Digital Photography Student

5 most common reasons for unsharp images

2010-03-12T20:19:00.001+01:00

Getting quite a bit of blurry shots ? Worry not, DPStudent helps you identify 5 most common reasons for unsharp images, and how to avoid and/or correct them.

The sharpest part of your photo should be the point of interest, so take extra care when focusing. If something other than the main subject is the sharpest part of the photo, the viewer's eye will rest in the wrong place. Five of the most common reasons are the following.

1. The lens is not focused accurately, particularly at wide apertures (f/1.4 - f/4). This issue, although somewhat annoying, can be easily avoided by either focusing manually, or by using LiveView with the zoom feature, which can help you preview how the subject focused.

2. The lens is focused on the wrong part of the composition. This is most often the case when trying to compose using rule of thirds, and the autofocus kicks in. This you can easily solve by aiming directly at your subject, pressing the shutter half-way, and then recomposing. Alternatively, if your digital camera allows it, you could tell your autofocus to use a specific area for autofocus, since it is a common feature, especially on a DSLR.

3. Shutter speed is to slow for hand-holding, resulting in camera shake. In this case, try to find support for your camera. It could be anything, from a nearby car, wall, bean bag to ideally tripod. Alternatively, you could try increasing ISO.

4. The photographer jabs the shutter release, wobbling the camera. To prevent this, you have two options. Self timer function, or the remote release. Both will eliminate your influence on the camera shake. The remote release will give you more control on when exactly to shoot a photo, so we would recommend that option.

5. The subject moves. In most cases, there is little you can do to prevent this (apart from asking your subject to hold still). The only potential solution is to crank up your shutter speed (switch to Shutter Priority Mode), and hope it will be fast enough to freeze the subject in place.

If you would like to learn more on how to furthermore improve the overall sharpness of your image, check our 20 photography tips to taking tack sharp photos. Happy shooting.

Chase Jarvis interview on the Comissioning Process

2010-03-10T07:00:00.000+01:00

Another fantastic video by Gordon Laing of the Cameralabs.com. This time he is interviewing Chase Jarvis, one of the most popular photographers in the world lately, and he is here to talk about the commissioning process. Lots of interesting stuff to learn here. Enjoy.

How to get that perfect exposure for sunsets

2010-03-08T07:00:00.010+01:00

How many times did it happen to you that when shooting sunsets, what you see is definitely not what you get ? The beautiful and rich sunset colors you see with your eyes look just wrong. Here is how to fix it.

The problem lies in the automatic exposure mechanism, and the fact that the setting sun can throw your exposure meter way off. However, there is an easy fix. What you need to do is:

aim just above the setting sun, and press and hold your shutter half way, then recompose the photo as intended and then shoot.

Make sure that while pressing the shutter half way, that the sun is not visible in the frame. The point is to get the exposure value reading from the sky itself without the sun locked in, and then use it to shoot the photo as originally intended.

Alternatively you could use Auto-Exposure Lock feature (AE-L) if your camera has it instead of half pressing the shutter. Additionally, if you want to get creative with your sunset shot you might want to check out our article:

Digital Photography Tips to Warmer Sunsets

Let us know how it went. Happy shooting.

Macro Photography project: Warhammer miniatures

2010-03-06T00:25:00.001+01:00

Miniatures are an interesting and a rewarding hobby that requires patience, focus and attention to detail. Did we mention that they are fantastic macro photography subjects? In the following guide we give a few tips for shooting miniature macros and creating interesting battlefield stories.

When checking out miniatures, there are many different vendors spanning multiple themes and scales, from common everyday life (e.g. featured in H0 scale models often used for train sets) to dramatic and violent fantasy battles such as Warhammer, Lord of The Rings amongst others. Whether you are a miniature collector, diorama artist, or simply a macro photographer looking for a new subject to shoot, miniatures can be very interesting subjects, so here are a few useful pointers for shooting miniatures.

First, the story...

The night of the living dead
Near the quiet town of Courtrai...	...the undead have risen...
...led by Lord Abhorash.	The Undead flood the graveyard...
...and despite heroic efforts of a local garrison...	...it appears there will be no dawn for the villagers.
Undead prepare to charge...	...but they do not realize...
...they are being watched!	All of a sudden, the ground begins to shake...
...the Knights of Bretonnia are here...	...tipping the odds in Empire's favor.
Volley after volley of arrows...	...and the undead are forced to withdraw...
...but the sun will set again tomorrow...

