slr photography guide - february edition 2016

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Bumper edition - A digital magazine for photographers. Over fifty articles + hundreds of photography tips. Featuring student images from our Online Photography Course http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/online-courses.shtml

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Page 1: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Over 50 ArticlesHundreds of Photography Tips

BUMPER EDITIONFEBRUARY 2016

GUIDEPHOTOGRAPHYSLR

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http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/online-courses.shtml

THANKS FOR CHECKING OUT SLR PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

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FEBRUARY EDITIONDIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE EDITOR TANYA PUNTTISLRPHOTOGRAPHYGUIDE.COM

2016

Cover Photo © Basri Ahmedov (Finland)

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in this issueCelebrating two years of our student magazineby piecing together the best articles into a

special bumper edition

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© Jenn Young (USA)

© Jenny GeeBee Golding Baron (AU)

© Darlene Chapell Torres (USA)

© Sally Rankine McRoberts (USA)

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Our best tips for photographing wildlife and birds

1. Think background!

It doesn’t matter what you photograph, always look at the background when first It doesn’t matter what you photograph, always look at the background when first looking through your rear view. Make sure the background compliments and doesn’t distract from the main subject. Things to look out for are trees, branches or power lines sticking out from the head or cutting through the body of the subject.

Often it’s just a matter of photographing from a slightly different angle. Keeping this in mind may save you hours of post editing later on.

© Tanya Puntti

Wildlife Photography

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It’s important to also consider the lens you are using and how it works in tandem with the aperture setting. For example, f/4 on a wide angle lens will result in the distant background having some form to it, even when shooting in close distance to the subject. Chances are, you won’t totally blur the background with a wide angle lens. However telephoto lenses such as 200mm onward, will blur the background. Keep in mind, even with a telephoto lens, the further away your subject, the less chance of background blur.

Point being, always consider your background before taking the shot. Point being, always consider your background before taking the shot.

2. Large birds move slower than smaller birds

When first starting out in wildlife photography, practise on larger birds. They When first starting out in wildlife photography, practise on larger birds. They usually require a much slower shutter speed. Their size makes them easier to focus on initially, and they take less erratic flight paths. Better still, position yourself so the wind is behind you. Birds taking off and landing into the wind are much slower in speed.

© Tanya Puntti

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3. Capture action shots

With so many photographers capturing wildlife nowadays, simple portraits often don’t cut it. Take time to watch and know behaviour patterns. Capture them running, flying or preening themselves. Set a fast shutter speed and be ready for that decisive moment.

© Tanya Puntti

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4. Study light and learn how to best use it to your advantage

Chances are many of your favourite images come down not only to subject choice, but also the quality of light and the direction it’s coming from. Personally I love backlighting. There’s nothing more stunning than a dark background with sunlight shining through the wings of a bird.

© Tanya Puntti

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5. Overcast days

Don’t let overcast grey skies and backgrounds keep you indoors. These are often my favourite times for wildlife photography. Use spot metering with a +1 or +2 exposure compensation and forget about the background.

© Tanya Puntti

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6. Lower your viewpoint

Get down on the same level as the subject. To achieve a foreground blur, use a telephoto lens with a low aperture number (narrow depth of field). This also works well with birds wading in water or walking through grassland.

© Tanya Puntti

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7. Don’t overlook subjects in your backyard and neighbourhood

Working regularly in one place, such as your backyard or a local botanical garden has its advantages. Not travelling too far allows you to shoot more often, which in turn means you’ll have a greater understanding of your subject’s behaviour patterns.

© Tanya Puntti

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8. Be persistant!

Many presume nature photographers are patient, they’re not, they’re just persistant! I watched this tiny bird come into my backyard for a couple of weeks until one day she looked directly at me while perched on a perfect piece of grass. I ended up taking hundreds of photos, but this was the one I was waiting for.

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9. Break the rules

I recently visited a Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition and noted that many did not play by the rules when it came to composition. Generally speaking, they are there for good reason. However don’t be afraid to throw the rule book away and go with your gut feeling as well.

10. Back up your very best images to three separate hard drives

One thing I’ve learned over the years, is that when it comes to wildlife photography, you get no second chance at that perfect shot. Animals don’t do re-takes!

Written by Tanya Puntti - http://www.slrphotographyguide.com

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© Tanya Puntti

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Q & A Tidbits from inbox messages and email

1. Geraldine Vogt this past month wanted to know what was the best way to find the sweet spot for a lens without being given a run around by Google search.

Answer: The best site to find sweet spots for lenses is over at Answer: The best site to find sweet spots for lenses is over at hp://www.photozone.de/Reviews/overview When looking up a specific lens, make sure you click the 'Next' buon and view the second page of informaon. From there you will find a graph that looks similar to this image below. What this graph tells you, is that this parcular lens works sharpest at f/5.6

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2. Another asked, why are all my indoor shots always blurred?

ANSWER: 99% of the me blurry indoor shots are due to your shuer speed being too slow. To increase the speed, either set a lower aperture number or higher ISO. If you don’t already own a lens that goes to f/2.8, then I recommend purchasing a 50mm prime. They can be picked up quite cheaply nowadays and are fast for indoor / low light photography.

3. James Leon asked, how do I get both the moon and a foreground tree 3. James Leon asked, how do I get both the moon and a foreground tree in focus?

ANSWER: Images that have both sky and foreground subject in focus, are usually done via two exposures (one for the moon and one for the tree) blended together into a single photo.

4. Sally Fairchild asked, what’s the difference between a dedicated 100mm macro lens verses a telephoto?

Dedicated macro lenses are created for high detail close up image quality. Dedicated macro lenses are created for high detail close up image quality. A 100mm macro is a prime lens that is designed to focus closer to the subject for 1:1 macro. Simply put, a macro allows you to get physically closer to the subject and sll focus on it.

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Recommended gear for indoor sports is a late model camera + a lens that allows you to shoot at f/2.8

Student image © Tamara Schuster (USA)Canon EOS Rebel T2i camera + Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lensISO 6400 | 194mm focal length | Aperture f/5.6 | shutter speed 1/125Editors note: the later the camera model, the higher you can push the ISOto compensate for a higher aperture number.

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How To Shoot Indoor Sports

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Each week we receive emails from beginners saying their images are either too dark or completely washed out. Ninty nine percent of the time, Exposure Bias is to blame.

Quick Fix For Two Common Problems

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The quickest fix of course is to reset your camera back to factory default settings (check manual guide). This will zero back any exposure bias set within your main camera menu.

It could also be that you’ve accidently adjusted exposure compensation for that It could also be that you’ve accidently adjusted exposure compensation for that particular mode. Easy to do when you are first learning and pressing all the buttons. To check if this is the case, half press your shutter button to focus while looking through the rear view, take note of the exposure line and see if it is to the right or left of the middle marker.

If you find it isn’t zeroed, then look for a plus and minus symbol on your camera If you find it isn’t zeroed, then look for a plus and minus symbol on your camera (+/-). Press that button and use your main dial to zero back the exposure line. Take a few test shots. I’m sure you’ll now find everything back to normal.

For the example above, note the exposure marker is on the positive side. Therefore the resulting images will be over-exposed / brighter than normal. Of course when you have +4 or -4 like the examples on the opposite page, you’ll get very dark images or total washouts.

Now you know the reason why, and how to fix it when you are out and about on a photoshoot.

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A telephoto lens, such as a 200mm, not only makes your main subject appear much larger in the frame, it also helps foreground and background elements appear much closer together. Or rather compresses the foreground and background together.

Take the giraffe image to the le for example. This image was taken at Taronga Zoo Take the giraffe image to the le for example. This image was taken at Taronga Zoo in Sydney and what you see in the background is the CBD across the other side of the harbour, much further away in reality than what it seems. My goal for this photo was to show that it was in fact a city zoo. Through the use of a telephoto lens, the giraffe and city appear much closer. Had I used a wide angle lens of say 20mm, the impact of the city would have been reduced significantly and the relaonship between the two would have been lost on the viewer.

Note also the image of a kangaroo in front of holiday accommodaon. The client Note also the image of a kangaroo in front of holiday accommodaon. The client wanted to show internaonal visitors that Australian animals are easily accessable. Using a telephoto lens compresses the main subject and background building much closer together so the relaonship between the two can more easily be made.

Some of you might now be thinking, well that’s all true and good but what if I want Some of you might now be thinking, well that’s all true and good but what if I want to capture more of the scene into one frame? Wouldn’t I need a wide angle lens for that? Not necessarily, you could always simply walk back several meters. This would enable you to capture more of the scenery, yet sll have that fabulous telephoto effect of compressing near and far subjects closer together.

Advantages of a telephoto lensBy Tanya Puntti

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It is much easier to blur elements of an image with a telephoto lens, than it is with a wide angle. Depth of field (DOF) refers to the area of an image that appears sharp! It is not a fixed distance, but rather changes in size depending on the aperture se ng and focal length of the lens. Longer lenses create more blur than wide lenses. For example, you will noce more blur with the lens zoomed to 200mm focal length than you would if you set it at 18mm.

The kangaroo on the le was taken with a 200mm focal length and an aperture The kangaroo on the le was taken with a 200mm focal length and an aperture of F/2.8. I set a single focal point, aiming it right at the eye. Hence blur seen in both the foreground and background (refer to chart below).

Had I set an aperture of F/5.6, there would be just a sliver more area of Had I set an aperture of F/5.6, there would be just a sliver more area of sharpness seen in both the foreground and background. The point being, there would sll be blur, which decreases the higher you set your aperture number. Had I used a wide angle lens, for example 18mm, much more of the scenery would be in sharp focus.

Remember, how much blur you see depends on the length of the lens (longer Remember, how much blur you see depends on the length of the lens (longer lens = more blur) and the aperture number (lower aperture number = more blur).

Note: the following chart will be included in the cheat sheets for those taking our online photography course.

continued ...

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image © Belinda Kranz - Australia

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Student image © Danelle Yeager-Fowler (USA)

Cake Smashing

Student image © Bobbie Campbell-Cook (USA)

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Hi there! I do all my cake smash sessions indoors in my home's entrace hallway where a lot of natural light is let through, and therefore don't use a flash. For most of my shots, I will put the camera on aperture priority f/2.8 and ISO 1250. I always try to focus on the eyes, although kids can move very quickly so somemes you might move to f/3.2 to get the sharpness on more than just the face.I shoot with a Canon5D and use a 50mm lens.

