Camera Sleuth » Tips

A tripod is a crucial piece of photography equipment

Jenn — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:09:01 +0000

Once I got used to handling my Nikon D40x, the one thing I longed for was a tripod. Specifically, I wanted a tripod that I could adjust for different heights and angles. Fortunately, many companies make such tripods, and they’re relatively inexpensive. You can pick up a sturdy, decently built tripod that offers multiple height adjustments via the legs and the main “shaft” for well under $50. Many even come with their own carrying cases, which makes them easy to take from one place to another.

With the Christmas season coming up, you should definitely pick up a tripod for you or anyone you know who is serious about photography! Check out Amazon for some nice ones.

DIY photo Christmas cards

Jenn — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:00:35 +0000

We used to pay upwards of $50 at Picture People for portraits to add to Christmas cards that we had to pay separately for. Then I got a DSLR camera. Then I learned how to take decent, candid shots of my kids. Then I got creative, and determined to save money. For the last two years now we haven’t paid a dime for the photos that are on our Christmas cards. Here’s what I recommend:

Pick out a photo card template from Shutterfly or another card website
Follow your family around with a camera for a few days, and take dozens of shots — posed and unposed
Use Adobe Photoshop or another program to touch up photos, crop out the unnecessary background stuff, adjust color and brightness, etc.
Add those photos to your chosen photo card template!

We did this this year with Shutterfly, and we’re very happy with the results. We deliberately chose a design that allows for small photos only, which means there isn’t as much attention to detail. What do you think?

‘Tis the season for photos!

Jenn — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 17:19:42 +0000

Now that it’s Black Friday, the official kick-off for Christmas has begun! I don’t know about you, but I love taking holiday photos. Nothing is more beautiful to me than Christmas lights blazing away, and the way they glimmer and highlight various ornaments. I’m personally super excited about stringing half a dozen strands of multi-colored lights on our Christmas tree just so that I can take some nice photos!

Merakoh has some great tips for taking digital photos of your Christmas tree and ornaments; also, here are my own tips:

Make use of a tripod or flat, stable surface, then crank your shutter speed way down!
Experiment with aperture — see if having the lens open more or closed more helps with saturation and depth
Use different angles to get a unique perspective of your tree
Take night shots for truly dramatic photos

Tips for pet photography

Jenn — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:12:05 +0000

As an owner of four cats, a squishy Pug and nearly a dozen fish, I can tell you from firsthand experience that pet photography is not as easy as it seems. Background, lighting and your pet’s attitude can all impact the style and quality of the photos that are taken. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned about pet photography is that it pays to follow your pet around with your camera. Get them acclimated to your presence, the sound of your camera shutter and the flash of your, well, flash. After a while you’ll blend right into the background, which is good if you want to get natural photos of your pets.

Here are some more tips, thanks to Digital Photography School:

Use natural lighting. Avoid the use of a flash to prevent blowouts and red eye.

Focus on your pet’s eyes for sharp, striking photos.

Place yourself in your pet’s environment, and get to his level in order to get natural, unique perspectives.

Honor your pet by taking photos that show him as his natural self.

Use a telephoto or macro lens for shots that are full of fluff!

Surprise your pet with a sudden noise or burst of action in order to get a truly “alert” photo.

Schedule your photo session for a time when your pet will be at his best.

Be patient — adjust your photography to your pet, not the other way around.

Experiment!

How not to lose your camera in public places

Jenn — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:01:38 +0000

The easiest way to keep tabs on your camera is to never let it out of your sight, and to always have a physical hold on it. If you’re shopping around for camera bags, be sure to pick one that has not only the typical shoulder strap, but also a small strap that can be clipped around something, such as your belt loop, your wrist, the frame of your child’s stroller, whatever. This way, a thief can’t just grab the strap or the bag itself and run, since he’ll be stopped by that additional secured strap.

Try not to advertise what it is you’re carrying along. It’s great that you have an $800 camera body, a $200 external flash and $1000 worth of lenses, but does everyone around you really need to know that? Instead of having a signature Nikon or Canon bag, get a nondescript one, such as a Crumpler bag, and use that instead.

Finally, use common sense. Don’t take expensive electronics into dangerous areas or poorly lit one. It would suck to miss out on some great photo opps, but it would suck more to be missing all of your camera equipment!

