Photography Tips And Tutorials

You’ve run through this fire drill a million times over: first, you grab the family cat, then your family photos. Sadly, it doesn’t always work out that way. While many are grateful to survive a natural disaster, they’re still left devastated from the loss of everything they own. The worst of it might just be the loss of irreplacable family photos. Operation Photo Rescue is a league of photographers and graphic designers who set out to help survivors get their treasured memories back. OPR’s first mission was Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Since then, they’ve restored 9,000+ photos in other disasters like Hurricane Sandy. If you’re itching to help, OPR’s always looking for skilled photo restorers and fundraising. You can help folks get back photos from their wedding day, that regal portrait of their great of grandpa, and snapshots of their daughter’s first birthday. Won’t that feel awesome? Operation Photo Rescue p.s. WE ARE HIRING A WEB DEVELOPER. If you love photography and San Francisco and codes, APPLY HERE. p.p.s. WE ARE ALSO HIRING AN EVANGELIST/BIZ DEV HERO. Creative deal-maker types, APPLY HERE. Related posts: 100 Cameras — How to Improve Kids’ Lives Through Photography Photo by Brooke Schwab Photography is a solo sport. It’s... No light? No hot shoe? No problem. The Metz 28 CS-2 Digital Slave Flash to the Rescue! Nothing will ruin a shot quicker than on-camera flash. Unless... How Street Photography Can Turn into Astrophotography Those Star Trek special effects guys are going to feel...

To those of you new to photography, your Canon EOS camera is bound to seem complicated. There are so many controls, buttons, wheels, and dials. How do you know which ones to use? Are you using your camera to it’s full potential? There is a new guide on this topic and we were able to negotiate a 36% discount until next Tuesday for our readers. Found here: Understanding EOS Understanding EOS Photography Guide Laying inside your camera is sophisticated technology that has evolved over the last 50 years. If you own any EOS camera made within the last five years you possess a picture taking machine that photographers could only dream about ten or twenty years ago. The question is – how do you get the best out of your camera? Or, if you’re a complete newbie, how do you even use it? Some of the Many Topics Covered (109 Pages): It explains how to use an EOS camera in language a complete beginner can easily understand. It has depth – you will come back to Understanding EOS time and again as your understanding of photography improves. It keeps things simple and shows you only the controls on your EOS camera that you need to use. It is full of big, colourful and inspirational photos. It explains why composition, an appreciation of beautiful light and post-processing are just as important to creative photographers as knowing which buttons to press and modes to use. It has an entire section that explains the story and techniques behind the photos in the ebook. It is a great introduction to the more in-depth topics explored in my other photography ebooks. It is written specifically for owners of Canon EOS cameras. It tells you how to use the camera that you own, not those of other manufacturers. Good photos are comprised of three factors: technique, light and composition. I call this the creative triangle. A good photo is well composed and lit by beautiful light. The photographer has the technical expertise required to operate the camera and make the creative decisions required to capture the best possible image. Other Things to be Learned from this Guide: What the creative triangle is, and why creative photographers know that photography is about more than selecting which buttons to press on the camera. How to move out of your camera’s fully automatic exposure modes and take control of your camera’s settings. What your camera’s Mode Dial does, and why you only need to know how to use Program Auto Exposure (P), Aperture Priority (Av) and Shutter Priority (Tv) modes. Pages from Understanding EOS The role of aperture, shutter speed and ISO in obtaining the optimum exposure. How to use the creative aspects of aperture, shutter speed and ISO to create beautiful photos. How to prevent camera shake. How to use Picture Styles – and where to get more than the six Picture Styles that come with your camera. What white balance is and why it matters. Why the Raw format is so much easier to use than the JPEG format. What the luminance histogram and highlight alert are and how to use them to make sure your photos are well exposed. “It takes time to learn the craft of photography. The key is to acknowledge that. Instead of feeling down if you feel your images can’t compare with the those of the experienced photographers you most admire, use it as inspiration.” – Author Andrew Gibson How to Get a Discounted Copy This Week: The guide comes in PDF format that can be read on computers, phones and most tablet computers (works great as a mobile reference out in the field). Our readers can receive 36% off until Tuesday, May 28 by using the link below. It can be found here: Understanding EOS – A Beginner’s Guide to Canon EOS Cameras Go to full article: Deal on Understanding EOS: A Beginner’s Guide to Canon EOS Cameras What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Every year, Time Magazine releases a Person of the Year issue that features a person who has influenced the events of that year. These are great opportunities for fellow photographers to showcase their wisdom and talent in their craft, at the same time allowing the rest of us to learn about what it takes to create cover-worthy images for esteemed brands and companies: Photographer Greg Heisler worked with Time’s former design director Arthur Hochstein’s idea to capture Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono in a heroic light, with an effect similar to the design of Mount Rushmore. Keeping all their heads the same size and in focus were some of the challenges Heisler faced. Once he was able to address those concerns, he ran into another in the form of Bono’s head, if you would believe. Heisler initially planned for Bono to be in front, then Bill Gates and then Melinda Gates, but that setup (aka Bono’s “bison head”) wasn’t too flattering on the overall effect of the photo. After a quick switch-around, the final portrait shows Bill Gates on the left, Bono in the middle and Melinda Gates on the right. A narrow beam reflector with a grid and CTO on it for that ‘sunny’ effect was positioned towards the back. A soft box was also positioned about three quarters to front, and finally, another strip soft box was positioned underneath the subjects to give them some height. Go to full article: Lighting Setup for the Time Magazine Person of the Year Cover Photo What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

