Want to shoot some portraits with great lighting while stuck at home? We show you how – and you probably won’t need any new gear to do it! If Chris and Jordan can light a scene with a Rubbermaid container lid, so can you.
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Introduction
Window light
Reflecting fill light
Negative fill
Overexposing windows
Controlling background light
Three easy poses
For more info…
Sample gallery from this episode
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ProGrade Digital has released an updated line of UHS-II microSDXC cards that offer improved read and write speeds at a lower cost than ProGrade’s previous microSDXC lineup.
The new microSDXC UHS-II V60 memory cards feature read and burst write speeds up to 250MB/s and 130MB/s, respectively, a 50MB/s increase in both departments compared to their predecessors. Sustained, the cards only guarantee 60MB/s write speeds, as denoted by the V60 label. Despite the increased performance, the lineup, which now includes a 256GB option will retail for much less than the cards they’re replacing.
The 64GB, 128GB and 256GB cards retail for $ 34.99, $ 54.99 and $ 99.99, respectively; that’s $ 15 and $ 45 less than the previously available 64GB and 128GB cards, respectively. In addition to a three-year warranty, all cards will come with a UHS-II SD adapter and ProGrade’s Refresh Pro software for keeping tabs on the health of the cards.
It doesn’t appear as though other retails have listed the new cards yet, but both the 64GB and 128GB versions are available to purchase on ProGrade Digital’s website. The 256GB option will be available sometime in the second quarter of 2020, according to ProGrade Digital.
The old 200MB/s microSDXC cards
The newer 250MB/s microSDXC cards
Something worth keeping in mind when looking for these cards is to make sure you’re getting these new, updated cards, rather than the old cards. The design on the cards is effectively identical with the only noticeable difference being the read speeds printed on the cards. The old cards will read ‘200MB/s’ while the new cards will read ‘250MB/s.’
Lomography has announced the release of the Analogue Aqua a new ‘simple use’ reloadable camera that comes packed an underwater case.
The Analogue Aqua is the latest version of Lomography’s take on the disposable 35mm film camera—this time with an aquatic twist thanks to its protective plastic housing, which is waterproof down to 10m (33ft).
The kit will be available in two versions, pre-loaded with one of two Lomography film stocks: Color Negative 400, for ‘classic analogue character’ or LomoChrome Purple for ‘violet tones that flourish and fade,’ in the words of Lomography. When you finish the 27-exposure pre-loaded film, you can put another roll in its place with the help of Lomography’s guide, giving you the convenience of a disposable camera with much less waste.
The camera itself operates on a single ‘AA’ battery, features a very rudimentary 31mm F9 lens, will focus on anything from beyond 1m (3ft) to infinity and has a permanent shutter speed of 1/120th of a second. In the event you need more light, the camera features a built-in flash that can fire once every 15 seconds.
Below are a few sample photos provided by Lomography:
The Lomography Analogue Aqua ‘Simple Use’ camera is available in both the Color Negative 400 and LoomChrome Purple versions starting today for $ 40 on Lomography’s online shop. The first units will ship out in May.
The post 5 Tips for Doing Photography While Social Distancing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Are you having a hard time doing photography while social distancing?
Do you need some help determining what and how to photograph during these difficult times?
90mm | f/2.8 | 1/320s | ISO 320
You’ve come to the right place.
Because as hard as it is to deal with the current situation, there are still photographic opportunities everywhere.
You just have to know how to see them!
So if you’re looking to capture some great images, even now…
…read on.
1. Go on walks and photograph the scenery
Plenty of countries are currently in full lockdown, which means that you can only leave your home for exercise.
But while you’re out walking, why not take some pictures?
Obviously, don’t approach people on the street or linger too long in one place.
But there are plenty of gorgeous parks out there where you can capture some stunning landscapes as you walk along.
An image taken on a recent walk. Canon EF 24-70mm f4L lens|70mm| f/8.0| 1/20s| ISO 200
And if you don’t live near a park, just go for a walk around your neighborhood! Take some photos of trees waving in the sunlight, of flowers starting to bloom in gardens, and more.
The opportunities are endless. The key is to be open to more unusual, spontaneous images.
