Photography Fundamentals

Night Photography Ideas and Techniques: How to Do the Zoom Effect

2011-04-10T15:05:00.003+08:00

What is zoom effect? This if the effect that you can create during long exposure, it is a classic special effect that can be traced back to the time of early film photography. With this effect you are able to create dramatic and artistic streaks of light from center of the frame. This is a great technique to emphasize motion or create tension in photographs. There are three ways to achieve this kind of effect and here they are:

The Classic Method for the Classic Zoom Effect

In doing this technique, you need to have a zoom lens and your camera must be capable of long exposures of about ¼ seconds and longer. This technique will work with a slow shutter speed, dim lighting condition, reduced ISO setting, stopping down the lens, or using a neutral density filter.

To create the best result, use a tripod to hold the camera and avoid unnecessary shaking that will distort the image. Then compose and focus the subject at exact center of the frame. Just move the zoom lens form a longer focal length to a shorter focal length as soon as you hit the shutter button. You can also experiment on zoom speed and the range of focal length to get the best possible image. The classic zoom effect works best if you have a busy background with plenty of bright spots that can create the streak.

Use a Special Effect Filter

Although the classic method is fun to experiment but it can as well be very tricky to master. That is why we have this other technique as an alternative in achieving the zoom effect. This technique is to use a Cokin radial zoom filter. It should make your photography life much easier. For the setup to work you will need to have an adapter ring for your lens, a filter holder that clips on the adapter ring and accepts the filters, and the filter itself. Then just do the same procedure and you will easily get your zoom effect instantly.

The Photoshop Magic

With various photo editor software available now, we can create many photographic effects including the zoom effect in an instant. Photography software has made special effect composition much easier on the part of professional and non-professional photographers. We should take advantage of it as well so that we can create artistic and attractive photographs. It is actually quite easy to create the zoom effect in Adobe Photoshop. You just need to adjust the amount of the effect to your taste to simulate the speed of turning the zoom ring. You can also place the center of the zoom anytime and anywhere you want instead. You can place it at the sides instead of the usual center to make it more appealing. Here are some simple steps you need to follow in order for you to get that zoom effect using Photoshop:

Open the image you wish to edit in Photoshop (make sure it is the copy of the original file).
Then you now duplicate the layer.
In selecting the duplicated layer, go to Filter>Blur>Radial Blur. Change the blur method to zoom and select the quality whether you want draft, good or best. Then click and drag to select the blur center. There is no preview available so you might have to experiment a little bit to get the effect you want.
Then add a layer mask to the selected duplicated filter.
You can now use the Gradient tool and select the black-white radial gradient. Click on the center of the zoom and drag it out to where you want it to be. Just make sure that the center of the gradient is black which will reveal the background layer to give you a clear center. If you get the opposite effect, just check the Reverse box to reverse the gradient color and do it all over again.

Photography – How to Take Light Reflections (Refractograph)

2010-07-24T10:11:00.000+08:00

Refractograph is the type of photograph that takes the images of light reflections in such a way that I will be captured artistically. The common way to do this is by projecting light through art glass or specially shaped plastic to create that neon-colored works of art. It may look like it is edited or designed digitally in the computer, but its actually real without any camera tricks or anything. Difficult to do as you may think it is, but actually you can make your own refractographs with much simpler materials.

In this craft you’ll basically need the following: a camera with zoom or macro function, tripod, flashlights, LEDs, and assorted light sources, a few pieces of colored paper, and transparent glass or plastic objects.

There are other objects to try; nearly anything that is transparent can be used to make refractographs. The only requirement is that for light to pass through that object. Here are a few things you can try: glass bottles or jars, plastic bottles, drinking glasses, glass vases, bottles of water, soda or wine, transparent plastic bead, buttons or toys, glass marbles, and cocktail swizzle sticks.
The best place to set up your working area is in a dark room. There is no need to make it light tight just make sure it’s dark enough to make your reflected lights show up clearly. Now set up your transparent objects in front of a piece of colored paper. Then shine a light through the object onto the paper. Then set your camera up on a tripod to make it stable, zoom in on the light pattern being projected on the paper and click! So basically that’s all there is to do and nothing more. Just let your imagination and creativity take you further. There is no limit to the designs you can create and capture.

Photography Fundamentals – Tips for Better Travel Photographs

2010-01-23T01:04:00.000+08:00

People travel and love to take pictures of the places they’ve been to. But most of their travel photography techniques are not that good in the sense of quality. Why so? Well, let’s find out as we go through each tip on how to make those so-so images into better travel pictures.

Before You Leave

It is a plus to get to know your camera better on how it works and the features it offers. Try reading the manual to give you the things you need to know about your camera.