How to make a macro photography story

1. Choose the theme and scale - First of all, decide on the theme of your shoot, and the scale of your miniatures. In my case, I have opted to shoot a Warhammer Fantasy figures, since their diversity and colorful appeal, as well as stunning level of detail provide numerous photo opportunities. If you themes are mass scale conflicts, you cant go wrong with one of these. The miniatures are easy to come by (sold in many hobby shops), and you can customize them to your liking through assembly and painting. Check Gaugemaster, or Games Workshop sites for more info on where to buy the miniatures.

2. Decide on your scene - Basically, here you have to decide what your subject is. Do you want to make a portrait of a single miniature, or shoot for the entire scene ? If so, what is the scene about ? Is it a small intimate scene with only a few miniatures telling the story, or a mass scale full-on conflict busting with action. All these choices will affect the way the subject(s) will be presented. I have decided to capture a battle scene portraying the conflict between a Bretonnian archer squad backed up with two Bretonnian knights and an uprising undead army coming from the local graveyard. It is a diorama that i have built from scratch a few years ago (when i was heavily involved with creating battle scenes using Warhammer figures). I have used the following miniatures:

1x Skeleton Regiment - Vampire Counts
1x Blood Dragon - Vampire Counts Commander
1x Imperial Archers - mini pack
1x Imperial army command Squad (Commander, Standard Bearer and Drummer)
2x Bretonnian Knights

Creating the whole scene was quite a long project (around 2 months), involving many trial and errors, however in the end i was quite pleased with the result. I will not describe how to create battlefields using scrap materials here (check out Maffo models for that), as our main focus here is to take macro photos.

3. Tell a story - Here you need to take the role of a film director. You know what your scene is about, and what miniatures are available at your disposal. Try assembling your miniatures in a way that they portray a story. Decide who are your main actors, and what their role is in the scene. Usually writing a small scenario will help you get a better understanding of the actors, and the interactions among them, as it will help you decide on the look and feel of each individual shot. Your overall goal is to tell a story through a series of photos.

4. Shoot your scenes - Go through your storyboard, and shoot the pieces of the story. Try to focus on not more than 3-4 subjects as it may get confusing. Once you decide which role each actor has, try to find a way to record it with your camera. Here are a few pointers on how to do it.

Get down low - almost at the miniature's eye level. This will help you get into their perspective, and see through 'their eyes'.
Use longer lens focal length if possible - Basically, macro lens with shorter focal lengths (e.g.35mm) will force you to come to close to your subject and knock off some of the tiny details from your models. Here is where that 1:2 zoom such as 70-300mm 1:2 macro lens comes in handy. It will give you longer work distance, and prevent you from having to manover your bulky camera between those tiny miniatures.
Play with depth of field to emphasize the message you are trying to get across. For personal shots use wide aperture to isolate your subject, while for battle scenes use larger DOF to portray the conflict.
Sometimes, combining your miniatures with real life objects gives an interesting sense of scale, you may wish to portray. However, this was not the case in my diorama.

For more tips on shooting macros, check out our articles:

What is your preferred macro subject ?

Equipment For Macro Photography

2010-03-03T07:00:00.001+01:00

Last week was all about tutorials for macro photography. In this weeks video guide we feature MPTutor and his fantastic guide regarding macro photography gear.

The video comprises of two parts and covers most of the gear required by a successful macro photographer. Enjoy.

Macro Photos at DPStudent Flickr Group

2010-03-02T01:36:00.003+01:00

Hi and thank you all for your contributions. We have gotten several amazing macro shots at our Flickr group, and we list the best ones here:

avielpa : My best angle(Green Mantis)

The composition of this image is amazing. A true, intimate portrait of the Green Mantis. Notice the tack sharp detail on the tentacles and mouth, and the clever use of shallow depth of field to emphasize the head. A truly stunning macro.

q8phantom: Human Eye Pupil! Extreme Macro Version!

Simply put, WOW. The light coming from the side illuminates the eye perfectly exposing wonderful color and truly magnificent level of detail.

saxonfenken: Macro Paradise

This wonderful flower macro just amazes with color. Blue/yellow combination is a perfect fit, and the large depth of field ensures a punchy image with tremendous impact. In addition if you look for a moment longer, you will notice a small fly hidden between the petals. A true masterpiece.

canadian_photography: Parsley Worm Macro

This is an excellent macro portrait of a Parsley Worm. The square framing fits the image very nicely. The black yellowish stripes on the green body provide a strong point of interest leading to the worm head where the orange tentacles provide additional point of focus. The depth of field is just right, and the worm is in sharp focus. Excellent macro.

Top 20 Photography tips on Shooting Macros

2010-02-26T06:30:00.003+01:00

Macro photography can be very fun and rewarding, but also sometimes if the basics are not understood correctly, can be also frustrating at times. To help you minimize the frustration and maximize the fun factor Digital Photography Student team brings you top photography tips for shooting macros.

Before you start

It would be a good that you decide on your choice of subject. If you are a beginner in macro photography, we would recommend that you start with static subjects such as flowers and still life as they will give you a chance to try different camera settings, lighting conditions, and composition setup. Once these aspects have been mastered you might be more comfortable with moving on to more demanding subjects such as insects, small animals, and other moving subjects that require quick thinking and adopting your photography technique on the fly. For this guide we are assuming that your primary subjects are stationary.

Which photography gear do you need for shooting macros ?

1. Close-up lens (1:2) or macro lens(1:1) (see understanding photography for descriptions) are the most common ways on getting involved in macro photography. While they are not the cheapest option, they certainly are the best option from the quality standpoint. Other possibilities involve close-up filters, extension tubes and other creative ways on shooting macros (e.g. reversing lens). Remember, lens with longer focal length will provide bigger minimum focusing distance and shallower depth of field.

2. Solid tripod that can be fine tuned easily. More often than not macro photography requires tiny adjustments, and although most of macro photos can be done with even the most basic tripods, having a tripod that is easily fine tuned will go a long way in helping you keep your sanity. Ball head on your tripod is one of such improvements, as is milimeter scale on some more professional models.

3. Remote release or self timer function. As described in our guide 20 photography tips for shooting tack sharp photos, the purpose for the remote release or self timer function is to minimize camera shake introduced by a photographer, that could result in blurry photos. Some of the more advanced cameras offer mirror lock-up function which can also help reduce camera shake introduced by flipping the mirror-up in order to take the shot.

4. If you plan to use flash, we recommend that you look into ring flashes, or to create your own softbox (here is how), as your on-camera flash is too harsh for small subjects, rendering it almost unusable.

5. If you plan to shoot flowers, consider into investing in a plamp. It is a moveable clamp that is particularly useful for holding flowers, reflectors, or backgrounds in place. It can be ordered through Wimbereley Professional Photo Gear website and costs approximately $37.

Which camera settings are useful in macro photography ?

6. Use Aperture Priority mode for maximum control over depth of field. Since depth of field (DOF) plays an important role in macro photography (perhaps even more than in other photography categories), aperture priority mode will give you a full control over your aperture and DOF, while taking care of setting the correct exposure automatically. If you want full control over the exposure as well, use manual mode instead.

7. Remember that smaller apertures will give you larger depth of field, resulting more subject parts in sharp focus.

7. Remember that the depth of field in macro distances is measured in millimeters.

8. Try to shoot the subject parallel to the sensor plane to optimize depth of field.

9. Use depth of field preview function on your camera to help you decide which parts of the subject you want in sharp focus, and which you want to blur, thus helping you decide on which aperture to use.

10. If you can afford it, use the lowest ISO possible, for minimum noise.

11. Do not use Auto White Balance (WB). Whenever possible, set your white balance manually. You can better determine the type of light, and the quality. In addition manually selecting WB will give you more creative options regarding colors, and the mood you are trying to convey. The only exception to this rule is if you had mixed lighting conditions (different color temperatures, and light types) making it difficult to correctly guess white balance. Or alternatively, simply shoot in RAW. This will give you the flexibility to play with WB at later stage.

12. Use manual focusing. Due to the millimeter DOF range in macro photography, as well as long focusing paths in macro lens, most of the autofocusing mechanisms struggle with taking macro photos. In addition, the subject that autofocusing mechanism chooses, might not coincide with your vision of the subject. Therefore it is our recommendation that you take full control over your focusing, by engaging manual focus.

13. If your camera has Live View, use it to magnify the portion of your photo that you want in sharp focus, and then manually focus until you get the desired area tack sharp.

What do I need to think about in terms of Composition ?

14. Look at your subject. No, seriously, take a good look at your subject, and try thinking about what are the most interesting aspects of your subject ? What part of your subject do you really want to emphasize ?

15. Try different angles until you find the one that works best. Usually, the most unconventional angles can give most interesting results.

16. Check your background. Although it will most likely be a blurred blob of color, it is important to see how well does that color relate to your subject. Having ability to control the color of your background can make a difference between a good shot and a great shot. It might be handy to buy a collage paper in different colors for this purpose (usually it can be found in stores selling primary school material for kids).

17. Use Live View if available for composition. It is easier to experiment with live view, especially if you want to introduce a new element to the frame, or to re-frame the photo all together.

