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Travel Photography Tips – Expert Digital Camera Advice

Travel photography is a very broad field of Photography that encompasses image capturing of landscape views, people, cultures, rites and rituals as seen through the lens of a photographer. Different from routine pictures, travel photographs are an amalgamation of a natural shot taken with careful planning.

Weather it’s your last year’s vacation trip in Hawaii, a couple on honeymoon or a wild life fan in the jungles of Africa; every pictures has a story to tell and how interesting is your story is totally dependent on how you have captured it.

Giving tips to shoot a picture is just like teaching a child how to walk; one can only guide a photographer, but the first step has to be taken by you no matter you fall after the first attempt. Following are some tips that will always help you photograph your trips:

PACK YOUR BAG!

The worst nightmare for any photographer on a trip would be disability to shoot due to power failure or failure to open the files due to unavailability of the right software. So before resuming your journey, make sure that you are all equipped.

It is advised that you take a laptop with you on the tour which can load the image processing programs like Photoshop and/or Aperture/Lightroom with the latest RAW Plug-in or application updates so that the files can be opened when needed. Take an AC Power Strip so that your lap top and camera battery both can be charged easily.

Take the camera manual with you; you never know when you would need it in a foreign country. Also take a Polarizing Filter with you, especially in winter vacation trips because a polarizing filter helps in reducing the reflection of flash light that may result in an over blown picture as happens in rainy or foggy weather.

Similarly, the same filter enables the user to shoot under water scenery while standing outside since it reduces the reflection of light by water surface to the degree that it appears to be transparent. And if you want to shoot vast green fields or valleys, use the polarizing filter when the sun is to your right or left but its not helpful if the sunlight falls directly from behind or from the front.

The filter may alter the amount of polarized light that passes through it which at times is quiet beneficial since it enhances the colour of dark coloured objects and likewise makes white coloured objects appear more white. This is useful when capturing scenes with a blue cloudy sky.

HIRE A GUIDE

This whole earth is equally magnificent and picturesque; it’s only a matter of finding the right place. When traveling abroad, do hire a native or guide who can show you the sites that are both physically and historically important. When capturing monuments and land marks, you should be aware of the fact that they are not mere buildings, but they have a history to tell. Such sites are usually so maintained and facilitated by the state that tourists coming to visit can take snaps both for leisure and for records. An authentic picture will automatically look appeal to the viewer; it does not have to be exceptionally beautiful to be a part of your album.

SHOOTING UNDER WATER

Surfing, swimming or just chilling at the beach is so much fun but the joy ends when you realize that the best under water shots are all ruined by the light limitations. Always remember that water is a different medium than air and so natural light and visibility is also limited under water.

First of all, choose a water proof camera specifically one with rubber padding. Also evaluate the site; it should be safe for you to shoot under water without risking your life. For proper illumination camera sets are equipped with Strobes of different types. Main Strobe cast the outer rim of the light cone on the scenery and provides greater illumination.

This is ideal for Deep Ocean filming. Fill Strobe gives feathered light and just provides enough illumination to make the subject visible. This is useful in capturing the beautiful bright colored sea plants over the dark blue background. Whereas the Contrast Strobe will help you adjust the contrast and texture of the sea life around you.

It is also important that you have developed diving skills and having a buoyancy control so that you remain completely still under water while capturing a picture. Water tends to suck up the light so shoot as close as from a distance of 24 inches in water but make sure that your subject is not a shark! Moreover, shoot upwards, likewise your subject will look large and clear in the vast blue water body.

THE ISO SETTING

Traveling is not limited to a particular time and so is the case with photography. But the issue of proper lighting may leave you with no option other than to wait for the right time. However, with a little effort and smartness you can take photos even at night. In very low light conditions, when our eyes are adjusted naturally to an ISO setting of 800, Mid- range DSLRs can provide a high ISO of up to 1600 and some high end DSLRs have upto 6400 so that you can shoot even at night time and still get the best results.

PANORAMIC EFFECT

When traveling by road or by train, there are times when you just cant resist taking shots of the beautiful scenes you come across. While in motion, photography can be a real challenge. For such shots, adjust the f-stop and the shutter speed for an appropriate exposure time.

A shutter speed of 1/8th of a second will be the best. Use the accessory or the built-in flash in the TTL (fully automatic exposure) mode and while taking the picture, move your camera slowly from right to left or vice versa as you release the shutter button. This will give good panoramic effect.

WIDE ANGLE ZOOM LENS

As a general rule, use a wide angled zooming lens if you plan to take snaps of landscapes and wild life since they will allow you to capture objects that are at a distance and will enable you to take broader views with less blurring.

Having read and observed all these basic rules, one must keep in mind that traveling is supposed to be fun and therefore, the snaps you take should be able to do justice with the real experience you had. So, don’t just take pictures, try to create them with pleasure and excitement.

How to take good snaps of people – Digital Photography Advice

The best thing about the field of photography is that it’s a beautiful amalgamation of creativity and technology. Giving real meaning to the beauty around us and making it possible for us to capture that beauty on an electronic sensor, photography is truly an art and not everyone’s an artist! I am saying that because being an professional photographer myself, I try to bring my pictures to life by applying the golden rules of photo capturing that every other manual or guide has to offer. But if it was that easy then every camera owner could be a pro snapper!

