Category: Photography

by Leland Richardson on October 30, 2021 0

Dad Creates Awesome Sandwich Bag Art from Dinos to Monsters to Mold

Sometimes it’s the little things with your kids: the big smile before going to bed, that extra hug at school drop-off, or that one more round of peek-a-boo. David Laferriere has a tradition that he been doing for years that brings a little extra fun, whimsy, and wonder into his kids’ lunchtime. Every single day he draws a different awesome image on their sandwich bags, and he has chronicled his art and posted more than a thousand photos of his lunch bag creations on Flickr. Check out a collection of his amazing sandwich bag creations below as well as our interview with very talented and clever dad!

When did you start your project, and why?

I was looking for a way to jump-start my creative juices. I was already making their lunches and wanted to do something fun for them and me. I actually tried drawing with food coloring directly on the bread. That was too time intensive and the texture of the bread is terrible to draw on. I’ve always had some black Sharpie Markers kicking around and they worked well on the sandwich bag. Over time I added other colors and have experimented with different techniques.

Do you have an art background?
 I am a graphic designer and illustrator working in the Communications office at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. I have always loved to doodle, draw, paint, etc. [and] was lucky enough to graduate from Rhode Island School of Design.

How old are your kids?
Thirteen and 15. They were at the end of second and fourth grades when I started doing this.

Do your kids get excited about the drawing you surprise them with?
In the beginning they might say something about what I drew. I’d sometimes ask them something about what was on their bag, get a blank stare and then they respond, oh yeah. Once I drew an alarm clock because my son has a problem getting up. He replied sarcastically, “Thanks Dad.”

What kind of sandwiches are in those bags?
My oldest likes almost anything. My youngest has always had peanut butter and jelly. They also get a juice, fruit and a snack.

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by Leland Richardson on December 2, 2019 0

GPS Camcorders: A Guide to GPS Camcorders

The current technological sophistication that quite amazes me is they can know where you are. That is a very rapid progress in my opinion. This technology is very beneficial for some sectors of life, be it the business world or even for those of you who love to travel.

The same global positioning system (GPS) that helps you navigate around town in your car has started to appear inside digital camcorders.

The first GPS camcorders were introduced in 2009 courtesy of Sony and include the HDR-XR520V, HDR-XR500V, HDR-XR200V and HDR-TR5v.

What Does An Internal GPS Receiver Do?

*Courtesy : /images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com*

The GPS receiver collects location data from satellites circling the Earth. Sony’s camcorders use this data to automatically adjust the unit’s clock to the proper time zone. Not much use if you’re filming the backyard barbeque, but certainly a convenience for international travelers.

The camcorders also use GPS data to display a map of your current location on the LCD screen. Don’t confuse these GPS camcorders with navigation devices, though.

They won’t offer point-to-point directions.

A New Way to Organize Video

The real benefit of the GPS receiver is that it saves location data as you film. With this information, the camcorders will create a map on the LCD display with icons marking all of the locations where you shot video. Rather than search for saved video files by time or date, you can use this “Map Index” function to find your videos by location.

When you’ve transferred your video to a computer, Sony’s Picture Motion Browser (PMB) software will automatically merge the location data from the GPS receiver with the appropriate video clips and then plot those clips on a map as tiny thumbnail images. Click on a thumbnail in a given location, and you can view the video you filmed there. Think of it as new way to organize and visualize your saved video files.

Can You Geotag Videos Like Photos?

*Courtesy : redhensystems-1634.kxcdn.com*

Not quite. When you geotag a digital photograph, you embed location data inside the photo file itself. This way, when you upload photos to websites like Flickr, the GPS data goes with it and you’re able to use Flickr’s mapping tool to view your photos on a map.

With these camcorders, the GPS data cannot be embedded into the video file. If you were to upload video to Flickr, the GPS data would stay behind on the computer. The only way to plot your videos on a map is on your personal computer with Sony’s software. That’s definitely a limitation.

Do You Need a GPS Camcorder?

If you’re a very active traveler who’s comfortable working with video files on a computer, the added functionality made possible by GPS technology is definitely beneficial. For casual users, GPS alone shouldn’t motivate you to buy these camcorders.

The true promise of GPS inside a camcorder will be realized when you can embed the GPS data inside the video file itself. Then you’ll be able to avail yourself to third party applications and websites that support location organizing and the mapping of videos.

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by Leland Richardson on November 29, 2019 0

What To Expect From The Software That’s Packaged In Your Camcorder

If you just bought a camcorder, the manufacturer has put the default software in it to use video editing. Even though it is simple, it is enough to help you edit the video that you take.

These days, you’re just as likely to view your camcorder videos on a computer as on a TV (if not more so.) That’s why every camcorder is packaged with some basic video software that will let you perform some routine tasks with your camcorder video. Here’s what you can expect:

Basic Editing

While you shouldn’t expect to edit your Hollywood blockbuster on the included software, the basic editing features are usually there – some color corrections, trimming, along with the ability to add titles and transition effects.

Sharing

Whether you want to post your videos to Facebook or YouTube or send them to friends and family via email, the software included in your camcorder usually contains tools for Web sharing.

Transcoding

If you want to watch your home movies on DVD, smartphone, portable media players or even a PlayStation Portable, you may need to transcode your video – i.e. turn it into a file format that can be recognized by these devices. Most bundled software will have an option to output your video file for viewing on various platforms.

Organize

The more videos and photos you record with your camcorder, the harder it is to keep track of all your digital files. Included software will offer a basic organizer that will let you keep track of your ever-growing digital library.

