How to Make a Perfect Bokeh Photos

In photography world, bokeh is a term used to describe the visual quality of a blur area outside the focal point which seems to separate the main subject from the background. Visually, our eyes are stunned when looking at photos with a main subject that is focused and sharp with a soft, crisp and beautiful background. The main subject is very prominent while the creamy blurry background strengthens the impression of dimension and depth. So how do we get bokeh photos every time?

Use Lenses with Large Aperture

Bokeh is determined by the lens, not the camera. The lens and optics in it determine the quality of the bokeh produced by the photo. So use a lens with the settings on the largest aperture. For DSLR and mirrorless cameras, you can use the aperture priority mode on the camera, then set the lens f number at the smallest number. On lenses with f / 2.8 specifications, for example, use f / 2.8, don't use f / 4. In the kit lens with f / 3.5 - 5.6 aperture range specifications, use at f / 3.5.

What is the effect of the settings above? basically by enlarging the aperture (using the smallest f), we narrow the focus space to become very thin, while the rest looks blurry and out of focus.

Bring the Distance Between the Lens and the Subject Photo

The closer you are to the main subject, the more background blur. Why can? because when the main subject is very close, the focus point of the lens gets closer and the sharp space gets thinner. Do you want to try the lens in your eyes? try placing your index finger in front of your face and try to focus your gaze on that finger. Then pull the index finger closer to the eye while staying focused, what happened to the backgorund behind him? the more motion blur is not!

Photo lenses work on the same principle. The closer the subject is to the lens, the more blur the background behind it.

Keep the Main Subject With Backgorund

When the subject of the photo is too close to the background that looks busy, the resulting bokeh will look ugly and busy. Why? because the background is still included in the subject's focus space that still looks sharp. The sharp space of the photo moves from focus to blur gradually, with gradations, not just jumping. So the more the background is made of the focal point, the softer and blurred the background.

Use the Longest Zoom

With the distance from the camera to the same photo subject, using the zoom lens on the longest side will automatically reduce the sharp space of the lens, thus making the background more blurry. So when you use a 18-135mm zoom lens, use it at 135mm. When using a 70-200mm lens, use it at 200mm and so on.

Use the Fastest Lens You Have

If you are obsessed with wanting the perfect bokeh, try shooting with a bokeh factory lens such as a 50mm f / 1.2 lens, or 85mm f / 1.4 or 135mm f / 2 or 70-200mm f / 2.8 when used at 200mm. If these lenses feel too exotic and not affordable, use a cheaper alternative: 50mm f / 1.8, 85mm f / 1.8 or old school manual lenses with similar specifications.

Tips for Saving Lenses and Cameras

High and continuous humidity can damage electronic components and camera sensors, while mold can grow and develop in optical lenses. Once the fungus grows, the optical quality can be affected and we have to bother cleaning it. If the fungus is stuck to the outer surface, it's still easy, if the growth inside the lens element on the inside we will be very inconvenient. Don't forget, also read tips on storing the lens cap and back cover so that it doesn't easily disappear.

Cameras and lenses have mechanical components that need to move smoothly, did you know inside the lens or the camera is also oiled so that mechanical movement is smooth and not dragging? Now if you place the camera and lens in a very dry area (humidity is too low) then this risks mechanical functions can be dragged and disturbed.

What is the Ideal Humidity Number?

Figures around 40 - 50% RH (relative humidity, relative humidity) are ideal for cameras and lenses according to various articles. The safest rule is to check your lens and camera manual, look for the ideal operating range words, then check the recommended humidity range. Now for long-term storage, divide the number by two.

For example, the ideal operating humidity for the Canon 5D Mark II is 85% or lower. Then the ideal storage is around 35 to 45%.

Some of the Best Storage Methods

Here are some storage methods you can do to maintain the condition of the lens and the camera to remain optimal and excellent.

Buy a Special Dry Cabinet or Dry Box, a dry cabinet is a special cabinet that is designed to store electronic goods like the photo above. You can buy it at a camera shop or a large home appliance store. Depending on the specifications, we can adjust the humidity numbers in the storage space as desired.

Silica Gel and Airtight Box, For an inexpensive alternative you can use an airtight box that is commonly used to store and put some silica gel bags. You can also buy special silica gel with a color indicator to find out the water content in the gel as in the photo below. When the silica gel in the box is saturated with water, you can plug it into electricity to dry it again.

I recommend not buying a camera storage box that has a heating element, the risk of the element getting too hot is quite large. When the heater gets too hot, the sensor inside the camera can be affected by the sap.

Photography Tips | How to Hold the Camera

One of the basic things that needs to be done properly in photography is how we hold the camera properly, especially when you are working with a fairly heavy DSLR camera. With good holding techniques, we can help stabilize and reduce shake so the photos are sharper.

The way you hold a camera or use a photographic device is really just a matter of individual taste, and there are no right and wrong words, but building a habit and determining the right attitude when shooting from the beginning will give you a lot of benefits in the future. At least you will be seen as a professional photographer when photographing, at least that's a good reason to try right? The following are some tips that you can do:

Hold the camera using your right hand by grasping the handle on the right side of the camera, and placing your thumb behind the camera, three fingers curled forward and the index finger resting on the shutter button.

