Daily Photo Tips Archive

Page 95

These photography tips are a record of new entries to the Daily Photo Tips RSS feed since November 2007. There are currently 1567 tips in the database! Contact Me to comment or add tips.

Daily Photo Tip

If you develop a particular artistic interest, explore it. Many great photos can be created by revisiting subjects, photography techniques, moods, or styles that interest you. (First published Oct 5, 2009)

24.Apr.08Try storing film or proof-prints in archival plastic sleeves. The sleeves fit nicely in a binder, making it easy to find photographs. Include contact sheets for negative film.

23.Apr.08In early winter at far southern or northern latitudes, the sun stays very low in the sky all day. This results in warm white high contrast daylight, perfect for many styles of outdoor photography.

22.Apr.08Doing underwater photography doesn't have to mean buying a whole new camera system. Underwater housings are available for many common camera setups.

21.Apr.08In certain cases, part or all of your subject will act as a light source. If your subject is primarily lighting itself, as in a night street scene, be careful of lens flare and ghosting.

20.Apr.08Portraits taken with wide angle lenses usually don't flatter the subject. The lens comically exaggerates the face, making the person's nose and eyes look strangely large.

19.Apr.08If you need an easy, cheap way to control multiple flash units, try using a 'slave' trigger. A slave unit senses the light from the flash on your camera and sends a signal to trigger a remote strobe.

18.Apr.08If you perform the same corrections on many photographs, see if you can create scripts within your photography software to do the repetitive tasks for you.

17.Apr.08Most people perform far better at a task they're interested in. If at all possible, maintain an interest in your subject and your reasons for making a photograph – your work will benefit greatly as a result.

16.Apr.08When converting a colour image to black and white in photo software, a very high level of control is achieved using colour curves adjustments. This method is extremely sensitive and difficult.

15.Apr.08Try making objects floating in water seem to 'fly'. By superimposing them over their reflected background without any other depth cues, the photograph can become strange and surreal.

14.Apr.08Try analyzing photos (and other art) that you like from an artistic perspective. Ask yourself why you like it, how it makes you feel, and how you might be able to use similar ideas in your own work.

13.Apr.08If your photo really does include fog, mist, or other low contrast subjects, be sure not to accidentally eliminate it digitally by increasing the photo's contrast or clipping its histogram.

12.Apr.08Despite modern battery technologies, many rechargeable batteries will still develop a 'memory'. To avoid this, fully charge and discharge your camera batteries with every use.

11.Apr.08If your autofocus system is having trouble focusing in bright light on a detailed subject, try tilting the camera slightly to the side. This can help the system find a line to focus on.

10.Apr.08The Av setting on modern cameras stands for Aperture Value, or aperture priority. Using this setting, the photographer sets the aperture, and the camera guesses the best shutter speed.