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Sony a9 firmware update adds Animal Eye AF, interval shooting and more

24 Sep

Sony has officially released the latest firmware for its a9 full-frame mirrorless camera, bringing with it Real-Time Eye AF for animals, interval shooting and more.

Firmware version 6.00 makes good on Sony’s promise to bring Real-Time Eye AF for animals to its flagship mirrorless camera. As detailed previously when Sony launched Animal Eye AF on its a7R III and a7 III, the new mode will be available to select alongside Human Eye AF in the autofocus menu.

Only one of the modes can be selected at once and the Animal Eye AF will be slightly slower than Human Eye AF due to the increased processing power required, but the a9 shouldn’t have any problem keeping up. Sony has a detailed documentation page to read up on all of the intricacies of the Animal Eye AF mode.

The firmware update also includes built-in Interval Shooting, a feature we previously detailed with the a7R III and a7 III update:

Now, it’s easy to capture between 1 and 9999 photographs in 1 to 60 second intervals. The new feature also includes an auto exposure (AE) sensitivity setting that can be adjusted between High, Mid or Low to account for changing exposures throughout the set capture time. The resulting images can also be put together into a full video using Sony’s Imaging Edge app, which will process the Raw photographs and output the final video to YouTube, PlayMemories Online and other online video services.

Another addition is the ability to select the Focus Frame Color so it’s easier to see it in various environments, as well as the ability to make the ‘My Menu’ appear when the menu button is pressed on the camera. Bugs have also been addressed to smooth out the overall stability of the a9.

Firmware version 6.0 for the a9 is available for free on Sony’s support page for macOS (direct download) and Windows (direct download).

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Fujifilm updates X-T3 firmware to fix an issue that can occur when shooting in ‘S’ drive mode

13 Sep

Fujifilm has released a small firmware update for its X-T3 mirrorless camera that fixes a specific ‘phenomenon’ that can require you to turn your camera off and back on again.

Firmware version 3.01 (previously version 3.00) addresses an issue wherein a message reading ‘turn off the camera and turn on again’ can appear when shooting in the ’S’ drive mode while repeatedly taking photos within a short timeframe.

Aside from that, Fujifilm doesn’t mention any other fixes in this update, even basic bug fixes.

You can find information on how to install the firmware and download the update on Fujifilm’s website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Why Shooting Film Will Increase Your Digital Photography Skills

03 Sep

In our current digital age the need for a quick turnaround in every discipline can be cut-throat and demanding. When it comes to the world of digital photography it’s not uncommon to sift through thousands of images after a session to narrow your edit down to a mere selection of 10-20 images. The peace of mind knowing you have an Continue Reading

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5 Tips for Shooting Waterfront Cityscapes at Blue Hour

28 Aug

The post 5 Tips for Shooting Waterfront Cityscapes at Blue Hour appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Joey J.

When you hear the term “cityscape photography,” what kind of image comes to your mind? It could be those photographed from elevated viewpoints or light trail of city traffic. To me, nothing beats the beauty of waterfront cityscapes – especially those photographed at blue hour.

Hong Kong skyline (18mm, f/10, 199 seconds, ISO100)

Gyeongbokgung Palace (Korea) (24mm, f/8, 30 seconds, ISO100);

Shanghai skyline (18mm, f/11, 164 seconds, ISO100).

In order to capture stunning waterfront cityscape photography, there are a few key points to get right.

Shooting Waterfront Cityscapes at Blue Hour

1. Good sky and light

Michael Freeman, the author of Capturing Light: The Heart of Photography, has this to say.

“In almost all photography it’s the quality of light that makes or breaks the shot.”

This is very true with waterfront cityscape photography as well. If you want your photo to look good, only shoot on a (mostly) clear evening (dark clouds are our nemesis!). The quality of light on sunny evenings is much nicer than that of cloudy evenings, which can be easily noticeable in the resulting photos.

2. Sunset direction

Over the years of shooting cityscapes at blue hour, I’ve come to realize one thing affects the results rather significantly – where the sun has set. If the sun has set towards the direction you’re shooting, you typically see beautiful twilight hues leftover from the fading sun, which makes your blue hour photos extra special.

Image: Singapore skyline (18mm, f/5.6, 409 seconds, ISO100). The sun went down on the right edge of...