An endless fascination among many photographers is the pursuit of that elusive perfect water droplet shot. With liquids being so fickle and a drop being so small, it’s a difficult image to capture, but one that, when done right, can be packed so full of simple, natural elegance. Today’s interesting photo of the day is actually the product of TWO water droplets – one, which was dropped first, hit the pool’s surface and jumped upwards where it collided with a second, perfectly timed drop. This interception broke the surface tension and created a billowing umbrella shape: Two drops of water collide to create this mushroom-like shape. (Click to view full size, imgur) The photographer behind this image shared widely through imgur is believed to be Corrie White. The image appears to be completely natural, unmanipulated by any photo editing program. When making a picture such as this, the timing of the droplets is definitely the trickiest part. The colouring, reflections, and background are actually quite straightforward. If you’d like to try it yourself, all you’ll need is a wide bowl full of water, a pipette (or a thick, watertight plastic bag), a strong light, and some coloured gels. Set up the bowl on a sturdy table, with a blank wall behind it. If the bowl is coloured, the hue will reflect throughout the water. Place your light to one side of the bowl and cover it with a coloured gel. The water will refract the tones of the objects which surround it. You can use more than one light, as well as objects such as plants and fabric. This image appears to use two lights – one on the right covered with a cyan gel, and one on the left, covered in magenta. Fill the pipette with water, and drip it into the bowl, taking an exposure with every drop. It will take some practice to get the timing right. Alternatively, you could fill that thick plastic bag with water and suspend it over the bowl, poking it with a needle to let it drip slowly while you focus on making your exposures. Experiment with moving the lights and objects, to see how the effect changes. Remember that this method is not new, so kick your imagination into gear in order to make that final shot stand out, and make it yours. Go to full article: Interesting Photo of the Day: Water Droplet Umbrella Effect What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

There’s nothing like getting advice from a pro photographer; they often have an interesting way of putting things into perspective. In this interview with Marc Silber, sports photographer extraordinaire Chase Jarvis gives his take on creativity and how to become a better photographer: His major theme? Just shoot. Don’t think about it – don’t worry about your light, or your settings, or the Big Idea – just hit the shutter. A lot of people can tell you “How to Become a Better Photographer”, but in the end, your personal trial and error is the only thing that will hone your skills. And it’s important to feel good about it, too. This doesn’t mean it’s not good to plan ahead, or to formulate ideas; it means that the most creative thinking happens on the fly. The brain works more efficiently when it’s active, and the act of taking pictures floods your mind with so much stimuli that your imagination goes into overdrive – a thrill you can’t get doing “research” in front of the computer. You can read online articles until your eyes are bloodshot, but that knowledge only helps you if you get out and use it. “There’s no shortcut. You know, there’s no manuals to read, There’s no.. you just have to put yourself on a trajectory of learning.” Go to full article: Don’t Get Bogged Down in Photography Details, Get Out and Shoot What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Let’s wrap up our discussion of sunset photography with some tips that don’t warrant their own articles but are still valuable additions to your shooting arsenal. “Winter Sunset” captured by Jack McCallum. (Click image to see more from Jack McCallum.) Tip #1: Be Prepared Sunset times vary. The time is dependent on where you live, the time of year, and so on. The good news is there’s an app for that! And it is free. Download a good sunset times app so you can plan and be prepared. You should shoot EVERY sunset you can–at least until you have mastered all of the techniques we’ve been covering. Tip #2: Keep Your Camera Level We covered getting a level horizon in a previous article, but nowhere is it more important than in sunset photography. Use the leveling bubble on your camera or tripod to be sure. If you don’t have a level, go to the local hardware store and get one. They are only a couple bucks and are well worth the cost. Tip #3: Compose Carefully On the topic of horizons, make sure you don’t have the horizon line at the level of your subject’s neck (or their head). Cutting off a person’s head is never a good idea. Place the horizon either lower or higher. Ideally you do not want the horizon to intersect your model at all. If that is not feasible, have it crossing at the stomach or legs. It is slightly off the topic of sunset photography horizons, but on the subject of background elements cutting into your models, watch out for tree branches sticking out of their heads, too. The sunset icon on your camera is nothing more than an automatic setting. Your camera will try to guess at what the best shutter speed and aperture combination should be. We’ve previously talked about automatic settings–remember, your camera is a machine! It is NOT AT ALL CREATIVE! It will not EVER be a replacement for your creativity! Stay away from the sunset icon. Learn to shoot your sunsets on manual. That’s where the contest winners will come from! “Sugarloaf” captured by James T. Workman II. (Click image to see more from James T. Workman II.) Tip #4: Use Manual Mode Tip #5: Choose the Right Lens If you want a large sun in your sunset photography, use a telephoto lens. If you want a smaller one, use a wide angle lens. Be extremely cautious when looking at the sun through your camera lenses. Lenses can magnify the light’s intensity and cause damage to your eyes! Get yourself a free photo app so you can plan your sunset photos and get out there! Reading photo tips is all well and good, but you don’t learn just by reading. You have to actually get out there and shoot some sunsets. Or landscapes or portraits or whatever. It’s not hard. Try using these photo tips and you will quickly master sunset photography! About the Author: Dan Eitreim writes for ontargetphototraining.com. He has been a professional photographer in Southern California for over 20 years. His philosophy is that learning photography is easy if you know a few tried and true strategies. Go to full article: 5 Tips for Better Sunset Photography What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Those who were with me last week know that my laptop pretty much died. With my new, more powerful one here, it's time to my Lightroom catalog and all my settings to it from the old one....

