Photo Tip Friday Will Return After the Holidays

Photo Tip Friday - Returning After the New Year







As the holidays draw nearer, my plate is becoming overfilled with many projects, obligations, and family.

I will have to postpone new Photo Tip Friday posts until after the New Year.

Until then, my friends, grab a piece of this delicious chocolate fudge and enjoy it's rich, smooth flavor.

Many batches will be made in the coming weeks so there is enough to go around.

Photo Tip Friday - Setting the White Balance

Photo Tip Friday - Setting the White Balance







In the days of old, we never had to worry about setting the white balance on our cameras.

But we did have to purchase the correct film for the lighting conditions that we would be shooting in.

Many of the point and shoot cameras today have an "auto" setting for the white balance, and the camera determines what it is before it takes the shot.

It somewhat works - most of the time.

But we have all seen those "yellow-hued" photos that we get sometimes when shooting indoors under artificial lighting.

The camera didn't choose too well that time.

These settings can all be set manually depending on where you are, and what the lighting conditions are.

My DSLR has outdoor settings that include bright sun, overcast, and shade. And I must remember each time I am outside to adjust for the correct setting.

There are also settings for indoor use and the different artificial lighting conditions.

The camera also allows one to make a custom white balance setting for any of these conditions.

The camera is aimed at a gray card and it determines the correct "balance" for the light.

It is more accurate, but I have found there to be little difference between that method and the preset ones in the camera.

Of course, I usually only shoot outdoors. If I did a lot of studio work, this method would be the one to use.

So if you find that you are sometimes getting some funky colored photos, or the colors don't look just right in the view screen compared to the actual scene, try adjusting your white balance.

It will make all the difference.

Photo Tip Friday - Overcast Days

Photo Tip Friday - Overcast Days







Picture perfect days with blue skies and fluffy white clouds don't always work into our schedules when it comes to taking photos on a trip.

When having to work with what we have - it isn't always bad to have an overcast day.

A slight cloud cover at sunrise or sunset can make for some pretty dramatic colors.

Even though a cloud cover can make for less light, what is available is a more even light - no harsh shadows and contrasts to avoid or work around.

Landscapes can get a bit boring when the sky is all white - it gives a flat, washed-out look to the image, so try to include less of the sky in a landscape on a completely overcast day.

Even though it was overcast in the above landscape image, I still used my polarizer - and it was able to pick up a bit of definition in the clouds.

So not all is lost on an overcast day. By looking at things a bit differently, it can work out after all!

Photo Tip Friday - Other Details Too

Photo Tip Friday - Other Details Too







A bit of a different tip for today.

I love to explore new areas when taking photos, and I always try to make sure I have what I am going to need with me for my equipment.

For sure, I will always find something - even just walking under the power lines will yield something worth photoing.

New views, plants, rocks - my eyes are always open for something.

With the powerlines humming above us as we walk along, we stopped under one set to take a break - sitting on the concrete base so we are off the ground.

I'm interested in looking through the viewfinder, my husband is scanning the scenery for any wildlife.

Both absorbed in our actions, we were not paying too much attention to our very immediate surroundings.

And that was our downfall.

It's chilly outside and we are in a shrubby area with tall grass - and the soil is rather sandy.

Perfect for tracking the wildlife.

And perfect for one of nature's big menaces.

Ticks - lots of them.

I saw one on my husband - and he was just like velcro - no brushing him off.

Then I looked down - they were all through the grass and climbing up - towards me.

My first thought - I should have tucked my jeans in my boots, then sprayed all my clothing with repellent.

One of the details I forgot about - it will not happen again.

Need to think beyond just the equipment!

Photo Tip Friday - EXIF Info

Photo Tip Friday - EXIF Info







In the days before digital cameras, the best a photographer could do to remember all the camera settings for an image was to write them down for each shot.

Very time consuming and confusing and not always practical to do.

Digital photography allows the photographer to have all the camera settings, date, time, and even the lens focal length at their fingertips with a click of the mouse - for every photo they take with their camera.