Singapore skyline (18mm, f/5.6, 409 seconds, ISO100). The sun went down on the right edge of the frame, adding a beautiful gradient of colors ranging from reddish-orange to deep blue.

On the contrary, your cityscape photos at blue hour will look dull and monotonous if the sun sets behind you (i.e., you’re shooting towards the sky that is 180-degrees opposite of where the sun has set).

In such a scenario, the quality of light is inevitably affected. The sky lacks the beautiful hues you typically see in the sun-setting side of the sky. With the sky like that, your photos won’t get much better no matter how hard you try editing in post-production.

Image: Shanghai (China) skyline (18mm, f/13, 163 seconds, ISO100). Despite shooting on a clear eveni...

Shanghai (China) skyline (18mm, f/13, 163 seconds, ISO100). Despite shooting on a clear evening, the sky looks noticeably dull, as this is the sky that is 180-degrees opposite of where the sun went down (the sunset occurred behind me shooting).

3. Long exposure

What I particularly like about waterfront cityscapes is it lets me create silky smooth water effects by doing a long exposure. As seen in the photo below, such smoothed-out water adds a dreamy feel that is very distinctive to long exposure photography. It’s the very reason I fell in love with waterfront cityscapes.

Marina Bay (Singapore) (35mm, f/11, 194 seconds, ISO100).

By default, the limited available light at blue hour allows your shutter speed to naturally get longer, especially with the use of a small aperture like f/13. That said, without using a neutral density (ND) filter, the shutter speed probably won’t go beyond several seconds. This isn’t long enough to achieve a silky smooth water effect that you see in the photos above.

Image: Marina Bay (Singapore) shot with 2 seconds of exposure (at f/13) without using any neutral de...

Marina Bay (Singapore) shot with 2 seconds of exposure (at f/13) without using any neutral density filter. This is way too short to a create silky smooth water effect.

If you don’t own an ND filter yet, get yourself one! There are different densities available (2, 3, 6 and 10-stops are popular), but I’ll recommend a 6-stop ND filter (especially if you’re only getting one), as it hits a sweet spot for photographers shooting waterfront cityscapes.

Let’s say that you get a base shutter speed (when no filter is attached) of 2 seconds, which is quite a typical scenario around 10 minutes before the end of dusk (check your local dusk time at gaisma.com).

As seen in the photo above, 2 seconds of exposure hardly smooths out the water, but by attaching 6-stop ND filter, the exposure gets extended to 128 seconds (2 minutes 8 seconds). Each “stop” of ND filter approximately doubles the exposure time (2 seconds > 4 seconds [1-stop] > 8 seconds [2-stops] > 15 seconds [3-stops] > 30 seconds [4-stops] > 64 seconds [5-stops] > 128 seconds [6-stops]), which is long enough to create silky smooth water effect.

Image: Neutral density (ND) filters help extend shutter speed lengths by reducing light entering the...

Neutral density (ND) filters help extend shutter speed lengths by reducing light entering the camera lens.

I own 3 and 10-stop ND filters as well, but the 3-stop is too mild (2-second exposure can be extended to 15 seconds only) while 10-stops is way too strong (2-second exposure can be extended to a whopping 34 minutes, 8 seconds).

I have found 2 to 3 minutes of exposure is enough to create a silky smooth water effect. You could go longer like 5 to 6 minutes (I won’t go beyond 7 minutes, as long exposure noise starts to creep in), but it won’t change much beyond 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Reflections on water

Colorful reflections of city lights reflected on the water are one thing that gives your blue hour photos a “WOW” feeling. That said, this doesn’t always happen. Even when you shoot the same city view from the same spot for two evenings in a row, you may get completely different results when it comes to the clarity of reflections on the water.

To achieve good photographic results, like in the first photo below, the water has to be relatively still. If the water surface is rough, you hardly get any reflections (the second photo below). Unfortunately, this isn’t something we can control, so we need a bit of luck here.

Marina Bay (Singapore) (TOP: 18mm, f/13, 142 seconds, ISO100;

19mm, f/13, 162 seconds, ISO100).

5. Having thin clouds

While long exposure works best with water, it also works well with clouds, too. This might not be as important as other points above, but if the sky has some clouds, long exposure helps get them rushing across the sky. It adds interesting movement to your photos, as seen below.