If you have a lot of accessories for your camera, put it inside a backpack or any bag that would be convenient for you to carry it. If possible, try leaving your hands free by using a backpack, this way you can make use of your backpack whenever needed.

Try to bring your camera manual with you and bring some extra batteries and memory space. If you have a laptop, bring it because it will be useful for saving a lot of free space to capture more images. Make it a habit to always transfer pictures to your laptop at the end of the day.

If you are traveling by air hand-carry your camera because you don’t want to risk it for possible damages and ruin your travel. By doing this, you’ll be able to have the opportunity not to miss any shot you wish to take.

Camera Settings

All modern cameras these days have now built-in settings modes that is design to any lighting conditions. Know all these modes and make use of them because it will really help make your pictures look better.

Know all the basic settings and functions of your camera because you’ll never know when you need to turn to manual and do the camera settings on your own. Knowing about shutter speeds, aperture, ISO, and getting familiar with lighting conditions will help you in the long run.

Composition and Subject Matter

With the right equipment, a great deal of knowledge in photography and good composition will help in improving your photography skills.

In the digital camera world, it is a good idea to take slightly more pictures of the subject you want rather than taking single shots to save memory space. This is for you to take the advantage of choosing the best captured image you want to be printed.

Never keep your subject at the center of the frame because this will just make your image boring. Follow the rule-of-third to make your pictures more interesting and appealing to look at. Also different angle shots of a single subject will give you the opportunity to get the best perspective you can possibly have.

Make sure to take pictures of great landscapes but don’t forget to include people. It is people who give life and sense to your pictures. Every travel picture is unique and every place you go to offers many opportunities to capture the true emotions of people and beauty of each and every scenery. With a little of practice and experience, you can take pictures that are of post card quality in no time.

Photography Fundamentals – Steps on How to Photograph Dramatic Skyscapes

2010-01-01T12:14:00.000+08:00

Many poets have sat and watched sunrises and sunsets and have been inspired to write award-winning poetry about what they witnessed. For centuries, great painters have painted with the rich colors of early morning and late evening sky. Now you can capture all the brilliant colors that are found in dramatic skyscapes. You simply have to press the shutter button on your Digital Camera to take a photo of a sky with rich blue colors or one with pinks and blues. In this technique, you learn how to photograph dramatic sunrises and sunsets to get photos that will make excellent prints.

Step 1: Choose day and time to shoot – many factors contribute to, or take away from, the beauty of sunrise or sunset. Clouds are often the key to having a beautiful skyscape as they can reflect the glow from the sun in very stunning ways. As you gain experiences in watching sunrises and sunsets, you’ll learn that you must have time and patience to be able to wait for that picture perfect moment.

Step 2: Set up the tripod and camera – a sturdy tripod is required to shoot sunrises and sunsets. When you’ve decided when and where to shoot set up your Tripod and camera early so you’re ready to shoot when the sky gets painted in rich colors.

Step 3: Choose camera settings – select the slowest ISO setting your camera offers. Use auto focus and select auto white balance. Select aperture priority, then set the aperture to the smallest aperture and allow the camera to choose the shutter speed. If you don’t normally use an image review feature, you should turn it on when shooting sunrises and sunsets because doing so enables you to monitor how well you’ve exposed each shot.

Step 4: Compose and take photos – consider shooting both horizontally and vertically. If objects like trees are nearby, consider shooting to capture foreground items as a silhouette. To get the best silhouettes, you may have to experiment with the exposure by using exposure compensation.

Step 5: Evaluate results and make setting changes – because sunrises and sunsets can often mislead the automatic metering systems found on digital cameras, which can result in a poor exposure, make sure that you check exposure when you shoot by looking at the images on the LCD monitor or by using the histogram. In those cases where you need to make an adjustment, use exposure compensation. Slightly underexposing can make the colors of a sunrise or sunset richer than if they were overexposed.

The most beautiful part of a sunrise or sunset may only last for less than a minute or even just a few seconds. Be careful not to be caught short of space on your digital photo Storage Media when you are shooting a quickly changing sunrise or sunset or you may miss the best part.

Photography Fundamentals – Steps in Building the Panorama

2009-12-30T00:37:00.000+08:00

You cannot yet create a panorama entirely in Lightroom. You need Photoshop to merge multiple images. Fortunately, lightroom make’s it easy to select multiple images in your library and deliver them to Photoshop for processing. Here’s how you do it:

Step 1: Select the images for your panorama in Lightroom. Under the Photo menu select Edit In > Merge to Panorama in Photoshop.

