All-about-camera

Why a picture is wortth a thousand worth ?

2011-03-19T04:27:00.000-07:00

Some people ask me the meaning of my slogan site....so here is the answer! :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_picture_is_worth_a_thousand_words

Basics of Flash Photography

2007-07-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

Almost every digital camera made today—with the exception of very inexpensive VGA-resolution cameras—comes with a built-in flash unit. The flash is a way to bring extra light with you and brighten many kinds of pictures. On the other hand, I have found that most people don’t really know how to take advantage of the flash that is built into their camera, so in this chapter I discuss techniques like fill flash, red eye reduction, and bounce flash. Lighting isn’t just about using a flash, either. You can use a reflector to spread light around for a more pleasing effect, and play with the white balance built into your camera for better lighting control as well.

These days, most digital cameras have an electronic flash unit built right into the camera body. The flash is designed to fire for a very short period of time and illuminate your scene in one of two ways:
1) As the main source of light indoors or in the dark
2) As a secondary source of light to fill in shadows when you’re shooting in bright light, such as outdoors
In general, your flash will probably know when to fire and can illuminate most pictures without your direct intervention. When your camera is set to the fully automatic exposure mode, the flash will probably come on as needed and not fire when it is not needed. On the other hand, you can probably figure out when you need a flash more effectively than your camera can. There will be situations when you may want your flash to fire when it would probably stay off, and vice versa. That’s why your camera has several flash modes to choose from.

Flash Modes

2007-07-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

(note: Difference camera brand may difference sign modes)
In this digital age, “on” and “off” are just too easy. Instead, your camera’s flash has three or more modes, each intended for a specific photographic situation. Here’s the rundown of your options. Your camera may not include all of these features, so you might want to check out your camera manual before you get your heart set on trying all of them out. Your camera should have some, if not all, of these modes:

Off This one is easy. When you set your camera to this mode, no matter how strongly your camera believes that you need extra light, the flash will not fire. This is handy for situations where you are not allowed to fire a flash, such as in a church or a museum, or when you’re too close to the subject and think you might overexpose it. You may also want to turn off the flash in many night photography situations.

Auto This is the standard mode that you’ll probably want to leave your flash in most of the time. When set to auto, the flash determines whether it needs to fire based on the amount of light in the scene. This is a good mode to use when you don’t want to think about whether the flash needs to fire. For typical snapshot photography, just set your flash to auto.

Forced This mode goes by many different names depending upon the camera you are using. Sometimes called “forced flash,” “fill flash,” or just “on,” forced flash is probably the most appropriate name. When you set your camera’s flash to this mode, it will fire regardless of how much light is available. Why would you want to use this mode? It’s most useful as a fill flash: when you’re shooting outdoors in natural light, the fill flash can erase shadows that would appear based on the way the sun hits your subject. Fill flash, or forced flash, is great for portraits.

Red eye Red eye reduction mode has become extremely popular in all sorts of cameras, both digital and analog. By pre-flashing the camera flash several times quickly right before the picture is taken, the red eye reduction mode forces your subject’s pupils to close down to a smaller size, thus decreasing the chances that they will reflect the light of the flash. When you use this mode, remember that it will take a fraction of a second longer for the picture to be taken; don’t pull the camera away as soon as you press the shutter release, or you’ll blur the picture. If you’re photographing people in a dark room, however, this mode is probably worth the extra time. You do not need to use red eye reduction outdoors or in bright light.

Low power Some digital cameras let you control the power output of the flash. You might be able to reduce its intensity by 50 percent or more. You can use this mode when you are using the flash to fill in shadows, or when you are taking a close-up and a full flash burst would overexpose your subject.

Slow In the world of 35mm photography, this slow setting is sometimes referred to as a rear curtain flash. Other cameras, such as Nikon digitals, call it Slow Sync. Of course, that name may not help you understand what the slow setting does. When you set the camera to slow flash, it fires the flash at the tail end of the exposure. It’s used most often at night, when the exposure is long (such as a second or more). What does it do? Suppose you were trying to take a picture of a car driving down the street. With an ordinary flash exposure, the flash fires right away, thus freezing the car at the start of the frame. In a long exposure, you will then see headlights cut through the car and out of the frame. The slow mode, however, saves the flash for the end. In a picture taken with this mode, you will see headlights that travel through the frame and then meet up with the rear of a flash-frozen car. The car is leaving the picture at the end of the exposure, just like it should. As you can imagine, you won’t use this mode all the time, but it is indispensable when you need to get a certain kind of long-exposure photograph.

The Range of Your Flash

2007-07-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

How far will the light from your flash travel? That’s something you need to know if you expect to get the most out of your flash. The flash built into most digital cameras is not extremely powerful; at best, you can expect to get a range of about 20 feet. To find the range of your camera’s flash, refer to the owner’s manual that came with your camera. You can almost always find the flash range listed in the specifications section of the manual. If you cannot find the range of your flash listed there, assume it is no more than about 15 feet.

The range of your flash also depends upon two other factors: the current ISO (light sensitivity) setting on your camera and the focal length setting of the zoom lens. The first factor—ISO—is pretty obvious. The more sensitive the CCD is made to light, the more effective the flash will be.
It is an unfortunate side effect of zoom lens technology that when you increase the focal length to telephoto, you typically process less light than when you are using a wide angle or normal focal lengths. Since there’s less light getting through the lens barrel to the CCD at telephoto magnifications, the flash has less range.
If you’re used to the great range you would get from an external flash unit mounted on top of a 35mm SLR camera, you might be disappointed by the range from a digital camera flash. It stands to reason, though, that the small flash built into a digital camera could not have the same power as the large flash head—with lots of AA batteries—mounted on an SLR.
That means you’ll have to be aware of how far you’re trying to get the flash to throw light, especially at night or in very dark conditions. If your subject is very far away, such as 25 feet or more, it is unlikely that the built-in flash will have any effect at all on your photograph. In fact, some digital cameras disable the flash automatically when they sense that the lens is focused on infinity. You might want to check your camera manual or experiment to see if that feature applies to your camera.

Flash: Getting Too Close

2007-07-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, it’s possible to get too close to your subject as well. Some digital camera flash units overexpose the subject when you are within a foot or two of that person or object. Since you know about the light-reducing properties of a telephoto lens, you might expect that you can get closer when you zoom in than if you are zoomed out. And you’d be right; with a typical camera, you cannot shoot any closer than about 3 feet when set on normal zoom, but you can shoot to within a single foot if you are zoomed in to telephoto.

close-up photos are easy to overexpose if you leave the flash turned on. There are a few ways to work around this problem, depending upon what your flash unit is capable of doing:
1) Turn the flash off completely and shoot with natural light.
2) Bounce the flash off a plain white reflector, such as the ceiling or a reflector card. You’ll probably need an external flash unit to bounce, though.
3) Reduce the flash’s power setting to 50 percent or 25 percent.
4) Cover the flash with a tissue or gel (available at any camera shop) to reduce its intensity.

=TIP=
For many digital cameras, there’s an optimum range for your flash photographs. Try to stay between about 5 and 14 feet from your subject. Avoid using the flash in situations where the subject is more than about 15 feet away or closer than 3 feet.

Look at your budget for a camera

2007-07-23T08:18:00.001-07:00

The more expensive the camera, the more features you find. Choose the minimum set for your needs and budget.

Ultra Compact Size of a credit card, depth <1",>$1400 (average $400)

Subcompact Fits comfortably in shirt pocket.
$200–$800 (average $300)

Point and Shoot Normal size automatic camera that has more features for the price than compacts (requires a camera bag).
$40–$600 (average $300)

Prosumer, size similar to SLR cameras. Usually lacks detachable lenses.
$600–$1200 (average $500)

Single Lens For serious hobbyists and Reflex (SLR) professionals. High quality cameras that look and function like 35mm cameras, including detachable lenses.
$800–$15,000 (average $1400)

Buy the most camera your budget allows, but budget for the type and frequency of use. Buying a $5000 digital camera to take the occasional snapshot makes no sense. On the other hand, don’t trust a $15 throwaway to take the wedding or first baby pictures except in an emergency, in which case you should buy a throwaway film camera instead.

Look at your mega-pixel vs. budget

2007-07-23T08:17:00.001-07:00

<1>$30–$100
1-2 Very good Web graphics. Acceptable prints up to 4"ื6" $50–$350
2-3 Excellent Web graphics. Good prints up to 5"ื7" $150–$400
3-4 Excellent prints up to 4"ื6". Very good prints up to 10"ื12"
$200–$500
4-5 Excellent prints up to 5"ื7". Very good prints up to 11"ื14"
$250–$600
5-6 Excellent prints up to 8"ื10". Very good prints up to 16"ื20"
$400–$750
>6 Excellent prints up to 16"ื20" and beyond $800–$15,000
Bigger is better when it comes to resolution. You can always set your camera to take smaller resolution photos, but you can’t increase the camera’s maximum resolution. Buy the highest resolution camera you can afford that also has the other features you desire. On the other hand, balance is the watchword. Many professional photographers use 4 to 6 mega-pixel cameras on a daily basis.

Look at your camera lens

2007-07-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

Focal length
The focal length of a lens is the distance between the optical center of the lens and the place where it focuses its image (film or digital CCD chip) and is expressed in millimeters. This determines the area of coverage from narrow to wide. Digital cameras generally rate their focal lengths as equivalent to 35mm film camera lenses.
20mm or less = Extreme Wide Angle
24mm to 35mm = Wide Angle
50mm to 80mm = Normal
100mm to 300mm = Telephoto
400mm and above = Super Telephoto

Macro mode or lens
This enables close-up photos of small objects. Good cameras have a macro mode built into their lenses.