DVD Burning: One of the most routine tasks you’ll need to perform with your camcorder’s software is burning an archival disk of your footage (read about how to archive your camcorder videos here). If it does nothing else, your software should allow you to burn DVDs of your home movies.

Perform Specialized Tasks: Some high-end camcorder features can only be accessed through specialized software applications not found on off-the-shelf software.

Sony’s GPS camcorders are a case in point: you can only access map views and “geo-tagging” if you use the company’s included software to organize your files.

Built-in Software

There’s a growing trend among camcorders (particularly pocket camcorders) to ditch the CD-Rom and load their software directly into the camcorder itself. The software will typically install itself on your computer the first time you connect the camcorder to the computer. The virtue with the built-in approach is that you can upgrade computer (of suffer a hard drive wipe out) without worrying about losing your software.

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by Leland Richardson on November 27, 2019 0

Guide to Flash Camcorders

Flash memory first came to consumer’s attention as the “digital film” in a digital camera. Now, the same memory cards found in digital cameras are being used in a new breed of camcorders: flash camcorders.

A camcorder can record to flash memory in one of two ways. First, the flash memory can be built into a camcorder. Alternatively, the camcorder can record directly to removable flash memory cards, such as SDHC cards or Memory Stick.

Camcorders with internal flash memory will generally also offer a memory card slot, giving you the opportunity to extend your recording times by using an optional memory card. Check out our list of the Best Flash Camcorders to find the top models currently on the market.

What Kind of Camcorders Record to Flash Memory?

The short answer is: all of them.

You’ll find flash memory used in very inexpensive, pocket camcorders, middle of the road standard definition camcorders to very high-end, high definition camcorders. All the major camcorder manufacturers offer flash camcorders in their line up.

What Are the Benefits of Flash Camcorders?

There are several:

Light weight: Flash memory itself is not only lighter than a hard disk drive or tape, it doesn’t need a bulky apparatus to operate it. The end result is a camcorder that’s very light weight.

Compact Size: Because the flash memory itself is small and doesn’t require large components inside the camcorder to operate, flash camcorders are compact and very portable. This is why pocket camcorders, like Pure Digital’s Flip, use flash memory as their a storage format.

Longer Battery Life: Unlike a hard disk drive, tape or DVD, which must spin inside a camcorder when they’re turned on, flash memory has no moving parts. That means that flash camcorders won’t waste battery life spinning a tape or disk mechanism, giving you longer recording times.

High capacity: While they don’t boast the large capacities of hard disk drives, flash camcorders can still top MiniDV tape and DVD disk when it comes to storing hours of video.

Reusable: When your flash memory card is packed with videos, you don’t need to run out and buy a new one, as you do with tapes or DVDs. Instead, you can transfer that footage to a PC, external hard drive or disk and reuse your card.

Are There Downsides to Flash Camcorders?

The principle drawback to a flash camcorder is its capacity compared to hard disk drive-based camcorders. There are hard disk drive camcorders with over 200GB worth of storage space, while the largest flash memory camcorder tops out at 64GB. Even adding a high capacity memory card won’t get you close to the capacity of a large hard disk drive.

The Wave of the Future

Manufacturers have steadily shifted their product lines away from tape and DVD disk-based camcorders toward hard disk drive and flash camcorders. If you’re looking to “future proof” your camcorder investment, flash camcorders will not be going obsolete anytime soon.

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by Leland Richardson on November 12, 2019 0

Four Things Every Camcorder Owner Should Do With Their Video

Everyone could have their own channel now since youtube was launched. This is good for camera video business, especially camcorder. You could get clearer video especially with the developing of the quality of camcorder video.

We tend to put a lot of thought into what kind of camcorder we want or we focus (if you will) on the event we’re recording. But what comes next – what you do with those videos when you’re done with them – is just as important. Here are four things every camcorder owner should do with their videos:

Keep them organized

Between our phones, cameras and camcorders, we’re amassing more digital files than ever. That means that staying organized is a priority. To ensure you know where your videos are when you need them, you need to create (and stick to) a simple organizational plan. It should start with immediately transferring videos from your camcorder to your computer. Letting videos pile up on the camcorder’s memory is a recipe for disorganization (and disaster – you could lose the camcorder or drop it in the toilet).

Clearly label your folders with relevant information

The next step is to clearly label your folders with relevant information regarding the videos they contain – including date and location. You needn’t rename individual video files, per se, but containing folders need to be clearly labeled and all stored in the same place. Wherever possible, it’s better to use software to transfer your videos onto your PC or Mac. Video software (either the program that shipped with your camcorder or a third party application) offers more tools for organizing videos, such as the ability to tag your files with location or personal data.

Share them

With the proliferation of video-sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo, it’s never been easier to share your video, even your high definition or 3D video, with friends and family no matter where in the world they live.

You can create personal pages on a number of online sites to host your videos and invite friends and family by email to let them view your movies. Or, make the pages public and let the world in on the fun. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter are getting increasingly video-friendly.

You can also share them via email.

Most camcorders ship with software that will enable you to email video clips, including the option to resize (i.e. shrink) your video down to a reasonable size, so they won’t clog your recipients inbox. Free software, such as Google’s Picasa, can also do the trick.

There are also conventional ways to share – such as viewing on a TV, either via a direct connection from your camcorder to the TV (via A/V or HDMI cable) or by burning your video to disk. In this digital era, many media players, such as the Boxee or TiVo, can display any videos stored on a home network on your TV, bypassing the need to either connect your camcorder to your set or burn DVDs. Be warned, though, that streaming HD video on a home network can tax older wireless networks.

