Mastering the HDR…
Posted by Simon on Jul 18, 2010
HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography is a fascinating and exciting technique, almost like re-learning photography in a totally different way. HDR enables very extreme conditions to be photographed with pleasing results, and great flexibility in editing. To see more information on HDR, see here
I recommend if you do start shooting HDR, to always use a solid tripod like a Manfrotto, and ensure the subject is not moving. For action sport HDR, you can shoot RAW and under expose by a 1/3 then output 3x tiff files – Under exposed, normal, and over exposed. Then layer the 3 in software such as Photomatix.
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Do you want to take more creative digital photos?
Posted by Simon on Dec 10, 2009
Creativity is often the number one lacking component in digital photography. To make your photos more appealing read on…
As photography becomes cheaper and memory cards larger, many people just take photos like a happy snapper. Back in the days of film it could work out quite expensive shooting off a few rolls of film in one go. You had the initial cost of film, the developing costs and postage or travel costs to get your films to someone who could develop them, then there was the cost of enlarging your images (it’s not easy to see how well focused an image is on a 6×4 print!) These days people aren’t as thoughtful about what they take photos of and don’t often spend as much time setting up as they previously did.
There are many misconceptions about “more is better” and that if you can shoot off several hundred photos, you’re bound to have a good one in there somewhere. How about if you take 10 photos and all of them are worthy of being blown up and framed on your wall? I know I prefer the second option. One benefit of taking your time with your photography and getting a higher percentage of “keepers” is you get more motivation! If I took a hundred photos and none of them came out very well, I would be sorely disappointed. If I took a few photos that I carefully thought about but they came out much better I’d be far happier! Wouldn’t you?
A lot of people treat their camera like a machine gun and literally “point and shoot” in burst mode without thinking about what they’re doing. The trick is to slow down and think before you push the button. Think about when you learn anything in the early days (driving, cycling, swimming) you start slow! Only with experience and knowledge can you speed the process up but you have to get the basics right first. Photography doesn’t have to be a hard or difficult subject but it can be a lot more rewarding when you slow down and apply some basic principles and techniques that are used by some of the best photographers today.
If you would like to improve your creativity and get better digital photos EVERY time you pick up your camera, see the below simple steps:
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Time – Spend some time observing and analysing your subject and surroundings and you can learn a lot about what can make a better photo. If the sun is in a position that isn’t very favourable for your photo, could you come back another day and take a better photo? Some photographers spend months at a time on projects until they get it right.
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Choose carefully – Choose to take photos of something you can relate to and enjoy. You can achieve so much more if you have a background knowledge and passion for a subject. Pets, children, family are but a few options for photographic subjects that many people can relate to and take great photos of.
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Visualise the photo – When you look through the viewfinder, look into the corners and tops and bottoms to make sure you get the photo as you want it! It’s amazing how many times peoples feet get missed off or the tops of their heads are missing when looking back at the photos. You can also try moving people around, or move around the people – try some different angles.
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Be unique – When taking a photo, is it something someone else has taken exactly the same way before? Make your own unique photos by choosing a different angle, what about taking a photo when laying down on the floor and looking up, how about looking down from a higher vantage point? These can produce some incredible results – all you need to do is be creative!
Digital photography is a great thing to know! Put some creativity into your photos and you’re ahead of the rest of the crowd. Apply the above tips and I’m sure you will see an improvement the next time you pick up your camera and start taking some photos.
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