Great Discount on Photography e-books

Dear readers

 

I've managed to arrange a special offer on products that I believe you will find very useful in learning photography - it's 30% off the entire library of eBooks from Craft and Vision (plus two other great deals if you don't want the full set).

 

Craft and Vision ebooks are amazing - partly because they're so inspirational but also because they are so cheap - even without a discount.

 

At less than $5 per eBook to get in the minds of pro photographers like world-renowned author David DuChemin it'd be crazy to not to check them out. Notice that these are also available as iPad apps!

 

Here are the offers from David and his team for the next 48 hours:

 

Offer 1: GET THE WHOLE LIBRARY - 30% Off

 

If you love photography then you'll want to have the Craft & Vision PDF eBook collection. These amazing eBooks are a great way to be inspired, learn new methods and techniques, and gain new insights into your own unique vision.

 

Featuring 9 authors, including world-renowned author and photographer David duChemin, the Craft & Vision titles are sure to make your digital stocking overflow with gear-less wonder.

 

Interested?: Check out the titles that you get in this bundle here.

 

For the first time ever Craft & Vision is releasing their 21 eBook collection for just $73USD (that's 30% off). That's $3.47 per eBook - an amazing deal.

 

To get this great deal simply click this shopping cart link which will take you straight to the shopping cart with the discount already applied.

 

Note - for this full library deal you don't need a coupon code - the discount is already applied.

 

Offer 2: 5 or More eBooks get you 20% Off

 

Want to get your hands on some Craft & Vision eBooks but don't want to buy the whole library? Add at least 5 eBooks to your shopping cart and then use the coupon code of LAND20 before hitting the 'update cart' button and you'll have 20% taken off your total.

 

Start adding your eBooks to the cart here

 

 

Offer 3: Buy the latest release "Light and Land, Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom" for $1 off

 

Just after the latest eBook from Craft and Vision - In the last week they've just released "Light & Land, Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom" by Michael Frye. Use the code LAND4 to get $1 off Light & Land.

 

Whether you're grabbing just one of these eBook or the full collection - I'm confident you'll be happy with them. David and his team deliver in terms of value every time.

Wedding Photography Tutorial

The Wedding Photography Blueprint is being described as the most in depth and informative wedding photography tutorial system for sale on the web. It comprises of footage taken from a full, 2 day wedding photography course as well as an actual wedding in order to give you a full and comprehensive understanding of what to expect and what to do when shooting weddings. 

Also intertwined at various and well timed intervals throughout, are screen recordings of sometimes problematic images being worked on in Photoshop in order to salvage excellent looking wedding photos from somewhat mediocre RAW files (basically, cock-ups). These are placed alongside many other traditional Photoshopping tutorials which includes the use of recommended software and add-ons to make your images really stand out from the crowd. 

The author and professional photographer behind the project is Nick Stubbs, a seasoned, full time professional with over 25 years experience using Medium format, SLR’s and DSLR’s to shoot weddings, portraits, stock and commercial work. 

Nick understands the fears and reservations people may have about going it alone as a wedding photographer (either part or full time) but also understands the buzz and excitement this career path can take. 

"Many people are sometimes put off by what they read online or hear at their local camera club about shooting weddings. What we are trying to do is alleviate that fear and encourage all beginners by producing a highly detailed blueprint that will act as a complete foundation course upon which they can build their own style over time." 

As well as the above, the DVD set also includes; 

• An in depth 99 page eBook with set tasks and “homework” to keep you on your toes 

• All you need to know about camera and flash settings needed throughout the day to ensure you get the “safe” shots before playing with natural light and more artistic shots 

• Editing Tips and tricks to salvage poorly exposed, must have shots 

• Low light photography 

• Flash and natural light photography 

• Group shots 

• Interviews with other successful wedding photographers 

• An interview with a wedding couple about their wants and needs from their wedding photographer 

• Plus much more including bonus eBooks 

For more information you can visit their website below: 

Go to www.weddingphotographyblueprint.com

Best Regards, 

Krister Laitinen

Point and Shoot Camera Tips

When taking pictures with a point and shoot camera, you can be very limited with your creativity and flexibility. However, you can still take great shots as long as you follow the tried and true compositional techniques for visual images.