By the way, I’d recommend using a telephoto lens for this, such as a 70-200mm zoom; that way, you can stay on paths and avoid approaching houses and other people.
I’d also recommend going out at sunrise or sunset, when the light is warm and golden. That way, you can capture gorgeous skies, gorgeous clouds, and just take in the beautiful world.
2. Capture gorgeous macro photos in the garden
It’s now officially spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
With spring comes flowers, and with flowers comes the potential for beautiful macro shots.
Get your closest-focusing lens, or a dedicated macro lens if you have one, and go out into your garden.
You can easily photograph flowers like these in the garden! Nikon 60mm f2.8 lens | 60mm| f/5.0| 1/200| ISO 320
Look for flowers, and try to capture some beautiful colors, textures, and even more abstract flora shots.
I recommend doing macro photography on cloudy days, because the diffused light will help bring out flower colors.
I also recommend getting down low, on a level with your subject, so you can portray the world from a more intimate perspective.
By the way, if you don’t have any flowers, that’s okay!
You can still photograph plants, trees, buds, or even weeds. The beauty of macro photography is that there are subjects everywhere.
3. Spend time creating a studio in your home
If you’re like me, you’ve always wanted to create a photography studio in your home.
But you just haven’t had the time.
Imagine what you could do with a studio (after all the social distancing is over, that is!).
You could do portrait photoshoots.
You could do pet photoshoots.
You could create all sorts of still life setups.
You could do high-speed photos of balloons popping, or of colored water, or of products, or of food…
Really, you can do tons with a proper studio.
A home studio is great for capturing photos of pets! 55mm| f/6.3| 1/160s | ISO 250
So why not set it up now, while you’re stuck at home?
Here’s what you need:
First, some sort of backdrop. A black tablecloth will work just fine for many purposes, but you can also use a large, white slab of cardboard, a proper photography backdrop (these can be purchased online), or even an interesting wall.
Next, you’ll want at least one light source. You can use natural light, in which case you should simply position your studio near a window (ideally with the window light coming from slightly in front of your setup, so you have light falling on your subject from the front and side).
You can also use artificial light, which is what I’d recommend; this gives you more options and limits you less in terms of shooting on poorly-lit days and at night.
If you do go with artificial light, you’re going to want several speedlights at the very least. I recommend two for beginners, though three is also a good number, and one is adequate if you’d like to keep costs down. These speedlights will need to be held up with light stands, so you’ll want a couple of those.
You’ll also need light modifiers. Options here include umbrellas, softboxes, diffusers, snoots, and more. Though I’d recommend going with a couple of basic umbrellas because these are great for softening the light and easy for beginners to get the hang of.
Last, if you’re doing any sort of product or still life photography, you’re going to want a table. A simple wooden option works well, and it doesn’t have to look new. A bit of texture can make your product shots and still lifes even more interesting!
And speaking of still life photography:
4. Level up your still life photography skills
If you’ve ever considered pursuing still life photography, now is a great time.
You can do still lifes with a studio setup, as discussed above.
Or you can do still lifes without much of anything, except a few subjects, some window light, a table, and a wall.
The latter method is practically free, and it can result in stunning shots. So it’s a great way to get started with still life work over the next few months.
For basic still life subjects, fruit is a great choice (I’m partial to pears and apples, but you can use basically anything).
Flowers, including cut flowers you can grab when checking out at the grocery store, are an excellent option, as well.
In fact, you can do all sorts of cool photography with flowers or fruit. While it’s possible to do classic still lifes, you can also do more abstract shots, like this:
This type of black background, illuminated flower setup is something you can work on when doing still life photography. Canon EF 100mm f2.8L Macro | 100mm | f/2.8 | 1/100s | ISO 200
Given the current situation, I don’t recommend taking trips to the store just to buy still life subjects.
But if you’re already at the store, there’s not much harm in grabbing a couple of extra apples or a bouquet of flowers.
And, by the way:
You can also do still life photography using objects you find in your home.
Objects such as bowls, plates, silverware, vases, jugs, antiques, and much more.
So don’t feel like you have to go out into the world to get subjects. Some of the best subjects are right in the house with you!
5. Get to know your camera while stuck inside
Cameras are complicated.
Which means that there are probably things you don’t know about them, but should be familiar with if you want to capture the best possible photos.
So, whenever you get the chance, I recommend you turn on your camera and explore.
Start with all the external buttons. Do you know what they can all do?
Then dig into the menu items. Scan over every single option.
While getting to know my camera, I snap a lot of random pictures to test out functions. This is one of my most recent ones! Canon EOS R | Canon 24-70 f4 lens | 70mm| f/4.0 | 1/160s | ISO 3200
And as soon as you hit something you’re not sure about, or you’re not completely familiar with…
…look it up.
(You can use your camera manual, or you can just do a quick Google search.)
If it’s an especially useful feature, then make a note. And ensure that, the next time you get a chance to do some photography, you try it out.
Make sense?
And by the way, every camera is different. So if you have multiple cameras, I recommend you follow this tip for each and every one of them.
That way, when things are better, you’ll feel much more at home with your camera.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips will help you continue to improve your photography while social distancing.
Because while things are tough, it really is possible to keep up your photography!
So good luck, and stay safe! And, as always, share your photos with us in the comments section!
The post 5 Tips for Doing Photography While Social Distancing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
Software developer ON1 has released details of a new service it claims will allow photographers to synchronize the editing and organizing of images across computers and mobile devices no matter where they are stored. The ON1 360° application will connect up to five computers and five mobile devices so that images stored on any one of them, or on attached external hard drives and NAS systems, can be accessed and edited from any of them – with changes synced across them all.
The software relies on a cloud storage service and a newly developed compressed RAW file format. Photographers select which files, folders or albums they would like to have access to and compressed versions are sent to the cloud. Connected devices, including smartphones, can then access those compressed files so they can be edited locally and the changes saved to all synchronized versions of that picture. A new free mobile app will be available for Android and iOS devices that will have the same RAW processing engine as its ON1 Photo RAW 2020 application so adjustments can match those made in the full desktop version of the software.
ON1 says the compressed RAW files that will pass between the devices will be 75% smaller than the original files, but we are told they will retain the same tonal and color range as the originals. Users also have the choice to store their full-sized originals in the cloud so they can be shared between devices as well.
ON1 claims its new program will offer ten times the amount of storage as competitors, but its application will cost 20% less. The high compression of the new RAW file format all also mean that more pictures will be able to be stored in the same space.
The company says it will retain its perpetual license options alongside subscription services with monthly or annual payment plans. The ON1 Photo RAW 2020.1 desktop application costs a one-off $ 49.99 at the moment, while the ON1 360° starts at $ 59.99 per year with 200GB of storage, or $ 109.99 per year with 1TB if you already own Photo RAW. If you want to buy Photo RAW and the 360° service together it will cost $ 89.99 for 200GB and $ 179.99 1TB per year. The monthly prices will be $ 5.99 and $ 9.99 for those who own Photo RAW, and $ 7.99 and $ 15.99 for those who don’t. Pre-ordering the 360° plan will also get you a training course and a pack of extra pre-sets.
For more information on ON1 360° go to the ON1 website.
Press release:
ON1, creators of ON1 Photo RAW, announces ON1 360° will be available in late June.
ON1 360° is a new end-to-end photography workflow solution for capturing, editing, and accessing photos seamlessly between multiple computers and mobile devices. ON1 360° connects ON1 Photo RAW 2020 on macOS and Windows computers with the new free ON1 Photo Mobile on iOS and Android devices. ON1 360° is the complete photography ecosystem that photographers have been waiting for; giving them more choice and more control. Multiple options for syncing files, control in file storage methods, and new capabilities for managing and editing across devices no matter where files are stored are available in ON1 360°.
At the core of ON1 360° is ON1’s new cloud storage service and sync technology, which allows photographers to sync photos, metadata, and edits, as well as albums, cataloged folders, and more between all their computers and devices, external hard drives, or even network drives. Unlike other cloud service offerings, ON1 360° will allow customers to choose which files or folders to sync, where the files live, as well as their preferred storage format.
