The Best Tripods & Ball Heads - Experienced landscape and wildlife photographers know that the tripod is the #1 most essential piece of gear. Although most photographers know how important a tripod is, far too many photographers foolishly put off the purchase of a professional tripod for years and instead buy 5 junkers before finally choosing to buy something of good quality. Once you buy a professional tripod, you’ll be amazed at the difference in sharpness of your images. However, not every photographer needs an expensive tripod. If you’re interested in tripods, you’ll probably like this article where I explain the pros and cons of each of the major tripod brands. Not sure what a ballhead is?
The Photography Tips that 96 Photographers Wish They Would Have Learned Sooner Two weeks ago (I know, I’m slow…) on the Improve Photography Facebook fan page, I asked our community what photography tips they wish they would have learned sooner. I was looking for lessons that many photographers procrastinate learning and it ends up keeping them back from progressing as photographers. Over 96 photographers commented on that facebook comment with their hard earned lessons, and I grabbed the most popular lessons from the group to share here. I hope that this article teaches you many ways to save yourself from making rookie mistakes (like I still seem to do every day!). Lesson #1: Envision, plan, and then create There is nothing–at all-wrong with looking at great photography to get creative inspiration. Lesson #2: The histogram is NOT optional Spending just 5 or 10 minutes to learn how to use the histogram can make a huge difference in your photography. This photo would be pretty dull without great off-camera lighting... Lesson #4: Learn to change the active focus point
Best Flash Photography Gear (Off-camera flash) - Off-camera lighting gear It is a shame that most photographers stay away from off-camera flash simply because they do not know what to buy and how to get it cheap. This page will walk you through the steps of purchasing a complete lighting set-up for under $150. Note that prices are in U.S. dollars as I found them online today. Pricing will vary according to country, but you should be able to find equivalent products no matter where you live. If you just want my recommendations on gear, I split them up into three packages that you can choose between depending on your budget. Bare Bones Lighting Setup Bare bones Kit (Total: $150) $40 - Cowboy Studio umbrella, bracket, and stand$65 – YN560 Flash (Works on all Canon, Nikon, and Sony cameras. Standard Kit (Total: $309) $71 – ePhoto lighting kit with two light stands, two brackets, 2 shoot-through umbrellas, 2 silver umbrellas, and a carrying case $130 – Two YN560 flashes (So you can use one as a main light and one to fill in shadows.
How to Learn Photography: 21 Ways to Get Started Today Would you pin this on Pinterest? Photographers these days spend so much time on the Internet learning good things about photography that they never make the time to do the things that would be really great for their photography. I’ve compiled a list of 21 things in this article that you can do today that would completely change your photography forever. THIS is how you learn photography! If you like these tips, I hope you’ll consider learning photography with me in one of my 6 online photography classes. Action #1: Learn every function your camera is capable of performing (2 hours) You know what I mean… not just aperture, shutter speed, and focus. Action #2: Prepare your work for exhibition (Several hours) This is probably the most difficult action suggested on this page. The first time I sold a photo was life-changing for me. Action #3: Enter a photography contest (25 minutes) Photography contests can be a great way to learn digital photography. Action #20: Rent a new lens
5 Time-Saving Lightroom Shortcuts You Won’t Want to Forget Time is one of our most precious resources. As a photographer, you can spend as much time behind the computer as you do behind the camera. On any given day most of us would rather be out with our camera than facing a computer screen. One of the simplest and most important ways to speed up your photo editing is by using shortcuts. Caps Lock Auto Advance Whether you use stars, flags, or colors, rating your photos is an important step in Lightroom workflow. Copy/Paste Settings There are many situations in which you will have a group of similar photos that may all require the same basic settings. If you find yourself adjusting the same settings over and over, consider creating a Preset. Solo Mode When working in Lightroom, one of the most cumbersome and time-consuming tasks is collapsing and expanding the many various side panels. Thankfully, Lightroom has a setting in place that makes navigating the interface much more user-friendly. Straighten Tool When Cropping
Nifty MiniDrive GlobeTrotter Travel Tripod Kits | Available in Two Colors and Carbon Fiber or Aluminum | Converts to Monopod The MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Tripod Kits provide an exceptional combination of materials, construction and features. Great for both compact and full frame cameras with larger lenses, plus converts to a monopod in seconds. Only 16.1" when folded yet 64.2" extended and can support 26.4 lb. Available in both aluminum and carbon fiber. This one? The GlobeTrotter is available in black or titanium and aluminum or carbon fiber. Aluminum BlackTitanium Carbon Fiber BlackTitanium Also a Monopod It's not magic, just ingenious design. Aluminum or carbon fiber? If you do the type of traveling where every ounce counts, the carbon fiber model is for you, weighing only 3.7 lb. Want lightweight but also economical? Extendable up to 64.2" Although compact when folded, the GlobeTrotter extends over 5 feet tall, giving you the height range you need. Heavy duty Supports 26.4 lb. Unyielding As the largest of the MeFOTO family, the GlobeTrotter holds larger DSLR bodies, and up to a 70-200 f/4 lens, steady. Lightweight Carry Case
Add a Thick Outline to Type in Photoshop (any version) There are several ways to create outlined text in Photoshop, but most require you to render the text. Here's a technique for a thick outline that allows the type to remain editable. You can use this technique to add an outline to any object or selection, not just text. However, unless you are using a very old version of Photoshop, the "Stroke" layer effect is a better way to add outlines to objects in Photoshop 6 or later. In case you were wondering, "stroke" is just another way of saying outline in Photoshop jargon. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 2 minutes Here's How: Select the type tool and create your text. Tips: If you edit the text, you'll need to trash the outline layer and recreate it.
Buy Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G Lenses | Best Prices & Reviews Tax-Free Guarantee in 6 Countries we 100% guarantee you that you will not be charged any GST or VAT. Any additional charges will be billed to us directly. Australia: We achieve this by sending your orders to our logistic centres in Australia first; and then divert it to you. The UK: If your delivery address is in the UK, you will see a “Clearance Fees” charge during checkout. Other countries except Australia and UK: Taxation may be charged by your government. We 100% guarantee that you will not be charged any GST, VAT, RVAT, PPN. Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia: We achieve this by sending your orders to our logistic centres in the respective country first; and then divert it to you. The UK: If your delivery address is in the UK, you will see a “Clearance Fee” charge during checkout.
7 Affordable Ways to Expand Your Photography Skills Jason Little is a photographer (shooting macros, portraits, candids, and the occasional landscape), part time writer, and full time lover of music. You can see Jason’s photography on his photography blog or on Flickr. By Jason D. Little on in Shooting The potential challenges associated with being a photographer are many; some of the obstacles one has to overcome are creative in nature, while others are related to finances. Yep, inspiration and money — or, a lack of either, to be more precise — conspire to make an artist’s life that much more difficult. Being good at just about anything usually requires strong problem solving skills. Here are a few ideas that will help guide your evolution as a photographer while, mercifully, taking it easy on your wallet. Spend the Day with a New (Different) Lens You know there’s that one lens you’ve been dying to get your hands on but simply can’t yet afford. Different is good, different can be inspiring. Find a New Subject to Photograph Create a Portfolio
These 7 Great Astrophotography Tutorials Will Make You Want to Shoot the Stars Tonight Ritesh is a professional photographer and image retoucher. By Ritesh Saini on in Photography Websites Astrophotography is a specialized field of photography that involves capturing images of celestial objects and the night sky. The range of photographs you can create is really diverse. From capturing star trails using a simple setup to capturing images of the deep sky using a sophisticated setup involving telescopes and what not, there is so much to learn. Though astrophotography requires you to put in extra effort and time, it is highly rewarding when you see the striking results you’ve produced. M101 – The Pinwheel Galaxy by Jared Smith, on Flickr 1. This is a comprehensive guide by Jerry Lodriguss that takes you through the topic of astrophotography and how it is done. - Accessories for Astrophotography - Telescopes for Astrophotography - DSLR Cameras for Astrophotography 2. This reddit post has youtube video links to astrophotography videos for beginners and advanced amateurs alike.
Snoop Camera Messenger Bag 2014 | SLR Camera Case The Snoop is a camera satchel disguised as a bike messenger bag, allowing photographers to blend in with the crowd. It's based on the Timbuk2 Classic Messenger and 2014 brings the first major redesign since 2010. Snoop is a straightforward bag with rugged exterior, TPU liner, slash pocket, quick adjust buckle and strap pad inherited from the Classic. Recast in stealthy "Cordura Black"--not ballistic nylon per specs--the new Snoop is extra slim and stripped down. Prior Snoop and Classic messengers had SR buckles on the outside of the flap. CAMERA INSERT: Dense closed cell foam padding give great protection without bulk. This wee Snoop is ideal for mirrorless ILC systems, e.g., M4/3, EOS M or Fuji X series. STRAP & PAD: The new Double-Loop CAM buckle is great: pull the doodad up or down to adjust strap length. Finally, as in prior Snoops, the front under flap pockets are tight and unable to hold anything beyond memory cards and chewing gum.
20 Fantastic Photography Documentaries On YouTube I don’t know about you, but I love photography documentaries. There’s just such a wealth of knowledge you can learn from those who have come before you. I’ve compiled this list, in no particular order, in an effort to help inspire you as a photographer, and help you to learn more about the craft. There’s some truly fantastic artists featured in this list, and a couple not so fantastic (scroll to the bottom). Edward Weston: The Photographer (1948) A couple quotes that stood out to me: “Look for the light that will best reveal the nature of the material you’re photographing.” W. About the famous WWII photographer. Half Past Autumn: The Life and Work of Gordon Parks Gordon Parks was a true modern renaissance man with achievements in many fields. Alfred Stieglitz: The Eloquent Eye (1999) This excellent documentary is part of the PBS American Masters series. The Colourful Mr Eggleston Watch William Eggleston at work in his home town of Memphis. Ansel Adams – A Documentary Film (2002)
10 Creative Photography Project Ideas As we draw closer to the end of 2011, the standard practice of coming up with a new year’s resolution comes into play, and for all of us, there’s always room to improve our photography. This year, I attempted a couple photography projects, and as I took more and more photos, I found that they were getting better and better. The best way to learn, is to practice, and what better way than with a fun, creative, photography project. This is a fairly common project idea, and one that I’ve attempted myself in the past, but I must say, it’s much harder than it seems. Think about the last time you used your camera, when was that? 52 Weeks As you can probably guess, this project borrows a lot of ideas from the 365 project, only instead of coming up with something every day, you come up with something every week. Photowalks don’t have to be specific walks that you’re going on for the purpose of taking photos, they can just be times when you’re out of the house, with your camera. Self Portraits