Step 2: In the resulting Photomerge dialog box, you’re presented with a list of the Source files Photoshop will use to create the panorama, along with a column on the left that lists the six layout options. Each layout option is designed for a specific type of panorama. Selecting the correct one will greatly improve your panorama’s quality.

Auto – Blends images automatically using the layout method Photoshop determines is best for the image. This is typically, but not always, Perspective or Cylindrical.
Perspective – Distorts the image to keep the horizon line true. The perspective layout has a tendency to create panoramas that wrap around the viewer. Unfortunately, this can cause problems as the elements within the photo are greatly exaggerated.
Cylindrical – Ideal for blending images taken with a wide-angle lens. The cylindrical layout will compensate for the slight vignetting that occurs at the corner of wide-angle lenses and the slight distortion along the horizon.
Spherical – Designed for 360-degree panoramas. Spherical panoramas hold promise for photographers to create interactive worlds for the viewer and certainly should be an avenue of exploration for photographers with the technical inclination and temperament to pursue this craft.
Collage – Positions the photos as though in preparation for a panorama, but does not blend the images into one. Instead, the intact edges of each photo give the appearance of a scrapbook collage made from multiple prints.
Reposition – Repositions the photos without performing any blending. This is ideal for photographers shooting from a technically accurate setup who want to blend the images in the panorama manually.

Additional options are available at the bottom of the Photomerge dialog:

Blend Images Together – Automatically blends images by creating layer masks for each image.
Vignette Removal – Useful if you are using a wide-angle lens that has a tendency to vignette at the corners. Without Vignette Removal, your blue skies will have a tendency to appear mottled near the seams between images.
Geometric Distortion Correction – Designed to correct for the distortion imparted by wide-angle or fish-eye lenses. Although these lenses aren’t ideal for panoramic Photography to begin with, this feature can mitigate arcing horizons and bending buildings.

Step 3: After selecting your layout method, click OK and Photoshop will begin processing your panorama.

Photography Fundamentals – Noise Reduction: An Ounce of Prevention

2009-12-27T23:26:00.001+08:00

Digital noise, the errant flecks of tone or color on your photos, isn’t the problem it once was. The current crop of Digital Cameras produce superior results at high ISO settings compared to the cameras available just a few years ago. With that in mind, there are still occasions when you need to clean up a noisy image. An ounce of prevention of noise is a great noise reduction trick which is a helpful addition for any photographer’s bag of digital darkroom tricks.

The single best noise reduction technique is judicious exposure. The number one cause of digital noise is not high ISO settings; it’s underexposure. If you’re still in the habit of setting your camera to – 2/3 of an f-stop, like many photographers did with slide film, stop. You need to retain yourself to expose accurately, if not slightly overexpose. Keep in mind that breaking old habits often means you’ll run into some roadblocks here and there. However, once you become accustomed to exposing properly for digital, you will reap big rewards.

You need to overexpose your photos slightly to put more of the image detail in the right half of the histogram. This will give you better shadow detail and less noise, and it’s significantly faster and more effective than any noise reduction technique.

Sometimes you have to rescue an underexposed picture. When this occurs, you’ll want to perform as many adjustments as possible in camera raw. This is one area where performing your corrections on the raw file gives markedly better results than performing the same corrections on a processed image.

After you’ve lightened the image sufficiently, it’s time to tackle the noise. Whenever you perform noise reduction on an image, you’re faced with a tradeoff. Noise reduction inevitably removes image detail. So you can opt for more detail and more noise, or less detail and less noise. Even though some degree of compromise is unavoidable, the following techniques will help shift the odds in your favor.

Photography Fundamentals – Four Rules for the Digital Darkroom

2009-12-26T00:40:00.001+08:00

Most of the time, photographers are often hungry for the “why” as well as the “how” of correcting photos. Learning techniques alone, while important, is insufficient. Understanding why a particular Technique is effective, when to apply it, and how to modify it to adapt to changing circumstances are the most important skills you can develop and are the keys to developing your artistry in the digital darkroom.

While these concepts aren’t necessarily simple, they can be described through a series of guidelines for refining digital photos captured by your Digital Camera for greater depth, presence, and emotion.

Rule 1: your eye is always drawn to the lightest and highest contrast area in a photograph. Out brains are wired to scan a scene quickly, looking for edges, contrast, and shapes. When glancing at a photo, we’re biologically programmed to look at the lightest and highest contrast areas first. Use careful composition and judicious burning and dodging to make sure your subject is the lightest and highest contrast area in a photo. This establishes a visual hierarchy in which the lightest elements are the most important and therefore demand the most attention.