Tips from Danielle Freiberg

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how to use it to test your camera’s exposure

Have you ever thought your camera consistently under or over exposes one shot aer another? It seems you may not be imagining it. Canon cameras in parcular are known to underexpose shots by 1/3rd. Some like it, others don’t.

A good way to check if your camera is spot on with exposure, is to use the sunny A good way to check if your camera is spot on with exposure, is to use the sunny 16 rule. The idea with the Sunny 16 rule is that on a perfectly sunny outdoor day, the following se ngs will result in a sharp image that is neither under or over exposed.

Aperture f/16, 1/100th of a second Shuer Speed and ISO 100.

Take several shots with the se ngs above and look at the results on your Take several shots with the se ngs above and look at the results on your monitor. If they seem too under or over exposed for your liking, then adjust your camera’s default exposure compensaon to suit. I know many photographers who keep their exposure compensaon on +1/3rd for this very reason.

Another way to test the exposure is with the use of a gray card. Lay the gray card Another way to test the exposure is with the use of a gray card. Lay the gray card in full sun and zoom your lens in to fill the frame with the card. Set your camera to manual mode and use the se ngs listed above. If your exposure line automacally zeros, then you know the camera meter is spot on. If not, you may like to adjust your default exposure compensaon accordingly.

Sunny 16 Rule

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Student image © Judy Wright Lo (Canada)

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Exposure rules from film days that still work today! (advanced topic)

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Sunny 16 Rule - on a perfectly sunny day when shoong outdoors, set Aperture f/16. Obviously more useful when shoong landscapes, as it presumes you are wanng a wide depth of field and no background blur.

If you set ISO 100, use a Shuer Speed of 1/100secIf you set ISO 200, use Shuer Speed 1/200secIf you set ISO 400, use Shuer Speed 1/400secIf you set ISO 800, use Shuer Speed 1/800sec

What if you don’t want to use aperture f/16? Every me you decrease your aperture What if you don’t want to use aperture f/16? Every me you decrease your aperture number, also increase your shuer speed by the same number of stops.

Slightly Overcast F11 Rule - If the weather is mostly sunny with cloud cover and you’re shoong outdoors, set aperture F11 and use the same ISO to Shuer Speed combinaons listed above.

Overcast F8 Rule - If the weather is overcast and you’re shoong outdoors set aperture F8 and use the same ISO to Shuer Speed combinaons listed above.

Remember you need to choose the ISO / Shuer Speed combinaon that matches the Remember you need to choose the ISO / Shuer Speed combinaon that matches the subject you are photographing. For example if you are photographing your child’s baseball game, you may want to keep the Shuer Speed to 1/800sec for sharp shots. If you are photographing a landscape scenery, you’ll most likely choose a slower shuer speed of 1/100sec.

Heavily Overcast F5.6 Rule - Set aperture F5.6 and use the same ISO to Shuer Speed combinaons listed above.

Sunset F4 Rule - Useful for photographing subjects against a se ng sun. Use aperture Sunset F4 Rule - Useful for photographing subjects against a se ng sun. Use aperture F4 and use the same ISO to Shuer Speed combinaons listed above. Perfect for portrait photography at sunset.

If you are hand holding your camera, remember to choose a combinaon that is faster than the length of your lens. For example, if you use a 70mm focal length, choose ISO 100 and Shuer Speed 1/100sec combinaon. If you are using 200mm focal length, choose the ISO 400 and 1/400sec combinaon to avoid camera shake.

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image © Tanya Puntti

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Quick Flash TipHave you ever taken a photo exposing for indoor lighting, only to nd that you lose all the beautiful color and detail seen through the window?

There are two ways around this problem. Firstly you can take two exposures, one for inside and the other for outside. Then blend them together in post processing. Or alternatively, if you own a ash you could expose for outdoors, then use your ash to light up the interior.

Here was my technique for the image you see on the left hand side.

1. I set manual mode on the camera and rotated my external ash so it was at a 45 degree angle to the roof. 2.2. I zoomed into the blue ocean outdoors and took an exposure reading, underexposing by -1. Why -1 exposure? It was quite a bright sunny day outside and I nd water color is much nicer when underexposed. 3. Reframe the shot and focus indoors, this time leaving the exposure line as is (I’ve already set it for outdoors). Turn the ash on and take the shot. This way, the camera is exposed for outdoors, and the ash compensates for the indoor lighting.

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Why your photos are not sharp at 100% zoom

“I keep getting frustrated when I blow my images up to 1:1 and see they are not as sharp as I’d like”

Sound familiar? This is a question I receive often from beginners who are Sound familiar? This is a question I receive often from beginners who are misinterpreting the sharpness of their images based on how they look at 100 percent zoom (also referred to as 100 percent crop). In some cases images are being zoomed in as much as 300 percent or more!

Many are so hung up on how things look at 100 pecent that they are earth Many are so hung up on how things look at 100 pecent that they are earth shatteringly disappointed with either their gear or technique. The truth is, at 100 percent most images aren't as sharp as 50-70 percent zoom, this is normal for DSLR cameras.

Let’s face it, if we were to walk up close to a famous painting in a museum and Let’s face it, if we were to walk up close to a famous painting in a museum and study it pixel by pixel, you’d find irregularities in the brush strokes, problems with color and skewed lines. So why do we do it with photographs? Similar to paintings in a museum, photographs are meant to be viewed as a whole, and from a certain distance. Hence I have learned to never go beyond a 50 percent crop when judging the sharpness of photos on my monitor.

If you were wanting to fairly judge an image at 100 percent zoom, you’d need to If you were wanting to fairly judge an image at 100 percent zoom, you’d need to also change the resolution of your monitor to match that of the image so you can view the photo as a whole on your screen. The problem being, there is no monitor I can think of that could actually do that! The largest my desktop monitor goes to is 2560 x 1600 pixels and my laptop 1440 x 900. On September 5, 2014 Dell unveiled 'the world's first' monitor with 5K resolution, shortly followed by Apple when they released a new iMac with same size and 5120 x 2880 resolution. With many entry model DSLR cameras now utilising 24MP 2880 resolution. With many entry model DSLR cameras now utilising 24MP sensors, you’d need a monitor resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels to display images at 100 percent, yet still enable you to view them as a whole. Only then could you judge the sharpness at 100 percent.

Pixel Peeping

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If we were to walk up close to a famous painting in a museum and study it pixel by pixel, you’d find irregularities in the brush strokes, problems with color and skewed lines. So why do we do it with photographs?

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Let’s pretend there are monitors that could display an image as a whole at 100 percent zoom, there are still countless reasons why an image may not appear sharp. Many of which have nothing to do with your technique or camera gear.

For starters, the sharpest of images need clean air and good lighting. Even at For starters, the sharpest of images need clean air and good lighting. Even at reasonable focal distances, heat shimmer, fog and haze are some of the biggest barriers to sharpness! This is often referred to as ‘atmospheric conditions’. The harder the light, the sharper an image will appear. By hard, I’m referring to shadows that have a very defined edge between the shadow and the light, like what you’d see if you shot in the middle of the day. Wheras this lighting is great for sharpness, it’s often regarded overall as being the less desirable light for photography. Colors are usually washed out and the photographer needs to deal photography. Colors are usually washed out and the photographer needs to deal with the harsh shadows. Sharpness also equals the amount of local contrast seen in any particular subject. For example, it's hard to perceive sharpness in dark areas such as a tree trunk for instance. At times like this, it is important to know that there is nothing wrong with your image for the conditions.

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Did you know most cameras on the market today use a low-pass / anti-aliasing filter (blur filter) to help combat problems with moiré (strange-looking wavy patterns seen in man made objects).

In this video, Fro is totally bown away by the quality of an image that was taken with a Canon 5DS R when zoomed in at 1:1. The point being, unless you own a camera that has the low-pass / anti-aliasing filter removed, there really is no point in scrutinising an image at 100 percent zoom. It’s simply not what your DSLR camera was created for.

The anti-aliasing filter impliments a slight blur before the image reaches the sensor. Therefore, purely by design, DSLR cameras were not created to have every inch of an image scrutinised pixel by pixel.

There are now several DSLR cameras There are now several DSLR cameras aimed directly at landscape and nature photographers that have had the anti-aliasing filter removed from the hardware. For example, Nikon D800E and Canon 5DS R. I highly recommend watching a video from FroKnowsPhoto over at over at http://froknowsphoto.com/the-canon-5dsr-quality-just-blew-me-away/

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Image SharpnessAre your images not as sharp as you’d like? Listed below are several reasons you may have overlooked!

1. If shoong in RAW, the image will not be sharpened unl you post process it. JPGs are sharpened in camera, RAW files are not. The amount of sharpening is up to you!

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2. The more you crop an image in post processing, the more sharpness you’ll lose. ie a cropped image is never as sharp as the original. Similarly, straightening a horizon in post processing also affects sharpness. Therefore you should strive to compose the image as well as possible in-camera.

3. Ditch the UV filter! You are not going to capture the sharpest shot 3. Ditch the UV filter! You are not going to capture the sharpest shot possible by adding an eighty dollar filter over the top of your thousand dollar plus lens. Experience has taught me that shots taken with filters are soer than those without. Those who are worried about protecng their glass need to ask themselves one simple queson, ‘how oen have you replaced your UV filter’?

4. When shoong long exposures, don’t expect every image to be sharp. 4. When shoong long exposures, don’t expect every image to be sharp. Even with 10 second exposures, just a gentle breeze shiing the camera a ny bit can soen the focus. When using a tripod, always turn off vibraon reducon / image stablisaon on the side of your lens, and use mirror lockup for long exposures.

5. Did you know at 100 percent focal length, most lenses aren't as sharp 5. Did you know at 100 percent focal length, most lenses aren't as sharp as 50-70 percent zoom? It’s not unusual for me to use my 100-400mm telephoto lens at 370mm focal length for this very reason.