Anyting else ?

18. Explore your options. Try different lighting and composition schemess to make the object feel more alive.

19. Take a lot of shots - as some photos might turn out blurry for many reasons, even more so if shooting outdoors. Even the smallest gust of wind can shake your subject. Therefore, it is prudent to hedge your bets by taking multiple shots of the same subject.

20. Have a lot of patience. Macro photography takes a little time to learn, but a lot time to master. But it pays off to see all elements coming together, creating that WOW effect. And did we mention that it was fun ?

There you have it. These are just general macro photography tips to help you get started. There will be more subject specific macro photography tips to follow in next series of guides. Until then, post your opinions and comments, and show off your hard work in our flickr group. Happy Shooting.

Macro Photography Tutorial

2010-02-24T07:00:00.001+01:00

In the scope of this macro photography week, Nikon Help Hotline brings us this very useful Macro Photography Tutorial.

Improve you macro photography skills with this interesting video tutorial.

Enjoy.

DPStudent Group Assignment: Macro

2010-02-23T07:00:00.001+01:00

This month we have a new assignment for our readers at our flickr group: Macro Photography.

Share your macros for everyone to enjoy. We will display the best photos on our blog. Happy shooting.

Understanding Macro Photography

2010-02-22T07:00:00.002+01:00

What is macro photography ? Many of us have heard the term, but not everyone understands exactly what it means, and it becomes easy to become confused. Learn the basics of macro photography with this concise guide.

The most common misconception is that macro photography means taking photos of small objects and enlarging them. While this is a consequence of taking macro photos, it is not necessarily how it works. Macro photography is all about getting in close, not increasing magnification.

The correct definition of macro photography means that the object being photographed should have been recorded life-sized on the camera's sensor. Imagine that you have a coin (for example 1 EUR)which is approx 23mm in diameter. This same coin will appear 23mm (life-sized) on the camera's sensor at the closest point of focus. This is the characteristic of 'true' macro lens (also referred as 1:1 macro by lens manufacturers). Some lens manufacturers claim their lens are 'macro' with magnification factors of 1:2 (half life-size) or even 1:4. What it means is that objects photographed will appear 2x or even 4x smaller than it would appear if it was photographed with a 'true' macro lens. Those lens are suitable for close-up photography but they are not true macro lens. Check Euro coin photos on the left for comparison. The top image was taken with a common Pentax 18-55mm kit lens at its closest focus point. The middle was taken with Sigma 300mm 1:2 'macro', while the bottom one was taken with Pentax 50mm 1:1 macro lens. We have collected some of the most frequent questions related to Macro Photography:

What is the main benefit of a macro lens ?
Basically, it allows you to get close to your subject. Very close !!! And to capture your subject up close with tremendous level of detail.

Will my subject be any larger if I shoot it with 100mm macro as opposed to 50mm ?
No. This is a common question among the beginners in macro photography. Your subject will appear the same size regardless of the focal length you are using.

What is then the main difference between 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 180mm macro lens ?
The main difference between macro lens of different focal lengths is in the minimum working distance. All lens have a minimum working distance, which means how close to your subject can you get. For example my Pentax 18-55mm kit lens have a minimum working distance of 25cm (that is 25cm measured from subject to camera sensor), meaning I can come as close as approx 12 cm to my subject with the tip of the lens when using 50mm focal length. Now with my Pentax 50mm macro working distance is 15cm (15cm subject to sensor), meaning I can get as close as 5cm to my subject with the tip of my lens.

Why is minimum working distance so important in macro photography ?
Minimum working distance is very important in macro photography, if you are interested in taking macro photos of insects and other living beings. Most insects are timid and will fly away on the first sign of someone approaching. Therefore it is important to be able to stay as far away as possible, while still taking a good macro photo.

So why would anyone want to use macro lens with smaller focal length (e.g. 35mm) ?
Macro photography as such pushes one other basic photography concept to its limits: depth of field (DOF), Basically, the closer you are to subject, the shallower depth of field. In addition in you remember from our lens focal length guide lens focal length also affects DOF. The longer the focal length, the shallower the depth of field. In macro photography, DOF is measured in millimeters, and lens with longer focal length may have a problem of having too shallow DOF. Here, the benefit of the lens with smaller focal length becomes apparent. Lens with smaller focal length will have bigger depth of field, allowing you to keep bigger portion of your subject in sharp focus.

