Tag: Photo Tips

Little Known Digital Camera Tricks

Canon 7D
The Canon 7D has menu tricks many people don't know about - by Canon

There’s a good reason for spending time with your camera’s instruction manual, because that’s where all the interesting tidbits of camera operation hide. A good 90% of people new to digital photography never take their cameras off the auto mode. Those people are missing out on a lot of interesting features.

Professional photographers are sometimes similarly unaware of features in their own cameras. Manufacturers get requests for features from users all over the world and accommodate those requests as often as they can.

Canon 7D

Many 7D users don’t realize their 7D has some interesting tricks buried in menu options and behind buttons.

If you push the Info button on the back three times, you’ll find a digital level with both pitch and yaw readings. You never need a spirit level with a 7D, it’s already built in.

While most people know the digital zoom button on the back zooms the LCD screen when focusing video, many don’t know the same button allows you to digitally zoom still pictures in playback mode and then use the menu control button to pan around still images in the camera.

Canon 5D

The 5D has a Camera Settings menu option that will record all your camera’s current settings and link those to the “C” mode on the menu dial. So, if you have a detailed camera setup for a specific type of shot, you can record all those options and call them back in an instant.

Nikon D7000

The D7000 has several interesting menu options. There’s the “Q” for quiet release mode that flips to the mirror up to get the shot, but leaves the mirror up until you release the shutter button to minimize noise.

Under the remote control settings there’s an option to raise the mirror before taking the shot for use with ultra-long zoom lenses where shutter mirror vibration might be an issue. In this setting the first step allows the mirror to flip up first, gives the camera time to stabilize, then fires the shutter.

The D7000 also has a 2nd IR receiver on the back when operating with the IR remote control.

Sony Alpha Nex 5

Several models of the Nex have a featured called Smile Shutter, which triggers the shutter when the face detection feature sees everyone smiling. While it sounds hokey, more often than not people have more fun aping for the camera, trying to get the smile shutter to work.

Those gems and more await in your camera’s user manual. Find it, read it, enjoy, and share the tricks that you find with us.

Photo Prints That Pop

Prints that pop
For a portrait like this standard glossy paper just won't do - By Assorted-photo-guy

Many people have their home printer doing double duty for printing pictures. That’s fine in most cases, even inexpensive printers have come a long way in quality and with a high grade of glossy paper, most produce fairly respectable results.

For serious photographers your home printer isn’t going to cut it. In those cases you might look at a better photo printer like an HP Photosmart 8750 or one of the pro models.

For prints that are going to be on public display, or the shots you’re going to hang in your portrait studio waiting room, you’ll want something really special. If you really want prints that pop, the kind that, under the right lighting, appear to be back lit, then you might consider enlisting the help of a lab.

What you’re looking for is generally referred to as a “metallic print” on one of several metallic papers, which include Kodak Endura Metallic, Inkpress metallic, Fuji Metallic, Fuji Pearl and Pictorico Pro Opalescent paper.

Select photos of exceptional color depth and detail for this lab treatment, it’s a good choice for HDR and exceptional panoramic pictures. A bonus to metallic prints is they not only practically jump off the paper, they last a lifetime.

There are several shops online that offer metallic print services, including custom sizes, like Nations and Bay Photo, shop around for the best prices.

If you’re going to spend the money on a metallic print, get a big one. Make it six feet long if you have the space. Go big.

Don’t get a metallic print confused with pictures printed on actual metal panels, because those do exist and are fabulously expensive.

Makeup for Photography: The Basics

photography makeup
Photography makeup done mostly right. A touch dark under the eyes, otherwise spot on - by Benjamin Humphrey
I’m not necessarily suggesting you wear makeup yourself, although that might be an improvement for some of you mugs, along with shaving and a clean shirt, but you really do need to understand makeup basics for portrait clients and models.
Software has come a long way and most makeup mistakes and oversights can be corrected in post.  Even at that, it’s hard to beat a really professional makeup artist and I like to capture the best quality product I can in the camera before turning to post-processing wizardry.

