Lets start with the basics; in order to learn how to photograph well, you need to understand the 10 most fundamental aspects of digital photography. By keeping these basic tips in mind when embarking on your journey through digital photography, you are well on your way to improving your technique and the quality of the photographs you take. At the very least, by learning these tips, you will be in a better position to understand the reasons behind certain other techniques of the craft.
Digital photography has revolutionized the way photographs are taken, processed, viewed and distributed. The convenience of it far outweighs any advantages afforded by the traditional 110 camera and film photography. The tips in this article will ensure you are making the best use of the myriad of assets available to you in the world of digital photography.
To start off with, always try to have the subject of your photo centered in your viewfinder. This will ensure that you place adequate emphasis on your subject and the viewer’s eyes will be drawn to it. If you cultivate this habit, you will discipline yourself into always taking the time to position your subject and draw attention to it. As you progress, you will learn that how you position your subject can go a long way into creating the perfect picture.
Do your best to avoid elements which take the attention away from the subject. Taking a picture of your dog with kids running into or out of the frame, or taking a picture of a sculpture with other photographers in the foreground, taking pictures of the same sculpture. These distractions will greatly diminish your ability to draw attention to the subject you have chosen to photograph.
You may already be aware that when choosing a digital camera, most vendors will list the resolution of the camera in terms of megapixels. When taking pictures, always select the highest resolution possible. This will allow for you to have the most amount of data to work with during the processing phase. The lower resolution pictures have less data and the results obtained during the processing phase may be of a much lower quality.
Make sure you get close to your subject. In other words, fill up the frame of your camera. This is another good way to draw the viewer’s attention to the subject. When the subject fills the frame, any distracting elements will most likely be eliminated and leaves the viewer with no doubts as to what your subject is. Either walk closer to your subject or use the zoom feature present in many of today’s digital cameras to maximize the use of the entire frame. The zoom feature is great for taking pictures where you need to be at a distance (either to be safe or because of the location) from the subject, but want your picture to appear as if you were nearby.
When taking pictures of people while using a flash, make sure to select the red eye reduction feature. This feature is again found in most of today’s digital cameras. It diminishes or completely eliminates the appearance of red, monster-like eyes in people when using flash photography. This phenomenon occurs when the light of the flash is reflected by the human eyes. The red eye reduction feature activates the flash in such a way that the human eyes are rendered less reflective. They teach a lot of this type of thing in photography schools which is another way to improve. Here’s an article on online photography schools.
Whenever possible, strive to frame photographs from a unique angle. Have you noticed how eye-catching some photographs are? It is more likely that these photographs will have been taken from a unique angle. It can be a sharp angle looking down at the subject or looking up from a lower position. Consider the mood you are trying to evoke in your viewers. If you want something to appear larger, go for a low positioned, upward facing angle.
Always carry extra batteries. Digital cameras rely solely on having batteries to operate. If the camera itself has a special battery that can only be bought from the manufacturer, then it would be worthwhile in investing in one of these proprietary battery packs. You don’t want to be in the situation where you missed the perfect shot because your battery was flat.
A tripod is a perfect way to lend stability to an otherwise shaky photographer. It is natural that you may not be able to hold the camera absolutely steady. In cases like this, you will be left with blurred or fuzzy pictures due to ‘camera shake’. In order to minimize the fuzzy pictures, invest in a tripod. Once a camera is mounted on a tripod, you can take crisp, clear photographs with minimal camera shake.
If there is one feature that makes digital photography stand out from traditional photography, it is the photo review feature. This feature allows you to examine the picture you took a few seconds ago to determine if it is exactly what you wanted. If it isn’t, then you can simply delete the photograph that you are not happy with and take another.
Make sure that you adjust your flash appropriately for the occasion when you take pictures. For example, indoor or night photographs will more likely require the use of a flash to properly illuminate the subject. It is not uncommon to have professional photographers using the flash even for daytime, outdoor photography. This is known as ‘fill-flash’ and if used properly, can add great dimension to an outdoor photograph.
You can gain more knowledge at Profitable Photography Business. It’s dedicated to coaching you in starting your own photography business but places a strong emphasis on profitability issues & guidelines. You can also gain many photography resources (some free) from Photography Equipment & Resources
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Showing posts with label digital camera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital camera. Show all posts
Friday, April 4, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
What Good Are Zom Lenses?
What Good Are Zoom Lenses?
One of the ideas which are crucial to becoming an expert photographer is understanding the difference between a camera and a human eye. Our eyes are fixed to a narrow range of abilities - we have no choice in what magnification our eyes see with or what ranges of light they use. Nature gave us so many abilities and that is that. But cameras are an artificial contrivance we’ve cobbled together, with the aim of capturing images permanently. They aren’t bound by the constraints of nature.
