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Photography Techniques
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Photography Techniques
Here you will find expert advice about different photography techniques.
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 10 (c) - Take Control of White Balance
Post Production & Shooting RAW You can save a bit of time in the post production process if you have the white balance set correctly prior to taking your photographs. However, white balance can be adjusted in the post production process on your computer using appropriate software such as Lightroom and Photoshop and it is most effective when photos have been taken in RAW mode. Remember that we also talked about the ability to non-destructively process RAW photographs in Part 7 of this series and the Lightroom software package allows you to do just that. Lightroom allows you to adjust the white balance using two sliders or by using the eyedropper tool. One of the best ways to get the perfect color is to take your first RAW photo with a gray card included with the subject. During post production . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 10 (b) - Take Control of White Balance
In the first unit (10 (a)) of 'Take Control of White Balance' in our series on 'Mastering Your DSLR' we overviewed white balance in general and considered its relationship with color perception and digital cameras. In this unit we explore white balance camera presets and custom white balance control. White Balance Presets To offset the fact that the camera sensor does not always get the color temperature reading correct and/or the in-camera processor (using algorithms) does not exactly hit the mark, most DSLR cameras provide a number of white balance presets that enable the photographer to select an appropriate preset for the relevant lighting conditions prior to taking a photograph. The preset types are usually, daylight, tungsten/incandescent, fluorescent, shade, cloudy/overcast, and flash. These white balance presets can actually be used for creative purposes as well, achieving some very different and interesting results. You can practice this by taking a number of shots of the same subject, but before taking each shot change the white balance preset to another one. It is worth spending some time experimenting with these creative possibilities. Custom White Balance To obtain more accurate results using white balance you can set up 'custom' white balance prior . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 10 (a) - Take Control of White Balance
Do you often find that some of your photos look either too warm (with a yellow/orange tinge) or too cool (with a bluish tinge), particularly when taken under artificial lighting? Well this is not unusual as different light sources operate at varying color temperatures with the lower temperatures producing the orange/yellow colors, the higher temperatures providing the blue/green colors and the midday sunlight and flashlight both being in the mid range temperatures producing a more pure white. The term color temperature is simply just a way of quantifying the color of light. Now there is a heap of scientific and technical information written on this subject that you can read at your leisure should you have an interest in this subject. This short article will not address these technical matters in any depth but will suggest how you might adjust your photography techniques either before or after you have taken your shots to obtain the correct color for your photographs. However, the "correct color" can be a very subjective matter, so please note that for creative purposes you may like to manipulate these techniques to give a particular tone, color or mood that you desire in your photographs for particular situations. Color Perception As humans, our brain through our eyes adjusts to different lighting conditions (color temperatures) so that we see a white object as white (based on prior experience) regardless of the lighting conditions. In other words what we "see" . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 9(d) - Taking Sharper Images (Unit D)
In the first three units of 'Taking Sharper Images' in our series on 'Mastering Your DSLR' we considered: " Shutter Speed Selection " Camera Hand Holding Techniques and " Tripod Use In this unit we consider the importance of a number of other techniques. Lens Quality Naturally, always buy the best quality lens that you can afford and test it in the shop as well as outside before you purchase it. Preferably select one with an image stabilization function. Aperture Selection Endeavour to shoot around your lens' "sweet spot", usually at about f8 or f11 and avoid the extremes of f22 and f2.8. Of course this is not always possible as there are other factors such as light levels and the other points of the photography exposure triangle that affect your aperture selection but our emphasis here is on taking sharper photos. Focusing For landscaping pictures, . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 9(c) - Taking Sharper Images (Unit C)
In the first and second units of 'Taking Sharper Images' in our series on 'Mastering Your DSLR' we considered the importance of selecting the most appropriate shutter speed and some techniques in camera hand holding that may help you capture sharper images. In this unit we consider the option of using a tripod to assist you in achieving sharper photos. Tripods To achieve even sharper photos you should use a tripod whenever practicable. The use of a tripod is the largest contributor to obtaining sharp photos. Ensure that you purchase a tripod that is sufficiently sturdy for the weight of your camera kit or setup. Always use the sturdy components of your tripod first unless you need to have all parts of the tripod fully extended to cater for your stance and the framing of your subject - e.g. lower the thinner legs first if you are shooting at waist height and avoid extending the centre column whenever possible. You can add some mass to your tripod to make it even steadier by hanging a weight (maybe your camera bag) from the tripod hook. When using a tripod it is best to . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 9(b) - Taking Sharper Images (Unit B)