Aperture: why bigger isn’t better

Jenn — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:43:03 +0000

Aperture is a term that refers to how open your lens is. With aperture, the smaller the number, the larger the opening. The larger the opening, the more light that is let into the lens, subsequently the brighter/better exposed the photograph will be. I’m a beginner in terms of understanding aperture, shutter priority, program mode and full on manual mode, but I know the basics: smaller = more light; larger = less light. Generally you will notice that your shutter speed corresponds with your aperture setting. If you have your aperture set to f/ 2.8, for example, then your shutter will be pretty fast, since there’s plenty of exposure. But if you set your aperture to f/ 6 or even f/ 8, you’ll notice that the shutter speed decreases significantly.

I prefer to shoot in aperture mode, though I’m having some issues when I do so outdoors and without the aid of a flash. A lot of the photos are horribly exposed, overly grainy, or both. I don’t mind experimenting and learning as I go, but it does suck to ruin what could otherwise be some truly fantastic photos.

How much do you know about aperture?

I make backups of backups

Jenn — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:36:13 +0000

When it comes to my photos, I can never have too many backups. You just never know when something might go wrong. So, here’s what I do:

Store all .NEF (those are RAW format files) files on my external hard drive
Store all .jpg files on my desktop, laptop, and netbook (yes, I sync three ways)
Upload my favorites to Flickr
Back up .jpg files to DVD-R on a monthly basis

No, I’m not paranoid or anything. But seriously, it sucks to lose out on great photos! Speaking of which, if you want to make sure that your camera is able to capture that amazing shot the very second you depress the shutter button, you will definitely want to invest in an SDHC memory card. All of the newer camera models accept them, and most new computers will be able to read them (and if they can’t, USB card readers are inexpensive). I noticed an amazing difference when I switched from SD to SDHC, and you will too!

How to get out of a photography slump

Jenn — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:20:58 +0000

I looked over my Flickr account recently, and I noticed that I really haven’t taken a lot of photos since last summer. Oh, I still take photos, but they’re mainly in spurts. The daily and semi-daily photos seem to be a thing of the past. I’m upset with myself over this because my children are young, which means that they grow quickly. Now is the time to get great photos of them, you know?

In any case, I think I’ve hit a bit of a photography slump, and I want to get out of it as soon as possible. Here are some tried-and-true tips for getting back into the swing of photography:

Take your camera with you on every outing! Even if you’re just running out to the grocery store, you may come across a great photo opportunity on the way there, or on the way back (sidenote: I can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me!).
Get involved in a photography group, whether it be online or offline. The continual discussion surrounding photography should hopefully get you itching to hold your own camera.
Start reading photography magazines, like Digital Photography and Shutter Bug.
Shop for new equipment or a fun accessory. Having a new toy for your camera may be all that it takes to get you back into the groove of taking photos!

Weighed down by the gear

Jenn — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:11:49 +0000

While I love having a DSLR and a variety of lenses to use with it, the one thing I don’t like is how much all of that gear weighs when it’s packed into my camera bag. So, what can you do about heavy camera gear? First, make sure you’re using a camera bag that fits well with your body. Instead of a hard, boxy type of bag that won’t mold itself to your body, consider getting a softer style that will rest more snugly against your side. Second, check the length of the strap(s). If it/they are too long, excess strain can be placed upon your shoulders or back.

Also, have you recently taken a peek inside your camera bag to make sure you’re not carrying around stuff you really don’t need? For example, if you’re going to the park with your family, you probably don’t need a macro lens, a fish-eye attachment, or that external flash. And if you know your camera is fully charged, there probably isn’t a need for extra batteries or a power charger to be carted along.

By getting a great fitting bag, such as the high quality Crumpler bags, and reducing the amount of gear you take with you on daily trips, you’ll be able to reduce your load and carry it more comfortably.

Turn your favorite photos into decor for your home

Jenn — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:42:12 +0000

I have been taking photos for years, and over the last five years I have been showcasing my favorite ones on Flickr. But more recently I have been getting into displaying my favorite of my favs around my house. It all started last summer, when my friend gave me a very sleek, high quality digital photo frame for my birthday. I immediately loaded that sucker up with 25+ photos and set it to rotate. It’s still going strong, by the way, though it is definitely overdue for some new photos.

But another great idea is to print out photos and hang them around your home! Skip the fancy photo frames and arrangement options. Sometimes less is more, and when it comes to showing off your photos, simply black frames with white mats are really the best choice. These frames cost as little as $3 and $4 at your local Walmart or Target, so you can easily buy a house worth of photo frames without breaking the bank.

But take a tip from someone who has wasted a lot of printer ink coming up with the right “look”: stay away from black & white unless you’re able to create a highly contrasting, slightly vignetted look. A personal recommendation for awesome photos? Diyosa’s black & white action for Photoshop. Run that sucker and you’ll have print-ready photos in no time!