Creating dramatic photography in an unusual location is a good exercise for photographers who are hoping to build their skills. In most cases, the stranger the location, the more difficult photographing can be. The lighting can be tricky and you may have to learn to get comfortable in all sorts of environments. On a recent fashion shoot, photographer, Aaron Nace, scouted out the perfect location for the shoot, but it just so happened to be on a very tall ledge which made things tricky right from the start. Luckily, Nace was able to overcome the obstacles to create some great images and he shares is insight with us in the video below: For the shoot, Nace chose to work with fifty/fifty lighting, meaning half of the light comes from a soft box and the other half comes from natural light. The softbox, which housed an Einstein strobe that was set at half power, was used to brighten up some of the shadows left on the model from the natural light. In the two photos below, you can see what an impact the diffused strobe has. Without the softbox the shadows are very strong and distracting. Even set at just half power, the strobe evens out the contrast. Nace emphasizes that it is important to find balance in the output of the softbox because if the light is too strong the photograph will look too lit and artificial. Contrarily, if it is not enough, then the shadows will overtake the picture. “You want to balance. Half of the light coming from the ambient and the other half coming from the softbox. It should look like we did not use a softbox at all. It should look very natural, that is if we do it correctly.” He also advises to use a loupe to discern if the photographs are good or not, especially since it becomes very difficult to identify what the photographs look like in a sunny setting. It helps you “not see the glare or anything like that,” Nace explains. “It may seem like a silly accessory, but it really helps when you are shooting outdoors.” Go to full article: How to Create Dramatic Photography in an Unusual Location What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Our Christmas card from Molly's first Christmas The last few weeks the stress level in our house has been a bit higher than usual... because it has been filled with the drama that comes with the a fancy shmancy dress, bigger than normal hair, and all the other things that go with senior prom. If you have been a friend at Weekly Photo Tips for very long you've seem my oldest daughter Molly grow up and this weekend she attended her senior prom. I have celebrated Molly's birthday and shared her humor here on the blog because she is one of the things of which I am most proud. And as my daughters reach more of these millstones, it means the day is getting ever closer when they'll be leaving for college, and the thought of them no longer being under my roof fills me with sadness. The morning after her prom Molly said "thanks dad, you really made it awesome" which made every penny and all the effort worth it, and yes, it made me just a little emotional too. Molly in her Wizard of Oz phase At Homecoming Senior Prom

There’s a lot to learn when you first get a DSLR. The first things you need to know is how to get out of auto mode and start using your camera’s manual function. This tutorial will show you the 15 things you need to know when starting out: The 15 Things You Should Know: Shooting Modes - Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual Mode. Each has their own purpose. Depth-of-Field – This is a measure of how much of the scene is in focus and is most easily controlled by changing the aperture. ISO – This increases the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light, but also increases that amount of digital noise. Focus Modes – There’s fixed focus and servo focus, as well as a hybrid mode. Which is best to use depends on the movement of your subject. Focal Points – Selecting one or several focus points can help you fine-tune your focusing. Back Focus - Using the button on the back to focus can help you snap photos faster. Exposure Compensation – This is handy for tweaking the exposure values that the camera determines. Custom White Balance – If you want perfect white balance, customizing it is you best option. Highlight Control – Shows areas of the photo that have been blown out. Metering Modes – This controls how your camera determines the exposure. Live View Mode – This helps for previewing your exposure and fine-tuning your focus. Flash Control – Knowing when and how to control your flash is important when lighting your image. Image Stabilization – More importantly, when NOT to use this because it’s not always needed. The Beep – That beep when you focus for the most part is unnecessary. Customizable Menu -  For an easier time navigating your menus, you can make your own. Depth-of-Field is a must know Go to full article: Top 15 Features of Your DSLR Camera That You Should Know What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips