Yesterdays tips covered the basics. Today I want to focus on a few things for those who may want to take their image making to the next level. Before

Photo tips-Part 2

Yesterdays tips covered the basics. Today I want to focus on a few things for those who may want to take their image making to the next level.

Before we get to the tips, I think one of the best things you can do, to improve your photography, is to look at great photographs. I often refer to the work of Ansel Adams, John Sexton, Fred Picker, and Jack Dykinga (among others) for inspiration and information. I look at the composition and which components are emphasized (or minimized). I also like to see the technical information, when available, to know what lens/exposure/film choices the photographer made. There are some great photo books out there. As my trip approaches, I find I spend more time with those books.

1- You need to keep the camera steady The general rule is to use a shutter speed greater than the focal length of your lens. If you

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

For a cool little tripod that travels well, try this: Gorillapod

As Eddie suggests, I've been using it and the timer on my small digital camera to get some good shots.

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

Thanks Eddie! For SLR shooters and some P & S, putting a UV(0) filter on your prime lens is a must for protection, just like your Ansel Adams model.

I have an extra battery (rechargeable) for all of my cameras, so on a weekend shoot I can avoid lugging the charger and yet not worry about missing the action.

If your digital uses SanDisk SD cards, you will love the Ultra II with the built in USB right in the card -- no cables required and they come in an 8GB size too.

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

Good tips especially for the SLR or Format camera. Most people don't know what an f stop is or aperature or depth of field and probably don't care and a lot of the compact cameras don't have that luxury. If I was going to leave my SLR at home I wanted to make sure I had some manual options on my compact including ISO settings. The anti-shake is a blessing too. My only regret is I can't shoot in RAW but it's a small trade-off.

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

You're right, Andy. Admittedly, I have very little knowledge about digital cameras, so I couldn't be specific about their capabilities. I think the most important thing one can take from the articles is that you have to think before you push the shutter. An expressive image takes thought. Before every photograph I take, I ask myself:
1- what am I trying to convey?
2- what is the best way to achieve it?
Only after I've answered these questions do I concern myself with technical issues.

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

You're right, Andy. Admittedly, I have very little knowledge about digital cameras, so I couldn't be specific about their capabilities. I think the most important thing one can take from the articles is that you have to think before you push the shutter. An expressive image takes thought. Before every photograph I take, I ask myself:
1- what am I trying to convey?
2- what is the best way to achieve it?
Only after I've answered these questions do I concern myself with technical issues.

Click to expand...

No question but sometimes you have no choice if you want the extemperanous shot and don't have the luxury of waiting-

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

You're right, Andy. Admittedly, I have very little knowledge about digital cameras, so I couldn't be specific about their capabilities. I think the most important thing one can take from the articles is that you have to think before you push the shutter. An expressive image takes thought. Before every photograph I take, I ask myself:
1- what am I trying to convey?
2- what is the best way to achieve it?
Only after I've answered these questions do I concern myself with technical issues.

Click to expand...

With your rig, cost of processing and non-automatic shutter and aperture, you MUST take your time.

Your words of wisdom, if heeded, can makes us all better photographers. Sometimes a frame per hour is better than 8 frames per second

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

Great points, Eddie. This valuable information would take weeks and weeks of sorting through stacks of books and articles to assimilate. If I may be so bold as to add a pointer about travel digital photography,

I always;
Use 1 gig card, only, and carry several with me. These cards can get corrupted if there is not enough space to capture the last few images. Results; all photos on that card will be lost. If the card does become corrupt, I have only lost what is on that card, and the rest of my vacation photos are in tact. At the end of the day, I upload all photos into a laptop so I have a back-up in the event the card is lost. My preference; Sandisk 1 gig.

Better to be safe, and not have to learn this valuable lesson the hard way. Nothing worse than shooting all your vacation photos on one card, only to discover the card has become corrupt and you have lost everything.

Also, Eddie gave me some very valuable advice the last time we were together which I will pass along; watch your edges before clicking the shutter. Makes editing much easier and quicker, later on in the studio. I'll never click a shot off now without first scanning the edges in my view finder.

Thanks, Eddie, for the great information.

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

hey, eddie: what do you do to eliminate the condensation that gathers on the camera/lenses when you go from the airconditioned villa to the humid air outside?

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

You have to let the lens acclimate for a bit. It can be a big problem when heading out for a sunrise.

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

a friend of mine told me her trick is putting the camera in a (zipped closed) ziploc bag the night before and leaving it in the bag for about 15 minutes once you get outside in the humidity. i've never tried it, but maybe i will tomorrow! you know new orleans can be pretty humid. i'll let you know how it works!

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

Condensation has never been a big issue for me. It usually clears before I get to a location. I make sure to clean both sides of the lens before shooting.

Re: Photo tips-Part 2

sometimes, though, the mirror also gets fogged and i don't recommend wiping it. i agree that it usually takes a short amount of time to de-fog, but it's kind of a pain.

this morning was cooler outside than it was in my house, so i couldn't test my experiment....maybe tomorrow!