Zoom lenses, unlike our eyes, allow the camera to have a variable focal length. This can allow your image to appear to have been taken closer to the subject than you actually were. Most often, this is handy for photographing natural subjects. Those shots of wildlife such as herons taking off from a pond or tigers lounging on the savanna are taken from a far distance away, with the camera magnifying the image. Likewise, you can get a close-up image of an approaching tornado, without actually getting up close and personal with it!
One can’t expect too much image quality under these circumstances. Particularly with digital cameras with telephoto and zoom lenses, some image quality will be sacrificed. This is because digital telephoto zoom lenses have to be made with that physical material we call glass, and it’s that much harder to engineer a lens that’s small, light, able to pull in the magnification, and still get good detail. Even with non-digital cameras, the camera lens sharpness will be lower with a 60-180 zoom lens than it would be with even a cheap prime lens. If you’ve used camera lenses in macro photography, you’ve noticed the difference when you blew the final image up to scale.
There are plenty of zoom lens tutorials online, so I won’t repeat them here. My purpose is to just give you a good feel for the territory, rather than directly answering questions like “How do camera lenses work?”. Lugging those various lenses through the field will be great exercise, as will handling them with the delicacy of a Faberge egg to make sure they don’t get damaged. There’s nothing quite like traveling on assignment only to open your luggage and discover a case full of broken lenses thanks to bellhops and taxi drivers who treat delicate photography equipment like Hulk Hogan giving somebody a body slam.
The best place to try out your new zoom lens is under studio conditions. Here, you can keep the camera perfectly still, the lens free of dust, and your subject set in ideal conditions. You’ll be pretty much limited to macro photography here, unless you’re looking to capture the paint on the studio wall magnified until it looks like the surface of Venus. But here you will have time to go over your camera lens zoom conversion tables and compare them with your results, so you get a good feel for what level of zoom will compensate for what amount of distance. Taking an action shot at a sporting event while your lens’ motorized zoom is adjusting will not be the time to practice.
On a final note, remember that all those variables in photography is what makes it challenging as a hobby or field of endeavor. Luck is a factor. Make luck work for you by taking lots of shots, trying to make each one perfect. When you see your results, you will hopefully have one that’s close to perfect
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One of the ideas which are crucial to becoming an expert photographer is understanding the difference between a camera and a human eye. Our eyes are fixed to a narrow range of abilities - we have no choice in what magnification our eyes see with or what ranges of light they use. Nature gave us so many abilities and that is that. But cameras are an artificial contrivance we’ve cobbled together, with the aim of capturing images permanently. They aren’t bound by the constraints of nature.
Zoom lenses, unlike our eyes, allow the camera to have a variable focal length. This can allow your image to appear to have been taken closer to the subject than you actually were. Most often, this is handy for photographing natural subjects. Those shots of wildlife such as herons taking off from a pond or tigers lounging on the savanna are taken from a far distance away, with the camera magnifying the image. Likewise, you can get a close-up image of an approaching tornado, without actually getting up close and personal with it!
One can’t expect too much image quality under these circumstances. Particularly with digital cameras with telephoto and zoom lenses, some image quality will be sacrificed. This is because digital telephoto zoom lenses have to be made with that physical material we call glass, and it’s that much harder to engineer a lens that’s small, light, able to pull in the magnification, and still get good detail. Even with non-digital cameras, the camera lens sharpness will be lower with a 60-180 zoom lens than it would be with even a cheap prime lens. If you’ve used camera lenses in macro photography, you’ve noticed the difference when you blew the final image up to scale.
There are plenty of zoom lens tutorials online, so I won’t repeat them here. My purpose is to just give you a good feel for the territory, rather than directly answering questions like “How do camera lenses work?”. Lugging those various lenses through the field will be great exercise, as will handling them with the delicacy of a Faberge egg to make sure they don’t get damaged. There’s nothing quite like traveling on assignment only to open your luggage and discover a case full of broken lenses thanks to bellhops and taxi drivers who treat delicate photography equipment like Hulk Hogan giving somebody a body slam.
The best place to try out your new zoom lens is under studio conditions. Here, you can keep the camera perfectly still, the lens free of dust, and your subject set in ideal conditions. You’ll be pretty much limited to macro photography here, unless you’re looking to capture the paint on the studio wall magnified until it looks like the surface of Venus. But here you will have time to go over your camera lens zoom conversion tables and compare them with your results, so you get a good feel for what level of zoom will compensate for what amount of distance. Taking an action shot at a sporting event while your lens’ motorized zoom is adjusting will not be the time to practice.
