DSLR cameras are the best cameras for people who want to become professional photographers. All the top notch camera companies such as Cannon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax have launched an array of DSLR cameras in their product portfolio. Some cameras have high quality sensors, large sized lens, zoom option and great shutter speed. These superior cameras also provide protection from diverse weather conditions and shocks. You can click perfect pictures with them even in low light settings.

DSLR

Some of the best DSLR that are available in the market these days are mentioned below.

1. Canon EOS 500D
This is a very good camera that comes with great features and functions. It has 18mm-55mm stock lens that comes with the standard quality. In addition I suggest purchasing the Tamron 200mm Zoom Lens and a 50 mm block lens. These 3 lens will meet most of your photographing needs when you start with a DSLR camera

2. Nikon D3000
This is another highly modified camera that provides you the best picture quality that you can ever think of. Nikon is known all around the world for its great cameras and it always launches models that provide the best features and functions to the users. It is an affordable camera and you would be able to click a various different types of pictures with it in different weather conditions.

3. Canon Rebel XS (1000D)
It is a good camera with all the essential features that you require for taking good pictures. It has a better versatility and provides you better picture quality as compared to the other cameras. It is a very compatible camera that you can take where ever you go.

Other camera manufacturers like Sony and Four Thirds system (Kodak and Olympus) have also come up with good DSLRs at very attractive prices. However, I refrain you from venturing unless you know what you are getting into.

Nokia is a trusted mobile company which caters to the needs of large number of people worldwide. Nokia mobile phones have been a popular choice for customers wanting to take good photos without having to carry their regular digital camera. We all want to click some real life pictures using our Nokia phone. However, it is not always possible due to unfavorable circumstances.

Nokia Mobiles

I can assure you one thing that if you follow some crucial tips and instructions then you will surely be able to click some great pictures without too much of a hassle. Now, we are going to talk about some tips that would help you enhance your photography experience on your phone.

1. Properly assess the camera functions of your phone. For this purpose, you can go through user guide carefully. You can certainly get a lot of information there.

2. Clean out the camera lens properly. This would make sure that your lens is in proper condition to click pictures.

3. Choose a suitable location for your photography. The place should be apt in terms of background and real life objects.

4. Do not take pictures in direct sunlight. This can certainly have negative effects on your pictures.

5. Don’t be in a hurry while clicking photographs. You need to go slow and steady.
6. Always make use of bright colored objects in your pictures. Otherwise your photograph might look dull and odd.
7. If you are holding your cell phone then make sure that your hands are not shaking. It is a common mistake committed by most of the individuals.
8. Taking pictures in close up is always a great option. This ensures better quality photography.

So, these are some important tips to follow while taking pictures. You need to be very specific and clear in this process. Just grab your phone and start clicking!

Cross posted from the sister blog: http://blog.lifeblob.com

Lifeblob Affiliate Program

Lifeblob is one of the fastest growing photo sharing services in India and we have over 5 Million photos on our service as we speak. A few months back, we turned on the lifeblob personalized gifting store so that you could customize and order high quality photo gifts directly from our site.

Today, I would like to announce an opportunity for all of you to be a part of our growth story. For the past few days, we have been secretly testing out our affiliate program and today we would like to open it up for everyone.

What is an affiliate program?

An affiliate program allows you to partner with us and sell our personalized products on your website or blog. All you have to do is put up a lifeblob personalized gifting store banner on your site or blog and you will receive a commission for every sale that happens when a user clicks that banner and places an order.

How much will I earn?

We look at you as our partner and we have created a win-win situation where you can grow as we grow. Our affiliate program is a performance based program, based on the volume of sales you do each month. If you drive a higher sales volume, your commission percentage goes up. For more details on the commission slabs,visit our affiliate program page here.

This sounds too good. Is there a catch?

There is no catch here. Just try it out for a month and see what kind of results you can achieve. Remember, if you aren’t satisfied with what you are earning, you can simply remove the links to our site. It’s that simple!

How do I join?

To join our affiliate program please send an email to affiliate@lifeblob.com with your website details and how you plan to sell Lifeblob personalized photo products. We do not tolerate people becoming an affiliate just to receive a discount on the Lifeblob products.

The easiest and surest way to save memories of your precious time is to take a snap of that particular moment. And the best way to capture them in all vivid detail is to invest in a DSLR camera. Among the camera companies Nikon DSLRs is as good as any to take great quality pictures at affordable prices. You can take a clear photograph with professional looks with your Nikon DSLR camera, all you have to do just take care of these simple steps:

1. The Autofocus option is available in Nikon DSLR camera which enables the camera to fine tune the focus of the camera automatically. But you should have to take care that your camera is placed well and focusing well on the subject. To Autofocus your Nikon DSLR camera, you should press the shutter button half and after a moment press the button completely which will place an automatic focus on your subject.

2. Hold the camera with both your hands supporting the camera in the left palm and hold the trigger in your right hand. A lot of beginners upgrading from a point and shoot don’t hold the DSLR properly and this results in a lot of shake in the photo.

Nikon DSLR

3. After focusing on the subject , resist camera shake as it will provide you a clearer image. This is especially true in night when the camera needs more time to capture the image. Improvise; look out for places around where you can place the camera in a steady place and use the timer to take the snap.

4. Avoid taking full body photograph of your object when not necessary. Move closer towards the subject and take a close up photograph using the Portrait mode. Try to capture unposed photos thereby capturing real emotions of people

5. Avoid using flash during day time and in the places where enough light is available to take a clear photograph. Flashes tend to wash out the skin and the subtle emotions of people. But do not forget to on the flash if you are taking an indoor photograph with low intensity of light.

Nikon DSLR has a lot more features which will be discussed in a later article. Once you buy a DSLR it is imperative that you upgrade from shooting in Auto mode to more complex modes such as Aperture Priority, Manual which gives one  better control over the photo being shot.

]]> http://photography-tips.lifeblob.com/2010/08/5-tips-to-start-taking-amazing-photos-on-a-nikon-dslr-camera/feed/ 5 http://photography-tips.lifeblob.com/2010/08/5-tips-to-start-taking-amazing-photos-on-a-nikon-dslr-camera/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/photography-tips-lb/~3/Az9LHF1sm00/ http://photography-tips.lifeblob.com/2010/08/top-6-camera-phones-in-the-market/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:32:30 +0000 redchillies http://photography-tips.lifeblob.com/?p=19681 Nowadays, mobile phones don’t just come bundled with one or two options. They are loaded with a variety of multimedia features and functions that adds an appeal to your personality. There was a time when people needed to buy expensive SLR cameras for photographing  festivals and other events. But today, times are changing with mobile [...]]]>

Shekhar Sahu

Shekhar Sahu is one of the new age entrepreneurs riding the entrepreneurship wave in India. He is co-founder of an internet healthcare company called HealthCareMagic.com.

Though his work at his start up keeps him busy; whenever he gets free time, he devotes it to his camera. He regards photography has his inspiration. You can read more about him here: http://shekhar.co/about/

Excerpts from the interview:

Photography Tips: When did you shoot your first photo and what inspired you to take up photography?

Shekar: I precisely remember that incident. It was the summer of 1995, I was just 11 year old, we (my family) went to a forrest hill full of wildlife near Raipur (Chhattisgarh) on a weekend, It was an old classic Yashica camera. Just playing with the camera, I happened to shoot a Chital Deer accidentally in the jungle. I still have that photograph, and it always brings back good memories of falling in love for the first time, with photography!

PT: What is your current gear? Any favourite lens?

S: NIKON D90, CANON PowerShot A640 & NIKON Nikon 85mm F/1.4

PT: Which mode do you mainly shoot in?

S: Mostly manual. These days I am experimenting a lot with Macro photography.

PT: Capturing a great shot requires persistence, perseverance and patience; which beginners don’t really understand when they start off. On that note, can you choose a photograph taken by you and take us through how you shot it.

Child - Shekhar Sahu

S: I visited a pre-historic village called Malhar in Chhattisgarh this summer. At the end of my shoot, I spotted a little girl in a little hut, girl’s mother just shouted at her, and she ran away from her house’s door with an expression filled with anger and sorrow; still at the same time she was looking funny. I was observing all these, and waited till she came in front of the blue wall, she was completely restless and moving here and there like little kids do. I zoomed and shot this photograph of this little girl, as you can see in her expression, she wasn’t quite happy about it. But I was happy that the shot came with all the rich colors and the same angry expression of innocent childhood I wanted to capture. It took 25 minutes of wait in the hot central-india summer, the right moment, perfect colors, exact right expressions on her face and one single shot!

PT: Your advice to youngsters starting out in photography

S: “You don’t take a photograph; you make it.”

Explore Shekhar Sahu’s photos here

Interviewed by Rahul Prasad

People who have worked with photo manipulation programs often express some confusion when it comes to working with layers. I will attempt to demystify some common misunderstandings about working with layers and how you can use layers to your advantage when working with photos. Of course, not all photo manipulation programs have the ability to create multiple layers. I use an open source application (which translates to free) called Gnu Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). I will demonstrate layers using GIMP on a Linux system, however, you may also install GIMP on a Windows machine as well and it will cost the same…nothing. If you do not already have GIMP installed, take a moment to download and install the application by visiting the GIMP web site: http://www.gimp.org. Once you have loaded the application, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the program by reading the article “GIMP, The Poor Man’s Photoshop” found on this web site.

Imagine yourself as a scientist working on a cloning experiment. As part of your experiment, you have a volunteer who has agreed to be cloned, but he has set a few preconditions you are obligated to follow: You may not alter the original subject, you must improve on the original subject, and all traces of replicated clones must be eliminated at the end of the experiment with the exception of the improved model. Essentially, that is what we are doing when we work with layers. By working in layers, we are able tom make improvements to a photograph without changing the original. Let’s get started.

When you load an image in GIMP, you are presented with three windows by default; the toolbox, the layers window, and the work space. When you load an image into GIMP you already have a layer selected. We call this the background layer. This is our original volunteer and we have agreed not to harm him, remember? So let’s make our first clone by selecting LAYER from the menu bar, then DUPLICATE LAYER. You will see the new layer in the layers window on your screen, which is named “Background copy” by default.

The Layers window is divided into several regions. The upper region contains options to control the mode and opacity. The Mode drop down box allows you to alter the character of the layer. Most often, you will use apply the “normal” mode when performing basic adjustments. Other modes may be used to perform a variety of alterations. The opacity slider allows you to adjust the percentage of transparency the current layer has over a lower layer. There are times when you may want to create only a slight blur to your photograph. By adjusting the opacity slider, you can fine tune the degree of change made to the current layer.

The layers portion of the window allows you to select and manipulate each layer individually. You can rename each layer individually by double-clicking on the name label and giving the layer an appropriate name, such as “mask,” or “levels” to reflect the action you performed on that layer. Notice that each layer has an eye next to the layer icon. By clicking on the eye, you are able to hide the changes made within the respective layer. This is helpful when comparing effects between changes. The lower portion of the layers window create new layers, change hierarchy, duplicate, or delete the layers.

You now have a basic understanding of how layers work and why you may want to use layers when making alterations to your photographs. You may want to explore layers in more detail by reading the online GIMP manual on the subject. You can read the manual online here http://docs.gimp.org/2.6/en/. Chapter seven contains a very detailed description of every aspect of working with layers in GIMP.

Shortly after purchasing an SLR camera, many up-and-coming photographers find themselves investigating external flash units, although many SLR cameras have built-in flash available, so is it necessary to undergo the expense of purchasing an external flash? The simple answer is yes, but there is a caveat to this answer. If you are satisfied with keeping your camera set to auto mode and are not one who does not mind experimenting with advance features and new techniques, then perhaps you should save your money for a new lens and continue to use the built-in flash. However, if you are interested in learning new lighting techniques, obtaining more balanced photographs, and becoming more knowledgeable photographer, then you should consider purchasing an external flash. This segment addresses how to use some common features to maximize your investment.

The most revealing concept behind flash photography is also the most basic. A small light source will produce a large, harsh shadow. Think of using the light cast from you flash as a cue ball on a billiards table. As you strike a rail, the cue ball changes direction proportionally to the angle which it struck the rail. Likewise, the cue ball looses velocity with each rail it strikes and covers less potential area as it encounters more resistance. The light from a flash unit works in a similar manners, except we are using photons instead of cue balls.

Flash

Take a second and look through some of your photographs that were taken with a built-in flash. You will surely find that many of the photographs project large shadows against a background, such as a wall. You will also find that the smaller light sources create harsh light effects on your subject. High-quality external flash units allow you to alter the direction of the flash unit by rotating and swiveling the flash head.

Ceiling Bounce

Let’s assume you are indoors and you want to take a photograph that will create a shot where the light is evenly balanced throughout the room. This is an excellent opportunity to use the ceiling to bounce the flash evenly. Here’s how it works. When you rotate the flash head upwards, pointed directly toward the ceiling, you are using the ceiling as a reflector. The light effectively casts the shadow toward the floor, which will reduce the background shadow; however, this technique may create a few negative effects.

Using the ceiling to bounce your flash can create some shadows in areas you do not intend, such as beneath a person’s chin and eyes. Don’t worry, we can counter this this effect with a little augmentation. One way to correct this problem is to use a reflector. Position the filter at a angle that will compensate for the ceiling effect. Just like real estate, location is important. A good place to start, as a rule of thumb, is to place the reflector at an equal distance to the front of the subject as the height of the shadow target. Let’s say you are taking a photograph of a person who is standing and you want to eliminate facial shadows from a ceiling bounce. If a person’s shadow zone is around four feet off the floor, then place the reflector four feet in front of your subject at approximately a 45-degree angle. This technique is a little cumbersome and does not work well for spontaneous shots taken at parties, lest you become the topic of discussion.

A simpler alternative to overcome the top-down shadow effect is to use an additional reflective surface at the light source. This is a fancy way to tell you about a simple solution. Place a standard 3×5 index card at a right-angle to the flash. If your flash is pointed straight toward the ceiling, the the card will reflect approximately 25 percent of the light forward. Since the card essentially acts as a reflector, most of the shadows will be reduced and you will save some yourself from some ridicule by leaving your reflectors at home.

Forward Wall Bounce

If your flash unit is capable of a full 180-degree rotation, then you can reduce shadows by bouncing the flash against the wall behind you. This technique requires you to be positioned fairly close to a back wall to maximize the effect. By using the wall to your back, you can create a larger reflective surface to soften the effect of the flash. You may also use this in conjunction with ceiling bounce in lieu of using the 3×5 index card. Of course, this technique also has a pit-fall. If you are using a white, or light colored wall, then this effect should work well. However, if you are standing in front of a red or blue wall, you are asking for trouble. Keep that 3×5 index card handy, just in case.

Off-Center Bounce

This technique works well when you need to compensate for existing off-side light. Let’s assume you are taking a photograph of a subject who is standing near a window with daylight present. You can rotate the flash to an appropriate angle to compensate for shadows created from the window light. This effect works exceptionally well when photographing in black and white and you want to illuminate the off-side, but not enough to overpower the sunlight coming through the window.

Again, nothing comes without a cost. Using an off-center bounce may create shadows that appear unnatural, especially if the shadow is inconsistent with the light from an exposed window. Again, we can compensate for this effect. Just like the forward wall bounce technique, you can alter the angle of the flash to use the ceiling to compensate for shadows. An alternative is to combine the off-center bounce with a reflector to fill the shadows.

The key to any photographic technique is to practice. Set up sample shots in a controlled environment and judge the effects for yourself. You would do well to document your experiments for future reference. Try this effect standing directly in front of your subject, and also at various angles. You will be surprised how much a subtle change in angle creates adverse effects on your photographs. Your objective is to learn to understand these effects and to use the techniques learned here to predict where your shadows will fall and how to best reduce the unwanted effects.

Taking photographs around candlelight can be somewhat of a challenge, but it is not difficult at all. Candlelight can be shot in either lighted or in low light conditions, depending upon the mood you are trying to capture. To make this shot you will need:

• A camera with manual focus
• A lit candle
• A tripod

It is essential to use a tripod or some form of camera steadying device, such as a sandbag if a tripod is not available. Set your camera at the angle you would like to capture the candle and tighten all fastening points. Any vibration during this shot will create an out of focus condition and you will not be happy with the result.

Take a moment to reduce any residual light that could interfere with your shot. Any backlight present may create lens flare, odd reflections, or other undesired effects. You will also need to turn your flash off before taking the shot. A sudden flash taken in near darkness will surely be an unwelcome sensation.

In the illustrated photograph, the camera was set to Av mode (aperture priority). Using Av mode allows the photographer to to select the aperture setting and set the camera automatically selects the best shutter speed. The photo shown below was shot with the aperture set to f32. By setting the f-stop to the most narrow point, the amount of residual light is significantly reduced.

When shooting in low-light conditions, the slightest vibration can ruin a shot because of the slow shutter speeds needed. Use the camera’s self-timer to avoid creating any undue vibration by pressing the shutter release. For additional effect, the candle shown here was placed on top of a compact disc to create a strange glow. The reflection is subtle, but you can detect the prism effect behind the halo.

Once you perfect the technique of photographing candlelight, experiment with various objects to create an interesting still life. Include intimate objects within your shots, such as books, lace and wine glasses. The more you experiment with candlelight, the more interesting the shots will become.