Singapore skyline (18mm, f/10, 257 seconds, ISO100).

Alternatively, if you want a greater effect, try evenings with more clouds. That said, if too cloudy, your photos will look just flat and ugly (as the quality of light is severely affected) or might come out crazy like the photo below. I prefer a clear sky with no clouds or just a little bit of thin clouds.

Singapore skyline (20mm, f/5.6, 412 seconds, ISO100).

Conclusion

I hope these tips help you capture epic waterfront cityscape photos at blue hour! Looking back, my love for waterfront cityscapes comes from earlier days shooting sunny beachscapes, which was the primary reason I got into photography a decade ago.

Over the years, my interest has shifted from sunny daytime beachscapes to cityscapes at blue hour, but I’m still in love with water! I frequent cityscape photography spots located at the waterfront locally as well as on trips abroad.

Lastly, if you have any questions or info to share about shooting waterfront cityscapes at blue hour, feel free to do so in the comments below.

The post 5 Tips for Shooting Waterfront Cityscapes at Blue Hour appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Joey J.

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Which would you choose? Shooting the Canon EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II in Atlanta

28 Aug

Introduction

Small camera with a big lens, being filmed with a big camera with a moderately sized lens, all photographed with a big camera with a moderately sized lens.
Out of camera JPEG with the Canon EOS 90D.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 @ 42mm | ISO 100 | 1/640 sec | F4.5

Due to the basic fundamentals of how the ol’ Internet works, if you’re into digital cameras, you’ve likely already heard of Canon’s newly released crop-sensor duo. We all know that the EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II both have 32.5MP sensors, fast burst shooting and crop-free 4K video. The former is a DSLR and the latter comes sans mirror.

But during my time spent sweating through my cotton v-neck at Canon’s Atlanta pre-launch event for the two cameras, I found more than few novel differences that aren’t necessarily obvious from a quick spec-sheet or design-ethos rundown. It’s not quite as simple as ‘EVF vs. OVF,’ ‘big grip vs. small grip,’ and so on.

‘Have it your way’

Lenses aside, the EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II should produce identical image quality.
Out-of-camera JPEG on the EOS 90D
Canon EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 @ 135 mm | ISO 100 | 1/80 sec | F14

As I began to think through this article, I couldn’t help but mentally write ‘Whether mirrorless or DSLR, Canon lets you have it your way,’ before remembering that we already had an article with an awfully similar title. Good grief, how much of the English language is doomed to cliché thanks in part to the thinning of popular culture among the rise of infinite and disparate sources of web-based entertainment? Anyway, I digress.

In keeping with the afore-linked tradition, Canon continues to give us the ingredients for broadly comparable image quality in two very different configurations. From a business perspective, it makes immense sense, at least in the United States. Here, DSLR cameras continue to be popular and Canon’s mirrorless presence has, well, room to grow.

I was prepared to prefer the EOS M6 II over the 90D, but that isn’t exactly what happened

And I have to admit, even as a former high-end DSLR user, that I’ve enjoyed the advantages that mirrorless cameras have brought to the market. Good touchscreen interfaces can make up for fewer physical controls, an electronic viewfinder makes it easy to check images in playback under bright daylight, and my back continues to thank me for a generally lighter overall kit.

So I was prepared to greatly prefer the EOS M6 II over the EOS 90D on this pre-launch event. But that isn’t exactly what happened.

First, bursts

Fast burst speeds mean it’s more likely I’ll have a decent image from a pan – so long as I don’t fill the buffer up first.
Out-of-camera JPEG with the EOS M6 Mark II
Canon EF-M 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 @ 76mm | ISO 100 | 1/250 sec | F9

I generally think of myself as a car guy, but even so, I didn’t realize that the lifecycle of a drift-car tire is best measured in seconds, not minutes. And with those very fast (10-14 fps) burst speeds, both the EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II have buffer life that measures in at far fewer seconds of life than even drift-car tires.

So although the burst rates on the spec sheet may communicate that these cameras can replace your older double-grip sports DSLR, the reality is that you’ll run out of buffer and miss shots unless you dial your speed back, your image quality back, or both. At least the new C-Raw option (which gives you 30-40% smaller Raw files) won’t have a huge impact on image quality for most users, and extends the buffer noticeably.