“Our focus is on giving photographers control. Control of where they store their photos, what they want to sync and how they want to edit. There isn’t another solution out there providing this flexibility or functionality. We are still going to offer customers perpetual license options where they keep the software, even if they choose not to continue with this service. Of course, the subscription plan will be a good option as well and is ultra-competitive when it comes to price and features. The ON1 360° subscription plan includes 10x the storage at 20% less cost compared to other plans. Plus, the optional ON1 compressed-raw file format requires significantly less storage to have access to all your photos from all devices,” says Dan Harlacher, VP of Product.
With ON1 360°, customers can choose between syncing their original raw files or syncing their photos using ON1’s compressed-raw file format, which is 75% smaller than the original RAW file while maintaining the same tonal and color range. They are perfect for remote editing, sharing, and even printing common sizes, without noticeable loss in quality, saving the customer additional storage costs.
“Some people like using external drives, and some people like storing photos in the cloud. And some like both. The great part about ON1 360° is that you get to choose where photos get stored while still having access to them on all of your devices so you can share from anywhere,” add Matt Kloskowski, ON1 Educator and Guru.
“These all-new technologies that are the foundation of ON1 360° have been under development for some time and we are very excited to deliver them in June. This complete photography solution allows our customers to incorporate ON1 in every stage of their photography. With the technical foundation in place, we will start integrating new AI tools and features into all our products. There has never been a more exciting time at ON1.,” President and CEO, Craig Keudell adds.
Key Features One Workflow — A complete end-to-end workflow between desktop and mobile with just one desktop application in ON1 Photo RAW 2020. No bouncing between organizers, raw processors, and layered pixel-editors. ON1 Photo RAW 2020 is a modern photo organizer, raw processor, layered editor, and effects app, all-in-one well thought out and affordable application.
Value — ON1 360° plan options start out at 10x the storage amount for 20% less cost compared to competitive plans available today.
Complete Control of Photos — Photographers can organize how they choose, where they store photos, and how they back up their photos. Whether photos are on local drives, upload some or all of them to the ON1 360° cloud storage, it’s their choice. All metadata and edits will back up automatically with ON1 360°.
High Quality with Less Space — ON1’s unique compressed-raw file format will also allow photographers to store more photos in the same amount of space without noticeable loss in image quality when processing. The new file format will also let photographers view, edit, and share their photos without having to store the original photo in the cloud.
ON1 Photo Mobile — The new free ON1 Photo Mobile will be a single app for capturing, editing, and syncing photos back to desktop computers, where each photo will also be re-editable. More than a basic raw processor, ON1 Photo Mobile uses the same RAW processing engine developed for ON1 Photo RAW. Adjustments will include Exposure, Contrast, Shadows, Mid-tones, Highlights, Whites, Blacks, White Balance, Noise, and Sharpening. Built-in filters will start with, black and white, adding film grain, darkening the edges with a vignette, and enhancing local contrast. ON1 Photo Mobile will be available for both iOS and Android devices and is free for anyone.
Capture and Create Anywhere — The new free ON1 Photo Mobile’s camera mode works like your device’s camera app but with many more advanced features. Capture raw photos on your smartphone with all the tonal range and details you expect from an interchangeable lens camera. The pro-level manual controls include the ability to adjust exposure, shutter speed, depth, and white balance.
Photos Stay in Sync — Automatically or selectively sync photos and edits from ON1 Photo RAW 2020 on desktop or laptop computers back to the free ON1 Photo Mobile using ON1 360°, providing a complete, photo editing and organizing system. ON1 360° will allow photographers to wirelessly send photos between desktop and mobile devices. Photos can be viewed, edited or downloaded directly to ON1 Photo RAW 2020 on both desktop or laptop computers with the non-destructive editing settings intact. You can also push edits from ON1 Photo RAW 2020 on desktop or laptop computers and automatically or selectively sync them back to ON1 Photo Mobile.
Privacy — Privacy is most important, and with ON1 360°, all photos will be kept private. ON1 will never analyze any photos using ON1 360° to build ways to market to photographers.
