Beginning Photography
The Top Five Questions
20/01/12 14:44
The Top Five Questions
The top five questions, new photographers ask: (At least the top five questions that I get asked regularly by new photographers).
1) What camera should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
2) What is the best lens to buy to make me a professional photographer?
3) What computer and monitor should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
4) What software should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
5) What printer should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
The Answers:
1) The camera does not matter.
The camera really does not matter. This image was shot with a Samsung Galaxy S2 cell phone.
2) The lens does not matter.
The lens does not matter. This image was taken using the still image capture feature on a consumer grade camcorder.
3) The computer does not matter.
I use a desktop Mac but I have friends that use Windows Machines and, while I don’t like using it, Windows is a modern operating system and as such is more than capable of photo processing.
4) The software does not matter.
As of this writing I use Apple Aperture 3, Adobe Photoshop CS5, Nik Efects Plug-ins for Aperture and Photoshop, and onOne software plug-ins. I recommend the following apps for new photographers: Pixelmator 2 (~$30 USD) http://www.pixelmator.com as an affordable Photoshop alternative, iPhoto (Free with any new Mac) for workflow management, and Snapseed (~$20 on the Apple App Store) http://www.snapseed.com/ as a tool for color correction, sharpening, and special effects.
5) The home printer does not matter. You can’t print high quality images as well or as inexpensively as having a professional print service* print them for you.
I use Bay Photo for almost all of my processing.
mpix is also a great professional print service.
Many Costco locations offer same day professional print services*.
There are tons of people out there buying high end printers, ink, and paper, and I know that these solutions are right for many full time photographers that need prints the same day. Nevertheless, for most people a professional printing service* is the only real option. Sure it takes a few days to get the prints, but you don’t have to worry about supplies, and if they mess up a print they don’t charge you for the mess-up. For same day printing, many Costco locations offer professional print services*, you must have a calibrated monitor and a fast Internet connection but the prices are reasonable and the product is much better than the product that most people can afford to print at home, see the Costco Photo Center for details on downloading printer calibration files, prices, and pickup locations.
What does matter?
The things that matter most in photography are composition and exposure. With these two things, a photographer can take almost any camera and create art, news, and/or memories. Composition and exposure are not mastered overnight and require lots of practice. In future posts I will discuss composition and exposure in depth and in my next post I will write about the one piece of equipment that does matter and that no digital photographer should be without. In fact I will go so far as to say it is a requirement for great pictures. Stay tuned to find out what it is and why you need it. Until then, get out there and start shooting and as always --
Enjoy.
*Professional print services - For the purposes of this discussion a professional print service is defined as a service offering commercial grade paper, inks/pigments, provides calibrated printer files to the end user and makes no changes to the file submitted by the customer. Many professional print services also provide consumer services such as color correction and photo retouching. It should be noted that local box stores, drug stores, and most one hour photo locations are not professional print services and as such, the quality of their prints varies greatly. These discount retailers rely on automated color correction, cropping, and contrast controls. The papers and ink/pigments used in these locations, while adequate for snap shots, is not of the same quality as premium services. Remember that these local one-hour photo locations are concerned with costs and volume and not with overall quality. In most cases, “good enough” is all they strive for in producing prints.
The top five questions, new photographers ask: (At least the top five questions that I get asked regularly by new photographers).
1) What camera should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
2) What is the best lens to buy to make me a professional photographer?
3) What computer and monitor should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
4) What software should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
5) What printer should I buy to make me a professional photographer?
The Answers:
1) The camera does not matter.
The camera really does not matter. This image was shot with a Samsung Galaxy S2 cell phone.
2) The lens does not matter.
The lens does not matter. This image was taken using the still image capture feature on a consumer grade camcorder.
3) The computer does not matter.
I use a desktop Mac but I have friends that use Windows Machines and, while I don’t like using it, Windows is a modern operating system and as such is more than capable of photo processing.
4) The software does not matter.
As of this writing I use Apple Aperture 3, Adobe Photoshop CS5, Nik Efects Plug-ins for Aperture and Photoshop, and onOne software plug-ins. I recommend the following apps for new photographers: Pixelmator 2 (~$30 USD) http://www.pixelmator.com as an affordable Photoshop alternative, iPhoto (Free with any new Mac) for workflow management, and Snapseed (~$20 on the Apple App Store) http://www.snapseed.com/ as a tool for color correction, sharpening, and special effects.