Rule 2: When looking at a photo, a viewer looks first at shapes and then attempts to interpret those shapes based on familiar patterns. We have a visual database in our brains that allows us to identify common objects quickly. This is how we can identify a silhouetted tree as a tree, not as a dark blob on the horizon. Unfamiliar shapes take longer to read and require more careful attention. Well-conceived abstract photos are successful because they break this rule, creating a visual puzzle for us to solve. A key to making your photos engaging is to make sure all key Elements in a Photo “separate” visually from one another by selectively lightening and darkening the tones of elements within the photo.

Rule 3: Contrast = Detail. The human visual system has evolved to be highly attuned to movement and edge contrast. When looking at a photo, a viewer’s eyes naturally travel along areas of high contrast and sharp detail. By controlling contrast and sharpness, you can, in effect, control exactly where the viewer’s eyes travel in your photos. On a technical level, the appearance of derail in digital photos is due to subtle differences in the lightness and color values between pixels. Enhancing contrast increases those differences and makes detail more apparent.

Rule 4: Warm colors feel more comfortable and inviting than cool colors. Cream is the most popular paint color for rooms because the subtle addition of a little orange makes the room feel more cheery and inviting than a strictly neutral white. Adjusting saturation and hue to make colors warmer, cooler, or more vibrant is one way to enhance the mood created by your photo.

Contact Me

2009-12-20T09:14:00.003+08:00

Photography – Understanding Light (6 Flavors of Available Light) and Taking Advantage of It

2009-12-20T01:05:00.004+08:00

W. Eugene Smith once said that “Available light is any damn light that is available!” In Photography, the viewfinder is our canvas and light is our paint. By means of adding, removing and controlling the light we can customize how our captured image will look like. Without light, we wouldn’t have much to work with. In this article we will discus the different types of light and the issues of controlling and/or creating light.

The camera allows light in to strike its sensor and thus recording the image. Too much light, and the image is washed out; too little light and the image is too dark to make out. Therefore, the correct amount of light is the correct exposure.

Available light is the most common form of lighting that is used in Photography. If we’re shooting outdoors, available light is the light from the sun or other available sources. Indoors, it’s the light provided by lamps and other light sources in the room. Using the available light to your benefit is the key.

As photographers, we have six “flavors” of available light at are disposal, namely:

Fontlight – this is the light coming over your shoulder and falling on the subject. Frontlight creates a flat, often dull light. If you want to shoot in frontlight, try moving around the subject so the light comes more from behind, and try using a Flash.
Sidelight – as the name implies, this light comes directly form the side. Great for landscapes and scenic shots, this light is pretty severe for people pictures, unless you’re trying to emphasize character in a face (lines, crags, and the like). This being such perfect light for landscapes, as it creates dimension in your photos, you can perhaps include a person in the shot to provide a sense of scale, placing him or her at the edge of the shot, and shooting wide – just establishing the human presence.
Toplight – noon, with the sunlight illuminating the subject form the top down, is not a favorable light for Photography, because it creates harsh shadows and tends to be colorless. This is a great time of day to scout areas, however, so you can decide when to come back. If you have to shoot in this light, use a graduated filter, which will help saturate the sky’s color and create a bit more interest.
Backlight – this light comes directly from behind and can create an ethereal look, emphasizing the spray in ocean waves, adding depth and magic to smoke, and creating halos when used in portraits. This wonderful light, but it does weaken the saturation of color. Try popping in a little Flash to bring up the light on the backlit side and strengthen the colors.
Overcast/shade – this is one of the kindest types of light for Photographing People. Clouds create a giant “soft box,” softening the light and smoothing out the skin. This light also helps out the exposure, as the dynamic range of light that the chip can capture is within range; often side, front, toplighting will provide an exposure range greater than the sensor can capture in the frame.
Twilight – twilight can be the “magical hour” for taking great shots. The sun has nearly or just passed the horizon, and the ambient light starts moving toward the blue range. Shooting on a daylight setting will emphasize this effect, but do not set auto-white balance, because that will remove this cool/cold effect. Try setting the Digital Camera to the correct exposure, manually, for the scene, and then use a strobe to fill-flash the subject. This will create a wonderful dichotomy in light – the warm light from the flash and the cool ambient light.

Photography – Top 5 Tips for Macro Photography

2009-12-19T12:05:00.004+08:00

Close-up photography is great in a way that it really brings out the detail of your subject and makes the viewer more involved with the picture. Here are some Photography Fundamentals you can find helpful in starting your macro photography.

