Friday 29 June 2012
Friday 22 June 2012
Thursday 21 June 2012
Camera settings
Photography tips
Camera settings
By Paul Keeling
So, what
settings do I use? Here are a few tips that might help.
1/Always reset your
camera after each shot.
There is
nothing worse than coming to take photos and finding they are too dark, or that
your ISO is set too high and your pictures are ghosted. That’s why preparation
is key. Prepare well .Check your settings before each shoot.
2/ PASM?Which one?
Which one of
the 4 camera modes do I use? If you are not confident or advanced enough in
your photography to have complete manual control over your camera, (using
Aperture priority , Shutter priority or Manual modes) ,use the “P” or
programmable mode. This is a semi automatic mode, and allows you to use and
have control over different combinations of shutter speed and aperture ,as well as having control over ISO and White
balance . Auto mode won’t allow you any control, whereas P mode will adjust the
settings for you but still allow some control over your camera .If you are
advanced enough to use the other 3 modes then a general rule of thumb is to ask
yourself which aspect of your shot do you want the most control over? This will
help you decide which mode to use.
3/Experiment
One sure
fire way of knowing what settings work best in any situation is to go out and
practice. This is something even the most hardened pros do .This could involve
testing a new lens, playing around and experimenting with different shutter
speeds, apertures, or ISO settings; or it could simply mean getting to know
your camera and its limitations.
The old
adage “practice makes perfect” is true, even for photographers. The more
practice you put in, the more you get to know your camera, and the more you get
to know its strengths and limitations.
4/Presets
Most cameras
nowadays have Preset modes, such as Landscape, Portrait, or Night modes, where
the camera will automatically preset the best settings for each situation.
These are especially good for beginners, and can be used as a learning aid, or
can simply be used if you see that dream shot in front of you and don’t want to
miss it.
Finally , my
advice to any budding photographer is to get to know their camera. Read the
manual. Nowadays there are many advanced settings hidden deep within the menus
of your camera which can help you produce those dream shots.
Happy
snapping!!!!
Photography tips (Wedding photography)
By Paul keeling
http://www.paulkeeling.com
If you are any way in to your photography, the chances are that one day somebody may ask you to do their Wedding photography. There is a lot more to Wedding photography than getting people to smile and say “cheese!!!”, as I’m sure you are aware . If you feel in any way not up to scratch, or if you have any reservations about whether or not you are going to get it right on the day(and remember you only get one chance at everything!!!!), then say “No!!”,and recommend that they hire a professional. However, if you feel that you are up to the job, then here are a few tips to help you along.
The first question you might ask yourself is….
What equipment do I need?
You hear it said many a time that it’s not the Camera, it’s the person behind the camera. But in a Wedding situation you may have to shoot inside a church in low light without a flash. Do you think your cheap compact or your iphone can cope with such a challenging scenario?
What I would recommend for shooting a Wedding is a full frame camera, if you have one. The full frame sensor on such a camera allows in much more light, and cameras of this calibre are designed to cope with even the most challenging of circumstances. My weapon of choice for a wedding is the Nikon D700, although if you are a Canonite, the 5d mk II is equally as formidable. But not everybody can afford full frame cameras and not everybody uses the 2 big brands.
There are alternatives. The Nikon D7000 is good in low light, as are some other crop sensor cameras.
The most important things for a wedding photographer are a sharp eye and a quick finger.
Lenses are also important. If you are shooting in low light, you need a lens with a wide aperture. A zoom with a fixed aperture of F2.8 performs well under most circumstances. My zoom of choice is a 24-70mm f2.8, which I find can be used for most of the Wedding.
Some photographers use fixed “prime” lenses. These are fantastically sharp performers in low light but using these involves frequently changing lenses. 2 camera bodies can be the simplest solution.
Also have a spare of everything. Spare camera body…spare flash….plenty of memory cards. Be prepared for any eventuality!!!
If all the equipment above all sounds too expensive and out of your reach, and you really want to shoot that Wedding, why not hire the equipment? This is a good option and is much less expensive.
But, at the end of the day it’s not about what camera you use.. it’s the person behind the camera and their skills that count .
The best advice I can give is if you have any doubts about your skills, hire a professional.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)