Are you sick and tired of photography sites claiming that they can provide you with a wealth of photography resources that’ll make you a much better photographer…only to be lied to and disappointed each and every time? We hear you and feel your pain, too! That’s why we at Photodoto have come up with something that’s bound to turn your Continue Reading
The post The Photodoto Library: Your One-Stop Shop for Pure Photography Awesomeness appeared first on Photodoto.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been making a lot of headlines lately within the photography community. These remotely controlled aircraft have enabled photographers a new way to gain new perspectives on a scene. They have also caused a lot of controversy in regards to safety and privacy. Stephen Wheatcraft’s article Landscape Aerial Photography Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles introduces you to this new method of making images.
Last week Kevin Raber and Chris Sanderson spent the week on the road working on a new video tutorial with William Neill in Yosemite and Mono Lake areas. More on this new video in the near future.
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The Luminous Landscape – What’s New
 Extra photos for bloggers: 1, 2, 3 |
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Let your photography obsession and your love for sweets collide – magic and sprinkles and beautiful photographs everywhere!
Grab these three photo themed kitchen help-ccessories that are cute as all get out and also quite functional.
When the timer strikes zero, wrap your hot and fresh camera cookies up in your tea towel. Quick! Snap a pic before you snap a bite. Now, if only cameras could capture that fresh baked cookie smell.
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© Britta for Photojojo, 2014. |
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This time around the weekly photography challenge is a little bit different than our usual topics. This one is pretty wide opened because I want you to get out there and get crazy creative!
By Holger Ejleby
If that is you – get out of there and try something different! Outside the box creativity is this week’s challenge.
Earlier today I shared some images I found for you to stir up some ideas – take a look at those if you haven’t already done so.
Need ideas? Try these articles to get you started:
Need more inspiration? Here are a few outside the box ideas and images:
By Alexey Kljatov
By Bernat Casero
By Spreng Ben
By Toby Keller
By sharyn morrow
By Matthias Weinberger
By Alice Popkorn
By Tim Hamilton
By Tc Morgan
So it could be a new shooting technique, post-processing magic, or a subject you’ve been meaning to try. Whatever it is that gets you thinking a bit, and results in a different finished product – do it!
Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section as pictured below) 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. Okay, ready to impress us?
The post Weekly Photography Challenge Outside the Box Creativity by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Whether you’re just getting into photography, or if you’ve been at it for years; you can keep yourself rejuvenated, and keep the creative juices flowing by always trying new things.
If you’re feeling uninspired photographically, that’s a sign that you need to shake things up by trying something completely different, or at least something that isn’t your usual style. You might be surprised at how small exercises can boost your creativity while teaching you new techniques and solidifying old principles in your mind.
Who knows, you might even discover a new passion!
To give your brain a little kick in the butt, challenge yourself to try some of these photography exercises. Even if they aren’t new to you, going out shooting with a new purpose feels refreshing and may lead to something completely new.
Fire Wave at The Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, taken from a high perspective on an opposite hilltop
Photographers often get in the habit of shooting at eye-level which tends to make photos repetitive and somewhat common. We know this, and so we take the odd shot on our knees or even occasionally lying on the ground.
But is this really enough? Aren’t there other vantage points?
Challenge yourself to go out shooting and never shoot from eye-level for a whole day. Instead, find a new vantage point any time you take a picture. Get yourself up high above your subject, and crouch and shoot from a low angle. But that’s just the beginning. Ideally, you should try shooting your subject from a variety of angles.
Take one shot from below and one from above. Then, take one even lower, and one even higher, if possible. Then, step back a bit. Then step forward. Move to your right, and move to your left. Taking the same picture from many positions adds variety and will help you understand it better. Plus, you may discover a way of seeing something that you didn’t expect.
If you resolve to do this with every picture you take, you’ll begin to really understand the subtle effect that perspective has on an image, which points of view work for which subjects, and how this can inform your shooting style from here on out.
Another perspective on Fire Wave, this time taken up close, from a low angle.
Rather than trying to capture your subject in one single image, try doing a series instead. Create what LIFE Magazine coined a “photo essay” – a series of images surrounding a single subject or group of subjects, each of which pinpoints a different aspect of its nature. This can be as simple as zooming in on its finer details, or photographing it in different contexts. This method of doing things defines the subject not only by how it appears in a single moment, but also by the way it changes (and the way it stays the same) over several moments. It also helps to craft your visual storytelling abilities.
