Shutterpad.com

How to critique your own photographs

james — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:04:51 +0000

I’m sure that we have all asked for opinions on our photographs at some point in our lives. The problem with asking for constructive criticism is that often times you just don’t get anything constructive. Why not skip all of that and simply critique your own photographs? You’ll be getting honest answers that will do a lot more good then any critique you would get elsewhere.

Below is a list of questions to ask yourself when reviewing your own photographs to find things that need improvement on.

1) Technical

Is it in focus?

No one likes an out of focused picture, it’s something everyone tries to avoid (with a few exceptions). Ask yourself if it’s sharp or soft focus and if that is appropriate for the photograph?

Notice the depth of field and see if more or less would add to the photograph.

Is it exposed properly?

In some situations you just can’t avoid underexposing or overexposing some parts of the picture, but what you always want is for the main subject to be exposed properly. Avoid making the subject very dark/light in comparison with the background (unless you’re doing a silhouette). Is there anything in the photograph that is too distracting because it was overexposed?

Is the lighting and white balance appropriate?

Is the lighting too hard or soft and would changing it enhance the photograph? Avoid taking pictures with direct sunlight, especially when taking pictures of people, because it creates harsh unwanted shadows on the subject.

Is there a green/orange tint to the photograph created by fluorescent lights, street lamps or other poor light sources? This can be fixed by using your camera’s white balance features.

2) Composition

Should anything be cropped?

Is there anything in the picture that should be cropped out? Is there too much wasted space that doesn’t add to the photo?

Does it follow the “Rule of Thirds”?

If it doesn’t, should it? Does the composition work to focus the attention on the subject or would something else be better? The Rule of Thirds is just like any other rule, it can be broken.

Is there any leading lines?

Is there any lines in the picture that draws your attention deeper into the photograph? There are a lot of situations where this just isn’t possible, so don’t sweat if you can’t answer this question with a “yes.”

Is the photo balanced?

Are color, light, and subjects arranged in the photograph such that there is balance? Is the picture dominated by one color, light, or subject and if so, would changing that help improve the image?

3) Appeal

What was your intentions and can it be easily seen?

If you had a message or theme you originally wanted to portray when taking the photograph, is it obvious? This can make your picture thought provoking and show a lot of planning went into it.

What do you feel?

Does it make you feel sad, mad, or happy? Is that what you wanted? What techniques do you think could be used to change the mood of the photograph to what you want?

Is it interesting and appealing?

If this is a picture of something that belongs to you or someone you know, it might only be appealing to a few people. What about it do you think would make others interested in it?

What Now?

After critiquing your own photograph, go out and reshoot! If possible, take a picture of the exact same thing, but this time use your own critiques to improve upon it.

Hopefully with time, all these questions will be in the back of your mind every time to take a picture. You’ll be more aware of what it takes to make a great picture and get one with the very first try.

Stabilizing your camera without a tripod

james — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:59:14 +0000

No one likes a blurry image and despite there being plenty of features in your lenses and cameras to combat this, sometimes it’s just unavoidable. The best solution to stabilizing your camera is undoubtedly a tripod, but what if you don’t have the money to buy one or simply find it too bulky to carry it around with you everywhere?

Below is a list of tripod alternatives that are cheap, easy to use, and small enough to fit inside your camera bag.

Bottle Cap Tripod

It’s tiny, cheap, and incredibly simple. Attach the cap to your camera and screw it onto any water bottle around you and you got yourself a makeshift tripod. The bigger the bottle, the more it’s able to support. But as you have already guessed, small cameras and lenses only.

If $10 is still too much for you, you can always make your own out of screws, nuts, and washers. Satisfy the MacGyver in you.

The Pod

This little guy comes in different colors, each one designed differently to support your needs. Whether you have a small point and shoot or a dSLR camera, there’s a Pod for you. The Pod is basically a bean bag that can be attached to your camera where a tripod would normally go. You can “mold” the Pod to fit on different surfaces and to tilt the camera up or down. It’s made for smaller cameras with small lenses and does a good job supporting those, but don’t plan on having any luck with a bulky lens attached to your camera.