5) The home printer does not matter. You can’t print high quality images as well or as inexpensively as having a professional print service* print them for you.
I use Bay Photo for almost all of my processing.
mpix is also a great professional print service.
Many Costco locations offer same day professional print services*.
There are tons of people out there buying high end printers, ink, and paper, and I know that these solutions are right for many full time photographers that need prints the same day. Nevertheless, for most people a professional printing service* is the only real option. Sure it takes a few days to get the prints, but you don’t have to worry about supplies, and if they mess up a print they don’t charge you for the mess-up. For same day printing, many Costco locations offer professional print services*, you must have a calibrated monitor and a fast Internet connection but the prices are reasonable and the product is much better than the product that most people can afford to print at home, see the Costco Photo Center for details on downloading printer calibration files, prices, and pickup locations.
What does matter?
The things that matter most in photography are composition and exposure. With these two things, a photographer can take almost any camera and create art, news, and/or memories. Composition and exposure are not mastered overnight and require lots of practice. In future posts I will discuss composition and exposure in depth and in my next post I will write about the one piece of equipment that does matter and that no digital photographer should be without. In fact I will go so far as to say it is a requirement for great pictures. Stay tuned to find out what it is and why you need it. Until then, get out there and start shooting and as always --
Enjoy.
*Professional print services - For the purposes of this discussion a professional print service is defined as a service offering commercial grade paper, inks/pigments, provides calibrated printer files to the end user and makes no changes to the file submitted by the customer. Many professional print services also provide consumer services such as color correction and photo retouching. It should be noted that local box stores, drug stores, and most one hour photo locations are not professional print services and as such, the quality of their prints varies greatly. These discount retailers rely on automated color correction, cropping, and contrast controls. The papers and ink/pigments used in these locations, while adequate for snap shots, is not of the same quality as premium services. Remember that these local one-hour photo locations are concerned with costs and volume and not with overall quality. In most cases, “good enough” is all they strive for in producing prints.
Using a Polarizing filter to eliminate reflections on glass.
17/11/10 18:55
Summer is filled with trips to the great outdoors. However, summer is over for most of us and we find ourselves looking for other places to visit. A great place to visit in the Fall and Winter is a Museum. I love to go to museums and when I go I love to take my camera. More often than not, museums have some pretty restrictive rules about camera usage inside the museum.
Almost all museums have the same two rules:
1) No Flash Photography.
2) No Tripods or Monopods
These two rules can make it hard on the average photographer. The disadvantages of these two rules can be overcome with the correct camera settings and a lens designed for low light. Even after these two challenges have been dealt with, another problem still exists that many photographers never overcome.
The problem: Shooting Through Glass.
Instead of taking a paragraph to explain the problem presented by shooting through glass I will just show you the result of shooting through glass at a museum.
Any Napoleon Dynamite fan will recognize this as a photo of Shasta the Liger. I took this photo at the Bean Life Science Museum in Provo, UT. Notice the light reflecting off of the glass case in which Shasta is stored.
Here is the same photo with the reflections highlighted.
If you look closely you can see the reflection of the museum lighting on the glass case.
The Solution
The solution is very simple and very old school photography. The solution is a Circular Polarizing Filter. A polarizing filter can reduce reflection of lights on surfaces, it can cause the sky to be more blue and can help in saturating colors. In future articles I will discuss when to use a polarizing filter to darken the sky and when to use it to saturate an image but today I want to concentrate on using it to remove reflections, especially reflections on glass.
A circular polarizer is easy to use. It attaches to the end of your lens and it rotates a full 360 degrees. I find that it is best to first line up my photo, set my exposure and focus and then, while looking though the viewfinder turn the polarizing filter until the reflection on the glass disappears. It is really just that simple and, guess what; it works.
Here is another photo of Shasta to prove it.
This photo was taken from the same distance, with the same exposure and the same focus. The only difference is the use of a polarizing filter.
Buying a Polarizing Filter
When you buy a polarizing filter remember the following guidelines:
1) Buy a filter that fits your lens. Filters are measured in millimeters or mm. If you look at the end of your lens it will have the filter mm number etched in the lens. Look for a number like 49mm, 55mm, 62mm. If you buy the wrong size filter, it will not fit your camera.
