Showing posts with label Photography Learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Photography Learning. Show all posts

Sunday, 25 March 2012

Wedding Photography Equipment

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Posted: 17 Mar 2012 12:11 AM PDT
equipment carried by wedding photographers
"bride" captured by Yıldırım Danışman (Click Image to See More From Yıldırım Danışman)
I was shooting an ‘out of area’ wedding last week (to me that is a wedding more than 20 miles from my home), went to pick up my camera bag and nearly had a hernia. It weighed so much that it reminded me of being back in the Army with your life on your back. And that is just what my camera bag is – everything I need to shoot a wedding, or portrait or just people when I am away. A portable studio in fact ready for every eventuality.
As a wedding photographer, make sure you have the equipment required in your bag, or in the car, to cope for any shot you may want!

Typical Wedding Photographer’s Kit (Canon User):

  • Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 24-70mm L f2.8 (with UV filter)
  • Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 70-200mm L f2.8 IS (with UV filter)
  • Two Canon 580EXII speedlights, with Stofen diffusers and mounts
  • Two spare 5D Mark II batteries
  • Four sets of rechargeable batteries for the speedlights
  • One set of graduated filters for those (less and less used) creative moments
  • 4 large waterproof plastic see though bags – just in case it rains
  • Gary Fong light sphere attached to the outside of the bag
  • Strobies flash diffuser in a case attached to the outside of the bag
  • Manfrotto monopod strapped to the outside of the bag
  • One small bag containing ‘hair scrunch’ with sparkly bits and champagne cork for adding to the ring shots. (Makes them a bit more interesting!)
  • Manuals for both camera and flash units – well you never know!
  • Leatherman tool in a case on the shoulder strap
  • Several climbing karabiners on the bag – come in handy when you need to secure stuff to tables / chairs
  • One blower
  • Two cleaning cloths
  • Bottle of cleaning fluid 3 sensor swabs
  • 100Gb of memory cards
  • 320Gb external HD
  • 100-business cards
  • 25 marketing brochures (for those guerrilla marketing moments!)
  • 5 x 1Gb USB memory sticks
  • 2 x 5Gb DVD-RW
  • DVD marker pen
  • Hi-Vis vest
  • Roll of gaffer tape on the outside
  • Lightweight tripod strapped to outside of the bag
  • Manfrotto tripod and joystick ball head on the outside of the bag

Saturday, 17 March 2012

How to Take Better Still Life Photos

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Posted: 14 Mar 2012 09:13 PM PDT
still life splash photography
"Splash!" captured by andre art (click image to see more from andre art)
In photography there are as many mediums as there are people with interests. When most are getting started with photography, they often times start with still life and with time progress towards landscape shots, candid shots or portraits. You learn a lot of the basics when if comes to still life photography, such as the use of shadows and light. This helps the photographer find the subjects emotion. Below, you’ll read about various aspects of still life photography.
Still life is one medium that allows the photographer to express themselves as a photographer while using objects like flowers, trees and fruit. When getting started with still life, the most important step is the lighting. You’re looking for light coming from a single direction for the purpose of casting light and shadows. If there is too much light, you can use reflectors to tone the light down. Use side lighting for still life photography. Doing this will help you attain more contrast between the objects of interest.
The good thing about still life photography is you have color control. As the photographer, you select the color of the object. When choosing colors with say, flowers you want to ensure you have a contrast but still keep the natural look. You want to attain harmony as it relates to controlling colors. You want to capture the attention of the on lookers eye. If you look at the colors and are not very pleased with it, there is a good chance the on looker will not be pleased with the colors neither.

Monday, 12 March 2012

“Introduction to Taking Great Underwater Photos” plus 1 more: Digital Photography School

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Link to Digital Photography School

Posted: 10 Mar 2012 10:32 AM PST
TankPlusFish.jpgAbsolutely anyone can take pictures underwater, either with a cheap disposable or with a standard digital camera inside a waterproof plastic housing. It’s not easy to get really amazing shots with a disposable camera (as with all things, you get what you pay for) but good quality housings are available for many of the popular digital compact families so there’s usually no need to buy a whole new setup for underwater work.
However, there is a world of difference between being able to take decent photos and getting really outstanding shots. Here are a few tips to help you make the best of your underwater photography:

1) Macro shots are by far the easiest to get right

Taking closeups makes lighting easier and reduces the effects of water that isn’t 100% clear. Shooting through a lot of water will tend to wash out colors even if it looks pretty clear to the naked eye, so the less water there is between the camera lens and the subject, the more vivid the images will be.