Choose one subject and cover it completely, the way a journalist would. Do this either by photographing every aspect of it you can think of, photographing it through the course of a day, or by revisiting it over and over throughout a week. Include shots at different distances and using different focal lengths – include some close-up details and some wide compositions – and whittle all the shots down to around ten final images, making sure that no two photos are alike. When you have your picks, try to organize them in an order that tells a coherent story, whether it’s narrated or implied.
These three photos are from Terlingua, a ghost town in Texas.
For a whole day, turn your camera to Black and White mode and don’t take it off. Of course, you can convert your RAW images to black and white after-the-fact in post-processing, but as an exercise, try shooting them in Black and White.
At first the limitation may seem frustrating, but Black and White photography requires a completely different way of seeing the world in terms of shape, form, and contrast, rather than through the common visual cues that you’re used to. Composing your photos in this way will invariably improve your compositions in colour photography, too. You can play with contrast settings in-camera or in post-processing to perfect the highlight to shadow ratio which defines a good monochrome image.
Bandon Beach, Oregon.
For this exercise, you’re going to take full advantage of digital photography’s instant feedback, and use it to play with making manual long exposures.
With your DSLR mounted firmly on a tripod, set the ISO to 100, set the aperture to the smallest opening (the largest f number like f/22 for example), and set the shutter speed to Bulb mode. When the camera is to Bulb mode, the shutter will stay open for as long as the shutter button is held down, but it’s a better idea to attach a wired remote shutter release to prevent camera shake.
Once you have your composition and your focus set, press and hold the button on the remote to hold the shutter open for a few counted seconds. Just guess how many seconds will be required based on the light level. Then, check your results. If the image is too bright, try again, but count half as many seconds. If the image is too dark, count twice as many seconds – or more, if necessary. Do this over and over again, in different scenarios and lighting situations. This practice will hone your ability to read the levels of light present at any given time.
You’ll get the most interesting results if there is a certain amount of movement in your frame, such as drifting clouds in the sky, crowds of people, or running water. The longer your exposure is, the more blurred that movement will appear to the point where water may seem like nothing more than mist, and people will disappear from the image altogether. If you have a solid neutral density filter your exposures can be even longer, creating more extreme effects.
Folly Beach Pier, Charleston, South Carolina – 2 second exposure.
Folly Beach Pier, Charleston, South Carolina – 30 second exposure.
Don’t wait until you start feeling uninspired to try these exercises! Keep your photography energized and creative by trying something new on a regular basis. Even if it doesn’t turn out to be your “thing”, it’s fun and you’re bound to learn something.
The post Don’t Know What to Shoot? These 4 Photography Exercises Will Keep You Motivated by Anne McKinnell appeared first on Digital Photography School.
Setting the proper price for your photography business is one of the most important, thus challenging, things you may face in your photography career. Photography pricing determines your priorities, profit potential, competition niche and business style. Bad pricing lists could not only cost you money, but also destroy your business before you can say Jack Robinson, if you know what Continue Reading
The post The Ultimate Photography Guide to Pricing That You Have to Read appeared first on Photodoto.
Photos made with invisible infrared light, rather than visible light, yield wildly strange and eerie photographs that always have the “WOW Factor.” For landscapes or scenic imagery, infrared (IR) photography is highly regarded as fine art. But back in the days of film photography, shooting infrared was complicated, expensive and the results were often not great. For those with determination though, that one image that did ‘work” was always worth the trouble.
But now the complexity of capturing infrared photos has changed – digital cameras have made the technique almost foolproof, inexpensive, and a lot of fun! All you’ll need is a tripod, a special infrared filter, and any camera that is sensitive to infrared light. With a few easy steps you’ll be shooting infrared photos in no time at all.
But before I get into the process, it’s not my intention in this article to delve into the physics of infrared light, and all the scientific mumbo jumbo that goes along with understanding WHY infrared light creates amazing images, but rather to give you some simple steps to get you started in this super creative technique.
Visible Light Black and White Image
Just know that anything that is alive will reflect a greater amount of infrared light than inanimate objects. Leaves, foliage, and grass, along with skin, reflect the greatest amounts of infrared light, and so will be the whitest objects in your image. Stones, concrete, mountains, water and sky tend to absorb infrared light and so appear as darker objects in your images. The tonality is very different from that of visible light black and white photography though. Notice how the tones of the leaves, seeds and sky are quite different in the infrared image below.