Compositional techniques are not only used for photography, they are used for videotaping, painting, and any other visual media. If you can master composition in photography, you can easily take any other field that is similar. A point and shoot camera is what? A visual capture device and although it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of SLR cameras, it still is very powerful.

Many people assume that because it’s a point and shoot camera they won’t take good pictures. People use this as a crutch and blame the poor images as the result of bad quality cameras.

Not True at all!

Think back in the day of the pin hole camera. They took nice photos and all they had was a hole that exposed the image. Nothing else.

 Here is a very useful compositional tip that can help you immensely.

Keep it simple. Working on creating simple compositions means isolating the subject, reducing the background clutter, and making the subject of interest very easily viewable. The viewer should instantly be able to know what he or she is to look at.

You can achieve simpler photos by:

-Moving in closer
-Using the depth of field to blur the background
-Focusing on, for example, one flower instead of five
-Leaving unnecessary information out of the frames of the border.

You can take great photos whether you use a point and shoot camera or a digital SLR. The photo is not made by the equipment but by the eye of the photographer.

Posing Secrets - The Photographer's Essential Guide

Discover How You Can Quickly And Easily Produce The Professional Standard Portraits You've Always Wanted By Mastering The Secrets Of Camera-Friendly Poses

One of the trickiest things in photography to master is shooting people; that's why we've teamed up with the author of Posing Secrets - The Photographer's Essential Guide.

 

This Practical, Proven, Powerful System Will Fast Track Your Ability To Produce Expert Shots Every Time.

 

You Are Guaranteed to Never be Stuck For a Pose Again, Even If You Don't Know How To Get Started - Or You Pay Nothing!

Posing Secrets - The Photographer's Essential Guide Vol.1 is a newly released practical resource for creative posing that will quickly show you clear and comprehensive practical steps to produce and communicate a pose for any situation.

This 120 page ebook includes:

• How to focus on the body to aid posing.
  
• The key to duplicating or creating any pose.
  
• The three letters that can build a pose (no, not A-B-C).
  
• Important points to consider for a reclining position.
  
• Exercises and suggestions to help analyze pictures and poses.
  
• Ten simple solutions when your model does not know what to do with their hands.
  
• How to avoid foreshortening of limbs.
  
• The three basic head movements that make a difference to your model's features.

Forget trial and error. You need never be stuck for a pose again when you get this easy to read, simple to follow book that you can download in minutes.

Click Here to Order Posing Secrets - The Photographer's Essential Guide Vol 1

 

What are people saying about Posing Secrets?

I highly recommend this Posing Secrets Volume 1. It teaches the photographer how to pose every aspect of the subject from their head to their toes. Before I read the book I could only pose models with model pose cards, but now I can come up with my own posing ideas.

I have just downloaded your Posing Secrets vol 1 and have spent the last hour going through it. All I can say is "Wow"! Before, I would go through magazines and look at the posed pictures in the ads in an attempt to learn new poses but I wasn't sure what I was looking for. The sections in your book on body lines and foot placement made total sense and now I know what I am looking for when I look at the magazines. Thanks again for a very good informative book on posing.

You are certainly on a winner here Malcolm, giving the experienced and novice photographer an entirely new way of looking at the human body. It was money well spent, and normally it is easier to get money out of a beggar than it is to get money out of me.

Click Here to Order Posing Secrets - The Photographer's Essential Guide Vol 1

REMEMBER - Try the ebook.  If you don't like it, you get your money back.  You really do have literally nothing to lose!

PLUS: Follow the link below for extra, special bonuses FREE with your order. 

