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 Record Keeping:
Keep a record of your picture
taking. When you have finished, develop your
pictures and compare them with your notes.
Keep a mental note of the pictures and the
settings so that you will not repeat your
mistakes. The best thing about digital
cameras is that you can see your images
instantly and delete the disappointing
pictures. |
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Lens Cover:
Buy a lens cover and a
UV protector. Have it on your lens. It is
far cheaper to replace them than a new lens. |
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| Professional
Advice |
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Camera Storage:
During the summer months never leave your
camera or film in the car. The infrared will
ruin your film and the heat in buildup can
damage your camera. Rule of thumb if it can
melt a candy bar it will hurt your film!
During the winter try to keep your camera
with you to avoid extreme cold. Buy a gadget
bag to protect your camera from heat, cold,
jarring and moisture. |
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Camera Label:
A good idea would be
for you to put your name and address on your
camera and your camera bag. If you happen to
leave it somewhere you might just find a
good Samaritan that just might return it to
you. |
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Background:
Check the background before you start
shooting. Check the entire view finder from
one end to the other. Often there are
distracting people, cars, trees and
buildings etc, that will make your picture
less than appealing. Wait till the
distraction has moved or move your subject
to a better location. You will find that
your picture will have a professional look. |
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Battery:
Check your camera's batteries often
especially if you are taking pictures with a
digital camera. Digital camera's are power
hogs and need to be checked after you shoot
200+ pictures. 35 mm cameras need to be
checked at least once a year. I recommend
Christmas since that is when most pictures
are shot! |
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Strap:
Use the
strap supplied by the manufacturer or buy
one that is strong and comfortable. Without
a strap you could easily drop the camera and
the cost of replacement or repair could be
substantial. |
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Accidental
Deletion: What do you do if you
accidently delete a photo besides cry? Don't
take any more pictures because your camera's
computer will begin to remove any trace of
your image. Take your card to your computer
and find a photo recovery software program
on the internet that can locate and restore
the deleted file. Make sure the program is
from a reliable source and has a high
rating. Some camera stores have this program
so call around. |
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Baby Picture:
Some of the most remarkable pictures ever
shot are those of babies. Their natural
features and spontaneity makes them natural
subjects. Emotions are shown freely and
openly.
They can be restless
and uncontrollable but with skill, patience
and understanding you can create pictures
that will bring smiles to the family and
friends. You may have to wait till after
their nap, meal or burp but a great picture
is always possible. Shoot freely over the
years, for a baby grows rapidly and the
moments can be lost forever! It is
impossible to reshot once they are grown. |
 The Eyes:
Center your lens on the baby's eyes. This is
the seat of all expression. |
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Help:
Get someone whom the baby trusts to get them
to smile or coo. Those are priceless
pictures. |
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Set-Up:
Don't try to prop a
very young baby up on pillows or other
objects. You will find the baby looks very
un-natural. |
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Communication:
Try to get the baby to relax by using a soft
voice and a gentle touch. Yelling and using
a firm hand will only cause them to cry and
mess up your picture. |
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Background:
Putting the baby on a
textured cloth will emphasize the smoothness
of a their skin. |
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Flash:
Don't shoot with a
direct flash into the baby's eyes. You will
only startle them and could hurt their eyes. |
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Child's
Picture:
Children grow fast and
move through many stages of
growth. An album filled with pages of
their pictures can become your most
treasured possession. You can look back at
these pictures with cherished memories. If
the pictures are shot correctly and with
flare they will bring to life your child's
growth and development in ways you have yet
to imagine.
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The Eyes:
Center your lens on the
child's eyes. This is the seat of all
expression. |
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Shooting: Try
shooting at the same level as the child. You
might have to crouch or lay on the ground
for a natural look |
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Timeliness:
Take pictures often.
Children are less self-conscious if they are
use to having their pictures taken. |
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Share:
If you are shooting with a digital camera
show the pictures to the child. They will
become excited and will want you to take
additional pictures. Some will even make
some very interesting suggestions. |
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Activity:
Trying shooting when the child is doing one
of their favorite games or activity. You
will find the picture more natural.
Patience: Shooting
children can be frustrating, be patient and
use humor. |
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Fourth
of July:
We all love to see and hear the fireworks
that light up the skies of America. You can
save some of these memories by using a,
camera, tripod and the proper settings.
Fireworks offer a unique opportunity for you
to capture the excitement of a night. The
many colors and glows are always different
and always exciting. Enjoy the show with a
record its memories.