Digital Infrared Image
Okay, are you ready to give this a try? Here are the simple steps you need to follow so your images will turn out into hauntingly beautiful, surreal infrared photographs. The first steps deal with equipment and settings, and the last steps are all about how to best capture beautiful infrared light.
Before you go out and buy an infrared filter test your camera to make sure it’s sensitive to infrared light. Not all digital camera sensors are able to “see” infrared light. In fact the newer the camera, the less sensitive to infrared light it may be. Try this simple test to see if your camera will give you good results.
Testing your camera for infrared sensitivity.
Hunt down a TV, VCR or DVD player remote control. Look at the end that points to the TV (or VCR etc), and you’ll see a little bulb or flat back plastic window. This is the transmitter that sends the signal from the remote to your device. That signal usually uses infrared light. You can see that it is invisible light – i.e. when you look at the remote with your eye, you can’t see anything when you press the buttons. But just wait until you do this looking through your camera! You’ll be able to see invisible light – the infrared spectrum that makes such cool photos.
If you have a point & shoot camera look through your LCD viewer while pressing any button on the remote. If you see the bulb light up, your camera can see infrared light. If you have a DSLR you’ll have to take a photo to see the results, or if you camera has a live view feature, you will be able to see the the results on your LCD as well.
The whiter and brighter the light you see from the remote, the more sensitive your camera is to infrared. If the light is more purple or red your camera may not be a good candidate for shooting infrared photos.
If your camera passed the sensitivity test, you’ll need two more pieces of equipment before you can shoot infrared photos, a tripod and an infrared filter. The tripod will help you take a sharp shot, as your exposure times will be quite long. The filter will block most of the visible light from reaching your camera sensor, but will allow the beautiful infrared light to pass through.
When I first started shooting infrared images, I used a Hoya R72 screw-on infrared filter. B+W, Tiffen and other manufacturers also have equivalent infrared filters. If you are using a slide in filter system, such as Cokin or Lee, they also make infrared filters to work with their holders. If this is the filter you’ll be using, make sure to slide it into the slot closest to the camera to prevent unwanted visible light from sneaking in. The R72 refers to the amount and type of infrared light that passes through to your sensor and I recommend using this to start. It allows some visible light to pass to the sensor so it will allow you do to all sorts of creative post processing with your images.
Infrared Image with creative post-processing
Because the infrared filter blocks out most of the visible light, your exposures will be quite long. You’ll have to adjust your camera settings to ensure you get a good exposure, while keeping noise to a minimum. Set up your camera on your tripod and make these adjustments:
Shooting in RAW will give you a bit more latitude for processing and adjusting. Bracketing will help you find the sweet spot for exposure at your preferred aperture and ISO.
I’m not going to go deep into the White Balance setting, as this could be an entire article on its own. But for now set your White Balance to the Sunny or Daylight preset.
Just as in regular light photography, composition is a critical component of infrared photography. However there are a few additional considerations to keep foremost in your mind when planning your infrared composition.
A variety of textures make the image more dynamic.
Infrared photography is similar to black and white photography, in that you are dealing with a limited number of tones. To add more dynamism and energy to your infrared shots, add contrasting elements. By this I mean using dark and light objects in close proximity to each other. But also use smooth and textured objects together. You can mix and match for artistic composition and design.
| COLUMN 1 | COLUMN 2 |
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In every infrared shot you make, include at least one element from Column 1 with the corresponding one from Column 2. You can add as many elements as you want, but it’s best to keep your composition simple. You can use light and small patterns, with dark and large patterns and so on. Foliage and clouds will always be a light element in your image; the sky, stones, bark, water and concrete will be darker. Leaves from a distance are a rough texture, with many small elements appearing rough and textured; while human skin is very smooth. This should give you a great starting point for infrared compositional considerations.
There is only one critical thing to remember when shooting infrared – you must shoot when there is lots of sunshine, and in the summer when there is lots of deciduous foliage. Overcast days won’t give you great results, and because living things reflect the most infrared light, snowy winter days are usually devoid of anything that reflects infrared. If there are clouds in the sky these can add an element of interest, but don’t make your capture until the sun is out, and shining on your subject.