But buffer depth isn’t all. Yes, let’s delve into EVF vs. OVF.

Viewfinder experiences

The add-on EVF on the EOS M6 Mark II is good, but fast-action aficionados will likely still prefer the OVF on the EOS 90D.
Out-of-camera JPEG with the EOS 90D
Canon EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 @ 135mm | ISO 100 | 1/60 sec | F14

The optional electronic viewfinder on the EOS M6 II doesn’t come with the largest magnification on the market (Canon does not disclose the actual figure), but it does offer a good refresh rate and great contrast. At 14 fps on the M6 II, you get a slideshow of the previous images – drop to 7 fps, and you get a live view between shots. I found 7 fps to get me plenty of keepers, plus I was able to easily follow fast-moving cars, and not-so-fast-moving models. And, I was able to use Canon’s Face + Tracking mode: an option only available in live view on the EOS 90D.

The EOS 90D’s iTR tracking accuracy is leagues ahead of the older EOS 80D

Switching over to the optical viewfinder on the EOS 90D, I exclusively used Canon’s iTR tracking through the viewfinder. It’s not as robust as Canon’s Dual Pixel AF in live view – there’s a much smaller AF area, for starters – but I found accuracy and tracking tenacity to be leagues ahead of the older EOS 80D, probably thanks to Canon’s new metering sensor. We’ll be taking a closer look in our full review.

The 90D’s new ‘face detection’ option in the viewfinder is honestly hard to evaluate, as it was hard to tell if it was tracking a face simply because I placed my initial AF point over it and it was tracking color or depth, as opposed to really recognizing a face. There were times when I placed my initial AF point over a face, initiated tracking, and the system jumped to an adjacent face. I’d wager that, at this point, the system just isn’t as reliable as Dual Pixel’s face and eye detection in live view.

Video-centric, stills-centric

Full disclosure – I didn’t shoot any video with these cameras, but I did work alongside a man shooting video with these cameras. We were hoping to have him trade back-and-forth between both the 90D and M6 Mark II while shooting our DPReview TV episode, but fun fact, the 90D is the only camera of the two with a headphone port. Rather than risk losing entire takes due to bad audio, we opted to use the 90D for almost all of our video shooting so we could monitor the microphones Chris and I were using.

For stills shooters, 32.5MP should be plenty for almost any purpose.
Out-of-camera JPEG using the EOS 90D
Canon EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 @ 35mm | ISO 400 | 1/60 sec | F4.5

Audio features aside, the 90D also has a crop mode that improves detail capture in video, and of course, the fully articulating touchscreen which many video shooters prefer over the tilting screen mechanism on the 6D Mark II. This makes it by far the more useful video camera of the two – despite the fact that it comes with a mirrorbox that is totally unnecessary for video capture.

Meanwhile, the EOS M6 Mark II has a 30 fps Raw Burst mode, which is distinctly aimed at stills-photography shooters. Additionally, its short flange-back distance encourages the adapting of non-native lenses, and there’s not a mess of glass and hinges obstructing the sensor if one did want to launch their way into capturing moving pictures.

Most perplexing is that neither camera shoots 24p video at any resolution

But most perplexing for us on staff is the fact that neither camera shoots 24p video – at any resolution. For the average consumer, and indeed, most people who are looking at cameras around this price point for shooting video, it isn’t a deal-breaker. But it’s also simply a software choice – if the camera can record 30p footage, it can certainly record 24p footage. So for those looking at (particularly regarding the M6 II) a small, easily mountable secondary camera for a larger production, you’ll have to pony up the extra cash for a higher-end Canon camera (or a cheaper camera from another brand) that does natively offer this.

The wrap

Out-of-camera JPEG with the EOS 90D
Canon EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 @ 20mm | ISO 1000 | 1/80 sec | F4

So, which did I really end up preferring? In case it isn’t obvious by now, I like each camera for different reasons.

The EOS M6 Mark II is very quick, but the DSLR still has an advantage in terms of absolute immediacy, helped in no small part by the optical viewfinder. But I just can’t trust viewfinder autofocus the way I can trust Dual Pixel AF. Turns out, though, the bigger and weightier EOS 90D made panning much easier for me, and I consistently got more keepers at lower shutter speeds than I could on the M6 Mark II – and at F9 and up, absolute autofocus accuracy is pretty moot.

