6 Great Tips for Winter Shooting
Published November 6, 2010 | 
Some people, regardless of how harsh the weather gets, will brave the tough elements in search of the crisp winter light. Planning well in advance will help make your trip more enjoyable.
Winter brings out the toughest elements in our climate, with many people putting away their camera bags ‘till early spring. But, if you do put away your camera you are missing out on the raw beauty that this magical season brings.
Here are a few tips to make the trip more enjoyable.
How to get the perfect exposure, part 2
Published November 6, 2010 |
If you are still unsure about getting the correct exposure, there is a cheap but very effective device called an 18% grey card that can limit your frustration, if used correctly.
When light falls upon a certain object; if the object is too dark your camera or meter will automatically give you an over-exposed reading. This also happens when we take a reading from something that is too bright – the meter gives us an under-exposed reading.
We need to find a mid-tone object for our meters to read the proper exposure.
Sometimes if we are taking pictures in a high contract scene a mid-tone object is impossible to find. 18 % grey is the mid-tone between pure white and pure black.
An 18% grey card will record the exact light that will touch any object. Start by placing the grey card where you are going to take your reading, point your camera or light meter at the grey card – your meter should read the exact light that falls upon the card.
These cards can be used for all types of photography. If you are taking a portrait place the grey card beside the subjects’ face. This will give you an exact reading and help to capture perfect skin tones.
We don’t need to understand the full science of how this works, but knowing a little doesn’t hurt. All light-meters are calibrated to produce an exposure of 18%. The grey card reflects the exact same reading.
This card is not very expensive, and most decent camera stores should sell them. The 18% grey card should become an important part of your equipment.
How to get the perfect exposure, part 1
Published November 5, 2010 | Did you ever take photos and were disappointed in finding that all you were getting were wash-out boring images. The problem is that you didn’t set your camera's expose properly.
Whether we use a digital or film camera, we need to be able to calculate exposure properly. But first, we need to understand how the aperture and the shutter work together. We also need to know how our cameras handle light, and the relationship between the light and f/stops.
Lets take a quick look at the main elements.
Aperture and f/stops: the aperture is an opening in the center of the lens through which light passes. The amount of light which passes through an aperture is indicated by f/stops. The lower the f/stop the more light that passes through this aperture. Opening up one full f/stop doubles the amount of light entering the camera. F/4 admits twice the light of F/5.6.
Shutter: the shutter is a mechanical device that controls the length of time that light is allowed to enter the camera. Each time you open the shutter by one, we double the light, when we close down the light by one we half the light. Opening the shutter at 1 second allows twice the light as that of a ½ second.
Most digital
Getting the perfect exposure isn’t easy, but there are several different ways of making it easier.
Using a light meter: there are two types of light meters,
- Reflected-light meter (the same that is built into your camera) works by pointing the meter at your subject.
- Incident-light meter: instead of pointing the meter at your subject, you stand beside the subject and point the meter at the camera. The light that falls on your subject will also fall on your meter and will tell you how to best set your camera for a good exposure.
The most common way is to use the meter built into your camera. All modern day cameras have a reflected-light meter built in to them. But don’t point the camera directly at your subject from 10 meters. This will more than likely underexpose your image. Take the exposure reading up-close, then return to the starting position and take your image.
It doesn’t matter which metering system we use, if we don’t point them in the right direction our images will return too dark or too bright. The key is to know where to point the meter. If you are unsure take three or four images at different exposure settings. Don’t let a perfect picture moment pass by without recording it flawlessly.
Key Digital Camera Features
Published July 26, 2010 | In this article, I will provide a list of the key digital camera features that you should think and know about when buying a new camera. Here’s a summary of what to look for:
1.Resolution
Resolution determines how sharp your image will be, how much you can enlarge a photo before the pixels start to become distracting, and how much you can crop a photo and still be left with a decent image that you can enlarge and manipulate. Get the most megapixles you can afford.
2.Lens
The lens is the eye of your digital camera. Look for the following in your lens:
- You’ll want good-quality optics that focus a sharp image on your camera’s solid-state sensor. The best way to gauge the quality of the lens is to take a test photo or two. A vendor’s reputation or lab tests in magazines are other ways to evaluate a lens.
- The lens also needs enough light-gathering power to let you shoot inreduced light levels. A camera’s light-gathering capabilities are measured in something called f-stops. The magnification power of the lens (how large or small an image appears to be from a particular shooting position) is another factor. A digital camera’s lens magnification can usually be varied by zooming in and out to make the image larger or smaller.