Most digital cameras now have a handle that automatically guides where your three fingers should be. Hold your digital camera firmly but don't be too strong if you don't want to produce blurry photos. The position of the left hand can vary depending on the type of digital camera you have, if you use a DSLR camera, then your left hand should be under the camera with the aim of holding the camera load using your palm. The thumb and forefinger of the left hand are on the lens to make it easier to adjust the focus and focal length.

1. Hold the camera using two hands - Remember! Always take pictures by holding the camera using two hands. Sure, taking one hand seems like it will look cool, but not your photos. The use of one hand then most likely the energy expended to push the shutter button will be too large, the power of the grip grip is also greater and the horizon is tilted.

2. Bend your elbows closer to the sides of your body - Place your elbows close to your body when shooting, this will reduce camera shake and shake.

3. Spread your legs to increase stability - One important thing to remember when holding the camera is how you position. Don't stand with your feet closed, spread your legs the size of a shoulder bee so that you have a better balance when shooting.

4. Keep the camera close to your body when taking photos - Even though you take pictures using the LCD screen, try not to position the camera too far from your body. Always try to keep the camera close to the body, the ideal distance is as long as you can comfortably see what is displayed by the camera's LCD screen.

5. Make sure not to block the lens or flash - Friend before pressing the shutter button also must ensure that your fingers do not cover either the lens or the flash.

6. Regulate the Breath - Of course you've climbed the stairs right? and that effort causes your breath to be faster than before, and of course your body will move up and down more frequently as the breath we take quickly.

Privileges Kit Lens Which Is Often Underrated

Kit lens is a lens that is sold in a package with a digital camera. Our average lens has a geeky look, the material may look frail with plastic, and the specifications may not make you proud, but the kit lens is the perfect option for those who are just starting out with an interest in photography and want to make peace with the budget.

Kit Lens Has 4 Classic Focal Lengths in 1 Lens

Even though it looks geeky, a kit lens has 4 classic focal lengths, in other words a kit lens can replace four prime / fixed lenses at once. The four classic focal lengths were: 28mm (wide-angle), 35mm (medium wide), 50mm (normal) and 85mm (portrait).

The focal length figures above are numbers for full frame cameras, the equivalent focal lengths for APSC cameras are 18mm, 23mm, 35mm and 56mm, respectively.

And currently the majority of kit lenses for APSC cameras sold have a range of 18-55mm. Another option is kit lenses with a range from width to near telephoto medium: 18–105mm or 18–135mm. Likewise, when you buy a full frame camera, the most commonly offered lens kit is 24-105mm.

Indeed, the kit lens will not offer a fierce opening, the largest at f / 3.5, but at least you get the basic functions of four (or more) lenses in one kit lens.

Small and Light

The kit lens that is most often sold in a package with an APSC camera is an 18–55mm lens. This lens does look plain, but keep in mind that it is also very light and petite.

For example, the Canon kit lens 18-55 f / 3.5-5.6 IS STM only weighs 200 grams and the maximum length is only 6 cm.

While similar lenses with semi-pro specifications, Canon 17-55mm f / 2.8 IS USM weighs 650 grams and a maximum length of 11 cm. Almost 2 times longer and 3 times heavier.

Same for Nikon. The Nikon 18-55mm f / 3.5-5.5.6 kit lens has a weight of 195 grams and a maximum length of 6cm. Compare with Nikon 17-55mm f / 2.8G DX which weighs 755 grams and a maximum length of 11cm.

If there is a long walk or going on a tour, the weight and size will be very grateful.

Kit Lens Has A Cheaper Filter

Lens filters are still useful, even though we live in a digital age. And for the filter applies this law: the greater the diameter of the filter the more expensive the price.

The basic kit lens as we mentioned above has a small physical size, automatically requires a smaller filter size as well.

Kit Lens Has a Good Minimum Focusing Distance

Minimum Focusing Disctance, as reviewed in this article, is a measure of the ability of the lens to capture objects that are close at hand. We don't expect to be able to match the capabilities of a macro lens, but the kit lens surprisingly has a better MFD compared to a more expensive lens.

The two lenses above (18–55mm f / 3.5–5.6 both from Canon and Nikon) have better close focus capability compared to the much more expensive 17–55mm f / 2.8 lens.

Black and White Digital Photography Tips

People enjoy making black and white digital photos because of their aesthetics and old-fashioned feel. There are two ways to make black and white photos - either shoot your imagery in black and white with your digital camera or use picture-editing software to convert a digital color photo into a black and white photo.

Here are digital photography tips for shooting black and white directly with a digital camera, if it comes with appropriate filters. You may find the setting labeled as "monochrome mode."

