Camera Techies and my new toy.

Rikki

I took this at the same time.

My flashgun is about 8 years old, bought because it has independent power. needs new batteries.

Watch out for more photos.:)

albertross_2

These are my quick tips for better photo's, please ignore if you know it already, but hopefully someone may find them useful?

The thirds rule can help you to frame a better photo.., or crop one digitally later. Most people when doing landscapes will automatically do a 50/50 shot, and when photographing a subject it will be dead central.

http://www.silverlight.co.uk/tutorials/compose_expose/thirds.html

As well as looking better compositionally, if you have a lot of bright sky in the frame, then the sensor will average the exposure out, and you may end up with little detail in the foreground, and a lot of over exposed sky.

Also turn the camera on it's side sometimes and do portrait rather than landscape if it is applicable to the shot.

Use a telephoto for portraits, as the lack of depth of field accentuates the subject, and produces a nice out of focus background.

If taking shots of moving objects, pan with the subject, and press the shutter as you pan, this produces a nice blur to the background, and keeps the subject sharp. Reducing the shutter speed accentuates the blur even more, if your camera has adjustable shutter speeds.

If you go to a concert, turn the flash off. It will illuminate the back of the head of the row in front, not the subject. The colours on stage will be washed out and underexposed as a result. The range of a flash is a few metres, especially on cheapo compacts. It also points you out to the ushers, who might confiscate it..

If you have an adjustable flash head, use it to bounce the light off the ceiling or walls, it produces a less harsh result than a direct flash into the "red" eyes.

Don't stab at the trigger, especially in low light. Squeeze it gently, otherwise you'll end up with a blurred photo.

Don't shoot people with the sun or a bright window behind them, unless you are using a flash, otherwise you'll end up with a silhouette. (I suspect this is why your second bird picture looks a bit washed out, having less white in the shot would help, or if the camera allows it, take an exposure reading from the birds in close up, and tell the camera to use that exposure reading for the whole shot. Alternatively force it to overexpose by half/one stop)

Stark_2

Hi Rikki,

Just come accross this forum and found your thread.

There has been some great advice on this subject so far and hopefully this will be just as useful.

Check out this forum: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/index.php?

It is for Canon users and contains loads of information about RAW and PP as well as some fantastic photos to show you what is possible with your new camera. Most of the guys and girls over there will share information about the settings used to create their pictures so you can also give it a try.

The more important piece of advice I could give is to just get out there and play with it!

windym_2

Ive got the Canon Ixus 55 and I use the Canon Selphy CP710 (£75 ish) for printing photos. My other printer is an Epson R300. But the Canon is perfect for using with a canon camera and uses dye sublimation which looks like a photo from Boots/Kodak etc.

P.S Obviously not in the same league as some of you on here. Lol.

Rikki

Stark wrote:

Hi Rikki,

Just come accross this forum and found your thread.

There has been some great advice on this subject so far and hopefully this will be just as useful.

Check out this forum: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/index.php?

It is for Canon users and contains loads of information about RAW and PP as well as some fantastic photos to show you what is possible with your new camera. Most of the guys and girls over there will share information about the settings used to create their pictures so you can also give it a try.

The more important piece of advice I could give is to just get out there and play with it!

Just spent ages on the webb site you suggested. Very interesting and some great photographs.:T

Stark_2

Should have put a health warning in that post,

***YOU WILL SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THIS SITE AND WILL WANT TO SPEND TOO MUCH MONEY ON LENSES, GRIPS, FILTERS, SOFTWARE, TELECONVERTERS, TRIPODS, MONOPODS, MEMORY CARDS, BAGS, FLASHGUNS ETC. YOUR BANK MANAGER WILL NOT BE HAPPY WITH YOU!!!***




Nick

Rikki

I'm only spending virtual money. I have most of the accessories already from my 35mm SLR.

I have a picture of a flower close up and I want to know why the center is blurred. I'll post it later.

ManAtHome

Maybe too close for the centre of the flower which will stick out a bit. Wonders of digital, you can review the shot, step back a bit then try again.

How are finding the viewfinder compared to the film SLR (important question for us specky four-eyes).

albertross_2

Rikki wrote:

I have a picture of a flower close up and I want to know why the center is blurred. I'll post it later.

Probably lack of depth of field.

Rikki

I would like to know 'how can I crop the photograph to just print the airbus?'