Follow the sun – Sunset Photography Tips

After all you are photographing the sun and sun waits for no one.So follow the sun for a few days during sunset to find its patterns and timing. This is very crucial as a lot more factors depend on your study. The timing, the color patterns all can be predicted to some extent based on the patterns.

Weather is crucial – Sunset Photography Tips

Find out if there would be clear skies and any chance of rain ,wind etc.Clear skies are always better for sunset photography however some clouds good enough to cover the sun partially might give you some creative shots.

Get a tripod – Sunset Photography Tips

Never set out to sunset photography without a tripod.tripod helps you to get a crisp photograph,if you don’t have a tripod, hand taken photographs will result in shaky,blurry photographs. in sunset photography sharpness and contrast is very necessary.Moreover tripod lets you take more number of shots than manual shots.

Be careful with the sunset colors – Sunset Photography Tips

The most beautiful thing in sunset photography is the wide spectrum of colors that appear in the sky.The shapes and tones are very delicate that they keep changing with time.when the sunset starts the sky starts turning yellow then to orange then deep red.And during this transitions multitude of colors appear and disappear.|If you don’t follow them carefully then you might loose them.,so while you do your homework make sure you study the patterns in the colors.

Sunset photograhpy is all about timing – Sunset Photography Tips

Even to the extend that the best timed photographer would get the best photograph .If you loose out a second,it would bring drastic differences to your photo.

Hope that helped all the best with your sunset photography. We’ll see you soon with more sunset photography tips.

Place an object between the sun and you – Sunset Photography Tips

It’s going to be lovely if you place a subject, like a person in between your camera and the sun. It will give you a black silhouetted image, that will add to the beauty of your sunset photo.

Group photography tips

• Arrange the group – Group photography tips
  The first task will be to arrange the group properly. If possible, arrange the group like a triangle where the tallest person come in the middle and the rest equally positioned towards the sides.
• If it’s a family, create a tent arrangement - Group photography tips
  A tent arrangement is one where the father stands in the center covering the family within his hands towards the sides. A classic arrangement. This can be done only if the entire family is present with the dad being the centre figure and others secondary.
• Dad and mom in the focus - Group photography tips
  When there is a dad and mom and kids for the session, there is another arrangement where dad and mom is featured on the top, as they site on a higher platform and the kids stand in the front. Dad and mom can cover the family this way. (Sounds stupid I know, but believe me they’ll like it.)
• Arrange them corresponding to their height - Group photography tips
  If it’s not a family and just a bunch of people, arrange them in accordance to their heights. You could arrange them in increasing order from left to right, or in the triangle form (tallest in the center).
• Use a wide angle - Group photography tips
  Always, when there are more people than usual, try to use a wide angle lens. It helps in covering maximum people to the left and right sides.
• Keep distance – Group photography tips
  Always make sure that the distance between you and the group is ample as being to close can get the details out of your frame.

Those are some very basic things you should keep in mind while photographing a group of people or family. Hope it helped.

But nevertheless, babies are the most beautiful subjects to photograph, agrees many passionate photographers. They give the best expressions and the most cutest smiles.

We have for you today some tips for baby photography along with some beautiful baby pics. Here goes.

• 
  Un Focus – Stay at a distance and try to focus keeping other colorful objects in between which are out of focus, just like the pic above.
• 
  Take Close Ups – Closeups are so wonderful when photographing kids. Their skin, eyes and smile all glows up in a close shot.
• 
  Have fun with them – Don’t be strict or remain tensed. Play with them and join their activities, you’ll get the best shots then.
•    
  Get Down – Get down to their level, lower your height, bend down or place the cam on the floor. And look at the angle !!
• 
  In to the eyes – The eyes of a child are the most captivating. They have a lot to tell. Get them to look at the camera and when then do, click at once.
• 
  Don’t disturb them – Children have a world of their own. They sometimes get lost thinking about something, and clicking at these times can give you some surprising results.
• 
  Talk to them – Talking while clicking pictures will get the best expressions on their face. Look at the ne above.
• 
  Play with them – Playing with the kids can not only make them “act” but put you at ease as well.   
• 
  Click unknowingly – Stay calm and focused, and when they are not realizing that you are photographing them, click on and you’ll get some “very different” pics.

Pic courtesy – Adventures of Kirstin and Adam,Mrtwism,-fabio-,vfrjeremy,Mike Schmid,Maxintosh,/*dave*/,jgwong. 

So what are the pre-requisites for fashion photography?

Fashion photography is all about delivering the right quality images that relate best to the theme/brief you are given. Normally, fashion photographers are given a brief or an idea of the theme either by magazine editors or the event managers and you have to deliver images that relate best to it. Sometimes, it’s more about clicking photos of a fashion model based on a set of themes. Either way, a fashion photographers job is to take excellent high-quality photos that stand out and excel in quality and creativity.

Fashion Photography Tips

Fashion photography is all about creativity and going that extra mile to bring in a lot of meaning to the photos. And every element of photography should be used very wisely at it. The lighting, costumes, styling, backgrounds – all need to be in perfect sync for the shoot.

• Pre shoot preparations
  A very important lesson in fashion photography is the preparation. Be it editorial photoshoots or fashion show or a model portfolio, study the requirement very well. Understand the theme and the requirements well so that you get an idea of the subject and the theme very well. If possible, do a good research on the theme and how older photos from the theme has been. you can get clues from other photographers work and even plan your work to do better than them by not repeating what they’ve done.
• Planning the set
  A set composes more of the background, lights used, props and the whole theme as such. Set is very important because it determines the whole mood of the shoot. you should make sure that the set is relating to the theme given to you.
• Planning the style
  In most cases of fashion photography, you would be working with a stylist who will get you the style concept according to the theme. They will decide the dresses, the props, the make up, hair do etc of the model. Work closer with the stylist to get to know the best from her, and make sure your concept is as similar to hers or there would be differences in opinion.
• Planning the lights
  Lighting is the most complicated in fashion photography. The colors, shades etc will all decide how successful your photo shoot is going to be. Plan it well.
• Get your equipment ready
  Fashion photography requires the best equipment, the highest resolution camera and the most advanced digital cameras. After planning your frames make sure you have the best equipment ready.
• Discussions with the model
  After you have well prepared everything, get to talk to your model and study their features, thin or voluptuous, boy or girl, hair type and facial type etc. This will help you a great deal in deciding what lights to use and what lenses should you carry.
• Post shoot processes
  One of the most important points in fashion photography is the quality of your post production work. How much of photoshop you use, how well and how effectively,what filters and effect you use etc. Because Photoshop and other image editing softwares can give you that extra edge to your photos even if they are average.

Photo courtesy – defrost.ca

Wedding photography tips

But even though digital photography is way easier, there a few things that you have to keep in mind while clicking photos on a wedding. Here goes.

• Take larger frames
  Since there would be a lot of group photos to be taken, be well prepared with the lenses and equipment for wide angles.
• Zoom in on the bride and bride groom for their individual photos.
  The couples will be undergoing an emotional roller coaster ride at this time, capture most of it.
• Use the nature
  There might be lot of interesting stuff around like the trees, bushes, decorations. Use them to fit the frames.
• Use black and white
  Black and white photos make classic frames, while you are shooting the rest, do remember to click a few in black and white, I’m sure the couple will appreciate it later.
• Have lot of patience
  You got to have lot of patience, because there are going to be lot of movement around, people coming in, going out, and you got to understand all that and act accordingly. You might lose your temper at some point, but keep low.
• Children
  I’m sure you will find those little ones around that are cute and lovely. Make the couple to pose with one of them, or even a group and it should be a totally different perspective the couples will enjoy later.
• Don’t forget the main moments
  Of course, it’s a wedding so you have to make sure that the important events are clicked like the wedding kiss.
• Select the locations carefully
  Mostly they are going to be outdoor, so plan them well in advance. Visit the place earlier if possible and plan for the locations.
• Don’t forget the relatives
  One most important factor in wedding albums are the relatives and lot of them. Do make sure that you click all of them, and leave none.
• Use Photoshop
  Using photoshop you can make excellent “mashups” of the normal photos, get some cool frames, do come color tricks and I’m sure the couples will appreciate it.
• The wedding cake
  Wedding cake is an excellent subject to click. They will be all decorated and fine, and everyone would appreciate seeing it after having eaten it. So even before the wedding, make sure that you click the photos of the wedding cake.

• Shoot from a different angle
  While shooting nature, always try to shoot from a different angle and not from the height of an average man. Either stay low, close to the ground or go for heights, climb a tree or stand up on a wall. The point is to get a different angle to your photos. When people see things from a different perspective, they will even feel the most common things to be different.
• Find the colors
  One good thing about shooting pictures in the nature is that you get to see a lot of colors. Colors that you might not see otherwise. Green grasses, yellow leaves, brown mud and blue sky – it’s all there. Find them and get good color combos in your photos.
• Timing is very important
  One disadvantage about outdoor nature photography is that the lighting can be tricky. You have to make sure you have ample light, if not arrange artificial lighting.
• Follow the sun
  The sun is going to be both your friend and enemy in outdoor photography, you have to stick to the timings and follow the suns movement. For example, if you want a good sunset to be shot, wait for the perfect situation, watch and observe the color combos, if you get the wrong timing, you can lose the colors.
• Use the shades
  Shades are cool in outdoor photography. Use them with your creativity, try out different frames and there is no limit to what you can come up with.
• Zoom in and find patterns
  This is a ‘professionals only’ trick. There are lot of details in all the outdoor elements that if you zoom in close you’ll get to see what you have been missing. use those patterns well in your photos.

Nikon D700 SLR camera - Features and Reviews

The Nikon D700 SLR camera firs of all, is a blend of beauty and technology, hand in hand.

• 12.1 megapixel full-frame sensor (8.45µm pixel pitch)
• Image Sensor Cleaning (vibration) *
• 14-bit A/D conversion, 12 channel readout
• Supports DX lenses
• ISO 200 - 6400 (with boost up to ISO 25600 and down to ISO 100)
• Quick startup and shutter lag as Nikon D300
• Nikon EXPEED image processor (Capture NX processing and NR algorithms, lower power)
• New Kevlar / carbon fiber composite shutter with 150,000 exposure durability
• Multi-CAM3500FX Auto Focus sensor (51-point, 15 cross-type, more vertical coverage)
• Auto-focus tracking by color
• 95% coverage, 0.72x magnification viewfinder
• Auto-focus calibration (fine-tuning), fixed body or up to 20 separate lens settings
• Scene Recognition System (uses AE sensor, AF sensor)
• Picture Control image parameter presets
• 5 frames per second continuous with auto-focus tracking*
• Optional MB-D10 Battery Pack (same as nikon D300), increases burst rate to 8 fps
• UDMA compatible single CF card slot *
• 3.0" 922,000 pixel LCD monitor
• Live View with either phase detect (mirror up/down) or contrast detect Auto Focus
• Virtual horizon indicates if camera is level (like an aircraft cockpit display)
• HDMI HD video output
• ‘Active D-Lighting’ (adjusts metering as well as applying D-Lighting curve)
• Detailed ‘Control Panel’ type display on LCD monitor, changes color in darkness
• Magnesium alloy body with connections and buttons sealed against moisture
• Improved Info display on main screen

Source

Nikon D700 has a perfect design to increase productivity, it is much smaller than the Nikon D300, but has much better technical specifications and features. We are guessing that the Nikon D700 should dominate the market once it’s out, but that’s something we have to wait and watch.

What are the things to take care of while photographing fast moving objects?

• Increase the shutter speed
  Increasing your cameras shutter speed is crucial while photographing fast moving objects. get a camera with fast shutter speed so that you can get the sharpest photo of a moving object.
• Hold the camera still into position
  It is very important to hold the camera still and not shaking. Hold it still and moving in a steady way and not shaking.
• Assume the right focus
  Focus is very important. Just assume the distance between you and the object and focus properly. If needed focus on a nearby object at same distance as that of the object.
• Study the object
  Observe the object properly and study it’s moving pattern. Find out when you can get the best shot and wait for it.
• Follow trail of the object
  Study the moving pattern of the object and follow trail. practice it one or more times before you are actually comfortable with it.

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Converting images from one format to another is inevitable while handling digital images, especially if you are working with printing and publishing.

Experts say that converting all formats are not equally simple, some formats are difficult like CMYK, because they are system independent.

Converting CMYK images can be tricky and should be done with precision. Here is a good tutorial that will help you learn the techniques in converting a CMYK image using Photoshop.