• Your camera may offer different file formats to store your images. Many file formats process the image and alter colors, saturation, sharpness, etc. If you have 'raw' format available use it - unlike JPEG format, raw does not process the image. So you get the original image as is. You can control whatever post-processing you desire.
• You can control the light sensitivity in a digital camera. The light sensitivity setting are given in ISO numbers such as ISO 100, ISO 200, etc. A high ISO number implies greater sensitivity to light. This is a good setting to capture digital photos in dim light. But high light sensitivity also results in more noise in the image. You must choose the ISO setting optimally for the imagery you want to photograph - neither too high nor too low.
• You must set the shutter speed of your camera optimally. You need a high shutter speed to shoot moving objects like cars or trains.
• The aperture settings on your digital camera determine the depth of focus you need. You can have one object in very sharp focus and allow everything in the backdrop to fade by controlling this.
• While optical zoom will work well with good lenses, avoid using digital zoom as it cause loss of details and poor resolution in the captured photo.
• Set your digital camera to shoot in maximum resolution to get subtleties and details if you have enough memory available.
• If you are just getting started on using your digital camera, stick to the auto mode where the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings depending on the scenery.
• If you need to use a flash to improve lighting, position yourself so that you do not get light from it reflecting back into the camera due to shiny surfaces in the scenery.

If you do not have a sophisticated camera which can be fine tuned for black and white photography, simply take color photos and convert them to black and white using software like Adobe Photoshop. The software will simply strip out the color information (expressed in red, blue and green components) and leave only luminosity information in the image. You may find the following photography tips useful to get you started.

1. Capture the color image in raw format.
2. You can use the Image >> Adjustments >> Black and White setting to convert to convert your color photo to black and white.
3. You can alter the contrast, sharpness and brightness of the picture by playing with the Image >> Adjustments menu which allows you to alter the red, green and color components of the underlying image.

Practice makes perfect. So try different settings on the digital camera and learn what works best.

Photography Tips for Beginners - How to Take Full Length Portraits

When you begin dabbling in the art of photography, many shots that seem simple actually turn out to be more complex than first thought. Some of these tricky shots include taking full length portraits. There are many things that can go wrong when taking full length portraits, such as missing heads and distorted faces, but luckily there are many photography tips for beginners that help resolve many of these common mistakes. By using these tips, you'll be able to take great full length portraits.

Lens Tips for Beginners

When taking full length portraits, you want to use a long lens. Never use a wide angle lens because it'll cause the image to look unnatural. By using a long lens when taking the portrait you'll be able to stand back from your subject, allowing you to capture the entire image while filling the frame. By doing do, you'll avoid cutting off the head and feet of your subject. An important lens tip for beginners is that the longer the lens is that you're using the more natural your subject will appear.

Focusing Tips for Beginners

When taking full length portraits, it's important to focus on the subject properly to capture the natural details of the subject and to avoid a fuzzy image. If using the correct lens, you want to focus on the subject's eyes. By focusing on the eyes and maintaining the background in the shot, you'll draw the focus of the image strictly to the subject and nowhere else.

Lighting Tips for Beginners

When you take full length portraits, you never want to use a straight flash because this will dull the portrait and cause unnatural shadows. What you want to do is bounce the flash off of a surface if natural lighting isn't available. Although natural lighting is always best to use, if it isn't possible, use a bounce flash to create a calm portrait with subtitle lighting.

If you're able to use natural lighting, such as outdoors, don't take the portrait during the afternoon hours. It's best to take the portrait during the morning or evening hours when the sunlight isn't as harsh. When outdoors, don't use a strong back lighting behind the subject because this will cause unwanted shadows to appear and the subject's eyes will be hidden.

Photo Composition for Beginners

The composition of the photo is essential for the final image of the subject. It's absolutely essential no body parts are cut off and no shadows distort the image. To produce the best photo composition possible, use the how to take full length portraits tips above and make sure you take the shot at the proper level. If you're taking a portrait of a child, take the image at the child's level. You don't want to tower over the child because the portrait will look unusual. Don't be afraid to kneel down or even lay down to get on the same level as your subject.

References: "Full Length Portraits" Practical Photography by John Freeman

5 Insightful Tips Only an “Old” Professional Photographer Would Know

You could search online for tips and advice on photography. But you'll probably see the same "helpful" hints from site to site. Here are a few of mine. Some I learned but only after YEARS in the business. So hopefully I'm saving you valuable time in trial and error. These are helpful photography tips I don't hear many others talk about, but maybe they should.

NEVER Buy New

Don't fall prey to the "I NEED the latest in technology" school of thought. Some of the greatest photos were taken with simple film cameras. Just earlier today, I bought an old version of Adobe Lightroom for post processing photos. It originally retailed for $300. I got mine for $18! Sure it's Version 1, but I usually don't need those advance tools featured in the later, pricier versions. Nothing wrong with manipulating photos but I mainly cover events. So I shoot "as is". I've learned to keep things simple. That's Tip 1½. This keeps costs down. All my gear is used. Since I shoot "as is" I don't need the latest in gadgetry. The iMac I'm composing this article on, $1200 new but I bought mine recently for $400 at a local Goodwill!

Make a Lists

How organized you are is in direct proportion to how successful you'll become. Make lists: from a daily "to do" list to a list of shots you plan to do on your shoot to a list of what you need to do to prepare for each shoot like cleaning your equipment, replacing batteries, formatting memory cards, etc. And perform those tasks the same way every time. That's Tip 2 ½. It's like an athlete training for the performance. It'll become routine and eventually you won't need to refer to a list. This is invaluable, especially on important, STRESSFUL shoots. It's one less thing to worry about.

Think Like an Art Director

Magazines don't show up somewhere with a crew and start shooting. They're carefully planned out. Put some thought into your photo making. At least have a list of shots you'd like to do. I always have some game plan, theme or concept. I'll research online for photos that inspire me. I then gather them onto a page or two and bring the print outs on shoots. They're nice to reference to, especially when working with newer models.