1. Choose the Best Lens Option: the focal length of macro lenses ranges from 50mm to 200mm. Although many zoom lenses boast a macro setting, these are usually less than half life-size magnification – true macro, however, begins with 1:1 and nothing less. A 50mm to 60mm lens is suitable for general macro work but if you want greater subject-to-lens distance, a 100mm lens will give you this at a much higher price. For creatures like butterflies and dragonflies, lens-to-subject distance becomes even more important so focal length needs to be greater. The 150-200mm range is the most expensive, but you will appreciate the extra power when stalking flighty subjects.

2. Make a Standard Zoom Focus Closer by Adding Tubes: Extension tubes fit between the rear mount of the lens and the camera body to make the lens focus closer and therefore produce a much bigger image of a small subject. This is a much cheaper alternative than buying a macro lens but tubes are fiddlier to use in the field. Also, with an extension tube fitted you lose the infinity end of your focusing range. Adding more tubes makes it increasingly more limited.

3. Add a Dioptre to Make a Lens Focus Closer: Close-up filters are single-element lenses that look like magnifying glasses. These filters screw into the front element thread and can provide an inexpensive alternative to splashing out on a macro lens. They come in a variety of strengths that are measured in dioptres often available in sets of +1, +2 or +4 dioptre magnification.

4. Use Apertures to Control Depth of Field: To get the most out of available depth-of-field, select a small aperture like f/16 or even f/22. At half-life size the depth-of-field you can achieve at f/22 will be only at best around 15mm. You may also wish to go to the other extreme and show as little sharpness as possible by opening up to full aperture like f/2.8 or f/4. One advantage of setting your aperture to f/2.8 or f/4 is that any out-of-focus highlights will show as circle-like bubbles that can look very artistic and attractive.

5. Blend Flash with Ambient: With more static subjects it can be fun to add a blip of flash just to liven up an image. For example, if you take a shot of a flower exposed to natural light, try shooting it with a given blip of off-camera fill-in flash and adjust the shutter speed one stop higher in order to darken the background and give more emphasis on the flower.

Take advantage of these 5 tips in your Macro Photography and for sure will get the great and perfect macro shot you desire. But don’t just stop here, you should research more and make use of your research-based-knowledge to enhance your macro photography skill.

Photography Fundamentals – Photographing People (A Few Lessons in Approaching Subjects)

2009-12-18T23:29:00.004+08:00

We love photographing each other – it is part of the fabric of being human. Becoming comfortable with this task takes a little time and initially a little nerve. But the power of being able to photograph people well is one of the most satisfying areas of Photography.

Many photographers would really want to know on how to effectively photograph people, as people are one of the most intimidating and frustrating areas of photography. How the heck does a National Geographic or TIME photographer go into those situations where he or she may not speak a word of the language and come out with those magical and involved photos?

In many ways, it really is a simple combination of confidence and interest. The confidence is gained by having approached strangers many times, as well as knowing your equipment. Taking real interest in another person and who he is is the other part of the equation. This is the heart of what we’ll talk about in this article.

Is there an easy formula to photographing people? Yes, there is! One of the most asked questions in photography is how to approach people on the street. I’ve found the best answer to this question is a demonstration. I’ll be with a group of trekkers and we’ll find someone on the streets we want to photograph. Eye contact with a friendly look is the starter, followed by an explanation of what I’m doing. And here’s a major hint: give yourself an assignment so your photographic mission has a reason to exist.

Your photographic mission can be as simple as “I’m shooting portraits for a photographic series I’m assembling” or “I’m shooting a photo project on the streets of your town.” What you’ll often find is an interest and a willingness of the subject to help you in your endeavor. Also, on your camera’s monitor, show your subject one of the photos you’ve taken of him or her – this may be the ultimate ice-breaker, and it can get your subject more interested in allowing you to continue shooting.

Bellow is a list of some lessons on approaching subjects:

Don’t travel in a group. This can seem to your intended subject as though you’re part of a gang of camera-wielding attackers. Work solo or with as small a group as you can. If you’re out shooting with a spouse or friend, that person can help hold reflectors and carry equipment.
Make eye contact with your potential subject. We’re all humans here, and the small task of looking someone in the eye shows that you acknowledge him. A smile can go a long way.
Show interest in what the subject is doing. We all like to feel that what we do is of interest or have a degree of importance to someone else. Spend a few minutes watching or listening to your intended subject, and talk about her craft or work. Even it you don’t speak the language, you can visually interpret quite a bit by watching.
Ask permission to take his photo. For sure, the times you will be turned down for photos is a tiny percentage of the times you’ll receive willing permission to photograph total strangers.
Above all, show the subject respect and have the most amazing Photography experience ever.