Find a great place to shoot and adjust the settings on your camera. I like graveyards, parks, and old abandoned buildings. The contrast between the stones, the pathways, the old wood and leaves and grass provides outstanding tonality for infrared images. If you can get a few wisps of cloud in your sky all the better.
Put your camera on your tripod, and compose your image. Place the infrared filter on your camera, and use your autofocus as usual. Yes, it works just fine for infrared photos! Your light meter will work too but be sure to bracket on either end to make sure you have at least one usable exposure. Then click the shutter. You’ve just made an infrared photograph.
Skin looks like alabaster when shot using infrared light
For techniques and ideas for post-processing our infrared images, watch for my article on post processing infrared photos coming soon!
The post How to do Surreal Digital Infrared Photography Without Expensive Gear or Camera Conversions by Alex Morrison appeared first on Digital Photography School.
I’m a full time photographer that concentrates on shooting restaurant and bar interiors, food, and cocktails. After strictly shooting that subject matter for long time I found myself uninspired, so I decided to do something about it.
I’m going to share four tips I’ve used over the years to get back on track creatively, hopefully they will help you get out of your photography rut too.
I find that I loose inspiration when I’ve been in the same area too long. When things become familiar they become less exciting. If this happens to you there is only one thing to do: leave!
There is huge value in leaving your area, city, or even state for a day or two. The process of traveling to an unfamiliar place jumpstarts the creative process.
My photography was becoming stagnant so I left downtown San Diego and took an hour drive to Lake Cayumaca. Being in a totally different geographic area afforded me new opportunities to shoot things I don’t see every day in downtown San Diego.
A few years ago I had gotten in a photography rut while shooting a ton of portraits. I decided I needed to learn something new so I decided to learn how to photograph water drops.
I read a tutorial online and set up a little station in my garage. I didn’t have any experience with macro photography but was excited to try. Check out the setup below:
It took me a while to start getting decent results but I found myself loving the learning process. I had a great time and came away with a new skill set and a revived creativity.
If you find yourself in a rut, learn something new that is unfamiliar. While there are people who put my water drop photos to shame I’m still proud of these images and the rut they helped me get out of.
A few years ago I was starting to learn about rear curtain sync on my flash. I had a few friends who shot really cool light trails in their nightlife photography. I felt a renewed surge of inspiration to try this during a rock concert.
I plugged an Alien Bees flash trigger into my speed light and put the receiver onto my camera’s hot shoe. This enabled me to hold the flash up, and to the left, with my left hand while holding the camera with my right hand.
I put my camera and flash on manual. I used a one-second-long shutter speed and set the flash power to properly expose the musicians a few feet in front of me.
I clicked the shutter to start the exposure and immediately tilted my camera around in circles or side to side. Moving the camera while the shutter was open captured all the lights in the concert hall in different shapes. In rear curtain sync the flash pops at the end of the exposure and the shutter closes.
This combination of using a long exposure and rear curtain sync to create light trails taught me a new skill that I was excited to keep using in future shoots. It is important to master new skills to keep your creativity up.
How ironic that my initial rut that was caused by shooting the same subject matter would become a source of inspiration. After half a year of shooting tons of bars and restaurants I looked back on my photos and noticed my favorite photos from those shoots were the corner bar shots.
After realizing this I got really excited to get back out there to start a project and shoot more bars and restaurants to add to my collection.
I’m really excited about this now! I’m already thinking about my next trip and what bars I’ll stop at to add to my project.
Getting in a rut happens to us all at one point or another. What ways have you guys found to kickstart your creativity? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.
The post 5 Ways To Break Out of a Creative Photography Rut by Mike Newton appeared first on Digital Photography School.
The iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) has announced the winners of its 7th annual Photographers of the Year contest, along with top photos in many individual categories. Entries to the 2014 competition came from photographers in in seventeen countries, and naturally, all were taken with an Apple iPhone, iPod or iPad. Click through to take a look at the winning photos. See gallery
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
With our yearly waterproof compact group test nearing completion, and we put out a call on our new underwater photography forum asking readers to showcase their best photos from the deep. The responses were impressive – take a look at a few of our favorites. And if you’re inspired to dive in and take some photos of your own, rest assured our waterproof group test is just around the corner. See gallery
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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