On a final note, remember that all those variables in photography is what makes it challenging as a hobby or field of endeavor. Luck is a factor. Make luck work for you by taking lots of shots, trying to make each one perfect. When you see your results, you will hopefully have one that’s close to perfect
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Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Photography:Digital Camera Troubleshooting Guide
The following is a set of useful tips for troubleshooting your digital camera and/or an external flash unit you may have attached to it. First, look for the title which best describes the problem, then follow the steps below it...
POOR BUT RECOGNIZABLE PICTURE QUALITY
1. The batteries may need replacement. Some digital cameras continue to function when their battery power is low, but produce grainy photos with incorrect coloration. Make sure you aren't using Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries, which are generally not recommended for cameras.
2. For the best picture quality, make sure the camera is set to its highest resolution. This may have been adjusted by accident. The process for doing this varies greatly among different digital cameras. Keep in mind that fewer photos will fit in the camera's memory and it will probably take longer to transfer them to the computer, at a higher resolution.
3. Digital photography tends to be more prone to blurring (caused by slight movement of the camera while the photo is taken) than 35mm film, especially with very small or lightweight digital cameras. To remedy this, try using a tripod and/or the camera's timer, if it has one. Adjust the camera's shutter speed if possible.
4. If colors are too pale, using an image editing/viewing program (such as PictureWorks MediaCenter) to increase the Saturation level may be helpful. If the camera has produced colors which are entirely wrong (everything is in shades of black and purple, for example), you can turn the saturation all the way down so that it becomes a black & white photo.
5. The lens may need cleaning. Make sure you use a cleaning material which will not scratch the lens. If possible, refer to its manual for specific cleaning instructions.
CAMERA WILL NOT TRANSMIT IMAGES TO THE COMPUTER
1. Make sure the data transfer cable is securely connected to the computer and camera.
2. If the serial cable was connected to the computer while it was on, you may need to shut it down and turn it back on again. This does not apply to USB cables.
3. If you have the choice to use a serial cable or a USB cable, try switching to the cable type you haven't already tried. For example, I have an older digital camera which can use a USB cable in Windows 98, but only works with a serial cable in Windows XP.
4. Make sure the camera's auto power-off feature didn't turn it off before you tried to start downloading the photos. Most digital cameras will not activate this feature if they are connected with a USB cable, but some will when using a serial cable.
5. If possible, try using the digital camera with a different computer and/or a different camera with the same computer, to help determine which piece of equipment is problem's source.
THE CAMERA WILL NOT POWER ON AND/OR DOESN'T RESPOND
1. If it is attached to the computer with a cable, detach it and try turning it on again.
2. Try powering it through a USB cable or an AC adapter, if it has one. If this works, it probably needs new batteries, unless the battery compartment is corroded.
3. Replace the batteries. Try to avoid this if it has photos stored on it and is a camera which loses them when the batteries are removed. If the batteries were recently replaced, make sure they were inserted in the proper direction.
4. If the temperature is very hot or cold, try it in an area with a more normal temperature.
5. Some digital cameras have a feature which automatically turns them off after a second if the batteries are low. This allows them to retain enough power to store the photos and transfer them to the computer when necessary.
PHOTOS ARE SCRAMBLED OR AREN'T STORED ON THE CAMERA
1. On some digital cameras, photos currently stored on the camera may become scrambled or have multi-colored streaks across them if the batteries are replaced before they are downloaded.
2. Check the camera's LCD before taking each photo to make sure it has not run out of memory or activated its auto power-off feature.
3. Turn the camera off, power it on again, and try transferring the photographs again.
THE CAMERA'S EXTERNAL FLASH UNIT DOES NOT FIRE
1. Make sure the flash unit is correctly seated in the flash port (a.k.a. "hot shoe") or its sync cable is securely plugged into both the flash unit and the digital camera. Confirm that none of its settings have been accidentally adjusted (it might not fire if it is in "auto" or "computer" mode and it determines there is already enough lighting) and the batteries are fresh.
2. Press the flash unit's test button. Most flash units have one of these on back of them, below the other controls; it is usually a clear or red-colored button, occasionally having the "Ready" light built into it. If the flash fires, it is more likely to be a problem with the camera or the connection between the camera and flash.
3. Try testing the flash unit on a different camera to help determine the source of the problem. Basic 35mm cameras with "hot shoe" flash ports can be purchased rather inexpensively at eBay.com, thrift stores, and some yard sales. Some expensive model- or brand-specific flash units will not fit on these cameras, however.
If none of these steps solve the problem, there are a number of potential problems with the camera and/or computer which could be causing it; some possibilities include that the computer's serial or USB port card may not be properly installed, the camera driver or software might be incorrectly configured, the camera could be damaged, or the computer's operating system may be incompatible with the camera. While the problem could be expensive to fix, on the other hand it might still be as simple as changing a setting on the computer or camera. It is probably best to contact the digital camera manufacturer's technical support; check the camera itself, its instruction manual, the manufacturer's website, or the camera's original package for a telephone number.