Take the example of people pictures which are basically of two types; Candid and Portrait. Both can be captured either with or without the consent of the subject. Here, your subject is not a huge valley or a cute puppy just hopping around but your object of desire is a human; full of emotions and natural instincts. So do keep in mind some basic points:

Make yourself comfortable

As much as being comfortable is necessary for the subject, it is equally important for the photographer to be at ease around the person who’s being captured. This is required for a certain level of closeness that would be essential to take the snap.

To be comfortable, you just have to introduce yourself professionally to the person, if a stranger and if possible involve them in your task. For starters, first try out with people you know. In any case, being nice and friendly to your subject would only add a happy face to your collection.

The distance

An appropriate distance is the most vital factor governing the over all quality of a picture especially when capturing a person; too far from the subject will lose the viewer’s interest and also the point of the picture. Too close a distance would sometimes fail to relate the face to its surroundings.

Choose a distance from where your subject’s expressions and actions are clear and he/ she is well oriented with the environment. For e.g. a snap showing a girl smelling a flower should portray the face expressions and the flower more clearly than the background but in the snap of a lonely man leaning to a pillar on a busy subway, people passing by and a zooming tube should be visible in the picture.

The surrounding setting

Pictures with people in them are not just random snaps; they tell a story or give information about the subject. As described above, the distance as well as the nearby settings is very important.

A snap showing a person engrossed in work would be more meaningful if the person is sitting on his office desk and a sad woman sitting on her house porch at sunset would be more close to reality.

Light and colours

For a picture to have an impact, it is highly important that the right amount of light falls on the subject and the colours are bright or subtle according to the mood. A happy playful child would look dull in low light or if the colours are not brilliant.

On the contrary, for a child in a deep slumber would look more peaceful if the illumination is understated and colours are warm and soft. It’s also important that the subject is dressed according to the setting. A playground snap can bear bright colours but a lady in an opera should be in an elegant and sober evening gown.

Going Candid

For pictures in which you want people to keep doing what they are supposed to for e.g. a crowd in a stadium cheering, a market full of vendors busy with bargaining customers or a group of youngsters laughing around, the simplest and easiest of tricks is to use a lens with a longer focal length so you can shoot from a distance without alerting the subject.

Another way is to hang around for a while so that people get familiar to your existence and then you can start your work. But in doing so, you should know what and where you have to shoot so that you are finished before any unwanted or unfriendly interference.

Focus and wait

Sometimes the picture is supposed to be candid and sometimes the subject is aware but in both cases the snap would be a waste if the timing is not right or the subject moves out of focus so first set your focus and then wait for the right moment. This is helpful in situations when the subject is unaware.

You can use a wide angle lens and set it for the person and when she/he makes a stupid face or blows the nose, you just have to click a button but be sure to do this quietly and from a distance!

Set the shutter speed and aperture

Setting the shutter speed and the aperture size beforehand will be handy for unintentional snaps. For this you should have knowledge of the type of setting you would require. For e.g. in a market place, a wider aperture and slower shutter speed would help capture a better picture of the crowded area whereas a small aperture and faster speed would enable you to shoot the valuable smile on a baby’s face when in the mood.

Don’t forget the details

The wrinkles around an old woman’s eyes, the messy clothes of a child playing in mud and the hands of a potter at work are the finer details that make your portraits more real. Try to focus them as clearly as the face of the subject because the face is just the title; these minutiae tells the actual story.

Respect the person

Don’t forget that the subject is a human; he/she may not like to be shot especially in portraits. Different cultures and for that matter, different people, may have different opinions about being so closely photographed.

Your aim is to capture the spirit or the mood and this should not in any case be offensive to others. Ask their permission before taking their pictures and avoid taking shots that may misinterpret your intensions regarding someone’s religion, culture, race or integrity.

If you make yourself clear to the subject, he/she may give their consent and let you shoot with ease. Sometimes people may agree to be your subject for a small amount of money.

The capturing of people on a film or an electronic sensor is just like painting them, only in photography your mind is the canvas and your camera is the brush. Right colours, right effects and the right camera settings will ensure a beautiful picture.

Red Eye Reduction – Digital Photography Tips

Red Eye is a common problem caused in compact digital cameras causing the pupils of a person to appear red, or if you are taking photos of your pets, makes the center of the eye appear red.

The problem occurs for a simple reason, as the light from the camera’s flash unit is reflected back from the retina of a your subject’s eye thus creating a direct hit back to the camera lens and causing ‘Re Eye’ effect in your photos.

It is also very common when using smaller cameras with a low range flash. In order to take better snaps and make your flash light reach the subject, you may tend to take photos from a short distance which makes this problem even worse.

How to avoid ‘Red Eye’

In order to avoid this problem try to take snaps from a distance, or use internal lighting when taking pictures indoors, if you are taking pictures outdoors and there are no light sources, sadly there is very little you can do to avoid this problem.

Another solution to this problem is to use cameras with ‘Red Eye’ reduction features which helps reduce this effect.

Humans or animals with bigger pupil can make this problem even severe, so bigger the pupil; more are the chances of getting a red eye in your snaps.

The flash unit in these cameras triggers twice, first with a small burst of light to reduce the size of pupils; of the subjects eye.

The disadvantage of using this features is the delay caused in shots which sometimes may blur the images making the subjects to believe the photo is already taken and they start to move away soon after the first small flash. It’s always a good idea to tell the subjects to wait a little longer for the second flash, when the photo is actually taken.

The best solution to avoid the ‘Red Eye’ problem is by using cameras with external flash units, which causes the light to disperse in to the environment and reduce the chances of getting a direct hit back from the subject’s eye.

Digital Camera Zoom Explained

If you are looking to buy a digital camera then digital zoom is an essential feature which is often used as a tag line to highlight how good a camera is. The digital zoom is stated in multiples of the number of times the camera is capable to magnify the size of an image such as 3X, 6X or 8X.

Typically digital compact digital cameras are capable of producing more than 4× and ranging up to 15× in SLR camera lenses some advanced digital cameras can deliver up to 24X zoom.

Calculating the Zoom Ratio

All digital cameras have a description of their focal length. Focal length defines the distance from the optical center of the camera’s lens to the camera’s focal point. For a camera without a zoom lens can be said to have its focal length fixed.

On the other hand for a camera with a zoom lens the focal length is variable, which means the position of the lens changes as you zoom in and out.

The focal length of a camera is usually measured in millimeters and as a standard the lower value of the stated focal length such as 35mm, or 28mm is normally the focal length of camera without using the zoom feature. Depending on the zoom lens capability, digital cameras are capable of delivering different outputs such as 85mm, 115mm or 140mm.

In order to calculate the zoom ratio you can divide the two values of the stated focal length(high and low) to get the precise digital zoom capability in any given camera. For example a Canon IXUS 100 IS has the focal lengths of 35mm to 100mm, so we can now divide 100/35=2.8, this tells us the camera has a digital zoom close to 3X.

Landscape Photography Tips – Learn to use your Digital Camera like a Pro

A landscape shot is considered to be an easy shot by most of the people as it is mistakenly thought to be just a snap of a scene as seen from a single view. Not completely wrong, though the landscape view is a piece of art since it has to be so skillfully captured to include all possible details of what a beautiful scene has to offer. A picture technically handled without overshadowing it’s natural beauty is something we should be aiming to achieve.

Literally speaking, a landscape picture is a natural scenery of land based views excluding those of water bodies since they would be called as “sea scape” , more accurately. They should also not feature people or animal as main objects but may be included in the view as a part of the scene.

Though the basic principles of photography remain the same, the techniques applied are a bit different from that of routine photography. For an ameteur photgrapher, a number of following techniques might come handy when taking snaps of a landscape:

Adjusting the Depth of Field

The most tricky business in taking a landscape sanap is adjusting the Depth of Field i.e, the extent to which the forefround or the background of the picture is to be enhanced. For a larger view when tou require the farthest and nearest details of a scene to be sharp and prominent, a large depth of field i.e, a smaller aperture is to be set. But minimizing the aperture size will result in lesser amount of light striking the image sensor so the picture may apparently appear to be dark. For this the shutter speed should be lowered so that more time is given to the light to enter the camera. This may also be tackled by enhancing the ISO of the camera.

Stabilizing the camera

Since the smaller aperture size is supported by a longer shuter speed, you will require a steady surface to keep the camera in position. You must have seen professional photographers using a Tri-pod stand or a Mono pod stand. Well that not just to make an impression, it keeps the camera sill and its focus intact. Moreover, according to the definition of a landscape, in order to have a single view of the scene, the camera must be kept steady . Like wise the photographer would have an idea of how the picture will come out to be. Even when the shutter speed is fast, a quick jolt will also result in a blurry picture, so why not use a support anyways.

Rule of Thirds

Almost all landscape views are beautiful but the real challenge is how you draw a viewer’s attention to it. Usually, skilled photographers will take an object as the Focal Point of the scene such as a small hut in the middle of a valley or a sky scraper in an urban landscape. They also use people and animals for this purpose. Here, the Rule of Thirds comes handy, according to which a view is virtually divided into three sections and then that particular focal point (a mountain or a building at one of the intersections) not necessarily in the center. This will give character to your picture and will not be just a wider view of a scene. In case of sunset sceneries, a silhouted structure proves to be the best point of attraction same as a flying bird in a sun rise scene.

Adding the effects

The Field of Depth can and should be used creatively just like you can make use of a blur. Imagine a lush green valley pictured from behind a tree; the branches blurred in the foreground and the green mountains with a gushing white spring and the sunny blue sky clearly captured in the background. You have created a master piece! Well this is all about making the picture larger by suppressing a part of the picture.

The Sky element

The landscapes look incomplete without a nicely pictured and well contrasted sky. A blank blue sky will ruin the over all beauty of the scene so for this you can place the horizon in the upper third portion of the image and if the sky is cloudy and has different shades of colours as at the time of dusk, then place the horizon lower. Also add necessary effects by adjusting the colour and contrast especially in case of shots of gardens, valleys or mountains, where the colour defines and distincts one portion of the view from the other. You can use a Polarizing Filter which adjusts the colour and contrast elements.

Turn off the Flash

In a landscape snap, make the most of the natural light; turn ff the flash since in case of a misty, dusty or foggy environment, the flash will be reflected back creating a flare of lighting. The flash, however should be used when the foreground is to b brightened or when there is insufficient illumintaion.

Inertia in the scenery

As misunderstood frequently, the landscape views are not absolutely stagnant images; there is always movement of one kind or the other in it. The motion may be slow but cannot be ignored such a windy field, birds flying or a flowing water spring. These inetrtial aspects help in dramatizing and adding more beauty to a shot. In order to capture the moving scene, the shutter speed has to be loewred which suggests that you should be having a small aperture. Since longer time is given for the shutter release, so the light factor can be controlled by shooting the pictures at dawn or in late afternoon when sun light is soft and subtle.