What is bokeh ?
Bokeh is the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur in the out-of-focus areas of the image, or "the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light. Differences in lens aberrations and aperture shape cause some lens designs to blur the image in a way that is pleasing to the eye, while others produce blurring that is unpleasant or distracting— "good" or "bad" bokeh, respectively. Bokeh occurs for parts of the scene that lie outside the depth of field. Bokeh is often most visible around small background highlights, such as specular reflections and light sources, which is why it often associated with such areas. Photographers sometimes deliberately use shallow focus techniques to create prominent out-of-focus regions, thus encompassing bokeh as a compositional element of the photo. It is especially important in macro photography as due to the extremely shallow depth of field, there will be lots of areas that are out-of-focus.

We hope that you liked these insights into macro photography. Stay tuned for more macro goodness coming up in near future.

Digital Photography Student - Macro Photography Week

2010-02-22T06:00:00.001+01:00

Hi and welcome to DPStudent Macro photography week. We have some interesting stuff coming up, so stay tuned and enjoy.

100 Best Free Photography Tools on the Web by Photography Colleges

2010-02-19T07:00:00.002+01:00

Our colleagues from Photography Colleges have compiled an extensive list featuring 100 best free photography tools on the Web.

Photography Colleges is a website dedicated to help photography enthusiasts get their Associates, Bachelors and Masters degree in photography. As the title suggests, the website features several photography colleges containing some useful links to various colleges with programs related to photography.

Do not let the simplistic design of the website fool you. The minimalistic homepage features some very interesting and highly recommended photography resource recommendations, some of which we will highlight here:

... and many more.
For more info visit http://www.photography-colleges.org/

DSLR Tips - Night Photography

2010-02-17T07:00:00.001+01:00

Having problems with night photography ? Check the Night Photography video tutorial provided by cameraLabs.

CameraLabs brings us an extraordinary video tutorial explaining in-detail on how to make the most of night photography. Lots of useful night photography tips nicely arranged in this video tutorial.

Know your camera

2010-02-15T18:02:00.000+01:00

Before you even start using the photography tips we provide you, it is essential you get to know your digital camera.

Once you buy a new camera, it is important that you play with it for a while, find where you can find specific settings, and get to know your digital cameras advantages and limitations. So our photography tip of the week is:

Know your camera !

How ? Easy ! Put your digital camera (or dSLR) on full automatic mode, and go shooting with it. It is important that you get a feeling for it, and then progress slowly to more creative settings such as program mode, aperture priority mode, shutter priority, and finally full manual.

I would suggest to study the manual, however, I have recently bought a Pentax K-7, but I have studied its manual myself, and I cannot say I was thrilled with the information I found there. However, I have found a set of guides called Magic Lantern Guides on Amazon. I have bought one for my previous Pentax K200D DSLR and was surprised with the amount of useful information not only on the features of my digital camera, but also information on how to use them to achieve various creative effects.

In addition, I have recently also bought Magic Lantern Guide for my Pentax K-7, and am very happy with the amount of information provided. So, whether if you want to take your camera out for shooting or study the manual / guides, it is important that you get to know your camera.

Also if you know of any other camera specific guides, feel free to recommend them. Happy shooting !

DPStudent Flickr Gallery showcase

2010-02-12T07:00:00.004+01:00

Hi and welcome to our new Flickr Gallery Showcase. This is a new section of our blog where we give opportunity to our community members to show off some of their work.

If you are interested to contribute as well as get some feedback on your photos, visit us at Digital Photography Student Flickr group and submit your photos. We are looking forward to your submissions. And here are a few photos made by our new members:

...including one of mine :

All comments are welcome.

Rick Sammons Top 10 Photography Tips

2010-02-10T07:00:00.000+01:00

In this week's video tutorial we bring you Rick Sammon's Top 10 Photography Tips as posted by pixelmagic. Excellent photography tips, delivered in short, yet concise way. Highly recommended.

Why does having Live View make a difference

2010-02-08T07:30:00.003+01:00

Live View is a feature in digital cameras that most of the compact owners take for granted. However, it was not so long ago that the feature has made it's debut in the dSLR market. How useful is it ?

Live View is the name of the feature where you can preview the photo you are taking, as a live video feed on your digital cameras LCD display. If you are a digital compact camera owner, this is definitely not a new feature, as this method was used in compact cameras from their very beginning. However, this feature has only recently been introduced to the dSLR owners. If you have been using compact camera and are planning to upgrade to dSLR, this feature will be a godsend. I should know, I have finally upgraded my Pentax K200D to a K-7 and feel reborn all over again.