But perhaps most telling, I largely prefer the overall selection of images I got from the 90D. Of course there’s no real quality difference – but I used the 90D during the second half of the day and the EOS M6 Mark II during the first half, so maybe I was just more warmed up photographically.

For most other people… the EOS M6 Mark II is probably the better choice

In the end, the EOS 90D is really best suited for those with larger hands and larger lenses, or those traveling in inclement environments, thanks to its tougher weather-sealed body. For most other people, though, the EOS M6 Mark II is probably the better choice. Thanks to its small size (which belies its huge capability), you’re more likely to carry it with you and make more photographs with it as a result. And that’s what really counts.

Oh, and the EOS M6 Mark II is $ 250 US cheaper regardless of what kit option you choose. So, that counts too.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Google Pixel 3 camera defect causes loud clicking, OIS issue while shooting

07 Aug

A number of Google’s $ 499 Pixel 3 smartphone units are experiencing an issue that causes the camera to ‘shake’ while recording video even when the device is placed on a stable surface. A large number Pixel 3 owners have published complaints about this problem on Reddit, Twitter, the Google Support forums, and other online destinations.

The issue appears to primarily impact the Pixel 3 model, though there are some reports of it related to the larger Pixel 3 XL. Sample videos from users show the camera’s focus constantly adjusting itself or, in other examples, producing a prominent wobble effect similar to what one would get by shaking the phone.

Though Google hasn’t provided an official statement about the matter at this time, a loud clicking sound produced from the camera while recording indicates the problem may stem from the Pixel 3’s optical image stabilization system. Pixel 3 owner ‘anaymakan’ shared a video demonstrating this problem on the Pixel 3 subreddit in late May.

Because this appears to be a hardware defect, Pixel 3 owners have been unsuccessful in finding a workaround solution. Owners of the faulty devices report having it solved by getting a replacement phone that doesn’t suffer from the same problem.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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How to Backup Your Photos While Shooting Tethered so You Never Lose Them

01 Aug

The post How to Backup Your Photos While Shooting Tethered so You Never Lose Them appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

Whether you’re working with clients or shoot as a lone ranger, you need to back up your work. As the saying goes, when it comes to hard drives, it’s not a matter of if they will fail, but when they will fail.

Working with image files requires a lot of power and is very taxing for your computer. This increases the chance of hard drive failure. You need to have a system of backing up your images that works for you. This is also important to backup your photos while shooting tethered.

how-to-backup-your-photos-while-shooting-tethered-3

Backup your photos while shooting tethered

There are various programs that allow you to connect your camera to a laptop or desktop computer via a USB cable. This allows you to view a larger and more accurate version of your image on the computer screen. Tethering is crucial in genres like food and still life photography, but also very useful in other niches, like studio portrait photography.

When shooting tethered while on location, an efficient workflow around the backup process will make your life a lot easier and ensure that you have several copies of your image files should an unforeseen incident occur.

If you’re like me and shoot tethered to a laptop but edit on a desktop, you already have the bonus of an extra copy of your images, since you’re using two computers.

If you transfer the images from the laptop to desktop via a detachable external hard drive, there is your third copy. However, if you use a card reader or transfer your images from your camera via a USB cable, you should have at least one more hard copy of your images. Also, what if something happens to your laptop while you’re on a shoot? Remember, it’s a question of when.

Do you use Lightroom as your tethering program of choice? You then have the option of saving your images to your SD cards as you take them. However, Capture One Pro doesn’t offer this option. This makes image capture instant, but it doesn’t give you an extra sense of security by providing additional copies of the images you’ve shot.

You cannot just set up Lightroom or COP to save to two places. You need file synchronization software to make sure that your work is being backed up while you’re shooting tethered.

Types of backups

There are two types of backup: specific project backup and overall data backup. You need to concern yourself with both.

While you’re shooting, you need to back up every single file. You also need to do a backup of your whole computer. You should create backups on external hard drives and also in a cloud-based system. Don’t simply rely on cloud solutions for your backups.

Storing photos in the cloud basically outsources the storage of your photos. The data in the cloud is not necessarily safe or under your control. Risks with cloud storage are having your data hacked and deleted, being locked out of your account, or having it be closed if you make late payments. Also, these types of online services can suddenly shut down or otherwise cease to exist.

