Photo Info
Camera Details - DSLR Photo Tips .
Photographs taken on full frame - 13mp / 21mp Digital SLR Cameras .
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Camera mounted on a tripod , with extra weight attached , from a camera bag / rucksack .
Mirror Locked up for 2/3 secs . Before electronically firing the shutter , ( only really useful for shutter speeds 1/30th sec -1/4 sec and lenses of Long focal length ).
On the Coast in windy conditions , all of the above may be of little use !!
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TIPS.
1- Shoot in Raw , rather than JPEG , if possible , most compacts can't .
Raw allows most camera "settings" to be altered , and about an extra stop of highlight , and shadow detail to be recovered in post processing software.
Save the RAW file , which can be treated as a "Digital Negative".
If the Cameras JPEG is to be used to produce the final image , then any in camera sharpening should be turned off.
2 - Set the Camera Colour Space to Adobe RGB.
3 - Exposure :-
Although camera metering is very accurate . Set the camera to display a Histogram and enable Highlight Alert. Set the exposure so that the histogram display is as far to the RIGHT as possible , with only a few specular highlights flashing. Over 80% of the Camera sensors information is located in the right half of the histogram display !
4 - Focusing :-
Very accurate in modern Digital Cameras . If your camera has "Live View" , it may be possible for the image to be magnified and the focusing checked , even with the lens stopped down.
If a photo is required , with a sharp image from the foreground to infinity , then focus on the Hyperfocal Point , tables are available on the Internet. The Image will be "acceptably" sharp from 1/2 the hyperfocal distance to Infinity. Apertures of F16 , F22 are often required , which unfortunately are not usually the Lens sharpest settings .
5 - Try using a Filter :-
5a - Polarizing Filter ( Glass ).
This filter can reduce or remove reflections and glare , saturate colours and darken blue skies.
Polarizing filters are easy to use – just rotate the front element and see through the viewfinder how the image changes.
Polarization is most effective with the sun to the side or above the camera .
Polarizing filters on a wideangle lens of about 28mm or less can cause uneven darkening of a sky .
Unlike other filters, e.g. Neutral Density (ND) or Graduated ND Filter, there is no way to emulate the polarizing filter effect in Photoshop .
5b - Graduated ND Filter ( Resin ).
Used to darken the brightest area of a scene, usually the sky.
By bringing the correct exposure for the land and sky closer together, the scene can be recorded within the dynamic range of the camera.
Move the the Filter in its slot in holder , and see through the viewfinder how the image changes.
ND grad filters are available in different strengths , with soft or hard graduation.
Buy the best ( Lee ) as they are less likely to degrade the quality , or change the colours of the Photo , than the cheaper alternatives.
5c -10 stop - Neutral Density Filter ( Glass or Resin )( B+W / 3.0 / 1000x , Hoya ND x400 ( 9 stop) , Lee Big Stopper).
A filter enabling exposures of many seconds even in bright sunlight situations , blurring movement especially in the seas and sky, recreating the effects of the pioneer photographers who needed a number of minutes to expose their photograhic plates.
The camera needs to be set up , on a tripod , and ready to take the photo before the ND is fitted to the lens , as the image in the viewfinder is to dark to be seen.
If your camera has Live View it may be possible to see an image , which will help to position a graduated filter , if required.
The filter darkens an image by about 10 stops , an exposure of 1/30th sec becomes about 30 seconds . The colour balance will also change .
ND Filters are available in 1 , 2 ,3 , 6 Stops as well as 9 / 10 stops.
6 - To make an exposure with minimum Camera Vibration :-
Mirror Slap from the large mirror of Digital SLR's is the most significant factor , but vibration from the curtain of the Focal Plane Shutter can also be a problem , especially in macro photos.
Mirror Lock Up is a traditional technique.
But if your Camera is a Canon - 40D, 50D, 60D, 7D, 5D MK2 - and "Live View" with Silent Mode is enabled . Then the Image can be taken with the Mirror Up and without using the first curtain of the focal plane shutter , resulting in an exposure with the least possible vibration .