I miss the days when a shoot included a hair stylist and makeup artist.  You can still find those on really big shoots on a commercial set, but these days it needs to be a big job. More often models are doing their own makeup and the experienced ones know exactly how to make theirs look perfect on camera.

Newer models and portrait clients may need some guidelines.  I’m always surprised at how few women really do their makeup right.  For some of you it might be worthwhile to publish makeup guidelines on your web site.

Matte Good, Shiny Bad

Whether it’s base, eye liner, lipstick or sealer, anything that creates a shine is going to present problems under strobes and studio lights.

A shiny base and sealers can look greasy under strobes and I’ve never had good luck getting lip gloss to look right without covering my lights with reams of diffuser material.  It’s even hard to clean up in post.

You’ll get better results all around going with flatter matte finishes and avoid translucent powders.

Match The Liner and Lipstick

Some women opt for more contrasting colors between lip liner and lipstick, which is fine in a dimly lit club, but is going to look cartoonish under strobes.  For portraits and model work, match those colors.

Powder For The Camera

I actually have a favorite powder, which is MAC Select Sheer Loose Powder in NC 30.  It’s got a slightly yellow tint that photographs better than translucent powders.Keep in mind when you request that powder, unless your talent already has it, that stuff is $25 a container.  Don’t insist on it without being aware of the tab.

The downside for translucent powders is they can make a subject look pale and sick.  I’ve never missed with that MAC Select powder over a matte base.

Watch The Under Eye Concealer

Under eye concealer is what’s used to hide dark circles under the eyes.  I’ve had to use concealer and a neutral powder on some men, too.  A little puffy looking is better than looking like a cat burglar.

If your talent or client is going to use under eye concealer, make sure they blend the daylights out of it or it will show and, because it’s partially translucent, it’s a time vacuum to fix in post.  Blend it and blend it again and check ti with one or two test shots.

Avoid Dark Eye Liner Colors

That’s another one of those habits that looks good going out but can take a turn for the worse under strobes.  Dark eyeliner isn’t going to make your subject look goth, it’s going to make them look like a raccoon with a heroin habit.  If that’s the look you’re going for, fine.

Lighter eye liner colors will make the eyes stand out and be kinder to imperfections.

That said, I have seen dark eyeliner used to dramatic effect, but it was bold and deliberate in its application.

Natural Light Makeup Table

If you have a big window in your studio, put your makeup table in front of that instead of trying to light it.  Not only will makeup flaws be easier to spot, but I know one photographer who used it to attract new portrait customers by putting the makeup table in the front window.

Here’s how the pros do it.

Essential Lighting Tools – Light Panels

Photoflex light panel kit
A Photoflex light panel kit - by Photoflex

I’m always skeptical of people calling themselves “natural light photographers” because what I hear in my head is “too cheap to rent a studio”.  That’s until they start pulling out bag after bag of light panels and reflectors.

To me that’s natural light only in the sense you’re utilizing the hydrogen ion key light positioned 93 million miles from subject.  Otherwise, it’s the best of both worlds when it comes to lighting.

Light panels are handy in many situations and are light enough to pack around without feeling like a pack mule.

In the old days if I needed to soften sunlight coming through an office window it would involve a roll of fabric and some gaffer tape.  That still works, but these days a couple light panels will do the job without the tape and are useful in more situations.

If you’re doing a shoot at the beach and it’s going to be past 9 am, you’ll likely be needing light panels and a reflector.

Remember, when shooting at the beach, it can help a lot to cut some old tennis balls to fit over the feet of your panel, tripod and reflector stands.  You’ll also need some bags to make sandbags to weigh down the base if the wind picks up.

