Check out full details of the competition here but all you have to do to enter is be a subscriber to our weekly email newsletter which goes out on Thursdays with updates of new tips and tutorials here on DPS.

The competition ends this coming Thursday (the 9th July) so make sure you’re signed up and verified as a subscriber by then. To enter just check out this post where there’s a signup form to join the newsletter.

PS: Happy 4th July to our US readers. Don’t forget to check out our Photographing Fireworks tutorial for tonight!

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

5 Days Left to Win a Lenovo W700ds

Not hardly.

While external lighting is vital for professional portrait and wedding photographers, there is a way to fudge external lighting. When you need just a little bit of fill or dynamic range to make your portraits stand out, there’s a simple solution at your finger tips:

The LED

The LED [Light Emitting Device] can be purchased at literally any store which sells sporting goods. Found most commonly among camping gear, these LEDs range around $10-$25. Depending on cost, you can control how much light your LED transmits by 1-6 light streams or more.

Using an LED, you must think in terms of two concepts:

1. Output: How many strobes are you using on your LED? One light stream, or all six? Obviously, 1 light stream will be more gentle in it’s illumination and 6 could be quite harsh.

2. Distance: How close is your light to your subject? The closer your light is to your subject, the brighter your subject will be illuminated. Take a few steps back, the light power will decrease.

Two LEDs will give you quite a bit of artistic ability. Whether you want to use the LED as mere fill light, or you want to create a type of studio shot like the one above, the LEDs can equip you with a number of fun options. They are light, they are durable, and the batteries generally last a while. The single down side of using LED lights is the fact that you may need an assistant to help if you use more than one.

For this shot, I really wanted to mimic a studio shot with some sweet lighting. I didn’t have my external flashes on hand but I did have two LEDs in my camera bag. In about 2 minutes, the above shot was created. Here’s how:

• The piano studio was very dim, lit by a single window on the right side. I pulled the curtain open ever so slightly [mostly to get a little more light on my subjects face].
• The main LED was directed with full light streams just off to the side of the camera, about six feet in front of my subject.
• The second LED acted as a slight fill on the far left with only half the light streams on, and spaced at a four foot angle above my subject.
• Camera was directly in front of my subject, balanced on the edge of the piano.

In post processing, I deepened the blacks and added a little additional fill for contrast.

LED portraits are casual, non threatening, and a blast. Wether you own a pair of external speed-lights or other kind of flashes, creating portraits with LEDs is a great way to go artistic and have some fun in the process.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

Ghetto Style Portrait Lighting with LEDs

Little Push by Chaval Brasil

Photography also uses forced perspective a lot as well to give a certain feel to an image. That’s why I was surprised to only find a few thousand results when searching for ‘forced perspective’ on Flickr. Here are 15 selected examples of this technique, which includes images that show how much fun you can have with it.

For more examples, check out the forced perspective group on Flickr.

Maina by -Thanh

Dee blows off some steam by toastforbrekkie

Waterfall Trap by stuant63

Johan is incredibly tall by mrlerone

Tire Tracks by andrewyang

Gnome Alone by -RobW-

Hot Dog! by toastforbrekkie

Out for a Stroll by Kevin Eddy

The Tunnel of Typography by otherthings

Encroaching Evil by country boy shane

Perspective by M.V. Jantzen

Paragliding, Tod on Pule hill by purplemattfish

Warp by kitone

Perspective by twiga269

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

15 Forced Perspective Technique Examples

However, in photography of the digital kind, there’s an equivalent function that, used properly, can be of enormous help in capturing subjects with degrees of sharpness that may surprise the less informed photographer.

For some unknown reason you won’t find much about hyperfocal distance in recent digital photography books. Why? I suspect many writers on the subject try to avoid talking about the long established principles of photography to give the impression that digital photography is all about the pleasure of the craft and not to frighten people with the techy bits, all the historic paraphernalia of f stops, circles of confusion etc.

Anyhow … I sometimes look longingly at my unused film camera gear and especially at the lenses and then notice something I see on very few current digital SLR lenses — a scale displaying a zone of focus. This shows the function of lens aperture and distance setting; with a zoom lens there is info on the lens barrel that helps you to calculate the effect of changing the lens aperture, focus setting and focal length.