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Tripod: The light is very
limited and a tripod will reduce the effects
of shaking and low light exposure. |
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Focus:
Set focus to infinity (except with longer
telephoto lenses, which should be refocused
on an earlier burst) |
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Composition:
Aim your lens and adjust the composition at
the display. Make sure no one or anything is
in your way |
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Shutter Settings:
Set the shutter on "B" |
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Flash:
Disable or remove the flash |
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Exposure Setting:
Set exposure at either
f8 at ISO 100, f11 at ISO 200, f16 for ISO
400 and f22 for ISO 800.* |
Timing:
Make a time exposure for a few seconds while
capturing several bursts (works best with a
remote shutter release).
*Increasing exposure your lines will be
thicker while decreasing the exposure will
the lines thinner. |
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How to
Photograph Fireworks to Create
Impressionistic Images |
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Spring Flowers: Use a
close-up lens and set the camera up to the
flower image in the automatic setting dial
or sue the information from these sites:
Improve Photography,
Exposure Guide,
Tutsplus,
LightStalking. |
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Composition: Decide
what you want in your picture. Do you want
people, insects, greenery, background or
just flower. Try different components until
you get a picture that thrills the artist in
you. Remember to adjust your settings to get
what you want in focus and what you want
blurred for effect. Here are some sites that
might help:
Picture Perfect,
Aprogee,
Imaging Resource,
Digital Photography School |
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Lighting and
Timing: The
Golden Hour is the best time to get a
dramatic shot. it lies before 10am and after
4pm. Time time between two periods is too
intense. You will get a warmer and more
vivid colors during this period. A good
lighting environment is a lightly overcast
day with low intense shadows. Here are some
sites that might help
Photographic Life,
Cambridge Color,
Back Lighting,
How to Master Natural Light Portraiture
Digital Photography School,
PetaPixel,(Light & Weather),
PetaPixel (Harsh Mid Day Lighting) |
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Wind:
The wind can be both a positive and negative
affect. If you are looking to add movement
to your photo set your camera accordingly
and shoot when the flower sways with the
wind. Try it a slow speed and a fast speed
and you will see the dramatic effects. If
you want the flower still wait between gusts
and shoot quickly, stake the flower stem
down off camera or place some sort of wind
blocker on the side from which the wind is
blowing but remember the wind will effect
the background. |
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Flower Maturity:
The level of floral
maturity will determine the feel and impact
of your image. Most photographers will shoot
at the peak of the flowers development but
some will want to show the age differences.
I have made some photos using the different
stages to show a dramatic life of a flower
with great effect. |
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Snow Pictures:
A winter's snow can be a curse
to some people but an opportunity to a
photographer. The
contrast of white and black, the sun
glistening through ice and the many other
beauties of winter make for a photographer's
dream. Cold will affect you, your camera
and your images so wrap yourself and
your equipment up warmly and start shooting
in a magical wonderland. |
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Effects:
You will need to keep yourself and
your camera and flash warm. Carry your
camera, when not in use, near your body and
take it out only when you plan to take a
picture. Return them place as soon as
possible. |
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Batteries:
Keep your extra batteries available and in a
warm place. Put the previous battery near
your body and it should recharge. |
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Tripod:
Quickly use a tripod. A tripod can take the
cold better than the camera however it’s
lubricants can eventually freeze. A tripod
will make your pictures better because the
light at this location is different. |
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Static
Electricity:
If you are indoors discharge the static
electricity on some metal object before you
touch your camera. Static electricity can do
damage to the computer components in the
camera |
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Special
Clothing:
Go to a camper or ski shop and get
supplementary heating devices. Chemical
packets, battery heated gloves, boots and so
forth. Find gloves which have removable
fingertips so you can easily push the
control buttons. Put the tips back quickly
to prevent frost bite! |
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Condensation:
To prevent condensation wrap your
camera in a plastic bag before you go inside
the warmed structure. The moisture will
condense outside of bag and not in the
camera. |
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Equipment Adjustment:
Allow your equipment to adjust before
you go into the cold by placing it in the
camera bag near a window sill or an area
that is colder than the area inside but not
as cold as the outdoors. |
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Moister Control:
Try to avoid getting your camera wet from
either snow or ice. Water can damage the
inside workings of your camera. You might
want to use a snorkelers waterproof devise.
It protect your camera from snow and ice. |
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FStoppers
Seven Tips and
Ideas for Better Winter Landscape
Photography |
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Practice:
Practice some shots using your camera before
you start shooting the real shots you want
to take. Since it is a digital camera you
can see which shots are working and jot down
how you took the picture so you can repeat
it’s settings. |
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Summer
Beach: Great pictures can be shot at
or near the beach. Children and adults
playing and surfing the surf pounding the
shore, sunrises, sunsets and the many
animals that call it their home. |
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Equipment Care:
Take care of your equipment. Salt water and
sand can do great damage to the camera, film
or CSMOS. Keep it in a protective case until
you are ready to use. Never go into the surf
with your equipment. |
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Close-up:
Take pictures of sand
pebbles, shells, plants and in some cases
animals by using your macro setting,
otherwise you will need to set your f-stop
at a narrow range of less than 2.8 and to
use a tripod. |
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Beach
Action Scenes: Brings out the be best
in both adults and kids. Often they will
run, jump and frolic. Ste your camera on
Action (running man) and you will be able to
catch them in mid stride. Use an f-stop or
over f-1/60. Further information provided
at:
Learn How to Capture Action Shots |
The Horizon: When shooting the ocean keep
the following in mind:
1. It
must be straight otherwise it will look
awkward.