6. Don’t smash your shuer buon when taking a shot! All you need do is 6. Don’t smash your shuer buon when taking a shot! All you need do is simply roll your finger across the buon. It is well known, the harder you press the shuer buon, the more problems you’ll have when it comes to sharpness. This is why more expensive cameras like the 5D Mark III and Nikon D810 etc have a rubber coang so the press of the buon does not vibrate the camera as much.

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7. Some lenses are sharper than others. For example, prime lenses (non zoom) are light to hold, and fast to shoot. Primes have less moving parts and therefore have a reputaon for sharpness and beer quality. The more focal range between the shorter and longer lengths, the less sharp it will be. For example, a lens that goes from 17-40mm focal length will be sharper than one that goes from 17-300mm.

8. Are you shoong with the sharpest aperture? Many photographers learn that 8. Are you shoong with the sharpest aperture? Many photographers learn that the sharpest aperture on many lenses is f/7.1 or f/8 give and take. The further you go from that aperture, the soer the image will appear.

9. Did you know that increasing the ISO also reduces visible detail, and therefore sharpness seen in a photo? This is usually noceable from ISO 400 onward (depending on your camera brand and model).

10. Depending on where you set your focus, in theory, that should be the 10. Depending on where you set your focus, in theory, that should be the sharpest area of your image, every other area will only be acceptably sharp, or not sharp at all (depending on your aperture se ng).

If you are wanng a landscape to be sharp from the foreground to the mountains on the horizon, and you are expecng to see details in the trees of those mountains, your best opon is to buy a $60 000 medium format camera (Phase One). It’s simply not going to happen with a DSLR.

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When viewing the image above in it’s largest size, the trees seen on the mountains along the horizon are not as detailed or sharply focussed as the water in the foreground. Does this mean this is a bad image? Of course not, this is perfectly acceptable and normal for DSLR photography. This image has sold thousands of mes over!

Remember, somemes what we see as not being sharp, is oen perfectly normal for DSLR technology.

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for macro photography

ESSENTIALTIPS

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8 LightGood macro photography needs Good macro photography needs plenty of light. Either sunlight, or an off camera ash. Even better, a ring ash or twin lite ash unit. With plenty of light you can shoot either fast shutter speeds, or higher apertures, which means more in focus.

9 Listen & Feel Learn to listen and feel your lens as it locks hard into focus. There is a difference between soft and hard focus. You can actually hear and feel when a lens locks hard into focus.

1010 Know Your SubjectBe familiar with the habits of your subject. For example, butteries are easier to photograph later in the day, as they settle down for the night.

5 Curious InsectsYou’ll never capture a good macro You’ll never capture a good macro chasing bugs as they zip around here, there, and everywhere. Instead nd a curious insect that is sitting still. Or focus on a ower that they return to often.

6 Forget Windy DaysUnless your intention is motion blur, Unless your intention is motion blur, make it easy on yourself and wait for a calm day before photgraphing macros.

7 Focus ManuallyIf your lens is having trouble If your lens is having trouble focusing, switch it to MF / M. Learning to focus manually is useful when it comes to bugs in ight such as a hovery or bee!

One more tipMacro photography should be fun. If at rst you don’t succeed, try again. See it as a challenge and don’t become disheartened. And denately don’t give up. Shooting with a dedicated macro lens takes practise and time to build up your skills.

1 ApertureJust because your dedicated macro Just because your dedicated macro lens goes down to F2.8 doesn’t mean you need set it at F2.8. If you shoot at F2.8 and get nice and close to your subject, chances are you’ll only have the eye in focus. Try F5.6 instead when shooting up close!

22 How Close?Most macro photos you see online are cropped tight in post processing. The photographer isn’t really shooting that close to the subject! Personally I like standing roughly 30-50cm away.

33 Early MorningI nd early morning when the bug still has dew on it (unable to y) the best time for macro photography.

4 BackgroundsMove into a position that gives you Move into a position that gives you the best possible background. Backgrounds are just as important as the subject.

Macro Photography Tips

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Those who use a dedicated macro lens will understand how hard it is to raise the aperture f/number for a large depth of field, yet keep the shuer speed fast enough to capture an insect on the move. This is especially true when it comes to shoong macros in a shady part of your garden. Listed below is my go to technique for macro photography using a speedlight.

1. Place your speedlight onboard your camera and turn both the speedlight and camera on.

2. Open the camera menu and look for an item called ‘Flash Control’ or 2. Open the camera menu and look for an item called ‘Flash Control’ or something similar. If you have an opon for E-TTL Flash Mode make sure it’s enabled. Set the E-TTL meter to evaluave. While you are there, also change the ‘Flash sync. speed’ in AV mode from Auto to the highest fixed speed available. Normally 1/250 sec. (fixed) or similar. The flash sync speed will then be fixed at 1/250 second, prevenng subject blur and camera shake.

Flash Tips For Macro

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3. There are two ways to go about the remainder of the se ngs. You could set Shuer Speed Priority using 1/250 second and let the camera choose the aperture. Or alternavely, you could set Aperture Priority using f/11-f/13. This will ensure a larger area of the bug is in focus and not just the eye. The flash se ng you made earlier will ensure the speed is kept at 1/250 seconds. Now take a couple of test shots. If you find the background is black, increase the ISO to 400 and try again.

That’s all there is to it. Simple right?

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One of the biggest mistakes I see beginners make when rst starting out in photography, is to presume manual focus is better than autofocus. The truthis, focusing has never been so simple! Half press your shutter button withyour lens set to autofocus, 99% of the time the camera will focus in a split second, ready for you to take the shot.

If you nd your camera is focusing on something other than the main subject,it is purely because you are yet to learn how to properly use your focalit is purely because you are yet to learn how to properly use your focalpoints (Lesson 3 for those taking our online photography course over athttp://www.slrphotographyguide.com/online-courses.shtml )

Personally, the only time I switch to manual focus (MF/ M) is if my lens is having trouble focusing itself and is swimming back and forth for something to lockonto. For example, in low light or low contrast scenes the lens may have trouble focusing. Otherwise I’m more than happy to make it easier on myselfand keep it on autofocus. and keep it on autofocus.

Of course every photographer will have their own opinion on the matter, but if you are using manual focus and wondering why your images are not as sharpas you’d like, why not try autofocusing and compare the results?

Cheers!Tanya Puntti

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If you are using manual focus (MF /M) and your images are not as sharp as you’d like, switch to autofocus and compare the results.

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image © Tanya Pun

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Did you know an overexposed image is harder to save (if at all) than an underexposed shot? If highlights are blown out, they will not hold any detail that is recoverable in post processing and there is usually nothing you can do to save the image. On the other hand, an underexposed image oen contains much detail that is recoverable in post processing.

The ideal situaon is to wait for the right light. This may mean ge ng up well The ideal situaon is to wait for the right light. This may mean ge ng up well before sunrise to be at the desnaon before the sun becomes a problem. Likewise in the evening at twilight, where the fading light is perfect.

Yet there are mes when you will undoubtably be in the right place at the wrong me of day. Do you miss the shot because the lighng isn't perfect? Of course not. There will be mes when a landscape photographer must underexpose the foreground to ensure that the sky is not overexposed or blown out.

Firstly, you can manually set your exposure one or two stops under zero and Firstly, you can manually set your exposure one or two stops under zero and lighten the darker area later on in post processing, drawing out the shadows.

You can also ensure a good exposure by using the brackeng funcon that most You can also ensure a good exposure by using the brackeng funcon that most cameras have built in, where the camera takes 3 shots at -1, 0, +1 exposure increments and you merge the images in post processing. When using brackeng you must ensure your camera is on a tripod as the smallest movement between shots will be noceable. Brackeng therefore gives one exposure for the highlights, one neutral exposure and lastly an exposure for the darker areas of the scene.

Another opon for the photographer is to compose the scene so that you don't Another opon for the photographer is to compose the scene so that you don't include the sky in the image. You can also use a polarizing filter or graduated neutral density filter to darken the sky.

The important thing to remember is that blown out highlights will aract the viewers eye to that area of a scene. This is not usually where the landscape photographer wants the viewer to look.

Keep detail in highlights by exposing for the highlights which may mean Keep detail in highlights by exposing for the highlights which may mean underexposing other areas of an image.

Keeping Detail In Highlights

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Why you should install it even if you have Adobe

Beginners are often unaware that cameras come ready packaged with editing Beginners are often unaware that cameras come ready packaged with editing software! This is especially true for all leading camera brands. If yours didn’t come with a DVD full of goodies, or you purchased it second hand, chances are you can still download it from the companies website. A quick Google search of your camera brand / model, along with the keyword ‘software’ should find quick results. Otherwise do a search on the company website for your camera brand and look for a link that says ‘Drivers & Downloads’, followed by ‘Software’. Even if you already own Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom editing software, I still highly if you already own Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom editing software, I still highly recommend downloading the tools that came with your camera for the reasons listed on the next page.

Camera Software

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1. Similar to computers, cameras also need software updates. Software developed specifically for your camera, makes it easy to update the firmware.

2. Have you ever noticed Adobe software isn’t always compatible with your camera’s RAW files? You can guarantee the software that came with your camera will be able to read the files that are captured.

3. I find transfering images from my camera to PC is much faster when using 3. I find transfering images from my camera to PC is much faster when using Canon or Nikon software verses Lightroom. Truth is I find Lightroom tediously slow!

4. As you continue on through our online photography course, you’ll learn about 4. As you continue on through our online photography course, you’ll learn about customising your camera settings. You can increase color saturation, sharpness, contrast and many other settings in camera. If you also shoot in RAW file format (highly recommended, see last magazine) then you’ll also lose these customisations when opening the files in Adobe software. Photoshop and Lightroom ignore these settings, leaving images quite flat looking. This means you’ll need to redo the edits in post processing which takes time. The software that came with your camera does not ignore custom settings. Get it right in that came with your camera does not ignore custom settings. Get it right in camera, and all you need to is export files as JPEG, ready to upload to your favourite image gallery.

5. Software that came with your camera may allow you to remotely control settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO and shutter button from your computer. This is especially useful if you’re shooting in a studio and want to preview your tethered camera’s images on a larger screen in real time. I’ve learned over the years not to fully trust the results seen in the back LCD screen!

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(quick tips for those in snowy wonderlands)

You may have noticed that all subjects, especially light ones like snow, pick up a colour cast from surrounding light. This is the reason why photos of snow taken in daylight under a blue sky often have a blue tinge.

One of the simplest ways to correct this is to set a custom white One of the simplest ways to correct this is to set a custom white balance (Kelvin) in camera. Experiment between 7000 - 8000 degrees kelvin, take a shot and review it on your LCD screen. If it’s still too blue, increase the setting. If you find your image is now too red, decrease the setting and try again.

You could also try setting white balance to ‘shade’. Your camera You could also try setting white balance to ‘shade’. Your camera will then automatically adjust the white balance to around 7000 degrees kelvin.

Or if you shoot in RAW file format, you could simply leave the white balance setting on AUTO and adjust it later on with your RAW file editor.

One more tip, if you find your snow images are too dull / grey, try One more tip, if you find your snow images are too dull / grey, try increasing your exposure compensation to +1 or +2 (refer to lesson 5 of our online photography course) to help give them that extra brightness.

ARE YOUR SNOW PHOTOS TOO BLUE?

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Page 58: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Old rules that still work

Here are a couple of quick go to settings that are useful to have in mind when photographing two common scenarios.

1. Early Sunset

When photographing a subject against a sunset, set your camera to manual When photographing a subject against a sunset, set your camera to manual mode with an f/4 aperture. Then choose a matching ISO / Shutter Speed combination. For example, if you choose ISO 400, set a matching Shutter Speed of 1/400 second. If you choose ISO 800, set a Shutter Speed of 1/800 second and so forth.

Quick Go To Settings

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When using this technique, ignore the exposure line. If you are hand holding your camera, remember to choose a combination that is faster than the length of your lens. For example, if you use a 70mm focal length, choose ISO 100 and Shutter Speed 1/100sec combination. If you are using 200mm focal length, choose the ISO 400 and 1/400sec combination to avoid camera shake.

2. Overcast Day In The Garden (sun completely covered by cloud / fog etc)

For these kinds of lighting conditions I use the same method as perviously with For these kinds of lighting conditions I use the same method as perviously with the sunset, the main difference being, I set an aperture f/5.6 with a matching ISO / Shutter Speed combination.

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Page 61: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Shooting through a wire fenceA question I’m asked often is “How do I shoot through a wire fence”?

This challenge is often faced while visiting the zoo or a sporting event. The truth is, shooting through fences isn’t as hard as it seems!

Listed below are my top tips for shooting through a wire fence.

1. Get as close to the fence as possible. Most lenses will have a hard time focusing on something as large as a fence if you are close to it. Therefore it will have no something as large as a fence if you are close to it. Therefore it will have no choice but to focus through it. If there are large gaps in the fence, make it easier on yourself and position the camera so the gaps fill the center of the frame.

2. Using a small aperture number will help throw the fence out of focus. Especially when focusing on a subject in the distance.

3. Zoom your lens out so you fill the frame with your subject. For example, if your lens is a 70-300mm focal length, zoom it to 300mm. The longer the length of your lens the more blur on the foreground fence. Hopefully so much so that you can’t see it at all. blur on the foreground fence. Hopefully so much so that you can’t see it at all.

4. Set a single focus point and aim it directly at the subject. Keep the switch on the side of your lens to AF or A unless it’s having trouble focusing. If it does have trouble focusing through the fence, switch to MF (manual focus) and rotate the focal ring until it looks sharp when looking through the rear view.

5. If the subject is close to the fence, then you’ll have no option but to make it part of the composition. The further away the subject is from the fence the better!

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8 Natural LightTry to get a window seat as the natural Try to get a window seat as the natural light will compliment the dish. Best light would be for it coming over your shoulder. Side on will also work but never shoot into the light source. You will only end up with the food as a silhouette.

9 Jazz it upGive your food photo a little action by Give your food photo a little action by having someone drizzle some maple syrup over pancakes, sauce (ketchup) on a hot dog or cheese being sprinkled on spaghetti.

10 Shooting AnglesTake the photo from every angle. If you Take the photo from every angle. If you are in a restaurant this may not be entirely possible, yet taking photos looking directly down and side on will give you a choice of images to select for the nal shot.

5 Camera SettingsSet a low aperture number and ll the frame with the dish. Use a high ISO (800 minimum) for a faster shutter speed to help you capture a sharper image. Especially if hand holding the camera.

66 CompositionFocus on the edge of the food closest to you if the plate is full. Move the plate around to obtain the best view of the main food item if necessary.

7 Use of ColorWhere possible use the natural colors of Where possible use the natural colors of food to create a visual delight. Bold reds and dark greens naturally go together well, so salads are great subjects.

One more tipPut the camera away and enjoy the food and the moment. If your on a rst date my strong advice, if you want a second date, would be to leave the camera at home. That advice is also good for anniversaries and all romantic occasions

1 PresentationTake the shot of the dish before you start eating. A half eaten piece of steak doesn't look as good as when it was lovingly placed on the plate.

2 Fresh is bestCapture the image while the dish is Capture the image while the dish is fresh. Food always looks best when rst served. Don't let a salad wilt. Capture that steak or fresh baked pie while there is still steam coming off to add a sense of avor.

3 BackgroundsA glass of wine, slightly blurred in the A glass of wine, slightly blurred in the background is the perfect prop to add strength to the overall composition. Arrange cutlery or other tableware to your best advantage.

4 FlashUse ash as a last measure and diffuse Use ash as a last measure and diffuse the light or aim the ash up onto the ceiling, bouncing the light down. Harsh ash will make the food look fake.

Capturing great food shots

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Photographing white birds in harsh day light

As photographers you always hear that lighting is important. However it’s also important to have a full understanding of camera settings to control light that isn’t ideal. Take the day I shot this image below for example. It was taken at 12:30pm (mid-day). The image you see is straight out of the camera (apart from cropping).

Many photographers will tell you there is nothing harder than trying to Many photographers will tell you there is nothing harder than trying to photograph a white bird on a bright sunny day. So how was I able to capture this much detail in the feathers? The answer to that question is ‘Spot Metering’.

Spot Metering For Birds

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I took this shot below to give you an idea of the lighting conditions and what the camera does when kept to the default metering system. As you can see it’s very ordinary and not ideal. The bird is over exposed with no detail seen in it.

Here is another example, again photographed in harsh lighting with ‘Spot Metering’.

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Page 67: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

These two images on the left were taken a minute apart, the same bird, scene, and lighting. No editing has been done; they are as they were straight out of the camera. Notice in the second photo, much of the bird’s body is over-exposed with very little detail in its shoulder and neck area. The difference between the two images is that the first image was taken with ‘Spot Metering’.

I’ve kept the focal points overlay turned on to show you where I focus when I’ve kept the focal points overlay turned on to show you where I focus when photographing birds. I find when shooting white birds using spot metering, I get a much better result when aiming the focal point directly at the body. Every time I nail this, I end up with an image where the bird has detail in the feathers and the background is darkened beautifully, helping to isolate the main subject, making it less ordinary.

I’ve set my aperture to f/5.6, which means even though I’m aiming the focal I’ve set my aperture to f/5.6, which means even though I’m aiming the focal point at the body, the eye also is still in sharp focus. Recall from the Aperture e-book (students only), that aperture is like a circle of focus. Depending on your aperture setting, any part of the bird that is within the same distance to you, will also be in sharp focus.

Had the bird been flying horizontally across the scene, I’d have increased my Had the bird been flying horizontally across the scene, I’d have increased my aperture f/number to f/7.1 to compensate for the wings being closer to you in distance than it’s head. This way, when I set continuous shooting with AI-Servo, all I need do is concentrate on keeping the bird’s body in the middle of the frame i.e over the focal point.

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Cropping For Print

Have you ever taken a photo, then when prinng the image you need to crop the scene to fit the paper? This is actually normal.

You may have noced when looking through the main se ngs on your You may have noced when looking through the main se ngs on your DSLR, one that refers to aspect rao. You’ll find many DSLRs by default have an aspect rao of 3:2, which prints perfectly to a 4x6 inch print. While other digital cameras use 4:3 aspect rao. Neither 3:2 nor 4:3 matches 5x7 or 8x10 prints, which means almost all images need to be cropped in some way to fit the "standard" photo print sizes.

Think of it similar to trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It’s just Think of it similar to trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It’s just not going to happen.

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So how do you avoid having to crop part of your image when ordering certain sizes?

The soluon is easy! Make sure you leave some breathing room when The soluon is easy! Make sure you leave some breathing room when you are shoong by going a lile wider than needed. This will ensure no part of your subject will be cut off when you have a print made that isn’t the same aspect rao as your camera’s sensor. This is especially important when working for clients. Don’t give them an image that is cropped so ghtly there is no room to move when it comes me to print.

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by Tanya Puntti

This past week I run a few of our students through my prinng process to help them beer control color accuracy when sending images to an online service or prinng from home. This had me thinking maybe there are others who would also benefit from these ps.

Color management is based on the use of color profiles. The two most common Color management is based on the use of color profiles. The two most common working profiles are sRGB and AdobeRGB. You have most likely seen these already when going through the main se ngs on your DSLR camera. AdobeRGB can represent more colors than sRGB i.e more saturated colors. However many online services sll print with standard sRGB (check their FAQ).

When preparing images in Photoshop, it's always best to stay in RGB for as long When preparing images in Photoshop, it's always best to stay in RGB for as long as possible to ensure the image remains opmised during the print process. In the last step, save a master sRGB copy before applying the appropriate paper / profile and adjusng if required.

So how do I go about acheiving this?

The first step is to make sure your monitor is fully calibrated. May edion of our The first step is to make sure your monitor is fully calibrated. May edion of our student magazine had an arcle on calibraon: hp://issuu.com/slrphotographyguide/docs/slrphotographyguide-may2015

Preparing images for print

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Next you need to make sure your eding soware is working in sRGB color space.

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It’s also important to check every image you open is loading with sRGB color space. If you are using Photoshop and you see this screen when opening an image, check the blue links along the boom. If it doesn’t say sRGB, click the link to edit it.

Once the image is open, click along the top toolbar on View | Proof Setup, and make sure Internet Standard RGB (sRGB) is checked.

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When you are done eding your image, the next step is to proof the image using the paper profile (ICC Profile). These are normally available on the website of the paper company for download. If you are using a 3rd party prinng service, you might need to ask them what ICC Profile they print with. Check their FAQs as well. If you can’t find it, I recommend scking with sRGB profile.

To do this click on View | Proof Setup again, but this me choose ‘Custom’. From there you can choose the paper type you are planning to print on.

When it comes me to print, let Photoshop Manage Colors and make sure the Printer Profile matches the same paper you chose when proofing the image earlier.

One more p, before prinng the image, turn your brightness down to around 20% brightness. This will help with images that print too dark.

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When I first posted this image online, I was unindated with messages asking how I took the photo and what were the camera se ngs. So here it is :)

I noced the day before that this was a favourite fishing spot for the bird, so went back again the next evening. It was busy catching its last feed for the day so I sat about 6 meters from it. The image was taken just before dusk, as the sun was about to go below the horizon (roughly 15% from the horizon). So the lighng you see is natural sunlight coming directly from the le side of the bird, shining through its wings.

I set aperture priority F5.6, ISO 1000 (because of darker lighng at dusk), and 1/6400th of a I set aperture priority F5.6, ISO 1000 (because of darker lighng at dusk), and 1/6400th of a second shuer speed.

The main secret however to the dark surroundings and lighter bird is my metering se ng, which was set to 'Spot Metering'. The camera therefore exposed for the white bird and not its surroundings. I also used 'Portrait Mode' which I do oen when photographing birds. I find the result is a more natural colour.

Furthermore I set Al Servo focusing, and shot in connuous mode so I could capture a series of Furthermore I set Al Servo focusing, and shot in connuous mode so I could capture a series of images from the bird diving in the water to flying away again.

With a focal length of 285mm, the bird filled the frame with very lile cropping required. This parcular bird didn't mind me being close to him as he dived in the water for a feed. How close you are able to photograph a bird also helps capture more detail.

Hope this informaon helps all those bird lovers out there capture their own epic shots of this beauful world we live in.

Cheers!Cheers!

How I shot this imageBy Tanya Puntti

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Q & A Tidbits from inbox messages and email

1. Denise Jackson-Cook this past month had a problem with what seemed like corrupt image files. Here are the examples she had sent me through private messaging.

Aer a bit of a chat back and forth a soluon was found. It seemed the inbuilt memory card reader on the PC was to blame. When she connected the camera to the computer via the USB cord, all images transfered fine. Note this could also go the other way. If you see files like this when using the USB cord, the first thing you should try is a different cord and / or USB slot.

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2. Another asked, why is it when she views images at work, they always looks different in color to what she sees on her home computer?

When exporng an image for internet viewing (or prinng) make sure When exporng an image for internet viewing (or prinng) make sure you save it with sRGB colour profile embedded. sRBG is universal, every PC, MAC, tablet and printer understands sRGB. If you are saving it as Adobe RGB unfortunately it is not universal. All browsers convert to sRGB when showing the viewer an image, and some do a really bad job at it. Hence the difference you see between operang systems, printers and browsers etc.

3. Almost daily we receive quesons concerning prinng. Or rather, why 3. Almost daily we receive quesons concerning prinng. Or rather, why is it that photos oen print much darker than they see on their monitor? Apart from exporng images in sRGB as menoned above, we also recommend turning your monitor brightness down to around 15% when previewing photos that are intended for print. As we know, monitors are backlit with a bulb, paper prints are not! You need to take this into account when preparing images for print.

4. A queson that comes up oen in both email and in our facebook 4. A queson that comes up oen in both email and in our facebook group (students only) refers to RAW files and why they oen look different in color when viewing them in soware that came with your camera (such as ZoomBrowser for Canon users) when compared to Adobe soware?

In our course we encourage students to experiment with custom se ngs In our course we encourage students to experiment with custom se ngs (increasing or decreasing saturaon, contrast etc). This informaon is saved in the image file, however Adobe disregards this when opening RAW files. The RAW file editor that came with your camera however, does display the custom se ngs when opening RAW files.

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The relationship between your lens and aperture

QUESTION: I”ve been following lesson 1 and have set the lowest possible aperture number. When I zoom the lens in or out, the aperture changes automatically, why does this happen?

ANSWER: The lowest aperture number available is controlled by the focal length of your lens.

Take these lenses below for example:Take these lenses below for example:

50mm f/1.870-200mm f/2.818-55mm f/3.5-5.628-300mm f/3.5-6.3

The first numbers refer to the focal length. In other words, how far the lens The first numbers refer to the focal length. In other words, how far the lens zooms in or out. The aperture f numbers, refer to the lowest aperture number available for the given focal length.

50mm f/1.8 means this lens has one focal length, 50mm. The lowest aperture number available is f/1.8.

70-200mm f/2.8 means this lens can be zoomed from 70mm focal length to 200mm. The lowest aperture number available is f/2.8 at any focal length.

18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 note this time there are two apertures f/3.5-5.6. What this means is the lowest aperture available at 18mm is f/3.5, however if you zoomed the lens to 55mm, then the lowest aperture number available is f/5.6.

28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 means at 28mm focal length, the lowest aperture number available is f/3.5. If you zoom the lens to 300mm, the lowest aperture number available is now f/6.3.

Maximum Aperture

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Q & A

What’s the difference between a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens and a 150-500mm f/5-6.3 lens?

The first is most likely more expensive because it allows a faster shutter speed at the lower and higher focal lengths. ie f/4 is faster than f/5 and f/5.6 is faster than f/6.3. Useful to know when photographing nature or sports. photographing nature or sports.

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1. Your camera shoots faster. Handy if you are photographing a moving subject, are not using a tripod and worried about camera shake, or wanting to photograph a flower on a windy day.

2. It allows more light in, which allows you to shoot indoors without a flash.

3. They have a low depth of field. Meaning you can blur the background or foreground more easily.

Quick TipsQuick Tips

If you want to shoot indoors without a flash, look for a lens that allows a minimum aperture number of f/1.4 to f/2.8. This also includes indoor sports and stage shows.

For overcast days, shoot between aperture f/2.8 and f/3.5. Especially handy for sports where you need to keep the shutter speed nice and fast.

On shady days you can get away with a lens that allows apertures within the On shady days you can get away with a lens that allows apertures within the range of f/3.5 - f/5.6.

For daylight sunny conditions it doesn’t matter. In these conditions, even at f/8-f/11 the shutter speed will be nice and fast.

Advantages Of Setting Low Aperture Numbers

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image © Malini Majithia (UK). Photographed with a Canon EOS 100D camera and plentyof passion. Six short months ago Malini was a beginner with a desire to learn. Todayshe is an ispiration for myself and all who see her work, as she continues to grow each day as a photographer.

Alice: “This is impossible”The Mad Hatter: “Only if you believe it is”

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how to photograph silhouettes

Silhouees make for dramac photographs. This past month Amanda Franklin asked in our private facebook group (students only) how does one go about photographing them. Listed below are my top ps for photographing silhouees.

It’s best to shoot silhouees at the beginning or end of the day, when the sun is It’s best to shoot silhouees at the beginning or end of the day, when the sun is low in the sky. Sunsets are one of the most popular mes for silhouees, because of their vibrant colors. However you can also create silhouees indoors by making sure there is more light on the background than the subject, then expose for the backgroud (a reverse of the exposure compensaon assignment found in Lesson 5 of our online photography course).

The key to a successful silhouee is backlighng. You don’t necessarily need to The key to a successful silhouee is backlighng. You don’t necessarily need to have the main light source directly behind the subject, it just needs to be at some angle in front of you. Then you need to expose for the brighter background, which will place your subject in shadow.

Before shoong silhouees, make sure Acve D-Lighng or Auto Lighng Opmizer is turned off (if your camera offers it).

The trick is to focus on the main subject, but expose for the background. If your The trick is to focus on the main subject, but expose for the background. If your camera is having trouble focusing, try to focus on the very edge of the subject or switch your lens to manual focus.

A good starng point is to use Manual mode and set an aperture of around F8, ISO between 100-200 and dial in between -1 to -3 EV (Lesson 5 - Exposure Compensaon). Have a look on the LCD at how the image looks, and adjust your exposure accordingly.

Keep It Simple. Pick a strong subject with an interesng shape. For example, a Keep It Simple. Pick a strong subject with an interesng shape. For example, a lone tree or a portrait figure against a sunset makes a great subject.

I’ll look forward to seeing more sihouees posted in our facebook group!

Silhouette

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Student image © Trisha Speel

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Page 89: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

It doesn’t maer whether you are a beginner or a professional, image quality and accuracy are always important. Calibrang your monitor will help guarantee you’re viewing content the way it is meant to be seen, and that the colors you see in your images are true.

Before calibrang, ensure your monitor has been turned on for at least half an hour to Before calibrang, ensure your monitor has been turned on for at least half an hour to warm up and check that you are using its default screen resoluon. It’s also best to calibrate in moderate ambiant lighng. ie make sure no sharp glares and color casts are hing the screen.

The good news is, both Mac OS X and Windows have in-built display calibraon tools. In The good news is, both Mac OS X and Windows have in-built display calibraon tools. In Windows, the display calibraon tool is located in the Display Control Panel or use the search bar to scan your computer for the keyword ‘calibrate’. Once you’ve located the calibraon wizard, simply follow the steps.

In Mac OS X, the Display Calibrator Assistant is located in the system preferences, or enter the word ‘calibrate’ in the spotlight found in the upper right side of your screen, then follow the steps.

When completed, you can use web based calibraon tools to check the results. For When completed, you can use web based calibraon tools to check the results. For example: hp://displaycalibraon.com/color_depth.html or hp://t.vanity.dk/monitorTest_scale.html

Alternavely you can also download The Lagom LCD monitor test pages from hp://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/ (instrucons for use are listed on the website).

Of course online calibraon relies on your percepon of color and may therefore be Of course online calibraon relies on your percepon of color and may therefore be flawed. If you sll have trouble obtaining color consistency across all your monitors, then we recommend using colorimeter hardware such as those created by Datacolor hp://spyder.datacolor.com/display-calibraon/

Calibrang your monitor will help ensure your prints match your display and is highly recommended!

How to calibrate your monitor

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1. Resize photos before you post them. The width at its longest side should beeither 720 px, 960 px or 2048 px for regular photos.

2. For cover images, resize to 851 px (width) by 315 px (height). To avoid compression when you upload your cover photo, make sure the le size is less than 100 KB.

3. Save your image as a JPEG or PNG le with an sRGB color prole.

4. It’s best to compress an image in post processing to no less than 70% quality.4. It’s best to compress an image in post processing to no less than 70% quality.

5. Use very little sharpening (if any at all) in post processing as Facebook adds this their end on upload.

6. Make sure to select the ‘High Quality’ option (if you see it) when uploadingimages to Facebook. Note, you may only see this option when uploading to analbum.

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How to create high key images in natural light

High key photography refers to the use of unnatural bright lighting with the aim of blowing out most or all harsh shadows seen within an image. This style is highly suitable for portraits of women, childen, flowers and product photography to name a few.

When shooting high key, all your camera settings should be aimed at letting in When shooting high key, all your camera settings should be aimed at letting in lots of light. This means using a low aperture f/number for example f/5.6 and an exposure bias of +1, +2 or +3.

A non-destracting background is best. ie the background tones should be even with no deep shadows. The brighter the background the better. Bright or overcast cloudless skies are perfect. If you can’t find a background with bright tones, you can always fix them later in post processing.

High Key Photography

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I recommend using manual mode so you have full control over your settings. Set matrix metering and point your camera to the background. Adjust the exposure line into the positives, try +1, +2 and +3. I recommend trying all three exposure biases so you can compare them on your monitor in post processing before choosing the best result. Note, you don’t want blown out highlights with no detail in your actual subject. You are just looking to eliminate as much of the shadow as possible.

If you do see blown out highlights or deep shadows, then try a different subject If you do see blown out highlights or deep shadows, then try a different subject or time of day. Not every scene can be turned into a good high key photograph.

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creating high key indoor images with flash

To create high key shots indoors, all you need is a white wall, roll of paper or To create high key shots indoors, all you need is a white wall, roll of paper or sheet and a pair of flashguns (minimum). The quality of the high key image will depend on the strength of your lighting gear. I’ve seen many beginners try to use continuous lighting, however the problem with these (especially the cheaper ones) is that they are fairly low-powered, which can make it difficult to pull off high key photography. Flashes on the other hand are usually much more powerful in the strength of light they give out.

If you are using two flashguns, position one directly behind the subject, pointed If you are using two flashguns, position one directly behind the subject, pointed at the white background. This one needs to be set at a higher strength than the flash gun you use to light your subject.

Set your second flashgun in front of your subject from slightly above the face, preferably through a white umbrella to diffuse the light. If you don’t have a diffuser, bounce it off the wall or ceiling.

Don’t forget to set the main flashgun as the master and the other as the slave. Don’t forget to set the main flashgun as the master and the other as the slave. Or alternatively you could set both to be a slave to an onboard camera flash (set the pop-up flash to low power).

high key continued

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Choose manual mode for full control, setting ISO 100, shutter speed either 1/200 sec or 1/250 sec depending on your camera brand / model, and aperture f/5.6. Take a few test shots and adjust the strength of the flash until your happy with the results. Don’t forget you need to set the flash that is pointing torwards the background to a very high power output to literally blow it out. The higher the strength, the whiter the background.

Shooting with only two flashguns will most likely produce a gray, shadow-filled Shooting with only two flashguns will most likely produce a gray, shadow-filled background that needs to be lightened further in post processing. For even better results, use up to four flashguns. Your second, third and forth flashguns need not be expensive, as long as it’s got an optical slave mode. This means you can use a cheaper model, like the Yongnuo flash.

Shown below is a diagram of the setup when using four flashguns.

Don’t worry if you end up with a lot of bad shots at first, it can literally take Don’t worry if you end up with a lot of bad shots at first, it can literally take hours to figure out a decent light setup if you're new to flash photography.

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Useful Tips For Zoo Photography

1. Shoong through fences or glass isn’t as hard as it seems. The perfect se ngs are a long focal length (200mm or more is best) and a lower aperture f/number, for example f/4.6 maximum. Set a single focal point and focus directy on the animal, standing as close to the fence as possible. If shoong through a fence try and focus through a gap in the wire, or when photographing through glass, pick a spot free from scratches and smudges. The combinaon of a longer focal lenth and smaller aperture f/number will blur out the foreground fence or glass as though it wasn’t f/number will blur out the foreground fence or glass as though it wasn’t there in the first place!

image © John Hodgkin

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2. When photographing at the zoo, don’t look for a brief moment then leave. Photographers need to be paent and wait for the right moment. It’s only then you’ll capture that shot of the animal doing something interesng!

image © John Hodgkin

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image © Tanya Puntti

3. Be there early! Most animals are more lively at 9am than they are at 1pm.

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4. Watch your background. I may sound like a broken record here but it really does make or break an image!

image © Tanya Puntti

5. Buy a monopod. A zoo is for everyone to enjoy, don’t expect others to make space for your three legged tripod!

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What do all the numbers on your camera lens refer to and what do they mean?

Queson 1: What does the mm number wrien on the side of your lens refer to?

The mm number refers to the focal length. This is the length or distance from the front of the lens to the camera's sensor. The focal length is one of the most important consideraons a photographer needs to take into account when buying a new lens as it will determine the style of photograph that can be taken.

The lower the mm number (for example 17mm) the wider the angle of view. Hence The lower the mm number (for example 17mm) the wider the angle of view. Hence wide angle lenses are perfect for landscape photography. Large mm numbers like 200mm or 300mm provide a magnified telephoto view. Perfect for animal photography where you might want to zoom in on a bird yet not be too close and scare it away.

If your lens has one mm number, for example 50mm, this means it is a non zoom lens. Rather than zooming the lens in and out, you need to move your feet instead.

Queson 2: What does the rao number mean? For example 1: 4 - 5.6Queson 2: What does the rao number mean? For example 1: 4 - 5.6

This number refers to the widest aperture available for that lens. Lets say you own a This number refers to the widest aperture available for that lens. Lets say you own a Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 lens. The rao number being 4-5.6. What this means is at its widest focal length 17mm, the lowest aperture number that can be set is F4. At the other end of the focal length at 85mm, the lowest aperture number available is F5.6. This is also the reason why if you set the lowest aperture number available and you zoom your lens out to the longest length, the camera will automacally reset the aperture to suit.

Queson 3: What does Ø58mm mean?Queson 3: What does Ø58mm mean?

If you see a number that starts with the character symbol Ø, for example Ø58mm wrien on your lens, it simply means that a screw on filter that is 58mm in diameter will fit this parcular lens.

Lens FAQBy Tanya Puntti

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Need a faster shutter speed? Set a lower Aperture number or increase

your ISO higher!

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Aperture, ISO and Shuer Speed are the three main factors in controlling exposure. A change in one of these factors, needs an equal and opposite change in one of the other factors to achieve the same exposure.

Let’s say you take a test shot and are happy with the amount of light that is seen Let’s say you take a test shot and are happy with the amount of light that is seen in your image (perfectly exposed) but find that you need a faster shuer speed to reduce camera shake. In order to increase the shuer speed, you also need to adjust one of the other factors (set a lower Aperture number or higher ISO) to achieve the same exposure.

For example, a photo taken with an Aperture f/16, ISO 100 and 1/100th of a For example, a photo taken with an Aperture f/16, ISO 100 and 1/100th of a second shuer speed will result in the same exposure (lightness) as a photo taken with an Aperture of f/11, ISO 100 and shuer speed of 1/200th of a second.

Quick Tip - Exposure Triangle

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© Jacqui Sjonger - Canada

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Classic photography tips you are probably not following

1. Save your back and only take the gear you really need with you

This is one I’m guilty of myself, yet time and time again I find myself lugging around an overloaded camera bag to find I only use one lens the entire day!

2. Keep your camera sensor spotless

It makes sense to do a regular sensor clean, unless of course you enjoy spending It makes sense to do a regular sensor clean, unless of course you enjoy spending hours cloning out dust spots?

3. Get everything right in camera and stop using Photoshop to fix mistakes!

Photoshop was not invented to correct shooting errors at the editing stage. It was created to fine-tune images that were taken as best as possible in camera.

4. Get out early and stay out late

A classic tip for landscape photographers is to shoot at dawn and dusk when A classic tip for landscape photographers is to shoot at dawn and dusk when light is at it’s best! If you want epic landscape photographs and you are shooting in the middle of the day, it’s not going to happen!

5. Don’t chimp while shooting

Chimping is slang for checking your camera’s rear screen after each shot. Chances are you’ll miss other photo opportunities while looking at your back LCD screen!

Quick Photography Tips

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6. Look at the background first

The quality of the background will make or break a photo. Look out for bright colourful objects that distract a viewers eye away from the subject. Often it’s simply a matter of moving around until you find a better angle.

7. If you are not shooting in RAW make the switch now!

When shooting in JPEG, all the camera choices you make prior to pressing the When shooting in JPEG, all the camera choices you make prior to pressing the shutter button are locked into the final image. That is a lot of pressure for beginners! What if you choose the wrong white balance and the colours end up all wonky? Shooting in RAW on the other hand, allows you to adjust white balance, picture styles, exposure and sharpness (amongst others) at a later time in post editing.

8. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes and don’t be down on yourself when you 8. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes and don’t be down on yourself when you do! No professional ever woke up one morning deciding to be a photographer and immediately started taking great photos.

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Don’t limit your lenses by genre

When one thinks of landscape photography, they often imagine epic landscape scenes taken with wide-angle lenses. Sometimes it's good to try a different perspective. On this evening the sunset was a complete fizzer, so I switched to a telephoto lens (300 mm focal length) and pointed the camera to the distant mountains instead!

More Quick Tips

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Imitation will hold you back

It’s not hard to find images that inspire you. All you need do is search photo galleries like Flickr or 500px. While it’s hard not to be influenced by the work of others when you are first starting out, if all you do is imitate another by reverse-engineering their camera settings, then sooner or later you are going to become bored with your own photos.

We highly recommend taking time to master your camera step by step. Only We highly recommend taking time to master your camera step by step. Only when you have full control of the technical aspects of picture-taking, are you able to ‘make’ photos rather than ‘take’ them.

Once you have the technical side sorted out, you are then free to push your creativity towards a direction that is only limited by your own imagination.

If you ever become bored, start a new photography project. For example, force If you ever become bored, start a new photography project. For example, force yourself to shoot with a 50mm focal length for an entire month, or use aperture f/2.8. Others may pick their favorite colour to photograph for a whole week, or try something out of your comfort zone. How often do you find yourself visiting the same locations at the same time of day and using the same camera settings only to take the same photos that you always do?

Experiment with your DSLR camera. Pick one setting and work out fully what it Experiment with your DSLR camera. Pick one setting and work out fully what it does before moving onto another. Don’t worry about taking perfect shots, concentrate instead on truely understanding your camera. Remember photography is a mix between the technical and the creative.

The true beauty of DSLR cameras, is that once you have the technical side down pat, you are free to be as creative as you want. But you won’t achieve this if all you’re doing is imitating another’s camera settings and / or style.

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Shooting With Purpose

When I first started photography my trigger happy finger was shoong everything in sight! My reacon would be, ‘Wow look at that bird ... click click click’. A lot has changed since I first started out. I’ve learned that shoong with purpose, no maer what genre you enjoy photographing, gets far beer results than le ng my tricker happy finger shoot off hundreds of random shots one aer another.

Shoong with purpose means you have taken the me to think about Shoong with purpose means you have taken the me to think about what it is you want the end viewer to see when they look at the image. Your images should have an impact and tell a story, otherwise they are no different than any other point and click photo uploaded in the thousands to social media every day.

Without proper planning and execuon, the purpose will remain oblivious. Without proper planning and execuon, the purpose will remain oblivious. Sure anyone nowadays with a DSLR can end up with nice images, but without considering all aspects of the exposure and allowing the camera to make decisions for you, you’re not really shoong with intent, which means you won’t get those WOW moments.

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Shoong with purpose means you take into consideraon all aspects of the image you’re creang, starng with the subject and composion, the lens you choose, all the way to the aperture, ISO and shuer speed.

Quesons you should be asking yourself to begin with include:

- What lens should I use to suit the composion I have in mind?

- Do I need a fast or slow shuer speed? i.e. am I photographing a - Do I need a fast or slow shuer speed? i.e. am I photographing a moving subject that I want to capture it in a split second, or do I want to show movement?

- Do I want a large or small depth of field? Do I want everything in sharp focus, or do I want background blur?

Before allowing the camera to set the shuer speed, aperture, or any Before allowing the camera to set the shuer speed, aperture, or any other se ng, regardless of what mode you’re in, figure out what it is you really want out of this capture.

Decide on what the purpose is, then double check that the lens, composion and camera se ngs will allow you to carry through that intent. If it isn’t, change them!

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... shooting with purpose continued

A sure sign of someone who has not shot with purpose is clutter! Your subject A sure sign of someone who has not shot with purpose is clutter! Your subject should be the focus and clearly the object of your affection. Images taken on impulse without much thought are often cluttered. A busy image doesn’t convey a message and usually indicates a photographers lack of planning. In the competitive world of photography nowadays, impulse shots often translates to loss of audience.

Knowing the location is just as important as knowing the subject. For example, Knowing the location is just as important as knowing the subject. For example, I’ve known bird photographers to visit a location at different times of the day, looking for areas with maximum activity. Don’t forget your own backyard can often be a great location for shooting with purpose! This is where I’ve been able to spend time studying bird behavior on a daily basis. I know what flowers they are attracted to and at what times of the day. By growing bird attracting plants in pots, I am able to re-arrange them in the garden to take advantage of the best possible backgrounds. possible backgrounds.

Think through each photo shoot more carefully, it shows in the end.

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© John Hodgkin

© John Hodgkin

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QUESTION 1 - Why are my images never as good on my computer monitor as they look on the camera LCD screen?

ANSWER - Your camera’s display is lying to you! The soware on your DSLR camera ANSWER - Your camera’s display is lying to you! The soware on your DSLR camera was tweaked to make images look their best on smaller LCD screens. It was developed to make photos seem brighter and more vibrant than they actually are, giving a false impression of exposure. However you can adjust the brightness of the LCD screen to make it either brighter or darker to match that of your monitor. The amount you can adjust it depends on the model you have.

QUESTION 2 - Why aren’t both eyes in focus when using low aperture f/numbers such QUESTION 2 - Why aren’t both eyes in focus when using low aperture f/numbers such as f/2.8?

ANSWER - When photographing a person with an aperture of f/2.8 or thereabouts and ANSWER - When photographing a person with an aperture of f/2.8 or thereabouts and a longer zoom lens, for example 70mm or longer, it is best to keep both eyes on the same focal plane if you want both to be in sharp focus. ie have the person looking directly at you and not at an angle, so both eyes are the same distance to you as the photographer. The alternave is to increase the f/number higher to say f/5.6 or use a wider focal length, for example 30mm.

FAQ

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QUESTION 3 - Why do my indoor photos have a yellow colour cast?

ANSWER - The Auto White Balance se ng on your DSLR somemes gets it wrong, ANSWER - The Auto White Balance se ng on your DSLR somemes gets it wrong, especially when it comes to interior lighng. The quickest soluon is to switch to the Tungsten (also called Incandescent) white balance or Fluorescent, depending on the lighng. If you have a mix of lighng, for example light streaming in through a window while you have indoor lights switched on as well, then you need to set Kelvin and experient with different temperatures to find the right one. Or alternavely you can use a grey or white card. Hold it near the subject, then capture a Custom White Balance se ng on your camera. Balance se ng on your camera.

QUESTION 4 - Should I have one tripod leg facing the rear or two?

For longer / heavier lenses, it’s best to have one leg out in front as there’ll be less chance of the tripod toppling over. For wider lenses it’s the opposite to reduce the chance of a tripod foot ending up in the image.

QUESTION 5 - Why don’t my sunset photos look very colourful?

ANSWER - The Auto White Balance se ng on your camera aims to produce neutral results, which oen means it can drain all the orange light out of sunsets and sunrises. I recommend switching to Daylight / Sunlight white balance for natural colours, or Cloudy / Shade to really emphasise golden skies.

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Why do all lenses vignette?

Beginners are often confused as to why their lenses display optical vignetting. The truth is, it seems it’s simply not possible to design a lens that doesn’t vignette to some degree.

So how do you minimise vignetting?

Lower aperture numbers create more vignetting than higher. Often it can be as Lower aperture numbers create more vignetting than higher. Often it can be as little as one or two stops higher. For example, from f/3.2 to f/5.6 as shown in the images below.

f/3.2

Lens Vignette

f/5.6

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Using your lens at it’s widest end will result in more vignetting. Take these two images below for example. Both have been shot with the same f/2.8 aperture. The wider was taken with a 40mm focal length, the other without the vignette was 70mm focal length.

Lens hoods and filters are two other reasons you may be seeing vignetting, so best to remove them if you are seeing too much for your own liking.

Of course you didn’t buy a wide angle lens not to use it at it’s widest focal length. The good news is, vignetting can be removed in post editing.

The easiest way is to simply crop the image to remove the vignetted corners.

Adobe and other software including RAW file editors, have vignetting correction Adobe and other software including RAW file editors, have vignetting correction tools built in. For Adobe users, look for the ‘Lens Corrections’ tab and tick ‘Enable Profile Corrections’.

If you notice vignetting in your images, it’s important to realise all lenses do this to some degree under certain camera settings and lighting. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with your lens.

Cheers!Tanya.Tanya.

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I once heard that a great photographer, Edward Steichen, photographed a simple white cup and saucer over 2000 mes! How many mes and in how many different ways can you find to shoot a simple flower?

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I recently visited a fabulous botanic gardens on our trip north and had the pleasure of shoong with friends. There's nothing like a photo shoot with like minded people to smulate the creave side.

Cairns Botanic Gardens is full of beauful tropical plants and trees which Cairns Botanic Gardens is full of beauful tropical plants and trees which presented a stunning display with an endless photo opportunity every step you took. Our friends were locals of the area, apologizing for the state of the gardens, saying it was the driest they had seen in many years. I was astounded by what they said, as to me it looked quite amazing.

The day in the botanic gardens re-awakened the passion I feel when shoong The day in the botanic gardens re-awakened the passion I feel when shoong nature. I had been so busy lately that I forgot the simple pleasure a bright bloom can give a photographer. You can literally spend a lot of me enjoying a single petal. Shoong this lile miracle from every angle in an endeavor to produce something on the digital frame that you see with your eye and mind.

While I was in the garden my thoughts insncvely came to our photography While I was in the garden my thoughts insncvely came to our photography group. How would I as a tutor express to you the thought paern that I go through as I photograph flowers such as this? Allow me to share some of the steps I take when capturing something I feel may be a keeper.

Firstly, I shoot flowers primarily in manual mode, concentrang for the most Firstly, I shoot flowers primarily in manual mode, concentrang for the most part on the aperture se ng. Lower aperture numbers allow me to isolate the subject from the background and goes a long way to making a good image great. I discuss camera se ngs more in the next arcle.

Secondly, my aenon is not so much on the subject. It is on the background. Secondly, my aenon is not so much on the subject. It is on the background. The background is what will make or break the final image. Usually all it takes is for you to move around the subject, experimenng with different perspecves, taking out any man made objects that may be seen in the background.

Thirdly I think about the light, concentrang on nice bokeh. If I’m shoong Thirdly I think about the light, concentrang on nice bokeh. If I’m shoong midday, I’ll try my best to get the subject in full shade (if not naturally, then I’ll cover the flower with a hat). Ideally however, I shoot early-mid morning, or mid aernoon when I can lt the camera at an angle to capture fantasc circular bokeh.

THINKING THROUGH A FLOWER SHOT

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images © Tanya Pun

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Oen when travelling I cut down on baggage by ditching the macro lens and using a telephoto instead. I find telephoto lenses useful in a large majority of cases including flower photography. Listed below are my go to se ngs for photographing flowers with a telephoto lens.

1. Zoom your lens somewhere between 150mm-200mm focal length

2. Set an aperture of around F4.5 - F5.6

3. Set your ISO to 100 if using a tripod, or 400 if hand holding and not shoong in low 3. Set your ISO to 100 if using a tripod, or 400 if hand holding and not shoong in low light situaons.

4. Stand as close to your subject as possible while sll being able to focus, then takeone large step backwards for sharpness. Yes, there is such thing as being too close to a subject, that your lens is unable to focus sharply!

5. I set a single focal point over whatever part of the flower I deem most important.

6. If using Aperture Priority your camera will automacally choose a shuer speed. If 6. If using Aperture Priority your camera will automacally choose a shuer speed. If using manual mode, zero the exposure line and take the shot.

7. Look at the result on the back LCD screen. If you find the colour depth and details seen in the flower are not as strong as you’d like, jump across to Lesson 6 in our Online Photography Course hp://www.slrphotographyguide.com/online-courses.shtml and try the ‘Green Rule’. I use this rule 99.9% when photographing nature.

How to shoot flowers with atelephoto lens

By Tanya Puntti

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Those who have been following me for quite some time, would no doubt have noticed that I enjoy nothing more than hanging out in a helicopter photographing aerial lanscapes. No matter what kind of landscape I am photographing from this height, my go to camera settings remain the same.

Aperture Priority with an aperture of F/5.6, ISO 400, with the Aperture Priority with an aperture of F/5.6, ISO 400, with the shutter speed automatically being set by the camera (usually stays around 1/4000sec or there abouts).

Aerial Photography

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images © Tanya Puntti - SLR Photography Guide

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Why you should be shooting family photos in RAW

Back when I purchased my first digital camera I had no idea how badly JPEG files Back when I purchased my first digital camera I had no idea how badly JPEG files deteriorate the more you open, edit and re-save them. While it’s true in theory, that if you make a second copy of the original and only edit that file, then you should see no degradation in the JPEG that came out of the camera. The chance of you or your software making an edit every time the original is opened, is far higher than if you shoot RAW in the first place. This is especially true for those who are new to editing software like Lightroom and Photoshop.

I like to think of RAW as my ‘digital negative’. When I have an image I want to I like to think of RAW as my ‘digital negative’. When I have an image I want to upload online, I simply need to open the RAW, save a JPEG version then edit that file, knowing I always have the original RAW file intact to go back to if needed.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way! As I said at the start, when I purchased my I’ve learned this lesson the hard way! As I said at the start, when I purchased my first digtial camera, I shot family photos in JPEG and edited them with the software that came with my camera, as many beginners do. My children were roughly ten and thirteen years old at the time. I’d mistakenly thought being digital, that I would have these images forever. Then last week I came across family CDs and thought I’d have a look through them. It was then I realised I’d lost all photos of our children that were captured during those precious years. Sadly, their faces are so pixaleted they are almost unrecognisable. Not only had Sadly, their faces are so pixaleted they are almost unrecognisable. Not only had I edited the original JPEG files, I’d also resized them to send to family and friends through email, not thinking that monitor resolutions would change over time. An easy mistake for beginners to make. Had I shot in RAW from the start, I’d still have those original files as a ‘digital negative’ per se to fall back on.

If you are a beginner to photography, do yourself a favor and make the switch from JPEG to RAW file format. Your future self will thank you for it!

Which Format Is Best

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Why you should be shooting family photos in RAW

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FULL FRAME

CROPPED SENSOR

CROPPED SENSOR

FULL FRAME

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The most visible difference between full frame and crop sensors is their field of view. As you can see by the images to the le, a crop sensor implies just that. It captures a crop of the full frame. This is why full frame does a great job on landscapes, where standard crop sensors are beer for sports and wildlife photography.

Now everyone will have an opinion on which one you should purchase, because you Now everyone will have an opinion on which one you should purchase, because you can simply put a wider angle lens on a standard crop camera and come up with the same result as a full frame camera. The same can be said about the full frame if you aach a longer zoom lens.

Both Canon and Nikon seem to have gone down the full frame sensor path with their higher end models. Canon's flagship, the top of the range 1DX, sports a 18MP full frame CMOS sensor.

Nikon's new D810 ships with a 36 megapixel full frame sensor whilst their professional Nikon's new D810 ships with a 36 megapixel full frame sensor whilst their professional flagship D4s boasts a ‘newly designed' 16 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor.

However, you will find some photographers who prefer the lesser priced standard crop sensors simply for their addional reach, which effecvely turns a 200mm lens into a 320mm for Canon or 300mm on a Nikon.

My advice would be to always buy the best camera you can afford. Both full frame and My advice would be to always buy the best camera you can afford. Both full frame and crop sensors have their uses. If your style is primarily landscape then perhaps lean toward a full frame camera, or purchase a wider angle lens. If you primarily shoot wildlife or sports, then the standard crop gets you closer to the subject.

When choosing between a full frame or a crop sensor camera, the most important When choosing between a full frame or a crop sensor camera, the most important factors will come down to the genre of photography you shoot and your budget. Full frame cameras are more expensive and require longer lenses if you are a nature or sports photographer. Whereas crop sensors are cheaper, but require wider lenses when shoong landscapes to acheive the same results as the more expensive full frame counterparts.

Full Frame Vs Standard Crop SensorBy Tanya Puntti

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What you can acheive with a piece of translucent opal perspex and two speed lights.

image © Marion Esposito

Recipe for this shot

Note: if you own one speedlight, you could use a different source to light up the flower from the front.

No processing was done to the image on the right other than No processing was done to the image on the right other than adding a border, resizing and cropping into a square. The perspex gave the perfect white background and the two flash took out any shadows / reflections you may have seen otherwise.

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© Tanya Puntti - SLR Photography Guide

Page 132: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016
Page 133: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Last week we got together with our family (all photographers) and enjoyed a game of what we like to call ‘Camera Charades’. Basically what you do is grab your camera, tripod, remote release and a torch.

One person paints a scene with light, while the others photograph it, trying to guess what it is.

The best part is, the camera settings are a lot easier than you might think!

1. Use a tripod and remote release that allows you to hold the shutter open for as long as you want.

2. Set your camera to bulb mode.2. Set your camera to bulb mode.

3. Aperture F.5.6 and ISO 200.

4. As soon as the person starts drawing with the torch, press and hold down your shutter, don't release it until roughly 10 seconds after they stop drawing and exit the frame.

5. Try different colored celophane over the end of your torch for fun!

Page 134: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Student image © Linda Smith (USA), Shutter Speed 1/1000 | f//8 | ISO 800

Student image © Priscilla Morris (USA)Shutter Speed 1/2500 400 ISO | Aperture f/4.5

Page 135: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Bird photography is a popular genre for students in our online photography course. Here I share with you my go to shuer speeds for numerous situaons I come across when photographing birds.

When using a long telephoto lens, a 1/500 sec shuer speed may be fast enough to When using a long telephoto lens, a 1/500 sec shuer speed may be fast enough to eliminate camera shake, however it’s oen not fast enough to freeze the moon of a swooping bird. The only me you may set a slower shuer speed, is if you want to show moon blur in the wings of the bird, or if you are panning sideways as the bird flys past to blur the background.

BirdsinflightBirdsinflight - Choose a fast shuer speed of 1/1000sec minimum. Personally I try to aim for 1/2000sec. Of course this depends on the available lighng and how far you want to push your ISO in morning or evening light. To achieve this, keep your aperture number as low as possible.

BirdsanctuaryBirdsanctuary - When photographing birds in a sanctuary or zoo, you may be able to get up close to them as they sit on a nearby branch. In this case, aim for a 1/500sec shuer speed to eliminate any chance of camera shake, presuming you are hand holding the camera. If you have the camera on a tripod or monopod, then 1/250sec minimum is sufficient.

Birdsinthewild,singintreesBirdsinthewild,singintrees - Birds in the wild tend to move around more than birds seen in sanctuaries. You’ll want a shuer speed that is ready for anything, including take off. For these mes, I always aim for a shuer speed of 1/1000sec minimum.

Sharpbody,blurredwingsforhoveringbirds - For larger birds I use 1/200sec, for smaller ones I use 1/400sec to start with, then adjust from there to my liking, depending on the result seen in the back LCD.

PanningwithbirdPanningwithbird - When tracking a bird during flight you can use 1/60 - 1/200sec. This takes quite a lot of pracse to perfect. Remember the aim is to show movement in the wings and blur the background in a sideways moon.

Birdssingnearariverorpond - Zoom your lens instead of physically moving closer, so not to scare the bird. Aim for a shuer speed of 1/500sec to avoid camera shake.

Birdsofpreywiththeskyasabackground - Use a shuer speed of 1/1200sec minimum, or 1/2500sec during acon or swooping movement.

Shutter Speeds for Bird Photography

Page 136: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

playing with fruit in a fish tank

For this shot Jd used a black background with plenty of light shining above and from the side of the tank.

Fill the tank 1/2 - 2/3 with water. Hold an object within the vacinity of where you plan on dropping the fruit (Jd used a wooden spoon) and focus with AF. Once you have good focus, change the switch on the side of the lens to MF (manual focus)so it doesn't move. Use a tripod and release cable, and set the camera to so it doesn't move. Use a tripod and release cable, and set the camera to connuous fire. Start firing just before you drop the fruit and connued to do so all the way through.

EXIF Data for this shot

ISO 400 | Aperture F5.6 | Focal length 22mm | Shuer Speed 1/800 sec

Members of our private facebook group (students only) can use the searchtool in the upper right side of our page for the keywords ‘Splash photo’ to see the tool in the upper right side of our page for the keywords ‘Splash photo’ to see the video of Jd’s home studio setup and more informaon on how this shot was taken.

Recipe for this shot

Page 137: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Student image © Jd Purdy (Australia) ISO 400 | Aperture F5.6 | Focal length 22mmShuer Speed 1/800 sec

Page 138: SLR Photography Guide - February Edition 2016

Did you know our online photography course

now comes with downloadable cheat sheets?

"If you haven't taken advantage of printing the cheat sheets, I strongly suggest you take time to do so. These alone are worth

the price of the course." ~ John Smith (student)

Check out our online photography course over at

http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/online-courses.shtml