A word about digital data

The problem with digital data is that storage formats change over time. You might keep your photos “safe,” but they’ll be useless to you if you can’t read or open them.

Operating systems, software and file formats keep changing, so just because you can see a file on your computer doesn’t mean you can actually load it.

One example is the attempts to replace the standard .jpg file format with JPEG 2000, PNG (Portable Network Graphics) and several others. JPG is fine for now, but you can never say never because this sort of thing actually happens all the time as technology changes.

A word about disk drives

Hard drives are great for storing images because they are relatively inexpensive, they provide fast access to data, and it’s very easy to copy one hard drive to another.

However, backup drives are not an all-in-one perfect solution. Your data is at risk of being stolen or destroyed by fire, flood or some other disaster.

Also, the data is vulnerable to malicious software and human error.

You can accidentally delete a folder, or make mistakes when copying files. If your PC is infected by malware, it will usually encrypt files on external hard drives as well.

I personally have had several hard drives fail. One time I had a hard drive and a laptop fail at the same time! Some hard drives fail after several years of use, while others fail after only a few months. There is no way of knowing when the case may be.

Therefore, you can’t store your photos on a single drive. A minimum of two is recommended. I have backups on a couple of 1TB external, portable hard drives, as well as on two 4TB hard drives that are plugged into my desktop computer.

You should keep one of your backups off-site, like at a relative’s home or even in a bank safety deposit box.

how-to-backup-your-photos-while-shooting-tethered-2

How to back up while shooting tethered

Chronosync is one backup software that I recommend you use while shooting tethered if you use a Mac. If you’re a PC user, check out Bvckup.

Goodsync can be used with either system.

This type of software allows you to look at a given folder and copy everything to another folder on a separate hard drive. For example, you might want to shoot images on your laptop and have them sync to an external portable hard drive. Or you may want to use two separate portable hard drives. Basically what you’re doing is telling it what folder to look at and make an exact duplicate of it to another drive.

You can set it on a schedule or have it running in the background. Setting it on a schedule is great if you always have a hard drive plugged into your laptop.

Here is an example of how to do it with Chronosync.

1. Open up the application and choose, Create a New Synchronizer Document

How to Backup Your Photos While Shooting Tethered so You Never Lose Them

2. Decide what drives you want to synchronize by selecting >Choose from the Source Target and Destination Target menus accordingly. It will give you several choices of how you might want to back up from the dropdown menu under >Operation.
My recommendation is that you choose >Backup Synchronize Bidirectional. This will ensure that everything that is on one drive will also appear on the other.

How to Backup Your Photos While Shooting Tethered so You Never Lose Them

3. Click on >Synchronize in the top left-hand corner. It may take a few minutes for the synchronization to take place. Once it’s complete you’ll see the message below.

How to Backup Your Photos While Shooting Tethered so You Never Lose Them

It’s as simple as that. With synchronization software like Chronosync, you’ll ensure that all your files and folders are backed up for a very low price.

Other backup software

Many large companies offer photo storage services including Amazon, Google, Microsoft (OneDrive), and Apple (iCloud). However, this can be expensive if you need a lot of storage. With some, downloading large files is cumbersome and data such as file names and EXIF Data may not be preserved. Some services don’t preserve your photos as you uploaded them, and others just don’t work very well (Time Machine, I’m looking at you).

Here are some other paid-for options that are worth a look:

FoldersSynchronizer – a popular program for Mac OS which synchronizes backup files, folders, and disks.

Super Duper – great for disk backups on a Mac. It allows you to create a bootable clone of your disk which you can easily copy from one hard disk to another. This makes moving from one computer to another during an upgrade virtually painless.

Smug Mug – an all-in-one solution that allows photographers to display and sell their images, with unlimited uploads.

Backblaze – a cloud-based backup system that will continually back up your data while your computer is on. Use to restore data after a drive failure.

How to Backup Your Photos While Shooting Tethered so You Never Lose Them

To sum up

To ensure that you have all your bases covered when backing up your files, you should backup specific shoots as well as regularly do backups of your whole computer(s).

Have a couple of backups on hard drives, as well as a cloud-based backup.