Availability and Pricing ON1 360° subscription plans will be rolled out gradually starting today and continuing to the full release in late June 2020 when the ON1 360° service officially begins and all purchasing options become available. Today, owners of Photo RAW 2020 can take advantage of special introductory pricing on a 1-year prepaid subscription for ON1 360° (service only edition) with reduced pricing and pre-order bonuses including a new ON1 Pro pack with 360 custom presets ($ 100 value) delivered today, and a new ON1 360° Training Course delivered in June when the ON1 360° service begins. New customers can purchase a perpetual license for ON1 Photo RAW 2020 at a reduced price and the ON1 360° Service Add-on or the ON1 360° Software & Service subscription which includes everything. For a limited time, ON1 is cutting the price of ON1 Photo RAW 2020 by 50% during the lead up to ON1 360° availability in late June.
In June 2020, ON1 will roll out all ON1 360° plans including monthly subscription plans which include ON1 Photo RAW 2020, the ON1 Photo Mobile connectivity, and the 360° syncing service. As always, ON1 will continue offering Photo RAW as a perpetual-license product separate from ON1 360°, for those who prefer to own their software. This allows customers to upgrade to future versions at a time of their choosing, and it allows them to add or cancel any ON1 360° subscription without losing access to ON1 Photo RAW or their photos.
Photographer and DIY camera extraordinaire Brendan Barry has used his time in lockdown to create a camera and darkroom out of a shed in his yard.
Throughout the above 22-minute video, Barry summarizes the build process, showing what was required to turn his compact shed into an all-in-one photo room and the process required to capture the image and make the resulting prints. As you might expect from such an ambitious project, it took a good bit of time to get everything sorted out and even more time to dial in the capture and printing process.
A close-up screenshot from the video showing off the massive 1016mm (40″) F5.4 aerial reconnaissance lens used in the build.
‘In [the video] I talk through the build and operation of the shed camera, bring together a number of the processes I experiment with and shares some of the materials and approaches I use in my practice,’ says Barry in an email to DPReview. Barry specifically notes he used ‘RA4 colour reversal, B&W paper negs contacted to positives and shooting with direct positive paper, both with normal chemistry and with caffenol’ to capture and make prints of the images captured with the ridiculous rig.
While this is technically possible to do at home, it will require plenty of power tools, spare wood you might have sitting around, a generous amount of gaff tape and an insanely large lens (a 1016mm [40”] F5.4 aerial reconnaissance lens in Barry’s case).
We’ve featured Barry’s previous projects before, including his 101 Park Avenue skyscraper camera, his shipping container camera and his guide to turning any room in your home into a camera. This shed project might not be his most grandiose project to date, but it certainly required a healthy dose of elbow grease and equal amounts of patience.
You can find more of Barry’s work on his website and keep up with his latest endeavors on his Instagram profile.
As more and more people desire higher-quality video communication over internet while working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for webcams has increased dramatically, triggering incredibly high prices, sometimes three to four times over MSRP. And that’s if you can find one at all.
To help bridge a growing gap, Canon has announced the release of the EOS Webcam Utility Beta, a program for that will, with a single USB cable, turn compatible Canon EOS interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) and PowerShot cameras into dedicated webcams on PCs running the 64-bit version of Windows 10.
‘In unprecedented times, it’s imperative for Canon to provide our customers with useful, simple and accessible solutions to assist them in whatever imaging needs they have,’ says Tatsuro ‘Tony’ Kano, executive vice president of the Canon U.S.A., Inc. Imaging Technologies & Communications Group in the press release. ‘Our goal is that the EOS Webcam Utility Beta software can help reduce some of the remote workday stress for employees who are tasked with video conferencing and virtual meetings.’
A list of the EOS and PowerShot cameras currently supported.
Downloading the EOS Webcam Utility Beta must be done from the downloads page of your supported camera’s product page on Canon’s website. Thankfully, Canon has created a library on its dedicated EOS Webcam Utility Beta page linking out to the appropriate page for each supported camera. Once to the camera’s download page, simply click the download button to start downloading the installation file.
Being it’s a beta program, Canon is asking for feedback pertaining to the application, which can be left on Canon’s dedicated forum.
Its hard to imagine a time without photography. With access to small but powerful cameras that will fit in your pocket a normal occurrence in the world today, not being able to capture a moment seems like such an alien concept. There are over 95 million photos and videos shared on Instagram every single day but not too long ago Continue Reading
The post When Was Photography Invented? appeared first on Photodoto.