Photography Fundamentals – How To Take Pictures Of Fireworks

2009-12-17T22:31:00.003+08:00

We have seen many pictures of fireworks and as we look at it, it seems like it is still very alive. During Fourth of July, while every one loves the food, festivals, and general craziness that go around the celebration; it is what happens after the sun goes down that really gets people excited and nervous. Many people are taking pictures of the breath taking and amazing display of fireworks, but only a few of them captures it perfectly. Fireworks Photography is notorious for missed shots, shaky images, bad exposures, and out of frame subjects. However, fireworks photography is not that hard actually. As long as you know the basics of night photography, you’ll only need a few things more to keep in mind and get you started with fireworks photography. I will discus with you below the important factors to consider with fireworks photography.

Framing

We all know that fireworks do not explode in the exact same spot every time. They tend to go on different directions and come in different sizes. Because fireworks are so unpredictable, you have to plan on taking a wider shot than you would normally do. Just crop the image afterwards to correct framing. Besides, what’s important is that you were able to capture the whole thing.

Focus

It is so common to have out of focus shots during night time because of the limited light available. In the case of fireworks, they tend to move fast in low light condition which would really give your Digital Camera’s autofocus a hard time with it. So turn of the autofocus and prefocus or set your camera to manual.

Exposure

Fireworks are very bright but the amount f light created during a fireworks show varies greatly. The first few explosions are usually far enough apart that a relatively long exposure time (slow shutter speed) is to be considered. The space between explosions will also allow you to capture the shell flying into the air, the explosion, and the full extent of the explosive display. When the display reaches its finale there will be more light and the shells will explode rapidly. In order to make an image from this situation you will have to increase your film speed in order to decrease the exposure time. Leave your aperture on a high setting so that the entire explosion will be in focus.

Suggested settings for first few explosions

Shutter Speed = 2 seconds
Aperture = 14
Film Speed = 200

Suggested settings for rapid explosions

Shutter Speed = 1 second
Aperture = 14
Film Speed = 400

Photography Fundamentals – Checklist of “Must Take” Wedding Photos

2009-12-12T22:22:00.002+08:00

Have you ever had friends who are now married but got a bad experience with their wedding photographers? Things like the photographer forgot to take a picture of this or that, missed out some shots of important guests and worst is the photographer wasn’t able to take a picture of the “you may now kiss the bride” moment are just some of the possible things that could make your wedding a disaster.

On your wedding day, you’ll want to make sure your photographer captures every essential detail you worked so hard on. To avoid wedding disasters like what I’ve mentioned above, try helping your photographer by giving him a checklist so that he wouldn’t miss out the important moments you want to be captured.

You can sort your checklist and arrange it in a chronological order. Start by making a checklist of Wedding Photography shots before the ceremony. This checklist may comprise shots like wedding dress lying over a chair, zipping up or buttoning the wedding dress, mother of the bride fastening the bride’s necklace, the bride’s garter and other wedding accessories, bride looking into a mirror, and many others. Just let your imagination and creativity help you complete this checklist.

After the wedding photography shots before the ceremony, it will be followed by wedding photography shots at the ceremony, posed wedding photography before, during, and after the reception. Lastly, don’t forget to make a checklist of wedding photography shots of important guests. Provide your photographer with a seating chart of the guests so that he can easily identify and take their picture. You can fill up this entire checklist by yourself or you can download ready made checklists from the internet. You can also make the checklist of “Must Take” Wedding Photos together with your bride/groom or with your friends and family. Planning your wedding is very important so that everything will run smoothly and fall at the right place.

Photography Fundamentals – How To Take Pictures Using A Shallow Depth Of Field

2009-12-11T01:29:00.001+08:00

Depth of field refers to the distance around an object that appears in focus in the frame or photograph. A photographer can choose any depth of field depending on what enhancements he wishes to appear in the photograph. A greater depth of field is used in landscape shots where the subject is the entire scene. On the other hand, a shallow depth of field is commonly used when a photographer wishes to take a picture that focuses only the subject and blurring the background or foreground. The shallow depth of field settings is used for portraits or close-up pictures. There are three factors that play a hand in determining or affecting depth of field: the lens aperture, size and distance of the object, and the shutter speed. You need to make adjustments on these factors in order for you to capture a picture with a shallow depth of field.

Setting the Aperture Size

Aperture refers to the opening of the lens that controls the amount of light it allows to enter when the shutter opens. Aperture size is expressed in f-numbers also know as the f-stop. We can get the f-numbers by simply dividing the length of the lens’ diameter by the focal length. F-numbers are located and can be adjusted on the outer edge of a camera lens. Larger aperture settings, ranging from around f3.0 - f5.5, allow more light to enter through the lens. While smaller apertures, ranging form f16 – f32, only allow a small amount of light. As you can see, the larger the aperture size, the smaller its f-number and the smaller the aperture size, the bigger the f-number is. So don’t confuse yourself with this.