Hyperfocal distance — call it a zone of focus — is a useful feature that is the function of the lens aperture (f stop), distance and focal length.

When you focus your lens there will be a zone that is in focus and areas that are out of focus. The area that is in focus is called the focal plane of acceptable sharpness.

The interesting thing about this focal plane is that, when you focus on a subject, one third of the distance closest between subject and camera is in focus; secondly, two thirds of the zone that stretches out from and behind the subject is also in focus.

Here’s one way you can use it: when shooting landscapes it’s an easy chore to focus at infinity. A more intelligent and productive approach is to focus at a point just short of infinity. That way you will get an additional area in front of distant subject matter that is also in focus. You then get the greatest range of focus from the camera out to infinity.

An easy approach to ascertain and maximise a deep focus range is to use the depth of field preview button on your camera. Try it.

Set your camera on a tripod; set it to manual focus. Aim at a scene. Focus on a point about a third the distance between you and the subject. Now, preview the depth of field with a press of the button. See how this depth will vary as you change the lens aperture. Open the lens, say to f2.8 … little depth of field. Stop down to f11 … much more depth of field.

There are all sorts of tables and calculations to help assess hyperfocal distance but, in these digital days, they effectively mean nothing due to varying image sensor sizes and inkjet printing methods.

But it’s still a trick worth knowing.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

Hyperfocal Distance - Photographer’s Friend

Having mainly used one brand most of my digital photography career, I’m curious what the population of DPS readers prefers for their digital memory cards.  I’ve listed some of the more popular brands on the market today in the poll below.  With over 260,000 daily subscribers, we should be able to get a good idea of what the population at large uses.  While non-scientific, I still find it very interesting to know what you use for your digital photography needs.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

What’s Your Favorite Brand Of Memory Card [POLL]

Here are some things to keep in mind when creating family portraits:

1. Think in “mini-groups”. A family portrait is simply multiple “mini groups” within one large group. Use groups of two’s and three’s to compose your family shot.
2. Remember “levels”. One of the most important elements of a group shot is to vary the levels of your subjects. Placing some faces higher than others will allow you to make the shot more intimate in spacing.
3. Consider “color”. While color coordination is by no means necessary for group shots, it can help the overall flow. Have your subjects go by types of color, such as “vibrant”, “bold”, “pastels”, etc.
4. Watching even lighting, but don’t stress about it. So long as all the eyes are visible, and faces are lit relatively the same, your good to go.
5. Pick shade: As the sun doesn’t set until late in the evening, you’ll have to wait for good sidelight until about 5 pm. If your stuck shooting before this time, find awnings, the shaded back side of buildings, or tree cover to diffuse the harsh sunlight.
6. Move quickly: It’s very helpful to try story-boarding your group shots ahead of time according to the number of people you have. The more people you have in a shot, the less time you have to create it. Story-boarding is more about knowing what you want, than it is about formal posing.
7. Be fun and spontaneous! Plan to take shots of the families walking, striking a dance pose, linking arms, or jumping in the air. These shots capture genuine expressions among the entire group and help to keep your subjects happy and interested.
8. Background work: The larger the party, the less control you have with eliminating your background. Simplify as much as you can by changing the angle you take your shot. Taking the shot from the ground or directly down on your subjects may eliminate enough background to feature the group without distraction.

Most of all, spend some time asking questions of what the family wants. Make a general determination if they are looking for more casual shots, or formal arrangements. So long as you know the general direction of what the family is looking for, you can score big in the capture.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

8 Family Portaits Tips

Do you want to know how to photograph fireworks? With 4th July just days away I thought I’d refresh this article in which I give 10 Fireworks Photography tips to help you get started.

Fireworks Displays are something that evoke a lot of emotion in people as they are not only beautiful and spectacular to watch but they also are often used to celebrate momentous occasions.

I’ve had many emails from readers asking how to photograph fireworks displays, quite a few of whom have expressed concern that they might just be too hard to really photograph. My response is always the same - ‘give it a go - you might be surprised at what you end up with’.

My reason for this advice is that back when I bought my first ever SLR (a film one) one of the first things I photographed was fireworks and I was amazed by how easy it was and how spectacular the results were. I think it’s even easier with a digital camera as you can get immediate feedback as to whether the shots you’ve taken are good or not and then make adjustments.