In the first unit of 'Taking Sharper Images' in our series on 'Mastering Your DSLR' we considered the importance of selecting the most appropriate shutter speed in capturing a sharp image. In this unit we consider the importance and techniques of hand holding your camera whilst taking your photos - you might be surprised at how important a steady hand can be in the quest for sharp photographs. Camera Hand Holding Image stabilization, a feature on many modern lenses, can greatly assist in reducing camera shake so you should experiment to determine the shutter speed threshold of your camera hand holding ability that still gives you sharp shots. To aid your hand holding ability of a digital SLR camera, consider investing in a battery grip. This accessory will give you far greater control, particularly for portrait work, as well as provide you with greater battery time as they usually provide space for more than one battery. Whenever possible hold the camera close to your body (left elbow tucked into your chest) and brace yourself against . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 9 - Taking Sharper Images (Unit A)
Are your photos always crisp and sharp? Do you often find when you get home from a photo shoot and start sorting and editing your photos, that some of your shots are blurred and too fuzzy to use? Or are those great shots you thought you took just not quite as good when you finally examine them more closely on your computer at home? The absence of sharpness in a shot can ruin an otherwise good photo, unless of course, the blur is intentional. Sharpness in a photograph is the combination of good equipment and good technique. In this and the next few sub-articles of this series, we consider a few techniques that may assist you in ensuring your photographs are as sharp as they can possibly be. Shutter Speed Choosing the right shutter speed is a crucial aspect of capturing a perfectly sharp photograph. An old rule of thumb used for 35mm film says that the shutter speed should be . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your DSLR Part 8 - Streamlined Photos
Do you want to produce more streamlined and smoother photographs? Do you want to remove that grainy look from your shots? Well then, let's consider a few elementary tips that might assist you in doing just that. Let's look at the following: " Reducing noise " Reducing cropping " Reducing sensor dust Reducing Noise The easiest way to achieve this is to shoot with as low an ISO setting as is practically possible. When you have a static subject and you are able to use a tripod then use an ISO setting of 100. Some modern cameras allow you to shoot as low as ISO 50. You can also turn on the noise reduction feature in your camera's menu as most quality cameras provide this feature. As a last resort use the noise reduction facility provided by most photography post production software. Reducing Cropping The best way to avoid or considerably reduce cropping . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 8 - Auto Flash (continued)
In our article on Auto Flash Photography last week we discussed the positives of using automatic metering systems for flash unit photography and TTL metering. In our article this week we briefly explore the advancements made in this technology using one manufacturer's (Canon) examples. A-TTL (Advanced TTL) Canon introduced, some years ago, A-TTL (Advanced - Through The Lens) flash metering for digital cameras where a "pre-flash" from the flash unit is fired prior to the main flash firing with the resultant reflected light from the subject being measured to determine an appropriate aperture to ensure an adequate depth of field for the photo. The sensor that reads this pre-flash is located on the flash unit itself. However,this process has limitations in that . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 7 - Auto/TTL Flash
Flash unit photography has been made a lot easier in recent years with the introduction of automatic flash unit metering systems. When you are constantly moving around your subject with an on-camera flash unit, particularly at functions such as weddings, you need the ability to quickly compose and shoot so that you don't miss that perfect photo opportunity and these systems provide you with that luxury. Automatic flash unit output is affected by the reflectivity and tonal values of both your subject and your scene. The camera's meter tries to expose for any scene in the frame as an average tone rather than a bright or dark one, as does the meter in the automatic flash unit. As a result there is usually a need to dial down or up your flash exposure compensation to get the best results when your flash unit provides the primary light source. However, when your flash unit is the secondary light source . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 6 - Manual Flash