Normal lens
Usually a 55mm focal length equivalent and is the most commonly used fixed lens.

Wide angle
A lens less than 35mm focal length equivalent. It allows shooting a more inclusive image in tight spaces. Lenses much wider than 28mm are referred to as fish-eye lenses because of their image
distortion.

Telephoto Lenses
with more than 55mm focal length equivalent. These usually range from 75mm to over 1000mm and are used to snap photos of subjects at a distance.

Zoom lenses
have variable focal lengths and can be changed from wide angle to normal to telephoto. Digital cameras feature both optical and digital zooms. Optical zooms result in highest quality.

Interchangeable
Prosumer and professional cameras permit the use of different lenses lenses. These can range from wide angle to telephoto. Some digital cameras allow the use of the same manufacturers film camera
lenses for flexibility.

Lens extenders
These are available to multiply the magnification of zoom or macro lenses. They attach to the camera’s lens. Some cameras don’t accept extenders.

Filters
Better quality cameras allow the use of filters on the end of the camera lens. These can compensate for light color differences and can create special effects.

Most digital cameras, from consumer to prosumer, come with non-changeable optical zoom lenses. Most also have digital zoom features. Buy the camera with the largest zoom ratio you can afford. They range from 1.2x to 10x or more.

Look at your storage type for camera

2007-07-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Some information of storage drive for camera are shown here:

Floppy Disk 1.44MB
Sony made floppy disk-based cameras for a while. These have generally been replaced by CD-ROM or memory cards.

CD-ROM 156MB
Some cameras have onboard CD-ROM burners. These are slow to save images.

Compact Flash 16, 32, 64, 128,
Most common memory storage for digital cameras and PDAs.

Card Type I & II 256, 512MB; 1GB
This is the largest format.

Memory Stick 32, 64, 128, 256, 512MB; 1GB
Sony’s memory solution that is interoperable with a wide range of Sony products.

Smart Media card , CF card 32, 64, 128, 256MB .
Olympus and Fuji primarily use this memory They have started to use XD memory.

MMC Card 32, 64, 128, 256MB They lack security facilities and are usually compatible with devices using SD cards.

SD Card 64, 128, 256, 512MB; 1GB format.
These are also a widely used storage card

XD Card 32, 64, 128, 256, XD512MB are recent innovations and store images faster than earlier formats. This memory type is largely specific to Olympus and Fuji cameras.

Some camera models, Sony for example, use floppy disks or CD-ROMs as alternative storage systems for digital photos. Many of these cameras now also support memory cards or sticks of at least one format. Some cameras accept more than one memory card format. Both of these alternatives can add flexibility in the field. Storage media can store approximately 25 pictures at 1600–1200 resolution per 16MB. So a 128MB card can store approximately 100 pictures.

Look at Zoom Lenses for camera

2007-07-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the general describe kinds of zoomlens:

Optical
Optical zoom uses the lens mechanism to change the focal length of the lens and allows the lens to zoom closer or farther away from the subject. Optical zoom maintains its quality at all levels. This is the most important type of zoom in a digital camera. A 10x zoom on a digital camera is roughly the equivalent of a 28mm to 200mm zoom lens on a 35mm film camera. The zoom factor of most optical zoom lenses ranges from 1.2x to 10x.

Digital
Digital zoom does much the same thing as zoom in Photoshop. The camera selects part of the digital image and saves only that part of the photo. Digital zoom reduces the actual resolution of your image, increases noise, and emphasizes shaky camera syndrome. Avoid using digital zoom if possible. If you need to accomplish a digital zoom effect, cropping the best photo you can get in Photoshop later is best. Digital zooms range from 2x to 10x.

Zoom Ratio
The difference between the size of the image that is projected onto the film at the widest (or smallest focal length) setting of a zoom lens and the size at the narrowest (or longest focal length). A 10x zoom lens magnifies the image in the narrow end of the lens exactly 10 times as much as the image at the wide-angle end.

Look at camera tripod

2007-07-23T06:07:00.000-07:00

The tripod is a very important factor for us, photography. Here is short describe of typr of it:

Still photo
A tripod designed for still photography is designed to position the camera and then
lock it into place. Stability and durability are key factors.

-Light Good for point-and-shoot
cameras.

-Medium Good for all weight cameras.

-Pro Good for pro and prosumer cameras. Has extra features, such as levels and fancy angle
adjustments.

Video
A video tripod is designed to steady the camcorder and allow smooth pans and other camera movements as well as a stable platform when the camera is locked down.

Table top
Good for subcompact and for close-up photography.

Monopod
Light to Heavy, the monopod is a single tripod leg that you can attach a camera to. It doesn’t stand by itself but works well to stabilize a shot and is ultra portable.

Look at batteries

2007-07-23T06:05:00.002-07:00

Here is the short information for bateries:

Alkaline
Alkaline batteries come in all standard sizes. If your camera uses a standard sized battery, it’s probably AA. Alkaline batteries in cameras used with a flash last only a few photos. This is an expensive solution for frequent use.

Lithium
Disposable batteries. These may be called “photo batteries.” They last well but are very expensive. The are available in most formats.

Nickel Cadmium Rechargeable.
These must be fully discharged before recharging to avoid “charge memory” and poor performance. Be careful not to overcharge.

NiMH
(Nickel-Metal Nickel-Metal Hydride are excellent batteries and are rechargeable. Hydride) These are the best value. They come in all standard sizes. Many proprietary batteries used in digital cameras are NiMH. These are powerful batteries and last about 400 charges.

Lion
(Lithium Ion) Lithium ion batteries are a good choice. They don’t have “charge memory” and they last twice as long as NiMH batteries. These are usually after-market optional batteries and are purchased as extras. These are newer and not as widely available. They last about 400 charges.

External battery
You can power some cameras through the AC power socket using packs external battery packs. These come in many of the previous formats. These can be much larger with greater storage capacity. Clip them to your belt with a wire running to the camera. These are great on vacations or long shoots like weddings.

More expensive cameras may use proprietary batteries rather than standard AA, AAA, and so on. This means that you must purchase the manufacturers’ batteries or after-market batteries designed for your camera when you need extras or replacements.

Look at picture format

2007-07-23T06:05:00.001-07:00

These are types of picture format used in digital camera:
JPEG
Lossy This file format is the most common. It’s universally recognized. You can select the amount of compression and subsequent quality or loss of quality in the camera or in the computer.

TIFF
Lossless TIFF is a standard photo or digital publishing format. It can be somewhat compressed but in order to lose no quality, the amount of compression is limited. This is a good finished file format and retains high image quality. You can select to shoot TIFF photos with many cameras.

CCD RAW
Lossless You can set the more expensive prosumer and professionalcameras to save the data directly from the CCD chip in the camera. This saves a huge amount of image information and is used by professional photographers and graphic artists to gain maximum image quality and flexibility. It’s a very large file and severely limits the number of images that can be stored on common memory cards.

When a lossless compression image is uncompressed, its quality matches the original source. Lossy compression degrades images to some degree, and more compression equals more image loss. Use the least compression you can for the original image. You can always compress it more with editing software.

Look at camera mode

2007-07-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

Choosing a camera is always a compromise. Choose the feature set that addresses most of your needs or those you anticipate.

Automatic
Both aperture and shutter speed are set automatically.

Exposure
A dial or control that allows This is used to lighten or Compensation you to increase or decrease darken an image. Suggest: the exposure one or two stops.

Shutter Priority
The shutter speed is set manually and the camera automatically sets the aperture. Suggest: Good for sports shots.

Aperture priority
The aperture is set manually and the camera automatically sets the shutter speed. Suggest: Good to control the depth of field in close-up shots..

Burst mode
Shoots a “burst” or group Good when you need to of photos rapidly and automatically Suggest: one is good take several shot to assure as in a wedding or sport events.

Time-lapse mode
Sets the camera to automatically shoot an image at a set interval. Suggest: Good for nature photos.

Video mode
Allows the recording of short limited resolution video clips.

Manual
Allows you to set all the controls manually.

Fixed Focus
Simple camera lenses that can’t be manually or and disposable cameras. Found only in inexpensive automatically focused.

Automatic Focus
The camera adjusts the focus automatically. Better cameras allow you to turn off this feature to allow manual focus.

Manual Focus
You manually focus the camera. Good for busy pictures and patient photographers.

Focus & Exposure
The camera automatically Lock sets the focus and exposure when you hold down the shutter button while pointing to the subject.

White Balance

The camera adjusts the image to compensate for differences in light. Maintains color accuracy in daylight, fluorescent, and incandescent lighting situations.

Sport
Automatically presets the camera for sports photos.

Portrait
Automatically presets the camera for portraits.

Landscape
Automatically presets the camera for landscape shots.

Look at flash

2007-07-23T06:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the suggestion about flash in short describe:

Flash range
Maximum range in which the flash is effective. Expressed in feet or meters.

Auto mode
Turns the flash on when it’s needed. Good feature.

Auto mode off
Allows you to override auto flash. Important feature for bettercameras.

Fill or forced mode
Flash fires even when there is enough light to fill in shadows. Good for portraits.

Slow sync mode
Allows the adjustment of relative brightness of foreground subject with the background. This is an advanced tool.

Red-eye reduction
Fires an initial flash to close the subjects iris before taking the photo to prevent red eye. This is great for portraits and group shots.

Hot shoe connector
Allows the use of external flash. This allows for maximum flexibility.

Look at other features

2007-07-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

Here is some tips for choosing additional equipment for our camera:
Size and weight
A heavier camera is easer to hold steady, but a lighter camera is easier to store and carry. Prosumer cameras split the difference between size and features.