Of course it’s not just a matter of going out finding a fireworks display - there are, as usual, things you can do to improve your results. With 4 July just around the corner I thought I’d share a few fireworks digital photography tips:

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1. Use a Tripod

Photo by Piero Sierra

Perhaps the most important tip is to secure your digital camera to something that will ensure it doesn’t move during the taking of your shots. This is especially important in photographing fireworks simply because you’ll be using longer shutter speeds which will not only capture the movement of the fireworks but any movement of the camera itself. The best way to keep your camera still is with a tripod (read our series on tripods and how to use and buy them). Alternatively - keep in mind that there are other non Tripod options for beating camera shake.

2. Remote Release

One way to ensure your camera is completely still during fireworks shots is to invest in a remote release device. These will vary from camera to camera but most have some sort of accessory made for them. The other way of taking shots without touching your camera is to use the self timer. This can work but you really need to be able to anticipate shots well and its very very hit and miss (read more on remote shutter releases).

3. Framing Your Shot

One of the most difficult parts of photographing fireworks is working out where to aim your camera. The challenge you’ll face in doing this is that you generally need to aim your camera before the fireworks that you’ll be photographing goes off - anticipation is key. Here are a few points on getting your framing right.

Photo by Stuck in Customs

• Scope out the location early - Planning is important with fireworks and getting to the location early in order to get a good, unobstructed position is important. Think about what is in the foreground and background of your shots and make sure you won’t have people’s heads bobbing up into your shots (also consider what impact you’ll have on others around you also). Take note of where fireworks are being set up and what parts of the sky they are likely to be shot into - you might also want to try to ask some of those setting up the display for a little information on what they are planning. Also consider what focal lengths you might want to use and choose appropriate lenses at this time (rather than in the middle of the show).
• Watch your Horizons - One thing that you should always consider when lining up fireworks shots is whether your camera is even or straight in it’s framing. This is especially important if you’re going to shooting with a wide focal length and will get other background elements in your shots (ie a cityscape). Keeping horizons straight is something we covered previously on this site and is important in fireworks shots also. As you get your camera on your tripod make sure it’s level right from the time you set up.
• Vertical or Horizontal? - There are two main ways of framing shots in all types of photography, vertically (portrait) or horizontally (landscape). Both can work in fireworks photography but I personally find a vertical perspective is better - particularly as there is a lot of vertical motion in fireworks. Horizontal shots can work if you’re going for more of a landscape shot with a wider focal length of if you’re wanting to capture multiple bursts of fireworks in the one shot - but I don’t tend to go there that often.
• Remember your framing - I find that when I photograph fireworks that I spend less time looking in my viewfinder and more looking at the sky directly. As a result it’s important to remember what framing you have and to watch that segment of the sky. Doing this will also help you to anticipate the right time for a shot as you’ll see the light trails of unexploded rockets shooting into the sky.

4. Focal Length?

Photo by asmundur

One of the hardest parts of photographing fireworks is having your camera trained on the right part of the sky at the right time. This is especially difficult if you’re shooting with a longer focal length and are trying to take more tightly cropped shots. I generally shoot at a wider focal length than a tight one but during a show will try a few tighter shots (I usually use a zoom lens to give me this option) to see if I can get lucky with them. Of course zoomed in shots like the one to the left can be quite effective also. They enable you to really fill the frame with great color. Keep in mind however that cropping of your wider angle fireworks shots can always be done later to get a similar impact in your photography.

5. Aperture

A common question around photographing fireworks displays is what aperture to use. Many people think you need a fast lens to get them but in reality it’s quite the opposite as the light that the fireworks emit is quite bright. I find that apertures in the mid to small range tend to work reasonably well and would usually shoot somewhere between f/8 to f/16.

6. Shutter Speed

Photo by *vlad*

Probably more important to get right than aperture is shutter speed. Fireworks move and as a result the best photographs of them capture this movement meaning you need a nice long exposure. The technique that I developed when I first photographed fireworks was to shoot in ‘bulb’ mode. This is a mode that allows you to keep the shutter open for as long as you hold down the shutter (preferably using a remote shutter release of some type). Using this technique you hit the shutter as the firework is about to explode and hold it down until it’s finished exploding (generally a few seconds).

You can also experiment with set shutter speeds to see what impact it will have but I find that unless you’re holding the shutter open for very long exposures that the bulb technique works pretty well.

Don’t keep your shutter open too long. The temptation is to think that because it’s dark that you can leave it open as long as you like. The problem with this is that fireworks are bright and it doesn’t take too much to over expose them, especially if your shutter is open for multiple bursts in the one area of the sky. By all means experiment with multiple burst shots - but most people end up finding that the simpler one burst shots can be best.

7. ISO

Photo by Mr Magoo ICU

Shooting at a low ISO is preferable to ensure the cleanest shots possible. Stick to ISO 100 and you should be fine.

8. Switch off your Flash

Shooting with a flash will have no impact upon your shots except to trick your camera into thinking it needs a short exposure time. Keep in mind that your camera’s flash will only have a reach of a few meters and in the case of fireworks even if they were this close a flash wouldn’t really have anything to light except for some smoke which would distract from the real action (the flashing lights).Switch your flash off.

9. Shoot in Manual Mode

I find I get the best results when shooting in manual exposure and manual focus modes. Auto focusing in low light can be very difficult for many cameras and you’ll end up missing a lot of shots. Once your focusing is set you’ll find you don’t really need to change it during the fireworks display - especially if you’re using a small aperture which increases depth of field. Keep in mind that changing focal lengths will mean you need to need to adjust your focusing on most lenses.

10. Experiment and Track Results

Photo by y entonces

Throughout the fireworks display periodically check your results. I generally will take a few shots at the start and do a quick check to see that they are OK before shooting any more. Don’t check after every shot once you’ve got things set up OK (or you’ll miss the action) but do monitor yours shots occasionally to ensure you’re not taking a completely bad batch.

Also experiment with taking shots that include a wider perspective, silhouettes and people around you watching the display. Having your camera pointed at the sky can get you some wonderful shots but sometimes if you look for different perspectives you can get a few shots that are a little less cliche and just as spectacular. Most of the best shots that I’ve seen in the researching of this article have included some other element than the fireworks themselves - whether it be people, buildings, landmarks or wider cityscape perspectives.

More Tips from DPS Readers

• “Find Out the Direction of the Wind - You want to shoot up wind, so it goes Camera, Fireworks, Smoke. Otherwise they’ll come out REALLY hazy.”
• “Also, I find that if you shoot from a little further back and with a little more lens, you can set the lens to manual focus, focus it at infinity and not have to worry about it after that.”
• “Remember to take advantage of a zero processing costs and take as many pictures as possible (more than you’d normally think necessary). That way, you’ll up your chances of getting that “perfect” shot.”
• “Make sure you are ready to take pictures of the first fireworks. If there isn’t much wind, you are going to end up with a lot of smoke in your shot. The first explosions are usually the sharpest one.”
• “Get some black foam core and set your camera to bulb. Start the exposure when the fireworks start with the piece of foam core in front of the lens. Every time a burst happens move the foam core out of the way. You will get multiple firework bursts in one exposure”
• “Another tip I would add to this is pre-focus if possible (need to be able to manually focus or lock down focus for good) before the show starts so other elements in the frame are sharp They did mention that you only need to focus once but its a lot easier to take a few shots before the show starts and check them carefully rather than wait until the show has begun and you are fiddling with focus instead of watching fireworks!”

Tell us your fireworks display photography tips in comments below. Don’t forget to tell us which city you’re in and what the fireworks are like there!

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PS: Got some fireworks photos to share with us? Head over to our forum where there are a few fireworks photography discussions taking place.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

How to Photograph Fireworks Displays

I guess it’s called dumbing down. But there are still those of us who still pursue the challenge of making high quality prints and demand the technology and techniques to make it happen. Which is where Tim Daly’s book, Printing for Digital Photographers, comes in.

Early help in the book pivots around the setting up of a digital dark room: choice of software; the benefits of pigmented inks … Daly’s recommendation; getting the best out of a printer; data storage; card readers, etc.

Then the real meat hits the plate: managing multiple image files with the help of software like Adobe Bridge and iView Media Pro.

The discussion then moves onto inks and printing papers. Daly stresses “Print sharpness, colour saturation and contrast are all dictated by your printing media …” and then faces the real world where people continue to use copying paper for their printing needs, concluding that “these materials work much better if you sue low-resolution images and low quality printer settings.”

Useful chapters cover image editing software and useful plug-ins, followed by a scant two pages on calibration of monitors and papers.

A straightforward step-by-step series of chapters cover image cropping, contrast control, using Levels, eradicating dust and scratches, dealing with HDR, toning etc.

There’s a heap more in the book and all of it is of enormous help.

Author: T Daly. Publisher: PIP. Distributor: Capricorn Link. ISBN 13 978 1 86108 528 3. 176 pages.

Grab a copy of Printing for Digital Photographers at Amazon.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

Printing for Digital Photographers [BOOK REVIEW]

This week we finished up an assignment that challenged you to look at an ordinary subject in a creative way. The subject was a chair. There were a lot of good entries, but we could only pick three. Our winner this week was HoosierGal’s shot of a teddy bear on a chair, titled “Waiting”. The tones and texture combined with the effective use of negative space helped to create a photo that really captured the emotion of the title. Our first runner up was srt’s “Goldilocks on the chair and the bear”. This shot has the feeling of an old hand painted black and white shot. The little girl’s expression gives a real liveliness to an otherwise static subject. And last, but not least was fost golan’s porch chair. Something about this shot is just really welcoming, like you would expect your favourite person to be sitting there, just waiting for you to come home.

We also started a new assignment this week, f/16. In this assignment, set your camera’s aperture to f/16, compose your shot, and show us the result. Often we get stuck in the mindset that certain apertures are only appropriate for certain things, like shooting only landscapes at f/16. But this assignment will challenge you to make use of that extra depth of field to create interesting shots. In order to take part in the mini-contest, there are a few rules that need to be followed. First, your shots must have been taken between 17 June - 1 July 2009. Second, they must include the words “Assignment: f/16″ and the date the photo was taken in the post. Finally, your EXIF should be intact and it helps if you can include the main points. Next week’s assignment will be B&W Portraits.

Hot Threads

• When did you feel like you actually “got it”?: As a photographer, there eventually comes a point where you feel like you actually “get it” and create the photos that you see in your head. But when did you hit this point? Or have you hit it yet? Come share your experiences and thoughts over in the forum.
• Why Shoot in RAW???: Sometimes the RAW vs jpg debate seems never ending. But there’s a reason that people continue to discuss it. Both formats have their advantages so it is important for each person to weigh them up to see which is right for them. Come read about the various benefits and why people choose to use each of the formats, then come and contribute your own thoughts.
• Best Gear for Wedding Photog?: When you’re new to shooting weddings, how do you know what gear you “must have” and what gear isn’t appropriate? Whether you’re a wedding photographer or aspire to be one, this thread offers a good discussion on what makes a good wedding photography kit.
• What Would You Do: Last week we had the 100th episode of our weekly post-processing thread where forum members get a chance to edit someone else’s photo. Come join in the fun as we count up to the next 100.

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

This Week in the Digital Photography School Forums (21-27 Jun ‘09)

Try it, you’ll thank me later. Here are a few examples to give you a little inspiration.

Two equestrian riders by mattbaird

Urmia Salt Lake by Mehrad.HM

Primary Stillness by macropoulos

Down By The Watering Hole by *ian*

It's a laugh... by law keven

Farewell India by Stuck In Customs

Real Joy by Todd Baker

Dichotomy by Pinsiero

Dance of Joy by G a r r y

Bent Beauty by Cesar R.

Adrift by Pascal B.

Reflect by Vandelizer

Ottawa River by ViaMoi

reflections by camil tulcan

YER BLUES by snowriderguy

Unbrand America by Ende

Reflex on "il Campo" by Paolo.Sammicheli

Chinatown, NYC 2005 by Graspi

at a secret mission by gari.baldi

Three of a Perfect Pair by bitzcelt

Got some reflection photos to share? Head to the Share Your Shots or the Critique My shots areas of our forum!

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

20 Effective Reflection Photos