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DIY Homemade Softbox - Foldable Softbox

2011-06-20T18:20:33Z

DIY Homemade Softbox - Foldable Softbox

DIY Softbox - From Left - Sinu Kumar, Shibu Bhaskar

Based on the R3 concept (Reduce, Recycle and Reuse) this foldable and easily dismantable softbox is based on a child walker.

In this project we are using a square aluminium frame, we could have re used the base of the walker but that we are saving for some future diy action.

The softbox we designed is cheap to build but its very durable and could be easily disassembled.Best thing about it apart from the fine light it produces is its looks.

Supplies for Softbox Project

Folding Mechanism from Walker for children
Aluminium Square piper 3/4 inch
4 inch piper cover / dummy.
Aluminium Piece 1 inch wide
Butter Paper
Rivets / Screws / Nuts & Bolts
Adhesive

Tools Required for the Softbox Project

Steel Scale, Permanent Marker, Rivet Gun, Combination Plier, Screwdrivers

The walker shown below was used by my daughter (who is now 3 years of age) it has performed its duty well and has outlived all the punishments thrown at it during its active service. It was lying in the garage waiting to be disposed off.

Shown in the picture given below is the mechanism that allows the walker to fold for easy storage. The next image shows it folded.

We disassembled the folding mechanism from the walker and attached it to a 4 inch dummy (cover for pipe 4 inch in diameter) available at all hardware stores. The holder that attaches to the folding mechanism needed to be suited to match the curve of the dummy. Easily done with a combination plier.

All the holders were riveted to the dummy. The whole setup came out quite stronger than we first expected.

Next we cut out the hole for the flash from the dummy and made a ‘C’ clamp from a 1 inch wide aluminium piece to hold the flash in place.

Now that we have successfully attached the flash we made a 20 inch square frame to form the front portion of our softbox.

You can see the skeleton of our softbox in the picture given on the left and the softbox with the umbrella cloth attached on the right. Luckily we found an umbrella with one side silver coated surface and other side black. If you have trouble finding such stuff you could get black umbrella cloth and apply aluminium paint on the inside. We undid the whole assemble including the cloth and re-cut / sowed it to match the shape of our softbox.

A metal ring was made from the aluminium piece to keep the cloth firm at the center. The cloth was glued to the inside of the outer frame. We covered the space inside the dummy with aluminium foil to ensure maximum reflection.

In order to achieve even distribution of light on all areas of the softbox we made a primary diffuser / reflector out of butter paper. Butter paper was cut in a circular shape and was glued to the top of the dummy. This acts as the primary reflector spreading the light equally to all areas of the secondary diffuser.

And after applying a layer of butter paper to the front side our diy homemade softbox was ready for field testing

A sample test on Enchantingkerala.org team members Shibu Bhaskar and Sinu Kumar who worked on this diy softbox project.

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DIY Homemade Softbox Made of Muram a Sieve used in kitchen

2011-06-17T09:40:49Z

DIY Homemade Softbox

DIY Softbox

A simple yet elegant softbox made of a plastic Muram (18 inch Square). Smaller and larger versions of Murams are also available.

Muram is basically a sieve to clean grains and cereals like wheat, rice, barley etc (separating the grain from the husk). It is also useful for drying various items in sunlight like dry chilies and coriander for powdering, dry mango and other delicious items.

Muram has been in use in kerala for many years it is found in various shapes and sizes and in different names across India. For example a slightly different version of Muram is called “gholna” in Marathi. Traditionally Muram was made of reed but now a day’s its available mostly in plastic.

Supplies for Softbox Project

Muram 1 (19 inch Square)
Aluminium Sheet (1 square feet)
Aluminium Piece 1 inch wide
Aluminium Foil
Butter Paper
Rivets / Screws / Nuts & Bolts
Adhesive

Tools Required for the Softbox Project

Steel Scale, Metal Cutting Scissors, Permanent Marker, Rivet Gun, Combination Plier

First step in converting a kitchen appliance into professional looking photographic equipment is to lose it’s tell tale features. In our case the edge of the muram; the edge makes it easily identifiable as a muram so even though our project could do with the edge, for sake of aesthetics we decided to trim it.

A quick work with a sand paper folded onto a piece of wood makes the edges look neat.

Note that we have marked and made a hole in the center of our to be softbox. Next we will fix black color matt finish rexin (commonly used for automobile seats) to the rear portion of our homemade softbox. Take care to fix it without any wrinkles.

Quick tip :- Before attaching rexin on to the surface, heat it gently using a hair drier. Treating it so makes it very flexible and thereby making your job (attaching it without wrinkles) much easier.

Next step is to prepare the inside of our homemade softbox. We are using aluminium foil to prepare our reflective surface. The foil is first folded and then straightened to make it act as many small reflectors instead of one big one there by creating softer light.

One big hurdle of working with such shallow softbox is to attain an even distribution of light without any hotspots. The base of our sofbox only has a depth of 3.5 inches and so conventional methods of reflecting light using primary reflectors are not very practical. So as we have done earlier in our diy beauty dish project we pried open the discharge tube from our speedlight there by creating an omnidirectional light source for our softbox.

Before attempting it make sure that you have properly discharged the flash unit. It has high voltages and could be hazardous. The main thing to remember is that the capacitors of flash units holds charge even though it has not been used for some time. So properly discharge the flash before removing the discharge tube.

The holder for our discharge tube is made out of a 35mm film can. Once you attach the discharge tube to the holder, make sure you insulate both the soldering ends properly. You may use epoxy, hot glue or even plastic sleeves for this purpose.

Our diy homemade softbox is now almost ready and next we need to make a handle to hold the flash unit to the softbox and also to attach the softbox to its stand / tripod. We made our using aluminium plate of 1 inch width. As aluminium is a very malleable metal you could easily bend it using a combination plier. Drill holes for all attachments before actually bending the plate.

We cut out a 5 inch square from the aluminium sheet and attached the holder to it using steel screws. You could see two half inch wide aluminium plates on to which the whole thing is screwed in previous pictures showing the inside of the softbox.

The final stage of our diy homade softbox project is adding the diffusion panel to the front of the softbox. We used butter paper for our diffusion panel. You may also use satin or polyster cloth instead. You may control the amount of diffusion by either increasing or decreasing the number of layers of your diffusion panel.

Here is our diy homemade softbox ready for action and given below are some sample images shot using it.

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DIY Softbox effective in use, economic to build and professional in looks.

2011-06-15T15:44:19Z

DIY Softbox

DIY Softbox

A softbox is a light modifier used in photography to achieve a softer feel with reduced shadow definition. It achieves the result by softening or diffusing the light coming through it either by directing light through some diffusing material or by bouncing it off a primary reflector to a secondary reflector which in turn redirects the light to illuminate the subject.

To put it simply a softbox is a box with a light source at the rear and a diffusion material at the front. A softbox could use either a flash or a strobe or even any continuous lighting device as the light source. In this project we are building a softbox which is effective in use, economic to build and professional in looks.

Supplies for Softbox Project

Corrugated Plastic Sheet
Aluminium Sheet
Aluminium Piece 1 inch wide
Aluminium Foil
Butter Paper
Rivets / Screws / Nuts & Bolts
Adhesive

Tools Required for the Softbox Project

Steel Scale, Paper Cutter, Permanent Marker, Scissors, Rivet Gun, Combination Plier

The dimensions of our diy softbox are 20 inches in width, 30 inches in height and 15 inches in depth. As I am afraid of math instead of doing all the calculations, I cut out dimensions on paper and made adjustments till it met my requirements.

Corrugated plastic sheets are mainly used for advertising boards and are available in most hardware stores. It is available in different colors. I would have preferred a black sheet but it was not available so got grey instead. The sheet we got was 6 feet by 4 feet and cost us Rs 140/- (approx $3).

Once I finished cutting all four sides of the softbox I joined them using pieces of masking tape to check the shape, make sure everything was in order and to cut the hole in the rear to house my flash. The reason I used masking tape was because I did not want the adhesive to be left behind on the sheets once I remove it.

Now that we are sure that everything is just as we want, we will do the actual joining. I used pressure sensitive lamination sheet to join the sides. It has many advantages, it is strong, it has more adhesive strength and it has matt finish. I first did the outside and then the inside. If you have a hair drier you could gently apply some hot air so that the lamination sheet sticks perfectly. Remember to leave a gap of 3 to 5 mm between the sheets on all four sides to enable the pieces to bend. First finish all four sides on the outside so that you now have your pyramid shape, then apply tape on the inside so it becomes strong and would hold the angle.

Next we need to line the inside of our softbox with aluminium foil in order to get a reflective surface. To maximize the reflection we first folded the foil paper so that it has many wrinkles in it and then straightened it and glued it to all four sides on the inside. Aluminium foil cost us Rs 80/- (approx $1.50).