For those of you with the time and talent to make them yourself, light panels are an easy weekend DIY project.  PVC is cheap and you can always use an inexpensive shower curtain and a bag of clamps to hold it in place.  The only reason I like the aluminum frames better is PVC can get brittle over time and if you clamp down on the grip jaw you can break it.

For more information on using light panels:

http://samys.webphotoschool.biz/Diffusing_Sunlight_with_Backyard_Portraits/index.html

Top Tips For Better Family Photos

family picture
Better than the average group photo - Next time break up the big group a little - by Walter Ching

You can always tell the holidays are coming when manufacturers scramble to stock shelves with the latest in point-and-shoot technology before everyone heads home for the holidays. Models like the Pentax Optio RZ18 and the Olympus Pen E-PM1 decorate store shelves before people travel thousands of miles for that most dreaded of all holiday activities, family photos.

People have been trained by both the process and results to give family photo time the kind of welcome usually reserved for a root canal.

So let’s all break the dysfunctional family photo trauma this year. Take these tips and come up with some family photos that are not only fun to shoot but tell a more intimate story. Instead of the usual group photo, let’s see if we can come up with a process that will help you find a better holiday moment.

Practice a Pose

You know there are going to be pictures, so job one will be finding a pose you can hit in two seconds that looks good. Something you can turn on anytime a camera swings your way.

One trick that almost always works is to turn your shoulders at a 45 degree angle to the camera, called “cheating to the camera” and then turn your head back to the lens, chin angled slightly. If you have problems with a double chin, this trick will avoid the horror of the drivers license photo look and will smooth out any wrinkles along the neck line.

If you’re going to cheat toward the camera, do keep the open side of the cheat toward the person you’re sitting next to or it will look awkward.

Another trick is not to look directly at the camera, which avoids red eye. Look just off to the left or right, but not so much it looks like you’re disconnected from the scene.

Get In Close

If you can see your subjects feet in a standing photo, you are way too far from them. Get in close, really close. When you think you’re in close enough, take another two steps in.

Crop out as much distracting background and foreground as possible.

Turn Off The Flash Indoors

I realize that sounds counter-intuitive but built-in camera flashes are terrible for indoor lighting. They’re harsh, flat and unflattering. Turn the flash off and get as much natural light as possible on the scene. Window lighting is the best, only station yourself so the window is behind you. You don’t want the window in the shot, you just want the light.

In some situations you can’t avoid using the camera flash, in which case spend $10 and get yourself an on-camera flash diffuser.

If you’re a real cheapo, make yourself a milk jug diffuser.

Turn The Flash On Outdoors

Now you think I’m deliberately trying to confuse you. Turn the flash off when you usually need it and on when you usually don’t!

Find some open shade, place your subject and then set the on-camera flash to mandatory. On camera flash units are usually terrible for lighting indoor scenes, but they’re fantastic for fills.

Get A Lot of Shots

Move in close and get a lot of shots and a few of them are bound to turn out. Most cameras these days, even the point-and-shoot models, have a burst mode. Use it. Storage space is cheap and you can always sort through the shots and pick out the winners later.

Shooting a lot of shots also gives people more time to relax and get comfortable with the camera around. On a professional studio shoot it’s not unusual for photographers to shoot 2,000 or more photos in a single shoot with both the model and photographer in nearly constant motion. There’s a reason for that. You never know what’s going to turn out, so you shoot everything. It’s surprising how many times the difference between a good shot and an amazing shot is a few millimeters.

Break Up Big Groups

So many group photos look like a police line up where a witness is identifying the killer and the people in the photo frequently look just as uncomfortable.

family photo
Avoid the police lineup. Group people and arrange the groups - by Mafue

It helps to break up big groups into smaller ones, arranged in some kind of order. Have husbands and wives stand together and arrange the groups instead of everyone in a line. Have some people sitting down, some standing up, try different arrangements. It will be much more interesting visually. Another oddity that happens when you break up the big groups is it seems to make everyone more comfortable.

Some great tips from Tracy Clark: