When You’re Ready to Start Charging for Your Photography? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

An image from my first wedding. One of the scariest days of my life.

How do you know when you’re ready to start charging for your photography?

When someone is willing to pay you for them.

There you go. In twenty-two words, I have answered one of the most-asked questions in photography.

In all seriousness though, that is pretty much it.

You only have to look at the story of many photographers and how they started. They simply took an offer to get paid, fearing they were not ready.

Let’s be honest right out of the gate. You will be nervous as hell – probably convinced you are a fraud – and will be fearful of delivering the images to the client. Awaiting their reaction, you may wonder why anyone would pay you to take photos. This is natural and is more commonly known as “imposter syndrome.”

Imposter syndrome

To put it simply, it is the feeling that your work isn’t very good and doesn’t deserve the attention it gets. Albert Einstein also suffered from this, so if this sounds like you, you are in good company.

The truth is, people who are highly skilled or accomplished tend to think others are just as skilled. Because you see what you do as simple, you don’t see the vast amount of skill involved in the work you do. You take it for granted because it comes so easily to you.

It is also human nature to be more critical of your own work than that of others. Put this into a world of social media where everyone is #livingtheirbestlife, and there is what appears to be a never-ending stream of amazing images you see as better than yours. Now you have the perfect storm.

The fact that Einstein suffered from this shows there seems to be no level of accomplishment that makes you able to see worth in what you do. In some cases, higher accolades and awards make things worse.

You just need to remember you are skilled in what you do and your work is good.

Unfortunately, if you suffer from imposter syndrome, you may never be able to rid yourself of it. However, there are things you can do to make it easier. Tactics include talking with others about your issues and taking note of the positive feedback you get. People don’t have to say nice things about your work; they say them because they mean it!

Most importantly, remember that almost everybody suffers from this in one respect or another. I suffer from this badly. Repeatedly, I think my work is awful and wonder why people want to pay me to take their photographs. I convince myself that unless I have taken the best photograph in the history of photography of whatever I am shooting, then it is a failure.

Luckily, I have a great family who support me through the tough times and remind me that people pay for my work because I am a good photographer.

I had shot lots of bands, but few band portraits at this point. They were nervous as I had photographed artists they loved. I was nervous because they were paying me for portraits. Imposter syndrome at its finest.

Fake it til you make it – except for weddings!

There is always a huge element of “fake it til you make it.” You sometimes need to have faith in yourself and go for it. Standing at the edge of the diving board is the worst place to be because you have time to think. Sometimes you need to jump off and try your best. At times it will be graceful, sometimes you may bellyflop. However, in reality, all that is hurt is your pride (and your belly obviously).

Let’s say a friend asks you to photograph their kids because they have seen photos on your Facebook and want some of their kids. They are happy to pay you for the photos too.

My advice is to go for it.

Let’s say the worst happens, and the photos turn out to all be awful (this is more than likely not going to happen. Even if you do not get loads of great shots, you should get a few keepers). All you do is own up and say you are not happy with the photos and they deserve better. The only thing that is an issue is you have to give up more time to retake the photos.

Photographing a family portrait is the perfect example of when fake it until you make it is okay. Shooting a wedding, however, is not!

The fact that weddings are a one-off event and if you are not 100% certain you can deliver, then you shouldn’t do it.

I have seen (as I am sure many of you have) people on Facebook groups asking questions like “I’m photographing my first wedding next week, I have this lens and that lens. Which will be better? Also, do I need a flash?”

This is irresponsible. You need a certain level of skill and knowledge to photograph a wedding, especially if you are getting paid for it. You cannot gain the knowledge to photograph a wedding by asking questions in a Facebook group a few days before the event. You need to have it before you take on a wedding.

There are always news stories about a wedding photographer getting sued for ruining a couple’s wedding day. Please don’t become one of those. If you aren’t sure if you are ready to photograph a wedding, you probably aren’t.

With that said, your knowledge does not have to be in wedding photography. I know lots of photographers who have never photographed a wedding, but I am sure they would do an awesome job. As a starting point, you need to know how to photograph in a variety of lighting situations. You need to know how to solve exposure issues your camera may throw up, and you need some spare gear in case your main camera dies.

You need a headshot to apply to acting school? Of course, I can (I had no idea).

What equipment do I need if I’m NOT shooting a wedding?

For most photography there are three simple questions:

Do you have a camera?
Do you have a lens?
Do you have a memory card?

If you answered yes to the above three questions, then you have the right equipment to be paid for your photography. Will a variety of lenses and gear make things easier? Yes, but a beginner DSLR with a kit lens is more than capable of producing beautiful images people will be happy to pay you for.

What equipment do I need if I’m shooting a wedding?

As with the knowledge requirements above, the gear requirements for shooting a wedding are different. A wedding requires a different amount of equipment. The most important is to have two camera bodies. If you have one camera body and something goes wrong, you are in a mess. A spare camera body may not be needed, but it is better not to need something and have it there than to need it desperately and it not be there.

In terms of lenses, most wedding photographers tend to go for two f/2.8 zoom lenses or two to three prime lenses. What is best for you depends on how you like to shoot. Fast lenses are always best for weddings as you can use wider apertures to get more light into the camera in low light scenarios such as dark churches.

For those of you looking for specifics, a zoom lens shooter will use a 24-70 f/2.8 and a 70-200 f/2.8. They may also have a prime lens with an even larger aperture for situations where there is really poor light.

A prime lens shooter mostly works with a 35mm and an 85mm. They may also have a 135mm or a 24mm. These are generally f/1.8 or faster.

Now again these are the basics. I have not included flashes, memory cards, hard drive backups, etc.

I will take this opportunity to remind you again; you really do need a high level of skill and equipment to be able to shoot a wedding. It is hard work if you know what you’re doing. If you don’t, it is like a 12-hour waking nightmare.

