Topic Wiki

Quick tips on random subjects that come up in between classes (will add as we go along):

Food photography tips
Newborn photography tips

Table of Contents (I'll change each line to a link as we go along.)

Introduction

1) Choosing a camera: Point and Shoot vs. Mirrorless vs. DSLR
2) Camera specs: What do they mean, and which ones matter to me?
3) Exposure Basics Part 1 - the shutter speed/aperture/ISO triangle
4) Exposure Basics Part 2 - getting to know your mode dial, and other exposure controls
5) All about memory cards
6) Using ultra-wide lenses





Lenses 101 - technology, terminology, and specs, zooms vs. primes, basic/advanced/unique lenses

Lighting 101 - focusing specifically on easy to afford and easy to use setups
Small flash - on camera, off camera, modifiers and accessories
Studio strobes
Continuous lighting - fluorescent, LED, and halogen
Basic light modifiers - umbrellas, softboxes, gels, reflectors
Basic supports - lightstands, umbrella brackets, backgrounds, etc.

All about accessories - memory cards, tripods, bags, filters, remotes, adapters, grips, geotaggers, and more)


So I bought all my stuff - now what?

What makes a compelling photograph?
Depth of field
Composition basics - rule of thirds, perspective, framing
Advanced composition - negative space, inclusion and exclusion, compression
Light - natural, golden hour, basic flash usage.

Let's start shooting...

Kids:
In the park
Playing sports
At home

Landscapes and wildlife:
"Grand" landscapes
"Intimate" landscapes
Seascapes
Waterfalls
Cityscapes
Wildlife
Birds in flight
Shooting in bad weather

Portraits:
Babies and newborns
Single person - indoors
Single person - outdoors
Families/siblings/groups
Natural light
Artificial light - simple
Artificial light - complex
Mixed light

Others:
Close up and macro
Product photography

How do I...? (Some specific scenarios/techniques - Basic)
Shoot out of a plane window?
Shoot underwater?
Shoot compelling black-and-white?

How do I...? (Some specific scenarios/techniques - Advanced)
HDR
Long exposures
Light painting
Twilight landscapes
Milky Way
Star trails

Basic editing concepts:
Exposure
Contrast
Clarity/sharpening
Color
Layers and masking

Poll

What type of camera do shoot with?

Point & Shoot - basic (Canon Elph style) or Smartphone
123 (36.8%)
Point & Shoot - advanced (Canon S100 or G Style)
52 (15.6%)
Mirrorless
27 (8.1%)
DSLR - consumer (Up to a Nikon D5200 or Canon Rebel)
74 (22.2%)
DSLR - prosumer or pro (Nikon D7000 or Canon 60D and up)
30 (9%)
P&S, but I plan on getting an SLR or Mirrorless in the near future
28 (8.4%)

Total Members Voted: 278

Author Topic: Learn Photography Master Thread  (Read 424134 times)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1600 on: January 21, 2019, 02:57:00 PM »
A tripod is a must. If you don't have one, rest the camera on something. Not straight at the sky, something of an angle.

Make sure that there are no other light sources in your shot.

Open the aperture as wide as it'll go, bump the iso as high as you're comfortable with, and take your shutter to 30 seconds (usually the max).

Try to get something interesting in the foreground, like trees.

Trial and error, and lots of luck will get you there

...all accurate, for star shots. Completely wrong for the moon, which is actually extremely bright.

So taking your points on at a time, for typical moon shots:

A tripod is handy, absolutely not required.

Other light sources are irrelevant so long as your lens is not pointing directly (or nearly directly) at them.

Exposure for the moon is very fast. A full moon can be exposed at something around f/11, 1/250, and ISO 200. The smaller the lit moon the slower your exposure, obviously, but you are still talking medium apertures, fastish shutter speeds, and low ISOs.

Now during an eclipse the moon appears darker, so you DO want a tripod and you'd need a higher ISO (you still want a medium aperture to keep the moon's features perfectly sharp).

Using your suggested settings - widest aperture, high ISO, and 30 seconds - will result in a completely white blown out moon, no matter the stage or situation.
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Offline Yammer

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1601 on: January 21, 2019, 03:08:45 PM »


so the west coast had an awesome viewing of the lunar eclipse / blood moon tonight. I grabbed my  brand new, no idea how to use, a6000 and got some terrible shots. first I tried to manually adjust, and then gave up and did auto. if you're in the mood of offering pointers or point me where to start, I'll take it https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zu0t1rbw16nx240/AADoMfRmGSm8CdamovIC-bvla?dl=0

+100

I got better shots with my phone...

...all accurate, for star shots. Completely wrong for the moon, which is actually extremely bright.

So taking your points on at a time, for typical moon shots:

A tripod is handy, absolutely not required.

Other light sources are irrelevant so long as your lens is not pointing directly (or nearly directly) at them.

Exposure for the moon is very fast. A full moon can be exposed at something around f/11, 1/250, and ISO 200. The smaller the lit moon the slower your exposure, obviously, but you are still talking medium apertures, fastish shutter speeds, and low ISOs.

Now during an eclipse the moon appears darker, so you DO want a tripod and you'd need a higher ISO (you still want a medium aperture to keep the moon's features perfectly sharp).

Using your suggested settings - widest aperture, high ISO, and 30 seconds - will result in a completely white blown out moon, no matter the stage or situation.

So with an A6000 what would've been the best way?

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1602 on: January 21, 2019, 06:01:21 PM »
So with an A6000 what would've been the best way?

Exposure for the moon is very fast. A full moon can be exposed at something around f/11, 1/250, and ISO 200. The smaller the lit moon the slower your exposure, obviously, but you are still talking medium apertures, fastish shutter speeds, and low ISOs.

Now during an eclipse the moon appears darker, so you DO want a tripod and you'd need a higher ISO (you still want a medium aperture to keep the moon's features perfectly sharp).
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Offline springles

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1603 on: January 21, 2019, 08:29:36 PM »

interesting. So with a 210mm lens you would use those settings for a shot of the moon?

Offline yesitsme

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1604 on: February 05, 2019, 09:48:02 PM »
Just imagine these pics with @Something Fishy 's gear
["-"]

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1605 on: February 06, 2019, 12:06:07 AM »
Just imagine these pics with @Something Fishy 's gear
yep, it's all about the gear :P

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Offline davidrotts63

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1607 on: February 21, 2019, 12:24:52 PM »
Check out these amazing shots from a soldier I met last shabbos!
https://instagram.com/s.gelber.photography?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=p151dnvn55lh
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline Yehudaa

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1608 on: February 21, 2019, 01:16:44 PM »

Offline Esther

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1609 on: March 06, 2019, 12:34:10 PM »
I hope this is the correct thread. I'm trying to resize an image to a 1x1. I tried adding a white background to be able to still get my full image in but I must be doing something wrong because it still doesn't seem to be working. Anyone have ideas how I should do this? I have the GIMP program on my desktop if that helps

Offline whYME

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1610 on: March 06, 2019, 12:43:55 PM »
I hope this is the correct thread. I'm trying to resize an image to a 1x1. I tried adding a white background to be able to still get my full image in but I must be doing something wrong because it still doesn't seem to be working. Anyone have ideas how I should do this? I have the GIMP program on my desktop if that helps
Are you trying to crop it down to 1:1? or to add filler to square it out?

Offline Esther

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1611 on: March 06, 2019, 07:16:49 PM »
Are you trying to crop it down to 1:1? or to add filler to square it out?

Ideally crop

Offline DealKiller

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1612 on: March 14, 2019, 08:33:36 PM »
When scanning a color picture does it matter to save it to a jpeg or tiff?

Offline whYME

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1613 on: March 14, 2019, 09:30:07 PM »
When scanning a color picture does it matter to save it to a jpeg or tiff?
Jpeg will be a much smaller file

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1614 on: March 15, 2019, 04:54:25 PM »
Jpeg will be a much smaller file
Any quality difference?

Offline RJ898

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1615 on: March 15, 2019, 05:12:01 PM »
Any quality difference?
A tiff will keep more of the scanned information. Jpeg's will be more compressed
Part of the vast right wing conspiracy.

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1616 on: March 15, 2019, 05:15:04 PM »
A tiff will keep more of the scanned information. Jpeg's will be more compressed
I get that part but will there be any difference to the naked eye as it scans at 600x600 dpi 24 bit color?

Offline chff

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Offline hvaces42

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1618 on: May 08, 2019, 02:23:02 PM »
Anyone with a lead on a basic photography course? @Something Fishy
Fair warning - Any PMs sent in response to forum posts are fair game for ridicule in public.

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #1619 on: May 08, 2019, 02:25:34 PM »
Anyone with a lead on a basic photography course? @Something Fishy


he charges now ;D