Photography Tips & Tricks

[BlackSnake]

Just like with writing, sketching, and computer graphics I'm constantly looking to improve my skills.

I'm using an SLR (it's ditigal, but the technical issues of photography still apply). I would like to learn some tips & tricks to take better photographs. What tips can you share?

 

[tolyk]

I can share a website full of different tips:

InFocus

 

[Anne_Prospere]

its hard to give advise about this sort of thing without knowing the skill level of the asker.. does that make sense? maybe you could let me know more specifically some things you'd like to bone up on.

 

[BlackSnake]

avoiding red-eye indoors using built-in flash. I usually don't worry about it, because I fix it in photoshop, but it would be nice to know how to avoid red-eye.

 

[tolyk]

avoiding red-eye indoors using built-in flash. I usually don't worry about it, because I fix it in photoshop, but it would be nice to know how to avoid red-eye.

Well, use better lighting and don't use the flash.. or if your camera has a red eye reduction flash, use that.. There's more, but I'm tired, just about to head to bed

 

[BlackSnake]

Well, use better lighting and don't use the flash.. or if your camera has a red eye reduction flash, use that.. There's more, but I'm tired, just about to head to bed

more, more...

 

[Anne_Prospere]

the less you use that on camera flash the better. work with your exposures, available light is always your best bet, even in a more darkly lit situation. Its ok to shoot at F2.8 with your shutter speed at 60 and your film speed at 800.. it might take a little more patience to have the photo in focus but the end result is worth it, and you can play with the shadows and highlights in photoshop as well.

 

[red_flame]

avoiding red-eye indoors using built-in flash. I usually don't worry about it, because I fix it in photoshop, but it would be nice to know how to avoid red-eye.

try to get your model to avoid looking directly to the camera or even get a seperate flash so that you can use it set up a short distance away from the lense that way you can still have your model looking directly at the person looking at the photo

 

[BlackSnake]

try to get your model to avoid looking directly to the camera or even get a seperate flash so that you can use it set up a short distance away from the lense that way you can still have your model looking directly at the person looking at the photo

I like the idea of user a seperate flash

 

[tolyk]

I like the idea of user a seperate flash

What Anne said.. as for the exposure working out alright, if you have a tripod, use it! The slower you have your shutter, the more any slight tremors in your hands show in your work. To avoid all shaking of the camera, tripod with the self-timer, that way there is no contact when the actual picture is taken.

Again, like Anne said, avoid using the flash. A constant light is better anyways. When ever possible, use sunlight. There's no replacing natural light (though they're getting close)

 

[BlackSnake]

If you are not using your flash and your artificial lighting is coming from regular lamps, how can you avoid getting the ugly yellow? I usually just fix it in photoshop, I'd like to take photographs that I don't have to edit.

 

[Anne_Prospere]

If you are not using your flash and your artificial lighting is coming from regular lamps, how can you avoid getting the ugly yellow? I usually just fix it in photoshop, I'd like to take photographs that I don't have to edit.

you should have a whitebalance setting on your camera, if youre shooting digital, you should have an automatic setting specifically for tungsten lighting which is that ugly yellow.

 

[Lovepotion69]

BlackSnake,
As others have mentioned, avoid on-camera flash if you can. It gives too straight and harsh light. Work with available light. You have a digital SLR camera, that means you can change lenses. Get a lens that is suitable for low-light conditions. If you have a Canon, get the 50mm. 1.8. The F-stop will be 1.8, which allows the camera to take in more light.

If you have the kit lens, it's usually a 18-55mm 3.5 or similar. If you want to take shots in low light, put the camera on a tripod or something else so it won't move and the image blurry. Also you can up the ISO from 100 to whatever you feel is right. This helps making the camera more sensitive and speed up the shutter, but it will also make the image more grainy. That though can be helped to some extent with Noise Ninja or Neat Image.

As for white balance, you defintely can adjust that. On your camera you can generally choose between Auto, cloudy, sunny and two versions of tungsten light. Always try to set the white balance before hand.

Avoiding red-eyes. There are cameras that have red-eyes reduction, which basically (if I'm not mistaking) means a pre-flash goes off before the main flash. That makes the eyes react to the pre-flash by withdrawing, and by the time the main flash goes off, the eyes have adjusted back more.

If you're really interested in learning your DSLR, do check out various photogrpahy forums online. I'm a member of a Canon one: www.photography-on-the.net Lots of nice people and tons of advice.
/LP

 

[Sabina_Tolchovsky]

if you must use an on camera flash place a piece of that fogged scotch tape over it to avoid glare...this works in low light really well...

 

[BlackSnake]

Great job Lovepotion and Sabina. These are some good tips. The weather is getting warmer, so the weekends will be great for shooting. I'll be putting as much and I can into practice.

This is not just for me, I'm hoping that others will pick up a trick or two.

 

[BlackSnake]

you should have a whitebalance setting on your camera, if youre shooting digital, you should have an automatic setting specifically for tungsten lighting which is that ugly yellow.