This is known as the EXIF info or metadata for the image.

It records the shutterspeed, f-stop number, ISO, size, and many other settings including the flash settings too.

I tried to show the EXIF screen for the above image, but I could not get it to come through on this post.

When viewing your images on your computer, right click on the photo, and click "properties" on the drop down box.

From there, click on the "image" tab and scroll down a bit. The header reads: EXIF.

All of the camera settings are listed under that header.

It is a great learning tool for a beginner, and it makes life a lot easier for the more experienced!

Photo Tip Friday - My Favorite Filter - The Polarizer

Photo Tip Friday - My Favorite Filter - The Polarizer








In last week's post I mentioned a problem that my polarizer filter was causing with my lens.

Theresa, over at Out in the Backyard asked what a polarizer was used for, and I am glad she did because it is my favorite filter.

Everyone loves a deep blue ocean and a beautiful blue sky overhead.

Many times the sky seems a bit washed out, and the glare on the water doesn't allow the deep colors to show up in an image.

So, how does a photographer get those vivid blues?

They use their trusty polarizer filter.

And not only does that polarizer make the blue colors more vivid, it enhances the reds and greens also.

It effectively removes reflections from glass and water so you can see beneath the surface with more depth.

A little piece of magic that I would never be without - especially since I love nature and landscape photography.

I keep it on my lens at all times - I have one for each lens.

Since this filter "spins" to increase the polarizing effect, you can effectively turn it so that it doesn't work at all if you do not need it.

One thing to keep in mind if you keep it on the camera at all times - you need to adjust your exposure.

As with all filters, it is another "layer" for the light go through, and adjusting for the exposure compensates for this.

A circular polarizer is a must for digital cameras with autofocus lenses. A Linear one does not work with an AF lens.

Keep in mind that the polarizer also tends to "cool" down the overall tone of the image, so I recommend a Moose's Polarizer filter which includes an 81a warming filter built into it to put the "warmth" back into the photo.

Spending a little more for a quality polarizer is really worth it in the end - it is the best little helper a photographer can have!

Photo Tip Friday - Dealing with Vignetting

Photo Tip Friday - Dealing with Vignetting









Have you ever heard of the word or term, vignetting?

Well, if you look at the image above, I bet you can quickly figure out what it is.

This photo has come directly from the camera - no photoshopping, cropping, or adjustments of any kind (something you will very rarely find here).

The edges of the photo loose the brightness that composes the center of the image.

And what causes this, you may ask.

Well, sometimes it is intended, and there are filters available for getting that effect in a photo.

But in my case, it was not intended.

And it is something that you cannot see through the viewfinder when taking the photo.

In the above image, it was caused by a couple of things.

First, I used my wide angle lens at it fullest capability.

This is usually not a problem most of the time, but I like to keep a polarizer filter on my lens at all times.

And unless you specifically purchase a slim (very hard to find a quality one) filter, then the polarizer filter tends to be a rather "thick" piece with a wider rim.

The lens in the wide angle position can "see" the edges of the rim, and it shows in the image, darkening the corners.

Now, you can get around this by purchasing a step up ring, and getting a bigger filter so it sits out beyond the lens' edges.

Filters for wide angle lens are bigger and more expensive, and by using the above method, you need to purchase an even larger filter (and lens cap).

As I have found out, it is best to check this out before you purchase your filters so you don't end up with unused, expensive equipment.

Or you can use the square filters that fit on any size lens as long as you have the correct mounts.

When I finally get to processing this image, a simple crop will easily take care of that unwanted vignetting without taking anything away from the image.

I was lucky this time.

Photo Tip Friday - Keep it Dry

Photo Tip Friday - Keep it Dry









Today is my 27th wedding anniversary, and we were supposed to spend it at the ocean.

Watching the weather forecast all week, I knew it wasn't going to be a bright sunny day, but overcast with a 50% chance of showers in the late afternoon.

No problem, I think to myself, I always carry a plastic bag, tucked in the corner of my camera case.

Since my gear comes everywhere with me, you just never know, and I don't want it wet.

That bag will keep things dry until I can get in the car or inside out of the weather.

Well, last night the weather forecast was for rain all day.

That little bag was not going to do me any good with that kind of precipitation.

So the trip is postponed - too much water for walking humans and cameras today.

Friday's Photo Tip - Keep Your Eyes Open

Friday's Photo Tip - Keep Your Eyes Open









This post is a bit different from my other photo tips posts, but I think a quick reminder is necessary.

If you are anything like me when the camera is up to your eye - the rest of the world becomes non-existent.

I'm concentrating on the DOF, f-stop, shutter speed, and composition and am consumed in those actions.

I'm not noticing the bystander on the bench, or his buddy that is sneaking his way towards me.

I'm holding almost $2000 in camera equipment in my hands, and I am alone in the city, taking a walk while waiting for my husband to finish up with his appointment.

It's not a good idea to close out the rest of the world when behind the lens.

We are usually together most of the time when we are in the city, and he watches over things - something that I don't even have to think while shooting images.

Until now.

Quick thinking kept me safe this time, but I think I much prefer the beasts in the woods to the beasts that inhabit the city.

Friday's Photo Tip - Get Down to Their Level

Friday's Photo Tip - Get Down to Their Level









The knees and the hips aren't as flexible as they used to be, and the toes and ankles don't really like me to balance too long on them either.

But for the sake of a good photo, I assume a squatting, lunging, kneeling, or whatever position I must, to get down low enough to capture my subject.

And these guys were not easy - they were only a couple of inches above the ground.

I took many photos of them, but the most uncomfortable position yielded the best result.

Friday's Photo Tip - Redirect Light

Friday's Photo Tip - Redirect Light









Shooting stock photographs that are set against a white background can be very tricky at times.

It took me a lot of experimenting to get it just right.

Shadows were always plaguing me, and most times my subjects always looked so dark and drab to me.

Using studio lighting isn't my favorite, but I was determined to make it work.

I found that by using a reflector or two I was able to bounce the light around.

That certainly brightened things up a lot, and it helped with those dark shadows too.

And another thing I have found to be helpful - make sure I wear a white shirt when doing these shoots.

Even that small detail can help to "add" or "direct" more light towards my subject when I am standing in front of it.

Some of the props I use are far from professional, but I have some darn good ones that work pretty well.

And looking at the final result, nobody would ever suspect how crazy some of them are.

What a good feeling it is when it all works!

Friday's Photo Tip - Time of Day Matters

Friday's Photo Tip - Time of Day Matters









Outdoors in the natural light is my favorite way to take photographs.

I am not a big fan of flash or studio light photography in a controlled environment, although I have seen beautiful work done with both.

Since photography is all about capturing the light, I like the way Mother Nature paints with it, and if I am lucky enough to see it, capture it with my camera.

And most times, it's just the way the light is hitting a leaf or flower that really makes the whole photo - and it usually only lasts for a moment or two.

I find that the best times to take outdoor photos is in the morning or the afternoon and evening.

The very early morning and early evening photos can sometimes have the best light as the sun is slanting across the sky and making unique, long, softer shadows.

I have found that between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm, the light is very harsh and bright, and unless I am in the woods, and need this kind of light, then it doesn't produce very pleasing images.

This works for most of the year - except for the winter in my area. The sun is so far away with limited daylight hours, that the best time for taking photos is during those four hours.

Of course this time is probably a bit different around the world, depending on your location, but I think it would be safe to say that the noon hour is not the most prime time no matter where you are on our beautiful planet.

Friday's Photo Tip - How to Frame a Moving Subject

Friday's Photo Tip - How to Frame a Moving Subject









Take a look at the photo above.

What do you notice about the plane?

Do you think the photo would have the same effect if I had framed the plane towards the right rather than the left?

It would look like it was headed right out of the picture if I had framed it towards the right.

When photographing a moving object, it is always best to give the subject "room to move" in the direction that it is headed.

The eyes tend to travel around, and leaving space for the subject to move into will give the photo balance even though there is nothing there.

Friday's Photo Tip - Controlling the Aperture

Friday's Photo Tip - Controlling the Aperture









Last week's post discussed the job of the aperture and how it controls the amount of light entering the camera.

And I ended the post mentioning that I would help explain why a photographer would want to control the size of the aperture when the camera has a mode for doing this automatically.

Most cameras, both the point and shoot, and the DSLR's have several modes for capturing images.

The most popular one is the "auto" or the "program" mode as it lets the camera make all the decisions - and it does a great job most of the time.

There are other options to pick from too, and they include shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual.

I use manual off and on, but when I am in a situation when I don't have the time to think and fiddle around, I pick the aperture priority mode. It is my favorite one most of the time.

This mode allows me to set the aperture at what I want, and the camera will choose the correct shutter speed to compensate for the light.

I am a bit of a fanatic when it comes to my depth of field, and this is something that is controlled by the aperture.

The size of the aperture and my focal distance will determine how much of the photo will be in focus.

And the handy little button next to my lens that allows me to view the image by closing down aperture is also another one of my favorites.

I can see exactly what will be in focus and it can be a huge help in determining if it has that nice bokeh background that I like.

Now, how does one use the aperture to control the depth of field?

Once again it has to do with those f-stop numbers and how big the aperture is.

The smaller the number, the more shallow the depth of field will be and less will be in focus.

The higher the number, the wider the depth of field will be, and more will be in focus.

When shooting macro, the depth of field is very limited to begin with, so I try to get a fairly high number to get more of the image in focus.

This is not always easy, because if you remember from last week, the higher the number, the less the light there is coming into the camera.

And that means a slower shutter speed to compensate for this, which in turn usually means I need to use a tripod.

The above image has an f-stop of 5.

By pressing the aperture button beside the lens, I could see that I had the very center of the flower in sharp focus and the petals were acceptable though not as sharp.

And the background - it had that nice bokeh that I was hoping for.

If I had increased the f-stop to a higher number, like 22, then all the flower, and pretty much all the grass and the background would be in fairly good focus.

A lower f-stop, like 2, would have just the very center in focus, and the petals would have no definition and would blur into the background too.

By controlling the aperture opening with the f-stop numbers, the photographer has much more creative control over their photo and how they want it to appear.

Try experimenting with the different f-stops while shooting one subject and notice the difference in each photo.

The good thing about digital cameras - they record all the exif info with each photo. That ends all the writing down we used to have to do when shooting our images so we would know the shutter speed, f-stop, ISO, focal distance, time, date, and so forth.

I hope I have explained this so that is easy enough to understand. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thanks for stopping by and happy experimenting with your aperture - it's one of the best parts of using a camera!

Friday's photo Tip - What Does the Aperture Do?

Friday's Photo Tip - What Does the Aperture Do?









"Aperture" is a photography term that we have all heard about, but sometimes don't really understand what it is or how it works.

If anyone has taken the time to read the owner's manual for their camera, whether you have a point and shoot, or a DSLR, you have run across this term.

How well it is explained in those manuals is another topic.

Most times, you will have read something about your camera being automatic, shutter priority, aperture priority, or manual when it comes to taking photos.

The auto setting is the most popular so the other terms aren't usually given too much thought.

There is an aperture in every lens, and it is used by the camera to control the amount of light that reaches the film or digital sensor.

This aperture is adjustable - from large openings to very small openings, depending on the amount of light that is available.

The size of the aperture is controlled by a ring (on the old lens photo above) that is closest to the camera body.

This ring has numbers that usually range from 1.4 up to 22, and they are known as the f-stop numbers.

These numbers are a value that is given to the aperture opening, and in photography, the lower the number, the bigger the aperture or opening.

The larger the number, the smaller the opening, which usually means you have a lot of light available for the photo.

Think of it like the iris in your eye, because the aperture in a lens works just like one.