Want me to shoot your camping space. Of course, I can. It will be…The first part of the sentence was easy. Asking for the money was always harder. In this case, the client said, “I was expecting to pay more than that.”

What should I charge?

Now for those of you starting to charge, you will always wonder how much should I ask? When you are first starting, you may photograph for an incredibly low rate, and that’s fine.

No matter what some may say, you are not ruining the photography industry by charging $ 100 including all the images when you are starting out. The truth is, people looking for photography at that price point are not going to be purchasing from photographers who charge thousands of dollars for a photo shoot.

There isn’t a right or wrong answer. My first family shoot I charged £50 including the images. My first full wedding I charged £500. Would I charge that now? Of course not. However, at the time, I got some cash, I built my portfolio, and most importantly it built my confidence.

The follow on question is how do you know when you are ready to charge more? Again this is down to you, your ability to deliver beautiful images and your confidence.

The moment I decided to raise my prices was when I was paid £600 to photograph a wedding where the couple had spent over £10,000. They didn’t book me for my price; they loved my work.

After that wedding, I doubled my wedding prices.

This led to more inquiries. Not only that, but I also received inquiries for the type of weddings I wanted to photograph. Was I convinced that raising my prices that much would mean no-one would book me? Of course, but they did, and I eventually raised them again. You just have to be confident, and remember, your prices are something you can easily change.

A photo from one of my first family photoshoots. I got paid the grand total of £50 including all images. Even then, I convinced myself I might be overcharging.

Conclusion

There you have it. You are now ready to start charging. Or, maybe you’re not.

The fact remains that in most situations when people offer to pay you, you are ready. The only thing that might mean you are not is you and your confidence.

You might be the type of person who will happily throw yourself off the 10m diving board and see what happens. Or, you might be the type of person who starts on the side of the pool and works your way up until you are at the 10m mark, confident you won’t bellyflop.

However, at some point, you need to leap. It will be scary, but I promise you, it won’t be as scary as it is in your head.

The post How Do You Know When You’re Ready to Start Charging for Your Photography? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Carl Spring.

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What you need to know about Canon’s EOS Rebel SL3 (250D)

10 Apr

Introduction

The Canon EOS SL2 (also known as the 200D and Kiss X9) is one of the company’s most best-selling DSLRs. And it’s not surprising, as the SL2 was a low-priced, competent camera that you could slip into a purse or small bag.

The new SL3 (250D, Kiss X10) isn’t a dramatic departure from the SL2: it’s still small. inexpensive and mostly up-to-date in terms of features. It borrows many features from Canon’s EOS M50 mirrorless camera, including the DIGIC 8 processor and rather disappointing 4K video capabilities. But more on that later.

The Rebel SL3 will be available at the end of April for $ 599 body-only or $ 749 bundled with the EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6mm IS STM lens. We’re featuring the white version in this article, because we think it looks snazzy.

Just a bit lighter

The SL3 is the same size and nearly the same weight as the SL2 (above right). Canon managed to shave 4 grams off of the weight (though only 2g off of the black one), so you won’t have to buy a new camera bag.

As you can see, changes to the design are very subtle. There’s a bit of an indent under the Canon logo on the SL3, and the often-irritating redeye reduction lamp (which also serves as a visual countdown for the self-timer) has been removed. Unlike its predecessor, the SL3 can’t use its flash as an AF-assist lamp, though it can use the infrared target if you buy an external flash.

The SL3 uses the same 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor and elderly 9-point autofocus system as the SL2 (when shooting through the viewfinder). In live view, the SL3 also has Dual Pixel AF, covering 88% of the frame horizontally and 100% vertically. The SL3 is Canon’s first DSLR to feature Eye AF in live view, as well.

Up top

There are a couple of cosmetic and feature differences between the SL3 and its predecessor on its top plate. The main differences are the removal of the Wi-Fi button and a reduction in the number of items on the mode dial.

Like the EOS M50, the SL3 has a Scene Intelligent Auto mode that will pick a scene mode for you, and provide easy-to-understand visual guides to adjusting things like aperture (‘background blur’), exposure compensation (‘brightness’) and white balance (‘color tone’). A feature guide offers brief description of each and every menu item when it’s selected.

Rear view

No need to show the SL3 and SL2 side-by-side here, as they look exactly the same.

The SL3 has a fully articulating touchscreen display with 1.04 million dots and a well-designed UI. The optical viewfinder is, as you’d expect, quite small, with an unremarkable magnification of 0.54x (in 35mm terms). You can see about 95% of the scene when looking through it, which isn’t ideal for precise composition.

For those wondering, that’s not a dial around the Q/Set button – it’s just a 4-way directional pad. The SL3 has one control dial and it’s on the top.

Selfies, of course

Sure, the SL3’s fully articulating LCD is great for video and waist-level/overhead shooting, but let’s face it: on the SL3, it’s mostly for selfies. If you need further evidence, look no further than the new ‘Smooth Skin’ setting, which gives you five levels of skin smoothness to choose from.

On the port side…

First, isn’t that silver kit lens a nice match for the white SL3? It’s worth pointing out that this is the F4-5.6 version of the 18-55mm lens, not the F3.5-5.6, so you’re losing about 1/3-stop of light compared to Canon’s older, larger kit zoom.

Under the gray plastic cover are sockets for a 3.5mm external mic – a nice touch on a cheaper camera – and the RC-6 wired remote. The SL3 is also compatible with the BR-E1 wireless Bluetooth remote.

And on your right…

On the opposite side of the SL3 are the other two ports, for HDMI and USB 2.0. As far as we know, the camera cannot be charged over USB, but we’ll double-check that as soon as we can.

The gray patch at the bottom is a rubber cover. It conceals a channel through which you feed the cable for the optional DR-E18 DC coupler which, when attached to the required AC adapter, will set you back $ 150. (Much cheaper third-party options exist if you want to operate the camera using wall power.)