When shooting tethered, I recommend backing up your images manually as you’re shooting, one at a time, to ensure that each image exists in at least two places at that time. Once you’re finished shooting, back up your portable hard drive to another one, preferably a larger, more robust hard drive where you store a copy of all your image folders.

The post How to Backup Your Photos While Shooting Tethered so You Never Lose Them appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.

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DPReview TV: What is shutter angle, and why is it better than shutter speed when shooting video?

27 Jun

Have you heard video pros talk about using shutter ‘angle’ instead of shutter speed? Chris explains what shutter angle is and why it’s often more useful than shutter speed for video work.

Get new episodes of DPReview TV every week by subscribing to our YouTube channel!

Introduction
A bit of history
360-degree shutter
180-degree shutter
90-degree shutter
Downsides of using shutter speed
Why shutter angle is more useful than shutter speed
Wrap-up

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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6 Important Compositional Elements to Consider When Shooting Landscapes

25 Jun

The post 6 Important Compositional Elements to Consider When Shooting Landscapes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

There are many pleasures associated with photographing landscapes; from being in the great outdoors, to breathing in the fresh air and taking in the attractive views whilst capturing nature’s beauty all around you.

Taking good landscape photos is more challenging than you may think. People often tell me when they return home from capturing landscapes that they are often disappointed with their results. Part of this may be due to the subject, the weather, the photographer, or most likely the composition. To help you improve your composition, here are 6 fundamental elements worth considering when you next venture out with your camera to shoot landscapes.

1. Diagonal lines

Firstly, it is worth considering the term ‘composition’. Composition refers to “the nature of something’s ingredients or constituents” such as the formation and contents that make-up an image. When it comes to photography, there are many theories and factors that constitute what makes a good composition. One major component worth acknowledging is diagonal lines.

Diagonal lines can be a useful tool to use in your images. Carefully consider how you might use diagonal lines in your images. One proven way is to lead a viewer’s eye through the frame along a diagonal. These can go from left to right or right to left. They can be slightly horizontal or vertical and can be individual or repeated throughout the image. Leading diagonal lines can be a great way to naturally point towards an interesting part of your landscape, such as rows of flowers navigating towards a tree or a building.

2. Geometric shapes

When it comes to shapes and patterns, there are no hard and fast rules as to what works well together. Whilst seeing the landscape as a whole, be conscious of what geometric shapes you want to include in the frame. You may look for shapes that complement each other or that are opposite to one another. Consider their relationship and how they may be used together to bring balance to the image.

3. The rule of thirds

Have you ever produced pictures of landscapes that you were not pleased with and wondered why this could be? Well, one reason could be to do with the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is an essential technique that can be applied to improve the composition and harmony of your landscape images. In essence, it involves dividing your image by thirds using 2 horizontal and 2 vertical lines. The idea is that you then place the important elements of your scene along those lines or at the point where they intersect.

In your landscape shots, try placing the horizon on the lower third and top third of the image and see which makes a more pleasing composition. You can also include an interesting object such as a tree where the lines meet. This gives a natural focal point for the scene.

Rule of Thirds Grid

4. Framing images

How you frame your images of nature can make the difference between a good and a great photograph. When framing your shots, create a visually effective image that communicates with the viewer in the way you envisaged. Overhanging leaves or branches can be used to form a natural frame to shape your picture. This helps to emphasize the subject and mask unwanted elements in the scene.

5. Foreground elements

Foreground elements can add more dynamism to your landscape images. Placing features in the foreground can give a sense of receding distance. For example, a rock, flowers, or snow are individual components that can be used to provide scale. Find an interesting subject to show in the lower part of your frame and see how this changes the composition of your landscape images.

6. Break the rules

Don’t feel you have to stick to the rules of composition outlined above. As with all rules, they don’t always give the best result and you can break them. Sometimes positioning the horizon along the center of the frame can produce a much more eye-catching photo. In addition, you can even place your main subject in the center of your frame. Don’t be afraid to try out different compositions and experiment to see which looks best.

Conclusion

While you can break the rules, it is worth learning the rules of composition effectively before you try to break them. They were introduced to benefit your photos in the first place, so remember to put them to good use. Diagonal lines, the rule of thirds, foreground details, and framing your images can all be used to enhance your landscape photos.