Before buying my dSLR, i had an Olympus C-765 UZ, a solid mid-range ultra-zoom camera (10x). Over the time I was using it I have gotten so used to composing my photos by using LCD screen, that after i have bought my dSLR (Pentax K200D), reverting to using viewfinder was a huge hassle for me. I have adapted eventually, but only a week ago when I bought a digital camera that has live view, have I realized how much have I been missing this feature. The benefits of Live View:

1. You get a chance to see how your actual photo will look like - as much as I am aware that some pros might not agree, live view is as close as you will get to seeing the actual photo as possible, without pressing the shutter button. Some dSLR camera's viewfinders do not offer 100% coverage. That means that the fence, or the reflector, that you tried so hard to keep just out of the picture, might still end up there. On the other hand, live view is pretty much, what you see is what you get, with the exception of depth of field.

2. No need to second guess white balance - if you prefer to use manual white balance when taking your photos, live view will make a preview giving you a chance to evaluate the colors of your photo, and adjust white balance if necessary.

3. Big screen preview - the most obvious benefit, however not the one to be overlooked. Viewing your image on the big screen, gives you a much better idea if the photo you are taking is good enough, or if you could improve it by quickly re-composing. Not to mention the ability to see all of the fine details of the photo. It still isn't computer screen but in my opinion, it beats viewfinder any day of the week, and helps you improve your photography techniques.

4. Using additional on-screen help tools - in photography, any additional help tool is welcome. Therefore, when you are using live view, check for additional tools that might help you get your photo right in-camera. The usual on-screen tools that are available on the live-view is the grid, helping you compose your photos, the electronic spirit level (pentax k-7 feature only) ensuring your horizon is straight, and a histogram for evaluating your exposure. We will examine histogram and why it is the most important feedback tool in more detail in our friday's photo school. Untill then, our tip of the week is:

Live View makes a lot of difference, so if you have it, use it !!!

... especially if you have previously used digital compact camera.

One note regarding live view - avoid pointing your camera towards the sun while using live-view as it might damage your sensor. Happy shooting.

DPStudent Group on Flickr

2010-02-05T21:09:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Digital Photography Student Flickr Group. This group is intended for you, our readers, due to increasing amount of requests for an online gallery. Show off your photos and get a chance for your photos to be displayed here.

Top digital photography tips - Arranging your shot

2010-02-03T07:00:00.000+01:00

In today's video momphotographer shares some very useful tips for arranging your shot.

The power of the will

2010-02-01T23:00:00.011+01:00

They tell us while we are children:"If you set your mind to it, you can accomplish everything." And as children, we believe that if we want something badly enough, that it is achievable. And you know what, it is true, as long as you never give up.

Today, I'd like to share with you a more personal story. And it begins few weeks before this Christmas vacation. My wife has persuaded me to check out and eventually book a trip to Ao Nang (Thailand) for the Christmas holidays. Before the trip, while doing a research of all of the interesting places to visit, I have stumbled upon a photo that left me speechless. It was the photo of the view from the top of the mountain above the Tiger Cave Temple, just outside of Krabi town.

Since I knew we will eventually visit this place (as it was one of the top attractions around Krabi), I began thinking on how will I take a photo of the view on top of the mountain. I have read reviews on TripAdvisor, saying that it was something truly incredible. One of them mentioned it was a hard climb and not recommended unless you were an athlete.

Finally, the day came. Tiger Cave Temple was a part of a bigger tour, visiting first the hot springs, bathing in the emerald pool, followed by a lunch and elephant trekking. It was a wonderful tour, except for the one problem I did not foresee. On the road towards the Tiger Cave Temple, the tour guide told us that that we have approximately 40 minutes to spend there, and that we will probably not make it, since it was 1237 of difficult stairs (one way), and 800m in height.

Imagine the disappointment. This was to be one of the highlights of our trip, and then they tell us that we will not make it. I knew that if we did not get up there, I will not be able to live with myself. I had to try. I looked to my wife, and saw the same determination. It was decided. We will make it !!! I put my Pentax over my shoulder, took a bottle of water in hand, and we started to climb.

The climb was excruciating. I have climbed approx 1237 stairs once or twice in my life (never in that time frame though), but these kind of stairs were completely crazy. There were few people from our group that joined us in the attempt. Some of them stopped at 300, some at 700th step, due to various reasons. They said, 700 is good, it's admirable, and that we will not have time for descent. And yes, 700 was really an achievement, but it was not 1237. So we pressed on. And the clock was ticking.