Wait for the right time not for the weather

Surprising as it may sound to you but a stormy or misty weather sometimes gives better results than a warm sunny day. Reason being the selection of the right time rather than waiting for the right weather. Just be sure that you apply the required settings. For a sunny day, late afternoon is a good time to capture a green field whereas in winters, the snow fall will look the best when covered by a warm mid day sunlight.

Change the Angles

Feel free to experiment; that’s the highly recommended rule! Who says that a river flowing in the middle of the mountains has to be in the middle, you may be standing at the river bank and view the mountains with the river flowing by your side. Change angles while taking pictures of the same view. Like wise you will have a better idea about the view as well as the impact different angles may create on the viewer. Its also advisable because it will allow you to have more than one snap of the same view with different camera settings so you can decide for yourself that which one suits the best.

These were some of the tips that will be helpful to beginners in landscape view capturing but the real catch is how to apply them. You can make your own rules and even if you like break them. Go beyond the limits and conventional ways while capturing sceneries. Too much technical thinking will loose the essence of landscape photograp as its all about being natural.

How to take better photos with SLR Camera – Professional SLR Camera Tips

No matter how popular and convenient the ‘point and shoot cameras’ are, the real joy of photography comes with a film or SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera since it offers semi- automatic focus and exposure services and allows the user to view an image through the lens directly rather than through a view finder thus avoiding the parallax error and other such aberrations.
As it is said; “Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder”, the finesse of the image is too dependent upon the capturer. How you perceive an image is how you photograph it. An SLR camera requires great skill to get good results, for which some simple guidelines should be followed:

Understanding the Camera Manual

It is always a wise practice to first go through the user’s guide before bringing the camera into use (make it a habbit to do this for all new gadgets that you buy, and not just the camera). Like wise you will have a basic knowledge about the features and techniques it provides and how to operate them.

Correct Lens & Film

Since, the SLR cameras make use of a lens to capture light on a film, it is highly crucial that the correct type of lens and films are used for a particular photo shooting. For e.g., using a lens with a longer focal length or high zooming power when photographing at night or at sunset.

Position of you and your camera

While taking a photograph, make sure that you are maintaining the right distance from the object. Move nearer or away if required and keep your hands steady so that the camera doesn’t shake. This will prevent blurring of the picture. Use a tripod or monopod stand if you are photographing a landscape or sunset when there is dim light since you will require a slow shutter speed. If the stands are not available, support the camera with your other hand, lean back on a support or brace yourself to keep the camera stable. Before releasing the shutter, view the scene from all angles so the best can be captured.

Rule of Thirds

Keeping the horizon horizontal, roughly divide the view to be captured into three parts both in horizontal and vertical frame and focus your object at one of the intersections. This is a useful rule but it’s not necessary to do so; your object can be standing anywhere in the frame as far as it’s in clear view, focus and lighting.

Pressing the Shutter Button

Never press the shutter button in a hurry; you are likely to ruin the picture by blurring or darkening the image. Slower shutter release i.e., taking a pause while pressing half way down will allow the camera to lock its focus on the object and then capture the picture. This is relatively a quicker way for capturing an image.

Controlling the Shutter speed

The shutter speed is crucial to the amount of light entering the camera and exposing the image on the sensor. Remember the basic rule: lesser the light, darker the image and more the light, brighter the image. The shutter speed when lowered should cause the image to get lighter, however in digital cameras, this effect is not observed because the camera correspondingly changes the aperture to equal the shutter speed changes.

Tip: You can increase the shutter speed by increasing the ISO and lower it down by using a neutral density filter.

Photo shooting at night

The most trickiest of photos are those which are to be captured in night time. Night time shots with an SLR camera may appear as black screens with coloured circles or even something more terrible. This is a result of a high shutter speed or if the camera is set at Automatic. So, first of all set the Shutter Priority. It may not give a black screen but coloured circles may appear if the shutter time is around 1 second. If the SLR camera shutter speed is set at 15 seconds, it delivers a fairly bright picture. But for such a long time, its better to have a tripod stand for support. And since you have to take care of the light factor and other factors at night, its better to lessen your work by choosing a calm weather as a windy atmosphere might result in a jolt or shake causing the picture to blur. In SLRs, the Automatic mode will calculate and set the actual shutter speed required but this will not give the required results so set the camera manually.

Handling Light

Creating shots in natural light is a real challenge. Light decides the overall effect on the snap so it’s highly recommended that the outdoor shots in daylight should be taken early in the morning or in late afternoon when the sunlight is subtle, thus produces warm pictures. However, in mid day when there is scorching sunlight, the images appear flat. Whenever, there is the issue of darkness, either use an ‘on camera’ flash unit or the exterior hot shoe Flash unit which will nullify the shadows or dimness of a scene. Usually the built-in flash units are not able to combat the problem as the picture may be ruined by the Red- eye effect so in such cases, it is advisable to use an ‘on camera’ or an off shoe flash gun with or without a diffuser. For indoor shootings, some flash guns have the option to ‘bounce’ the light off a ceiling by making the flash face upwards so it is diffused over all the vicinity.

Depth of Field

The focus on an object in a given scenario determines the over all effect of a picture. In case of a portrait, the foreground requires more sharpness and in case of a bigger picture, for e.g. the shot of a valley from behind the branch of a tree, the background needs more detailing whereas the branch of the tree can appear as a mere blur. This refers to the Depth of field which is reduced in the former example and increased in the latter. Smaller aperture size will increase the field depth whereas the larger aperture size will reduce it.

Full Auto Mode & Manual Mode

The Full Auto Mode allows you to set the aperture and the shutter speed; low or high without altering the exposure. Whereas in Manual Mode, you can also change the exposure setting with the added advantage that the camera will warn you if the exposure setting is not right.

Using Self Timer

The Self- timer option comes handy when you want to get into the frame and no one’s around to do that for you. First set the focus by aiming at an object at the same distance as at which you will be standing and then place the camera on a steady surface, set the timer and smile! But do not stand in front of the shutter as that will affect the focus. In SLR cameras, the self timer gives you a time period of 10 seconds to get adjusted.

Applying these basic rules will only promise a better output but for a beautiful snap, all you have to do is be creative. Your SLR camera is your companion, familiarize yourself as much as you can with the amazing capabilities of an SLR. Do not restrict yourself to one setting or situation, try different modes and effects and be prepared to make mistakes but that’s how one can master the art of photography. So we wish you, happy learning!

How to take best Snaps with a Digital Camera – Digital Camera Techniques

Nowadays, almost every other person owns a Digital camera. Advance in technology, stylish and efficient, these cameras provide the best image results. Price does matter and of course the quality of your equipment, but the most important factor is the usage of the camera. Almost all the digital cameras available in the market offer the same techniques and features so how you bring them into use decides the fate of your photos.

Highly technical as it may seem, it’s only a matter of applying common sense and following some basic rules:

Organize your camera

First things first; when using your camera for the first time or after restarting with new batteries, enter the correct date and time. Like wise you will be able to not only trace your pictures but also sometimes the time and cause of any error that may occur in your camera.

Read the Camera Manual

You should be able to clearly understand the features available in your camera and their respective functions. Carefully study the icons used for each of them and then move to the next step.

Setting up your new camera

Now check the battery status of the camera and then the settings you want to keep. Check the view finder; if it’s blurry then make necessary adjustment with the camera diopter.

Holding the camera

The most basic thing to bear in mind is that the camera is more of a tool than a machine so before mastering its operation, you first have to learn to hold it! Hold it in your right hand (and in left if you are left handed) and then support it with the other hand. Keep your hands off the lens, flash or auto focus. This will prevent darkening or blurring of the image and keeps your hand steady.

Supporting the camera to avoid camera movements

Usually, the sharpness of the image is lost if the camera is unnecessarily moved while the shutter is open. So first position yourself and take your aim where you have to shoot and then release the shutter. This can be done in a number of ways:In bright light or when using the flash, simply hold the camera in you right hand supported by the other and press the shutter button slowly and pause in the middle so that the focus is locked before the image is captured.

In case of dim light or when not using a flash while using a longer focal length lens or a high zoom, one need a tri pod stand or a monopod for stability. Another way is to lean against a wall or a tree while bracing yourself with your elbows or simply bracing the camera with your face. Any how, the shutter button has to be pressed slowly to lock the focus.

Note: You may press the button all at once but it will delay the photo capturing and the snap may be out of focus. Pressing halfway down will allow the camera to calculate the focus and exposure simultaneously thus speeding up the photo capturing.

Shutter speed and lighting

The shutter allows the light to strike the image sensor for exposure and thus the shutter speed decides the amount of light entering the camera. Follow the simple rule; lesser the light, darker the image and more the light, brighter the image. The shutter speed when lowered should cause the image to get lighter, however in digital cameras, this effect is not observed because the camera correspondingly changes the aperture to equal the shutter speed changes.

Note: You can increase the shutter speed by increasing the ISO and lower it down by using a /neutral density filter.

Foreground and background focusing

For having an object in the background or foreground focused sharply, you have to change the Depth of Field. For this the aperture size is to be altered. In case of landscape photography when a larger field depth is desired so that all the details in the foreground as well as the background are clearly visible in the snap, you should have a smaller aperture whereas if plan to capture a particular object like a butterfly on a flower bush, you should go for a larger aperture size since it will make the subject prominent with the background in a perfect soft blur.

Exposure control

The shutter speed and the aperture size are the most important parameters for the light exposure. The two should be appropriately adjusted as discussed above in order to get the best exposure of the image on the sensor. If exposure is too quick, it will result in a darker image so the tone of the snap can be selected by adjusting the exposure.

Capturing static & moving objects

Static sceneries can be easily captured if the above mentioned tips are clearly followed but a fast moving object poses the real challenge. Faster the motion of the subject, faster should be the shutter speed in order to have a sharp image. The main problem with action photos is that they get blurry and distorted; a disappointment for sports fan. The technique involves a simple calculation of the

-direction of movement
-the time of exposure of the subject on the image sensor
-distance of the subject from the camera
-the focal length of the lens

Note: When the shutter is open, try to capture the moving object from an angle from where it is either moving away or towards the camera but not parallel to it as this will expose the object to maximum number of pixels on the image sensor, thus giving the blurry effect. In this case, lower down the shutter speed and increase the focal length of the lens as this will cause the image formation on the sensor with shortest possible movement thereby preventing picture blurring.

Sometimes, using this blur creatively will add more life to your pictures, for example when taking the snap of a bullet train; the blur helps in creating an aura of the actual power and high speed of the train.

Utilize the sunlight

The best thing about out door shooting is that you can make use of the natural light. During midday or when the weather is pretty sunny, you can switch off the flash. The colours appear sharp and natural but at dawn or sunset when the light is low, increase the exposure time so that maximum amount of light can enter the lens. However, when capturing sunsets or sunrise, the main point is to get darker and richer colours to produce the effect. In such cases, under exposure will do a fine job. If the sun is not your subject to be shot, then choose the afternoon time, especially half to an hour before the twilight when there is enough sunlight to cover the surroundings while the sun is below the horizon so it also does not interfere with the image. Also when the sun is to be captured in the photo too, take the photo when its partially hidden by a cloud so it appears as a soft and warm object.

Note: At dawn and dusk, shoot with the sun behind you instead of shooting head on into it so that it illuminates the surrounding well. Do not look directly into the sun even through a view finder, since it can cause severe eye damage.

Using the White balance setting

If you are not an expert in using the natural day light, the digital cameras also offer a number of White balance settings for different situations, for e.g. the versatile Auto mode works in most of the cases, day light mode for outdoor shooting in bright light, Incandescent or Tungsten mode when shooting indoors and when a warmer effect is required. Similarly, the Cloudy mode is best for taking pictures in a rainy weather whereas the Manual mode will set the white balance by just focusing the camera on a white sheet of paper.

Versatile use of the Self timer

The Self timer option available in most of the cameras not only is used to allow the user to get into the frame but can also be used to capture pictures in dim light. Just place the camera on a smooth surface and set the timer (don’t stand in front of the shutter while doing so otherwise that will ruin the focus) and then take he picture. In case of taking a picture of your own self, set the focus on any other object at the same distance as at which your photo is to be taken.

And lastly, feel free to shoot; don’t hastate in taking risks and experimenting. As a general rule, take a number of photos of an object from different angles. And most importantly, be patient as it takes time to master the skill. With each photograph you take, you learn something new; so each time you make a mistake, you are a step closer to perfection.

SLR Cameras Explained

An SLR camera is a Single Lens-Reflex system camera in which there is a moving mirror present that tells the photographer the exact overall picture settings, mode and quality, beforehand that will be captured by the camera. An SLR system maybe incorporated in a film or in a digital camera both. Before the advent of SLR cameras, the cameras used to have a viewfinder consisting of two optical light paths; going towards the film via lens and the other to the above or to the side. This posed parallax error when a close up shot was taken though the pictures taken from a distance seemed to be fine. Plus, these non-reflex cameras were not easy to work with in low lights or when the lens was used at a wider aperture.

The imaging is made more perfect by the incorporation of a pentaprism system which aligns the light reflected by the movable mirror with the viewfinder and when the shutter is released, the mirror gets out of the light path so that it falls directly on the film or on the CCD or CMOS sensor (in case of DSLR camera).

The SLR cameras also provide accurate focusing both manually and by the Auto focus automatically. Though, these cameras do not have the facility of an LCD preview, they still have an edge over the DSLRs in terms of picture clarity and finer details made possible by the viewfinder.

Mostly SLRs have the roof penta prism system; however, other types are also available such as the waist-level finder which is an exchangeable sports finder as used in the Canon F1 and F1n, etc. A photographer can make use of the Right angle view finder as well that can fit on to the eye piece in every other SLR or DSLR camera and can view the image even without a waist- level finder. Some cameras also support an EVF remote finder that can enable the user to have a wider view.

The SLR cameras traditionally contain a focal plane shutter that is situated before the film plane. It obstructs the light path going towards the film even when the lens is not in its place but allows the light to fall on the film when the shutter is released to take the photograph. The focal plane shutters are available in different designs. The usual focal plane shutter consists of two curtains, an opening shutter curtain and a closing shutter curtain. When the shutter speed is high, the opening shutter curtain forms a horizontal slit aand the other one forms a vertical opening closely behind the first curtain.

One of the most frequently faced problems or more precisely aberrations is the image distortion. This may occur due to the nature and shape of the lens. To solve this problem some cameras provide the Perspective correction lenses usually in the 35mm and medium formats. These distortions in digital camera however, can be corrected with photo soft wares. Not only this, the SLR cameras also gives a photographer, the freedom to expand the bellow up to its maximum length while tilting the front standard and can capture microscopic subjects with par clarity and image sharpness without having to adjust the lens diaphragm.

So if comparing SLRs to DSLRs, one would have to admit that despite the plus points the latter has to offer like the LCD preview option, the former type of cameras are still the best in terms of picture quality, sharpness and also show lesser incidence of aberrations which makes them more popular among the professional photographers.

Digital Camera Features Explained

The world of photography is amazing, literally! The fact that most of us like to talk about photo shooting and video making more than we actually understand it, makes it even more interesting. Well, a hobby has nothing to do with the technicalities, especially this one, which requires only a camera and a mind full of creativity to capture the beauty around us. However, those who take it professionally and plan to take it seriously must have know-how of the technique. Modern day cameras, no doubt have made the task easier, but they still pose a challenge to a lay man like me as it is difficult and at times impossible to understand their terms and features.

There are a number of things that should be known by a person when selecting a camera and when using it so that you can make the most of the services it has to offer.

Optical Zoom

Optical Zoom is frequently used by brands when they brag about their cameras. The Camera zoom (Optical zoom) is the extent to which the camera can focus on a particular subject from a distance. Larger zoom cameras are as beneficial as the smaller zoom cameras; the former allow the user to take photos of a distant object like a bird on a tree without having to move closer while the latter will allow you to capture the whole scenery of a landscape. So when buying a camera for wildlife photography, you should better go for the larger zoom cameras and those who want to shoot picturesque scenes may choose the smaller zoom camera.

Optical Zoom in Digital cameras

The opticla zoom feature in digital cameras is an electronic sensor usually CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors) or CCD sensors that are light sensitive chips which translate light photons into electronic signals for imaging. However in Film- cameras, the zoom is expressed as Focal Length (in mm). It is defined as the distance between the film and the optical centre of the camera lens when it is focused on infinity.

Focal Length

Usually the lenses of such cameras have a focal length of 28-55mm and 35-80mm. The lenses sold with the camera normally have values like 28-55 mm, 35-80 mm etc. The Lens, as we all know is the transparent glass or plastic piece, circular in shape which captures and focuses light rays on the sensor and creates an image. Lens having a focal length of less than 35mm are the Wide Angle lenses (suitable for land scape snaps) and those having more than 85mm are known as Telephoto lens (for wild life snaps) whereas lens with variable focal length are called as Zoom Lens. In digital cameras, the number of times (expressed as X) a subject can be magnified, is the definition of Zoom.

Aperture

The amount of light that enters a lens depends upon its Aperture which is a hole made up of a metal leaf diaphragm inside the lens that acts as the point of entrance for the light. The Aperture size may be fixed or variable and is measured in terms of f-numbers. The f- number is the ratio of the diameter of the aperture of the lens to its focal length; lower the f-number, larger the aperture size and lesser the zone of sharpness and vice versa. The aperture not only monitors the amount of light that enters the lens but also the field depth and prevents the occurrence of Aberrations. The aperture size is controlled by the Aperture Ring mechanically connected to the diaphragm. It is present behind the focusing ring of the lens and is imprinted by a set of f- numbers or f-stops.

Aberrations

Talking of the Aberrations, a number of errors may be encountered by the photographers. Technically, aberration is the failure of a lens to produce a true image. Most of the lenses, available in the cameras now days, can handle these errors quite easily depending upon their quality, and of course, the price. Though there is no term as a Perfect Lens, there is a definition of an Ideal Lens, which is one that gives a clear and well imaged photograph free from these malfunctions. In simple language, aberrations may be described as six basic types of errors. For e.g., a Spherical aberration is due to the formation of three focus points on the lens due to its spherical shape. Similarly an image may suffer from Distortion, another failure of the lens to produce the true shape of an object.

Astigmatism & Curvature

Astigmatism & Curvature of field disrupts the imaging at the rims of the lens resulting in blurring. The above mentioned are lens based errors but Chromatic aberrations refer to the focusing of the light rays of different wavelengths at different points from the lens also resulting in blurring of the image Where, the lens decides the fate of the images in terms of its quality.

ISO

the ISO is responsible for the response of the sensor to the light that will affect the quality in turn. The ISO refers to the sensitivity of the sensor to the light and is measured in ISO numbers; higher the number, faster the response to light and lesser the time taken to capture a picture. Most digital cameras allow the user to adjust the ISO setting (ranging from low ISO of 800 and 1600 to 2000, 3200 up to 6400 maximum) to select the required shutter speed and have high resolution pictures in low light scenarios but this is accompanied by Noise. Opposite to its literal meaning, noise in photography actually means the electronic interruptions one encounter in the images in the form of spots, dust or dots compromising the image integrity.

MP (Megapixels)

Linked to the image, is another term; Pixels. These are the small units of color; the whole digital picture is composed of. A million pixels make up a Mega pixel. Higher the number of pixels a camera has to offer, better the results.

Shutter Speed

In terms of efficiency, speed of the camera is the most important. The Shutter Speed is one criterion. It is the amount of time for which the aperture of the lens is opened when taking a photograph. Lower the speed more will be the time required to take a photo; faster the speed lesser the time for opening of the aperture, thus lesser amount of light enters the camera. This is useful in capturing action photos or for “Freezing” and action such as a basket ball shot. Since faster speed will allow little light to enter the lens, the size of the aperture can be increased likewise.

FPS ( Frames per second)

Another common term is Frame Per Second (fps) which is the number of frames the motor drive or the winder can bear when wound per second. The term is used in reference to videos and animations along with the pictures. You can also select the size of the pictures you want to shoot, by selecting the respective Aspect Ratio i.e, the width to height ratio of the photograph. Most commonly, a ratio of 2:3 is selected for 3.5 x 5 inches and 4 x 6 inches photos in 35mm pictures.

Auto Focus

Auto Focus (AF) that is a highly demanded feature in modern digital cameras. Through this function, the camera lens automatically focuses on a particular portion of a picture, most commonly applied to human faces.

LCD Screen

Another attribute of a digital camera that can be used as a judgmental criterion is the availability of an LCD Screen (Liquid-Crystal Display) that is a small monitor that allows the user to view the image before it is captured so that the focus and light exposure can be adjusted. Good cameras offer an LCD screen of larger size and some of them may offer Touch screen options for the convenience of the user to adjust the settings while viewing the image.

We can all appreciate the amount of knowledge it takes to understand the sophisticated terminology used for digital cameras yet a little attention to these details can really make you decide what features you should be spending your money on. Most digital cameras available on the market are efficient in functioning; however, the bottom line is that one should select the camera according to his/ her own requirements. So when buying a camera, you should look into the details mentioned above as it will help you make the correct decision and will prevent you from any post purchase disappointments.

Digital Camera Jargons Explained

A digital camera is a device that creates photos and videos using an electronic sensor and records them digitally. Usually known as Digicams, they are of various types depending upon their physical features, technique or the type of image recording.

For example, a compact digital camera is a “snap and shoot camera”; the name given because it is small and sleek and easy to carry with oneself and can create images and videos of the same quality as other digicams.