Panoramic
Some digital cameras can capture a single-image panorama; others feature multiple-image panorama that you can assemble in the computer later.

Multiple exposures
Takes a preset number of images when you hold the button.

Tripod mount
Allows you to attach a tripod to the camera.

Self-timer
Camera automatically shoots after a set period of time.

Remote control
Camera may be set and operated from a distance.

Date/time indicators
Stamps the header of images with the time and date the photo was shot. This information doesn’t show up on the image but the camera or software displays it while being viewed.

Sound recording
Enables the recording of audio notes or comments with the camera’s built-in microphone.

Software
Most digital cameras are bundled with editing and other software. The software supplied might be a factor when choosing a camera.

LCD viewfinder
Better cameras include these. Choose the largest available. These use battery power.

Eyepiece viewfinders
Most cameras have these even if they have LCD viewfinders. These work best in bright light. They also increase battery life.

Through the lens viewing
Single lens reflex professional cameras allow viewing directly through the camera lens. This is the most accurate view.

Lens speed

2007-07-19T01:27:00.000-07:00

The lens speed is depend on a size of aperture (f number or f/value) by f/value can calculate from ratio of focal length and aperture's dimension. For example, aperture size is 35mm and focal length is 50 so the f/value is 50/35 = 1.4 and the lens speed is 1.4 also.
The lens speed will show on the font of lens as:

High dimension of aperture this make f/value is smaller and more light go inside the lens so it is higher lens speed. Compare between f=1.2 and f=2.8 we can said that f =1.2 is more speed than f =2.8

Lens type: Reflex lens

2007-07-19T01:22:00.000-07:00

This can be considered as one kind of telephoto lens by it has 2 times of light reflex in inside the lens tube so the focal length is increase even if the length of lens is shorter.
The diagram shows the light reflex in reflex lens.

back---------------------font

Lens type: Zoom lens

2007-07-19T01:19:00.000-07:00

Zoom lens brand: Pentax

This type of lens is very popular because it can change the focal length so it is very comfortible for users. This lens need a very complex designed for focusing point in every focal length. Generally this lens will have the 2 values of widest aperture between lowest focal length and highest length due to the light is decrease when we zoom from low length to high length. However, It can produce the zoom lens that can give the constantly aperture in each focal length but it will be very expensive because of it need the special equipment and special technique for contrast and color editing. Besides, the way to change the focal length of lens can be done by twist the ring of lens or by pull out/in.

The problem of zoom lens is can not have very wide aperture so it needs to use the low speed of shutter also this hard for hold the camera by ourselves. In the zoom lens which is can give a wide aperture as single lens will have a very high cost.

The zoom lens can give the magic of picture , let’s try to change the focal length while press the
shutter, do not forget to set the low speed shutter at 1 ,2, etc.

Lens type: Telephoto lens

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This type of lens will have the angle view only 2-28 degree and very low depth of field but can show picture of object as closer even it is placed in long distance.

The focal length of these type of lens will count from the normal lens such as 85mm, 100mm, 135mm, 180mm. If it has very long focal length we will call “Super telephoto lens” such as 600mm, 800mm, 1200mm, etc. This type of lens is very suitable for the photographer who can not closely access to the objects for example, take the photo of wild animal or sport.
Telephoto can give the outstanding of your object in the picture because it can reduce the perspective of the image. Some people tell that should use this lens for candid picture with empty background.
The suggestion of using telephoto is do not use the lower speed of shutter than 1/focal length for example, if you use lens 135mm , you should use speed of shutter equal or higher than 1/125 however, if it need to use the lower speed you should use the tripod.

In general we use the telephoto lens for take picture with give more perspective and less distortion.

If you use wide lens take the picture in close distance will give more distortion as:

Lens type: Fisheye lens

2007-07-19T01:13:00.000-07:00

One type of wide angle lens that have the angle can be 180 degree and also give very distortion of the picture. Below is the picture from fisheye lens as you see it give very distortion but funny!

Lens type: Wide lens

2007-07-19T00:59:00.000-07:00

The wide lens or the short focal length lens will increase the perspective of the image and give the wider angle view such as lens 18 mm. can have 94 degree of angle. The wider angle lens can make the more distortion by the vertical line (90 degree) will slightly bend into the centre of the picture. However the high quality of wide lens can reduce the problem of distortion and also the more quality the more price. We should use the wide lens with the view picture because it give the more depth of field. Also we can take the macro by the wide lens but it will give the wider background.

The new style of these type of lens will be designed in INVERTED TELEPHOTO that make the higher distance from lens to image sensor/film but it still can give the same focal length. Besides, it has the Shift lens or Perspective Control Lens that designed for architecture use so it can solve the problem of distortion (the vertical line (90 degree) will not slightly bend into the centre of the picture). Here is picture of shift lens: And here is compare between normal and shift lens:

Left: from Shift lens and right: from normal lens

Lens type: Standard/Normal lens

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Standard lens can be called Normal lens. It can give the image closest with the image which human’s eyes given so its name is Normal lens. The focal length of this lens are 50-55 mm. can be used for general photography and give the average depth of field. Normally, this type of lens will be the kit lens (sold with the camera).

Lens: 3 things about lens:

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1. components of lens
The photography lens tube has the cylinder form and inside it includes many pieces of lens and a aperture. Besides, the outside of its tube will have the ring for control the aperture and focal length (meters, feet). The more piece of lens the more expensive.

2. Lens and angle receivable
The SLR digital camera can switch its lens. The difference brand of camera may have the difference type of mount of lens however many difference brands of camera can use the same lens. So should be carefully when buying new lens. Besides, nowadays there are many independent brands which can produce the many type of lens in the lower price which can support many brand cameras.
Below is the focal length compare with the degree of the view receivable:

3. The focal length of lens

Starting from a image sensor/ film until the first piece of lens. The higher focal length will give the narrow view image but the shorter will give the wider view image Also the higher focal length lens can zoom in more than the short focal length lens.

For the aperture in each lens are difference depending on the type of lens specially if you want to take the portrait picture of human , you may need the very high aperture to blur the background of your object.

Maximizing Depth of Field

2007-07-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

The three ways to maximize the depth of field in your image are:

1) Use a lens with a short focal length: wide or normal lens
2) Focus on a distant subject. If you’re trying to get both a nearby tree and a more distant house in focus simultaneously, for instance, focusing on the house, rather than the tree, is more likely to deliver both subjects in focus.
3) Use the smallest aperture (high f/value) you can, such as f/11 or f/16.
Not unpredictably, you can minimize the depth of field in a picture by doing exactly the opposite of these things. :)

If you don't clearly understand about above, please read The Depth of field: 3 factors

The Depth of field: 3 factors

2007-07-18T10:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most important thing for you about the composition and this topic need to know about lens aperture and speed shutter also. Depth of field determined as the region of proper available focus in your photographic image. This entire region of sharp focus is called the depth of field, or sometimes the depth of focus. As you ever know that in your picture will have the distance between your subject and background, you can set the depth of field for your image that how far for your sharp point.

3 factors that can control the depth of field:

1. Aperture
The aperture, I ever talked about aperture in Lens. Let’s me re-talk it again :) The aperture is the size of the lens opening that determines how much light reaches your camera’s imaging sensor. Unit of aperture = f/stops, if lower f/numbers, bigger openings and if higher f/numbers, smaller openings.
We can say that: Smaller aperture -> Greater the depth of field
As you can see here, the aperture of your lens directly influences how deep the depth of field is in any given picture: (speed shuter and focal lenght is same on both.

This below uses big aperture (small f/value) give the small depth of field

This below uses smaller aperture (high f/value) give the higher depth of field

2. Focal length (also ever talked in Lens)
It is just a measure of your lens’s ability to expand a scene. Depth of field is very important thing that come with the ability of lens. When shooting with a normal or wide-angle lens, you have a lot of depth of field. When shooting with a telephoto by zoom in, your depth of field reduce severely. When shooting with a macro/ close-up lens (magnifying a small object.) has very small depth of field as well. I can say in simple like the more you expand your subject, the less available depth of field you get. As you can see here, the focal length of your lens directly influences how deep the depth of field is in any given picture: (speed shuter and aperture is same on both)

First: use wider focal lenght -> High depth of field
Second: use narrower focal lenght -> Low depth of field
3. Subject distance
The distance from the subject determines how much depth of field you can get in your scene. If object that you want to take is very close to camera will have less depth of field in contrast if object is far from camera will have more depth of field. In sensible provisions, consider about the area of sharp focus for a macro shot; where the subject is only a few inches from the camera—is enormously narrow, and you require focusing very, very accurately. If you’re photographing object very far away—like a distant horizon—a vast region in front of and behind the image will be in sharp focus.

Besides from 3 factors , let’s think about how important of the depth of field from this situation. You are taking a picture with f/5.6. At a given distance from your subject, and at a given focal length, that f/stop will yield a certain depth of field. Nevertheless What Happens if you change the other two factors? (Walk toward it, or zoom in) The depth of field reduces. So you should know that depth of field is a really important aspect in the overall composition of your photographs. The use of depth of field can separate your subject by ensure it is only one thing that sharply and also you can increase depth of field to make the entire image can sharp as possible.

Definition of Exposure

2007-07-12T21:36:00.000-07:00

Same…what I like to do before writing the article or message in this blog, I had search in google.com for the definition of exposure and what I got are:

vulnerability to the elements; to the action of heat or cold or wind or rain; "exposure to the weather" or "they died from exposure";
he disclosure of something secret; "they feared exposure of their campaign plans"
aspect re light or wind; "the studio had a northern exposure"
the intensity of light falling on a photographic film or plate; "he used the wrong exposure"
…
…
photograph: a picture of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide; recorded by a camera on light-sensitive material
the act of exposing film to light
In photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the film (or electronic sensor in the case of digital photography) during the process of taking a photograph. Exposure is measured in exposure value (ev), with higher values denoting more light.
…more

After I got the results, I think for me the exposure in photography are How much light you want in your shot and we can set that where in our picture should be bright or dark however, to understand the ways to control your light is need time and also need more practice. Besides, to know about exposure should really know about ISO, Aperture (F/stop) and also speed shutter.