Saturday, 10 March 2012

How to Relax a Client During a Portrait Photoshoot

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Link to PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Posted: 07 Mar 2012 10:22 PM PST
portrait session subject
Photo captured by Manish Kumar (Click Image to See More From Manish Kumar)
If there is one thing I have learned over the years of photographing people it’s that the response to candid photos vs posed is distinctively noticeable in my clients. That aww or ohhh I seek to produce and long to hear when presenting my work to a client intrinsically happens with those “moment” shots, so they are a must capture for me in almost every situation.
When a photographer catches a subject in its element it translates a level of emotion simply not found in posed shots. A person could be the most beautiful masterpiece of humanity and not be photogenic naturally; the camera has a funny way of changing things. However, I believe it true that there is not a single person who does not look good captured as who they are while in their element.

How to Take Concert Photos

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Link to PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Posted: 09 Mar 2012 11:17 PM PST
We all love the rush of an amazing concert, whether we’re dancing along to the beat or moshing in the pit. But many of us like to capture the moment, quite literally, and record our experience. However, it’s hard to get decent photographs with compact digital cameras. Dark lighting, flashing lights, and constantly moving musicians make it difficult to photograph. If you’re willing to lug around a DSLR cameras and the right interchangeable lenses, you can take some pretty awesome shots.
concert photography
"Warsaw New Year Eve Party" captured by Pat Moore (Click Image to See More From Pat Moore)
First you’ll need the right equipment. The standard lens to use is a 70-200mm f/2.8. This will be fast enough to take shots and has a great telephoto range. If you’re a beginner, you can get away with a 50mm or an 85mm, but you’ll have to make up for distance by moving around a lot to get closer. A wide angle lens really isn’t necessary, unless you’re looking for a picture of the entire band and the crowd.

Monday, 5 March 2012

Getting Started in Photography

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Link to PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Posted: 04 Mar 2012 05:46 PM PST
I get a lot of questions from photographers new to the profession asking how to best begin their work or more so, how to hit the ground running. Usually my answer is pretty vague (arguably unhelpful) and reads something like, "It really is to each his own. Get a good camera, take great pictures, and find a niche that fits you."
starting photography
"Into the Night" captured by James Elliott (Click Image to See More From James Elliott)
As these questions have become more and more common I've decided to put together a little guide to really help those of you who are just into photography or are thinking about joining the fray. Below is a list of things that will best set you off in the right direction – We'll call it the 'The Photographer's Starter Kit'.

Sunday, 4 March 2012

How to Take Macro Photos

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Link to PictureCorrect Photography Tips


Posted: 03 Mar 2012 10:44 PM PST
Macroscopic photography offers photographers a unique view of the world to explore with an unlimited amount of color, texture and physical architecture. Macro photography is a magnified photography, which is used to produce an image which is larger in the film plane (or digital sensor) than in real life.
macro photography
"Flag waving drop" captured by Sherry Slabik (Click Image to See More From Sherry Slabik)

How to Take Panoramic Pictures

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Link to PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Posted: 02 Mar 2012 10:06 PM PST
Have you ever wondered how professional photographers are able to take panoramic pictures with ease? Have you ever wished that you had the skills or talents that these photographers have? Have you also wished that you had the extra dough to spend on the next best photography equipment that these photographers are using?
panoramic photography
Panoramic Photo Constructed of Dubai Marina
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you are in for a real treat, as I will reveal to you 6 easy steps that you can follow to take panoramic pictures yourself. You will be shocked at how easy this is. You DO NOT need any special skills or talents. You DO NOT need any expensive photography equipment to begin.
All you need is a persistent to learn and perfect. You will also need a point and shoot digital camera with manual mode. You do not need any expensive SLR camera to do the trick.

Thursday, 1 March 2012

“Present Moment Photography” plus 1 more: Digital Photography School

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“Present Moment Photography” plus 1 more: Digital Photography School

Link to Digital Photography School

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 11:38 AM PST
A Guest post by Jason Lowry from www.blackandwhiteonly.com.
I have a horrible habit of wasting so much of my present moment time constantly thinking about everything and everyone!  If you are like me, it can be so difficult to focus on what I'm doing right now at this exact moment (just caught myself thinking about something I need to do as I write this article).  I'm constantly distracted by thoughts and most of the time these distractions running through my head are about what has already happened or what may happen in the future.
So, what does this have to do with photography?
Everything!

Clear those distracting thoughts

present-moment-photography.jpgTry to lose yourself in the present moment by focusing and concentrating  on what you  are doing at that moment as you engage your subject.  Being completely present will allow you to be fully engaged and to see your subject with a new and exciting perspective.  How do you do this?  It takes constant practice, but it can be done!  You must first be aware of all those distractions in your head.  Importantly, try not to stop those thoughts from flowing, just be aware of them and notice them and as you watch them, they will simply fade.  With practice, it does work!  The key is to be aware that you are distracted and that you are not focused.

Don't over think or try not to think at all

present-moment-photography-1.jpgI admit this was difficult for me to understand at first.  We have a greater intelligence than all those thoughts racing through our head.  For example, have you ever encountered a situation where you just reacted in the moment, you knew what to do without obsessively thinking about your next move?  Well, imagine yourself in front of a subject (I know this requires thinking : ), your head is clear, no distracting thoughts, you are fully engaged and you know it's the right opportunity to capture or you instinctively adapt to what you know will be a better opportunity.  We are more than our thoughts and those distracting ones get in our way and fog our ability to see clearly.