Carry a Camera Phone

At least, carry a note pad. You never know when that next great idea will come to you. I've taken pictures of mall mannequins, billboards and items on store shelves because they gave me an idea for a photo.

Be Stealthy

As an event photographer, I like to "blend in" with the crowd. I wear black but anything dark and solid will do...no patterns, stripes, etc. If it's not a wedding where I need 2 cameras, I prefer using a backpack. It's one less thing that calls attention to you. Because of my "stealthiness", I've shot in locations other have been booted from. I think it's because I try NOT to look like a professional photographer. But being nice and cordial to security helps too!

Digital Photography Tips and Pointers for the Beginner (The Delete Button Is Nothing to Fear)

It's fun and easy to take digital photographs-- there's an opinion for you. It is really easy to aim a camera or cell phone and shoot a picture worthy of posting somewhere online, but to do it in a way that makes someone else say, "wow, excellent shot, wish I could do that," is much harder. I have been taking pictures for a long time and I have learned a lot as I've gone along on this journey with my camera, yet I still manage to take nearly as many duds as delights. But that is what the delete button is for, to eliminate those horrible shots forever.

My secret to getting that interesting and beautiful shot? I place myself in the correct spot to get the angle I want and then I aim at my subject, focus, stop breathing to avoid shaking the camera and deliberately move the view-finder a bit to the right or left. This puts the subject slightly off-center and creates a new focal point.

The shakiness factor can be overcome by using a tripod, but I personally find this to be less spontaneous and much less convenient than carrying around just a camera. Besides, it can take several minutes to set up the tripod properly and adjust everything to the right height. By that time, your once-in-a-lifetime hummingbird closeup is long gone. Professional photographers tend to take a while to set up their photos. They set the tripod just so and wait for the perfect light, and perfect cloud formations. If a blue jay gets in the way of the shot, it's the red velvet on the cake, as long as it doesn't spoil the planned scene. I hold my breath while taking the shot for the simple reason that breathing creates movement and movement is fatal to capturing clear photos with a digital camera. For shots that aren't going anywhere, such as still lifes or portraits, the tripod is the way to go.

I'm here to say that sometimes it's the unplanned that adds to the amateur photographer's chances of creating that ideal shot.

I look around and see what is happening. If there is anything at all going on in view of my camera, there's a potential picture there. One prime example is the day that I walked outside without the camera and had to tip-toe back inside to get it when I discovered a winter tree covered with sparrows, looking for all the world like chirping leaves. Lucky for me, the birds stayed put while I did that and for several minutes thereafter while I clicked pictures. These things happen and the digital photographer needs to be prepared at all times.

To me, it's important to shoot the kinds of pictures that interest me the most.

If 5,000 pictures of Fluffy the cat in various appealing poses is what I'm into then so be it. Fluffy is what I'll focus on if it works for me and if it doesn't, then I'll find a new subject to shoot or choose a new angle on the old one. However, new angles should be kept as simple as possible just in case Fluffy doesn't like suddenly having a camera lens shoved up her nose and reacts with a clawed demonstration of her feelings. I find that it is easy to go too far with the dramatic "art" shots.

My rule is this: If I want a sideways picture, I turn the camera all the way on its side. If I want it horizontal rather than vertical, I leave the camera in its normal position. I don't go for halfway in between.

Overdoing the artsy angles can make it hard to tell what was supposed to be the theme of the picture. Was it the ocean or that half deflated beach ball on the shore? Was it the little girl in a sandy diaper wailing her eyes out because she has a sandy diaper or the big dog apparently trying to "water" the dogwood tree? It can be difficult to tell if the photographer was drunk and lying in a fetal position at the time the picture was taken or if he just likes photos that appear to be almost sideways and close to the horizon.

No fuss, no cuss is what I say.

To sum up, keep it simple and learn the basics of your camera, the ins and outs of digital photography and just have fun with it before you start getting overly creative. Just allow yourself the opportunity to be a poor photographer while you're learning the ropes. That's what the delete button is for and a good digital photographer is one who isn't afraid to use it. Have fun and click away.

Tips for Taking Autumn Pictures

During the autumn season connect with nature by taking your camera outdoors and capture natures beauty in an unique image. There are many great, vivid colors of autumn that offer the perfect shot for wonderful images. These vivid colors can, however, cause difficulty when adding contrast to an image. The natural colors of autumn often cause a picture to look dull if it is not correctly done. Use these tips to take the best autumn pictures.

Camera Settings
The key to great autumn pictures is choosing the correct settings on the camera. Many cameras have the option of the macro function. If your camera has this capability make sure you use this setting. Use this setting only when shooting close up. However, taking wide angle shots can also be done.

In order to accurately capture the vivid colors of autumn, experiment with your ISO setting until you find the perfect setting to accurately capture the colors in the image. Your camera may also have a setting to allow you to adjust the strong and soft colors in an image. Taking the time to experiment with this two things can mean the difference between a good photo and a great photo.