To set the aperture size for shallow depth of field shooting, all you need to do is to set it to the smallest possible f-number depending on the lens you are using (f3.0 – f5.5). This way we have a bigger lens opening or aperture size that allows more light entering the camera, thus allow us to centrally feature only our subject and minimizing any figures in the background or foreground.

Considering the Size and Distance of the Object

This refers to the distance between the camera and the object. The closer an object is to the lens, the shallow the depth of field will appear in the resulting image. On the other hand, the farther the object is from the camera, the result will be a picture with greater depth of field. In terms of object size, if we take a close-up picture of a small size flower, the result will be a shallow depth of field picture. But if we take a bigger object like mountains and lakes, the resulting picture will have a greater depth of field. For you to get a picture that has a shallow depth of field, you have to decrease the distance between your camera and the object. Shallow depth of field is only applicable to small size to medium sized objects. It does not affect large object such as landscapes.

Adjusting the Shutter Speed

The shutter speed is commonly know as the exposure time which refers to the effective length of time a shutter is open and the duration of light reaching the film or image sensor. The shutter speed needs to be adjusted in accordance to the aperture size. A larger aperture size (smaller f-number) requires a fast shutter speed (1/1000 – 1/500 s) while a smaller aperture size (bigger f-number) only requires a slow shutter speed (1/8 – 1/4 s). In terms of shallow depth of field aperture setting, where the aperture size is larger, we need to compensate with it by adjusting the shutter speed to fast or short exposure. Since we are allowing more light to enter the camera with the large aperture size, we need to have a fast shutter speed for it to compensate and also in order to avoid over exposure.

Shallow depth of field effect is a powerful tool for telling the viewer that which you consider to be significant in the image and highlighting only the subject, thus removing the subject from potentially distracting backgrounds. That is why many photojournalists prefer to use this effect for them to effectively deliver the message of their pictures. Apart from its effectiveness in delivering the message of the picture, it also gives you an attractive image that is appealing to most viewers.

Photography Fundamentals – How To Capture A Human Highlight Photo

2009-12-03T13:01:00.001+08:00

In this day and age, Photography has been one of the best hobbies people can take up. There has been a lot of discussion regarding photography in last few years, on which subject they should point their big, shiny DSLR’s at. But there’s one subject that would interest more budding photographers right now, Sports Photography. One of the many questions on their curious minds is how to capture a human highlight film like Vince Carter, LeBron James, Dominique Wilkins and the likes. Their thunderous dunks wows the screaming audience and you would to capture that moment in your high-end digital camera but, the only thing that’s hindering you to capture that moment is your shaking hands and lack of attention because one LeBron James windmill dunk is different from the other. You have to focus yourself and delete that blurry image in your cam and jump right in to action and capture that 360, fade away jump shot of LeBron.

Luckily, for those newbie’s who just started to take pictures of their young athletic brother in one of those little league games, here’s a few Photography Fundamentals on how to make that shot a little more special.

Composure. You have to remain calm and try not to get jumpy every time a player attempts a reverse lay-up. For all you know it could just be a head fake.
Take a spot. Position your self in spot where you’ll have the best possible angle. It would be best if you could position yourself in a spot where you could actually see the player’s face instead of his number on the back of his jersey,
Patience. When you are focusing on a particular player, it doesn’t mean that you’ll have stop taking pictures just because he’s having an off-night. You’ll never know when that sledge hammer of a dunk or that buzzer beater’s gonna come. Always think that he is going to do something amazing every time he steps on the basketball court.
Shutter speed. Always consider this factor every time you choose to do basketball because some say that basketball games are fast and unpredictable. You have to set your shutter speed to high to avoid capturing the player’s motion. Always choose a wide-angle lens to capture a wide perspective of the court.
Lighting. Only use your camera’s flash when needed because some basketball officials won’t allow it.

These are just some of things you would like to remember if you choose to do a basketball game photography. If you really want to know more about Sports Photography, particularly basketball, just Google it up or you could just enroll in a photography class where you could ask some of the best and veteran photographers on how you could improve your skills in photography.

Lastly, if your memory card is already full of pictures. Then, maybe it’s time to print them but there’s a trick to make your pictures more fun and interesting. If you’re planning to post your picture on a blog or a sports column in your local newspaper, just put a caption to describe the picture in a hilarious and more informative way. For example Michael Jordan’s picture looking at the referee after nearly lying on the floor the caption reads, “A play of disgust or a disgusted play?” Just make your own caption to make your shots more appealing.

