Daily Photo Tips Archive

25.Dec.10If you like photography during the 'golden hours', keep in mind that these windows expand as you move northward or southward from the equator. Because the sun rises and sets at flatter angles at higher latitudes, the length of the sunrise and sunset increases accordingly.

24.Dec.10Particularly if you have an older computer, defragment your hard drive frequently. Photographers fill hard drives with photographs quickly, and full, fragmented drives run more slowly and are more prone to errors.

23.Dec.10The photograph you preview on your camera's viewfinder may look different depending on what type of photo you're recording. JPEGs will include colour tweaks and sharpening algorithms, while RAW recording will display largely uncorrected data. (With help from Bill and Buzz)

22.Dec.10You may be a able to 'hack' a lower-end camera to make it produce RAW files. Third party software is available for some camera brands which gives access the original image data, allowing you to produce better post-processed files.

21.Dec.10Sometimes strange and unusual things seem everyday when you've been around them for some time. When traveling, don't forget to photograph the things unique to your area so that you can remark on them later!

20.Dec.10If you need to make similar changes to many RAW files, you can often save settings in your RAW conversion software. By selecting a profile, you can apply it easily to the current file and process your photographs more quickly!

19.Dec.10Try not to let stresses and let-downs in your daily life interfere with your enjoyment of photography and your value of yourself as a photographer. Making blunders elsewhere does not make you less of an artist!

18.Dec.10If you can't do anything related to photography for a period of time, just thinking about photography can further your skills. Considering how you'd react to a certain scene or how you'd deal with a certain problem will help you behave more effectively in the future.

17.Dec.10Remember that incredible photographs can be found in the most banal, uninteresting places! Even if you don't see a photograph at first, get your camera out and play with the scene in front of you. You may find (or create) art that will surprise you!

16.Dec.10'Special effects', like sepia toning, as well as any 'film modes' you may apply in-camera, only affect the JPEG version of a photograph. The RAW version will remain the image data as collected by the sensor.

15.Dec.10Tripod requirements change when shooting video. While ball heads are ideal for most still photographers, video requires smooth panning. Video work is best served by a fluid-filled pan head that will move the camera smoothly and quietly.

14.Dec.10There is no 'ideal' histogram that you should try to achieve with any of your images. Though histograms are handy for non-biased editing, each photograph has a unique histogram and should ultimately be judged based on its aesthetic merits.

13.Dec.10If you're renting a plane or helicopter for photography, have a specific itinerary planned before you go up. Going rapidly between locations will allow you more photography time at each.

12.Dec.10Sharpening for canvas or matte prints must often employ a more aggressive technique than for glossy photographic prints. Glossy prints appear inherently sharp; applying too much sharpness at print time can make the print look too harsh.

11.Dec.10Photography can blend with videography, showing changes over a long period of time. Try working many photos into a video, showing some kind of evolution of an otherwise static scene.