Autumn Essence
When taking autumn pictures it is important to capture the essence of autumn in the image. This means the chilly air, crunching leaves, and any other essence associated with the season. There are many ways this can be done. The easiest way is to take a portrait outdoors. When taking a portrait, have the subject wear clothing to show they are bundled up to be protected from the weather. Many photographers choose not to have the subject as the focal point of the image. Instead, they often center the subject to the left or the right.

Details
You can also do many tricks to add other details of the season into the image. Paying attention to details can let you add detail to whether it is early fall or late fall into the image. In order to do this you must choose the best viewpoint. To capture early autumn, you can take an image of an area that has a light covering of leaves on the foreground and show the trees in the background that still have leaves remaining on them.

Late autumn can also be captured in an image. To do this, you do the opposite of what you did with early autumn. Find an area that has a solid covering of leaves on the ground. Include trees that are almost bare of leaves to show it is late autumn.

Viewpoints
When taking autumn pictures, it is important to choose the best viewpoint. Many photographers choose to take autumn images from a low position, such as while kneeling. This provides you with an interesting angle for the image. When choosing a viewpoint watch for areas that have strong shadows. Avoid these areas because they will darken an image and cause the colors to look dull.

Other Tips
Using the tele settings is a great idea. This is perfect for isolating certain subjects or objects in an image. It will cause the focal point to be sharp while the background of the image remains blurred.

It is important to add contrast into an autumn image. You must be careful when doing this because too much contrast can clutter the image and make it loose its quality. Adding simple objects of nature, such as a boulder, is a great way to add contrast into an image. You can use the sky as a natural back drop to add contrast into an autumn image.

Tips for Photographing Horses

Taking a good photo of a horse might sound easy. But there is plenty to consider before taking that special photo of your equine friend!

First think what type of photo you want to achieve? Do you want to have a beautiful standing portrait? Are you after catching all the movement and "wilder side" without boosting your horse too much? Are you trying to take a photo with a human interacting with a horse?

My advice would be to browse some amazing galleries on the Internet from professional equestrian photographers. Or just read some horse magazines and take a closer look of the photos!

Before you start snapping plan ahead! If you are after that perfect portrait get your horse brushed up and use a clean halter. Or if you want more natural look on the pasture take the halter off! One might think that sunny day is the best time to take the photos but that is not the case! Bright sun creates plenty shadows and part of your horse will look dim. So cloudy day is usually better, but remember that you still need some light!

Plan your background for a portrait photo. Avoid trees "growing" off the horses back or fences if you can. Plain grass or maybe barn wall can be a good choice for the background. When you find a perfect spot think about your angle. Do you want a side shot? Do you want to take a photo in front of the horse? You might want to try both!

Then the tricky part, you need your horse to co-operate! You want him stand still and straight legged with his ears up and alert. Not so easy.. Some photographers actually use tape recorders and record other horses whinnying and play it while taking photos to get the horse alert!

I've also seen a photographer wiping baby-oil to the horses muzzle area and around the head to make him look fancier in the photos. She even uses hairspray to keep the mane and fore top in place!

If you are after a portrait your camera most likely will have a portrait mode so use that. Think about the perspective. You do not want to be too low or too high. Thumb rule is to have the camera in the same level as the horses eyes unless you are after funnier angle.

If you want to get the best photo of your horse in motion, change your camera to the action or sport mode. That way moving horse appears sharper on a photo. Try to get as close as you can but still get the whole horse. And always try to keep the sun behind you, not in front of you, for best exposure! With digital cameras today you can take lot of photos so take advantage of that! Keep clicking frame after frame, if your camera has a burst mode, meaning it will take several images in a row, use it!

Afterwords look at your photos in your computer and keep the ones you think are worth to work on, delete the rest. Bad images downloaded to your computer are just taking unnecessary room away from your hard drive!

Do some additional cropping, saturating and other editing to add the final touch to your images if needed. And don't forget to print out that perfect image you took and frame it to your wall! Or even better, take one to your tack room for everyone to admire!

How To Take Quality Photos - Photography Tips

Taking quality photographs is not that easy. Although it can be challenging to capture quality photos, it can also be rewarding, exciting, and fun. You certainly should not be embarrassed if your initial photographs turn out far differently than the perfect ones. Remember, if you are an amateur photographer, you have plenty of time to develop your photography skills. Even the best professional photographers started at the bottom, developing their skills along the way.

Being a new photographer is not a big deal. Building your experience as you take more and more photos is something that will come naturally. As you build your experience, your photos will improve. Eventually, your photos will rival those of a typical professional, provided you use similar hardware and tools and follow the tips below.

First, and foremost, you must enjoy what you do if you expect to ever become very good at it. Becoming a successful photographer is no different. If you stress out and do not genuinely enjoy photography, you simply will never become good at it.

Choosing a natural model is very helpful if you wish to take quality photographs. Allowing the model to pose in a comfortable position during the photo session will make the session much more enjoyable as well. Also, if you can, do your best to use models that find what you are doing enjoyable. If your models enjoy what they are doing, it will certainly come across in the photos in a positive manner.

In addition to the tips above, it is critical to always be mindful of your lighting. Most cameras are more sensitive to shadows than the human eye is. Using back-lighting or fill-lighting in naturally-poor lighting situations can produce fantastic pictures. Using white reflective backgrounds can also be effective in bouncing off flash.