Costing just under $20, it’s extremely cheap and a great accessory to have in your camera bag just in case.

GorillaPod

There are three different models of the GorillaPod and with the most expensive one being able to support up to 6 pounds, it’s the most versatile “pod” on this list. The legs of the GorillaPod are able to bend and attach to tree branches, light poles, or any other object small and sturdy enough for the legs to wrap around. It definitely lives up to its name so you’ll be able to support your camera with a big 70-200mm lens attached (as seen in the picture).

With the most expensive model costing $50, you might have better luck just buying an actual tripod. You won’t be getting a good tripod, but any tripod is definitely better then no tripod. Especially considering that the GorillaPod is only usable when there is something around for it to attach it.

MonsterPod

If the Pod and the GorillaPod could have a baby, this is what it would look like. Combining the ease of use of the Pod and the kung-fu grip of the GorillaPod, the MonsterPod uses its “viscoelastic morphing polymer base” to mold and stick to any surface imaginable to man. I’m exaggerating a bit but you get the idea, it sticks to things.

If you have a small camera, this is perfect. Try anything else however, you might find your camera shattered on the floor. Costing $30, it fits comfortably in between the Pod and the GorillaPod.

Bush Hawk Shoulder Mount

Have you ever had trouble with airport security when trying to bring your camera gear on board? Well, you probably don’t want this then. Black Hawk’s shoulder camera mount transforms your camera into a possible killing machine. Designed mostly for wildlife photography, having this shoulder mount beats carrying a tripod around all day especially when mobility and setup time is important to you.

There is a hefty price tag with it however, $110. But for a chance to look like the Rambo of the photography world, I say it’s worth it.

OmniPod Bean Bag

The OmniPod is the perfect kind of camera accessory to leave in your car. Whether you’re a tourist in a taxi, on an African safari, or just trying to do some reconnaissance, the OmniPod makes shooting your camera from inside your car a breeze. Simply attach it to your camera body/lens and rest the bean bag on your car’s window, instant camera support.

Retails anywhere between $25 - $30 depending on the size you want.

What do you use?

What do you use to stabilize your camera besides a tripod?

Becoming a better photographer with prime lenses

james — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:04:49 +0000

One of the questions many photographers ask themselves when buying a new lens is if they should buy a zoom or prime (single focal length) lens. Most of the time they pick a zoom lens and to be honest, I would pick a zoom lens too, it’s just more practical. But there are some photographers out there who use nothing but prime lenses and claim that using anything else makes you lazy.

Below is a list of way to better yourself as a photographer with prime lenses which will hopefully convince you to have at least one of them in your arsenal.

Know your lenses.

I went through a phase once where I would use nothing but prime lenses. Back then I was lucky enough to have access to some really high quality glass through work and would often find myself using a 14mm 2.8, 50mm 1.2, 85mm 1.2, or 200mm 2.0. After a lot of practice, I learned what each lens could and couldn’t do. I knew what kind of distortion I would get, how far away I had to be from a subject, and what kind of depth of field was possible. Knowing how these things behave at different focal lengths can help a lot, especially when you go back to using a zoom lens.

After shooting nothing but prime lenses for a while, I eventually starting manually focusing. Probably because my left hand had nothing better to do. Getting back to the basics and stopping your dependency on your cameras automatic features will help you understand your equipment, and that’s the first step to mastering it.

Zoom with your feet.

If your lens can’t zoom, then the only way to do it is by moving. This is usually a reason for not buying a prime lens, but it’s actually like a blessing in disguise. You are now forced to physically walk in order to change the perspective and composition of your photograph, no longer can you let the zoom do all the work. This will result in you being more aware of your surroundings, incorporating that into your pictures, and eventually understanding the importance of framing.

Plan your composition.