2) Don’t go cheap. Buy a reputable brand of filter. Tiffen makes good filters at a moderate price. There are also many other quality filter manufacturers. Most likely the maker of your camera provides their own line of filters.
3) Make sure it is a circular polarizing filter when you buy it. The older style of linear polarizing filter is not suited for general use applications on modern digital cameras. In other words, you are going to get a lot more bang for you buck with a circular polarizer.
I am aware that many of you do not have the money to buy a filter just yet and that many more of you do not have a camera that will accept filters. There is no reason for you to be left out in the cold. In my next article I am going to explain how to make the glass disappear without the use of a polarizing filter. It is simple, fun, and even works with your camera phone. So stay tuned and until then
-- Enjoy.
Almost all museums have the same two rules:
1) No Flash Photography.
2) No Tripods or Monopods
These two rules can make it hard on the average photographer. The disadvantages of these two rules can be overcome with the correct camera settings and a lens designed for low light. Even after these two challenges have been dealt with, another problem still exists that many photographers never overcome.
The problem: Shooting Through Glass.
Instead of taking a paragraph to explain the problem presented by shooting through glass I will just show you the result of shooting through glass at a museum.
Any Napoleon Dynamite fan will recognize this as a photo of Shasta the Liger. I took this photo at the Bean Life Science Museum in Provo, UT. Notice the light reflecting off of the glass case in which Shasta is stored.
Here is the same photo with the reflections highlighted.
If you look closely you can see the reflection of the museum lighting on the glass case.
The Solution
The solution is very simple and very old school photography. The solution is a Circular Polarizing Filter. A polarizing filter can reduce reflection of lights on surfaces, it can cause the sky to be more blue and can help in saturating colors. In future articles I will discuss when to use a polarizing filter to darken the sky and when to use it to saturate an image but today I want to concentrate on using it to remove reflections, especially reflections on glass.
A circular polarizer is easy to use. It attaches to the end of your lens and it rotates a full 360 degrees. I find that it is best to first line up my photo, set my exposure and focus and then, while looking though the viewfinder turn the polarizing filter until the reflection on the glass disappears. It is really just that simple and, guess what; it works.
Here is another photo of Shasta to prove it.
This photo was taken from the same distance, with the same exposure and the same focus. The only difference is the use of a polarizing filter.
Buying a Polarizing Filter
When you buy a polarizing filter remember the following guidelines:
1) Buy a filter that fits your lens. Filters are measured in millimeters or mm. If you look at the end of your lens it will have the filter mm number etched in the lens. Look for a number like 49mm, 55mm, 62mm. If you buy the wrong size filter, it will not fit your camera.
2) Don’t go cheap. Buy a reputable brand of filter. Tiffen makes good filters at a moderate price. There are also many other quality filter manufacturers. Most likely the maker of your camera provides their own line of filters.
3) Make sure it is a circular polarizing filter when you buy it. The older style of linear polarizing filter is not suited for general use applications on modern digital cameras. In other words, you are going to get a lot more bang for you buck with a circular polarizer.
I am aware that many of you do not have the money to buy a filter just yet and that many more of you do not have a camera that will accept filters. There is no reason for you to be left out in the cold. In my next article I am going to explain how to make the glass disappear without the use of a polarizing filter. It is simple, fun, and even works with your camera phone. So stay tuned and until then
-- Enjoy.
Kit Lenses vs. “Good” Glass
20/10/10 22:13
Kit Lenses vs. “Good” Glass
What is the difference between a kit lens and “good” glass? If many ‘would be’ professional photographers and camera store employees (who work on commission) are to be believed, that difference is night and day. They would say that a kit lens is not worth anything and does not even make a good paper weight, and that “good” glass is worth selling your kidney for if your kidney would bring in enough money to buy it.
The Secret
Here is a secret the camera store employee and the “Pro” photographer don’t want you to know. A kit lens is fine. For most people the kit lenses are about all they need for most of their photography. They certainly don’t need a 300mm f2.8 lens that costs upwards of $6000 just to take pictures of their kids at a baseball game.
This image was shot using a 70mm-300mm f4.5/5.5 kit lens. As you can see the kit lens can even be used to take a very artistic photograph.
Purchase this print here: http://williamburnettgalleries.zenfolio.com/west/h33655d47#h33655d47
Prior to the days of modern CNC machining, computer aided design, and photoshop, a really expensive piece of glass was the only way to go if you wanted to take a decent photograph. However, we live in a modern world and lenses have come a long way. The modern kit lens is generally very distortion free compared to its counterpart from even ten years ago. It is safe to say that a modern kit lens is at least as good or better than many of the mid-priced lenses available 20 years ago. The low cost of digital photography and modern manufacturing techniques have worked together to make the economy of scale almost a miracle for the amateur photographer.
Many DSLR cameras come with two lenses or one general purpose lens. These are generally a wide angle zoom lens like a 18mm-70mm f3.5-5.6 and a 70mm-300mm f4.5/5.5 and for a one lens kits a great choice is a 18mm-200mm or similar kit lens. These lenses are good general purpose lenses for shooting out of doors or indoors with the assistance of an external flash. These lenses are not very good at all for low light photography. This does not mean that you need to go out and buy an expensive piece of glass to take photos indoors. A kit lens can be supplemented with a very low cost lens that will step up and fill this hole in performance.
This photo is an example of using a kit lens without a tripod to take a low light photograph (It can be done). This photo was taken using a 18mm - 70mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens. The image was taken in a low light in a gorilla enclosure at the Louisville Zoo in Louisville, Ky. The image is through glass and no additional light was used.
Purchase this print here: http://williamburnettgalleries.zenfolio.com/louisvillezoo/h2b078c77#h2b078c77
50mm Prime Lens
Canon, Nikon, and Sony all have a 50mm f1.8 lens in their respective catalogue of lenses. And in every case the 50mm f1.8 lens is the least expensive lens that they make. They can be found for between $100 and $150 new. A 50mm f1.8 can step up and take the low light photographs that the kit lens just can’t touch and can do it at a fraction of the cost of an expensive zoom lens. Guess what? These lenses are great lenses. Are they sexy? No. Will people look at you and say, look at the size of his lens? Nope. However, adding a lens like this to your camera bag will make you a better photographer and will not break the bank doing it. Your indoor images will be sharp and you can save the money you would have spent on a lens and purchase a nice flash or a good piece of editing software for your computer.
This image was shot using a 50mm f1.8 prime lens.
Purchase this print here: http://williamburnettgalleries.zenfolio.com/templesquare/h39664a0d#h39664a0d
A Word for the Pros
I know that expensive glass is a great thing. I own other lenses in addition to the kit lenses that came with my camera. I also know that it is not the lens or the camera that makes a photographer. I encourage anyone to buy the best glass that they can buy if they need it and can afford it. I also know that for most people an $8000 camera and a $6000 lens is not going to do anything to help them be a better photographer. I want the new and amateur photographer to come to know their equipment. I want them to take their systems to the limit and to make the best of what they have before they rush out and buy a lens that might not fit their needs or their budget. I want them to grow with their hobby and, yes, for most of them they are never going to outgrow the kit lenses and a supplemental prime lens. That is fine and their photos will be fine too. There are few things in this world more frustrating to me than to see a person with an expensive camera and lens trying to take a photo and then looking at the preview of the image and having a look of disgust on their face. I know that look is made worse because of the amount of money they dropped on a camera that they don’t know how to use.
A Final Word for the Amateur
Stick with the kit that you bought. Read everything you can about your camera. Experiment with your camera. Buy a low cost 50mm prime lens for where the kit lens does not work. Learn a good piece of editing software and learn to correct for the few flaws of the kit lens. Most of all, have fun and don’t worry about looking like a pro. Just learn to shoot like one and over time you will come to know what type of photography you really like to do and what type of lens will best suit your needs.
Enjoy
Note:
The following is a good review of the variety of Nikon Kits lenses available.
What is the difference between a kit lens and “good” glass? If many ‘would be’ professional photographers and camera store employees (who work on commission) are to be believed, that difference is night and day. They would say that a kit lens is not worth anything and does not even make a good paper weight, and that “good” glass is worth selling your kidney for if your kidney would bring in enough money to buy it.
The Secret
Here is a secret the camera store employee and the “Pro” photographer don’t want you to know. A kit lens is fine. For most people the kit lenses are about all they need for most of their photography. They certainly don’t need a 300mm f2.8 lens that costs upwards of $6000 just to take pictures of their kids at a baseball game.
This image was shot using a 70mm-300mm f4.5/5.5 kit lens. As you can see the kit lens can even be used to take a very artistic photograph.
Purchase this print here: http://williamburnettgalleries.zenfolio.com/west/h33655d47#h33655d47
Prior to the days of modern CNC machining, computer aided design, and photoshop, a really expensive piece of glass was the only way to go if you wanted to take a decent photograph. However, we live in a modern world and lenses have come a long way. The modern kit lens is generally very distortion free compared to its counterpart from even ten years ago. It is safe to say that a modern kit lens is at least as good or better than many of the mid-priced lenses available 20 years ago. The low cost of digital photography and modern manufacturing techniques have worked together to make the economy of scale almost a miracle for the amateur photographer.
Many DSLR cameras come with two lenses or one general purpose lens. These are generally a wide angle zoom lens like a 18mm-70mm f3.5-5.6 and a 70mm-300mm f4.5/5.5 and for a one lens kits a great choice is a 18mm-200mm or similar kit lens. These lenses are good general purpose lenses for shooting out of doors or indoors with the assistance of an external flash. These lenses are not very good at all for low light photography. This does not mean that you need to go out and buy an expensive piece of glass to take photos indoors. A kit lens can be supplemented with a very low cost lens that will step up and fill this hole in performance.
This photo is an example of using a kit lens without a tripod to take a low light photograph (It can be done). This photo was taken using a 18mm - 70mm f3.5-5.6 kit lens. The image was taken in a low light in a gorilla enclosure at the Louisville Zoo in Louisville, Ky. The image is through glass and no additional light was used.
Purchase this print here: http://williamburnettgalleries.zenfolio.com/louisvillezoo/h2b078c77#h2b078c77
50mm Prime Lens
Canon, Nikon, and Sony all have a 50mm f1.8 lens in their respective catalogue of lenses. And in every case the 50mm f1.8 lens is the least expensive lens that they make. They can be found for between $100 and $150 new. A 50mm f1.8 can step up and take the low light photographs that the kit lens just can’t touch and can do it at a fraction of the cost of an expensive zoom lens. Guess what? These lenses are great lenses. Are they sexy? No. Will people look at you and say, look at the size of his lens? Nope. However, adding a lens like this to your camera bag will make you a better photographer and will not break the bank doing it. Your indoor images will be sharp and you can save the money you would have spent on a lens and purchase a nice flash or a good piece of editing software for your computer.
This image was shot using a 50mm f1.8 prime lens.
Purchase this print here: http://williamburnettgalleries.zenfolio.com/templesquare/h39664a0d#h39664a0d
A Word for the Pros
I know that expensive glass is a great thing. I own other lenses in addition to the kit lenses that came with my camera. I also know that it is not the lens or the camera that makes a photographer. I encourage anyone to buy the best glass that they can buy if they need it and can afford it. I also know that for most people an $8000 camera and a $6000 lens is not going to do anything to help them be a better photographer. I want the new and amateur photographer to come to know their equipment. I want them to take their systems to the limit and to make the best of what they have before they rush out and buy a lens that might not fit their needs or their budget. I want them to grow with their hobby and, yes, for most of them they are never going to outgrow the kit lenses and a supplemental prime lens. That is fine and their photos will be fine too. There are few things in this world more frustrating to me than to see a person with an expensive camera and lens trying to take a photo and then looking at the preview of the image and having a look of disgust on their face. I know that look is made worse because of the amount of money they dropped on a camera that they don’t know how to use.
A Final Word for the Amateur
Stick with the kit that you bought. Read everything you can about your camera. Experiment with your camera. Buy a low cost 50mm prime lens for where the kit lens does not work. Learn a good piece of editing software and learn to correct for the few flaws of the kit lens. Most of all, have fun and don’t worry about looking like a pro. Just learn to shoot like one and over time you will come to know what type of photography you really like to do and what type of lens will best suit your needs.
Enjoy
Note:
The following is a good review of the variety of Nikon Kits lenses available.