Exposure: When I need to consider the exposure?

2007-07-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Let’s me say that all the time you are carrying the camera :) because of most of the time, you can just take the shot and press the shutter release. However, non forget to adjust the exposure only when you need it, Use this decision process:

Do I need to adjust the depth of field—If YES, make the comparing the sharp of background is sharper or lower than foreground then adjust your aperture/shutter or use the aperture priority mode.

The camera is designed for this scene you want to take or not? You can apply exposure to be under or over the scene.

Use the spot meter or lock the exposure for that part of the picture you want to lighting specific part and recompile the scene.

How about the shutter speed I want to have the movement in my picture ? If YES, adjust the aperture/shutter, or instead use the priority of shutter.

Besides,

If it is so dark such as with the sun behind? Overexpose the scene.
If it is so bright such as on fresh, bright snow? Try underexposing.

Exposure: Short setting tips

2007-07-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

You do not need to always belief in your automatically exposure from your camera sometime it’s very exciting and challenging when you set your own exposure value, here is the suggestion of the situations:

Beware if…Very Bright Sunlight
Very bright sun can overcome your camera, specially if the scene is filled with intensely colored clothing (white shirt), reflective surfaces (such as mirror). You can take the under exposure -1 EV and then see the better result.
Beware if…The sun is behind your subject

If you are taking a picture of someone or something that got the shadow from the reason that the sun is behind them. The bright background will cause the camera to underexpose the scene. You need to use the Spot meter to measure the light from the brighter thing before you take the shot of the under shadow things. Some say that to take a shot of an outdoor portrait is putting the sun over your shoulder. Even so, if you find the sun behind your subject, take the overexpose EV +1.
Beware if… Low Light
In low light, such as at night, indoors, or under thick cloud cover, you can often get better results by overexposing the scene slightly, such as with an EV +1. As you can see that how level of EV is depend on the dark level; if more dark should use high EV.

Exposure locking method

2007-07-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

This technique comes from the 35 mm film camera and it is one of the very good tricks you can learn and master. Exposure lock is almost always achieved by just low press on the shutter then release, you will feel of the responding of the camera (not to let’s the shutter and take the picture)

The example of the processes of locking exposure when take a picture:
1. Slightly Press on shutter when you feel its response depress slightly, the camera will auto focus, lens locks the current subject
into sharp focus and the exposure is measured and locked.
2. When you ready more press to the shutter for take pictures. The camera then takes the picture and saves it to memory.

However, may be difference way to use exposure lock on difference camera you should study on its manual and sometime the budget camera or compact did not have this option.

Several people tell that a magic of exposure lock is that the light at where you lock exposure in will be used as the light for the picture you take after lock-in. For instance, If you lock-in the exposure from the white A4 then you continue take the picture of your blue bag the camera will use that “locked-in” exposure information regardless of where you later point the camera.

Exposure lock is a great tool for telling the camera that you’d like to take a picture with the exposure data from one specific part of the scene. Imagine, for instance, a scene like the one in the Color Insert. If we have a boy at the beach, standing in the water at sunset. The image can be dramatic, but only if exposed properly. We’d like to capture the overall dark tones inherent in a sunset scene, with exciting splashes of color to light up the subject in a subtle way. Just pointing the camera at the scene might result in the camera averaging the bright and dark bits of the picture, generating an image that might as well have been captured at midday. That would be quite ordinary and not at all what we want. Instead of taking the average picture, Try to lock the exposure you want before take to photograph. You can lock the exposure by any of exposure meter (Centre, Matrix or spot)

Exposure measuring method

2007-07-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

You may wondering that how camera measure the light or exposure;
the camera’s exposure sensor = an exposure meter

To measure the exposure is very important thing for your shot because it tell you the amount of light is needed to adequately expose your picture. So it is important to have the knowledge about this thing!

3 Types of Measuring the light:

Center-Weighted Meters
In the old days, most cameras came with a simple center-weighted light meter. This meter measures the light overall the image but take the more intense on the center of the frame you see in the view-finder.
We can say that usually it is a great one that you are most interested in the stuff in the front of the picture, Also you can the below picture for the example of this type of measuring.

Matrix Meters (Invented by Nikon)
This system is most prevalent in Nikon models, all the way from the CoolPix 950 and CoolPix 995 to the high-end D1x. The matrix meter by add more intense of light not only at the center but also intense on all of the 4 corners within a picture. Matrix meters gauge the light in many parts of the scene at once. Many people say that this type of measuring is the best for you to setting this mode all the time.

Spot Meters
As you know the meaning of spot; Spot is the specific point or may be part from whole picture. The spot meter is the optional for you if you do not want to use the centre weight or matrix meter As you can see below picture:

It will concentrate only on the center and ignore the rest of the frame completely. This make the ways to use this meter is not often also to measure only one persent of light from feull frame normally give the poor but a meter that only measured the light in the central one percent of the full frame would typically take not so good pictures

Besides, under or overexposed depending on the situation.

So when should you use the spot meter?
I think that you use this technic when you want to focus on a small subject that must be outstanding property from other and also the light at it is much difference from other (one precise point of the image). For example, if you want to take the picture of the person ware brown suit that is stand in front of a brightly lit window, if you let the camera define exposure the bright light from the window will underexpose the subject so you should switch on the spot meter and expose the picture based on the subject. YES you may say that, the window light will be overexposed, but It’s ok because the important point of this picture is the person.

Exposure level method

2007-07-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Most digital cameras come equipped with an exposure compensation control, (EV adjustment)The camera can automatically exposure and give us as the recommended value that they calculate from your shot, but you can adjust that value up or down based on factors that you’re know of but the camera may not be smart enough to see. Each Exposure Value (EV) corresponds to changing the exposure by one stop, such as going from 1/60 -> 1/30 (+1 EV slow shutter -> increase time -> to gain more the light) or 1/15 to 1/30 (-1 EV faster shutter -> reduce time -> to gain less light).
This 2 pictures I had take for comparing the EV over and under:

Underexposure

Overexposure

Besides, To use the EV control on your camera, follow these steps:
1. Size up the scene you want to shoot. Decide if it calls for over- or underexposure.

2. If you need to add light to a scene to properly expose it, add exposure by setting the EV control to +1. If you instead need to underexpose the scene, set the EV control to –1.
Here’s a typical digital camera display set to EV +2:

Exposure: 3 methods for applying

2007-07-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

Exposure level (under- middle –over):
Use the EV control on your camera to intentionally under- or overexpose your pictures beyond what the camera’s exposure sensor recommends.
see more detail in: Exposure level method

Exposure measuring:
Switch metering modes You can use a different kind of exposure meter to account for very “contrasts” images. Metering system: Measures the amount of light when framing a photo and determines the best exposure. The main digital camera metering types are: Matrix (Evaluative), Spot and Center-weighted.
see more detail in: Exposure measuring method

The Exposure lock:
Use exposure lock your exposure on a different part of the image, and then recompose the picture and shoot.
see more detail in: Exposure locking method

Exposure: ISO (DIN*, ASA)

2007-07-12T21:04:00.001-07:00

ISO: The number indicating the camera sensors sensitivity to light. The higher the sensitivity, the less light is needed to make an exposure. However, the more ISO more noise. Noise: Randomly-spaced speckles (pixels) that can appear in digital images shot at high ISO numbers. Noise results in a reduction of photo detail and clarity, though it can be reduced with special noise reduction software.
ISO Speed The emulsion speed (sensitivity) of the film as determined by the standards of the International Standards Organization. In these standards, both arithmetic (ASA) and logarithmic (DIN) speed values are expressed in a single ISO term.
The value of ISO is depend on situation for digital camera:
100-200 in the place that have normal light or in bright light
400 in the place that not so bright may be a little dark or in the shadow
800 up in the dark place
And more ISO make more noise so we suggest that use in low ISo will be better in quality however, use low ISO need lower speed shutter which is using the tripod for the camera is needed. I suggest to use 100-200 for the good quality of your picture :) .

More detail about noise: Noise is most visible when photos are shot at ISO 200 and above with a consumer digital camera. Some digital cameras have a Super CCD where photos taken at higher ISO numbers (eg. ISO 1600) have little, if any, visible noise.

Exposure: F/stop (Fnumber or Aperture)

2007-07-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

So far so good—but there’s one other aspect to consider, and that’s the fact that camera lenses can change the diameter of their aperture, thus letting in more or less light as needed. Every camera—no matter what it uses for film—controls the exposure with some sort of aperture.

f/stops = The size of a camera’s aperture at any given moment = f number of the lens
f/stops = the focal length of the lens / the diameter of the opening of the diaphragm.
So, if diameter is high f/stop is small and if diameter is small f/stop is high

Example,
f/22 is very, very small (not much light gets through to the image sensor or film)
f/1.2 is a huge opening that floods the image sensor or film with light.

And relationship of Same ISO can use many ways of shutter speed and aperture As you reduce the shutter speed, you need to increase the diameter of the aperture in order to have enough light to take a properly exposed picture. Of course, there’s a relationship between aperture, shutter speed, and your Image sensor/film’s ISO rating.

At a given ISO, you can take a picture with a specific aperture/shutter combination. If you double the film speed (ISO) without changing the lighting conditions, though, you have to adjust the aperture and shutter speed so that you still get a properly exposed picture.