If you limit yourself to only prime lenses, you have to learn the capabilities of each one of your lenses and which one is best for certain situations. Say you want to photograph a statue, your first instinct would be to zoom, fill the frame, and shoot. Having prime lenses on the other hand, you now have to think about what lens you want to use, where you want to stand, and different resulting perspectives.

Take into account the background, surrounding buildings, objects, anything. It can all be used to add something to the photograph. Sometimes the background is just as important as the subject.

Stop being lazy.

When I go anywhere with my camera, I always have a 24-70 2.8L attached to the body. It’s a very good lens but unfortunately, the only times that I do change lenses is when I find 24mm is not wide enough or 70mm is not long enough. I myself am guilty of being a lazy photographer. Ways to combat this laziness is by using primes and forcing yourself to change lenses constantly. This will help improve your creativity by, as already mentioned above, making yourself plan your composition.

Practice makes perfect. Experiment with a prime lens any chance you get. A good idea is to use only one focal length to photograph a subject, then photograph it again but this time use a different focal length.

Conclusion.

A lot of people find a style of composition that they like and stick to it. They don’t try anything new because with a zoom lens, it’s easy for them to get their desired results. Prime lenses help break this by forcing you to try something new, to think differently, and to experiment. And after you learn the importance of framing, perspectives, and composition, you can easily transfer that knowledge to zoom lenses and hopefully no longer be a “lazy photographer.”

To sum things up:

- Know how things behave at different focal lengths.
- Stop your dependency on your cameras automatic feature.
- Be aware of your surroundings and incorporate it into your picture.
- Understand the important of framing and composition.
- Try different perspectives.
- And stop being lazy.

What lenses (prime) do you have?

Do you think you have improved because of prime lenses?

Do you sometimes find yourself being a lazy photographer as a result of zoom lenses?

2008’s best digital SLR for beginners

james — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:38:10 +0000

This year has been a big one for photography. With new digital SLR cameras being released by all top manufacturers, the urge to ditch your old point and shoot for a digital SLR just become a little harder to resist. Listed below are the top cameras of 2008 that are ideal for anyone who is interested in getting into photography or for someone who is just looking for a upgrade.

Why Canon or Nikon

JD Power has just released the results of it’s 2008 Digital Camera Usage and Satisfaction Study, ranking camera manufactures based upon customer satisfaction and usability.

Out of 8,000 responses, customers have chosen Canon and Nikon to be the best, not surprising. So obviously when it comes to which manufacture to look at when shopping for a dSLR, Canon and Nikon are a must. Now some of you may prefer Pentax, Olympus, or Sony for whatever reason when it comes to your electronics, but when it comes to a dSLR, Canon and Nikon will almost always be a wiser choice because…

The popularity of the two far supasses the competition. This is a good thing when it comes to accessories, support on forums, services, or just sharing lenses between friends. Think of it as the Ipod vs the Zune. The Zune is a great mp3 player but there are only a few support sites, few 3rd party accessories, and it’s very hard to find anyone with one.
The selection of lenses is a lot larger. The selection of lenses available to you with Canon or Nikon cameras is huge. Not only do you have Canon and Nikon’s own lenses, you have lenses from Sigma, Tokina, Tamron and a lot of other manufactures that all make lenses that are compatible on Canon and Nikon mounts.
The used market is flooded with them. And it’s not because they’re bad. One of the main reasons keeping a lot of aspiring photographers from making the leap and buying a entry level camera is the price. But if you check eBay, Craigslist, or any photography forum’s for sale section, you will find tons of used Canon and Nikon gear selling for a lot less then the market price.
It’s what the professionals use. And we all want to be professionals right? Or at least look like one.

The Cameras

So now that we’ve discussed what manufacture to choose, let’s take a look at the cameras available to us. Now, all of the following cameras are excellent and you can’t go wrong with any of them. The following is simply a list of the specifications so you yourself can make a side by side comparison and come to your own conclusion. At the end of the post however will be my personal pick for the best entry level dSLR.

* Specifications in red means that it’s the best amongst the three cameras.