Photography Fundamentals - How to Profit from Your Hobby

2009-12-02T07:33:00.005+08:00

Photography is a great way to express your ideas and feelings in a creative way. It is an amazing way of capturing the best moments in life and preserving it for a long time. Most people are now engaging to photography due to its benefits and the satisfaction it brings to someone. Photography is such a great hobby that many people nowadays have their own camera. Also because global social networking websites are becoming more and more popular these days, people are now into taking pictures and sharing it with their friends online. Others even went further to pursue a career in photography. So how can we profit from this kind of hobby?

In starting a business like Photography, you should be aware that the competition can be very tight. In order to succeed, you need to have perseverance and have your goals set for your career. Considering that there are a lot of fields to choose from, it is practical to know your expertise and totally focus on it. For instance, if your interest is on weddings and other social celebrations then it is best for you to learn more about weddings and focus on wedding photography. On the other hand, if you are a nature person then outdoor landscape shots are more your style. If ever you decide to pursue your photography business then you must first equip yourself with the basic knowledge in starting this kind of career. To get you started, here are some of the basics you need to know.

First thing you need to do is compose a business plan, this is what usually businessmen do if ever they want to start a business. The essential keys to make this venture successful are determination and proper organization. Being meticulous with details before starting your Photography Business will be advantageous in your part even if the business plan change as you move onwards.

Next thing you need to do is to create and impressive portfolio. Present your very best pictures. To make your portfolio more appealing, you need to have originality and distinctiveness. In this case, it will make you stand out form the rest. Then focus to where your expertise is highly applicable. If you are the type that can easily adapt to different fields in photography then make more portfolios for diverse categories. Make your portfolio well arranged in a professional and appealing manner using only the best materials you have.

Now the crucial part is investing in the equipments to be used in business. Choose and buy only high quality Digital Cameras and lighting accessories that best fits your needs. If you are in a studio, in the case of background arrangements, you need to provide fabrics with a variety of styles for your clients to choose from.

So your next step is on advertising your Photography Business. Advertising is a fundamental part in business since it allows you to expand and reach out to much bigger market. You can do flyers or post ads in your local newspaper. You can also advertise using the internet by making your own website, this way you can have more exposure compared to handling leaflets on the street. Select the best and only your best images to be posted on your website.

When everything is starting to be in the right place, now is the time to make everything legal by getting a license for your photography business. Look for a place where you can setup your office or studio and get the necessary permits to keep everything legal and official.

You can now start networking your business. You can do this by means of joining professional photography organizations and establish connections. The more connections you have, the more clients will reach you. Also, make yourself visible in every major occasion in your area, because you’ll never know you might just meet an important contact.

With careful assessment and thorough research before investing to a photography business will greatly reduce the risk of failure. In every business, not just photography, there is a need for hard work and determination for your business to become successful. Lastly, the best thing about having a Photography Business is that you are enjoying it as a hobby and at the same time earn from it.

Welcome to Jessie’s Photography Article Collection

2009-11-30T01:33:00.018+08:00

First of all, I would like to thank you for spending some of your precious time visiting My Blog.

Photography has been my hobby since 1999 up to now. During my high school days, I was the official photographer and photo journalist in our school publication. I joined a lot of photo contest then and have won several awards as well, from inter-school photo contest within our city to inter-region photo contest within the country - Philippines. It was during the year 2000 that I have won my first ever 4th place trophy in the national level photo journalism contest. Being the 4th placer made me feel proud about myself thinking that I am among the top 10 junior photo journalist in the country.

I am also an Article Writer. I have been writing articles for web content, blogs, and article submission sites for quite some time now. Having an online job like article writing, helped me a lot when it comes to finances and most especially in furnishing my English writing skill.

As a photographer and an article writer at the same time, I was able to gain a lot of learning experiences and have acquired the necessary skills to effectively create a blog like this. With my knowledge in photography and good English writing skills, I told myself that I should try writing articles about something that I love doing - photography. So I have decided to make this blog. This will give me the opportunity to combine my photography and article writing skills as well as to be able to share my knowledge about Photography and enhance further my English writing skill.

I’ve made this blog for the soul purpose of sharing relevant and essential information about photography, showcasing my article writing skills, and encouraging people to pursue photography as well as online article writing jobs.

This blog is more than just a Photography reference, this is a structured approach for learning Photography Fundamentals, published by Jessie Carlo Madriaga.

If you have articles you want to share, please let me know and Email Me. It would be great if you can share your personal Photography experiences and give some tips for those who have yet to venture the amazing world of photography.