POOR BUT RECOGNIZABLE PICTURE QUALITY
1. The batteries may need replacement. Some digital cameras continue to function when their battery power is low, but produce grainy photos with incorrect coloration. Make sure you aren't using Ni-Cd rechargeable batteries, which are generally not recommended for cameras.
2. For the best picture quality, make sure the camera is set to its highest resolution. This may have been adjusted by accident. The process for doing this varies greatly among different digital cameras. Keep in mind that fewer photos will fit in the camera's memory and it will probably take longer to transfer them to the computer, at a higher resolution.
3. Digital photography tends to be more prone to blurring (caused by slight movement of the camera while the photo is taken) than 35mm film, especially with very small or lightweight digital cameras. To remedy this, try using a tripod and/or the camera's timer, if it has one. Adjust the camera's shutter speed if possible.
4. If colors are too pale, using an image editing/viewing program (such as PictureWorks MediaCenter) to increase the Saturation level may be helpful. If the camera has produced colors which are entirely wrong (everything is in shades of black and purple, for example), you can turn the saturation all the way down so that it becomes a black & white photo.
5. The lens may need cleaning. Make sure you use a cleaning material which will not scratch the lens. If possible, refer to its manual for specific cleaning instructions.
CAMERA WILL NOT TRANSMIT IMAGES TO THE COMPUTER
1. Make sure the data transfer cable is securely connected to the computer and camera.
2. If the serial cable was connected to the computer while it was on, you may need to shut it down and turn it back on again. This does not apply to USB cables.
3. If you have the choice to use a serial cable or a USB cable, try switching to the cable type you haven't already tried. For example, I have an older digital camera which can use a USB cable in Windows 98, but only works with a serial cable in Windows XP.
4. Make sure the camera's auto power-off feature didn't turn it off before you tried to start downloading the photos. Most digital cameras will not activate this feature if they are connected with a USB cable, but some will when using a serial cable.
5. If possible, try using the digital camera with a different computer and/or a different camera with the same computer, to help determine which piece of equipment is problem's source.
THE CAMERA WILL NOT POWER ON AND/OR DOESN'T RESPOND
1. If it is attached to the computer with a cable, detach it and try turning it on again.
2. Try powering it through a USB cable or an AC adapter, if it has one. If this works, it probably needs new batteries, unless the battery compartment is corroded.
3. Replace the batteries. Try to avoid this if it has photos stored on it and is a camera which loses them when the batteries are removed. If the batteries were recently replaced, make sure they were inserted in the proper direction.
4. If the temperature is very hot or cold, try it in an area with a more normal temperature.
5. Some digital cameras have a feature which automatically turns them off after a second if the batteries are low. This allows them to retain enough power to store the photos and transfer them to the computer when necessary.
PHOTOS ARE SCRAMBLED OR AREN'T STORED ON THE CAMERA
1. On some digital cameras, photos currently stored on the camera may become scrambled or have multi-colored streaks across them if the batteries are replaced before they are downloaded.
2. Check the camera's LCD before taking each photo to make sure it has not run out of memory or activated its auto power-off feature.
3. Turn the camera off, power it on again, and try transferring the photographs again.
THE CAMERA'S EXTERNAL FLASH UNIT DOES NOT FIRE
1. Make sure the flash unit is correctly seated in the flash port (a.k.a. "hot shoe") or its sync cable is securely plugged into both the flash unit and the digital camera. Confirm that none of its settings have been accidentally adjusted (it might not fire if it is in "auto" or "computer" mode and it determines there is already enough lighting) and the batteries are fresh.
2. Press the flash unit's test button. Most flash units have one of these on back of them, below the other controls; it is usually a clear or red-colored button, occasionally having the "Ready" light built into it. If the flash fires, it is more likely to be a problem with the camera or the connection between the camera and flash.
3. Try testing the flash unit on a different camera to help determine the source of the problem. Basic 35mm cameras with "hot shoe" flash ports can be purchased rather inexpensively at eBay.com, thrift stores, and some yard sales. Some expensive model- or brand-specific flash units will not fit on these cameras, however.
If none of these steps solve the problem, there are a number of potential problems with the camera and/or computer which could be causing it; some possibilities include that the computer's serial or USB port card may not be properly installed, the camera driver or software might be incorrectly configured, the camera could be damaged, or the computer's operating system may be incompatible with the camera. While the problem could be expensive to fix, on the other hand it might still be as simple as changing a setting on the computer or camera. It is probably best to contact the digital camera manufacturer's technical support; check the camera itself, its instruction manual, the manufacturer's website, or the camera's original package for a telephone number.
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