Nikon D60

Megapixels: 10.2
Autofocus Points: 3
Max Frames/Second: 3
ISO Range: 100-3200
Crop Factor: 1.5x
Stock Kit Lens: Nikon 18-55mm AF-S f/3.5-5.6G VR DX
Compatible Lens Mount: Only Nikon AF-S and AF-I
LCD Size: 2.5″
Memory Format: SD/SDHC
Price: $630

Canon XS

Megapixels: 10.1
Autofocus Points: 7
Max Frames/Second: 3
ISO Range: 100-1600
Crop Factor: 1.6x
Stock Kit Lens: Canon 18-55mm EF-S f/3.5-5.6 IS
Compatible Lens Mount: All Canon EOS mounts (EF & EF-S)
LCD Size: 2.5″
Memory Format: SD/SDHC
Price: $699

Canon XSi

Megapixels: 12.2
Autofocus Points: 9
Max Frames/Second: 3.5
ISO Range: 100-1600
Crop Factor: 1.6x
Stock Kit Lens: Canon 18-55mm EF-S f/3.5-5.6 IS
Compatible Lens Mount: All Canon EOS mounts (EF & EF-S)
LCD Size: 3″
Memory Format: SD/SDHC
Price: $749

Now it comes to no surprise that the most expensive camera seems to be the best, the cheapest the worst, and one right in the middle that bridges the two. With only a hundred dollars separating the d60 and the XSi, you really have to ask yourself if the additional megapixels, autofocus points, and LCD size really worth it?

One of the biggest things I dislike about the Nikon D60 is the fact that it is only compatible with AF-S and AF-I lenses, so you’re limiting yourself when it comes to what lenses you’ll be able to use. My favorite lens for example, the 50mm 1.8, is crippled because there will be no auto focus when using that lens on the d60.

And the Canon XS just doesn’t seem up to par with 2008 standards. Instead, it seems more like a Canon XTi in disguise.

The Winner

Although all the cameras are great, it’s clear that there is one that’s a little ahead of the rest…

The Canon XSi is definitely the better of the three, simply because for the additional $50-100, you are getting a lot more. The specifications are what you would expect from a dSLR that has just been released in 2008, where as the others are a little dated and should instead be compared with older models. And most importantly, it’s a very easy to use camera that is perfect for any begginer or amateur.

What do you use?

What is your current camera and what about it makes you want to buy a new dSLR?

7 fun and interesting uses for a fisheye lens

james — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:01:28 +0000

Fisheye lenses are really cool. It’s just one of those specialty lenses that you just have to have in your bag, just in case. But often times for me, the odds that I will actually pull out my fisheye to take a shot is very rare because nothing really pops out as a “this will look great with a fisheye.” If you have a fisheye lens and not getting enough use out of it, here’s a list of ideas that’ll hopefully have you reaching into your bag for the fishy next time you’re out.

People

Getting up close and personal with a fisheye lens can produce some fun pictures. Although it’s usually unflattering, often times that’s the best part. You could take a picture inches away from the subject and distort the face to the point where their forehead becomes the larger then their whole body or step back a couple feet and take a picture of them with an almost panoramic view of their surroundings. Ever try taking a group picture in a tight space? A fisheye lens is perfect for that.

Yourself

Do you like taking pictures of yourself but have no friends to do it for you? I feel your pain, that’s why I got a fisheye lens. With a fisheye lens, you only have to keep the camera at arms length in order to get a shot of yourself and your background. Take a shot looking down at the camera, looking up, or not looking at all. Taking Myspace pictures to a whole new level.

Animals

Nothing is cuter then an animal with huge puppy dog eyes or a big wet nose in your face. The distortion from a fisheye lens does just that with pets. Get up and close just like you would with a person and start firing away. Making your pet do tricks or jumps while shooting with a fisheye lens gives you a little more room for error because you’ll be sure to get them in the frame without too much work.