Speaking of batteries, Canon pulled off some tricks to increase the CIPA-rated battery life from 650 shots on the SL2 to 1070 on the SL3. Live view battery life is in the middling 300 shot-per-charge range.

4K, with a catch

The good news is that the EOS Rebel SL3 can capture 4K video at 23.98p (or 25p in PAL regions) with a maximum bit rate of 120Mbps.

The bad news is that, like the EOS M50 with which it shares so much, the SL3 has an enormous 2.64x crop, relative to full frame, so the wide end of your 18-55mm is equivalent to 47mm in full-frame terms. So much for wide-angle shooting! In addition, Dual Pixel AF is not available in movie mode, leaving you with regular contrast detection.

Both of these limitations are a shame, given that the small body and fully articulating LCD on the SL3 should make a nice camera for vlogging.

That’s all for our brief tour of the EOS Rebel SL3 / 250D / Kiss X10. We should be getting our hands on one soon, so look for sample photos and impressions in the not-too-distant future.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic Lumix DC-G95/G90: What you need to know

05 Apr

Meet the Panasonic Lumix DC-G95 (G90)

The Panasonic Lumix DC-G95 – which will be known as the G90 outside of North America – is a modest step up from the G85 that was introduced in the fall of 2016. It’s received some cosmetic updates inspired by the high-end Lumix G9, a few new video features and, of course, a higher resolution sensor.

The G95 will be available in May for $ 1199, which includes a Lumix G 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS lens.

More pixels (of course)

It shouldn’t be a huge surprise that the G95 has a higher resolutions sensor than the G85. The new 20MP LiveMOS sensor is very similar to the one found on the enthusiast-grade G9. That’s a good thing, as we found that image quality on that camera was very good, though best-in-class APS-C cameras will produce better results.

As with the G85 that came before it, the G95 has 5-axis in-body image stabilization. The camera’s Dual IS 2 feature combines in-body and lens-based stabilization (with compatible lenses) to reduce shake by up to five stops.

The G95 continues to use Panasonic’s Depth from Defocus AF system. Panasonic says that the system has been improved on the G95, without getting in to specifics.

Refined design

Panasonic tells us that some users of the G85 thought it was too small, while others thought that the G9 was too big. Enter the G95, which sits right in the middle. The G95 has a beefier grip that makes it more comfortable to hold, and the extra space allowed Panasonic to add dedicated buttons for white balance, ISO and exposure compensation. The two control dials shown above are joined by a third on the rear of the camera.

LCD

The only thing new about the G95’s LCD is the resolution, which has increased from 1.04M dots on the G85 to 1.24M dots here. As you can see, it’s a fully articulating screen, ideal for vlogging and low/high-angle shooting.

Panasonic’s touch interface remains one of the better implementations on the market. It does everything you’d expect, which includes being capable of moving the AF point when your eye is to the finder.

Electronic viewfinder

The G95’s EVF has the same specs as the one on the G85. The OLED panel has 2.36 million dots, an equivalent magnification of 0.74x and an eyepoint of 20mm. Panasonic has changed the material used to make the eyecup and tweaked the shape, as well.

Built-in flash

As with the G85, the G95 has a built-in pop-up flash. One thing has changed, though, and that’s the X-Sync speed. The top speed on the G85 was 1/160 sec, and it’s 1/200 sec here.

Ports, ports and more ports

Videophiles will be pleased to see that Panasonic added a 3.5mm headphone socket to the G95. The input for the external mic was move upward, keeping it out of the way of the rotating LCD.

We were hoping to see a USB-C socket on the G95, but alas, it’s still micro-USB. The camera can be charged over USB, including from a portable power bank. It can also be directly powered over USB, so long as you have a battery in the camera.

Over on the other side of the camera is a single SD card slot, which supports high-speed UHS-II media.

Battery and battery grip

The G95 uses the familiar DMW-BLC12 8.7Wh lithium-ion battery. Battery life is rated at a so-so 290 shots per charge (per the CIPA standard), regardless of whether you’re using the LCD or EVF. A ‘Power Save LVF’ mode increases that number to 900 images per charge.

If you need more juice, or just want a more substantial grip, you can screw the DMW-BGG1 battery grip ($ 350) to the bottom of the camera. The grip holds an additional battery (which is included) for double the battery life. The grip has two control dials, the shutter release and an AE/AF lock button.

Welcome, V-LogL

The DC-G95 is the first Panasonic camera that doesn’t say ‘GH’ on the front to have the V-LogL gamma curve built in. For those who want a flat tone curve ideal for color grading, the G95 has it, though it is only 8-bit, which limits how far you can then push it. As with the G85, the G95 captures UHD 4K video at 30p and 24p, with a bit rate of 100Mbps.

The G95 also has a new high speed video mode, which can capture Full HD footage at up to 120 fps.

While that’s nice and all, overall the G95 is a step down in terms of video compared to its predecessor. That’s because the camera isn’t using the full width of the sensor, resulting in a substantial 1.25x crop, severely limiting wide-angle videography.

In fact, the camera uses a chunk of its sensor little larger than a 1″-type chip, which is likely to make a major dent in the quality of the footage, especially when shooting Log or working in lower light.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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What You Need to Know About Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

27 Mar

The post What You Need to Know About Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

When you’re getting started in flash photography, it can seem like your flash has a mind of its own. You’ll be surprised to know that in a way it does. However, switching to manual mode can give you the control you really want.

1 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Using flash in manual mode lets you set the amount of light that you want to fire from your flash to light your subject.

What is manual mode?

External flashes are default set to the ETTL setting. This setting lets the flash meter the light and then give what it thinks is the correct output of light. ETTL is rather inconvenient since each photo you take will have a different output because the flash is constantly metering before each frame, causing a lot of inconsistency from photo to photo.

2 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Refer to your manual to find out how to change your flash from ETTL to Manual. On Canon, you push the MODE button until you cycle through to M which is manual.