Mobile sensor manufacturer OmniVision has announced the OV64B, a 1/2” sensor it claims is the ‘world’s first 0.7-micron 64-megapixel image sensor’ that’s destined for ultra-thin flagship smartphones.
The 1/2” sensor is built on OmniVision’s PureCel Plus-S stacked die technology and a four-cell color filter array (CFA) with on-chip hardware for re-mosaic. In addition to 64MP (9248 x 6944 pixel) stills, the sensor can also output 16MP images with what OmniVision claims is 4x the sensitivity thanks to near-pixel binning that yields images with a sensitivity equivalent to sensors with 1.4-micron pixels. Omnivision also notes 2X digital crop zoom modes are also supported at 16MP.
In terms of video, the OV64B is capable of recording 8K video at up to 30 frames per second (fps) 4K video at up to 60 fps and 4K video with electronic image stabilization (EIS) at up to 30 fps. It can achieve slow-mo capture at up to 240 fps at 1080p and 480 fps at 720p as well, with other output options including 64MP still capture at up to 15 fps and 16MP still capture at up to 30 fps with four-cell pixel binning.
The last notable feature is the sensor’s 2×2 microlens phase detection autofocus (ML-PDAF) that OmniVision claims improves autofocus accuracy, particularly in low-light situations.
No specific information is given in regards to what smartphone manufacturers may use this sensor in their devices, but OmniVision says the first smaple units should ship out to prospective clients in May 2020. It’s also no coincidence that the OV64B has specifications that align almost perfectly with the capabilities of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 chipset, which is being used in flagship Android devices around the world.
You can find out more information on the OV64B on OmniVision’s website.
The end of 2018 saw Canon and Nikon introduce their first full-frame mirrorless cameras, with Panasonic on the verge of joining the party. This brought an end to Sony’s five-year term as sole purveyor of this type of camera and set out each company’s post-DSLR ambitions.
In July of 2019, we looked at three of those cameras and concluded the a7 III was the strongest all-rounder: the model that was pretty good at everything. However, despite the five-year head start, it was a far from universal or emphatic victory.
Now that the lens lineups have been better fleshed-out and firmware updates have provided some additional polish, we thought it was time to take another look at the circa $ 2000 full-frame mirrorless cameras, their lens options and how they now stack up.
More than just a body
Perhaps more than at any time in the industry’s history, we’re seeing the big camera makers adopt new lens mounts for some of their leading products.
This is likely to present the lowest-barrier opportunity for most users to consider a change of system since most DSLR lenses can be adapted to some degree onto any of the new systems. DSLR users should think seriously about whether the benefits of persisting with thier current camera brand is worth a short-term retention of potentially better lens compatibility, or if this would be outweighed by taking this opportunity to switch horses.
This could be the best moment for most users to consider a change of system
The temptation, of course, is to stick with what you know, and put the emphasis on the money already sunk into your lens collection. But it’s worth looking hard at whether your favorite brand’s new system is really the one best suited to your needs.
All of this makes a decision between different camera bodies more significant than in the past. In this roundup we’ll look at which of the cameras (with most current firmware) stand out for a series of common types of photography:
Family and moments
Lifestyle and people
Weddings and events
Portraits
Landscape
Sports and action
Travel photography
Video – Controlled shooting
Video – Run & gun
In a soon-to-follow article, we’ll look at where each of the lens systems has got to and where it’s going.
Specifications compared
Perhaps the most striking detail here is how few boxes can be marked in red or green. Aside from a few outliers (in-body stabilization and viewfinder resolution for example), there’s just not a lot to choose between them in terms of pure specification.
There’s not a lot to choose between them in terms of Raw performance, either. The Canon has higher nominal resolution and a smidge less processing flexibility, as a consequence of lower dynamic range. The other three cameras are almost certainly built around the same sensor, though, so the differences between them are even slighter.
This is where actually using the cameras comes in, as the reality is that they’re all significantly different in terms of ergonomics, user interface design, and AF performance. It’s these factors that end up making the cameras a good fit for different types of shooting.