----------------------------------------
Camera mounted on a tripod , with extra weight attached , from a camera bag / rucksack .
Mirror Locked up for 2/3 secs . Before electronically firing the shutter , ( only really useful for shutter speeds 1/30th sec -1/4 sec and lenses of Long focal length ).
On the Coast in windy conditions , all of the above may be of little use !!
---------------------------------------
TIPS.
1- Shoot in Raw , rather than JPEG , if possible , most compacts can't .
Raw allows most camera "settings" to be altered , and about an extra stop of highlight , and shadow detail to be recovered in post processing software.
Save the RAW file , which can be treated as a "Digital Negative".
If the Cameras JPEG is to be used to produce the final image , then any in camera sharpening should be turned off.
2 - Set the Camera Colour Space to Adobe RGB.
3 - Exposure :-
Although camera metering is very accurate . Set the camera to display a Histogram and enable Highlight Alert. Set the exposure so that the histogram display is as far to the RIGHT as possible , with only a few specular highlights flashing. Over 80% of the Camera sensors information is located in the right half of the histogram display !
4 - Focusing :-
Very accurate in modern Digital Cameras . If your camera has "Live View" , it may be possible for the image to be magnified and the focusing checked , even with the lens stopped down.
If a photo is required , with a sharp image from the foreground to infinity , then focus on the Hyperfocal Point , tables are available on the Internet. The Image will be "acceptably" sharp from 1/2 the hyperfocal distance to Infinity. Apertures of F16 , F22 are often required , which unfortunately are not usually the Lens sharpest settings .
5 - Try using a Filter :-
5a - Polarizing Filter ( Glass ).
This filter can reduce or remove reflections and glare , saturate colours and darken blue skies.
Polarizing filters are easy to use – just rotate the front element and see through the viewfinder how the image changes.
Polarization is most effective with the sun to the side or above the camera .
Polarizing filters on a wideangle lens of about 28mm or less can cause uneven darkening of a sky .
Unlike other filters, e.g. Neutral Density (ND) or Graduated ND Filter, there is no way to emulate the polarizing filter effect in Photoshop .
5b - Graduated ND Filter ( Resin ).
Used to darken the brightest area of a scene, usually the sky.
By bringing the correct exposure for the land and sky closer together, the scene can be recorded within the dynamic range of the camera.
Move the the Filter in its slot in holder , and see through the viewfinder how the image changes.
ND grad filters are available in different strengths , with soft or hard graduation.
Buy the best ( Lee ) as they are less likely to degrade the quality , or change the colours of the Photo , than the cheaper alternatives.
5c -10 stop - Neutral Density Filter ( Glass or Resin )( B+W / 3.0 / 1000x , Hoya ND x400 ( 9 stop) , Lee Big Stopper).
A filter enabling exposures of many seconds even in bright sunlight situations , blurring movement especially in the seas and sky, recreating the effects of the pioneer photographers who needed a number of minutes to expose their photograhic plates.
The camera needs to be set up , on a tripod , and ready to take the photo before the ND is fitted to the lens , as the image in the viewfinder is to dark to be seen.
If your camera has Live View it may be possible to see an image , which will help to position a graduated filter , if required.
The filter darkens an image by about 10 stops , an exposure of 1/30th sec becomes about 30 seconds . The colour balance will also change .
ND Filters are available in 1 , 2 ,3 , 6 Stops as well as 9 / 10 stops.
6 - To make an exposure with minimum Camera Vibration :-
Mirror Slap from the large mirror of Digital SLR's is the most significant factor , but vibration from the curtain of the Focal Plane Shutter can also be a problem , especially in macro photos.
Mirror Lock Up is a traditional technique.
But if your Camera is a Canon - 40D, 50D, 60D, 7D, 5D MK2 - and "Live View" with Silent Mode is enabled . Then the Image can be taken with the Mirror Up and without using the first curtain of the focal plane shutter , resulting in an exposure with the least possible vibration .