When it is really bright outside, the pupil is very tiny - only letting in a small amount of light.

When it is dark, the pupils are huge - they need to let in as much light as possible.

In most digital cameras of today, the aperture is controlled by a dial on the camera, not the lens, and it all still works the same way as the old lenses do when the photo is taken.

And the next question is, what do these f-stop numbers mean, and why does a photographer need to know about them when the camera can automatically figure the light available and pick all the correct settings itself?

Ah - but that's one of the fun parts of photography, and I will explain it the best I can in next week's Friday's Photo Tip.

Friday's Photo Tip

Friday's Photo Tip









Something a bit different for today.

I came across a quote that I think applies to many things in life, but it takes on a special meaning for an artist or a lover of art:

"The question is not what you look at but what you see!"

-by Henry David Thoureau


I apologize for the short post for this week - a busy weekend is ahead.

Hope you all have a good one!

You are Welcome to Grab a Link

Grab a Link



<a href="http://photographybykml.blogspot.com/search/label/friday%27s%20photo%20tip"><img alt="photo tips button" width="125" src="http://images112.fotki.com/v1532/photos/1/38911/7343647/advitar125-vi.jpg" height="125" /></a>




I just added a new item to the sidebar, and am quite excited by it.

Jackie, over at The Painted Veil gave me an excellent piece of advice, and I thank her so much for it!

She mentioned that she didn't want to miss any of the posts that I do on Fridays - the Photo Tip Friday ones, and suggested I have a link to them so they are all in one place without having to look for them.

And with her help, we came up with a button that has the code to share with my readers.

I invite you all to grab a link to post on your blog so it only takes one click to get to all these posts at once.

A very clever idea, Jackie, and I do appreciate your help.

I enjoy sharing what I know, and if you have any questions, please drop me note, and I will do my best to find the answers.

Have a good week, my friends, and don't forget to "grab a link"!

Friday's Photo Tip - Beware the Sensor Size

Friday's Photo Tip - Beware the Sensor Size









All digital cameras use a sensor to capture an image - it is the film of the digital camera.

Remember all the different kinds and sizes of film there used to be to choose from?

Well digital cameras are the same way there too.

Depending on the camera you buy, it will have a certain size sensor.

The sensors in the the DSLR cameras are broken down into two different types.

They are the Full Frame Sensor and the APS-C Sensor.

The full frame sensor is equated to the full 35mm size in the film cameras.

The APS-C is considered a "cropped" version of the 35mm size.

So it stands to reason that the full frame has more pixels which will produce a larger image.

It is also quite a bit more expensive.

The APS-C sensor is what is in most DSLRs on the market today.

This doesn't mean that the DSLR with the APS-C sensor is inferior though.

It does the same job as the full frame - it just produces a smaller file.

Since most professionals need the large file, they opt to go with the full frame camera.

In the last few years, lens manufacturers have been coming out with lenses that are designed for the APS-C cameras.

Now, they can also be used on the full frame cameras, but the pixels will be limited by the amount of the camera that they were designed for.

A couple of the manufacturers have also mentioned that there is serious vignetting when using them.

The manufacturers also have a special code on the lens style number that indicates they are the cropped style and not the full frame. This is something to be aware of when purchasing a lens, especially if you are using an APS camera now and want to upgrade in the future.

And if you are wondering about using the full frame lens on an APS sensor camera - go for it.

Each camera brand has a "crop factor" depending on the actual size of the sensor.

This crop factor affects the field of view (FOV) of the lens.

If the camera has a 1.6 crop factor, then a 300mm lens captures an image that would take a 480mm lens on a full frame camera to capture.

This crop factor doesn't work as nicely on the wide angle images though.

As always - there are pros and cons to everyting.

The point and shoot cameras don't have to worry about any of these problems though.

Their sensors are designed to work perfectly with their fixed lenses.

Photography has something to offer for everyone - from the inexperienced to the experienced.

And digital photography makes it so much more fun!

