Photography Tips And Tutorials

Each summer, at air shows across the globe, awestruck spectators enjoy the power and precision of aerial demonstration teams and individual performers. In addition to what is happening in the air, there are often static displays on the ground. For photographers, these events provide outstanding photographic opportunities. After you shoot your first air show, you will likely return each year as I do. The tips below are based on my experiences at air shows around the New York area. “Spitfire’s in the Sky” captured by Barry Price (Click Image to See More From Barry Price) Day of the Show It is recommended that you get to the show at least one hour in advance in order to find parking, and a shooting location. Air shows can be very crowded, with numbers reaching into the tens of thousands. By arriving early, you may be able to set your gear up in a prime area. Generally, the performers enter from the left and right, with their stunts done at “show center.” “Jet Blur Blue Angels” captured by Rob Hayashida (Click Image to See More From Rob Hayashida) A good viewing spot is important, as it allows you to focus and track the incoming jets. When possible, I try to pick a place that’s in the shade with a full view of the show center. However, many airports and military bases do not have trees to block the sun. To protect yourself from the elements, I strongly urge you to bring sunscreen. Lens Choices When I photographed my first air show many years ago, I used a 28-135mm lens. Yet, unless the plane was flying directly above me, I found that much more reach was necessary. Today, I use a 70-200mm for action that’s directly overhead, and a 400mm for tighter shooting. My camera does not have a full frame sensor, so a 400mm with a 1.6 crop factor is actually an effective 640mm lens. Just remember, air shows are usually several hours in duration, and longer lenses can get quite heavy. “Final Approach” captured by Rob Hayashida (Click Image to See More From Rob Hayashida) Image stabilization is a nice feature, but a tripod will give your arms a break and allow you to create sharp images consistently. While the majority of my aviation work is shot with longer lenses, I find that wide angle lenses are also useful for performance teams that are spread out in wide formations. By utilizing a few different options, you can capture more of the action, and will come home with a diverse collection of images. Shutter Speeds Attempting to freeze the motion of something traveling over five hundred miles per hour is no easy feat. In order to achieve this, a fast shutter speed of around 1/1000 is recommended. Yet, like most aspects of photography, there are exceptions to this. With older planes, a shutter speed of 1/1000 will freeze the propellers. The effect actually reduces the appearance of motion, and gives the image an unnatural look. “Diamond Jubilee” captured by Tatoune (Click Image to See More From Tatoune) To show the movement of the propeller, a shutter speed of 1/90 is a good starting point. However, you may have to adjust it slightly to 1/60th or slower, depending on the speed of the plane. Of course, with these slow shutter speeds you will want to pay close attention to your camera technique to ensure sharp images. In-Camera Metering Even today’s sophisticated DSLR metering systems can be tricked by certain situations. When exposing a jet against a clear blue summer sky, automatic camera settings will often properly expose the sky, and leave you with an underexposed plane. In order to have full control over the camera, I prefer to use the in-camera spot meter along with the manual exposure mode. Semi automatic modes can be effective as long as you are utilizing your histogram, and making adjustments as needed. “Mix of Pix” captured by Stevie Mc Teague (Click Image to See More From Stevie Mc Teague) Most often, I find myself around 1/1000th, ISO 400, a

Yahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer unveils an update to the company’s Flickr photo-sharing site. Among the changes are a redesign with larger images, the ability for users to upload full-resolution photos, and 1TB of free storage for everyone: One terabyte is 1,024 gigabytes — enough to store more than 500,000 images at a resolution common to most smartphones. Yahoo has redesigned the Flickr website to emphasize photos rather than text or white space, as was the case previously. Photos are bigger and shared in full resolution rather than compressed into a lower quality. Flickr Update & Redesign “Flickr was awesome once, it languished, and we now want it to be awesome again,” Mayer said. Go to full article: Flickr Now Offering 1 TB of Free Photo Storage What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Fourteen years after Oklahoma suffered the most violent tornado ever recorded in the United States, residents once again had their lives carried away on the winds of a relentless and destructive twister. This CBS News video clip interviews Nate Billings, a staff photographer for The Oklahoman newspaper who captured some poignant images at ground zero of the storm’s fury: The pictures that Billings has made are saddening, but are nonetheless a point of relief from the day’s events – children, though terrified, are held by loving parents as they begin their grieving process over such a traumatic event. The more terrible pieces of the story were not photographed, such as at least nine children found dead at a local elementary school, as well as 15 adults (and counting) who perished in the catastrophe. An Oklahoma woman rescues kittens from the rubble after a tornado reduced the city to rubble. The greatest accomplishment of photography throughout history has been its ability to bring the wide world directly into our hearts and homes, through newspapers, television, and the internet. Billings has a special duty in the aftermath of this tragedy, to tell the stories of those afflicted and not let them suffer in silence on the vast, empty plains where their homes used to stand. Out of all the heartbreak a few amazing stories of survival are already being shared such as the one here, take a moment to watch, it will touch your heart: As the rescue mission continues, we hope to see more stories like the one above – of lucky people and animals who are found to survive nature’s wrath and cling to their lives among the destruction. If you’d like to help, you can donate to the Red Cross effort that has already started. Go to full article: Photographer on the Scene Documents the Aftermath of a Massive Tornado in Oklahoma What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+ Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

If you guessed the author was Scott Kelby then you would be correct. One of the great benefits of writing this blog is that a few times each week I hear the familiar rumbling sound of the UPS truck coming down my street followed shortly there after buy the thud of a box hitting my front porch and in those boxes are the latest (and sometimes greatest) photography books. The most recent book to go "thud" on my porch was the second edition of "The Digital Photography Book: Part 1" from Scott Kelby. As soon as I opened the package and saw what it was (and who it was written by) I sat down and started thumbing through it. My first thought while I paroozed through the index was "how is he going to cover all this stuff in a little book?". Scott is able to cover such a vast amount of information because he keeps each topic to a single page, and less than a full page at that because there is a corresponding image (or two) to help drive home that point. The book is an easy read because Scott's writing style which is a casual, conversational style of writing, like "hey Scott, do I need to get that 1.4 lens or the 1.8?". He answers in a paragraph why (for reasons other than just the cost savings) in most cases the 1.8 version of the lens would be a better choice. Answers that are short, to the point, and packed with knowledge. You won't find any long and rambling dissertations here. (click on any image to view larger and make it easier to read) Reading this book is like sitting down and being able to pepper Scott Kelby with one photography question after another and getting his expert advice in response. I know, because I have been lucky enough to do just that. Another very cool feature of The Digital Photography Book: Part 1 is how this book is put together, you don't need to read it from the first page through to the last, you can start with the things you find most interesting and work your way to those less so. Jumping from subject to subject will take nothing away from the quality of the content. And I could ramble on about all the things I like about this book and why, if you are a photographer looking for great information that will help improve your craft, this could very well be the book you have been looking for, but I won't. Instead I will do something that in 1,300 posts written here on Weekly Photo Tips that I have done only once or twice... I will give you my personal guarantee, if you buy The Digital Photography Book: Part 1 and it isn't everything I said it is, I will buy it back from you. Consider this, for under $14 you can get a book that will easily fit in your camera bag and stuff your mind with knowledge at the same time.

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