Manual mode is where you take control of the power output of the flash and therefore get more consistently lit photos. For example, if you are in one spot photographing a portrait and don’t need to adjust for ambient light changes constantly, then you can set your flash at 1/4 power and leave it there until you move or want something different.

3 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

When competing with the sun, full power or half power is your best bet.

In manual mode, you override the flash’s metering and have full control. It also allows you to control taking photos at shutter speeds of more than 1/200th of a second, which is the fastest shutter speed in ETTL.

4 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

On this particular flash, hitting the button with the “H” on it will allow you to use a shutter speed faster than 1/200 of a second. Refer to your flash manual to find this option.

You can use manual mode in both outdoor and indoor settings. Practicing using your flash in manual gets easier over time, and eventually, you’ll be able to select the correct output for the ambient light or the effect that you want to achieve.

Manual mode is also really helpful when you ‘slave’ more than one flash. Slaving is when you sync more than one flash so that they go off at the same time. In manual mode, each flash can be set to a different power output so you can choose which is your key light and which is your fill – giving your photos more depth and contrast.

5 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

For these photos, two flashes were used to light the couple and keep the ambient in the background.

Metering output for flash in manual mode

Your camera meters ambient light, however, it does not do the same for flash output. Don’t worry though, with practice and a bit of trial and error, you will get to know your flash and when to use full power or half power, for example.

6 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Now you’re probably wondering what full power even means. An external flash has power output levels which are read in fractions. Full power output means that the flash is giving everything it has got and this is transcribed as 1/1. From there it can go to 1/64 of its power output.

There is no right way to begin practicing, however, it’s best to meter for the ambient light that you want to achieve in-camera. For example, if you’re photographing a family during sunset, meter for the sunset. Once you have that settled, put your flash in manual mode and begin with a power output of 1/4 power.

7 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

No flash was used for this portrait.

8 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Same family, location, ambient light and used flash at 1/8 power.

From there, adjust the power of the flash until you get the desired result. This way, you’re guaranteed to have the ambient light metered correctly and use the flash to fill in the light where you want it – in this case, on the family.

You can use your flash on your camera or off-camera in manual mode. Using it off-camera will give you a more angled direction of light and may inspire some creative lighting. On camera, be careful of the power output and angle you have your flash. Outdoors, you’ll probably want to point the flash at your subjects. Indoors, however, you might want to bounce the light off of a ceiling or adjacent wall.

9 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

If you’re using a modifier like a flash diffuser, be aware that the light output will be different than using the flash without a diffuser. The power needed to light your subject also depends on the distance at which the flash is from your subject. When your flash is closer to your subject, it requires less power because the light is closer.

10 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

If you are at a distance, then you’ll need to up the power on the flash in order for it to reach your subject at all. This can be especially tricky outdoors so make sure you are checking your photos after taking some test shots.

When to use your flash in manual mode

You should strive at getting comfortable using your flash in manual mode every time you need to use flash. This can really help you to get consistent photos when you’re not moving around or when the ambient light isn’t changing.

11 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

The left photo is with flash and the right is without flash. Note the blue of the ocean and the sky with the flash versus without flash.

The best times to use flash are when you want to pop some light onto your subject when you’re competing with the sun outdoors, or when you want to control and create light in a studio, to fill in shadows, during sunset or low light, and for indoor settings.

For example, when you are photographing family portrait sessions outdoors with the sunset, you may need to use the flash to fill in light so that you can get the beautiful sunset and not have your subjects in the dark.

12 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Left without flash and right with flash.

Another example is when you are in an indoor setting, like a bride getting ready and you can bounce your flash off the ceiling to add some light into the room.

Using your flash in a studio setting can be a little more tricky since flashes don’t come with modeling lights. If you’re photographing in a dark room, using a flashlight to focus your camera first can be a big help. Some flashes have a fluttering effect to help with focusing, check your manual to turn this function on.

13 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

One flash used for both photos. The left has the flash in front of the couple and the second has the flash behind the couple.

Using more than one flash at different power output levels can also create stunning photos with lots of depth, much like real studio strobe flashes but with more portability and less expensive.

To do this, you’ll need transmitters or some flashes also come with built-in sync transmitters. This means that when one flash sees another go off, it also goes off.

Other important factors when shooting with flash in manual mode

A few things to keep in mind when you’re photographing subjects with flash in manual mode include the batteries, shutter speed, ambient light metering, and high-speed sync.

14 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Using flash to fill the couple in and capture the sunset.

When you’re photographing at 1/4 power or more, you’ll go through batteries much quicker. A battery pack especially made for flash and professional cameras can come in handy especially if you’re going to be using flash for a long period of time. It can also make recycling the flash much faster.

What is flash recycling? It’s the amount of time that it takes the flash to recycle and be ready to flash again. The more power you set the flash at, the more time it takes to recycle. For example, a flash at 1/2 power takes longer to get ready to fire again than a flash powered at 1/16.

15 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Using flash at an angle to light your subject creatively.

The flash also takes much longer to recycle when the batteries begin to drain and lose charge. Have at least three or more sets of batteries at the ready in case this begins to happen.

When you’re using a flash in ETTL, the fastest shutter speed that you can use is 1/200th, on some, it can go up to 1/250th of a second. This isn’t too fast if you’re photographing in outdoor light or competing with the sun. Many flashes have the ability for high sync speeds when you’re using the flash in manual mode.

Using flash indoors bounced off the ceiling at about 1/16 power.

The distance of the flash to your subject can also affect where to set the power on your flash in manual mode. The further away your flash is from your subject, the more power you’ll need in order for the light to reach your subject. The closer you are, the less power you’ll need. Of course, this depends on where you are photographing your subject and if ambient light is a factor.

Practice makes perfect

Using flash can seem really intimidating. However, controlling your flash by using it in manual mode can be just the right move for you to get comfortable using a flash. Practice makes perfect and the more you practice with your flash, the more you’ll understand how to power it in certain lighting situations.

17 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Flash used at 1/16 power to fill in light and get catchlights in eyes.

Unfortunately, cameras don’t record flash settings in the metadata of your images. It only records if the flash fired or not. This isn’t helpful when you’re trying to practice flash in manual mode.

Carry around a small notebook and record your settings in your camera for each image that you take. This way, you can remember what your flash settings were in that particular set up and light for future reference.

18 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Using flash at a 45-degree angle toward the subject off camera helps fill in the light.

As time goes on, you’ll be more comfortable setting, testing, and using your flash in manual mode.

In conclusion

19 - Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash

Using flash at 1/2 power indoors off-camera, on a flash pole high and pointed directly at the subject. This imitates the light of the sun for these indoor photos.

If you feel like using your flash sometimes gives your images an inconsistent look, try using your flash in manual mode. Manual mode lets you be in full control of how much light you want the flash to fire giving you more consistent exposures and taking out the guesswork of the flash itself.

Try it out and let us know if these tips helped you out!

The post What You Need to Know About Using Manual Mode on Your External Flash appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jackie Lamas.

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Lightroom Shortcuts Every Photographer Needs to Know [video]

15 Mar

The post Lightroom Shortcuts Every Photographer Needs to Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

In this awesome video by Lucy Martin, you’ll learn Lightroom shortcuts every photographer needs to know to make their editing workflow faster and more efficient.

The Lightroom shortcuts every photographer needs to know

Help make your editing process be more efficient and fast-paced so you can deliver your photos much quicker by knowing these shortcuts:

G – Grid view
E – Loupeview
L – Lights Out – (isolates your image against a black background for previewing)
P – Pick (Flag)
x – Reject
Caps Lock – auto next
Cmd+Delete – delete rejected
D – Go to Develop
\ – Before/After
Y – Before/After Side by Side Comparison
V – Black and White
R – Resize and Rotate
Q – Spot Removal Tool
H – Hide adjustment Pins
Cmd+Z – Undo last action
Cmd+C – Copy Settings
Cmd+P – Paste Settings
Cmd+/ – Show all shortcuts

You may also find the following helpful:

Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC Keyboard Shortcut Cheat Sheets

How to Use Lightroom Star Ratings to Improve Your Editing Workflow

How to Customize Your Lightroom Workspace for Better Workflow

10 Tips to Make Lightroom Classic CC Run Faster

5 Adobe Lightroom Plugins That Will Make Your Life Easier

How to Find Your Photos in the Lightroom Catalog Using Filters

The post Lightroom Shortcuts Every Photographer Needs to Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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Leica Q2: What you need to know

08 Mar

Leica Q2: What you need to know

Almost four years since the original Q was launched, Leica has unveiled the Q2, which adds a higher-resolution sensor, revamped interface and improved video capabilities. Those changes come at a higher price, with the Q2 retailing for $ 4995, compared to $ 4250 on the original model.

Here’s everything you need to know about Leica’s new luxury compact.

New 47MP sensor

The original Q offered a variant of the 24MP sensor used in the SL and M Typ 240, but the Q2 debuts a new 47MP sensor which we suspect is similar the one used in the new Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R (and presumably a future Leica SL model). As such, it’s almost certainly not related to similar resolution sensors used in current Nikon and Sony mirrorless cameras.

Expanded ISO range

The new sensor brings an expanded ISO sensitivity range, from ISO 50 up to 50,000. Although we haven’t yet completed our full testing, the base of ISO 50 appears to be a true ‘native’ base ISO, which should offer additional dynamic range in Raw mode compared to ISO 100.

35mm, 50mm and 75mm equivalent crop modes

All those pixels makes cropping a little more practical than it was on the 24MP Q. The Q2 now includes three cropped capture modes instead of two, offering fields of view equivalent to 35mm, 50mm and 75mm. Resolution in the ’35mm’ mode is a more than usable 30MP, dropping to 15MP at ’50mm’ and 6.6MP at ’75mm’.

Redesigned controls

Imagine an original Q crossed with an M10 with a splash of CL thrown in, and that’s the Leica Q2, basically. The lens controls are unchanged – there’s a large, locking focus tab and faux mechanical aperture dial there if you need them, and a neat auto/manual focus ring with a collar-type macro switch, all of which we loved in the Q and still love in the Q2.

Redesigned controls

The big changes are on the rear, where the five rear buttons of the Q have been whittled down to three, with the video button removed entirely. Meanwhile a push button serves as a customizable control at the hub of the main dial on the top of the camera. The touchscreen can also be used as a control surface for positioning the AF point and reviewing photos you’ve taken.

Dust and splash-resistant build

The Q2 is build to withstand moderate use in tough conditions, offering the same IP52 rating as the SL. Technically this should guarantee “limited protection against dust ingress [and] falling drops of water, if the case is disposed up to 15 degrees from vertical”. While this might not sound particularly impressive, consider that most photographic equipment is not rated by its manufacturers at all, and as such, even a modest IP rating should inspire a degree of confidence in wet or dusty conditions.

Despite its new weatherproofing, the Q2 maintains the same shape and size as the original Q, thanks (according to Leica) to a redesign of some internal components.

New 3.68M-dot OLED viewfinder

While the Q2’s electronic viewfinder appears to offer the same resolution as its predecessor (3.68 million dots) the original Q’s finder was of the field-sequential type, which only showed you 1.04 million dots at a time. The Q2’s finder is OLED, which offers a significant step up in terms of sharpness and contrast, compared to the older camera. Blacks are actually black, and you no longer have the rainbow effect associated with field-sequential displays. The finder is also slightly larger, offering 0.76X magnification and improved optics. Leica claims that the eye-sensor has been improved too, and should operate without any perceptible delay.

Automatic image stabilization

The Q2 takes the optical image stabilization system of the original Q and adds an extra layer of control. As well as on and off, stabilization can be set to kick in only at exposure times of longer than 1/60 sec, to save on power drain at faster shutter speeds where camera shake isn’t likely to be a significant concern. How much difference this makes to total battery life in normal shooting situations remains to be seen but it’s a feature that makes sense on a fixed focal length camera.

Improved battery life

Compared to the original Q, the Q2’s battery life has increased by 30% from a stated 270 shots to 350 (CIPA). The Q2 uses the more powerful battery originally found in the SL, and we’d expect that in normal use, you should expect a lot more than 350 shots per charge out of it if you shoot sensibly.

Extended shutter speed range

Easy to miss on a spec sheet, but the Q2 benefits from a redesigned shutter, with mechanical shutter control up to 1/2000 sec – the same as the Q – but now flash sync has been given a boost, from a maximum of 1/500 to 1/2000 seconds in the new camera. The shortest shutter duration using electronic shutter has is now 1/40,000 sec, compared to 1/16,000 in the older model.

SD Cards and 4K video

Thanks partially to the change in batteries, the Q2 now has a separate door for the SD card and also supports the faster UHS-II card format (the original Q would only operate at UHS-I speeds). This will be especially handy for fast burst shooting and the addition of 4K video.

While the form factor of the Q-series might not lend itself naturally to serious videography, the option of high-quality video capture in such a small lightweight camera is pretty appealing. The Q2 offers DCI / UHD 4K at up to 30p, and Full HD at 120p for slow-motion capture. The new ‘true’ base ISO of 50 should reduce the need for neutral density filters when shooting video in bright light, too, as well as offer respectable dynamic range – something we’re currently putting to the test.

The rest

In all, we find the improvements Leica has made to the Q2 are well judged and all the more impressive considering the camera is almost the exact same size as the previous model. The basic formula remains the same, and the Q2 should promise to be just as engaging a tool for discerning photographers as the original.

Is the Q2 the camera for you? For those of you that have owned or used an original Q, what do you make of the new model? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Panasonic’s new Lumix DC-S1 and S1R: What you need to know

03 Feb

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The new Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R are Panasonic’s first full-frame cameras, and only the second (and third) full-frame options for what had, until recently, been the Leica SL-mount. Broadly comparable in intent to Nikon’s Z-series, the S1 is a powerful all-rounder, featuring advanced video capabilities as well as 24MP stills, while the more expensive S1R is a high-resolution 47MP stills-oriented flagship.

We’ve had our hands on the S1 and S1R, and in this article we’ll pull out the key specifications, and walk through the major features and ergonomics of both cameras.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Ergonomically and cosmetically, the S1 (shown here) and S1R are effectively identical. They’re DSLR-style full-frame mirrorless cameras intended for professional and enthusiast use. As such, they’re fairly large, chunky, and peppered with buttons, switches and dials.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

They’re also tough. Panasonic claims that the magnesium alloy bodies of the S1 and S1R are sealed against dust and moisture, and will operate down to -10°C (14°F). Essentially, we understand that the S1/R were designed to be at least as durable as the GH5 in tough conditions, which in our experience means they should be very tough indeed.

This shot shows the vertical controls on the optional grip, which like the S1/R is weather-sealed and built to a high standard.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Panasonic has stressed to us that feedback from professional photographers was critical to the design of these cameras, and it turns out that when you ask professional photographers what they want a full-frame camera to look like, you end up with something that looks an awful lot like a high-end DSLR, complete with a large grip, and wide, fairly deep body.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

And… (drumroll…) twin card slots! The S1/R support SD (UHS-II / v90 compatible) and XQD recording media, with support for CFexpress (an evolution of XQD offering even higher data transfer rates which has the same form factor) coming in future. A ‘card lock’ feature issues an audible warning if the card door is opened while the camera is still writing data.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The substantial handgrip houses an appropriately substantial battery, which is good for a curiously unremarkable CIPA-rated endurance of between 360 and 400 images, depending on which model, which card type you use and whether you use the EVF or LCD. These figures increase to ~1100 in ‘power save’ mode. In normal shooting, considering the battery’s high capacity, we’d expect much more.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The single biggest difference at a component level is the sensors. The S1 features a 24MP, ‘high-sensitivity’ sensor with a maximum ISO sensitivity of 204,800, whereas the S1R offers greater resolution, at 47MP, with a lower absolute maximum ISO sensitivity of 51,200. Neither cameras’ sensors feature a low-pass filter, which should guarantee excellent sharpness, potentially at the expense of moiré in some situations. Both sensors are stabilized.

It’s worth noting that these sensors are not BSI-CMOS designs. This means that they are not variants of the manufactured sensors we’ve seen in contemporary Sony and Nikon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. Until we’ve completed our testing we won’t know exactly what that means, except that we’re not expecting any PDAF striping or banding issues. Why? Because there’s no PDAF. More about that on the next slide.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Panasonic has opted to use a variation of its established contrast-detection DFD autofocus system, rather than an on-sensor phase-detection system of the kind favored by other manufacturers. Despite their very different sensors, the S1 and S1R offer the same 225-zone autofocus system.

This is because the AF system is effectively a processing layer on top of the sensor, not built into it. Since both cameras feature the same processor, autofocus performance should be identical – notwithstanding the risk of misfocus being more noticeable in the S1R’s higher-resolution files.

This image shows off the S1/R’s large top-mounted LCD and twin control dials. Just to the right of the LCD is the on/off switch which interestingly – and in our opinion a bit disappointingly – has been moved from its G9 / GH5 position around the shutter button. While less likely to be bumped in its new position, we miss the ability to react quickly and turn the camera on with a single finger.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The S1 and S1R both feature high-resolution 5.76M-dot OLED viewfinders, which Panasonic describes, accurately, as offering ‘the world’s highest resolution’. In use, the S1/R’s viewfinder experience is certainly impressive, and free of the ‘rainbow’ effect which for years has dogged the field-sequential viewfinders used in some of Panasonic’s M43 cameras. We’re not sure it uses all of those 5.76M dots, though, since that number implies a 4:3 finder and these appear to be 3:2.

Sharpness isn’t just about resolution, of course. The optical assembly in the EVF is unusually complex, comprising five elements in three groups, including three ‘optical glass’ elements. The EVF’s default (max) magnification is 0.78X, but this drops to 0.74X or 0.7X if you want to see information displayed around the preview, rather than overlaid on-top.

In this image you can see the S1/R’s rear controls, which include a combined rear dial / 4-way controller and a dedicated 8-way autofocus joystick. The joystick is, no pun intended, a joy to use, capable of directing your chosen AF point around the frame extremely quickly. The 4-way controller beneath it is less satisfying, being a smaller and shallower control which we can imagine being hard to manipulate with cold or gloved fingers.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

On the rear of the S1/R is a 3.2″, 2.1M-dot ‘triaxial’ tilting display, with a tilting mechanism designed to withstand professional use in tough shooting conditions. As we’d expect from Panasonic at this point, the display is touch-sensitive. A ‘night mode’ can be activated on both EVF and / or rear display which switches to a red on black interface to avoid eyestrain and dazzling when shooting in dark conditions.

Speaking of brightness, the rear display is an RGBW type, which includes (W)hite pixels alongside red, green and blue ones to improve visibility in bright conditions and reduce battery use the rest of the time.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

Aside from the difference in resolution for stills, video is where we see the biggest differentiators between the S1 and S1R. At a casual glance, both cameras appear to offer fairly similar 4K video shooting capabilities, but a closer look reveals that the S1 is better optimized for serious video capture.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

While both the S1 and S1R can shoot 4K/60 video, they differ in just about all important respects.

The S1 can shoot UHD/30p from the full width of its sensor and can do so for an unlimited time. It can also capture UHD/60p from an APS-C crop for up to 29:59 minutes. All this footage can be captured as 8-bit 4:2:0 footage or output over HDMI as 8-bit 4:2:2. The 30p footage can also be captured as 10-bit 4:2:0 high dynamic range footage in the camera’s HLG mode.

A paid firmware upgrade will allow 10-bit 4:2:2 capture and output of the 30/25 or 24p footage and access to the full V-Log gamma option (not the truncated V-LogL version offered in the GH-series cameras).

The S1R can shoot both UHD/60p and 30p from a 1.09x crop of its sensor, and is pixel-binned, which is likely to mean less detailed footage. There’s no HLG or upgrade option for the S1R, its 30p shooting is capped at 29:59 and the 60p option will shoot for about 10 minutes.

This shot shows the S1’s audio, HDMI and USB C I/O ports. The S1/R can be charged and powered via the latter.

Panasonic Lumix DC S1 and S1R: What you need to know

The Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 and S1R will be available in April for $ 2499 and $ 3699 respectively. The optional video firmware upgrade for the S1 will be available at a later date, price still TBD.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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11 Influential Portrait Photographers you Need to Know

31 Jan

The post 11 Influential Portrait Photographers you Need to Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

There are some fantastic portrait photographers out there capturing cutting-edge, unique portraits. These photographers have been influential and you can explore and learn something from each of them. They are in no particular order.

Here are 11 influential portrait photographers you need to know:

1. Sue Bryce

Sue Bryce is a fine art portrait photographer with a classic portraiture style, while still looking quite modern. Her lighting techniques are soft and beautiful.

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A post shared by Sue Bryce (@suebrycephotographer) on Jun 20, 2017 at 11:56am PDT

2. Lindsay Adler

Based in New York City, Lindsay Adler, is a fashion portrait photographer with works appearing in Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Marie Claire.

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A post shared by Lindsay Adler (@lindsayadler_photo) on Dec 24, 2018 at 7:37am PST

3. Lee Jeffries

UK photographer, Lee Jeffries, is well-known for his “Homeless project.” In this project, Jeffries captures close-up portraits of homeless people living on the streets. His extreme close-ups that reveal all on his subjects faces are emotive and spectacular.

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A post shared by Lee Jeffries (@lee_jeffries) on Nov 17, 2018 at 8:31am PST

4. Derrick Freske

Based in Los Angeles, California, Derrick Freske does fashion portraiture. He uses interesting lighting techniques, including the use of colored gels, and light reflections.

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A post shared by Derrick Freske (@dfreske) on Aug 5, 2018 at 8:34pm PDT

5. Mark Seliger

Mark Seliger has photographed celebrity portraits for Rolling Stone, GQ, Vogue and Vanity Fair. He has photographed the likes of Kurt Cobain, Leonardo DiCaprio, Charlize Theron, and Nicole Kidman, to name a few.

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A post shared by Mark Seliger (@markseliger) on Dec 14, 2018 at 6:44am PST

6. Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz is a celebrity portrait photographer that has been photographing famous types for decades. Making the transition from film to digital, Leibovitz has continued to inspire photographers around the world. Her photographs have been published in Rolling Stone and the New York Times. She has photographed celebrities including Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Brad Pitt. She also photographed Beatles singer and songwriter, John Lennon, on the day he was murdered (wikipedia).

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A post shared by annie leibovitz (@_annieleibovitz) on May 8, 2016 at 12:36am PDT

7. Flora Borsi

Hungarian photographer, Flora Borsi is well known for her fine-art portraiture series, “Animeyed.” In this series, Borsi uses animal eyes to replace one eye of her human subject. You may recognize Borsi’s work on the Adobe Creative Cloud package.

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A post shared by Flóra Borsi (@floraborsiofficial) on Sep 23, 2016 at 5:06am PDT

8. Tina Eisen

Based in London, UK, Tina Eisen is a fashion/beauty photographer who has made portraits for some big commercial brands.