CLICK HERE NOW

Rule of Thirds in Digital Photography

The rule of thirds is a very useful tool for composing images in photography. And to top it off, it’s free! Doesn’t require any add on equipment to your camera, any shoe mounts, anything like that! This article will attempt to demystify the mysterious Rule of Thirds.

To follow this rule, simply take a photo and divide it up into three sections vertically and three sections horizontally. Now, as you can see from doing this there are three boxes on the top, three in the middle, and three at the bottom. The box in the middle of all of them is the center. This compositional rules basically advises you not to take pictures in that middle box.

What this does is makes you have to try and position the subject so that he/she or it is not dead center. This creates more visually interesting images.

When you take a photo of a person, the main focal point will be the eyes. Now, you can take a photo of a person dead center, however, follow the rule still! Put the eyes anywhere but the middle box. You can put the eyes in the top box instead. Their body will be dead center but their face will be in the upper area.

Now, when you follow this rule you also need to be careful to leave plenty of head room when shooting people. This room is space around the head and will make your photo not look claustrophobic. Also, if your person is looking towards the left, leave plenty of room at the left side of the photo and less on the right.

Topaz Labs Releases ReMask 3 Upgrade

ReMask 3 introduces improved masking technology that further simplifies and expedites the creation of complex masks and cutouts.

Dallas, TX, December 10, 2010 - Topaz Labs announces the release of Topaz ReMask 3, a major upgrade to their Photoshop masking and extraction plug-in. ReMask 3 features a revamped masking engine, new color decontamination technology, color selection brushes and a new refining toolset. An easy-to-use masking solution, Topaz ReMask offers professional results while cutting down on the normally tedious masking and extraction process. The update is available now as a free download to current owners of ReMask.

"Through extensive research, we were able to build on top of the advanced algorithm developed in ReMask 2, and make it a more comprehensive solution that solves color bleeding at the edge or transparent part of the extracted object," said Dr. Joseph Hsieh, developer for Topaz Labs. 

"Masking technology is an ongoing challenge. I hope ReMask 3 can provide photographers with a more effective tool for dealing with intricate elements such as hair and fur, complex elements with lots of holes like trees, and transparent objects such as wedding veils."

Topaz ReMask 3 is designed to tackle some of the most common photography and design tasks such as background replacement and isolating specific image elements, making composition design and selective adjustments much easier. 

"Masks and selections are an important part of selective editing, so it's important for users to have a comprehensive tool that helps address a variety of creative and corrective enhancements. ReMask 3 features the simplest workflow of any masking plug-in; making a seemingly painful task incredibly easy by allowing users to erase unwanted areas and separate subjects in just a few clicks," said Ashley Robinson, product manager for Topaz Labs

In addition to improved technology, ReMask 3 also features an updated user interface with a new toolset for refining and a new split-screen viewing options, auto layer creation and a revamped workflow. Photographers and graphic designers looking for a quicker and more accurate way to extract objects from their digital images are invited to try out the new Topaz ReMask 3 plug-in for free using the 30-day free trial. Just visit: http://www.topazlabs.com.

Topaz ReMask is a plug-in that works with Photoshop, Photoshop Elements and PaintShop Pro. It is compatible with Windows and Intel-based Macs. Topaz ReMask retails for $69.99, but is being offered at a special promotional price of $49.99 until January 1, 2011. ReMask 3 is also a part of the Topaz Photoshop Bundle, which offers photographers a complete image enhancement toolbox for all of their post processing needs. The bundle, including ReMask retails at $199.99. For more information about Topaz ReMask, visit the homepage at http://www.topazlabs.com.

 

Shooting in Av mode (Aperture Priority)

If you have been useing your DSLR (Digital Single Lens reflex) camera in auto mode then here is a lesson for you.  

First an explanation about aperture and how it affects your final photograph.  

Inside your lens there is a diaphragm that controls the amount of light reaching the image sensor. The diaphragm functions much like the pupil of the eye – it controls the effective diameter of the lens opening. Reducing the aperture size increases the depth of field, which describes the extent to which subject matter lying closer than or farther from the actual plane of focus appears to be in focus. In general, the smaller the aperture (the larger the number), the greater the distance from the plane of focus the subject matter may be while still appearing in focus.  

Higher diameters (lower f numbers) alow more light to pass through but have a shallow depth of field, while smaller diameters (higher f numbers) allow less light through but more detail farther away from the point of focus will be sharp.

Your camera measures aperture in F Stops ( F/N.N ). The n.n represents the F Stop Number.  The lower the numbers are the the wider the diameter and higher numbers mean a tighter diameter. 

For example: 

You are taking a photo of a bird and there are some grass in front of the it that you want to blur out a little but still keep the bird sharp. What you want to do is use the lowest aperture possible that will keep the bird in the best focus.  

Exposure: 

For proper exposure of the image a precise amount of light striking the recording media is required .  At lower F Stops this light will accumulate faster than higher ones.  Here is where the shutter speed comes in.  

In aperture priority mode the camera will you chose how long to keep the shutter open.  You

can usually adjust the exposure either with a wheel (optimal) or with a set of up and down buttons.

Try focusing you camera on the bird and taking a shot.  Keep adjusting until you get the result you are looking for.  Yes maybe until it flies away, but keep practicing you will get the hang of it.

File Format Guide for Your Digital Photos

When you take and store a digital image you need to choose a file type, or format. Here are the popular choices when you choose a format for your digital photo:

Format	Description
CameraRaw	A format offered by some digital cameras. Stores raw, “uncooked” data from the image sensor, without applying normal adjustments to sharpness, color, and exposure. Gives photographers ultimate control over images and editing flexibility, but files must be converted to a standard format before sharing online, printing, or viewing in most photo programs.
JPEG	The most popular digital photography image format. JPEG compresses images to make files significantly smaller, but too much compression reduces image quality. Used for print, the Web, and e-mail.
TIFF	The leading format for files that will be used in print publications such as newsletters and magazines. Preserves all image data but usually results in larger file sizes than JPEG and can’t be displayed by Web browsers and e-mail programs. The best format for storing converted RAW files and for edited JPEG files.

Topaz Software Overview

Topaz Labs offers software solutions for image and video enhancement. Each program offers photographers and designers quick and easy-to-use tools to help simplify and boost the post processing experience.

Incorporating Topaz speeds up the workflow, eliminates tedious and repetitive tasks, simplifies advanced techniques, enhances precision and quality.

Topaz Photoshop Plug-ins

The Topaz Photoshop plug-in bundle features a set of advanced and powerful tools - each offering a solution to some of the most common (and often challenging) post processing tasks. The intuitive, easy-to-use tools featured in each program make achieving advanced photo-manipulation techniques effortless.

Check the Topaz Gallery to see excellent user images!

The bundle lineup offers tools and features for creating pseudo HDR effects, adjusting color, exposure and detail, reducing noise and JPEG artifacts, masking and extraction, increasing smoothing and sharpening, creating artistic masterpieces and enhancing natural detail and tone.

The Topaz Photoshop plug-ins are not limited to just Photoshop. You can also use Topaz in Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, Aperture, iPhoto, PaintShop Pro and Irfanview.

Win A Nikon D3100 - No Purchase Necessary

Are you ready to step up to a real digital camera but you can't justify spending several hundred pounds on a “Real” digital camera? Would you like to win a real Nikon camera? The chances are good that you can win the D3100 and a package of “Dummy” book on digital photography along with it, if you enter the Dummies.com prize draw.

Introduction

The Nikon D3100

You can win a Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens and four For Dummies books on digital photography. This is a package worth over £500. This contest isn't a scam. There isn't any purchase necessary and the only entry requirements are that you are 18 years of age or older and live in one of the fifty United States or in the United Kingdom or Canada.

Register today

Registering for the sweepstakes will take less than five minutes and you will be eligible to enter once a day, every day, between now and December 31st when the sweepstakes closes. So go ahead, log on to Dummies.com and register. Then put a shortcut to the link on you desktop so you remember to enter every day for the best chance to win a fantastic camera and some great books to boot.
All the best!

CLICK HERE to enter competition.

Photography Business Quick Steps

I actually have more than one piece of good news for you 

today.

 

Good thing number one: Below you'll find YOUR link to the NEW Photography Business Quick Steps.

It's designed to assist struggling photographers get up and running with 'some kind' of photography business. I said 'some kind' because they will be releasing twelve different choices for you to get into fast. One new photography business category each month.

In some cases you can be up and running in two weeks.

In addition, they've decided to include several bonuses to help you make up your mind.

Now, that's pretty good news but the second thing I have to tell you really kinda' drives it all home.

Good thing number two: To add value to this entire venture (not just the launch) they will be providing FREE photography bonuses each month. A different bonus each month!

Most of the free bonuses are from well known photography trainers and coaches who you will probably already know. I'm impressed they are making such a valued contribution and you will be too once you experience all this extra information.

Here's the link -

 

Start A Photography Business

If it gets too popular (and causes havoc) they might need to close it down to let the dust settle!

...make it happen,
Krister
 

P.S. In case you just scrolled down to the PS, here's the deal:
 
**Photography Business Quick Steps is NOW available.
 
Only buy it if you can use it (it's pretty cheap anyway).
 
This offer isn't short of bonuses, good valuable bonuses - in fact you would even do this for all the great bonuses alone.
 
Anyway, here's your link to the sign-up page:

Start A Photography Business
 
So you might be wondering why I did this.
 
I've learned that there are many photographers who truly love what they do, are good at it and should be given the chance to earn a crust from it.
 
All this stuff you are about to learn has been done before but it's not taught very often - if it ever is. 
 
If this is what you want to do, then you should give this a shot - you really have nothing to lose.
 
And I think that if you use it, you'll love it too.
 
Here's the fancy-pants link again to sign up (complete with dollar bills!)

Start A Photography Business

Click Here!

Worried about photo papers?

I love taking pictures. Whenever I’m on a great hike, vacation or a momentous celebration, I take pictures. Whenever there are strange events and phenomena, I see to it that my camera’s around to help me preserve the moment by taking pictures.

You can never repeat precious moments because they are laid to you just but once. Thus, when you want to treasure these moments, better have a camera with you all the time. I also have my personal photo lab to secure good pictures instantly.

Before, I worried about photo papers. Some do not display my pictures crisp and bright. It is frustrating if your photo papers do not do justice to your hard-obtained pictures.

Photo papers are supposed to complement your pictures and not ruin its quality. In order to avoid photo papers from spoiling my masterpieces, I have gathered several pointers in choosing the suitable photo papers. 

Here they are:

1. Consider your photo needs. Photo papers come in a wide variety. They have different thicknesses, finish, size and quality. Hence, you have to know the particular needs of your photographs before using any of the variety.

2. Thickness alert. A tiny photo print need not be too thick. This is because it needs less support than huge photographs. If you are into poster-like pictures, better have them thick to protect them better. Thicker photo papers protect the material from pricks, folds and tear.

3. The right size. You can choose from a wide variety of photo paper sizes available. Studio-quality shots are nice in a 13” x 19” size. Panoramic views like sunsets, landscapes and seascapes are stunningly great in 4” x 12” photo paper. However, the mostly used size is 4” x 6” paper which is ideal for photo albums.

4. Suitable finish. Finishes includes matte to extra glossy photo papers. Matte has rich textures and ignores finger prints. Glossy photo paper, on the other hand, creates vibrant and lively colors. However, it does not resist finger prints.

5. Always do preliminary testing. This is to avoid wastage of ink and photo paper. You can also rely more on paper from established photo paper manufacturers. They have built their credibility for a long time, that’s one thing that counts.

Say bye bye to your worries…

Capture The Perfect Flower Macro

by Natalie Johnson

If you appreciate the subtle beauty of a freshly bloomed bud or want to preserve the memory of that bright and bold gift bouquet why not try putting your photography skills to good use and capture a delicate floral macro?

Image by Hamed Saber

Begin by finding the perfect specimen and if possible place it in an area with great soft light, for example in front of a window that is shielded with a sheet or net curtain. If the plant is outside either move it to a shaded location or find a way of diffusing the sun’s rays with a piece of fine material if the light is particular harsh or the sun is at a high position in the sky. Shoot with your back to the light (without blocking it) or from the side, so that the light falls gently and delicately on the flower head’s crevices and petals, effortlessly eventuating texture, colour and the intrinsic detailing. An overcast but bright day will undoubtedly harvest optimum captures, but if you need to ‘add’ extra light utilise a reflector to lift details from the shadows.

Next set the camera onto a tripod or if you are lacking one try using something as a stable substitute to support it underneath. Using something like

Joby Gorillapod Focus/Ballhead X Bundle (Black/Gray) Joby Gorillapod Focus/Ballhead X Bundle (Black/Gray), Includes Gorillapod & Ballhead, Flexible, Coiling Legs, Supports Up to 11.1 lb (5.3 kg), Over Two Dozen Leg Joints, Bend & Rotate 360°, Full 360° Panning, 90° Tilts, Universal Mounting Plate, Easy-to-Use Adjustment Knobs, Portable & Sturdy Gorillapod Focus/Ballhead X Tabletop & Mini Tripods Gorillapod Focus/Ballhead X Bundle (Black/Gray)

will be extremely useful here, especially when shooting immoveable or smaller specimens as the accessory is relatively dainty and low to the ground as it doesn’t have a restrictive centre column like a tripod does.

Image by Auntie P

In terms of glassware a macro lens or extension tube will reap stronger images, otherwise experiment with focal length you have at your disposal and use your distance to influence the composition, determine how close you can get to secure a lock. Some people prefer the simplicity of auto-focus, whereas others surmise that manual offers greater creative control, either way decide what you want in focus, lock on to it and then recompose.

If you are using a point-and-shoot device, opt for the camera’s macro mode and ensure that the flash is deactivated. DSLR or hybrid users should switch into Aperture priority and experiment with the lens’ aperture range to alter how much detail is captured. For a crisp centre and softly blurred petals or background opt for an aperture of between f1.8 and f4 depending on the strength and range of the effect you want to generate. If you’d rather keep the flower head’s details crisp use a narrower aperture such as f18 or even f22.Depending on the colour of the flower you may find you’ll need to employ exposure compensation to balance the scene.

Image by Evan Leeson

Stand above the flower and shoot the subject from various angles, then lower the lens in stages to the same level as the flower and shoot again, finally fall beneath the flower head and shoot up at its delicate underbelly.
Review your captures onscreen to determine what appeals to you or what you would like to develop. If you want to tweak the captures in an editing suite it is advisable to shoot in RAW so all of those vivid details and colours are naturally replicated.

If you would like to repeat the photo session at a later date, try experimenting with various lighting techniques, lenses, gels and include elements such as water for that heightened level of interest. Shooting a flower macro just after it has rained, or before snow or frost melts, can really exaggerate the specimen’s beauty and lends itself to creating a more dramatic photograph.

Natalie Johnson is the former editor of Digital Photographer magazine and after seven years in the business has chosen to pursue her dream of becoming a freelance photographer and writer.

Tripods - When Do You Need One?

Tripods - When Do You Need One? 
 
By Sheila Crosby
 
With very rare exceptions, the main subject of your photograph must
be sharp - not necessarily the whole picture, but certainly the
subject. Even if you want the subject blurred, to give a sense of
movement, then the background must be sharp. And you'll get the
sharpest photographs by using a tripod.


Sony Magnetic Products - Sony Vct-60Av Tripod - Floor Standing Tripod - 18.9 inch  To 57.6 inch  Height - 6.6 Lb Load Capacity


 
There are three ways your photo can be unsharp: either the focus is
wrong, the camera moved, or the subject moved. Here's how to tell
the difference:
 
    * If something in front or behind the subject is nice and
sharp, then the problem is poor focus. For example, your baby is
blurred, but the carpet underneath is sharp.
 
    * If the background is sharp, but the subject is blurred, then
the subject moved. Sometimes you can do this on purpose to give a
sense of movement, but that's outside the scope of this article.
 
    * If everything is unsharp, then it's camera shake. Serious
camera shake will leave everything streaked in the direction you
moved the camera, usually vertically.
 
This article deals with how to avoid camera shake.
 
Most of the time, you can simply hold the camera in your hand.
Obviously, this is much quicker, and gives you time to grab a shot
of that yeti before it disappears.
 
The great disadvantage of tripods is that they slow you down.
Perhaps the clouds move while you're setting it up, or the sun
sets, or people waiting for you have time to get bored.
 
The great advantage of tripods is that they slow you down. You have
time to see the coke can in the foreground, and move it, before you
take the shot.
 
So when should you use a tripod?
 
    * The longer the focal length of the lens, and the longer the
exposure, the more time the camera has to wobble. You will need a
tripod if the shutter speed is longer than the reciprocal of the
focal length (e.g., 1/60th for a 50mm lens, or 1/500th for a 500mm
lens).
 
    * The bigger the enlargement, the more obvious any camera shake
becomes. If you're hoping to make a 24" x 16" enlargement, you need
a tripod.
 
    * If you're hoping to sell your photos for stock photography,
you need a tripod.
 
    * Macro subjects -- anything over 1/4th life size -- always
need a tripod because you're so close to your subject.
 
    * Negatives bigger than 35mm are wasted unless you use a
tripod. Besides, plate cameras are too heavy to comfortably hold by
hand.
 
 
CHOOSING A TRIPOD


Miller DS-10 Aluminum Tripod System - consists of: DS-10 Fluid Head, DS 1-Stage Tripod, Mid-Level Spreader and Softcase - Supports 10 lbs

 
Different tripods suit different situations.
 
    * Flimsy tripods are a waste of money. It's not a bargain if
you never use it.
 
    * Heavy tripods are fine in a studio, but not for hiking up a
mountain.
 
    * Some tripods have a hook and the bottom of the center column
so you can hang a weight there for greater stability. This is great
for taking landscape photos in a gale, but you rarely get gales in
a studio.
 
    * Some tripods open up considerably taller than others. Check
the height with and without the center column raised. (And check
the stability of the center column, too.)
 
    * Some are easier to adjust than others.
 
    * And of course prices vary widely. But bear in mind that a
tripod might well last you 25 years.
 
 
ALTERNATIVES TO TRIPODS
 
    * Monopods (Also called a unipod) These are easier to carry
around, and faster to point, but less effective. They're popular
with sports photographers, who tend to use long lenses but
obviously can't spend five minutes setting up each shot. 

 
    * Table tripods These are small (about 6" high) and therefore
extremely portable. They're not much use for landscapes unless you
can find something to stand them on, like a rock or wall. (I once
used the speakers at a rock concert. Don't. Speakers vibrate!)

 
    * Clamps These are also small and portable, but you need to
find something to clamp them to. I have a combined table tripod and
clamp, and over the years it's proved very useful.

 
    * Beanbags You can buy photographic beanbags, or make your own
from anything that isn't so full that it's rigid. For example, you
can use an old sock half-filled with rice. You can also take an
empty sock on a hike and fill it with sand or gravel before use.
That way you don't have to carry the filling around. 

I use a bag of peanuts. One of these days I'll be stranded on the side of a
mountain in the mist, and I'll be very glad of those peanuts.
(Kendal Mint Cake doesn't make a good lens support.) The big
disadvantage is that you need something to put the bean bag on.
Sometimes there's a nice convenient wall, just the right place and
height -- just not very often. Sometimes you can park your car and
use the roof - sometimes. Failing that, there might be a lamppost
that you can push the camera against.

 
    * The car window If you haven't got the right kit, or you
haven't got time, wind the car window down to the height you
require and rest the lens on that. It's not nearly as good as a
tripod or beanbag, but it's better than holding the camera by hand.
Just remember to turn the car engine off and ask any passengers to
sit still.

 
IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT A TRIPOD
 
This is definitely second best, but it's inevitable that you'll get
caught without a tripod at least occasionally.
 
   1. Use as fast a shutter speed and as wide a lens as possible.
 
   2. If possible, get into position to use yourself as a tripod,
for example with your back and feet against rocks and your elbows
on your thighs. Warning: bystanders may snigger. If this isn't
possible, plant your legs a little apart, like a sailor, and tuck
your elbows into your ribs.
 
   3. Hold the camera to your eye and compose the picture.
 
   4. Take a deep breath and then breathe out.
 
   5. Squeeze the camera top and bottom to release the shutter. If
you just press from the top, the camera will move down a millimeter
or so.
 
These tips should enable you to take consistently sharper photos.
 
Let me help you to take great landscape photographs. To read more
tips and tricks, click here. 
 
http://www.greatlandscapephotography.com
 
Article Source:  http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheila_Crosby 

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Shutter Speed Basics

Shutter Speed for Beginners

I’m sure you know that one of the most important key elements to getting beautifully clear photos is not only shutter speed but also knowing and having a sense of the artistic. But the artistic imagination of the photographer is different from other arts; since you have to think in split-second increments. You can’t study a photo you haven’t taken yet like a painting, working on it gradually.

Shutter speed is one of the first things in digital photography that you must understand if you want to advance your skills. It can make you or break you as a digital photographer.

First, the shutter speed number refers to the speed of the rotation of the shutter inside the lens, measured in rotations per second (RPS). With photography, shutter speed is the time during which the shutter is open during the photo event to allow light to hit the film or image sensor in a digital camera. So, in combination with adjustments of the lens aperture (which is just controlling how wide the lens is), the shutter speed controls how much light the camera will record.

The basic rule is that a fast shutter speed demands a larger aperture to avoid under-exposure, while a slow shutter speed is offset by a very small aperture to avoid over-exposure. Slow shutter speeds are often used in low light conditions. Fast shutter speeds also give clarity to a moving image, and the fastest can freeze motion in mid-second.

Say you’re snapping a moving car. This example I’m talking about here involves a car on a regular street, going at a reasonable speed. To freeze the motion of the car as it passes you, you will need a shutter speed of about 1/2000. That means that the shutter has opened and closed so fast that you can’t imagine – one two-thousandth of a second. This is done a lot in sports photography, but even a simple subject like kids playing or your pet (who isn’t too good at staying perfectly still, unless they’re asleep).

But sometimes you want blur. You might want to capture the motion of a Ferris wheel, the flow of traffic in an intersection, or a subject with a surreal, dreamy, or action-oriented look. In that case, a shutter speed of less than 1/500 would be what you want. An old trick which many novice photographers use is to use ultra-slow shutter speeds to capture lightning. Go to a high space during a lightning storm at night, far away from city lights, and set up a camera with the shutter open and wait for a flash. Now close the shutter – the job is done for you by nature instead of your camera!

If possible, getting a single-lens reflex digital camera is the ideal. This will allow you to control the shutter speed alone without affecting the adjustment of the aperture.

Shutter speeds are a built-in invitation to experiment. It helps if you take several shots of your subject with different settings, noting each one on a notepad, then using your notes to compare the relative effects that each setting had.

Article by

Amy Renfrey