I know about the auto setting for white balance, and other pre-settings. I'd like to learn more manual settings and adjustments. I know a little about adjusting the shutter speed and a few other things, but I'd like to know some special tricks that you may have found usful when shooting. It might be simple or basic to you, but me and maybe others may find it useful.

 

[Lovepotion69]

I know about the auto setting for white balance, and other pre-settings. I'd like to learn more manual settings and adjustments. I know a little about adjusting the shutter speed and a few other things, but I'd like to know some special tricks that you may have found usful when shooting. It might be simple or basic to you, but me and maybe others may find it useful.

BlackSnake,
I've seen your art work and I think you already got the "eyes" for composing a nice photo. I'm not sure what you're really asking for.

I've been taking photos more seriously since 2003. Started out with my small Canon Ixus, and then upgraded to the Digital Rebel (300D) in 2004. I've got tons to learn when it comes to the technical aspects of photography.

My advice to you is to raid the library for books on photography. Join forums and keep shooting. The great thing with digital photography is that it won't cost you a fortune to practise and try out things. I doubt I'd have developed as fast as I have if it hadn't been for being able to see my photos instantly, along with not having to care about the cost.

Personally I admit to being lazy. I know more about shutter speeds and aperture now, but I very seldom set it all in manual. I use either the P-mode, TV-mode or AV-mode. Mainly P-mode to be fully honest, and after that the TV-mode (shutter priority).

 

[BlackSnake]

BlackSnake,
I've seen your art work and I think you already got the "eyes" for composing a nice photo. I'm not sure what you're really asking for.

I've been taking photos more seriously since 2003. Started out with my small Canon Ixus, and then upgraded to the Digital Rebel (300D) in 2004. I've got tons to learn when it comes to the technical aspects of photography.

My advice to you is to raid the library for books on photography. Join forums and keep shooting. The great thing with digital photography is that it won't cost you a fortune to practise and try out things. I doubt I'd have developed as fast as I have if it hadn't been for being able to see my photos instantly, along with not having to care about the cost.

Personally I admit to being lazy. I know more about shutter speeds and aperture now, but I very seldom set it all in manual. I use either the P-mode, TV-mode or AV-mode. Mainly P-mode to be fully honest, and after that the TV-mode (shutter priority).

Yep, I got the Canon Digital Rebel XT also

I am look to have people to post little tips & tricks here. I know they can be found other places, but this is a good spot, because I going to move more into doing nudes.

 

[Lovepotion69]

Yep, I got the Canon Digital Rebel XT also
I am look to have people to post little tips & tricks here. I know they can be found other places, but this is a good spot, because I going to move more into doing nudes.

Nudes? Nice. I want to take nudes at some point. Are you aiming for glamour or fine art stuff? Experiment with lighting. That's where it's at. And get inspiration from various magazines on posing. Make sure you got a clean background, nothing distracting.

 

[BlackSnake]

Nudes? Nice. I want to take nudes at some point. Are you aiming for glamour or fine art stuff? Experiment with lighting. That's where it's at. And get inspiration from various magazines on posing. Make sure you got a clean background, nothing distracting.

Yup, I think I'm going to get me one of those lighting kits. I like the fine art style. Soft lights...

 

[CopyCarver]

If you are not using your flash and your artificial lighting is coming from regular lamps, how can you avoid getting the ugly yellow? I usually just fix it in photoshop, I'd like to take photographs that I don't have to edit.

If you need more color temperature correction than whitebalance can
offer--or if you don't like the effect that it creates--you can always rely on color correction filters. Tiffen, Hoya, and several other companies make excellent glass filters that screw onto an SLR lens. Gel filters, such as Kodak Wrattens, are far more delicate and have a shorter life but they're dirt cheap and they come in a much wider array of types than the glass ones.

Although I also prefer natural light whenever possible, flash is sometimes needed, and may be preferred by some. If you don't want the expense, weight, and complexity of remote flash units, you can avoid red-eye by taking the "on camera" flash off the hot shoe and holding it at arm's length to your side while shooting. All you need is an accessory power cord--available at camera stores for less than $10 for most flash units; plug one end into the flash unit and the other into your camera's X-terminal.

 

[BlackSnake]

I think there is a lot to learn about setting up shots from TV. I was playing couch potato, so...

I think its called the rule of thirds

 

[BlackSnake]

I didn't want anyone to miss this

I think that some of us use these two digital cameras

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
Compared to Nikon D70 DSLR

http://www.digitalreview.ca/cams/pics/D70vsXTfront.jpg
​

 

[BlackSnake]

How do you friggin' shoot the moon....and I ain't talkin' bout droppin' my dag-gum pants

 

[tolyk]

How do you friggin' shoot the moon....and I ain't talkin' bout droppin' my dag-gum pants

I've not figured that one out yet myself.. I've tried a couple times with an older camera (old Sony Mavica) and gave up back then..

I'm taking a photography course, I'll try to share any gems of wisdom I learn