Now it’s over to you to put these tips into practice! Share the images you take and any comments with us below.

The post 6 Important Compositional Elements to Consider When Shooting Landscapes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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Dallas photojournalist recounts capturing photo of gunman during yesterday’s shooting

19 Jun

Yesterday morning, a gunman dressed in tactical gear opened fire at the Earle Cabell Federal Building in Dallas, Texas with a semi-automatic rifle. While at the courthouse for a separate assignment, Dallas Morning News photojournalist Tom Fox was caught in the middle of the chaos and managed to capture a stunning image, embedded below, of the gunman as he appeared to be reloading his weapon outside of the building he fired into.

DMN staff photographer @TomFoxPhoto captured this image shortly before a gunman opened fire on the Earle Cabell Federal Building Monday morning in downtown Dallas. Fox was waiting to enter the building to cover a trial when the attack took place. https://t.co/y8fWYYuKjs pic.twitter.com/fE1kFlEy9j

— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) June 17, 2019

As Fox explains in the above interview conducted with Dallas Morning News, he was at the courthouse waiting for a defendant to arrive for jury duty when he heard what he believed to be a backfire from a vehicle. What he heard though was the sound of gunshots that were being fired toward the federal courthouse.

After realizing it was gunshots he heard, Fox says he instinctually looked around to discover where the shots were coming from and ‘establish a safe perimeter and take a knee [to] see what I could [photograph].’

Shortly after hearing the first shots, Fox says a security guard and another individual, with whom he was talking with earlier, started running in his direction as pieces of granite from the Earle Cabell Federal Building were being kicked in the air from gunfire (the first photo in the embedded tweet below is implied to be the individuals he was referring to in the interview and shows both the gunman [left, in front of the blue sedan] and the granite turning to powder [top of the image, above the security guard’s head]).

Many times today I have heard someone say of the downtown Dallas shooting, “Reminds me of July 7, 2016.”

Said Thomas Castro (@DPDTCastro): “I just thought to get down here and protect the citizens. Not anything that brought back, ‘Here we go again.'”https://t.co/covwmUBWpl pic.twitter.com/nxkPszJ0ov

— Robert Wilonsky (@RobertWilonsky) June 17, 2019

It was at this point that Fox turned and ran to seek cover. Eventually, he noticed an alcove near the entrance of the building and took shelter behind it (Fox can be seen behind the alcove, just feet away from the shooter, in a screenshot from a video captured by a citizen in an adjacent apartment building in the embedded tweet below [second image]). When he peeked around the corner, he saw an individual down the street. At this point, he took out his telephoto lens and composed a shot when he realized the individual he saw ‘looked to be someone that would fit the shooter profile and made some frames.’ Fox says it was when the shooter went to pick something up and he saw the ‘nozzle’ of the gun that he got up and ran to safety.

What news photogs do. @dallasnews staff photographer @TomFoxPhoto captured gunman shortly before dude opened fire on Dallas Fed Building Monday. Someone pictured Fox as it played out. Gunman killed. pic.twitter.com/9S6QTPdC1o

— Kevin B. Blackistone (@ProfBlackistone) June 17, 2019

According to Dallas Morning News, the shooter was shot and killed by federal agents as he was running away from the building he opened fire at. No one else was injured or killed.

Dallas Morning News has put together a video using footage captured by Fox that shows the moments shortly after he captured what has become a viral image in the aftermath of the events. We had originally planned to include it in the article, but the thumbnail used for the video shows the shooter collapsed in a parking lot adjacent to the federal building after being shot by a federal agent, so we decided to link out instead. Bear in mind the video is graphic in nature.

Photojournalists are warriors of our profession.
They are often first in, and last out. Without their images, the story feels incomplete.
They run toward news, acting on instinct. I’ve never met @TomFoxPhoto but my adrenaline surged when I saw this photo & read how it came about. https://t.co/IHb686CsJw

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) June 17, 2019

Fox said he thought he ‘was gone’ in a follow-up interview with Dallas Morning News that dives into more details of the shooting. In 2017, Fox won Dallas Morning News staff photographer of the year.

Update (June 18, 2019): This article had originally stated the photo Tom Fox captured of the gunman was done so as the gunman was running from the building. However, it appears the image was captured at a different point in the timeline of the events and the article has been updated to reflect this.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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