2. Putting the horizon
in the upper half narrows the perspective.
3. Putting the horizon in the lower
half increases the perspective.
4. A good tripod can insure a level horizon.
Further information can be seen at:
Better Photo Ideas
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Night Photography of the Starry
Sky. |
Lack light is crucial to anyone
interested in this type of photography. Note
don't even think about taking this type of
image without a
tripod
and a manually controlled
camera!
No you cannot use a smart phone! Remember
that you are working with extremely low
light, so you might want to learn about the
500 Rule to prevent trails and proper
exposure. You must set the aperture at it
widest settings (f/2.8 or better). I
recommend a good quality wide angle
lens of at
least 24mm. You might want to set the
shutter speed at 30 or use a bulb exposure,
however this may cause blurring or
distortion. As to ISO try using 1000, 3200
or even 6400. Check the weather and sky
conditions before you venture out. Light
pollution, clouds and smog can ruin your
outing.
Further detailed information can be seen at:
Digital Photography School,
Popular Photography,
National Geographic,
Dave Marrow Photography,
Makezine,
Digital Trends |
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Landscape Photography |
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Camera Type: Any
SLR (35mm or Digital) camera can take very
good picture however a High Resolution or
Larger Format camera can take pictures with
greater details. |
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Lens:
A wide angle lens is
preferred so as to give the greater amount
of imagery and scope of the terrain.
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Tripod:
A tripod will
add stability that will avoid blurring
caused by camera shake. |
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Lighting:
Flashes and
umbrellas are unnecessary but my
recommendation is to shoot at dawn or dusk
make dramatic pictures and before 10 and
after 2 create the best shadows.
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Camera
Settings:
On digital
cameras set the panoramic on the settings.
If you wish to set it manual use a small
aperture (high f-stop). |
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Special
Use Lens: For
special and unusual effects you can use a
polarizing lens which will darken the
sky and tree colors, a
neutral density lens which will reduce
the amount of light and also darken the
colors,
UV Zero lens will reduce the purple
fringing from ultra violent light.
Fstoppers
Why the Telephoto Is My Go-To Landscape
Photography Lens |
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Other Sources:
Darren Rowse,
National Geographic,
Best Landscape Articles on DPS for
2017,
FStoppers
Seven Tips and
Ideas for Better Winter Landscape
Photography,
Digital Photography School
How to Make
Storytelling Landscape Photos - 4 Steps |
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Wedding Photography |
Interested in becoming a Wedding
Photographer? Having done over 250 weddings
here are some of my suggestions and advice!
Equipment you will need:
Craftsy,
BH Photography,
Coles Classroom,
Digital Photography School,
FStopper,
Apogee,
Photography Life,
Small Business Trends,
KiKiCreates
Professional Tool Box:
Contracts,
Check Lists,
Model Release,
Wedding Packages
As a photographer you will need great
patience in dealing with multiple
personalities and individuals, all wanting to
get your attention.
Remember the bride and the groom are your primary client and try
to follow their requests and feelings.
Check with the minister before you start shooting during the
ceremony, it can be embarrassing to have him
or her stopping the ceremony to ask you to stop shooting (this happened to
me).
Provide the following before the wedding: a non-refundable
deposit, a contract signed by the bride and
the groom specifying what you will provide
them for your services, a
check list of specific shots and events to
be shot, a signed release for you to use any
and all pictures. a written
statement that you can shoot during the
service, a map showing directions to the
wedding, reception and any other
events of the wedding.
During the wedding: don't allow anyone to shoot while you
are shooting (this will distract your
subject and violates your exclusivity), stay
as unobtrusive as possible (the bride and
groom are the star of the show), don't use a
flash, discuss where to shoot with the
church staff to avoid any conflicts, dress
appropriately for a wedding, avoid talking
or movement, after the ceremony move to the
front of the church to prepare for the group
images.
After the wedding: collect your balance, present the images,
album, DVD and or CD, specialized items,
proof book and any other promised items.
Here are some sites for further suggestions
The Knot,
The Knot Must Have Photos
68 Essential Wedding Photography Tips,
Step by Step Beginners Guide To
Photographing Your First Wedding |