It's not necessarily about the product

present-moment-photography-2.jpgI think it's important to clarify my philosophy on photography.  For me, it is a life experience and it's not necessarily about the final outcome although I certainly enjoy sharing and viewing the work of so many wonderful artists.  Our goal as artists should be to get lost in the process of creating, not worrying about making money or whether our art will fit a certain mold or get a certain number of comments.  These thoughts are distractions and keep us from our full potential.   I have not mastered what is written in this article, but I practice as much as possible and I do think it has made a difference in my personal style and I hope you will find this article of value.  
Jason Lowry is from Eastern North Carolina and is obsessed with moody and dramatic black and white art.  His art can be experienced at www.blackandwhiteonly.com and jlowry.zenfolio.com.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

Present Moment Photography


Posted: 29 Feb 2012 05:41 AM PST
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_opener.jpg
On Monday, Adobe launched its Photoshop Touch application for the iPad. This long sought after app runs on the iPad 2, and not on the iPad 1, and it requires that you have iOS 5 installed. The app costs $9.99 which is at the high end of the price range for photo-editing apps in general but Photoshop Touch seems to have got the feature set about right so most people will probably consider it worth the money.
I use the iPad a lot for working with photos I've shot using a digital SLR camera in raw and which I've resized, converted to jpeg and downloaded to the iPad. Those images I have on the iPad are there because they are funky or because they lend themselves to some artistic play. So, I looked at Photoshop Touch in this light – I wanted to see if it would be part of my iPad image creative workflow. For heavy duty work, Photoshop and Lightroom will remain my tools of trade.
When you launch Photoshop Touch you get two options, viewing the tutorials or doing some work.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step1.jpg
There are 10 tutorials that you can work through each of them is project based so you learn the program by learning a technique not by learning how individual tools work. These are text and image tutorials and not video ones, but they are interactive so you can learn as you go.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step2.jpg
The second option is Begin a Project which is where I'll start. You get the choice of adding an image from your iPad, the Adobe Creative Cloud, the Camera, Google or Facebook. I chose Local Photos then the Photo Library and an image from my iPad.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step3.jpg
In the main editing area you'll find the tools on the left, layers on the right and menus across the top. The program pays lip service only to Photoshop. Some icons are familiar but others are more iPad than Photoshop so Photoshop users may find it a bit confusing where iPad artists will find it more familiar.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step4.jpg
You can add multiple images and multiple layers. I wanted to texture this image so I clicked the Add Layer button and selected Photo Layer.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step5.jpg
Once you select a second photo you get to size it as you import it – you can also rotate, flip or skew it too. Click Done to proceed to the editing area.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step6.jpg
Now, with the layer selected, you can apply adjustments to it.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step7.jpg
I chose Curves as this was a texture and I wanted more contrast. There are no adjustment layers so the Curves adjustment is being applied just to the targeted (top) layer. As you can see, you can adjust the RGB composite channel or the individual red, green and blue channels.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step8.jpg
With the texture layer still targeted you can apply a filter to it by clicking the FX button. There is a range of filters including Basic, Stylize, Artistic and Photo. Some add things like drop shadows, blurs and glows and others are more artistic.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step9.jpg
I chose Stylize > Old Photo, configured the settings and tapped Apply. Unlike Photoshop where the foreground and background colors need to be selected before you run a filter, here you can select the colors to use in the filter settings – this really is a feature that Photoshop should have.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step10.jpg
To blend the layers you click the Layer icon and you get a choice of blend modes and the chance to adjust the layer opacity.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step11.jpg
There are no masks but you can use a gradient to fade the effect – when you do the gradient is applied to the layer and you can only undo it by tapping Undo – you can't go back and edit it.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step12.jpg
You can also add a new Empty Layer and fill it with a gradient.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step13.jpg

And then blend it using a layer blend mode as I have done here.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step14.jpg
I finished by cropping the image and then saving it.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step15.jpg
You can then email it or send it to the Camera Roll or upload the project to the Adobe Creative Cloud so you can access them from there.
Photoshop_touch_first_looks_step16.jpg
There are limits to Photoshop Touch and one is the 1600 x 1600 pixel image size limit. The text tools are rudimentary and, as a long time Photoshop user, I'd like to see editable masks and editable text. That said, for fixing photos and tinkering with creative projects this program is a welcome addition to the Adobe family.
This app will appeal to a range of users. There are plenty of basic tools that are easy to use but also some more advanced features for working with images. The Scribble Extract tool does a reasonable job of extracting a subject from a background and you can tinker with gradients and fades to get some interesting effects. You don't need to know how to use Photoshop to use the app but your knowledge won't go astray.

Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.

Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.

Edit and Create on the Go with Adobe Photoshop Touch for iPad




 

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