Similarly, a Bridge camera (or SLR-like camera) resembles the DSLR cameras in its built. Now naturally you may question yourself what the hell SLR and DSLR cameras are. The Single Lens-Reflex (SLR) cameras are normal film or non digital whereas the other one are Digital Single Lens-Reflex (DSLR) cameras; both have one mirror assisted with a reflex system for image capturing. The Bridge camera may have the option of live preview for framing of photos and small sized sensors just like compact digicams but they also have advanced features. One distinctive feature of these Bridge cameras is the super zoom option; up to 10:1 to 18:1 of wide range provided by the lens. The Bridge camera, due to physical resemblance may be confused with DSLR’s but they lack the single-lens reflex system.

Looking back at history of digital cameras, the attempt at digitizing image dates back to the time of Eugene.F.Lally, who worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He published the way to produce images digitally using a mosaic photo sensor in 1961. After a number of tries in the 1970’s by a number of engineers, the first an actual digital camera the Fuji DS-IP produced in 1988. Having an internal memory of 16 MB, it could record images digitally and was powered by batteries, but it was not marketed. The first commercial digicam was the Dycam model 1 also called as Logitech Fotoman, in 1990 that had a CCD image sensor and could be connected to a computer for image transferring.

Coming back to the present day, such amazing properties does these digital cameras posses! Their best feature is the high resolution they offer. In these cameras the sensors (CCD or CMOS sensor clip) take the responsibility of film in conventional photography. These sensors turn light signals into electronic signals thus producing sharp and crisp photos and videos. This sensor is able to literally count the number of photons it is struck with. The larger the number of photons, larger is the pixel count. Usually these digicams have a pixel count of up to 12.1 mega pixels that may be more in some cameras. But the resolution of a sensor is not governed by the pixel count only. It is also affected by the size of the sensor, the lens quality and whether the camera is monochrome without a Bayer filter mosaic or it is a color camera.

What makes digicams so popular is not only the quality of the image it offers but also the various features that has enabled all and sundry to be a photographer. The smile shutter, Auto Red Eye reduction and Face detection options ensure beautiful and clearly focused pictures whereas the Auto scene modes available in these cameras allow you to adjust camera settings according to light and contrast. A varying price range and advanced features are available in the market for digital cameras. Also, a variety of color and sizes provide you the freedom to choose the one that suits your style best.

The advantages of these modern cameras over the conventional ones include the ability of these cameras to show the result you will obtain even before you take the snap plus the option to delete or edit a picture is also helpful. These cameras can be easily connected to a USB port, computer or printers so that the pictures you have taken can be transferred and shared with all and the best ones can be taken out in print. Moreover, you don’t have to wait for the film to develop to view the pictures like used to happen with the old cameras. These cameras have lush LCD screens so that you can have a quick preview of your videos and snaps.

Keeping in mind the usability and customer convenience, these cameras are so made that they are light weight, tough in nature to bear hardships of weather, usually water, dust and shock proof so they can be taken to hiking trips and camping. They are powered by rechargeable batteries and are accompanied by adopters and accessories for your convenience. Not only this, most of the digital cameras also support Memory cards to boost up the camera memory so that you can make non stop movies and pictures. Smart, intelligent and efficient, the digital cameras are the best inventions of the 21st century.

Compact Digital Cameras

A compact digital camera is a simple digital camera just smaller in size so it is easy to carry around. A digital camera is a device that creates photos and videos using an electronic sensor and records them digitally.

Due to their portable nature, you can carry these “small wonders” anywhere as they can easily adjust in your pocket or hand bag, so that you can shoot or snap and snap those spur of the moment shots. That’s why they are also called as Point and Shoot cameras. The smallest compact cameras are usually 20 mm thick or less and are also called as Subcompacts or Ultra compacts.

With the ease to handle and use the camera, you can get excellent quality pictures and movies owing to the high resolution imaging it offers. A number of compact cameras available in the market can produce images up to 12.1 mega pixel and usually are set at high ISO sensitivity.

The lenses provided with these cameras are extremely efficient. Don’t go on their small size as these lenses have a wide aperture that allows maximum light to enter the lens so that you can have bright and clear pictures.

These cameras also focus minor details with excellence thanks to the optical zoom option. They may provide an optical zoom of 4.5-10 times. The ISO sensitivity range is also very broad i.e. 64-40 usually but may be up to 16000.

The memory of compact digital cameras in superior models is enough to allow you up to 3 hours maximum continue shooting. Supported by SD cards, SDHC cards and MMC, etc. Moreover, the latest models of compact cameras are powered by usually lithium ion batteries that are rechargeable.

They may be small but do offer an LCD screen of around 2.5 inch for a quick preview of the photos or movies. Some compacts have a variety of Scene Modes installed to suit the type of environment you are shooting.

Most of these cameras have a low power built in flash for illuminating a limited area. Though they may limit movie making but allow sharp and accurate imaging. Usually, 8 ounces in weight (with batteries and media included) they are stylish and handy to take to road trips and camping. There may be a problem of noise in these cameras and they may have lesser advanced features installed but then in moderate prices and cool designs, mostly, compacts are desired by the people.

The camera also come with face detection, an option that recognizes human faces and focuses them. Usually cameras can detect up to 8 faces, some can even record their names and in some cameras, a smile on your face is the indication to the camera to release the shutter! These compact cameras also have the features such as anti-blur, in the form of Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S) and Auto red eye reduction to avoid the irritating red eye effect. Small in size, simple to use and carry, compact digital cameras also come incorporated in your cell phones. Plus, the prices are so reasonable that you just cant ignore the deal since they have all he modern features one require for good quality imaging.