Friday's Photo Tip - Image Stabilization

Friday's Photo Tip - Image Stabilization









Image Stabilization is a new term when it comes to photography.

Before digital cameras came along, if this term was mentioned, it would probably be taken as a fancy term for "using a tripod".

And if we were to use a tripod at all times, then this image stabilization would not even be necessary, even with today's cameras.

But it does make life so much easier for a photographer to have this technology since it isn't always practical to use a tripod.

And just what does it do for photography?

It allows the photographer to shoot in lower light conditions with slower shutter speeds without using a tripod for stability. It detects slight movements of the camera body and compensates for them when it snaps the image.

The result is sharper images by hand held cameras with slower shutter speeds.

It used to be recommend with an SLR camera to not shoot below a shutter speed of 30 as it is pretty hard to hold everything very still and get a sharp image.

I have used 30 with no problems with my DSLR and I have also had good success with a shutter speed of 15 - without a tripod - so this technology does work.

But you won't find this image stabilization technology in most DSLRs.

It is in most point and shoot digital cameras, and the video cameras all have it also.

So why not the DSLR's?

Well, it is in one brand that I know of - Sony.

This technology is built into the camera, and what ever lens you put on the camera will be able to take advantage of this feature.

Most of the DSLR manufacturers have yet to add this feature in their camera bodies.

But they do make lenses that has this technology built into them. And they are very expensive.

Is it a necessary feature to consider when purchasing a DSLR?

I really don't think it is, especially when a tripod will do the job.

But when you are hiking around with a heavy zoom lens on the camera, it is awfully nice to have this feature when grabbing a quick image.

Even with a faster shutter speed, some of the lenses are heavy, and this image stabilization kicks in to save the photo.

Friday's Photo Tip - RAW vs JPG

Friday's Photo Tip - RAW vs JPG









The debate to shoot RAW or JPG has gone on for years, and I believe it will always be this way.

Both sides have their pros and cons and the diehards for each side will continue to tout their way as the best.

For the most part, I shoot in the jpg format, but I have just had an experience that I think may have me changing my ways - but only on some photos.

When shooting jpg in the camera, the software in the camera compresses the file of the image, making it readable by most computer programs. It is considered the universal standard for photos.

When shooting raw, the file is saved without any compression. They are huge files, but they contain every exact pixel of info - no guessing going on with the raw format.

But every camera has a different way of processing raw files, and only one kind of software, designed just for it, can handle it most of the time. And when the firmware in the camera gets updated, it may need new software to process it. This makes old raw files obselete real quick.

A memory card will fill up extremely fast when shooting raw, and the processing of it takes longer too. If you are photoing action you need to wait for the camera to process the file before shooting the next frame.

Jpgs (also known as jpegs) allow you to fit more images on a memory card, and I have never had to wait for my camera to process them - it saves really quickly to the card.

Both types of files can be tweaked, but the raw ones need an extra step in the processing routine in order to make them tweakable in a program like photoshop. This is another program which just increases the processing time.

So, why would one want to shoot RAW when it makes more sense to shoot JPG?

I have been submitting images to a new stock agency, and they require the submitted file to be 48MB in size.

My jpg files are, on average, 28MB in size. This means I need to interpolate, or enlarge my file in order for it to even be considered for this agency.

When interpolating a compressed image, the program looks at the pixels and does its best to fill in the blank spaces to give this file 48MB of info. Since a jpg is compressed with a lot of guesswork to begin with, it is just more guessing which leads to artifacts and poor resolution when viewed at 100% in photoshop.

By using a RAW file, all of the info is there to interpolate with, not as much guessing going on as with the JPG. A cleaner and sharper image should be the result by interpolating a raw file as opposed to a jpg file.

Since I will only be sending certain images to this agency, I will shoot only the ones for them as RAW and will continue with JPG for all my other images.

But if one can afford the 24 megapixel DSLR, then none of this really matters - the JPGs will be just as gorgeous as the RAWs since the files will be so big to begin with.

It's always a numbers game!