The next short break occurred around step #928. Given the fact that I'm not an athlete I was running out of breath. Every step seemed harder, and every platform we made very short breaks to regain our breath. The bottle of water helped a little. I began to suspect that we might not reach the top in time, however we were so close. Finally few long minutes of climb later, we made it !!! 1237 steps. We were on the top of the mountain, and blessed with a wonderful view, and a huge statue of golden Buddha smiling towards us. Still today, I cannot find the words to describe the feeling I felt there for those 3 brief minutes we spent there. It was a feeling of triumph over my doubts, and over my body. I took my Pentax, and fired a few shots, including the one I came for.

Out of 6 people attempting to climb the mountain, my wife and I were the only ones that have actually made it to the top. 3 minutes later, it was again 1237 steps on the way down, and it was once again a race against the clock. Eventually we were a few minutes late (around 10 min in total), and after apologizing to the rest of the group, we sat down, exhausted, yet happy. We made it. 2x 1237 steps in 50 min, and those 3 minutes that were worth all of it.

The reason I wanted to share this story with you, is to tell you that if you set a goal for yourself, as long as you are true to your goal and do not give up, eventually you will achieve it. Each one of us has our own mountain to climb, and if you want it badly enough, you will find a way to get there. Never let other people set boundaries to the things you want to achieve in life. So our tip of the week is:

Stay true to your goals, and do not give up, regardless of how hard it may seem at the moment !

This article I dedicate to my lovely wife, whose attitude and determination in life as well as during that climb made me believe that these kind of achievements in life are possible. Honey, you are always an inspiration.

How to fake a panorama in Adobe Photoshop Elements

2010-01-29T07:00:00.172+01:00

Have you ever looked at those impressive panoramas hanging from photo gallery walls, and wondered what does it take to make such an impressive photo ? Sometimes, it does not take more then an average photo and a few minutes playing with Adobe Photoshop Elements.

First, and most important, you have to have a photo that has potential to be a good panorama. Take for example this photo to the right. Although it might seem that it is only a common snapshot, this photo is actually a good candidate for making a panorama.

What makes a good panorama candidate ?

1. Cropping potential - absolutely essential since the whole idea revolves around intelligent cropping and enhancing. Basically what you are looking for is the photo that has little or no important subjects in the foreground, meaning it's top and bottom can be removed if necessary (as seen in red frame on the example).

2. Compose with panorama in mind - although the top and bottom will be trimmed, it pays dividends to plan in advance. Rule of thirds is still one of the strongest compositional rules, and following it will ensure that your newly cropped image looks good. Try to pre-visualize when shooting the photo how would it look like cropped (yellow lines in the example).

3. Additional interest (something extra to discover) - this I would call that little bonus that makes an image stand out. What you want is your viewer to be engaged in the photo, and finding such "bonuses" is a rewarding experience in its own right and definitely something to aim for (like the small boat in blue circle).

The rest is simple !

Actually, finding and shooting a suitable panorama candidate photo was the hardest part. Now, all you need is some photo editing software (like Adobe Photoshop Elements), or even more advanced photo viewer (like IrfanView), and follow these easy steps:

Step 1 - Crop mercilessly - Select the area you would like to crop out. Select the crop tool, and adjust your selection making sure that one side of the photo is much longer than the other. With these kind of crops less is more. Remove everything that does not absolutely deserve to be there. Remember, keep it simple. Once you are happy with your selection, click the green check mark to confirm the crop, and you should end up with something like this.

Step 2 - Touch up - Now it's a matter of adjusting the levels slightly. Go to the Enhance - Adjust Lighting - Levels, and adjust the shadow and highlight input markers closer to the histogram. This will add contrast to your image, however be careful not to overdo it.

Step 3 - Sharpen -In case you would like to sharpen your image a bit, now it would be a good time. Go to Enhance - Unsharp Mask and add a little bit of sharpening. (I use settings: Amount - 80%, Radius 2.0 - pixels, Threshold - 10 levels). In the end you should end up with something like this:

Now, all that remains is to go to your local photo printing store, and order yourself a nice canvas print.

Proper Camera Sensor Cleaning Tutorial

2010-01-27T07:00:00.004+01:00

Is you lens perfectly clean ? Yet, for some reason, you are still getting spots on your photos. Maybe it is time for you to clean your sensor.

Please note that digital camera sensor cleaning, although a simple procedure, is not without hazard, and if you are not careful, you could potentially damage your sensor, or your mirror. Sensor cleaning might be best left to professionals, and it is cheap enough. However, it is not complicated procedure, and you can do it yourself.

Fortunately, Lilkiwiguy87 from Nikon Help Hotline posted a detailed video tutorial, on how to properly clean your camera's sensor.