- A related factor, the zoom range, is another key characteristic to look at. Where magnification tells you only how large or small the image can be made to appear, the zoom range tells you the differencebetween the two. Some lenses have only a small zoom range, say 2:1,whereas others have a longer range, up to 12:1 or more (which means the image size can be varied up to 12X).
What’s the difference between magnification and zoom range? Magnification deals purely with how large or small an image appears to be. For example, one lens may extend from a 28mm (35mm equivalent)to 85mm (35mm equivalent) magnifications, a 3:1 zoom range. Another lens might go from 35mm to 105mm (both 35mm equivalents) and also qualify as a 3:1 zoom range optic. However, the second lens would provide more relative magnification.
3.Storage
The kind and amount of removable storage is another key feature. The more storage space you have for photos, the more pictures you can take before “reloading” your digital camera. Most cameras use CompactFlash, Secure Digital, or other electronic “film” media.
4.Exposure controls:
Except for the least expensive models, all digital cameras include automatic exposure controls that adjust the amount of light reaching the sensor based on the lighting conditions of your subject. If the illumination is low, an auto exposure system uses a wider lens f-stop or exposes the sensor for a longer period of time. If there is a lot of light, the exposure system reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor. Cameras with more versatile automatic exposure controls let you specify what type of exposure to use. For example, when shooting action, it’s often preferable to use the shortest shutter speed possible to freeze the motion and to adjust the size of the lens opening instead. Conversely, if you want a lot of your image to be in sharp focus (say, objects very close to the camera and very far are both important), you may be able to choose an exposure mode that favors maximum depth of field (more on this in future posts). You probably want a digital camera that can handle several different exposure modes and lets you set exposure yourself.
5.Focus controls
Most digital cameras also have an automated system for sharply focusing your images. Some are more versatile than others, and many cameras also let you focus manually to ensure that the subject matter you want to emphasize is the sharpest.
6.Viewfinders
Digital cameras generally have four ways to let you preview and compose your images prior to exposure. The color LCD panel on the back of the camera shows you the same image that the sensor is capturing. The LCD is often hard to view in bright light, so digital cameras also may have optical viewfinders that let you see a non electronic version of the frame. More-advanced cameras might include a second LCD (EVF) in the camera, where it is shielded from the glare of the surrounding light. Single lens reflexes (SLRs) let you see an optical version of the picture through the same lens used to take the photo.
7.Other equipment, other features
Finally, as you choose your digital photography gear, think about accessories, such as tripods, filters, add-on lenses, external electronic flash units, scanners, printers, ect. Even the storage media you use to archive your photos, such as CDs or DVDs, can all be important.
Little History on Photography
Published July 26, 2010 | Photography is the art of reproducing pictures of people, objects or places in their exact likeness. These images can be transferred on any photosensitive material. Photography includes taking and printing pictures.
The backbone of photography is the camera, the instrument or device that works on the principle of optics. The camera and photographic techniques have undergone phenomenal changes since the time the first camera was made. The earlier model did not contain the film; instead, it had a small light-shield box with lens and translucent screen on either side. The image that traveled through the lens was stored on the screen. Known as 'camera obscura,' it was no more than a sketching device for artists.
Then the scientists discovered the quality of silver nitrate that changes its color when exposed to light. This was the beginning of photogram, a method of making permanent images.
They would place objects on the paper dipped in silver nitrate and expose it to the sunlight. After sometime the area covered under the object stayed white while the rest of the space turned black. However, the image formed was temporary, so the method did not last long.
Over the centuries, the principles, the method and the material used in photography went through many changes. After experimenting with various methods like Daguerre and calotype process, finally collodion, or the wet plate technique was universally accepted.
Modern photography has given a totally new meaning to the entire perception of life and privacy. Photography has made it possible to capture and preserve special moments, in private and in public life. History became more authentic with pictures, and photographs served as evidence in many cases. People made their family tree in their albums. Suddenly life was so much more fun and meaningful.
With the tremendous technological advances in the art of photography, it is no more just fun and frolic but has acquired the dimensions of a full-fledged profession. Photography has many branches and types, such as:
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Aerial photography is the art of taking photographs from the air.
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Art photography is devoted to beautiful pictures for the sake of beauty only.
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Studio or advertising photography is dedicated to promotion of products and institutions.
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Photojournalism takes pictures of events to support the news story and to create awareness among the people.
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Outdoor and travel photography is focused on taking pictures of landscapes and natural places.
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Sports photography records images of the sporting events and games that take place in the world.
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Some types of photography like the macro and scientific and macro or close up photography are restricted to specific fields and are not widely known.
The charm of photography lies as much in the end product as in the process of taking pictures. Looking at an album is like taking a trip down memory lane; it makes us feel highly nostalgic and emotional.