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
122 (36.9%)
Point & Shoot - advanced (Canon S100 or G Style)
52 (15.7%)
Mirrorless
26 (7.9%)
DSLR - consumer (Up to a Nikon D5200 or Canon Rebel)
74 (22.4%)
DSLR - prosumer or pro (Nikon D7000 or Canon 60D and up)
29 (8.8%)
P&S, but I plan on getting an SLR or Mirrorless in the near future
28 (8.5%)

Total Members Voted: 275

Author Topic: Learn Photography Master Thread  (Read 357845 times)

Offline whYME

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #260 on: December 06, 2013, 02:28:43 AM »
Thoughts on this one?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZGN6MY/?tag=cl03f-20
Judging strictly based on price, I would say his answer will be
From the pictures it looks a bit too flimsy for that (the rated capacity says nothing about real life usage). What specifically worries me is the head, and the plate mechanism.

If you're able to return it easily I say get it and try it out, since if it's solid enough it'll be a great deal. Lift it as high as it could go (legs only, keep the center column down), and take a long exposure (>30 seconds). Examine the picture closely, and check for any blur. If everything's sharp, you're good. Do this test outdoors, since you have to take some wind into account (as you will in a real life shooting condition).

Also mount your camera and give the whole setup a good shaking over a bed. If the camera goes flying, you have a plate mechanism problem :D .
or worse...
:)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #261 on: December 06, 2013, 02:29:37 AM »
Thoughts on this one?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZGN6MY/?tag=cl03f-20

For $15 you won't get anything decent. That particular one will not be able to keep your camera still at all (and not only because it's a video tripod, not a photo one). I have countless samples of such tripods at work and I could tell you that they'll break just by looking at it.
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Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #262 on: December 06, 2013, 02:30:35 AM »
Judging strictly based on price, I would say his answer will be
:)

Nah, don't even waste your time on this one.
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Offline Dan

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #263 on: December 06, 2013, 02:31:12 AM »
For $15 you won't get anything decent. That particular one will not be able to keep your camera still at all (and not only because it's a video tripod, not a photo one). I have countless samples of such tripods at work and I could tell you that they'll break just by looking at it.
More attracted the weight than the price.
What would it cost to get a good tripod that weighs just a pound?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #264 on: December 06, 2013, 02:38:03 AM »
More attracted the weight than the price.
What would it cost to get a good tripod that weighs just a pound?

A pound is completely unrealistic. A semi-decent head will weigh that, not counting the legs. Think about how you're gonna carry it - strapped onto a backpack? On a shoulder strap? 3 or 4 pounds is not an much of an issue then, you won't really notice it.
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Offline jaywhy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #265 on: December 06, 2013, 03:31:40 AM »
I got this one for travel use and I've been very happy with it.
At full extension it's a bit shaky but you can anchor it hanging something from the hook under the head.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001D60LG8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1386318565&sr=8-1&pi=SY200

Offline jaywhy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #266 on: December 06, 2013, 03:33:41 AM »
Great lessons.  You should really do a seminar!
Or a trip to Kauai ;)
Heck, even a day trip lesson to Miami (Everglades?) this winter would be cool.
Day trip through the Everglades would be really cool!
I'd definitely be in on that.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #267 on: December 06, 2013, 03:38:03 AM »
Day trip through the Everglades would be really cool!
I'd definitely be in on that.

See here:
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=35505.0
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Offline jaywhy

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Offline Fan of Dan

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #269 on: December 07, 2013, 11:56:42 PM »
Thanks for the great article. I enjoy your writing style.

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #270 on: December 08, 2013, 12:00:03 AM »
Thanks for the great article. I enjoy your writing style.

:D
Thanks.
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Offline Yeki89

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #271 on: December 10, 2013, 08:21:11 AM »
Free food photography course

https://www.udemy.com/basic-food-photography/

Coupon FREEDAY

Offline Let3

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #272 on: December 10, 2013, 12:37:38 PM »
So I just got my dslr (thanks something fishy :)  )
And just had my sons pidyan haben yesterday!

My wife would like to now take some portraits of our cutee ...
I know it's way down on your list - portraits for newborns- but maybe you can give me some short tips,
As idk if hell still be a newborn by the time you get there :)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #273 on: December 10, 2013, 02:07:26 PM »
So I just got my dslr (thanks something fishy :)  )
And just had my sons pidyan haben yesterday!

My wife would like to now take some portraits of our cutee ...
I know it's way down on your list - portraits for newborns- but maybe you can give me some short tips,
As idk if hell still be a newborn by the time you get there :)

OK - some short and sweet tips:

1) Make sure he's in a good mood. After a feeding, after a nap. It's a simple thing that many people forget.

2) Get close. Shoot closeups and lots of details. Face, hands, feet.







Remember when you get close to not simply move the camera closer. Rather use the longest setting on your zoom and back up if needed. This is due to something called lens distortion and compression which I'll cover in detail in due time. But for now look at these examples and you'll see why you should do that.

I couldn't find any pictures to illustrate this at the moment, so for now these creepy pictures of my wife's shaitel head will have to suffice :P. The first picture was taken at 24mm full frame (Just about 18mm on an APS-C camera such as an NEX), while the second picture was taken at 85mm (similar to 55mm on APS-C). Note that while both pictures show the exact same view, in the first one the entire face distorted. The chin, nose, and forehead are all stretched out, while the lips appear to grow the further right you go. All I did to the second picture is use a longer lens and back up a bit - but now, instead of being grotesque, the entire face is rendered in a very flattering way.



3) Use soft light. Babies are soft and round, so the light should match. No flash or harsh fluorescent lighting. Use the biggest window you have, preferably one facing north. If the window faces east or wast the light will be harsher, so diffuse the light by either draping a white bed sheet over the window (a white shower curtain works well too), or if you have them, draw the thin white curtains.

If you do this, you may find that the far side (away from the window) is slightly dark. Hold up a white pillowcase or blanket to bounce some light back. Anything white would really work for this, even oaktag or something similar.

The first picture is straight-up window light - notice how her hair is very dark with hardly any detail to it. In the next picture I had someone hold up a white blanket - it bounced just enough light back to open up the shadows and bring out the detail.





4) Use your largest aperture. This will make the background go blurry and keep the focus on the baby.

5) You don't need any fancy equipment. All the pictures above were take with simple window light and a white pillowcase as a reflector. In the close-up pictures she's being held by her father, who was wearing a white shirt - simple and safe. In the pictures where she's lying down I took two chairs, laid a large pillow across them, and covered it with a pink blanket. The background is a simple bed sheet. (For safety, the mother hands are right outside the picture ready to grab the baby if she as much twitches.)

6) Remember to focus on the important pictures :D.

« Last Edit: December 10, 2013, 02:19:21 PM by Something Fishy »
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Offline jaywhy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #274 on: December 10, 2013, 03:29:02 PM »
Nice!

Minor quibble.
FWIU, won't there be pincushion distortion at the longest end of most lenses? Especially the lenses that most here are likely using.
Or do you hold that the increased DOF cancels it out? ;)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #275 on: December 10, 2013, 03:34:02 PM »
Nice!

Minor quibble.
FWIU, won't there be pincushion distortion at the longest end of most lenses? Especially the lenses that most here are likely using.
Or do you hold that the increased DOF cancels it out? ;)

The slight pincushion distortion you'd sometimes find at 55/105/135mm is nothing compared to wide angle distortion. At worst, it'll make the nose a drop smaller, which most people would prefer anyways, to tele still wins.

If you look closely at the first picture, you'd notice some barrel distortion in the background. That, too, is nothing compared to the WA distortion in the picture.
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Offline ari9

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #276 on: December 10, 2013, 03:58:03 PM »
thanks for the newborn mini lesson!
now I have to go try this out

Offline Let3

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #277 on: December 10, 2013, 04:33:05 PM »
Thanks a mil!!
Will try as soon as I'm a bit comfortable with the camera ...

Offline Little Bob

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #278 on: December 12, 2013, 10:05:20 PM »
I recently bought the Cannon s110. I have been trying to blur the background on my shots. While shooting macro I have been able to, but with regular shoots I haven't been able to even when the aperture is at f/2.0. any advice, or is this camera not capable of blurring the background even at such a high aperture?

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Learn Photography Master Thread
« Reply #279 on: December 12, 2013, 10:44:39 PM »
I recently bought the Cannon s110. I have been trying to blur the background on my shots. While shooting macro I have been able to, but with regular shoots I haven't been able to even when the aperture is at f/2.0. any advice, or is this camera not capable of blurring the background even at such a high aperture?

The biggest contributor to blurry backgrounds (after a large aperture) is the sensor size. The sensor on the s110 is simply not capable of doing that, it's too small. You could however squeeze a bit more blur out by doing the other things that help - namely shooting at the lens' longest setting and putting a lot of space between your subject and background.
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