Bug’s eye view

Because most circular fisheye lenses have a 180 degree angle of view, simply putting your camera on timer and placing it on the ground (or a bed of flowers for example) can give you a bug’s eye view on the world. Find strange places where you can put your camera and take a shot.

Stars and clouds

Developed for meteorology and astronomy, it only makes sense to use a fisheye lens for what it was originally designed for. Taking a 2 hour long exposure of the stars with the lens pointed directly at the north star will create a spiral of light produced by the star trails.

Panoramas

Doing panoramas with a fisheye lens is extremely easy. There are plenty of techniques of stitching photos together so that the resulting image can look like it wasn’t even shot with a fisheye lens. There is also stitching techniques that takes full advantage of the distortion from the lens to create results like the above picture.

Create a planet

Taking a complete 360 degree panorama of your surroundings and using similar stitching techniques as you would with a normal panorama, you could easily create a little mini planet with your fisheye lens. Here’s a tutorial.

It’s official now, Adobe Lightroom 2

james — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:02:59 +0000

Although the Beta version of Adobe Lightroom 2 has been out for a couple months now, the official version from Adobe has just been released yesterday and is ready for download right now or for immediate purchase.

- Lightroom 2 is $299 or available as a $99 upgrade for Lightroom 1 customers.
- 30 Day trial available here.

Here’s a list of new features in Lightroom 2 to persuade you to upgrade:

Target specific areas of a photo for dodging and burning
Automatically organize photos using Smart Collections
Work with high-quality previews of offline images from multiple libraries and drives
Expand your workspace across multiple monitors
Enjoy state-of-the-art 64-bit memory handling
Easily transfer images to popular photo-sharing sites
Access a rich community of export plug-ins and web gallery styles at the Lightroom Exchange
Work smoothly with Adobe Photoshop CS3

Bonus link: Here’s a video of two guys talking about Lightroom 2 in front of a green screen.

Hidden L lenses, quality for cheap

james — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 06:06:59 +0000

If you buy any of the lenses in the Canon L series, you are guaranteeing yourself a good, durable, quality lens. But for those of us who are unwilling to spend a couple thousand dollars for a single lens, we assume that we just have to sacrifice quality to save some money, but that’s not always the case. Here’s a list of cheaper alternatives to the Canon L series where you really get a big bang for the buck.

You don’t have to always sacrifice optical quality to save some money when buying a lens. Listed below are several lenses, broken down into categories, which I consider to be real bargain lenses where you’re getting a lot more then what you’re paying for. (Canon lenses only)

Wide Angle

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM. - $700
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. - $1000
Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 - $300
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM. - $400

Standard

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. - $100
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM. - $350
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM. - $230

Telephoto

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. - $550
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. - $350
Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM. - $400

Macro

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro. - $500

Now with these lenses, you won’t be getting the same quality as you would with a Canon L lens. Optically, all of these lenses are excellent. When it comes to build quality however, that’s where you start to see the consequences of getting a non-L lens. But for the price, who can complain?

Below are a couple lenses in the Canon L series which really deserve to be on this list, or at least mentioned, because they’re real bargains.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM. - $700
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM. - $600

You might be better off buying a “Hidden L lens” simply because your money will go a bit further. But if you’re on a budget and really craving for that red stripe or off white paint on a L-lens, these two guys fit the bill.

Family vacations, going beyond the ordinary

james — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:25:23 +0000

There is still time left this summer to squeeze in a vacation or two with your loved ones, so make it count! Bring the camera gear and start making memories. Here are some tips to get better photos on your next vacation:

Pack light. Bringing all your gear can have its toll on your back at the end of the day. Instead, only bring a couple lenses. Zoom lenses are nice because you will have a lot more freedom without having to constantly switch lenses.
Wake up early. If you expect to visit any popular tourist attraction, getting there early can give you a lot more freedom to take the pictures you want. Not only will you be getting the beautiful light from the low sun, you will not be amongst hundreds of tourists because they will still be in bed!
Get the details. Get the details. Do not put your camera down because you are not next to any landmarks. A way to make a vacation album really unique is by getting the details. Shoot street signs, passing cars, what you had for lunch, anything! There are tons of photographic opportunities and you are only letting them slip away when you put your camera down.
Get candid. Get candid. Pictures of your family lined up in front of various backgrounds are nice… but they make for a really boring photo album. Use a long lens, kill the flash, and get candid. Taking pictures of people when they least expect it can make interesting, fun, memorable photographs.
See in color. Take note of vibrant colors in your surroundings. Street signs, taxi cabs, graffiti… Pictures with vibrant contrasting colors are real eye catchers.
Be unique. Try to figure out how someone would normally photography a subject, and try to do it differently. Change the perspective, use a different lens, get close… the list goes on. You will be getting great shots and also start developing a “creative eye.”
Don’t forget to enjoy your vacation! Because this is the why you are going on a vacation in the first place right?

Reverse lens, the poor man’s macro lens

james — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:11:48 +0000

Often times if you want to do macro photography, you’ll have to get a dedicated macro lens, and that comes with a price. There is however a much cheaper solution that can give you better magnification then a lot of the macro lenses you see on the market today. Reversing the lens is easy, cheap, and the results you are just mind blowing.

Understanding the term macro:

A true macro lens is considered to have 1:1 magnification, or life size. Those two numbers represent the reproduction ratio. What that means is if your lens is capable of shooting at 1:1 magnification, your camera will be able to fill the entire picture with an object exactly the same size as your camera’s sensor. If it is 2:1, the magnification doubles and now that object will appear twice as big. If it is 1:2, the magnification halves and now that object will only fill half the frame.

Almost all true macro lenses will be able to get 1:1 magnification. A lot of manufactures claim that some of their lenses have macro capabilities, but in reality the maximum magnification you’ll be able to achieve is 1:2 or less.

How to get the poor man’s macro:

Reversing the lens (it’s as easy as it sounds) will give you magnification that far surpasses 1:1 magnification and costs next to nothing. Simply attach the lens the opposite direction!

To do this there are a couple of methods ranging from hand holding the lens in position, taping the lens on, implementing pvc pipes, or simply buying a reverse lens mount. The last one is the easiest, but if you’re really pinched for cash, pvc pipes and duct tape won’t hurt.

Some lenses are more ideal for this then others, but most lenses will get the job done. Here are some things to keep in mind though when choosing what lens to use:

No auto focus. All focusing will be done manually so you really want prime lens to make the process a bit easier, but this isn’t too important.
Manual lenses are good. Because your camera will have no way of communicating to your lens (to change the aperture) you will be shooting wide open at all times. Having an older lens where you can control the aperture manually will give a little bit more control, but it’s not necessary.
Scratches. You won’t be able to put a UV filter on the back of the lens to protect it, so be careful. Avoid using expensive lenses.

Using the poor man’s macro:

If you ever tried this before, you probably realized that it is next to impossible to get a sharp image when shooting at a magnification greater then 1:1 when your hand holding the camera. With that in mind, here are a little pointers to get shoot photographs.

Use a tripod. Even at 1:1 magnification, the slightest movement will cause tremendous blur in a photograph. Using a tripod will greatly reduce this and make your photographs sharper.
Remote shutter release. Pressing the shutter release on your camera causes camera shake, stop this buy using a remote shutter release.
Change the ISO. If you need more light, you would normally shoot at a larger aperture, but since you won’t be able to do this (unless you have a manual lens), changing the ISO is the next best thing.
Use a focusing rail. A focusing rail will allow you to change the distance between the lens and the subject, I find this method of focusing much easier then manually focusing the lens.

It all comes down to experimentation. You’ll have to figure out what your lens is capable of doing and what I can’t do.

Taking it one step further:

You can get even more magnification by adding a more gear to your poor man’s macro setup. Adding extension tubes, flashes, or other lenses will open you up to a whole entire world you never knew existed. Give it a try!