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A post shared by Tina Eisen (@tina_eisen) on Dec 2, 2018 at 5:23am PST

9. Patrick DeMarchelier

Patrick DeMarchelier is a fashion/beauty portrait photographer whose works have been in Vanity Fair and Harpers Bazaar.

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A post shared by Patrick Demarchelier (@patrickdemarchelier) on Dec 11, 2017 at 2:25pm PST

10. Marco Grob

Switzerland born, Marco Grob, is based in New York. Moving from fine art still life photography, into portraiture, he has photographed celebrities including George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Sir Elton John, and Justin Beiber. He has also worked with Marvel Studios, Warner Bros and Netflix.

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A post shared by Marco Grob (@marcogrob) on Mar 6, 2018 at 4:14pm PST

11. Tatiana Lumiere

Tatiana Lumiere is a fine art and beauty portrait photographer based in Pennsylvania, USA. She specializes in “glamour portraiture with a dreamy, elegant and sensual twist.”

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A post shared by Tatiana Lumiere (@tatiana_lumiere) on Jan 13, 2019 at 8:57am PST

The post 11 Influential Portrait Photographers you Need to Know appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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Features You Need To Know Before Buying Camcorders under $500

04 Oct

When choosing the right camcorder for your needs, you need to have a general understanding of all the important camcorder features. Knowing about these features as well as how to control them will make your video making process easier and quicker.You can also be confident that you’ll be able to handle any situation you’ll face that might prevent you from Continue Reading

The post Features You Need To Know Before Buying Camcorders under $ 500 appeared first on Photodoto.

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What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

26 Sep

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

Fujifilm’s latest digital medium-format camera is the GFX 50R, a rangefinder-styled interpretation of the GFX 50S that was announced at Photokina 2016.

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to some of Fujifilm’s medium-format film rangefinders, the GFX 50R is 145g (0.32lb) lighter than the 50S, and is 25mm (0.98″) thinner. The smaller size and redesigned controls serve to make the 50R handle very differently from its elder sibling.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

But before we get into the handling, let’s take a quick look over what isn’t new on the GFX 50R. Compared to the 50S, we have the same sensor, processor, battery, film simulations and viewfinder panel (though EVF magnification takes a dip, at 0.77x compared to 0.85x).

This means that you’re getting the same impressive image quality as the 50S in a smaller, lighter package and for less money – $ 4500 USD, to be precise. So while the hardware itself isn’t the most exciting, the 50R does represent a new low price of entry to the world of medium-format digital imaging. There’s still a question as to the advantages of this larger format over existing full-frame cameras, but there’s some silver lining in that the 50R grants you access to Fujifilm’s excellent lineup of sharp, well-built GF lenses.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

As you can see, the GFX 50R slots in nicely between Fujifilm’s X-E3 and an old Fuji GW690 III from the 1990s in terms of size. Though the 50R approaches the Hasselblad X1D for compactness and is much smaller than the Pentax 645Z, it’s still a substantial camera. The 50R’s rangefinder styling necessitates a smaller grip than the GFX 50S, and as a result, the 50R is best used with two hands.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

Here, you can more clearly see the resemblance in controls between the GFX 50R and the X-E3. Both come with AF selection joysticks and a similar array of buttons, and both eschew a ‘standard’ four-way controller in favor of using directional swipes on the touchscreen. Despite our fears of Fujifilm’s touchscreen interface mis-reading those directional swipes, they work just as they do on the X-E3, which is to say, rather well.

This layout, which places most of the direct controls within reach of your right thumb, isn’t as convenient on the 50R as on the X-E3. With a suitably compact lens, the X-E3 can be easily operated one-handed. The extra heft of the 50R, regardless of which lens is attached, means you’ll likely be supporting the camera with your left hand and manipulating controls with your right.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

Along the bottom of the camera are a few other changes. The battery slots in here, rather on the side like the GFX 50S. There are also ports for AC power and USB-C behind a rubberized door. The GFX 50R does not support USB charging, but it does allow for tethered shooting and is fully compatible with Capture One.

Fujifilm has confirmed that there won’t be a battery grip option for the GFX 50R, and as such, there are no connectors for one on the camera.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

The top-plate controls on the GFX 50R are likewise similar to the X-E3. There’s no dedicated ISO dial, but the front dial that surrounds the shutter button can be configured to serve that purpose. By default the rear dial biases the shutter speed in 1/3-stop increments above and below the chosen whole-stop value on the dedicated shutter speed dial. There are also plenty of physical customizable buttons, though they’re not always easy to find with your eye to the finder – they’re small, and sit nearly flush with the body.

As a staff, our views are mixed regarding the On/Off switch. In truth, no one is really a fan of it, but some of us are more indifferent than others. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, there’s no denying that it’s on the small side and a little awkward to reach.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

Getting back to the inside of the camera, we should note that because the GFX 50R has the same processor as the 50S, the camera exhibits some slight lagginess not present on the likes of the X-T3. This is particularly noticeable when enabling the Color Chrome effect, as an example.

But as we said at the start, the processor / sensor combo in the GFX 50R is capable of really stunning image quality, and the camera remains overall quite responsive.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

So at its core, the GFX 50R is a smaller, cheaper 50S. But to make your GFX 50R kit as compact as possible, you’ll want to pick up the GF 50mm F3.5 pancake prime when it’s released in 2019. It’s one of three lenses from Fujifilm’s updated roadmap, and should pair well with the 50R.

Pictured above, the GF 50mm F3.5 is extremely compact, and offers a field-of-view equivalent to 40mm and a depth-of-field equivalent to roughly F2.8 on a full-frame 35mm sensor.

What you need to know about the Fujifilm GFX 50R

Our full GFX 50R review is already underway, so stay tuned for updates to our sample gallery as well as further studio testing in the coming weeks. You can get your very own GFX 50R when shipping begins in November.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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