Manual flash is exactly that, you need to manually make the camera and flash unit adjustments by hand yourself and this includes any calculations. You need to choose both an ISO speed and an aperture setting and then calculate the 'flash to subject' distance, or you need to choose an ISO speed and nominate the 'flash to subject' distance in order to calculate the required aperture to obtain a correctly exposed subject. Why would you do this in lieu of using automatic flash? Using manual flash can be a valuable inclusion in the bag of skills a photographer possesses particularly when auto flash is not a viable option. When might this occur? It is when you use an off camera flash. Auto flash requires a two way communication between the flash unit and the camera. Off camera flash using either a sync chord or optical slave has only one-way communication hence manual flash is required and this also applies for studio strobe lights. Of course you can . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 5 - Slow, Front & Rear Shutter Sync
Getting the best out of your flash unit often sounds more difficult than it is in reality. Set out below are some further techniques that initially seem difficult to explain and comprehend but with some patience and practice can become second nature and really add some interest and professionalism to your photography. Slow Shutter Sync This technique enables you in low light to illuminate the foreground using your flash unit and also illuminate the background using a slow shutter speed. When light levels are low, you can either use a fast shutter speed to minimize motion blur with your flash unit to capture the foreground leaving the background dark, or you can use the "slow shutter sync" method (also known as "dragging" the shutter) to illuminate the foreground and the background. The shutter speed for this method is usually set at less than 1/30 of a second. On DSLR cameras this method is usually only . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 4 - Red Eye Reduction
How many times have you taken a photograph of someone and ended up with that person having red color in either one or both of their eyes? It happens regularly with 'point and shoot' cameras and it can also happen with DSLR cameras. This article explains why this happens, and how you can help avoid this annoying artifact. Red eye occurs when the light from a flash unit enters a person's pupil, bounces off the back of the eye's minute red blood vessels and out through the pupil to be captured by the image sensor in the camera. This effect occurs more often in rooms with low light where the subject's pupils are dilated. In daylight however, the effect is less severe because the eye's pupils contract and reflect less light, and the brightness level of the flash unit, relative to the ambient light, is much less. This effect is accentuated when using longer lenses as it effectively reduces the distance between the flash unit, the eyes and the lens. What is critical is . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 3 - Bounce Flash - what is it and when do you use it?
How often have you used your camera with a flash unit to take photos of your loved ones standing near a wall and found that your resultant photos show shadows on the wall behind them? This is where you could make use of the technique called "bounce flash" to avoid this effect. Bounce flash is where the light from the flash unit is usually bounced off either a ceiling or a wall onto your subject. This avoids the light from the flash unit reaching the subject directly from the flash unit in a manner that deposits a fairly harsh light. The bounce flash provides a soft diffused light that can be very flattering for portraits. The light comes from a broader area than it would if it came just from the small area of the flash unit. It tends to surround your subject rather than being almost pierced by it from the flash unit. Flash units that have the ability for the flash head to be angled or swiveled make this a relatively simple task. However, you need to be aware . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 2 - Fill Flash; what is it and when do you use it?
Fill flash is a great technique that enables you to create fabulous photos even when natural light has become quite harsh. Light from a flash unit is added to the natural light to greatly improve the image by filling in the shadows and reducing contrast. "Fill flash", also known as "fill-in flash" is used when the primary light source, usually the sun, creates contrast and deep shadows on your subject. This fill flash is created by adding some light from a secondary light source (usually a flash unit) to reduce the contrast and to fill in the shadows - e.g. the shadow or shade on a person's face that is created from a broad hat that is protecting the person's face from a strong sun (the strongest of which is around midday and a time when it is very difficult to take good photographs). This fill light needs to be set at such a level that it does not "wash out" the person's face (i.e. over expose it) and set such that . . . keep reading
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Mastering Your "Flash" Part 1 - Shooting with Flash / Strobe
A flash is an essential tool for photographers when more light than is provided by the sun or artificial light is required to capture a correctly exposed photograph. Flash photography isn't simple and can be quite confusing, however with a little knowledge and some practice it can become second nature as well as fun and rewarding. In future articles in this series we will look at some techniques that will help you to capture quality photographs in situations where the lighting levels around your subject are less than ideal. We will consider: 1. Fill Flash 2. Bounce Flash 3. Red Eye Reduction 4. Slow Shutter Sync 5. Front Shutter Sync 6. Rear Shutter Sync 7. Manual Flash 8. Auto/TTL Flash (incl A-TTL & E-TTL) However, before . . . keep reading
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