Note: Under no circumstances will Digital Photography Student Blog or any of it's associates be held liable for the consequences arising from using this tutorial. For more info check our Legal Disclaimer

Check your foreground interest

2010-01-25T07:00:00.006+01:00

One of the most important rules in landscape photography is foreground interest. Having an object in the foreground leads the eye into the shot and provides a sense of depth.

To illustrate the importance of having good foreground in landscape photography, check the photo of these longtail boats in Maya Bay to the left. The boats give a viewer interesting foreground, and lead the eye into the frame, all the way up to the majestic rocks in the background. Maya Bay might be "The Beach", but it would not be nearly as impressive without the boats to give it a sense of scale. So, in that tone, our tip of the week is:

Check your foreground !

Find an object in the foreground that will add depth to your landscape photos, and use it to your advantage. It can be anything: e.g. rock, branch, plant, boat, person. Our recommendation would be to pick something that will reinforce the overall theme of your landscape shot. Happy shooting.

DPstudent's digital photography school for beginners

2010-01-22T07:00:00.009+01:00

Interested in Digital Photography ? Don't know where to begin ? You have come to the right place! Check our photo school and learn basic photography concepts like aperture, shutter speed, sensitivity, depth of field and white balance. Then check our photo tips for further ideas.

I have bought a digital camera, now what ?

Where to begin ? - If you are asking yourself this question, and have not yet gone out to take your new digital camera for a spin, you might want to check our this article for some beginner's book recommendations.

Define yourself and your photographs - When you are just beginning in digital photography, it pays dividends to specialize. Learn everything to know about shooting one particular type of subject, and then choose another. This article will help you identify your preferred subject and make you aware of the approach you take when shooting photos.

5 Essential camera accessories - Everyone can take good photos. However, if you want your photos to stand above the rest, you will need some additional gear. These five essential accessories will help you make better photos.

Photography Basics

Concepts every photographer should know

Aperture - Learn about aperture. What is aperture and how does it impact my photos ? How can i use aperture to separate my main subject from the background ? Which leads us to...

Depth of Field (DOF) - What is depth of field and how to control it ? What are the key factors that impact depth of field ? Which types of photos benefit from shallow dof and which one from large dof ? Also check out our list of handy tools for calculating depth of field.

Shutter Priority - Shutter priority mode is one of the most undervalued modes in beginners photography with no good reason. Learn its secrets, and how to creatively use it to capture amazing action shots or abstract night trails.

ISO (Sensitivity) - Learn how to fine tune ISO setting on your digital camera to best suit your types of photos. Do you really have to raise ISO in low light conditions ? How can adjusting sensitivity help you obtain that vintage look when shooting black/white photos.

Lens focal length explained - If you have just bought your first DSLR, and are looking to better understand about different types of lenses, such as wide angle lens, telephoto lens, prime lens and zoom lens look no further. This article will also help you illustrate how would a sample photo look at various focal lengths.

White Balance - Learn about white balance and color temperatures. Why is it that camera sees images a little different than human eye ? How can you make better photos by taking direct control over your white balance setting on your digital camera. How can you use WB creatively to achieve a desired effect (e.g. warm sunset) ?

Then check our:

20 photography tips to taking tack sharp images - Take really sharp photos, using the same photography techniques pros use and be sure to visit our beginning photography tips section, updated on a weekly basis, for tips on how to further improve your photos.

If you would like to read more, you might want to look at our

Book Recommendations
Photography beginners will mostly benefit from these books:

1. 123 of Digital Imaging - Simple, powerful, and rich with content. Huge amount of information, well organized and suited to all levels of photography. Delivered as a software. Check our review for more information.

2. Scott Kelby's Digital Photography Boxed set - Three books one author. Photography techniques simplified to the bone. Although aimed towards beginners, these books are a must have in any photographer's library.

3. The moment it Clicks - by Joe Mc Nally - Excellent book, portrays what goes on in photographer's mind when taking a photo.

If you prefer online resources...

Top 10 Photography Blogs - Top 10 Blogs about Photography. Each and every one packed with useful content and great tips.

Also, if you liked these posts, be sure to subscribe to DPStudent, as we have more great content lined up, but until then, send us your comments, questions, and opinions. Happy shooting.

Creativity - The fun part of photography

2010-01-20T07:30:00.000+01:00

Creativity is the fuel that drives every photography enthusiast. It differs you and your photos among thousands of others.

So it is that with great pride we present you with an interesting Creativity video tutorial, provided by DavidBoag. We certainly hope you will enjoy it as much as we did.