Definition of "Composition"

2007-07-11T23:19:00.000-07:00

I find out the meaning of a composition by seraching from google.com by use the word "composition definition" and then the result as follow:

a mixture of ingredients
constitution: the way in which someone or something is composed
the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole; "harmonious composition is essential in a serious work of art"
Musical composition has three meanings in music: * an original piece of music* the musical structure of a musical piece* the process of creating a new piece of music
In mathematics, a composite function, formed by the composition of one function on another, represents the application of the former to the result of the application of the latter to the argument of the composite. The functions f: X → Y and g: Y → Z can be composed by first applying f to an argument x and then applying g to the result. ...
....
.....
.....
Composition is the plan, placement or arrangement of the elements of art in a work. The general goal is to select and place appropriate elements within the work in order to communicate ideas and feelings with the viewer.

The above one is the one that I think it is a composition in photography :) In my opinion I think that the composition is the way to create your picture to be not so boring like to find some important point of your picture and show it to the viewer by using your composition idea.

Share your space/blog with us

2007-07-10T07:47:00.001-07:00

Please put the links to your blog or interesting sites that you want to share with us… And please adding my blog (All- about -camera) to your site also thanks.

Why you want to be a photographer (both of amateur and professional)??

2007-07-10T07:41:00.000-07:00

This topics is the open topics for all of us (Photography lover),
Let’s start with me, The reason why I want to be the photographer come from 2 things that are 1) I like to do the Photoshop program and 2) I had the experience; I went to the place that really beautiful but I didn’t bring a camera with me so I felt Oh no! Oh shit! Why do I so stupid?? .… After that I went to the shop buy 1 camera (compact) and keep it with me always. Also I would like to take my impression shot with me :) .

Now I buy the DSLR and try to use my new DSLR for getting more satisfaction pictures. If you don’t mind, let’s learning together and also please share your ideas.

Composition: To apply the depth of field

2007-07-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

As you can imagine, these three factors-apertures, depth of field, and subject distance-work together in any shooting situation. If you try to take a picture with an aperture of f/5.6.At a given distance from your subject, and at a given focal length, that f/stop will yield a certain depth of field. But what happens if you change the other two factors? If you get closer to the subject by zooming in, the depth of field decreases. Why do you have to care about depth of field at all? Answer is that depth of field is an extremely important element in the overall composition of your photographs.

Using depth of field, you can isolate your subject by making sure it is the only sharply focused person or object in the frame. Alternately, you can increase depth of field tomake the entire image—from foreground to background—as sharp as possible.

The below example of sharply focused thing:

Composition: Horizon

2007-07-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

If you take a horizontally oriented image and the horizon is not straight, it affects the feel of the photograph. Try try try… to be as careful as possible while photographing an expansive horizon. But if you goof, remember that it’s a digital photo. You can always correct for an angled horizon on the computer. (May be someone think that using computer to is not nature )

Reference: How to do with your digital camera (Mc Graw Hill)

Composition: Use Foreground to Balance the Background

2007-07-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

If you’re trying to photograph a distant subject—a landscape or cityscape, for example—a common trick is to use the relationship between foreground and background by place something of interest in the foreground to provide a sense of balance. When done well, the viewer’s eyes are drawn immediately to the foreground object, and then they’ll wander to the background. This is an effective technique for adding a sense of depth and perspective to a photograph, as well as giving the foreground a sense of scale.

Reference: How to do with your digital camera (Mc Graw Hill)

Composition: Not always set on the center

2007-07-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

As a general rule, avoid putting your focal point in the dead center of the photograph. space in a photograph. Once you decide what the focal point of your image is, there’s no reason to relegate it to a small portion of the picture. Get close. Zoom in. Walk over to it. Whatever you need to do, do it in order to keep your focal point from being a small part of the overall image.

Compare these 2 pics:

dead center

Not dead center

Composition: Identify the Focal Point

2007-07-10T05:45:00.000-07:00

One of Composition tricks: Identify focal point
I thing you may confuse about: what is the focal point?
The focal point is the main of your picture, such as a building, a person, or animal maybe. Besides, the focal point is the main point of interest that the viewer’s eye is drawn to when looking at your picture. You should always strive to consider what the focus of your picture actually is and then planning your photos.
The problems:
They fail to consider what their subject actually is. When you don’t know what you’re taking a picture of, it’s hard to emphasize that element in the final composition.
For example,

In this image, there is no real focal point, and thus there is nothing for the viewer to concentrate on.

After you understand this ideas when you take the picture please think about these questions, “why did the photographer take it?” or “what you want to inform or telling your viewer to know from your picture?”

As a general rule, you only want a single focal point in your photograph. More than one main subject is distracting, and viewers won’t really know where to look. If I show you a photograph in which several objects have equal visual weight, you probably won’t like it, even though you may not be sure why. It is certainly possible to include multiple focal points in an image, but you should do it with care and also to be more practice will gain more experience.

Just easy example of mutiple focal points: This image has the focal point on the front of the flowers

Reference: How to do everything with your digital camera (Mc Graw Hill)

Introduction to Lens

2007-07-09T23:54:00.000-07:00

Lens is the eyes of the camera because what you will see from a camera is depend on what is the lens see. :)
Lens is the very important of your camera. It is a transparent which is made from glass or plastic, it used to a tool for creating the image on film or image sensor. Lens can be made of a single lens or set of lens so we can apply them in many styles.
All the glass that makes for lens are very detailed a good lens will can speed up for light reflex and give a good quality of contrast, color and distortion. Besides, lens is coated by a special liquid that can reduce the reflection of external light so can produce the satisfied image.

Many of the lenses used for photography are created on specifications that are almost identical to the prescription lenses that are used in glasses. These specifications are normally instilled in lenses that are totally separate from the camera that they will be attached to but the specifications will have to take into account the lenses that are on the camera too.

There are a variety of lenses that an amateur photographer can use to learn the basics of photography, and there are various styles to camera lenses that would typically be chosen by a professional photographer to use during the course of a business day. The professional photographer will have several cameras in his arsenal that are pre-set for the photographic poses that he will use in his photographs while he is at work.

There are various environments that will affect the quality of the photographs taken, and the lenses chosen for inside a photo studio will be dramatically different from those chosen for a photo shoot in bright sunshine, or in the dark recesses of a photo opportunity that might present itself at the entrance to a nightclub or other nightspot frequented by celebrities.

Most often, a professional photographer will consider zoom lenses used for photography at a football game but the photographer will have to make a choice on whether they want to use a camera with a wide-zoom lens to capture all of the action on the field, or if the photographer needs to concentrate on the up close and personal shots that tourist are very fond of that show the facial features of the person in a whole new light.

Some scientists consider the telephoto lenses used for photography of images that are millions of miles away. The lens mounted on a telescope might weigh more than 3,000 pounds but that lens is also capable of capturing images that might come from the surface of the moon or the newly downgraded planet called Pluto. The scientific uses for zoom lenses may also help space explorers to view damage that has occurred outside one of the space vehicles while in outer space.

Many of the cameras that are used for recreational photographs will typically have zoom lenses installed, but offer no opportunity to adjust the setting on the lenses to gain a better view of the intended subject. Many of these camera lenses will feature an automatic focus and offer the amateur photographer a photographic tool that is easy to maintain and affordable at the same time.

Some professional photographers will chose a different lens for the photographs that will be developed for portraits. Other lenses in his arsenal might allow the professional photographer to apply a color enhancement to the skin of a subject or to add brightness and clarity to landscape backgrounds that are most commonly found in a photographer's studio. Every camera lens will allow the professional photographer to approach his work with a different perspective.

Reference: James Brown From Article Explosion

Composition: Getting start with Composition

2007-07-09T23:41:00.000-07:00

These rules are great guidelines to start out with. But if you feel you want to break one of these rules, by all means go right ahead. Photography is not about perfection. Its about capturing images that will be pleasing to you and those you want to share the pictures with. Here are some of those rules:

1. Choose a primary point of interest before taking the picture. Determine which area is of the most importance to you and compose the picture around that area.
2. Be sure that only the things you want the viewer to see appear in the picture. If there are numerous objects cluttering up the background, your message will be lost. If you can not find an angle or framing to isolate your subject, consider using depth of field control on your camera, if it has one, to keep the background out of focus.
3. Give your picture contrast. A light subject will have more impact if placed against a dark background and vice versa. Contrasting colors may be used for emphasis, but can become distracting if not considered carefully.
4. Consider the balance of what you are shooting. Generally, asymmetric or informal balance is considered more pleasing in a photograph than symmetric (formal) balance. In other words, placing the main subject off-center and balancing the weight with other objects (smaller or lower impact) will be more effective than placing the subject in the center.
5. Frame your picture. A frame in a photograph is something in the foreground that leads you into the picture or gives you a sense of where the viewer is. For example, a branch and some leaves framing a shot of rolling hills and a valley, or the edge of an imposing rock face leading into a shot of a canyon. Framing can usually improve a picture. The frame does not need to be sharply focused. In fact if it is too sharply detailed, it could be a distraction.
6. Be sure the viewpoint is pleasing. You can often change a picture dramatically by moving the camera up or down or, stepping to one side. One of the best ways to come up with a prize-winning photograph is to find an unusual point of view.
7. When the subject is capable of movement, such as an animal or person, it is best to leave space in front of the subject so it appears to be moving into, rather than out of, the photograph.
8. Linear elements such as roads, waterways, and fences placed diagonally are generally perceived as more dynamic than horizontals.
9. Use the rule of thirds. This is a principle taught in graphic design and photography and is based on the theory that the eye goes naturally to a point about two-thirds up the page.
Also, by visually dividing the image into thirds (either vertically or horizontally) you achieve the informal or asymmetric balance mentioned above.
Read more about line and rule of third in Composition: Line, Composition: Rule of third

Reference: bestcamerabargains.com

Composition: Lines, Symmetry and Patterns

2007-07-09T23:08:00.000-07:00

Photographs are two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional scenes. So we need to make the sense of depth for our viewer. When you compose an image in the viewfinder, look for natural or artificial lines that might lead the viewer’s eyes through the photo. These lines can create a sense of depth and perspective that is often lost in the two-dimensional photograph. In other words, lines can be found in several situation please see all 360 degree before you will take pictureJ.
Line: Horizontal, Vertical and Diagonal
Horizontal lines

As highlighted, these are the most ‘relaxing’ of lines, bringing a peace to your photographs. In fact, run the horizon directly through the centre of your frame, with an equal amount of sky and landscape on each side, and you’re on the way to a dull photograph! Naturally, this isn’t always the case. But it’s good practice to think about which element of your scene is more impressive and move the horizon higher or lower to emphasise it.
You can take this to extremes. To really bring out a stunning sunset, full of rim-lit, interesting clouds, find a subject that’ll make a striking silhouette, then render it small at the bottom of your frame. Layers of horizontal lines can provide a rhythm to your picture – think of a wave breaking on the shore, more waves coming into view and the horizon in the background. This ‘rhythm’ of lines can become the subject itself.

Vertical lines

Strong, dynamic lines. Combine horizontal lines with these to create more powerful results. When we think of vertical lines, we think of trees, buildings and people.
If you want to emphasise their height and power, try switching to a vertical format for your photograph – you can then increase their size, while their strength will be mirrored by the longest sides of the frame.
Conversely, you can make vertical lines seem as if they’re bursting out of the picture if you opt for landscape format, running the top and bottom ends of the line out of the frame.
Thankfully, the digital advantage means we can correct converging verticals with ease in post-production, further strengthening the power of the vertical line.

Diagonal lines

The most interesting and visually exciting lines. They can lead you into the frame to the centre of interest by the most dynamic of routes.
As viewers we tend to take more notice of subjects cutting through our vision.
Avoid splitting the frame directly in two by running a diagonal line from one corner to the other – the picture tends to lose its drive. It’s more interesting to have a diagonal start just to one side of a corner and continue through the frame to the other side of the opposite corner. You’ll have a more balanced image that works within the confines of the frame.

Form above ideas we can use this feeling of the lines to make sense for our frame....let's try and try for gaining the experiences for composition.

Besides, another trick is look for repetition and patterns, and incorporate those into your image. Patterns, like those that you see in nature or man-made objects, can create interesting effects. Such as:

Reference: Digital Camera Magazine

Composition: Rule of third

2007-07-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

The basic philosophy behind the rule of third is to avoid a symmetric compositon which is usually pretty boring because the view is centered. To counteract symmetry the "Rule of the Thirds" can follow two concepts:
1. The rule of thirds that most photographers will tend to think of is the viewfinder grid division into nine sections, as seen here. So we can divide the image into two distinctive areas which cover 1:3 and 2:3 of the size of the picture.

2. The central four points of the middle rectangle - outlined in red - represent the key points of the composition and it is at one of these four points that you would place an important subject matter.
This concept of the rule of thirds is so accepted that some companies are offering cameras with auto focus points at the important grid sections as above.
Example of picture that use the rule of third:

Elements considering

2007-07-09T01:33:00.000-07:00

If you haven’t yet made your digital camera purchase—or if you are planning to
upgrade— you’re in luck. The field has never been more crowded with excellent choices, and as I mentioned earlier, technology advances keep making these cameras better each year. Even though the camera field is evolving all the time, the basics really don’t change.

The most important elements to consider when shopping for a camera.

Resolution
First and foremost, figure out how much resolution you need. This should be the first decision
you make, because it determines what cameras you will be evaluating. Use this handy table to
decide what megapixel range you need:
Megapixels Print Size
Sub-megapixel (VGA) Onscreen only (Web, email)
1 megapixel 3 -> 5-inch prints
2 megapixel 5 -> 7 -inch prints
3 megapixel 8 -> 10 -inch prints
6 megapixel 13 -> 19 -inch prints, prints from small crop areas of the original image
If have newer feature one then your camera you need to Upgrade Race ??
Do you need to get a new camera next year just because the megapixel bar has been raised—
or some other cool new features have surfaced?
No, you don’t. Just like your desktop computer, a digital camera isn’t obsolete just
because a new model came out with more memory or horsepower. It’s only obsolete when
it no longer does what you want it to do.
Optics
It is a camera, after all—not a computer. Don’t forget to weigh the optics carefully. Your camera’s optics should be made of glass, not plastic, and multiple “elements” help keep everything in sharp focus through the camera’s entire zoom range.
Working with Basic Lenses
Also consider what kind of pictures you want to take. A fairly wide-angle lens is good for landscapes, indoor shots, and general-purpose photography. If you want to take portraits or wildlife shots, a longer reach is important. But take a look at the specs for a digital camera— what the heck is a 9.3mm lens? Is that wide angle? Who knows? That’s why most digital cameras also advertise their focal length in “35mm equivalents”—in other words, if this digital camera were a 35mm camera, its 9.3mm lens would give you the same picture as a 50mm camera, for instance. Making sense of all this can be a pain. Worse, there’s no one formula you can use to convert digital camera focal lengths into 35mm equivalents. That’s because the focal length of a camera lens is based on the size of the film, which in the case of a digital camera is the CCD chip. CCDs vary in size, and there’s no industry-wide consensus on standardizing the size of the CCD in all cameras. So, your best bet is to check out the equivalency figures on the camera box or on the manufacturer’s Web site. I’ve also concocted a formula you can use in a pinch to convert digital camera focal lengths to their 35mm equivalents. Since CCD sizes vary, this is only an approximation. In the following formula, AFL is the actual focal length of the digital camera’s lens, usually a small number like 5mm or 10mm: 35mm equivalent focal length = AFL / .19
So if the camera has a 6.5mm lens, for instance, you can run it through this handy little equation and determine that it will work like a 35mm lens.
Choosing a Zoom
Of course, few digital cameras come with a fixed focal length lens. The focal length is a measure of how much the camera magnifies the image, and zoom lenses let you zoom in and out of a scene for the perfect composition. In general, the greater the zoom, the better. You’ll commonly see 2X, 3X, and perhaps even 5X zooms on digital cameras. With some simple finger pressure, you can use your camera to go from a normal or wide-angle view to telephoto. The effect of a 4X zoom is apparent in Figure 1-9, taken with the Olympus e-10 at both ends of its zoom range.Beware, though, of a camera’s digital zoom. While optical zooms move the lenses around toactually magnify the image, a digital zoom simply grabs a block of pixels in the middle of the scene and processes them to make the image look enlarged. Since the result is pixely, I suggestyou ignore digital zoom ratings when evaluating a camera and just look at the optical zoom ratings.
Memory
The more memory your camera holds, the more pictures you can take. It sounds simple, but don’t forget that cameras come with all different kinds of memory solutions.Capacity If you only want to carry a single memory card on a long trip and store a huge number of images, a CompactFlash digital camera is your best choice. You can get CompactFlash cards in capacities as high as 1GB (that’s about a thousand 2-megapixel images). Most of the other memory formats top out around 128MB or 256MB. Of course, you can also buy several memory cards and carry spares. Cost The four memory card formats play a lot of leapfrog when it comes to price, so you might want to shop around for memory cards before you commit to a specific camera. But the two newest memory formats—Secure Digital and Memory Stick—typically cost a little more than CompactFlash and SmartMedia.
Flash
Almost all digital cameras come with a built-in flash. The real issue is how well the flash works. Check to see what the maximum range of the flash is and if it works when the camera is in macro, or close focus, mode. You might also want a flash with special features like these:
Red eye reduction This mode preflashes the subject to try to minimize reflected light from the pupil known as red eye. Force/fill Force or fill flash is used to reduce shadows outdoors or in otherwise adequate lighting when the flash might not fire. Rear curtain flash This mode fires at the end of a long exposure. It comes in handy at night so that light trails precede the main subject, illuminated by the flash. Some cameras also come with sync ports or hot shoes that allow you to connect more powerful, external flash units.
Special Effects
Since digital cameras are part computer, they can be programmed to do some neat tricks that
were inconceivable with traditional 35mm cameras. Few of these effects are necessary; in fact,
I’d choose a camera based on solid features like the zoom, lens quality, and overall handling
before I looked too hard at whether the camera included a video mode or sepia tint. Nonetheless,these are some of the effects you may see:
Panorama mode This feature takes wide-screen-style images either by automatically
cropping the top and bottom off an image or by letting you stitch together several
pictures to create one oversized one. Movie mode Some cameras can capture short, low-resolution video clips as well as still images. Don’t confuse this with high-quality digital video, though—the results are strictly for Web pages. Tint modes With special settings, you can take black-and-white or sepia-tinted stills. Remember, though, that you can achieve the same effect in an image editor on the PC after the picture is taken, so you aren’t losing anything if your camera lacks this feature. In fact, I’d say it’s better to start with a full-color image; that way you can do whatever you like to it later and always have the high-quality original to fall back on.
Transfer Mechanism
Getting images out of your camera is just as important as taking the pictures to begin with. If you like to view your freshly shot images on a television or want to record them, slide show style, directly to a VCR, then you should definitely consider a camera with a video-out port. Using an ordinary RCA-style composite video cable, you can connect the camera to a TV, VCR, or some other video display unit. For computer connection, I recommend USB. USB-capable digital cameras let you transfer images painlessly, especially compared to the more traditional (and now virtually obsolete) serial cable. Some cameras include even more convenient solutions, like adapters that accept the removable media card and connect to the computer directly. The advantage with these devices is that you can transfer images without draining the camera batteries, and transfers are often easier to do, since you avoid using arcane transfer software and instead just drag and drop images from a folder on the Windows desktop.

Reference: How To Do Everything with you digital camera (Mc Graw Hill)

SLR/DSLR vs.Point and shot/Compact

2007-07-09T00:54:00.000-07:00

There are two types of consumer cameras on the market -- SLR/DSLR cameras and "point-and-shoot"/Compact cameras.

The main difference is how the photographer sees the scene.
In a point-and-shoot camera, the viewfinder is a simple window through the body of the camera. You don't see the real image formed by the camera lens, but you get a rough idea of what is in view.
In an SLR camera, you see the actual real image that the film will see. If you take the lens off of an SLR camera and look inside, you'll see how this works. The camera has a slanted mirror positioned between the shutter and the lens, with a piece of translucent glass and a prism positioned above it. This configuration works like a periscope -- the real image bounces off the lower mirror on to the translucent glass, which serves as a projection screen. The prism's job is to flip the image on the screen, so it appears right side up again, and redirect it on to the viewfinder window.

When you click the shutter button, the camera quickly switches the mirror out of the way, so the image is directed at the exposed film. The mirror is connected to the shutter timer system, so it stays open as long as the shutter is open. This is why the viewfinder is suddenly blacked out when you take a picture.
The mirror in an SLR camera directs the real image to the viewfinder. When you hit the shutter button, the mirror flips up so the real image is projected onto the film.
In this sort of camera, the mirror and the translucent screen are set up so they present the real image exactly as it will appear on the film. The advantage of this design is that you can adjust the focus and compose the scene so you get exactly the picture you want. For this reason, professional photographers typically use SLR cameras.
These days, most SLR cameras are built with both manual and automatic controls, and most point-and-shoot cameras are fully automatic. Conceptually, automatic cameras are pretty much the same as fully manual models, but everything is controlled by a central microprocessor instead of the user. The central microprocessor receives information from the autofocus system and the light meter. Then it activates several small motors, which adjust the lens and open and close the aperture. In modern cameras, this a pretty advanced computer system.

Automatic point-and-shoot camera use circuit boards and electric motors, instead of gears and springs

Reference: Tom Harris. "How Cameras Work". March 21, 2001 http://electronics.howstuffworks.comcamera5.htm (July 08, 2007)

Homemade camera - Build your own camera!

2007-07-09T00:31:00.000-07:00

Why we still buying the camera? :)
Do you think...you can make a camera by yourself ???
The answer is YES !!! We call this simple type of camera is

"A PIN HOLE CAMERA"

To make your own camera by just follow this steps:

The first thing to do is paint the lid black, inside and out. This helps light-proof the box. Be sure to use flat black paint, rather than glossy paint that will reflect more light.

Cut a small hole (about the size of a matchbox) in the center of the canister bottom (the nonremovable side).

Cut out a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, or heavy black paper, about twice the size of the hole in the bottom of the canister.

Take a No. 10 sewing needle and carefully make a hole in the center of the foil. You should only insert the needle halfway, or the hole will be too big. For best results, position the foil between two index cards and rotate the needle as you push it through.

Tape the foil over the hole in the bottom of the canister, so the pinhole is centered. Attach the foil securely, with black tape, so light only shines through the pinhole.

All you need for the shutter is a piece of heavy black paper large enough to cover most of the cannister bottom. Tape one side of the paper securely to the side of the cannister bottom, so it makes a flap over the pinhole in the middle. Tape the other side of the flap closed on the other side of the pinhole. Keep the flap closed until you are ready to take a picture.

To load the camera, attach any sort of film or photographic paper to the inside of the canister lid. Of course, for the film to work, you must load it and develop it in complete darkness. With this camera design, you won't be able to simply drop the film off at the drug store -- you'll have to develop it yourself or get someone to help you.

Choosing a good camera design, film type and exposure time is largely a matter of trial and error. But, as any pinhole enthusiast will tell you, this experimentation is the most interesting thing about making your own camera.

More information about Pin hole camera:

A pinhole camera is simply a box with a tiny hole in one side and some film or photographic paper on the opposite size. If the box is otherwise "light-tight," the light coming through the pinhole will form a real image on the film. The scientific principle behind this is very simple.
If you were to shine a flashlight in a dark room, through a tiny hole in a wide piece of cardboard, the light would form a dot on the opposite wall. If you moved the flashlight, the light dot would also move -- light beams from the flashlight move through the hole in a straight line.
In a larger visual scene, every particular visible point acts like this flashlight. Light reflects off each point of an object and travels out in all directions. A small pinhole lets in a narrow beam from each point in a scene. The beams travel in a straight line, so light beams from the bottom of the scene hit the top of the piece of film, and vice-versa. In this way, an upside down image of the scene forms on the opposite side of the box. Since the hole is so small, you need a fairly long exposure time to let enough light in.
There are a number of ways to build this sort of camera -- some enthusiasts have even used old refrigerators and cars as light-tight boxes. One of the most popular designs uses an ordinary cylinder oatmeal box, coffee can, or similar container. Its easiest to use a cardboard container with a removable plastic lid.

Reference: Tom Harris. "How Cameras Work". March 21, 2001 http://electronics.howstuffworks.comcamera6.htm (July 08, 2007)

How the camera work ?

2007-07-08T23:39:00.000-07:00

Photography is undoubtedly one of the most important inventions in history -- it has truly transformed how people conceive of the world. Now we can "see" all sorts of things that are actually many miles -- and years -- away from us. Photography lets us capture moments in time and preserve them for years to come.
The basic technology that makes all of this possible is fairly simple. A still film camera is made of three basic elements: an optical element (the lens), a chemical element (the film) and a mechanical element (the camera body itself). As we'll see, the only trick to photography is calibrating and combining these elements in such a way that they record a crisp, recognizable image.
There are many different ways of bringing everything together. In this article, we'll look at a manual single-lens-reflex (SLR) camera. This is a camera where the photographer sees exactly the same image that is exposed to the film and can adjust everything by turning dials and clicking buttons. Since it doesn't need any electricity to take a picture, a manual SLR camera provides an excellent illustration of the fundamental processes of photography.
The optical component of the camera is the lens. At its simplest, lens is just a curved piece of glass or plastic. Its job is to take the beams of light bouncing off of an object and redirect them so they come together to form a real image -- an image that looks just like the scene in front of the lens.
But how can a piece of glass do this? The process is actually very simple. As light travels from one medium to another, it changes speed. Light travels more quickly through air than it does through glass, so a lens slows it down. When light waves enter a piece of glass at an angle, one part of the wave will reach the glass before another and so will start slowing down first. This is something like pushing a shopping cart from pavement to grass, at an angle. The right wheel hits the grass first and so slows down while the left wheel is still on the pavement. Because the left wheel is briefly moving more quickly than the right wheel, the shopping cart turns to the right as it moves onto the grass.
The effect on light is the same -- as it enters the glass at an angle, it bends in one direction. It bends again when it exits the glass because parts of the light wave enter the air and speed up before other parts of the wave. In a standard converging, or convex lens, one or both sides of the glass curves out. This means rays of light passing through will bend toward the center of the lens on entry. In a double convex lens, such as a magnifying glass, the light will bend when it exits as well as when it enters.

This effectively reverses the path of light from an object. A light source -- say a candle -- emits light in all directions. The rays of light all start at the same point -- the candle's flame -- and then are constantly diverging. A converging lens takes those rays and redirects them so they are all converging back to one point. At the point where the rays converge, you get a real image of the candle. In the next couple of sections, we'll look at some of the variables that determine how this real image is formed.

Reference: Tom Harris. "How Cameras Work". March 21, 2001 http://electronics.howstuffworks.comcamera.htm (July 08, 2007)

Overview of Camera accessories

2007-07-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

Every hobby has its accessories. It’s true that there are some things you really need to buy to support your favorite activity and digital photography is no exception. Here’s a suggestion list for buy accessories:

A camera

It goes without saying that you need a camera, but don’t rush into the purchase. You can even use a 35mm camera to begin with, and scan the images into the PC for editing and printing. If you’ve read the previous sections of this chapter and decided what features are important to you, you can shop like a pro.

An adequate PC

Crunching data to process digital images takes a bit more horsepower than you might be used to when working with Word or Excel. I suggest using a Pentium III–class PC with no less than 128MB of RAM. If you want to work with really big images—like 6-megapixel pictures—then consider 256MB of RAM. You might be surprised to learn that more memory is generally more useful than a faster processor.

Batteries

Digital cameras are power hogs. I highly recommend buying two sets of NiMH rechargeable batteries, since they’ll pay for themselves before you can say “alkaline.” If your camera didn’t come with an AC adapter, I suggest that you buy one from the camera vendor’s accessories store so you can power the camera when you’re transferring images to the PC or displaying images on a TV.

Memory

Buy the biggest memory card you can afford. The measly 8MB memory card that came with your camera won’t last a day when you’re on vacation, so having a 128MB or 256MB card is almost essential. A spare card, if it’s in the budget, can keep you going when you fill up your main card far away from your PC.

Tripod

If you want to extend your photography into the world of close-ups or long-range telephoto images, a tripod is a necessity. It needn’t be large or heavy, because most digital cameras are significantly lighter than their 35mm counterparts.

Lenses and filters

The time may come when you want to take pictures—like extreme close-ups, wide-angle shots, or extreme telephotos—that are beyond the range of the lens that came with your camera. Likewise, you might want to reduce glare or add other special effects to your images. If that’s the case, you want lenses and filters for your camera. You may not need them right now, but consider them an advanced purchase for later on.

Camera bag

Choose a bag that lets you arrange your camera and accessories in a way that they’re protected from theft and damage, but easy to use when the time comes to shoot a picture. Look for bags that don’t really look like they’re holding camera gear— that might make them less of a target for thieves.

Image editing software

Your camera probably came with some rudimentary image editor, but it may not be up to the task. Try a few out, and buy the image editor that you like the best. I typically use Photo Shop and DDP, for instance.

Printer

Get a good color inkjet printer and premium photo paper. Don’t skimp on this step—when the time comes to print your pictures, why bother having a good camera, this book, and taking the time to improve your photo skills if you’re going to print pictures on a budget printer with lousy paper?

Reference: How To Do Everything With Your Digital Camera (Mc Graw Hill)

10 tips for exposure

2007-07-08T06:57:00.001-07:00

TAKE A MID-TONE WITH YOU
Pack a grey card in your camera bag – or buy a mid-toned camera bag which you can meter off.
LOOK AT THE HISTOGRAM
Don’t rely on a simple playback image to judge exposure – let the camera show you precisely…
WATCH THE BACKGROUND
Be aware of how the tone of a background can infl uence your camera’s meter.
BE AWARE OF HIGHLIGHTS
When exposing for dark subjects, look for any bright areas that might be blown out as a result.
SWITCH TO SPOT METERING
For tricky lighting and small areas, there’s no substitute for spot metering if you’re not in a rush.
RESTORE THE WHITENESS
If your subject’s large in the frame and bright white, spot meter off them and add 2 EV to 2.5 EV.
METER FOR HIGHLIGHTS
As a general rule, it’s best to meter for the highlights and let the shadows fall where they will.
CARRY A SET OF FILTERS
Always pack a graduated neutral density fi lter and polariser – they’re not just useful for ‘pure’ landscapes…
DIAL DOWN YOUR FILL FLASH
With digital cameras so good at picking up shadow detail, you’ll be surprised how little fill fl ash you need.
GET CREATIVE
Don’t always chase the ‘perfect’ exposure. Experiment with going to extremes.

Reference: Digital Camera Magazine

10 tips for lighting

2007-07-08T06:46:00.000-07:00

RISE EARLY, STAY LATE
The golden hours around dawn and dusk are when the light tends to be the most exciting.

USE REFLECTORS
You’ll get more natural results if you use a reflector to fill-in detail, rather than reaching for a flashgun.

KEEP SILHOUETTES SIMPLE
Make sure you retain the distinctive shape of a subject – don’t let it bleed into other silhouettes.

ADD FLASH SUBTLY
Avoid the ‘overfl ashed’ look – reduce your fl ash output when shooting in daylight.

AVOID FLARE
Shield the front element of your lens with your hand when shooting into the sun.

BRING OUT COLOURS
Shoot saturated colours such as autumn foliage on an overcast or cloudy-bright day.

WATCH YOUR METER
Your camera can be fooled by unusual lighting conditions. Spot meter for total control.

ADD LIGHT IN FOG
When shooting mist or fog, increase your exposure by 1EV to bring back the brightness.

GO SLOW
When shooting in low light, combine a slow shutter speed with a burst of fl ash for interesting results.

BE PERSISTENT
Inspiring views deserve inspiring light – don’t be satisfied until you get it.

Reference: Digital Camera Magazine

The birth of digital camera

2007-07-06T00:25:00.000-07:00

A digital camera captures images in a digital format, unlike a conventional camera, which captures images using a photographic film.

History:

Using a mosaic photosensor, Eugene F. Lally of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory first showed how still photos could be produced in a digital domain. An engineer at Eastman Kodak, Steve Sasson, used solid-state CCD chips to build a prototype digital camera having a resolution of 0.01 megapixel, and recorded black and white digital images to a magnetic cassette tape. With this prototype model, Steve took the first image in December of 1975 taking 23 seconds to capture it.

In 1988, Fuji DS-1P became the first digital camera that captured images as a computerized file. However, the camera never entered the U.S. market. In 1991, Kodak DCS-100 was the first commercially available digital camera, which used a 1.3 megapixel sensor. With the advancement of technology, modern digital cameras have become multifunctional and are now capable of capturing audio/video and still photographs.

Reference: http://www.content4reprint.com/

Before buy a digital camera

2007-07-05T23:22:00.000-07:00

Source 1: Reference: John Axelberg http://www.ma-electronics.com/

First some questions that you have to get answer to:
What will I use the camera for? Shall I just take party pictures or serious landscape pictures?
Witch size do I want big tiny or regular?
Do I really have the best digital camera that cost thousands of dollars? When you have answered these questions you have an idea what digital camera that fits your needs.
Now we suggest: 5 most important things when choosing a digital camera:

1. Look at the megapixels it’s important to have 6mp+ if you want regular pictures too look great.
2. What is the respond time for the camera? The time it takes to take the picture. This is really important when you want to capture the moment.
3. The size of the camera is also important. If you will have it like all day camera don’t buy the fancy big camera with all the best futures. Buy a small one that suits your needs. You don’t need the best camera if you just shall take some all day pictures or party pictures.
4. Look at the LCD screen so it has a good resolution and so the pictures look good on that. If you don’t have that it’s really hard to see if you have taken a good picture or not.
5. Source the field and take a look at different cameras before deciding with to buy.

This was some great advice that you should take with you when you will buy your digital camera. Just think about this you will take so many funny pictures with it so you want a great camera!

Source 2: How to do everything with your digital camera (Mc Graw Hill)

When you’re shopping for a digital camera, make a checklist of the features and capabilities you want based on these criteria:
Resolution
Decide how large your finished images need to be, and look for cameras that can take pictures in the appropriate “mega-pixel” range.
Optics
Consider the lens quality, optical zoom range, and the possibility of
adding lenses or filters for more capabilities.
Flash
Consider the flash range and special features like red eye reduction. For
serious flash photography, look for cameras that accept external flash units.
Special effects
If you want goodies like movie modes or panoramic capture, worry about that after the essentials are out of the way.
Transfer mechanism
One last issue to consider is how the camera transfers images to the PC—this is a convenience issue.

Conclusion:
From both sources tell you in the overview details that you should know or inform before buying the camera. Before you will buy anything or digital camera as well you need to have the very good consider for your money so please find more information before buy it !! and the ways to find information are several for example, Surf in Internet , Go to camera shop and ask or read from a camera related magazines and books etc.

10 tips for colors

2007-07-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

KNOW YOUR PRESETS
Don’t leave the choice of white balance down to the camera – get into the habit of doing it yourself.

GET CREATIVE
Boost sunsets by choosing a ‘Cloudy’ WB setting. Cool a daylight shot with a ‘Tungsten’ one.

CONSIDER THE CONTRAST
Create bold images by only including two colours that are opposite each other on the colour wheel.

THINK ABOUT THE SIZE
Two complementary colours of equal size in the frame can lead to disappointing images.

SATURATE IN-CAMERA
If you shoot JPEG, increase the colour saturation in-camera rather than in an image-editor.

SHOOT RAW
If your camera allows it and you’ve got time to edit your images, it’ll lead to less image degradation.

BUY A POLARISER
They’re expensive but worth it, reducing glare and increasing saturation as a result.

KEEP WARM
Don’t sell your warm-up fi lters – they can produce a more natural result than a Photoshop treatment.

QUIETEN DOWN
To create a restful mood, fi ll your frame with colours which are next to each other on the colour wheel.

GO MONO LATER
Always shoot in colour – you can always convert an image to black and white on your computer.

Reference: Digital Camera Magazine

10 tips for compositions

2007-07-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

BACKGROUND
When framing a shot, pay as much attention to the background as you do your subject. A complimentary background can enhance a mundane subject – a poor choice of background will make a great subject fall flat.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
The strongest compositions are ones that get their message across quickly. Look for the building blocks of a great photograph in lines and shapes.
PERSONALISE IT
Ask yourself what you’re drawn to in a scene – the height of a building, the patterns in a field, the shape of a flower – and bring that element out.
WATCH THE CROPPING
When you’re framing people, avoid chopping them off at the knees or ankles.
THINK ABOUT NUMBERS
Odd numbers of things tend to be visually more exciting than even amounts. Triangles are more dynamic than squares or rectangles, which echo the boundaries of the frame. Three’s the magic number…
RAISE YOUR ASPIRATIONS
Tell yourself that you’re going to take the best photograph you’ve ever taken when you get up in the morning. This can lead to disappointment in the short term – in the long term; you’ll definitely raise your game.
STUDY THE MASTERS
We’ve given you a taster of three masters of their craft in this book – take time to search out the cream of contemporary and classic photography (keep an eye on Digital Camera Magazine book reviews) and work out what it is about their composition that makes all the elements click into place.
AVOID CLICHÉS
Don’t be happy with simply imitating other photos you’ve seen. Think about using different lenses, treatments and viewpoints. Don’t be afraid to lie down in the mud or sand. Be determined to create something more artistic than you were producing a year ago.
SHOOT PLENTY OF FRAMES
Really work a subject – you’re first shot is rarely your best one and you’re not wasting film anymore. Work through early framing options to chisel your vision and weed out the duff ideas.
ALWAYS CARRY A CAMERA WITH YOU
The more you shoot – family, friends, and daily life – the more you’ll begin to refine your eye for composition. Then, when an once-in-a-lifetime situation presents itself, framing it quickly will be second nature.

Reference: Digital Camera Magazine