Now that the inside of our softbox is ready; it is time to think of attaching the flash to its rear and also about attaching the softbox to its stand / tripod.

First I cut out the different shapes on paper and through trial and error reached this design. It is cut out from an aluminium sheet and the measurements are 11 inches by 9.5 inches. Cut through the red lines and fold it to get the shape.

Now we need to attach our aluminium structure to our softbox. I placed small aluminium piece on the inside and riveted the shape. Before riveting, I also applied some glue to the inside of the aluminium structure for added strength.

Next I did some testing and found out that my softbox needed a primary diffusion panel in addition to the front diffusion panel to ensure even spread of light from the flash. I am using butter paper / tracing sheet as material for diffusion as that paper produces pure white light and does not make a yellow shade when light passes through it.

What you see is two sticks crossed on to which butter paper is attached. The frame is intended to keep the primary diffuser in shape; you may as well use aluminium rods or anything for the purpose or even do away with the sticks and just paste the paper on to the surface. But in my trials I achieved the best result when the center portion had more diffusion material (2 layers) then intermediate portion a bit less diffusion (1 layer) and when the edges were left blank (no primary diffusion).

Remember the distance and size of the primary reflector is very important so experiment with both to find the best solution. The one I used is 8 inches in width and 10 inches in height placed about one third distance from the rear of the softbox.

Now we need a clamp to hold the flash unit in place and to attach our softbox to its stand or a tripod. I used 1 inch wide aluminium piece. The piece was bent to shape using a combination plier.

I fixed the front diffusion panel (butter paper). It is kept in shape by a strip of lamination tape. And here is our finished softbox with all elements in place and ready for action.

A closer look at our diy softbox. You could see the shape of the clamp, the flash unit attached and its head is also kept in place using some lamination sheet. Lamination sheet does not leave glue behind when you remove it and also has more strength and adhesive power than other tapes.

And finally a test shot using our diy softbox.

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Wavelengths and colors

2011-06-12T06:53:28Z

Wavelengths and colors

Light Wave - Courtesy Wikipedia

That part of the Electro Magnetic Spectrum that human eye can see is termed as Visible Spectrum or Visible light or simply Light. And this consists of wavelengths from 400 – 700 nm. Many animals and insects have eyes that are sensitive to other wavelengths outside of the human visible spectrum. Bees and other insects use ultraviolet radiation to find nectar, Some species of birds has sex dependent markings on their plumage only visible in ultraviolet light; proof of their eyes sensitivity to ultraviolet frequencies.

But for all purposes we are only concerned about what the human eye could see. Human eye has three kinds of light receptors; they are blue, green and red. We perceive color depending upon the strength of each type of waves. For example if the light we see has more red waves we see light as red. And when all three light receptors are stimulated equally we see white or neutral grey. An understanding of the sequence of colors of the visible spectrum will help you choose color filters for a scene and also understand the response of the film and digital sensors to various colors.

Wavelength of Visible Light

Human eye could only see wavelengths from 400 – 700nm.
When all wavelengths are present in a light emission the result appears white and colorless.
When only some of the wavelengths are present in a light it appears colored.
What we perceive as cooler colors (blue) has the shortest wavelength and what we perceive as hot colors (red) has the longest.
When light passes through atmosphere short wavelengths are easily scattered and that is the reason why midday sky appears blue.
During sunrise and sunset the sunrays travels more distance through the earth’s atmosphere as it is coming at an angle. And during the process short wavelengths get filtered out and only the longest wavelengths reach earth’s surface. That is the reason for the yellow light during sunrise and sunsets.

White light has all the frequencies in the visible region and has all colors blue, green, yellow, red etc present. Depending upon the change in wavelength the color of light changes.

At 400 – 450 nm we see light as dark purple - violet.
At 450 – 500 nm the light appears blue.
At 500 – 580 nm light appears more blue – green.
At 580 – 600 nm we see yellow.
At wavelengths longer than 600 nm the color of light changes to orange.
At 650 nm light looks red
And at 700 nm it appears to be a darker shade of red.

In the next article we will discuss how light behaves when it falls on a surface.

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An Introduction to Light

2011-06-08T15:01:06Z

An Introduction to Light

Light Wave - Courtesy Wikipedia

Light is what enables us to see. Our eye sees things when light hit them and reflects back to our eyes carrying information. So what exactly is this light? Generally when we say light we are actually referring to visible light. Visible light is that portion of the Electro Magnetic Spectrum which is visible to the human eye (wavelengths in between 400 and 700 nm). Radio waves, micro waves, infrared waves, ultraviolet waves, x rays and gamma rays constitute the rest of the wavelengths of the Electro Magnetic Spectrum.

The primary properties of light are intensity, direction, frequency or wavelength and polarization. Light has both the properties of waves and particles and is emitted and received in tiny packets called photons. The study of light is called Optics.

Photography in simple terms is the process of capturing light. Although in order to be a successful photographer you need not research the physics of light; having an understanding of light, the basic properties of light, how it produces color, how it illuminates various subjects, how it behaves in different conditions and how to manipulate it will go a long way in improving your photographic skills, giving you complete mastery over the art that is photography.

The Four Fundamental Characteristics of Light

1. Light Always Travel in a Straight Line

Photo by Deana

Light always travels in a straight line; that is when travelling through a uniform medium, it keeps going in a straight line until it hits a subject, enters a different medium or simply exhausts its energy.

2. Light Travels at Great Speed

Photo by Ken Douglas

Light travels extremely fast at the rate of 3,00,000 kilometers per second; fastest when travelling through vacuum, a bit slower when travelling through air and a bit more slower when travelling through other medium like glass.

3. Light has Properties of both Waves and Particles

Photo by Rudolf Getel

The phenomenon of having the properties of both waves and particles is called wave-particle duality. Light travelling in a straight line is like ripples crossing the surface of water. The variation in the wave lengths determines its color.

4. Light is a form of Energy

Photo by Aaron

Light carries energy; it consists of very small packets of energy called photons. The number of photons determine the strength or brightness of light, the more the number of photos greater the strength / brightness and vice versa. It is the photons that cause chemical changes in films, bleach dyes and trigger electronic response in the sensor of digital cameras.

In the next article we will discuss about the relationship between the light’s Wavelengths and Colors.

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DIY Beauty Dish - Flash Mounted Home Made Beauty Dish From Cooking Pan to Beauty Dish

2011-06-05T08:50:46Z

DIY Beauty Dish - Flash Mounted Home Made Beauty Dish

DIY Beauty Dish

Beauty dishes are so called because they make people look beautiful. The diffused light coming out of the beauty dish is much softer than direct flash and the soft light fills in small blemishes in the skin and gives a soft feel to it. The property of light coming out of a beauty dish is that of a circle of light with an opaque center and in general beauty dishes are more effective in close range.

Just like many other photographic equipments, beauty dishes from major brands will cost you dearly. So in this article let us discuss how we can make one ourselves that is functionally effective and professional in looks. And should I say costs next to nothing.

List of Materials

1. Aluminium cooking vessel
2. Automobile rear view mirror
3. A piece of aluminium
4. Aluminium rivets / nuts and bolts
5. 2 key rings
6. A strip of broad elastic
7. Paint

The aluminium cooking pan we used for our beauty dish project was 14 inch in diameter and had a flat base designed to be used with induction cookers. The cost of the pan was Rs 60/-.

First step is to remove the handles; we cut of the head of the rivet holding it in place, removed the handles and refilled the hole with the same rivets we removed. Refilling the hole is not that important as it will not be a big issue affecting results.

Next we need to cut the hole in the bottom for our flash, keep the flash head aligned to the center of the vessel and mark the boundaries with a pencil or a marker.

There are many ways to cut the hole; how we did it was using the minus end of a combination screw driver (one head minus the other star). Use a grinding stone to sharpen the minus end and it will make your job much easier.

Next step is to trace the outline of the flash and bend leafs outward.

Ok our flash head fits snuggly, neither loose nor too tight.

This is how it looks from the back, check the angle and correct the position of the leaves so that it is a perfect fit.

Now we need to make a holder for our primary reflector. I found this aluminium piece from inside of an old door bell.

We have bent the aluminium piece and made a ‘C’ shape.

We will reduce the width of the piece in a way that does not reduce its strength much. If it is too broad then it may affect the light falling on that area creating a blind spot in our otherwise perfect donut shaped lighting setup.

Next step is to reduce the height of one of the legs of our ‘C’. The leg with the short length is going to be fixed on the dish and this way it will ensure that the other hand of the ‘C’, holding the mirror will be perfectly in center of the dish.

Now we need a mechanism to attach the flash unit to our beauty dish and to hold it firmly in place. I used the other piece of aluminium from the doorbell, slit it into two halves to reduce width and bent it like shown in the picture.

Now we have riveted the holder and the other attachment together to the dish. If you have trouble riveting feel free to use small size bolts and nuts.

This is how it looks from the other side; note the back piece and the holder in front is all riveted together.

Next we will make the strap that will hold the flash firmly on to our beauty dish, once it is attached, keep the flash unit in the beauty dish, measure the approximate length needed, cut a piece of broad elastic, sew in two key rings on either side and your beauty dish strap is ready.

Now time to finish our primary reflector, I stripped an automobile mirror from its case. The automobile rear view mirror is a convex mirror perfectly suited for our purpose.

Even though it does not affect its functionality, in order to give it a professional look, I applied white sticker to the back side of the mirror. You may also get the job done by applying white paint.

This is how the inside of our beauty dish looks once its painted white.

I applied matt finish black paint on the back side of the beauty dish. You can see how the elastic strap is holding the flash unit in place.

And here is our beauty dish finished with the primary reflector also in place. The mirror was glued on to the holder using quick setting adhesive.

Here are some of the results from the diy beauty dish field test.

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Food Photography Tips - Tips to Photograph Food in a way that makes them looks tasty

2011-06-03T11:45:08Z

Food Photography Tips

Photo by Bogdan Suditu

Food photography is undoubtedly one of the most popular genres of photography. There are a large number of Magazines and Recipe publications demanding high quality food photographs. The number of recipe blogs out there run by women who love to cook and show their work has also contributed to the increasing demand for quality food photos.

In this article let us discuss some tips and tricks for photographing food in a way that appears attractive and also tasty to the viewers. Although professional food photography involves the services of specialists like food stylists, art directors, photographers, prop stylists etc. For the purpose of this article we assume that all the above mentioned roles are being handled by one single person, that is the photographer and that is you.

Pick the best Specimen

This tip is applicable for any photo shoot, whether you are photographing vegetables, or baked cookies, given the choice, pick the best specimen available for your shot.

Photo by Bogdan Suditu

Cut / Slice the Specimen

Photo by Lorenia

Don’t just photograph the food as it is, sometimes a cut cross section will reveal patterns and contrasting colors and textures, making the shot interesting. Cutting up cakes / bread etc would help you create different layers.

Lighting

Photo by Stephanie Kilgast

As is the case with any other type of photography, lighting is the most important factor in food photography. Food photographers generally stick to high key lighting techniques to generate the rich feel. Ensure that there is enough light to illuminate the scene properly. The best arrangement to photograph food is by a window where the diffused day light coming from the window will act as the main light source and a white reflector placed on the other side reflects the light back to illuminate the darker areas, eliminating shadows.

The color temperature of the daylight ensures the natural color and makes the food look natural. You may also try using the flash as a fill source. Set your flash unit to a low power and diffuse the output using a flash diffuser.Experiment with colored gels to enhance the colors.

Take photos from all angles

Photo by Chotda

One of the most common mistake beginners to food photography make is to shoot straight down, a shot as if looking straight down on the food can work for some occasions, but this not how we are used to see food. The most appealing angle to shoot food is from the angle which a viewer sees it being presented in the table, (approximately 45 degrees). But only take this as a guideline and not as a rule and do experiment by shooting from all possible angles. You might get some pretty interesting compositions this way. In my personal experience I have found that choosing a lower angle produces much better results.

Keep your Background Clean and Uncluttered

Food looks attractive when there is some contrast between the color of the food and the background in which it is presented. Also remember to keep your background uncluttered. You may also try blurring out the background a bit by using shallow depth of field, emphasizing the main subject, which is the food.

Use of Props

Photo by Ulterior Epicure

Presentation of the food is very important, pay attention to the way things are arranged at the table / plate. Consider including other elements like a spoon, a fork, napkin, or other things that goes along with the shot like a glass of wine etc. Think of it as a real situation and only include elements that would actually be in it. The point to remember is not to overdo it. Too many props will clutter the background and spoil the shot, keep it simple, distribute the props among the foreground and background elements in the shot.

Pay Attention to your Presentation

Photo by Michael Porter

The food to be photographed should always be presented in a pleasant and attractive way. Think of elements to balance the shot, remember the rule of thirds and other compositional guidelines. Look for distracting elements in the frame. Pay attention to the foreground and background elements.

White Balance

Food photographs looks good in warmer tones, so try to shoot using the cloudy or shade white balance mode of your camera as this will warm things up a bit. If you are not sure about the quality of light in the scene and the resulting white balance, shoot RAW.

Photograph the Process

If someone else is doing the cooking, shoot images of the actual process, this could be interesting too, remember a kitchen is a dangerous place for the camera to be in. Dirt, Oil, Steam etc does not go well with your equipment, so pay attention to your gear while you are shooting in the kitchen.

Enhance the Subject

Photo by Brian

There are many tips and tricks which are employed by the professional food stylists to enhance the appearance of the food. Some of which render the food unfit for consumption. But some are easy and add helpful. One such trick is with a paintbrush and some vegetable oil. Apply some vegetable oil with a paintbrush over your sample food to make it look warm, and shiny. Be careful not to overdo it and also remember not everything in the shot should look shiny.

Composition Tips for Photographing Food

Photo by Scott

Remember the rules of composition, rule of thirds, rule of odds etc, balance the shot, balance the colors, employ both shallow depth of field and large depth of field techniques, crop in tight, use wide angle, include the settings, convey a sense of place etc are all applicable to food photography too. The key to get great shots is to experiment.

DIY Beauty Dish - Diy Bare Bulb Flash Beauty Dish Made from an Aluminium Cooking Vessel

2011-06-02T13:32:59Z

DIY Beauty Dish - Diy Bare Bulb Flash Beauty Dish Made from an Aluminium Cooking Vessel

DIY Bare Bulb Beauty Dish

Since most of you might have a fairly good idea about what a beauty dish is and what it does; We are not dwelling into those details here.

And for those of my friends who has never heard the term – a short explanation: - A beauty dish is a light modifier in the form of a modified reflector to a normal flash unit which alters the quality of light being emitted from the regular flash, giving it more spread and thus softening the light. Result more wrapping effect as some photographers rightly says.A beauty dish is something that could produce intermediate results between a bare flash and a soft box.

Here in this article we will build a diy beauty dish out of an aluminum cooking vessel. The advantage of using aluminum are many, that it is light weight, has enough strength, does not rust / corrode, easy to work with, easy availability, is not expensive to buy etc. The cooking pan we chose for our beauty dish project has a diameter of 12 inches. It cost us Rs 50/- ($1 and 20 cents).

The beauty dish that we are going to make is a bit different from what you have seen elsewhere on the net. Instead of using a primary reflector and using the pan as a secondary reflector, we are going to attach a bare bulb directly onto the beauty dish, giving the light more spread and power than the other method. If we need to diffuse the light further we will later add diffusers that could be easily attached to the front of the beauty dish.

Other than the cooking vessel, we needed a piece of aluminum with which we built the bracket that hold the flash unit firmly onto the beauty dish.

Supplies

1. Aluminum vessel (12 inch diameter)
2. Sample tin of black board paint
3. Aluminum Foil Tape
4. Brush to apply paint
5. Hacksaw blade
6. Driller
7. Soldering Iron
8. Scissors
9. A Precision tool set

We didn’t want our beauty dish to look like a cooking pan once it is finished, so the first thing we did was to remove the handles.

We kept the flash unit which we intended to mount on our diy beauty dish in the center of the vessel and marked the outline on the vessel. Using the driller drilled a hole in the exact center of the pan. Then we drilled two holes on either side just on the outside of our markings to fix the bracket.

In the picture you could also see the bracket which we made from an aluminum piece to hold the flash firmly onto the beauty dish.

Since our aim is to build a mode powerful beauty dish we need to prepare a highly reflective surface on the inside of the beauty dish.

For this we use the aluminum foil tape which is very effective for this purpose. In order to increase the efficiency we first fold the tape and then straighten it before sticking it onto the surface. This way the wrinkles on the surface will act as many small reflectors.

The reflector of our beauty dish is now ready.

Now that our reflector is ready we need to disassemble the flash. The flash unit we are using for this project is a National flash discarded from the good old film camera days. With national we could just pry open the front glass and access the reflector and bulb; you will have to try a different technique depending upon the type of flash unit you plan to use for the project. Remember to earth the flash and thus fully discharge the capacitor. A flash unit could hold charge even if it has not been used for some time. So take good care and make sure it is fully discharged before proceeding further.

Okay, now we have our flash bulb ready to be transplanted.

We need to cut only one wire to slip out the bulb from its holder. Once you have the bulb out of the reflector also take out the rubber that holds the bulb from the flash’s reflector.

Now we need a holder for our flash bulb, here we are using a holder cut out from an old film box. Mark a similar shape like the one shown in the picture, drill holes on both sides.

Cut out the shape from the film box.

Insert the rubber on to our holder.

The height at which the bulb is fixed inside the beauty dish also affects the quality of light coming from it; we opted for a clearance of 1.5 inches between the dish and the bulb.

Once you are sure that everything is in order, glue the plastic holder to the dish, carefully insert the bulb through the hole in the center of the dish and fix it in the holder.

Take out the wire we cut earlier and solder it. If it does not have enough length you may have to attach a small piece of wire. But in our case the original length was sufficient. Once you have finished soldering, insulate the portion properly, affix the flash using the bracket. You may use two small screws to fix it in place or nuts and bolts.

Here is an example demonstrating the difference a beauty dish makes to the properties of light coming out from a normal flash unit. The shot on the left is taken with an off camera bare flash (the national flash with which we built our beauty dish) and the one on the right is taken with the beauty dish attached on to the same flash.


Bare Flash off camera - left.	Flash Beauty Dish off camera - left.

Try it out, you will be surprised with the results, you may further diffuse the light by using diffuses on the front portion of the beauty dish. Do send us your comments and feedback.

How To Get Better Digital Photos In Low Light Conditions Without Using A Flash

2011-06-01T09:02:28Z

How To Get Better Digital Photos In Low Light Conditions Without Using A Flash

Photo by Lambert Wolterbeek Muller

When conditions are ideal and when there is sufficient light, digital photography is as simple as it gets, point and shoot. But it is when certain variables are at play like, the scene is not illuminated well, the subjects are moving, you are not permitted to use flash etc that the job gets a little bit challenging. And for those who enjoy taking up challenges and overcoming them, here are a few tips and tricks to take better digital photos in low light conditions – WITHOUT USING A FLASH.

There are instances when you are not permitted to use a flash and there are instances when using a flash will destroy the shot. Using flash takes away the mood of the scene by washing it will bright white light and also flattens the image; this problem is more so if you are using an inbuilt flash or a flash mounted directly on to the camera. Flashes also interfere with social moments and also disturb the ambience in certain settings like a Temple, Church, and Museum of Art etc. And then there are occasions when a flash is not effective to light up the scene, like shooting a landscape scene, a monument etc in low light conditions.

Tips for Shooting in Low Light Conditions Without Using Flash

Get a Fast Lens

If you are using a DSLR, get a flash lens. Fast lenses are the ones with a wide aperture (f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8 etc). They let in more light to the camera’s sensor and so are ideal for low light photography. They need not be expensive, Canon 50mm f/1.8 prime retails for approximately $100 and produces outstanding results. The thing to remember when using a fast lens at their widest aperture setting is the shallow depth of field it produces. It is a good thing to have a soft blurred background for your photos but if you are not very careful about where you focus you will end up with not so pleasing results.

Preset Camera Modes for Low Light Photography

Photo by Christopher Chan

Most of the new generation digital cameras have a dedicated night mode with no flash option. If you are shooting with a point and shoot this might be your best option. If you are using a DSLR try the Program (p) mode, Aperture Priority (AV) mode or the Manual (m) mode.

Bump Up your ISO

Photo by Toni Blay

Increasing your ISO will help you get higher aperture values and faster shutterspeeds at the cost of image noise. So I would recommend increasing ISO only to the extent necessary to get acceptable exposure values.

Tripod and Cable / Wireless Release

Photo by Andy

The combination of a tripod and a remote shutter release mechanism can save your day only if your subject stays still. So if you are shooting a stationary subject use a tripod and a wireless trigger to get great photos in low light conditions without having to bump up your ISO. But if your subject is moving then it’s a whole new game you need much higher shutterspeeds to freeze the motion and to eliminate shake. The shutterspeed value needed in such situations is determined by how fast your subject is moving and how far you are from your subject. To get sharp pictures of people moving slowly try to get a minimum shutter speed of 1/125 or 1/250.

White Balance

Photo by Scott Hudson

Shooting in low light often means, indoors / artificial light. Often times a mix of light from various sources. Getting white balance right in such situations is tricky. You could set your white balance right for the given scenario by using the custom white balance function or shoot RAW and select the preferred white balance while post processing.

Image Stabilization

Image stabilization feature is one of the most useful advancements in photography. If your camera has this feature and you are handholding your camera, turn it on. It will help you get sharp images by compensating for the shake while shooting in low shutter speeds. Remember to turn it off if you are using a tripod or using any other stable surface to place your camera. Else it will do more harm than good by compensating for the shake that is not present.

Use Manual Focus

Photo by Paul Bica

Low light conditions are not one of the preferred environments for the digital cameras auto focus feature. When there is not enough light the camera struggles to attain auto focus and hunts for points to focus. And often choosing the wrong area to focus, remember this could be disastrous when shooting with your shutter wide open (shallow depth of field). Switch the camera to manual focus mode and focus manually.

Use Burst / Continuous Shooting Mode

Every time you press the shutter release button in your camera you are actually inducing a certain amount of camera shake. So switch your camera to burst / continuous shooting mode and take multiple shots, this way the chances are more that you will get some of the images tack sharp.

Workflow Suggestion for Beginners

Photo by Kuzeytac

Take your camera, put on your fastest lens, set it to manual focus, turn on image stabilization, set the file type to RAW, choose the continuous shooting mode, switch the camera to program mode, Set the desired aperture value, point at your subject, focus and get a reading by half pressing the shutter. Increase your ISO and again get a reading. Repeat the last step (increase ISO) till you get acceptable shutter speeds.

CandleLight Photography - How to Photograph In Candle Light

2011-05-30T08:16:12Z

CandleLight Photography - How to Photograph In Candle Light

Photo by Difusa

At 1000 – 2000 k range, the color temperature of the light emitted by candles is much different from that of any other sources of light. And this gives the subjects it illuminates a very warm feel making candlelight photography very popular among photographers, and the result is that many newer generation digital cameras have a built in candle light mode designed to optimize performance while shooting candlelight photos. In this article let us discuss some tips for photographing with candlelight as the light source.

Tripod & Cable / Wireless Shutter Release

Candle light is very faint and most of the time will require the use of very low shutter speeds. It hold true even for situation where you use multiple candles to illuminate the scene. So get yourselves a sturdy tripod and also a cable / wireless trigger. In case you don’t have cable / wireless trigger you could use the timer function to trigger the shutter there by reducing the camera shake.

Cut out the Ambient Light

Candle light photography depends entirely on the unique qualities of the candlelight like the warming effect to produce stunning images. In order to get the most out of the situation you should try and eliminate as much of the ambient light in the scene, making candlelight the prominent if not the only source of light.

Shoot Indoors / Shoot on a Still Day

Photo by Pietro Bellini

Even a slight breeze could make life difficult when photographing using candlelight. So either choose to shoot indoors where you have better control over these factors or choose to shoot on a relatively still day.

Switch Off Your Flash

Use of flash especially the one that’s mounted on to your camera is huge no no for candlelight photography. You could use an external flash coated with warming gel or either red or orange to illuminate objects in the background. Bounce it off the walls or ceiling to illuminate the secondary subjects, mildly brining in the details in the shot. While employing this technique use the flash exposure compensation feature in your camera to control (in most cases reduce) the output power of the flash unit.

White Balance

Photo by Lisa Bettany

Images captured with candlelight as the principle light source will have a warm feel with red and yellow as the prominent colors. So using either the Cloud or Shade white balance mode will help you enhance the saturation of these colors adding more warmth to the shot.

Shoot In Raw

Always choose the RAW file type to shoot candlelight photos as you will have the flexibility to correctly set the white balance during post processing. Remember different settings gives different level of warmth to your photos and it is good to have your options open.

Use Aperture Priority (AV) / Manual Mode

Photo by Sean O Neill

For candle light photography Aperture Priority mode is convenient as you could choose the desired aperture value based on how much of the scene you wish to be in focus and the camera will automatically choose the matching shutterspeed. If you are using a tripod then you need not be bothered about the camera choosing a slow shutterspeed, unless the values go for multi second exposures in which case you will find it very difficult to keep the subjects / candle still. Using the manual mode in your camera gives you more control of your aperture and shutterspeeds.

ISO

Photo by Sarah Carroll

In candlelight photography most photographers are tempted to increase the ISO settings. But only do so when it is utterly necessary and if you are increasing the ISO values only increase as much as necessary. Else if you can manage to keep the shutterspeeds at reasonable values while the camera is mounted on a tripod use the lowest ISO settings.

Add More Light to the Scene

Try adding more light to the scene by either increasing the number of candles lit or by adding reflective surfaces off the frame to bounce in more light to the scene. You could also light some candles that are off the frame to add in some ambient light to the scene. While setting up your frame remember that white surfaces like white walls, ceilings, table clothes, and dresses and other reflective surfaces like mirrors, metal / shiny fixtures etc reflect more light than other things and will make the scene well lit.

Metering

Photo by Frenchy

Set your camera to spot metering mode and get your metering values from the main subject. Else camera will meter for the brightest light, in our case the lit candle and the resulting shot will be underexposed.

Composition Tips for Candlelight Photography

Photo by Jean Louis

While photographing candle light shots, you have two options either to use the candles as a light source placed off the frame or to include them in the frame as compositional elements. When placing candles off the frame to light up the scene consider two things one is the number of candles, depending upon the strength of light required and the second is the spread of the light required. If you need concentrated light to coming from a single direction, creating harsh shadows; places the candles close together. And if you need an even spread of light to cover your subject; spread your candles.

Play it Safe

Always keep safety your first priority in candlelight photography, watch out for substances that could catch fire, do not place candles near windows with curtains, or where they are unstable, this is truer while using multiple candles spread across the room. Have fun, but play it safe.

How to Get Shallow Depth of Field in Your Digital Photos

2011-05-27T04:23:17Z

How to Get Shallow Depth of Field in Your Digital Photos

Photo by Tibchris

Soft, blurry backgrounds are in most cases a great way to enhance the importance of the main subject and to get rid of any distractions in the background. This effect is achieved in digital photography by making use of shallow depth of field.

The range of distance that appears reasonably sharp in a photo is considered as depth of field. The two main factors that affect the depth of field of a photograph are aperture and focusing distance.

Aperture

The relationship of aperture and depth of field is pretty simple to remember. Smaller aperture values (Larger fstop numbers) produce greater depth of field and vice versa. So in order to achieve shallow depth of field in your digital photos choose Larger aperture values (Smaller fstop numbers). Smaller the fstop shallower the depth of field.

Greater depth of field – f 16, f18, f22 etc.

Shallow depth of field – f1.8, f1.4, f1.2 etc

Aperture Priority Mode

Photo by Dr_Tr

An easy way to get shallow depth of field in your digital photos is to switch your camera to aperture priority mode and choose Smaller fstop numbers. (f1.2, f1.4, f1.8 etc) your camera will automatically select the best shutterspeed for the selected fstop and expose the shot perfectly producing beautiful soft, blurry backgrounds.

Focusing Distance

In digital photography focusing distance refers to the distance between the camera and the subject that is being shot. Depth of field increases when focusing distance increases and vice versa. So in order to achieve shallow depth of field in your digital photos consider reducing the distance from the subject to your camera.

In reality for keeping the magnification factor constant when altering the focusing distance what you will be doing is to move away from the subject and use a longer focal length lens set to its smallest fstop value.

Photo by John & Fish

There is a common misconception that using a zoom lens produces shallow depth of field in digital photography. But in reality, depth of field for a given focal length is the same for both zoom lenses and wide angle lenses. To realize this you need to shoot a subject with a zoom lens and a wide angle lens. Remember to keep the magnification constant. Meaning you will need to get much closer to your subject to shoot it with your wide angle lens at the same magnification as the zoom lens you used. Compare the two shots and you will realize that if the subject magnification is same depth of field for both lenses is also same.

Distance between subject and the Background

The closer the subject is located to its background, the lesser the blur. So move the subject as far away from the background as possible to achive maximum background blur.

Photo by Raymond Larose

Preset Camera Modes to Achieve Background Blur

Portrait Mode

Photo by John & Fish

If you do not want to concern yourselves with the fstops values and all select the Portrait Mode (symbol for portrait mode is a head) in your camera. In this mode the camera automatically selects smaller fstops and exposes accordingly.

Shutter Release Technique - How to Correctly Press the Camera's Shutter

2011-05-25T06:06:48Z

Shutter Release Technique - How to Correctly Press the Camera's Shutter

Photo by Tobyotter

How to correctly press the shutter is the first and the most important lesson to anyone who is learning the basics of photography. Once you learn the shutter release technique you are one step ahead of other people in your skill level.

Shooting with the camera is much like shooting a gun. As a person who has had quite an experience shooting guns I had little or no problem automatically getting my technique right. But for those who has never fired a gun the following tips will help to get your technique right.

Use the Pad and not the Tip of your Index Finger

Most people will press the shutter release button with the tip of their index finger; instead, try using the soft pad at the end section of your index finger. You will not only find it easy this way but also gain more control over the amount of pressure you are applying to press the button. With a little practice you will easily master the correct amount of pressure.

Pressing the Shutter Release Button – The Right Way

Do not jam the shutter release button in one press. Remember that there are two functions and stops for the shutter release button. First at the half press mark the camera achieves auto focus and locks the exposure settings for the given scene. Second when you press the whole way down is when the camera actually takes the shot.

So focus your mind, aim for the half press mark, you should press till the half press point and hold the pressure there. The camera will attain focus and lock exposure values. Release the shutter release, aim the camera at a different subject and repeat the process. Practice it till you get it right and you are almost done.

Once you have reached a level in which you could easily point at any subject and half press to lock focus in one fluid motion, try pressing the shutter release all the way down to take the shot. Remember to use only the exact amount of pressure necessary and to minimize the camera shake.

Mastering the Shutter Release Technique

Photo by Deuxflorida

Select the continuous shooting mode in your camera, point it at any subject. try taking shots, till you are able to fire the exact number of frames you intend to fire.

For ex. If you intend to shoot just 2 frames, you should be able to hold down the shutter and shoot exactly 2 frames in rapid succession. Remember 2 frames means 2 frames, not a frame more not a frame less. Practices with different focal lengths, longer focal lengths are more fun for these kinds of practices. Try bracketing your shots. Do let me know whether the tips worked for you.

How to Capture Motion Blur in Photography - Tips for Photographing Moving Subjects

2011-05-24T09:50:28Z

How to Capture Motion Blur in Photography - Tips for Photographing Moving Subjects

Photo by Kainet

Motion blur is induced when the camera actually sees the movement in the scene due to slower shutter speeds. A shutter blinking fast will not see any movement, but a shutter that stays open for longer periods will see the elements in the frame move. Motion blur could produce impressive results if used creatively. It kind of gives life to the shots and conveys a sense of action better than many other kinds of photography. Although motion blur is mostly used in sports photography, almost all kinds of subjects whether their move is small, slow or subtle could benefit from motion blur photography by giving emphasis to the action. So here in this article, let us discuss how we could creatively capture some movement in our shots.

Tips For Capturing Motion Blur

So from the above paragraph you might have understood that in order to capture motion blur we need to shoot at very slow shutterspeeds. So our primary goals are to achieve the slow shutter speeds we require and to keep the camera stable through the exposure. May sound easy but achieving very slow shutter speeds in bright lighting conditions is a bit tricky. Let’s see what all are the elements we could control / tweak to achieve our goals.

Tripod and Cable / Wireless Release

To achieve motion blur it is essential to shoot at very slow shutter speeds and to get sharp images while shooting at very slow shutter speeds a sturdy tripod and a cable / wireless trigger release is a must. So mount your camera on a sturdy tripod or place it on some level surface to eliminate blur caused by camera shake.

ISO

Photo by Matt Eckelberg

Choose the lowest ISO setting on your camera. This has multiple advantages, you will have less noise on your images and you will be able to get slower shutter speeds. For most cameras the lowest setting is ISO 100.

Neutral Density (ND) Filter

If you are attempting to capture motion blue in broad day light, the combination of lowest ISO setting your camera allows + Highest Aperture setting for your lens will not be able to achieve slow enough shutterspeeds to capture the motion blur. Resulting in overexposed / blown out images. If faced with such a situation use a Neutral Density (ND) filter to reduce the amount of light reaching your camera’s sensor.

Polarizing Filter

You could use a Polarizing Filters instead of Neutral Density (ND) filters but keep in mind that polarizing filters not only reduce the amount of light that reaches your cameras sensor but also cuts out reflections and changes the color saturation especially when it comes to the color of sky (a sky appears deep blue when a polarizing filter is mounted on to lens) etc. So try experimenting by rotating the polarizing filter and choose the setting that gives the best results.

Shutter Priority (TV) Mode

Photo by Dr. Sayid Budi

Shutter Priority mode is the setting to use when the most important factor that you wish to have control over is shutter speed. While shooting in Shutter Priority mode the camera determines the best aperture value for the shutterspeed you have selected and properly exposes your frame. This works for most occasions. If not switch your camera to Fully Manual (M) mode and dial in the settings manually.

Manual Mode (M)

While operating in Manual mode you have two options if you are not very sure of your exposure settings.

First method is to switch back to Shutter Priority Mode, choose your desired shutter speed, point your camera to the subject, half press the shutter button to meter, memorize the values for aperture and shutterspeeds and then switch to manual mode and dial in the values manually.

Second method is to take a few trial shots and find out the best settings for the given situation through trial and error method.

It is always better to bracket your shots using Automatic Exposure Bracketing settings in your camera. On many occasions, while viewing your images on the large computer screen you will end up liking photos with different settings than you originally / intentionally set.

Shutter Speed

Photo by Kennymatic

When we say slow shutter speeds, we are actually comparing the shutter speed in relation to the speed at which our subject is moving. Faster moving subjects like a racing car could be caught in motion with a shutter speed of 1/125. But slower moving subjects like a person running will require a much slower shutterspeed of 1/30 or slower to capture some blur.

So the shutter speed funda for capturing motion blur is slower shutter speeds for slower moving subjects.

So grab your camera and your tripod, go out shoot some motion blur images and let us know how it all went. The above mentioned method is not the only way to capture motion blur, there are other techniques as well like zooming, panning etc which we will discuss later.

How to Photograph Sunsets - Tips for Photographing Stunning Sunsets

2011-05-21T18:02:35Z

How to Photograph Sunsets - Tips for Photographing Stunning Sunsets

Photo by Luz A Villa

The effect sunlight creates on the sky and clouds during sunset are nothing short of magic. People see hundreds of sunsets during their life time, but every time they see one, they realize that every sunset is unique and it has the power to mesmerize them each and every time they see one.

Many people photograph the sunset in belief that the vibrant colors and shades they see would be captured in its entirety by their camera; only to realize that they end up captured a plain sky with sun as a little speck. Not to mention colorless.
Here in this article we will discuss how to photograph sunsets and successfully capture the brilliance of the scene in your frame.

A Word of Caution

Looking directly at the sun will cause damage to your eyes and looking at the sun through the view finder is even more so. So if your camera has live view function, use it. Else compose your frame without looking directly at the sun. Pointing directly at the sun will also damage your camera’s sensor.

Get There Early and Stay Late

Once you have identified the general area photograph sunset, get there early. Scout the location and find out the perfect spot to shoot, look out for distracting elements like power lines etc which you would like to avoid in your frame. Move around and look for elements that could be used as foreground if possible. Once you have decided on the spot, set up your gear, click a couple of test shots to make sure everything is working as it is supposed to and that you have got your composition right. Wait for the scene to unfold.

I would recommend getting as much as one hour earlier than the expected time of sunset. Stand your ground even after the sun has set and others have gone packing. Most of the time after the sun has set and half an hour has passed the sky is lit up splendidly in more vibrant colors than when during the sunset. So stays for at least an hour after the suns has set and keep your camera ready to shoot at short notice.

Camera Settings to Photograph Sunsets

White Balance

Photo by Thomas and Dianne Jones

Choose cloudy or shade white balance mode to photograph sunsets as these modes will warm up the picture a bit and enhance the colors in the frame.

Manual Focus

Set your lens to manual focus mode and set the focus to infinity. Else the auto focus on your camera will have a hard time trying to lock on to something.

Aperture Priority Mode

Photo by Davedehetre

Set your camera to aperture priority mode and select an aperture value greater than f/16 to ensure that the whole of your frame is in sharp focus. Remember that slightly under exposing your frame will result in more saturated colors.

Metering

Photo by Paul bica

Set your camera to spot metering mode; move it to point just outside the sun half press the shutter release button to lock the exposure. Remember the exposure values, set your camera to manual mode and enter the values previously recorded. You will not want to take your metering directly from the sky as this will more often than not overexpose the image making it worthless.

Automatic Exposure Bracketing

Photo by Kylekruchok

Set your camera to automatic exposure bracketing more. When this feature is used in aperture priority the camera takes a series of three shots varying the shutterspeed depending on the value you have chosen to bracket your shots.

Tripod and Remote Release

While photographing sunsets you will find that many times you are using very slow shutter speeds. In those cases it is better to have your camera mounted on a sturdy tripod and use a remote / cable release to activate the shutter to ensure that camera shake does not destroy your precious shots.

Composition Tips for Sunset Photography

Focal Length

Photo by Kevincole

How big or small the sun is with respect to other elements in your frame is determined by the focal length of the lens you use. The longer the focal length, bigger the sun and vice versa. Experiment with a variety of focal lengths and see the effect it has on your composition.

Horizon

Photo by Thomas Bresson

While composing your sunset photograph, if possible avoid placing the horizon in the middle of the frame as it will have the effect of dividing the frame in to two equal halves. Best strategy is to place your horizon low in your composition or to remove it altogether.

Rule of thirds

Photo by Peasap

It is best to adhere to the rule of thirds and place elements like the sun, silhouettes, horizon etc off centre.

Try to Incorporate Focal Points

Photo by Kevindooley

Picturing just the setting sun in your frame could work. You could get good shots but not great shots. Sun alone seldom makes a stunning sunset photograph. Agreed a close crop of the ball of fire is awesome but try to add foreground elements like silhouettes of a person, a sail boat, a tree, a pier etc. Include the clouds, Capture the whole scene. Apart from the brilliant show of colors, how you compose your frame, what you include in it etc are the factors that intrigue the viewer’s mind

How to Photograph Silhouettes - Tips for Photographing Silhouettes

2011-05-20T18:03:19Z

How to Photograph Silhouettes - Tips for Photographing Silhouettes

Photo by Vramak

A silhouette is an image of an object in which the main subject is reduced to just an outline. Little or no details of the subject are recorded. Silhouettes capture the viewer’s attention immediately by conveying a sense of mystery, emotion and drama; making the viewers mind work to fill the missing pieces of information with their own imagination.

Put simply a silhouette is a photograph of a dimly lit subject in front of a bright background. If you get it right silhouettes could make unique, striking images that stand out from the rest of your shots.

Tips for photographing silhouettes

Select and Interesting Subject

The subject is the most important part of a silhouette photo. Choose your subject wisely; the subject along with the rest of the scene properly composed should narrate a story to the viewer. It is best to choose easily identifiable subjects. Always choose a distinct, strong subject in a silhouette photograph. A silhouetted object can only depend on its shape and not on color, tones or texture to attract the viewer’s attention.

Make silhouetted subjects distinct and uncluttered

For example easily identifiable subjects like a tree, a windmill, a person etc make interesting subjects for a silhouette photograph. But a group of people is not desirable, if you have more than one person in your frame, or a person and a tree in your frame, place them so that they appear as individual shapes and not as one merged shape which will be confusing to the viewer.

Photo by Mikebaird

When shooting silhouettes of people; try to shoot from an angle rather than shooting head on. So that the outline of the facial features of the person is recorded making the person identifiable.

If you are silhouetting an object, look for an object that has protruding curves and angles that will stand out in your composition making an interesting silhouette.

Choose your Background

Photo by Mikebaird

To shoot a silhouette the subject should be backlit. Select a light source, silhouette photographs are mostly shot during sunrise and sunsets. You could also use other light sources but make sure you have light coming from behind your subject. An uncluttered and bright background with little or no light falling on your subject is the most desirable setting for a silhouette photograph.

Turn off Your Flash

Since you do not want any detail in your subject to be recorded, turn off your flash. There may be times when a little light falling on your subject could add to the silhouettes overall quality by adding to the mystery. This mainly works when your subject is beyond the effective range of your camera’s flash. Key is to experiment with and without flash in a scene.

Meter for Your Background

Photo by Kelsey

Place your subject in front of the light source; point the camera away from the subject to a bright part of the scene and press the shutter button half way to get your exposure settings. Remember it is always better to meter from a bright part of the scene rather than metering directly from the light source.

Once you have your metered values, set the camera to manual mode and set the values manually.

Select Manual Focus Mode

It is best to put your camera to manual focus mode to photograph silhouettes as it will allow you focus precisely on your subject. Since there is little or no light falling on the subject, the camera’s auto focus may not be able to focus on the subject and will focus somewhere in the background where there is enough light.

Aperture and Shutterspeed

Photo by Phozographer

As you would like the whole of the scene to be in sharp focus, it is better to have aperture of more than f/11. Faster shutterspeeds are more suited for photographing silhouettes. It is always a good strategy to bracket your shots. This way you will end up with total and partial silhouettes with varying degree of detail in your subject visible. Such small details on the subject, faintly visible could add to the mystery value of the image and also render the missing third dimension to the silhouette.

Move in Close to Your Subject

Photo by Mikebaird

Move close to your silhouette subject so that it becomes easier for you to cover the light source with the subject preventing light from directly hitting your camera’s lens. Also you will have greater choices when it comes to composition if you move close to your subject.

Shoot Silhouetted Shapes from Different Angles

Try shooting from different angles, shoot from eye level, ground level, try zooming in and zooming out on your subject; and also experiment by shooting from different angles. You will be surprised by the difference shooting from a different angle has on your results.

Keep The Horizon Low

Photo by Corey Leopold

Generally Silhouette photographs look good when the horizon is kept very low. The reason is that it helps to get an uncluttered background making the main subject a distinct shape.

Try shooting experiment with some silhouettes and let us know the results. Happy Silhouette Shooting.

How to Photograph Waterfalls - Tips for Photographing Waterfalls

2011-05-19T15:56:13Z

How to Photograph Waterfalls - Tips for Photographing Waterfalls

Photo by Paul

Water has the natural power to draw human interest. It is more so in case of running water. I am not sure as to what is it that lures people to waterfalls, it might be the display of awesome force by nature or may be the feel of the mist and roar of the water hitting hard against the rocks. Whatever the reason may be waterfalls is one of the most photographed subjects on earth. Let us discuss a few tips and tricks to take waterfall photos that capture its essence and spirit.

When to Photograph a Waterfall

When it comes to photographing waterfalls you should not only consider the time of the day but also the season of the year.

The best time is during sunrise and sunsets. The reason is that water reflects a lot of light and waterfalls are usually found in woods. Meaning during midday there will be sharp shadows and patches of very bright and very dark areas in your shot making it hard to reach a good exposure setting. I would suggest shooting during sunrise and one major reason is that the general area will be devoid of people especially tourists.

The best time of year to shoot any waterfall depends on the source of water that feeds the waterfall. You need to photograph the waterfall exactly when it has the right amount of water flowing. By this I do not mean to shoot it during the rainy season. Our aim is not to shoot when there is maximum water flowing, but to shoot when there is right amount of water flowing for the shot you envisioned.

Right Equipment to Shoot Waterfalls

My list of preferred equipments to shoot waterfalls are

1.Wide angle zoom lens
2.A Sturdy Tripod
3.Cable / Wireless Shutter Release
4.Polarizing Filter
5.ND Filter
6.Rain Protection Gear

Waterfalls are usually found in tight canyons or in difficult locations where there is not much room to move around to compose your shot. So a wide angle zoom lens could do the job most of the time. Since you need low shutter speeds and high aperture values a sturdy tripod and cable / wireless release combination is a must. Polarizing filters help you reduce the glare and eliminate reflections and also has the advantage of saturating colors of trees or foliage found around the waterfall. It also helps reduce the f stop by a couple of points. Although not utterly necessary an ND filter could help you reduce the light. It could save your day when you have to shoot a waterfall during midday. It may / may not rain but the general area around the waterfall would definitely have airborne water particles and it is best you carry rain protection gear for your camera and lenses.

ISO

Use the lowest possible ISO settings for your camera to photograph waterfalls. You will get the slowest shutter speed and the noise in the image will be minimum.

Aperture

Photo by Jason

There are two things to consider when choosing aperture for photographing waterfalls. You need the whole of the frame to be in focus and you need to obtain slow shutter speeds to create the smooth silky flowing effect to the water. So the answer is simple use high aperture values something greater than f / 16 should be fine.

Shutterspeed

Photo by Lauri Vain

The most important factor in a waterfall photo shoot is shutter speed. Slower shutter speeds could control the amount of blur caused by the running water producing a soft, artistic effect try experimenting with shutter speeds ranging from half a second to up to 3 seconds. And faster shutter speeds could freeze the motion capturing the scene as it is.

Watch the Wind

Photo by Nicholas

Watch out for wind while photographing waterfalls at very slow shutter speeds as it could make other objects in your frame like branches of trees, grass etc to move and get blurred.

Metering

Photo by Sean Mc Grath

To get the right exposure settings it is crucial to select the right area as sample. Shift your camera to spot metering mode. There might be dark areas in your frame and very bright areas (water) choose some object that is in the frame that is middle grey like rocks or tree trunks and take your metering from them. Make sure that the object on which you are metering receives the same amount of light as the flowing water.

Composition

Photo by Wwarby

You could either compose your frame with the entire waterfall or include the surrounding area and make waterfall just a part of the scene. Both are equally appealing concepts. When composing for the entire waterfall look out for objects or shapes that are distracting and find ways to eliminate them from the scene. Look out for good vantage points from which you could cover the entire waterfall without any distractions. Focusing on a small area of the waterfall like water falling on a rock or a group of rocks etc makes interesting elements for photographic composition. Make sure you include some foreground elements too like rocks, leaves, flowers, grass etc.

Try shooting the waterfall from an angle rather than shooting directly from the front.

A Word of Caution

Waterfalls are beautiful to look at but up close they are also very dangerous. It is good to get great pictures, but no picture is worth risking your life. Waterfalls are slippery places and take extreme care while moving around. Always be aware of what is happening around you and where you are placing your foot. Do not move while looking through the viewfinder.

School of Digital Photography

2011-05-19T05:37:47Z

School of Digital Photography

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How to Photograph a Rainbow - Tips for Photographing Rainbows

2011-05-19T04:44:31Z

How to Photograph a Rainbow - Tips for Photographing Rainbows

Photo by Cavin

Rainbows are natural phenomenon caused by refraction when light passes through water particles in the atmosphere. They are beautiful and has all the colors in the visible spectrum namely Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange and Red; starting with Red on the outside.

In some occasions a second Rainbow is visible outside of the primary rainbow. But the second one will not be as bright as the first and they will have the colors in inverse order. i.e. Starting with Violet on the Outside.

The vibrant colors of the rainbow and its arc shape add a visual impact to photographic compositions and as a result rainbows have always been the favorite subject for Nature Photographers.

Some Rainbow Facts

Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun.

Rainbows occurring at sunrise or sunset will have red as the predominant color.

If there occurs a second rainbow, the colors of the secondary rainbow are inverted compared to the primary bow, with blue on the outside and red on the inside.

If there are two rainbows in the sky the area between the two rainbows will be visibly darker than the rest of the sky, and the area inside the bright rainbow (first one) will be noticeably lighter.

Rainbows can be formed by many forms of airborne water. These include not only rain, but also mist, spray, and airborne dew.

Rainbows typically have a life span of few minutes and during this period they vary in intensity. A rainbow may start off faintly but it will gradually increase in color and intensity and reach a peak before again gradually fainting away.

How to Find a Rainbow

Photo by Alex E Proimos

The two main ingredients of a rainbow are sunlight and airborne moisture. So we can expect to see a rainbow then there is bright sunlight and rain at the same time the rainbow may occur either when it’s raining or right after the rain.

Background

The best backgrounds to shoot rainbows are dark and uncluttered. Dark rain clouds and mountain peaks make good backgrounds for photographing rainbows. Since you cannot change the background; the other options available are to change the shooting angle or to physically move so as to obtain a different framing or to zoom in to focus upon a certain portion of the rainbow.

Foreground

Photo by Nicholas T

While photographing rainbows, you could either photograph just the rainbow or you should shoot a scene with rainbow as one of its elements. If you are going for the second option then pay attention to the foreground. Foreground elements chosen wisely would not only add visual interest to the shot but also lead the viewer’s attention to the primary focal points.

Aperture

Photo by J Anand

Choice of aperture value depends upon how much of the scene you would like to be in focus. If you have included some foreground elements in your composition that are close to the camera; then you should choose a small aperture. Some value greater than f/11 to ensure that all elements in the scene are in sharp focus.

To obtain greater color saturation try underexposing your rainbow shot by 1 or 1.5 f stops. Better try bracketing your shots.

Composition Tips

When composing your rainbow shots think of two things

First is how much of the rainbow is visible to me. Can I see the entire arc and both the end points, or can only the center portion is seen or can I see one end point where it hits the ground.

Second point is the kind of equipment that I have with me. Do I have an ultra wide angle lens that could cover both the end points of the rainbow? Or do I have a zoom that could focus on either a portion or on one end of the rainbow.

Remember the points where the rainbow hits the ground / horizon is the most interesting factor in a rainbow photo.

If the entire arc as well as the end points of the rainbow is visible to you and you have a wide angle lens then it is better to center the arc and place the whole of rainbow in the upper third of the frame. If only a portion of the rainbow or an end point is visible then align the end point with some interesting element in the scene. It would be worth considering the rule of thirds when framing. As the end point of the rainbow will be a natural point of interest it will lead the viewer’s eye to the interesting foreground element.

Polarizing Filter

Photo by Robert S Donovan

A polarizing filter could be used to bring out the vivid colors of the rainbow. But be careful to polarize only slightly else you will end up completely eliminating the rainbow out of your shot rather than intensifying the color. Experiment by rotating the filter to see the effect it has on contrast levels, reflections, saturation etc and select the settings that produce the best results.

Tripod

Tripods are a must have for shooting rainbows, the combination of low light conditions and a small aperture setting is reason enough. Not to mention the effect of the polarizing filter on the shutter speeds.

How to Photographs a Spider's Web - Tips for Photographing Spider Webs

2011-05-19T04:43:58Z

How to Photographs a Spider's Web - Tips for Photographing Spider Webs

Photo by Robert S Donovan

A spider’s web has always attracted the attention of photographers. It is fascinating to observe and record the intricate designs and patterns that make up the web and how swiftly the spider moves when a prey touches the net. The spider is alerted of what is happening on the net via the vibrations that are caught by special receptors located in its feet. It is also an interesting fact that the fine silk that the spiders spin has a much greater tensile strength than that of steel of same weight. The spiders silk also has the advantage of being elastic in nature. Here are few tips that will help you get great photos of these magnificent creatures and the webs they make.

Best time to shoot

The best time to shoot a spider’s web is early mornings when you have the advantage of the sun’s golden rays falling at an angle lighting up the web. And during early mornings there are chances that the web is covered in dew. The weight of the dew drops sags the web a little making an interesting effect. Another great thing about early mornings is that there won’t be much wind. Since the spider web is very light even the slightest hint of a breeze could make it sway making it hard to photograph.

Choosing the Right Equipment

A DSLR with a dedicated macro lens should be your preferred gear. If you don’t have these then you could also make use of your point and shoot cameras. Make sure the macro mode of the camera is turned on.

Choosing the Right Background

Photo by Hungry Browser

A spider’s web always looks great when shot with a dark background. Dark green shades produced by the foliage tend to work best. Remember if the web is located at an easily accessible location and height. You could always add a background since the web is a relatively small thing.

Depth of Field

Photo by Jenny Downing

A spider’s web looks better when it stands out of the background. So shoot with a large aperture to produce a very shallow depth of field. Since you are using a shallow depth of field the background will be blurred out of focus producing a smooth uncluttered feel. Take care to align all elements in your frame (the spider, web) in a single plain that is in focus, else you will end up with not so great results. Use your camera’s Depth of Field preview feature if it has one to determine exactly how much of the frame is in focus.

Use Manual Focus Mode

Photo by Bob008

Change your lens mode to manual focus mode and focus precisely. Since the web is a very fine thing even being slightly off focus could render your shot worthless.

Composition Tips to Photograph a Spider's Web

Fill Your Frame

Photo by Bareego

Fill your frame with the most interesting part of the subject. it could be the spider resting / feeding or the center part of the web, or an insect struggling to break free from the web etc.

Follow the Rule of Thirds

Photo by Pdam2

Obey the Rule of Thirds and place your main focal point slightly off center to make an interesting composition.

Try composing from Both Sides of the Web

Photo by Skender

Each side of the spider’s web is different and you also get different backgrounds and lighting when you shoot from each side. So experiment with different compositions from both sides of the web.

Whether to use a Tripod or not?

For photographing a spider’s web a tripod is not a must. Since the subject is stationary if you have steady hands then not using a tripod could prove very convenient for composing and framing. If you are worried about blur due to camera shake you could change your camera to continuous shooting mode and shoot multiple frames. If you are using a tripod make sure you turn of the Image Stabilization feature in your lens.

Whether to use Flash or not?

Natural light is great but in my personal experience I find that using a flash especially an off camera flash could greatly enhance the quality of the shot. It helps to brighten up the subject a shade more than the lighting for the background, making it stand out. It also brings out the details and produces pleasing highlights. You can use the sun’s rays to backlight the web and use your flash as the main light or vice versa to produce stunning results; especially so if the spider’s web is covered in dew.

Manipulating the Elements

Photo by Olibac

If you are concerned about disturbing the natural balance and all ignore the following paragraph. Else try the techniques.

Artificially create the dew on the web by using a mist sprayer.
Feed the spider with some bugs or insects.
Gently tap the surface that the web is attached on to make the spider change position.

Be very careful while experimenting with the aforesaid manipulation tips else you will end up ruining either the web or the shot or both

How to Photographs Fireworks - Tips for Photographing Fireworks Displays

2011-05-19T04:43:17Z

How to Photographs Fireworks - Tips for Photographing Fireworks Displays

Photo by David Hepworth

Use a Sturdy Tripod

The best feature of any fireworks display is the dramatic, colorful light trails as the crackers explode in mid sky. This usually lasts a few seconds and that means multisecond exposure timings. So a good, sturdy tripod is an absolute must when it comes to photographing fireworks.

Use a Cable / Wireless Shutter Release

The best camera mode to photograph fireworks is B or Bulb mode where in the camera’s shutter stays open as long as you keep holding the shutter release button down. And you don’t want to do this directly on the camera’s shutter release button because that will almost certainly induce camera shake and render the picture worthless. So either use a cable release or a wireless trigger for your camera. Some photographers recommend using the self timer mode if you do not have a remote release, but it is not suited for shooting fireworks.

Framing Your Shot

You will have to use a bit of imagination in order to get the framing right. Framing something you can’t yet see is always a difficult task. Ask yourselves these questions beforehand and find the answers.

What am I going to shoot, is it tight close-ups of the fireworks display or should I include a bit of foreground, a building or monument, or silhouettes of the crowd watching the fireworks display. What should be my composition mode, vertical or horizontal? If it is visible, is my horizon level.

Tips to get your Framing Right

a.Scout the location early

You should have a general idea of where the fireworks display will be and where you should aim your camera. Get to the location early find out where all the things are arranged on the ground and where the crowd is expected. Things you could include in the foreground and background. Look out for good vantage points where you could set up your gear without any obstructions. Look for power lines and other such distractions that you should avoid. It is better to select a shooting location that is upwind or else the smoke will be blown directly on to you and it will not only ruin your shots but also give you a hard time shooting. Most fireworks displays will have new kinds of attractions that the makers bring in so ask someone who is setting up the display for the attractions of the show and when they will be timed.

b.Vertical Vs Horizontal Framing

Photo by Ahisgett

Both vertical and horizontal framing is equally good for photographing fireworks. Since fireworks display has a lot of vertical movement, vertical composition works best for tight frames and when using telephoto zooms. But if you want to capture a bit of landscape, some silhouettes of either the crowd or a building etc in the foreground it is better you shoot in horizontal mode using a wide angle lens. Horizontal framing is also preferred for multi exposure shots.

c.Get your horizons level

Photo by Bob Jagendorf

If you are including the horizon in your shots i.e. if you are shooting with a wide angle lens including some of the foreground and background elements like the cityscape in your frame, make sure you have your horizon level. You can either use the indicator on your tripod or use a bubble level to make sure that you have set up your camera right.

d.Remember your framing

Look through your view finder and make a mental note of the general area that is in your frame. Since you will be spending more time looking directly at the sky than looking through the viewfinder; you will be better off watching that part of the sky that is in your frame. Be prepared to trigger when you see light trails of rockets headed in the direction of your frame.

Focal Length?

Photo by Slapbcn

Many people are intrigued by close up shots of fireworks that fill the frame with bright colors. But it is hard to get your framing right when using longer focal lengths. It is better to use a wider focal length than a tight one because you could always crop your shots to get a tight close up frame. It is better to use a zoom lens to photograph fireworks as it allows one to change the focal length easily in between shots to capture the best of both worlds.

Aperture

Photo by Akean2

It is a common misconception that you need fast lenses in order to photograph fireworks. But actually fireworks are very bright. And moreover you want the whole of your frame in focus so try to use a minimum aperture of f/11 so that your entire frame is in focus.

Shutter Speed

Photo by Maurice

The most difficult part of photographing fireworks is to get the shutter speed right. Anticipating the length of a burst and setting your shutter speed accordingly might work. But the best option if your camera has one is to use the B or the Bulb Mode where in the shutter stays open for as long as you hold down the shutter release button. Set your camera to bulb more and press and hold the shutter release button. Keep holding it till the burst is complete and release it immediately when the sky has turned black. Using this technique you will be able to capture the movement of the bursts.

ISO

Set your camera to its lowest ISO settings to ensure the cleanest shots possible.

Turn off your Flash

Switch off your flash; it is of no use for photographing fireworks unless you are going to shoot a person’s portrait with the fireworks as the background. Your flash only has a reach of few meters and the only thing it will be able to illuminate will be the smoke and dirt which is not a desirable thing.

Shoot in Manual Mode

Fully manual mode is the best option when it comes to photographing fireworks and that includes focusing too. Set your lens to manual focus mode, focus on the general area of the fireworks, do some trial shots. Once you get the focusing right you need not change it during the fireworks display. It is better to move further back from the scene and use a longer focal length lens set to a small aperture and focused to infinity. You can’t get your focusing wrong with this technique.

Try and Experiment with Different Framing and Exposure Settings

Periodically check your LCDto make sure that your results are ok and the aperture settings as well as the focusing is right. Try experimenting with varying framing and try including silhouettes of people or buildings in the picture. Key is to not only capture the display in the sky, but also capture the scene and also what happens on the ground during the display. Try using the firework as a light source to illuminate a monument.

File Type and White Balance

Shoot in Raw Mode and set your white balance to Auto. This way you have a lot of control over your shots when you are post processing.

Capturing Multiple Bursts in One Shot

Photo by Down Town Pictures

Multi exposure shots can be very interesting; here is one simple way to capture multiple fireworks burst in a single shot. Cover the lens with a black cardboard card, press and hold down the shutter release button, when the burst happen remove the black cardboard from the front of the lens and replace it immediately when the bust is over, when you have finished with the required number of exposures, release the shutter button.

Remember firework displays emit very bright light and slightly overdoing this will result in blown out shots. Also be careful while covering and uncovering the lens, you should not cause movement to the camera else you will have blurred pictures.