PHOTOGRAPHY

How To Take Great Nature Photos

Shovon Lal Saha

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Title: How To Take Great Nature Photos
Author: Shovon Lal Saha
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

Whether you’re taking a picture of a geranium in your backyard garden or a grizzly bear in the Rocky Mountains, capturing a great photo out...

Whether you’re taking a picture of a geranium in your backyard garden or
 a grizzly bear in the Rocky Mountains, capturing a great photo outdoors
 means working with Mother Nature, and not trying to impose your 
photographic will upon her. 
 
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So many factors come into play when taking a nature photograph—sun, 
clouds, wind, rain, sleet or snow—and if you’re photographing animals in
 their native habitat, you’ve got noise, odors, and movement to deal 
with.

It can get complex, but the enjoyment you’ll get by taking nature 
photography seriously will far outweigh the extra time and effort you 
put into it. Rather than just clicking a snapshot of your sugar maple in
 all its fall glory, you’ll have a photo you’d be proud to hang on your 
wall as a piece of art. Or, you might even become so good that you’ll 
find yourself selling some of your better photos.

After all, everyone loves a great nature photo. It’s easy for viewers
 to put themselves into the picture. Even if they’ve never been to the 
mountains, people enjoy looking at pictures of mountains because it 
transports them, at least for a brief moment, to a peaceful place.

So in order to help you get the most out of the time you spend 
outdoors with your camera, here are five fundamental tips for taking 
better nature photos. As a photographer, I’ve learned that if you 
approach your outdoor photography with the right mindset, you’re certain
 to succeed, oftentimes in ways you never expected. 
 
Understand the nature of nature. There’s an old 
saying, “You can’t fight Mother Nature.” Plan on working with the 
elements of the natural environment you photograph. A backyard squirrel 
might not blink at the sound of your shutter. But a rarely seen black 
squirrel sitting in the woods 50 miles from the nearest road might run 
upon hearing the same click.

Animals, trees, bushes, grass—everything associated with nature 
functions uniquely in different weather conditions. If you’re looking 
for a “money” shot, you need to understand the conditions you’re working
 in, and the subject matter you are photographing.

I recall walking along a large pond in a forest clearing many years 
ago. I was looking up for a shot, but saw nothing remarkable. Then I 
looked down and realized there was a fantastic shot right at my feet. It
 was of some green algae that had formed in the corner of the pond. It 
was a beautiful color, and it contrasted nicely with the water. It ended
 up being one of my most popular shots. 
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Be prepared. Study the area you plan on 
photographing, even if it’s your own backyard. Watch how the light plays
 on your flowers at different times of the day, and under different 
cloud conditions. Pay attention to the patterns of birds. Animals are 
creatures of habit, and weather and light is somewhat predictable.

The same goes if you plan on venturing out into the wilderness. Get 
familiar with the local surroundings by talking to locals, watching 
weather reports on the Internet or TV, and by just taking some time to 
familiarize yourself with your surroundings.

Know your equipment. If you’re trying to get a close
 up shot of a deer in the wild, even if you’re using a telephoto lens, 
turn off your autofocus, autoflash, and motordrive. Get to know your 
camera settings, from the f-stop and shutter speed to the ISO settings.

Experiment at home and in the field. After buying a
 new camera, I like to take a number of shots just around the house, in a
 variety of conditions. Spend about an hour or so walking around your 
home and yard, instruction manual in hand, and try out all the features.
 Use different exposures and settings. Do this as a refresher from time 
to time as well. It’s worth the effort.

Be patient. Natural events happen when they happen. 
You’re not going to rush that beaver out of his watery den any faster. 
The perfect glint of sunlight playing off your prize rose bushes will 
not happen any sooner or later than you want it to. Keep your camera at 
the ready, and don’t force the shot. You may arrive five minutes too 
late for a great shot, but you may be five minutes early for the perfect
 shot. 
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Have an outcome in mind, but be ready for the unexpected.
 If you go out looking for cardinals in the forest, you’re likely to 
find some. So be ready by having a telephoto lens, a tripod if 
necessary, perhaps a birding book to help with recognition, and 
something comfortable to sit on. Take food for yourself—don’t feed the 
animals!—and water. Picture the shot you want in your mind’s eye. You’ll
 often get something close.

But don’t close your mind to other possibilities. The sun may be 
absolutely perfect at that time of day, and you could get a stunning 
picture of rays of sunlight piercing the forest canopy. Ansel Adams’ 
famous “Moonrise over Hernandez” was taken while he was driving down a 
highway. He stopped the car, jumped out, grabbed his camera, took one 
shot … and nailed it because he was ready for the unexpected. 
 
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I had a similar experience. It was night, and I was just walking 
around my area looking for a good picture. I had been walking awhile, 
ready to give up and go home, when a flash of light caught my eye. I 
came upon a building site of a multi-story building. The welders were 
getting in some overtime, working on the 8th or 9th floor. The sparks 
from their welding were arcing out from the side of the building and 
down to the ground. It made for a beautiful picture, and one I would 
have never gotten if I hadn’t been ready for the unexpected.

When it comes to photographing anything in the great outdoors, don’t 
let yourself be fooled into thinking you can control your subject 
matter. All you can control is your equipment and your knowledge about 
the subject matter. So with the right camera, an understanding of 
nature, and some patience, you’re likely to get the recognition you’re 
looking for as an outstanding outdoor photographer. 
 
 
 
source : <a href="http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/how-to-take-great-nature-photos/">http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/how-to-take-great-nature-photos/</a>

How To Take Great Nature Photos

Whether you’re taking a picture of a geranium in your backyard garden or a grizzly bear in the Rocky Mountains, capturing a great photo out...

Cheat Sheet : Tips and Tricks for Great Wedding Photography

Shovon Lal Saha

Link Author

Title: Cheat Sheet : Tips and Tricks for Great Wedding Photography
Author: Shovon Lal Saha
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

source : http://digital-photography-school.com/cheat-sheet-tips-tricks-great-wedding-photography/

Cheat Sheet : Tips and Tricks for Great Wedding Photography

source : http://digital-photography-school.com/cheat-sheet-tips-tricks-great-wedding-photography/

11 things non-photographers just don’t understand about photography

Shovon Lal Saha

Link Author

Title: 11 things non-photographers just don’t understand about photography
Author: Shovon Lal Saha
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

Digital cameras have made photography easy. And even if you do make a mistake with camera settings , you can simply fix things in Photoshop ...

Digital cameras have made photography easy. And even if you do make a <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/03/13/10-common-camera-mistakes-every-photographer-makes/">mistake with camera settings</a>, you can simply <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/08/30/best-photo-editing-tips-for-beginners-18-quick-fixes-to-common-image-problems/">fix things in Photoshop</a>,
 right? In fact, why bother with a digital camera these days when you 
can shoot and share hi-res photos straight from a smartphone… 
 
It’s easy to see how the art of photography gets lost in translation 
with casual snappers. After all, it can be costly business, in terms of 
both money and time, and hard work and frustrating. 
 
All that standing around that our other halves have to do while we get just one more shot means that photography is probably equally as frustrating for them too. 
 
With this in mind, we thought we’d prepare a list of things that 
point-and-shooters probably don’t understand or appreciate about 
photographers and photography. We’re sure you’ll recognise at least one 
of them – and if there’s any we’ve missed, feel free to add them in the 
comments… 
 
<img alt="11 things non photographers just don't understand about photography" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-611136" height="407" src="http://media.digitalcameraworld.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2015/10/11-things-non-photographers-just-dont-understand-about-photography.jpg" width="610" /> 
<div style="text-align: center;">
SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/09/30/photography-talk-32-things-photographers-say-and-what-they-really-mean/">32 things photographers say… and what they really mean</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
 </div>
01 One shot is never enough 
How often do you take one photo and move on? The first shot is rarely 
the best; you may be a little rusty, just getting your eye in or you 
might want to just move your feet and explore all the angles. The more 
photos you shoot, the more chance you have of coming back with a keeper. 
 
02 You often get a more interesting camera angle by lying in the dirt 
Photography is bad for your feet, your knees and your clothes. Well, it 
tends to be if you’re doing it properly. While casual snappers shoot 
everything from head height (and arm’s length, squinting at the Live 
View display on the back of the camera), more experienced photographers 
know that to get original images you often need to work a bit harder and
 be prepared to get dirty to find a better shot. 
 
<img alt="11 things non photographers just don't understand about photography: bad light" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-611142" height="407" src="http://media.digitalcameraworld.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2015/10/11-things-non-photographers-just-dont-understand-about-photography-bad-light.jpg" width="610" /> 
<div style="text-align: center;">
SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2015/07/06/6-camera-settings-beginners-find-confusing-and-we-can-see-why/">6 camera settings beginners find confusing (and we can see why)</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
 </div>
03 Sometimes there can be the wrong kind of light to take a good photo 
Trying to explain that it’s the wrong kind of light to take a picture 
sounds like a photographer’s excuse – and in some cases it probably is. 
But trying to take a portrait in bright, midday sun without the aid of 
shade, a reflector or flash? Or attempting to shoot a sharp action shot 
at dusk? Yes, there can be the wrong kind of light, too much of it, or 
not quite enough for quality photography. 
 
04 “Yes, I dream of buying a lens/camera that costs more than our car” 
We’re all painfully aware of how expensive camera equipment is. That 
doesn’t stop many of us wanting more of it. Longer lenses. Faster 
lenses. How about a Hasselblad? From the outside looking in, it’s easy 
to balk at the price that well-heeled photographers are prepared to pay 
for their kit. But have you seen the price of high-end hi-fi or AV 
equipment? 
 
<div style="text-align: center;">
SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2014/12/20/youve-just-started-photography-16-universal-truths/">So you’ve just started out in photography? 16 universal truths</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
 </div>
05 Just because someone has an expensive camera doesn’t mean they take better photos 
Unlike non-photographers, most of us can probably pick out ‘all the 
gear, no idea’ photographers a mile off. You know the ones: they have an
 abundance of camera kit and wear it like jewellery. Splashing a serious
 amount of cash on cameras can make you appear more serious about 
photography, but just because someone can afford a Leica doesn’t make 
them a leading photographer – in the same way that owning an expensive 
computer and word-processing package doesn’t turn you into an 
entertaining writer. 
 
<img alt="11 things non photographers just don't understand about photography: shooting" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-611145" height="405" src="http://media.digitalcameraworld.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2015/10/11-things-non-photographers-just-dont-understand-about-photography-duty.jpg" width="610" /> 
06 Once you’re a photographer, you’re never off duty 
 
Photography isn’t really a hobby, it’s way of life. As Annie Liebovitz 
has been famously quoted as saying. “One doesn’t stop seeing. One 
doesn’t stop framing. It doesn’t turn off and turn on. It’s on all the 
time.” 
 
<div style="text-align: center;">
SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2013/12/17/photography-for-beginners-6-reasons-youre-smarter-than-your-camera/">Photography for beginners: 6 reasons you’re smarter than your camera</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
 </div>
07 Photography doesn’t stop once you’ve pressed the shutter release 
Non-photographers can underappreciate that the digital photo processing 
can take just as it takes to get the shot in the first place. Naturally 
this depends on the quality of the file to begin with and how much 
retouching is required. If you’re a Lightroom wizard, batch-processing 
using presets can save time, but even a ‘print-ready’ JPEG straight from
 the camera usually requires a little digital love to get the best from 
it. 
 
<img alt="Best Photoshop colour tools: 01 Hue/Saturation and Vibrance" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-600613" height="381" src="http://media.digitalcameraworld.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2015/05/Photoshop_colour_tools_PHO50.feature.1grab.jpg" width="610" /> 
 
08 Flash only reaches so far 
How many times have you been to a music concert only to watch hundreds 
of tiny flashes firing in the dark? In truth, these days you’re more 
likely to see hundreds of iPhones held aloft and recording video. But 
you’ll still see pop-up flashes being used from the back of the room at 
parties, school plays and weddings. 
<div style="text-align: center;">
SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/05/17/10-things-photographers-can-do-to-stop-wasting-pictures/">Stop wasting pictures! 10 tips for bagging keepers every time</a></div>
 
09 Flash can be more useful in bright daylight than it is in the dark 
The time for a burst of on-camera flash is not when you’re 75 metres 
from the stage at a gig. It’s when you’re standing 5 metres from someone
 and want to remove shadows from their face on a bright summer’s day. 
 
10 The background is more important than what’s in front of it 
It doesn’t matter how spectacular the subject of a photo is if the 
background doesn’t complement it. Whether it’s the classic tree or 
telegraph pole appearing to sprout from someone’s head in a portrait or a
 parked car in the middle of a landscape photo, switched-on 
photographers always worry about what the backdrop brings to a picture. 
 
<div style="text-align: center;">
SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2014/04/19/7-daily-exercises-that-will-make-you-a-better-photographer/">7 daily exercises that will make you a better photographer</a></div>
<img alt="11 things non photographers just don't understand about photography: timing" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-611133" height="407" src="http://media.digitalcameraworld.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/123/2015/10/11-things-non-photographers-just-dont-understand-about-photography-timing.jpg" width="610" /> 
 
11 Photographers want to head out when everyone else is heading in 
If you’re an outdoor photographer, then chances are you’ll end up doing a
 lot of driving in the dark, whether it’s to shoot a landscape at dawn 
or dusk, or simply a case of having to be on the spot at an unsociable 
hour because that’s when a wild animal will do its thing. 
 
 
 
source : <a href="http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2015/10/24/11-things-non-photographers-just-dont-understand-about-photography/">http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2015/10/24/11-things-non-photographers-just-dont-understand-about-photography/</a>

11 things non-photographers just don’t understand about photography

Digital cameras have made photography easy. And even if you do make a mistake with camera settings , you can simply fix things in Photoshop ...

Where to Focus When Taking a Photo

Shovon Lal Saha

Link Author

Title: Where to Focus When Taking a Photo
Author: Shovon Lal Saha
Rating 5 of 5 Des:

Most beginner photographers don’t know where to focus when taking a photo, and worse still, they don’t seem to know why it’s a problem eit...

Most beginner photographers don’t know where to focus when taking a 
photo, and worse still, they don’t seem to know why it’s a problem 
either.

You may think that because you’re shooting a landscape photo, and your horizon is miles away, it’s best to focus to infinity.

Wrong.

Let me show you the error of your ways.

<h3>
Hyperfocal Distance</h3>
You don’t need to fully understand how the following works, but you do need to understand the concept.

The depth of field is largely dependant on your aperture, as well as 
your distance from the subject. There’s also another factor called your 
hyperfocal distance. Without boring you, or going into too much detail 
(this subject is worthy of a post itself), your hyperfocal distance is 
the distance at which you focus, where everything after it (stretching 
to infinity distance) remains acceptably sharp.

Half of the distance between the hyperfocal length and the lens will also remain acceptably sharp too.

Working out your hyperfocal distance involves complicated maths which
 involves your distance from a subject, your f/stop, your focal length, 
and the size of your sensor. Don’t bother trying to work it out 
yourself, just download an app for your phone, or follow the general 
rules I’m going to teach you in this post.

I’ll go into this in further detail in another post, but for now, this is what you need to know:

If you focus at infinity, you lose lots of your depth of field, 
because there will be barely any focus infront of infinity, and nothing 
behind the focus (because you’re already focused to infinity).

Don’t focus to infinity, unless you’re trying to focus on a single subject, located at infinity.

<h3>
Landscapes</h3>
So now with your new found knowledge on the hyperfocal distance, you 
will either be very confused as to where to focus in a landscape, or 
darn sure that you shouldn’t focus to infinity. But where do you focus?

Lets say you’re shooting a landscape, and your aperture is f/11, and 
your focal length is 24mm. You’re also shooting on a Canon crop sensor 
(slightly smaller than Nikon). Your hyperfocal distance is roughly 9 
feet. If you focus here, your photo will be acceptable sharp from 
anywhere 4.5 feet in front of your camera, all the way to infinity.

But that’s maybe a little bit too specific. And it changes every time
 you adjust your aperture, and focal length, so that’s no good.

Here’s some real science right here… focus about a third of the way into the frame.

As a rule, you can’t go too far wrong with this. If you’re shooting a
 landscape, then chances are your aperture is quite narrow, so you have a
 decent DoF to play with.

Here’s the difference between a photo where I focus about a third of the way to infinity…

… and one where I focused to infinity.

Can you see the difference?

You may notice that the focus on your camera only goes to about 15 
feet until it reaches infinity. If you’re in doubt, you can’t go too far
 wrong by focusing to infinity, and then pulling the focus back a little
 bit (so that you’re no longer at infinity).

<h3>
Portraits & People</h3>
Lets start by talking about a single subject here.

If you remember what I wrote about <a href="http://www.expertphotography.com/composition-visual-weight-influence-viewers" target="_blank">visual weight</a>,
 the strongest visual weight comes from a person’s eyes. We’re 
automatically drawn to a person’s eyes, so clearly, that is where we 
need to focus.

I’d like to think that’s pretty obvious. Especially when you’re using a wide aperture with a shallow depth of field.

Have a look at my photo below. It was shot at f/1.4, which produces 
an exceptionally shallow DoF, but because I focused on her eyes, you 
can’t really tell.

How about a group of people though? Where do you focus then?

Well, we’re back to hyperfocal distance here. The DoF always extends 
further into the distance, than it does in the foreground. What does 
this tell you about where you should focus?

Think about it, I’ll wait…

…

You want to focus on the eyes of the person closest to the camera. 
This is where you’ll be drawn to first, and if it’s not in perfect fous,
 then everything else is going to seem out of focus.

From here, the focus will gradually decrease naturally.

<h3>
Focus and Recompose</h3>
This is something you’ve probably heard of before, in fact, you’ve 
probably even done it. You focus on a certain part of the frame, such as
 a person’s eyes, and then you recompose the photo how you want it. This
 ensures for good focus and composition.

To do this, you need to use your <a href="http://www.expertphotography.com/how-to-use-focal-lock-find-perfect-focus" target="_blank">focal lock</a>,
 which means shooting on either One-Shot mode, or AF-S. When you click 
the shutter button down half way, it will focus, and then hold the focus
 until you’ve recomposed and taken the photo.

I would also recommend using the center focus point, rather than all 
of them together, or any specific focus point. This is because it’s easy
 to select, and this is where you camera will meter from. 2 birds with 
one stone.

Be careful about using this technique when you’re using a wide 
aperture with a very shallow DoF, because even the slightest movement 
can throw the photo out of focus. 
 
 
 
source : <a href="http://expertphotography.com/where-to-focus-when-taking-a-photo/">http://expertphotography.com/where-to-focus-when-taking-a-photo/</a>

Where to Focus When Taking a Photo

Most beginner photographers don’t know where to focus when taking a photo, and worse still, they don’t seem to know why it’s a problem eit...

How To Take Great Nature Photos

Cheat Sheet : Tips and Tricks for Great Wedding Photography

11 things non-photographers just don’t understand about photography

Where to Focus When Taking a Photo

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