At the end of the day, following the simple tips above can help improve the quality of the photographs you take.

How to Improve Your Photography Skills

One way to improve your photography is by looking at things in a new way. For example, if you want to take better photos you need to evaluate what it is that you're taking a photo of. Try to determine the best angles to take the photo. Also, always try to plain the shot before you take it this way you can be sure to get better results from your photography. Also, it's always a good idea to be aware of lighting situations because they will warn you about which exposure to utilize for the best results.

When taking photos of animals always try to include the animal's eyes in the photo as this is an indispensible part of wildlife photography. Another important thing to do when taking photos of animals is to use a big lens, as animals are usually shy and do not people being close to them. When it comes to editing a photo I always like take away distracting details and redundant details. For example, if there's something in the photo that doesn't need to be there then take it out by cropping or try lowering the brightness that spot to make it less visible. Sometime, I have background in photos that I don't like so, I try blurring the or like aforementioned, I might lower the brightness this way, you can be sure that these distracting elements in your photo are less obvious.

When it comes to portrait photography one thing I sometimes notice is that the subject face might be too dark, when this happen the detail that should normally be there is lost, the good news is that usually you can restore this detail by lighting up the that particular portion of the photo. Also, two things that I think people make mistakes with when taking pictures of people is that you don't want to have the person just standing there looking bored. Plus, I've notice that photos of people that only include the face and shoulder usually seem a lot of interesting than just show the whole person in the photo although, there are exceptions to this. Another thing that I believe makes portraits a lot better is to have emotion in the photo; you don't want your subject just standing there looking bored try to take the subject laugh or show some type of emotion that represents their personality or the personality of another person.

When it comes to sports photography try to get a photo of people doing something important to that particular sport. For example, if you happen to be taking photos at a triathlon, try to get photos of the person crossing the finish line or doing one of the transition sites.

Hope this article was successful in helping you with your photography.

Photography Tips - Shooting Flowers

It's spring in various parts of the world. For those of us who spent the winter trapped inside, spring means, among other things, a tempting chance to grab the camera and start capturing the first blooms of the season. Yet, how do you turn those shots of your beloved blooms into something exceptional? Taking pictures of flowers is comparatively easy because flowers don't hop around, shy away from the camera or protest about the number of shots taken. Nevertheless, just because flowers make agreeable photography subjects doesn't mean taking pictures of flowers is without its own obstacles

Deciding how to capture pictures of flowers depends on the photographer's subject matter. Flower photos can vary from photos of a solitary bloom in a vase to panoramic photos of a meadow of wildflowers. The type of flower pictures you desire to take influences the photography techniques you'll use.

Flower Pictures and Light

Sunlight is not your ally when taking pictures of flowers. Sunlight shining off leaves and petals shadows the details of flower photos and causes problems with over exposure. The first rule of how to take pictures of flowers is to avoid direct sunlight. Walk around the flower to see how it looks with light coming from different directions. Watch carefully when the light is at the back the flower, coming toward the camera. Often, the petals will glow with beautiful iridescence. This is called "backlighting" because the light is coming from the back of the flower. Backlighting is often the best type of lighting for semi-transparent subjects like petals. However, don't despair if there is no sun. Gray and overcast days provide great opportunities for flower photography. Overcast days are ideal for taking pictures of flowers: The softer, more diffuse light lets the petals of the flower stand out and become the focus of the picture. If you can't keep away from sunlight, choose for the warm light of early morning or evening, rather than the cruel light of noon. The lighting is more even and there are no shadows. Rain turns colors more powerful. You can even carry a spray bottle to generate rain droplets on the brightest of days. Even night photography is an alternative. You will be surprised at how eye-catching a flower photo can be when illuminated by flash. If you have to take pictures of flowers in sunlight, try using something as a light filter. Hold a translucent material between the sun and the flower, so the light that hits the flower is softer. Potential filtering tools include white sheers, wax paper or even a shirt. You may find it useful to have someone hold the filtering material while you take the flower pictures.

Using Backlight

Another way to use sunlight when taking pictures of flowers is to use backlight. A standard method of including backlighting in pictures is to have the sun (or bright light source) directly behind the photographer. You can also experiment with backlighting by placing the light source behind your subject. While some flower petals almost glow when backlit, others become translucent. Keep in mind that too much backlight produces a glare that can destroy the photo.

Focus and Backgrounds

Objects in the background can overpower flower pictures, especially those of single blooms. A rose bud, for illustration, may become lost if there is too much material, such as other foliage, in the background. Try interesting angles and backgrounds. Consider getting down low on the ground or shooting with the wide angle setting on your lens. Don't despair if the background behind the flower is unattractive. Try replacing it with a colored piece of paper or fabric. There are lots of different ways you can experiment when photographing flowers! Photographers taking flower pictures have several tricks to make flowers stand out in clear focus. One is to use a low f-stop or wide aperture. These settings produce pictures with the flower in focus and the background out of focus. Flower photos taken in this method can be tremendously striking. Another option is to substitute the background with one of your own devising. Plan for background colors that contrast with the flower: A dark background would work well for pictures of white gardenias, for example, while a neutral color would work better for dramatic flowers like hibiscus. Another alternative when taking pictures of flowers is to take the photos at night using a flash. The flash illuminates the flowers while constructs a dark background.

Macro Flower Pictures

Macro flower photos are pictures of parts of a flower taken at intense close up. While conventional film cameras require a special macro lens to capture extreme close ups, many digital cameras have a macro setting. Macro flower pictures may focus on the texture of a petal, dew clinging to the flower or other interesting parts of the flower. To take macro pictures, a tripod is crucial. Even minor hand movements can throw a macro picture out of focus. Flowers swaying in a gentle wind can also appear out of focus with macro photography, so many photographers take close-up flower pictures indoors, where they can manipulate light and wind.

Composing Pictures of Flowers

To make a flower picture take off, wait until something adds life to the flower, for example, a bee lands on your flower, or a spider crawls up it, or a hummingbird dines on the nectar. It takes persistence, but it pays off if, for example, after you wait a few minutes, a butterfly lands on your flower. The picture you get will be great. A superior flower picture offers something more than the flower. A field of Black-eyed Suzie blowing in the wind can look enchanting in reality but boring and static in a photo unless the flowers are contrasted with something. Try to include people, animals, buildings or attractions in pictures that include flower fields or flower beds that are principally a solitary color. The identical rule applies to taking pictures of flowers up close. Flower pictures that incorporate insects like a butterfly feeding on the nectar of a flower or a green caterpillar on a red rose are usually more interesting than pictures of flowers alone.

The angle of a shot also controls the look of flower photos. A picture of a sunflower field isn't very attractive on its own. What if you took the picture lying down, looking up through the sunflowers? Or what if you took a macro photo of the bees pollinating daisies? Look for diverse ways to shoot pictures of flowers. A little testing can greatly strengthen your flower pictures.

Uses for Flower Pictures

Flower pictures can be used in several different ways. A high-quality flower picture makes a striking computer wallpaper. Numerous people use flower pictures to create greeting or birthday cards. Equally, pictures of flowers can insert some texture and style in scrap booking. Flower pictures could be used as borders or as the focal point of a page. Combining dehydrated flowers with pictures of flowers in bloom is another potential use of flower photos.

Tips For Photographing Your Cat

Every cat is proud of his or her friendly feline.  Cats make perfect subjects in which to photograph.  You can catch your cat and a variety of interesting and fun poses when you know how to take pictures of your cat. If you are interested in photographing your cat, here are some tips to help you get the best shots.

Catch your Cat Napping

Nothing looks quite as relaxing as a cat taking a nap. Cats do sleep a lot, so if you take a picture of your cat napping, you have plenty of opportunity.  The best time to take a picture of your cat is to catch it when it is asleep.  You can take close-ups of your cat either as it sleeps, or gently wake your cat up for a relaxed look. For a nice shot of your cat, try gently rubbing your cat’s belly right when you want to snap a picture. This will encourage your cat to roll over on its back.

Natural Sunlight

When you think of a sleeping cat, where do most cats enjoy sleeping? You can usually find a cat napping in the sun. If you have a window that gets full or filtered sunlight during the day, then try to open the curtains or blinds to encourage cap napping. As soon as you see your cat sit in the sun, try to take a few pictures. When the sunlight is good, try a few shots without using your flash. This will give your picture a nice natural glowing effect. In addition, natural light often works best anyway because if you use a bright flash, your cat will usually close his or her eyes or the eyes could end up looking red.

Forget Posing and Planning

Cats are much for posing. You cannot really ask that a cat stay and sit. When you take pictures of your cat, you should always have your camera on hand for candid shots. Look at your cat during the day and determine your cat’s schedule and favorite places. Work around your cat and you will get better pictures.  Try to be spontaneous, and above all stay patient. It may take several tries to get a couple of great shots, but posing your cat rarely works.

I have tried to get my three cats to pose and let me take a picture, but even though they sleep together, play together, they cannot stand or in this sit next to each without someone starting something. If I had three people to help and set back out of the picture, it might work. As you can see, cat’s needs to do what cats do and take your pictures that way.

Get Help

Another good tip for taking pictures of your cat is to get help. You can get great pictures of playful cats and kittens by having someone help you wiggle a string, the throw a ball or call the cat’s name. It is very difficult to try to play with your cat and take pictures at the same time. Your pictures will turn out much better if you get someone to help you. In addition, if you are trying to get a picture of your cat looking directly at your camera, have someone stand above you can call the cat's name, or make a noise that will prompt the cat to look directly above your head.

If you are a patient and willing, you can get some excellent shots of your cat. Cats are so fun to take pictures of because you never know what they will do. Keep your camera handy and ready to go as soon as your cat springs into action. Cat’s normal activity seems to make us smile and laugh, their antics always may wonderful pictures. Pictures of kittens playing from birth on also make for some great pictures. If you have the camera, you will never miss the perfect picture.

Best Way To Take Better Pictures With Your Digital Camera

Today’s cameras make taking pictures a lot easier than yesterday.  There is always room for improvement, however.  Use these following photography tips to help make your photos go from acceptable to great.

Best Way Take Better Pictures With Your Digital Camera

1. Always be aware of the background. You don’t want to find trees growing out of people’s heads or a passing vehicle to draw attention from your subject.  Sometimes moving your subject just a couple steps to either side can make all the difference.
2. Use available light. If your digital camera has an option to turn the flash off and it’s light enough outside to read a book then use the available light and turn the flash off. In general camera flashes are too harsh for human skin and make all of us look pale.  Indoors, where there isn’t enough daylight, place your subject by a window and use your fill flash feature.
3. Aim your camera slightly down at the person’s face.  Also don’t shoot just face on to the person, try a little to the side, a three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Remember camera higher looking down and a three quarter view, it will slim your subject.
4. Remember your focus.  Get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with your subject and there will be no doubt as to what the picture is saying.
5. Never put your subject dead center.  Put your just slightly off center; not a lot just a little. When you’re shooting  groups of people, find the imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your view through your lens or screen.

Following these photography tips won’t turn you into an award-winning photographer today, but you will be on your way to better, more powerful photographs that others will comment on for years to come.

Photography Tips #3

There are advantages and  disadvantages to shooting either  RAW or JPEG. JPEG has some speed advantages in the  camera and  so is often  used for sports.  RAW files are typically used for scenic  and  nature photography because of the  range  of tonal  detail  they hold. You can use  JPEG-captured images and  process them to very high-quality photos. However,  JPEG images must  be shot  carefully because they have  less data  that  can be processed if exposure or color is not captured correctly.

Take Your Best Shoot on Golden Hour

The golden hour is a magic time when the sun is low to the horizon and casts a golden, warm light on the landscape, but only for about an hour that starts an hour or less before sunset and lasts up to as much as 30 minutes after it. Although both sunrise and sunset can give this type of light, the sunset usually has the warmest, most flattering light.

This has been a classic light for pro photographers, from those working for National Geographic to cinematographers creating Hollywood films. In fact, whole films have been shot entirely at this time. Which is one reason why films can be so expensive but the light sure looks good.

This light looks great at any angle, but the richest color and best tonalities often come when the light is at the side or even hitting the front of your subject. Front light on a subject is very unattractive in the middle of the day, but near sunset, it transforms into a radiant, beautiful light on many subjects.

Do not pack up your camera just because the  sun  has set. If you are patient, you may find some truly outstanding light on your scene. Usually, the  light gets duller just after the  sun  sets,  but about 5–10 minutes later it often  changes to a warm, soft, and  wonderful light. There is no guarantee this will always happen, but when it does,  you will be glad you had your camera.

Tips
When the  light is low, and  especially before sunrise or after sunset, your exposures often  require slow shutter speeds. That can result  in blurry pictures due  to camera movement. Use a tripod or brace  your camera against something solid if needed. You can also try setting a higher  ISO setting  and  a wider aperture to allow for a faster shutter speed.

How to Shoot Effectively in Bright Sun

Direct light from the sun ranges from perfect to awful as it illuminates your subject for a photograph. A big challenge in working with bright sun as the main light is that it is a bold and strong light. That makes it unforgiving if used poorly with many subjects. Direct sunlight creates strong contrast with very bright highlights and dark shadows.

A key to understanding the light from bright sun is to understand how important the shadows are. Shadows in the right places make your scene dramatic and powerful. Shadows in the wrong places make an attractive subject ugly and make your viewer struggle with even the best of compositions.

Another key aspect of bright sun is that the light has a very strong direction. That means that even a slight change in camera position often gives you a new light because it strikes the subject from a different angle in relation to the camera position. That change can be enough to make poor light become good light on a particular subject.

Backlight, or light from behind the subject, can be a very effective and  dramatic light, though you may have to experiment with it a bit in order to master it.

How to Pick Good Light for Better Photos

Digital photography is all about capturing light on an image sensor; the better the light, the more potential you have for getting great photographs. The quality of light varies greatly from when the sun comes up in the morning to when it sets in the evening. Fast- moving clouds can change it even on a second-by- second basis.

A good way to learn what light is best for the subjects that you enjoy shooting is to shoot those subjects in all sorts of light and see what the photographs look like. This is such a great advantage of digital photography you can easily do this with no cost for processing photos, and you can easily compare images on the camera LCD or in the computer.

Keep in mind that great light is not constant. Sometimes you must wait for those perfect moments to capture a perfect shot; or you may have to return to an interesting subject, simply because the light at the time just does not make the scene work as a photograph.

Tips
Clouds  can be very helpful  to photographers because they can diffuse bright sun  and  reduce the overall light intensity  and  contrast, especially  when photographing people. Clouds  can make  an otherwise clear sky a little more interesting. Have patience for clouds to move  to where they will help  you get better photographs.

Photography Tips #2

Once  you have  your digital camera, get a good-sized memory card (prices  are very reasonable now).  Taking photos costs  nothing, so get out and  shoot as much  as you can. This is the  best  way to become a better photographer. Try different  exposure settings and compositions, compare them in the LCD, and  shoot plenty  of photos so that  you have  a choice  among them.

You can use  any camera to quickly adjust  exposure without using any dials. Point your camera at something dark, lock exposure (usually  by pressing the  shutter halfway),  and  then  move  the  camera back to the composition in order  to add  exposure. Do the  same with something bright to darken exposure. You do need to be careful of distances here  because locking exposure on many  cameras also locks focus. The “something,” bright or dark, can be at a different  distance from the  camera than the  subject, which  would  cause sharpness problems.