You can also project videos from your camcorder using a pico-projector (some camcorders are now being built with their own projectors as well).

Create: If you cringe at the thought of video editing, you’re in good company. It can be a laborious process. Fortunately, there are several software programs, and online tools, that can automatically blend still photos and HD video from your camcorder into a multimedia show that can be uploaded to YouTube (or Facebook, or Vimeo, etc.) or shared via email. Services such as Animoto and software like Muvee Reveal offer a very straightforward approach to video product – with a few drag and drop effects, captions and titles standing between yourself and a professional-looking video creation.

Back them up

This is, without a doubt, the most important step. Many newer camcorder owners, and especially pocket camcorder owners, likely save their videos directly to a hard drive. If you’re among them, your videos are in jeopardy. Hard drives won’t last all that long. If you only store your videos on a hard drive, you risk losing them all in one catastrophic hard drive crash. Consider purchasing an external hard drive or using a cloud storage service (or, ideally, both) to save your videos to. (You can learn more about archiving your videos here.) Suffice it to say that you should immediately created duplicate copies of your videos files on an external drive and/or cloud service right after you transfer those videos to your computer. Future generations will thank you.

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by David Burgess on July 12, 2018 0

Can Advanced Point and Shoot Cameras Measure Up to DSLRs?

Affordable Point and Shoot Cameras for Advanced Users

If you’ve already spent some time learning about photography you probably already know know that with the proper knowledge you can take amazing photos with a DSLR. But carrying around a large camera with you everywhere can be a bit of a drag. Sometimes you need a camera that is small, compact and easily transportable. So, if you’re looking for the best point and shoot camera for an advanced photographer, then you can find some great options that take incredible images. If saving some money on the camera is a factor, then you will usually find that prices are a bit less than most of the DSLR cameras out there which could give you some additional cash for use to purchase a nice printer or some accessories.

The best part about point and shoot types of cameras is their portability and ability to pack extremely powerful picture taking within a small and compact package. There are several models out in the market that can let you manipulate and alter its settings so that you can take the exact kind of photo that you want. It’s almost like having a small DSLR.

Canon G12

Canon a leader in the camera world, they have a wide range of models that encompasses point and shoot cameras to entry level, mid-level, and professional level cameras. The G12 is a 10 megapixel camera that is a part of Canon’s G series of cameras.

Nikon J1

The Nikon J1 is a very impressive device. Its auto-focus function works very quickly which allows you to take advantage of its fast shooting speed. You can also just as quickly switch to video recording which lets you take high definition videos up to 1080p by hitting one button.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 is a compact camera that delivers high quality photos and high definition videos. This camera is equipped with Leica DC Vario-Summicron, F2.0, ultra-wide lens. Image distortion is reduced by this model bringing you gorgeous, detailed photos.

More High Quality Point and Shoot Cameras

You don’t need a big fancy camera to take high definition videos and high resolution photos. A simple point and shoot camera may just do the trick for you.

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by David Burgess on May 24, 2018 0

Portrait Photography Tips ~ Use A Canon Rebel T3i For Portraits

How To Take Portraits (For Beginners)

GREAT NEWS!!
You do not need a professional digital SLR camera to take awesome portraits.
You can get super portraits with an inexpensive (cheap even) DSLR camera. In fact, if you own a Canon Rebel T3i, you have in your hands an excellent tool for portrait photography.

The technology that Canon has built into its newest Rebel cameras is improved by leaps and bounds over what was available even a couple of years ago. Combine this inexpensive digital SLR with a even a so-so Canon Portrait Lens, and you have a combination that will get you some great portrait shots as well as lots of happy feedback from those you photograph.

Getting Ready To Take A Portrait

Begin with the basics.
Portrait Mode The first thing you MUST do is take your Canon Rebel T3i off the Auto setting (a gasp is heard from the crowd)..

Really! You might get lucky and get a decent portrait in auto mode, but if you want the best results, you will have to take drastic steps.

There are two choices here. First, you can use the Portrait Mode supplied by the camera, or you can use Aperture Priority (Av).

Since the simplest way to get started is to use the Portrait mode setting, let’s start with that.

Set your camera on Portrait Mode. See the picture on the right. When you do this, your Rebel will automatically use the largest aperture available for the lens you have attached to the camera.

Photo by RebelT3iOwner

Say What?? (I am psychic; I know what you are thinking.)

Don’t worry. You don’t even have to know what an aperture is if you use the portrait mode.

The next thing to do is compose and take the shot. When you review your shot, you should see that the background is blurry. That is the sign of a good portrait.

So what if your background is not blurry? Well, here is how to make the background blurry.

First, use a lens with a longer focal length and step away from your subject (you can also accomplish this by using the zoom on your lens at its highest setting – on the kit lens, zoom to 55mm).
The second way to help out your background is to move the subject of your photo farther away from the background. In other words, put more space between the person you are photographing and the background. Do not have them standing with their back against a wall, for instance.

Using a tripod
If there is plenty of light, you can usually have good success with hand-holding your T3i, as long as you use good camera technique. However, using a tripod is never a bad idea for a regular portrait.

Tip For Getting Great Shots
Take shots when your subject is not expecting it. Most of us announce the timing with “Say cheese.” But if you want natural expressions, try taking spontaneous shots. Or, take several shots in succession after you do the “say cheese” thing. One feature that is enabled when you use Portrait Mode is Continuous Shooting. So, if you just hold down the shutter button, you will be taking up to 3.7 shots every second. Try it. You will get some surprisingly good shots that way.

Portraits Using Aperture Priority

Feeling adventurous? Try this.

Using Aperture Priority for Portraits When you take a portrait shot with you Canon Rebel T3i in Portrait Mode, the camera does all the thinking for you, including aperture, shutter speed, ISO.. all of it. That’s why the settings on “that side” of the dial are called Basic settings. The camera does all the thinking; all the photographer has to do is select the basic setting.

The settings on the “other side” of the dial are called Creative settings. This simply means that the photographer can take more control of what the camera does on a particular shot.

Taking portraits works very well when you choose the Av, or Aperture Priority, setting. Once in that position, simply select the “f-stop” you want to use (f-stop basically means Aperture setting). The one thing you have to remember here is that larger numbers mean smaller apertures and smaller numbers mean larger apertures.

Basically, you want to set your f-stop at the smallest number you can for the lens you are using. If you are using the kit lens (18-55mm), and you zoom to the 55mm length, you will choose f/5.6. Your Rebel will not let you choose a number any smaller than that. If you are shooting with your zoom lens at the 18mm length, you can choose f/3.5. This is because the lens has a variable aperture (the smallest aperture changes as the lens zooms to higher focal lengths).

OK, enough of the geeky stuff. Why would someone want to use Aperture Priority rather than Portrait Mode?

The simple answer is that there are those of us who believe that having as much control of the camera as possible gives us better final results (pictures). In aperture priority, you can set your own ISO in order to increase the shutter speed. You can also change the exposure compensation to add more or less contrast to the image.

Finally, and this is a real control thing, you can shoot in RAW rather than JPEG. If you choose to do this, you will definitely have to do some post-processing of every image in some photo editing program like Photoshop.

The intent of this article is not to be an entire photography course, so, let’s suffice it to say that if you want to venture into the realm of learning more about photography, use Aperture Priority. At least use it when the stakes are not too high. You can possibly mess up a photo op and not get the picture, so maybe save your experimenting for times when you can patiently learn how Aperture Priority works.

The photo above was taken using Aperture Priority. The light coming from the window gave some interesting effects. Using Portrait Mode gave would not allow me to take this without a flash, another reason to try Aperture Priority.

Photos by WRasku

Portrait Lenses For Canon

These lenses will go a long way toward making your pictures look GREAT!

Recommended focal length for portraits is about 75mm (plus or minus), but on a Rebel a 50mm lens is roughly equivalent to that because of something called the “crop factor.” So, any one of these lenses will qualify as an excellent choice for your future portraits.

Portraits With Props

Add Interest to portraits by adding unexpected items.

Canon Rebel T3i Portrait Sometimes you can get a great shot that grabs lots of attention by simply adding a hat or scarf. Simple things add so much interest if used in a way that develops a story along with the excellent quality of the Canon Rebel and the portrait lens you choose.

Recently, we were browsing in a downtown gift shop that had lots of hats, scarves, jewelry, and other great photo props. We ended up with some pictures that we normally would not have even thought to shoot.

..don’t stop after you get one shot. It sometimes takes a little time for the subject to start to relax..
Let your subject use her imagination when it comes to props like this. She will know what looks good on her (and, more importantly, she will know what she does not want to be seen in). The subject will also feel more at ease if he or she has some input into the setup of the shot. This can work very well with children as well as adults.

And don’t stop after you get one shot. It sometimes takes a

little time for the subject to start to relax and get into the mood. Also, don’t hesitate to show her (or him) the photos you are shooting. When she sees how good the pictures are turning out, she will be much more enthusiastic about the idea.

Another excellent way to generate excitement in this type of situation is to bring together two or three people who are friends. They will feed on each others excitement and enthusiasm.

You can even get good portraits in public places. In fact, this type of photo can add much more interest than using a standard photography background. Photographers use this quite often in senior portraits when the take their subject to stand by a tree or a covered bridge, but you can do the same thing at a restaurant or public square.

Photos by WRasku

Pet Portraits

Love taking pictures of your best friends?

Pet Portrait With Canon Rebel T3i Pets could be one of the most popular portrait subjects. After all, don’t we all love our dogs, cats, turtles, parakeets, etc, etc?

Yes we do!

The problem is, sometimes our beloved friends do not know how to cooperate.

In situations where getting the pet to look in the right direction, or just stay in one place long enough for you to get the shot, you will need a couple of things.

First, you need patience. Chances are you will have to take quite a few pictures before you get The One.
Someone to help you would also be helpful. You can enlist the help of another person who in intimate with the pet. (This is especially true if you are doing this for a friend, and the pet is not your own.)
This is where a good, fast lens comes in handy. Point and shoot cameras may get some good pet photos, but your Canon Rebel will shoot rings around a point and shoot in this situation, simply because you can choose the right lens for the shot.

Some other things that can help here are treats and toys. Most animals (even cats) respond to goodies. They also show interest in their favorite toys.. see the picture of Colby here.. he was looking intently at a treat.

Photo by WRasku

A Nifty Trick For Pet Photos

Pet wide angle portrait

Take a pet photo with a wide-angle lens.

This is Colby again. He is not the best model – hates to have his picture taken when he knows it’s going on the Internet. He’s so vain.

I did this with the kit lens at the widest focal length – 18mm. I got up really close – as you can see, his nose is out of focus, but the eyes are sharp. Sharp eyes are what separates an OK picture from one that has the possibility of being a WOW picture.

What happens in a picture like this is something called distortion. The lens distorts the actual image so that it looks a bit wonky. It will not make your wife (or husband) look like a super-model, but it’s fun for animals.

This one is not in the WOW category, but I was dealing with a moving target. You can take this technique and use it with your own pet. Farm animals like pigs and cows work perfectly with this method. Your fans, friends, and family will love it.

Using Your Canon Rebel T3i for Self-Portraits

Getting a bit lazy here. Rather than write about self portraits, I made a video.

With the Canon Rebel T3i’s articulating LCD, you can see yourself before you take the photo. All you need is a cheap remote shutter button.

Portraits That Tell A Story

The Canon Rebel T3i can capture the action.
Action Portraits With A Canon Rebel T3i Great portraits are not always a result of someone sitting on a stool in front of a photography backdrop with the camera man saying, “Cheese.” You can use a good digital SLR like the Canon Rebel T3i to capture some nice candid portraits like this one of the guitar player.

The truth is that your subjects will love the pictures when you are able to capture the personality of the moment. As the viewer looks at the photo, there is a story that emanates from the picture, or maybe it will be a question. But in either case, the picture gets the viewer involved, and that is one of the signs of a good photo.

Photo by WRasku

Use A Fast Canon Portrait Lens

Wide apertures help to blur the background.

Use A Fast Canon Portrait Lens Notice how the background is blurred in the photo above. The way that was accomplished was to use a Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens set on Aperture Priority with the aperture set to f/2.8. This not only guarantees a blurry background, but it also gives you the fastest shutter speed possible in an indoor situation.

Nothing is worse than taking a killer picture of a great subject and having it totally messed up by some distracting background item that you didn’t even know was there.

Sometimes you can’t avoid background clutter, but you can blur it out using a wide aperture lens. One desirable feature of a Canon Portrait lens is a wide aperture.

Of course, it may also depend on the focal length of the lens to know whether an f/4.0 lens is wide enough to get that blurred background. If you can secure a lens with f/2.8 as its widest aperture, you will pretty much guarantee a nice blurred background.

Photo by WRasku

Edit Your Canon Rebel Portraits

Post processing adds punch to a photo.

Canon Rebel T3i Portrait Cropped Almost all digital photos can be “helped” with a little post-processing. You don’t need the most expensive photo-editing software to do this either. You can even use free online photo editing sites like GIMP or PICNIC to get your portraits looking good.

Sometimes all it takes is changing to black and white or a bit of cropping to make your portrait a real show-stopper.

Photo by WRasku

Keep Your Canon Rebel T3i In Plain Sight

Don’t be shy!
Don’t be shy with your Rebel T3i When you are at special events, you are in prime territory for portrait shots.

This shot was taken at a Civil War Re-enactment. These guys love interacting with their audience and having their photo taken. They will also give you all the details of their costume. It is very enlightening and rewarding.

The thing that will hinder you is your shyness. Even if they say “no,” which they won’t do, the worst thing that can happen is you don’t get to take their picture.

On the other hand, it is always a good gesture to ask if you can make their picture. Asking permission will not only get you the great photo, but you can also use it online when you have their consent. As a gesture of gratitude, you might even offer to send them a copy.

Group Portraits are awesome when there is a theme. At the Civil War demonstration, these gentlemen were very cooperative for the photographers. Then I took the picture into my editing software to add a vintage look to the photo. So much fun!

Photos by WRasku

Take Family Portraits

Family photos with Canon Rebel Every year, I use my Rebel for family photos that end up on or in Christmas cards.

This is one of the ones that was chosen.

Here is the data for this picture:
Camera lens: Tamrom 28-75 f/2.8
Mode setting: Av (Aperture Priority)
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 1/320sec
ISO: 400
Focal length: 42mm
Flash: off

In-camera Effects

Edit Your Photos Without Expensive Software

There are several Canon T3i in-camera editing effects that you can use right in the camera. Once you select an effect, the software will generate a separate file so you don’t lose the original. Essentially, you can create many photos from a single shot.. without a computer!

The effects are:

Grainy Black and White
Soft focus
Fish-eye effect
Toy camera effect
Miniature effect

Example of Grainy Black and White

Example of Fish-eye Effect

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by David Burgess on April 27, 2018 0

Photography Poses – A Posing Guide Just For You

Photography Poses Can Be Hard To Recall On The Spot – Unless You Have Them Written Down

Gathering up all of your favorite photography poses and putting them in a notebook can give you a reliable posing guide that you can take on all of your shoots. Having a notebook like this will not only help you deal with unexpected problems that may come up but also help you plan on exactly what type of image you want to get. It will provide an excellent reference for any model on what pose you want and will speed up the whole shooting process.

There are posing guides out there for sell, but I decided long ago to come up with my own posing guide that has all of the photography poses and notes I find interesting and useful. A guide made especially for me, by me. This lens will show you how I created such an invaluable notebook and exactly what you need to do to create one for yourself. Once you get yours made, I guarantee that you will feel naked on photo shoots without it. You may even have to eventually start another, because odds are good it will fill up very fast with photo poses and notes. Posing for photos is never easy; help yourself and your model by providing a useful reference.

Basic Setup of My Posing Guide

Contents, Photography Poses and Ideas

1-The first thing I did was to buy me a pocket-sized Moleskine notebook. Any notebook is acceptable, but I chose this brand because I wanted something durable.

2-I then decided how I wanted to divide up the notebook.

Section 1-Contents (3 pages).
I made up a few categories that was important to me and whenever a photography pose fit into that category I put its number in it. The categories were photography poses for men, women and both. The image to the right shows you what I’m talking about; the only difference is that each category had their own page. You can even highlight your favorite poses. The next step was to number the pages (starting after the contents). I numbered each page, as I wanted one page to have only one pose on it (front page-1, back of that page-2 and so on).

Section 2-The photography poses and notes (150 pages / bulk of content).

Section 3-Ideas section (30 or 40 pages).
These pages are set aside for interesting ideas that may come to you on your shoot you may want to try at some point in the future.

Image by YellowHammer.

Photo Poses For Couples

Coming up with photography poses for couples is all about letting it happen naturally.

The important thing to remember when posing couples is that less direction is often more. Let the couple do all the work. The interaction between two people who care about one another will always get you some interesting photos. The second most important thing is to get them to feel comfortable showing affection in front of you. A zoom lens is a good idea here, as the closer you are, the more uncomfortable they are likely to be.

One good trick to use is to have one tell what they like or find sexy about the other. They could take turns. Doing this often puts some kind of emotion in the shot, whether it be bad or good. Having them dress up in interesting clothes or putting them in interesting situations is a small part of it, but in my opinion, it’s all about the emotion and body language.

Don’t Want The People In Your Photos To Look So Stiff?

Then consider hiring a professional model.

One huge benefit of using professional models during a photo shoot is that they are used to being in front of a camera. I like to take pictures that don’t look posed. People who aren’t used to getting photos taken of them will often look stiff. The only drawback to using a modeling agency is that you usually have to pay them.

There are some websites such as Model Mayhem, One Model Place or Models.com in which you can sometimes trade time for prints, but not always. I am beginning to realize that hiring a model pays off in the long run, just be sure to know what you want to shoot as most charge by the hour.

Posing Tip #1

When doing portrait photography, try to get the subject to laugh and feel comfortable before the shoot. Try to build a good vibe between the two of you. Poses won’t look as stiff and your pictures will come out much better.

Example Interior Pages of Posing Guide
Photography poses and notes.

First let me start off by saying I made the writing a little too big; most people’s writing won’t be this big unless they’re using a Sharpie pen. The image that you see above is what is in the majority of my notebook. I number each photography pose, draw the figure and then add a few notes. If your the type of person who takes a lot of notes you could always use one side for the sketch and the other for notes in which case you would only have room in you notebook for half as many photography poses.

What you put in your notes will depend on what you like and what type of photographer you are. I like to put whether the image would be better for a male or female (or both), lighting preferences, mood, emotional state of model and clothing ideas. Keep in mind that you don’t have to fill the page; a bare minimum of how you feel when you see the image is all that is really necessary in the beginning. I promise that you’ll add more as you use the poses on shoots.

Sketch Photography Poses
The perfect thing to use in a posing guide.

Although you could use photography poses cut out from a magazine (fastened by tape or glue), I like to sketch stick figures in mine. I found that when I used actual pictures I often sub-consciously copied the style and sometimes even the clothes. With bare-bones sketches you can truly create your own unique image.

If you are dead set on some color, why not use some colored pencils? I often put down what color I would like to use as a background against certain skin tones, and seeing as I don’t know all the proper skin tone names, pencils come in really handy. Use them sparingly, though, or your posing ideas could turn into a bunch of style ideas.

Posing Tip #2

This one is also about making your model feel comfortable. When going out on public shoots take with you some sheets or shower curtains and hangers so you can jury rig a place for your subject to change in private. You don’t want them to change out in the open.

11 Great Photography Poses

Great Photos That You Can Actually Own

Most photos that are actually being sold to the public are fantastic sources for inspiration not only for poses, but point of view and style as well. They will give you all kinds of photo shoot ideas and can help you become a better photographer if you’re willing to study them.

Lucinda in London, 1959 (12 x 12 in. Art Print)
Photo by Georges Dambier

Man Balancing in a Dance, Yoga Pose (16 x 16 in. Photographic Print)
Photo by Monsoon Images

Fashion Model Wearing Amazing Hat (22 x 28 in. Art Print)
By John French

Mountain Biker on Cliffs, Turnagain Arm, Alaska, USA
16 x 12 in. Photographic Print
Photo by Paul Souders

Little Ballerina (9 x 12 in. Art Print)
By David Handley

Cowgirl in Heaven (20 x 16 in. Art Print)
Photo by David R. Stoecklein

Woman Floating In Water / Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida
16 x 16 in. Photographic Print
By Toni Frissell

How to Make You Love Me by Elizabeth May
16 x 16 in. Photographic Print

Cowboy and Cowgirl Silhouetted on a Ridge in the Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming, USA
12 x 9 in. Photographic Print
By Joe Restuccia III

Marilyn Monroe – 24 x 36 in. Poster

Clint Eastwood – 14 x 11 in. Photo

Knowledge – 18 x 24 in. Art Print

A Great Place To Go For Posing Ideas

Wonderful ways to direct your subject.

Pose Maniacs is a website that has thousands of 3-D rendered models that you can actually rotate to get a full all around view of the pose you’re interested in. It is mainly used by artists learning to draw the human form, but I’ve found it perfect for getting good ideas for the camera as well. The only drawbacks are that the models have no skin (so you can see muscles) and in some of the poses there are only subtle differences. Despite this, the site is worth a visit. Below is the link.

Posing Tip #3

Never have more people than you need on a photo shoot and always allow the model to bring someone along if that makes them feel more comfortable. A comfortable model is always more photogenic and relaxed. You are also likely to get more natural poses from them than you would otherwise.

Want To Shoot In Low Light?

You need the right kind of lens.

Ever notice that when you take photos in low light that they are often not as sharp as they should be? One easy remedy to that is to use a lens with a lower f-stop. Either a 1.4 or 1.8 is recommended when shooting people less than ideal lighting conditions. This is the lens you’re going to need for when shooting at dusk, dawn or night, and when combined with a sexy pose will produce an amazing picture. You really won’t believe the difference until you experience it for yourself.

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by David Burgess on April 27, 2018 0

The best Camera shoulder strap reviewed

Carry your camera in comfort and style with a camera shoulder strap

Camera shoulder strap reviewed and compared. The camera shoulder strap is by far the best way to carry your digital SLR camera. SLR cameras are big, bulky and heavy and carrying one around all day is going to take its toll. If you want to carry your camera around with you all day, totally pain free the camera shoulder strap is the best option.

There are many different brands and models of camera shoulder strap available, but not all of them are worth buying. There are many cheap camera shoulder straps that are made out of inferior materials. A cheap camera shoulder strap will have no padding hence they are uncomfortable and will cut in to your skin, and will last about five minutes. A digital SLR camera is expensive and scrimping on a cheap camera shoulder strap that could break and let your camera hit the deck at any time, is not worth the risk and could end up costing you a lot of money. It is far better to pay a little more on a good quality camera shoulder strap in the first place.

So, what are the best camera shoulder straps? Carry on reading and you will soon find out since this article reviews and compares the top three camera shoulder straps currently available.

Best camera shoulder strap – Cotton Carrier

Cotton Carrier Vest System For 1 or 2 Cameras

The Cotton Carrier is a chest carrier that goes over your shoulders, but it isn’t a camera shoulder strap per se. Out of all the camera straps I have owned and used, and I have tried many different types, the Cotton Carrier is the best camera strap ever. The Cotton Carrier camera vest allows you to carry your camera safely on your chest, out of harms way, leaving your hands totally free. The Cotton Carrier can securely hold a fully gripped digital slr camera and large telephoto lens, such as my battery gripped 7d and Canon 100 – 400 lens. With the Cotton Carrier I can carry this heavy set up around with me all day, and totally pain free which is brilliant.

Releasing the camera from the Cotton Carrier is quick and easy, and simply involves twisting the camera and pulling upwards. It is possible to get the camera off the vest and up to your eye in a matter of seconds, which means you will never miss a shot.

The Cotton Carrier isn’t cheap, but it is worth each and every cent. Before I bought my Cotton Carrier I did lots of reading and research and was in two minds, partly because of the cost and partly because I couldn’t find many non-professional reviews about the product. However, I finally bit the bullet and purchased one, and I have never looked back. I only wish I bought one sooner, but then hindsight is a wonderful thing isn’t it.

In my opinion, the Cotton Carrier is the best camera holding system currently available and it is well worth buying, especially if you regularly use heavy camera and lens combinations.

Best Camera shoulder strap – Sun Sniper

Sunbounce Sun Sniper Strap Pro, Black

The Sun Sniper is the original camera shoulder strap and, even today, it is one of the most popular amongst all types of photographers, and when you get to see and try the Sun Sniper camera shoulder strap you will soon see why.

The Sun Sniper has a wide strap, which means it doesn’t cut in to your torso. I can confirm the Sun Sniper is exceptionally comfortable to wear and use, even with heavy camera/lens combinations. The strap is made out of good quality materials and is tough and durable, which means it is a camera shoulder strap that is built to last.

The camera is attached to the strap using a small ring that is screwed in to the tripod plate screw of the camera. Once the ring is screwed in to the camera it is totally secure and won’t go anywhere. When using the Sun Sniper you can be sure your camera will remain safely attached to your body at all times. The ring on the strap is a loose fit, which means it easily slides along the strap with little effort. When using the Sun Sniper you can get your camera from your waist to your eye in a matter of seconds, so you will never miss a shot.

Compared to other camera shoulder straps the Sun Sniper is priced at the top end, but it is well worth buying. If you want a camera shoulder strap that will provide years of trouble free service the Sun Sniper is the camera strap for you. It really is an excellent product.

Best camera shoulder strap – Black Rapid RS

Black Rapid RS-7 Camera Strap, black

The Black Rapid is another popular camera shoulder strap amongst photographers. The Black Rapid, just like the Sun Sniper, has a wide strap meaning it won’t cut in to your shoulders, which in turn makes it very comfortable to wear. Even with the heaviest camera/lens combinations, the Black Rapid receives a lot of praise from its users. The Black Rapid is also made from top quality materials, that don’t fray, which means it is going to stand the test of time.

The camera is attached to the Black Rapid via the tripod screw, but unlike the Sun Sniper there is a quick release clip. Some photographers rave about the quick release system, however I am not so sure. I always have my doubts over quick release systems and always think they are going to fail. My camera and lenses are worth a lot of money and I would hate to see them hit the deck and break. As such, I steer clear of quick release systems regardless of how good and secure other users claim they are.

Would I recommend the Black Rapid over the Sun Sniper? Since I ended up buying the Sun Sniper I would have to say no, but I did try the Black Rapid camera shoulder strap. As I previously mentioned, I don’t trust quick release clips. In addition to this, I just found the Sun Sniper camera shoulder strap more comfortable with my set up. That said, there are many people that find the Black Rapid more comfortable than the Sun Sniper.

Other shoulder straps for your digital slr camera

In my opinion the Black Rapid, Sun Sniper and Cotton Carrier are the best camera shoulder straps currently available and having owned and use all three I can guarantee you would be happy with either of them. In order to cover ALL situations I recommend having a Cotton Carrier and the Sun sniper or the Black Rapid.

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by David Burgess on April 27, 2018 0

The best camera for sports photography

Improve your action images with the best camera for sports photography

The best camera for sports photography will improve your sports and action images no end. If you are looking for the best camera for sports photography you have come to the right place since this article focuses solely on the best camera for sports photography as well as all the lenses and accessories you are going to need to capture those awesome sports and action photos.

Sports is an excellent subject to photograph but due to the speed and fast nature of sports capturing those stunning images can be a real challenge. If you want to increase your hit rate and the number of “keepers” you need the best camera for sports photography. This is obvious, but what is the best camera for sports photography? Carry on reading, and you will find out.

So, if you are looking to improve your sports photography and need a new camera make sure you read this article before parting with your hard earned cash.

When choosing the best camera for sports photography there are a couple of key things you need to consider.

Sports and action photography is fast and quick moving. In order to increase the number of usable images, i.e. your hit rate, you need a camera with a high burst rate. The more photographs you can take in quick succession the higher the chance of getting the shot.

Full frame digital cameras with a high burst rate are very expensive and can cost several thousand dollars. Many people simply don’t have this amount of money to spend on the best camera for sports photography, or can’t justify spending this amount of money on a digital camera. Fortunately, there are some very good crop sensor digital slr cameras with burst rates that offer great image quality and are far more affordable. If you want the best value for money, and want to get the most bang for your buck these crop sensor cameras are the ones to buy.

If you want a camera specifically for sports and action photography a digital slr camera is the only digital camera you should consider, so don’t even bother investigating point and shoot cameras or micro four thirds and mirrorless cameras.

All the major camera manufacturers sell at least one digital SLR camera that is ideal for sports and action photography, so there is something for everyone. For the best sports photography cameras take a look at the products below:

Best camera for sports photography – Canon eos 7d

In my opinion the Canon 7d is the best camera for sports photography for the masses. The Canon 7d is tough, durable and, what I consider bulletproof. The magnesium body and seals ensure it is dustproof, waterproof and shockproof, which makes it ideal out in the field

The Canon eos 7d

The Canon 7d has an impressive 18MP sensor that allows you to capture high levels of detail and images that can be blown up real big. This makes it possible to crop and enlarge every photo taken, which is ideal for subjects that you consider “too small” in the frame because they were just a bit too far away for the focal length of lens used to take the photograph.

The Canon 7d has an impressive 8fps burst rate that allows you to fire off loads of shots all in one go, so you will never miss the action again. Just remember you are going to need to have plenty of spare and make sure you have some backup batteries.

The Canon 7d is affordable and the best camera for sports photography for budding sports photographers on a budget. The Canon 7d is an awesome camera and I highly recommend it, and it is for the reasons above I consider it the best camera for sports photography.

Best camera for sports photography – Canon 1DX

The Canon eos 1DX is the flag ship of the Canon dslr range and when you look at the specifications of the 1DX it is easy to see why, I mean 18MP full frame sensor, dual-digic 5 processors for a staggering 12fps burst rate, tough magnesium alloy body and an ISO range of 100 – 51,200 (which is expendable to 204,800) is jst some of the features.

Whilst I don’t own a Canon eos 1DX I have been fortunate to use one and I can say it is an awesome camera. The 1DX is bullet proof, the burst rate is something else (although it does eat memory cards), and the images it produces are exceptional, but would I pay the $6,000 + asking price?

If I were a professional photographer and could make a living out of sports photography I would, but as I am not there is no way I could justify the cost. Buying the 1DX is one thing but then there are the lenses to go with it. The 1DX doesn’t have a crop factor so if you need a lens over 400mm you are going to have to buy a lens extender (which is not ideal for sports photography because it leads to a loss of light and hence slower shutter speeds) or spend a few thousand bucks on a long reach lens, such as the EF500mm.

The Canon 1DX is a camera for professional photographers or enthusiasts with exceptionally deep pockets. A cheaper alternative, and one that is best suited to enthusiasts.

Nikon D7000

A popular camera for sports photography

Best camera for sports photography – Nikon D7000

The Nikon D7000 is a popular camera with sports photographers and it is easy to see why. The first thing you will notice about the Nikon D7000 is the build quality, which is superb. This is a tough and durable camera that is built to last, which is a good job given sports photographers spend a lot of time out in the field.

With a 16.2MP sensor the Nikon D700 is a powerful camera that is capable of capturing some stunning sports images that will impress family and friends. Sports photography requires a lot of cropping and with this impressive sensor it is possible to get 100% crops and still get excellent image quality.

The 39 point auto focus points helps to ensure the Nikon D700 finds the target, locks on and stays locked on and it does this very well. The Nikon D700 has a fast Expeed 2 processor which is essential for sports photography. This sensor allows for 6fps, so you can fire off a lot of images in quick succession, which is vital to ensure you don’t miss the shot.

One of the best things about the Nikon D700 is the twin SD card slots, which means you don’t have to faff around swapping over memory cards and can continue to capture the action as it unfolds instead.

Overall the Nikon D700 is an excellent camera and therefore has to be included as a best camera for sports photography.

Top Sports lenses for your digital slr camera

Capturing awesome sports and action photographs requires more than the best camera for sports photography. Oh yes, if you want to capture the best sports photographs possible you also need the right lens.

When capturing sports photographs you are likely to be quite far away from the action, therefore a long reach telephoto lens is needed. If you want to “freeze” the action and still get sharp shots you also need a fast lens, which allows you to keep the shutter speeds up.

There are plenty of great sports photography lenses available for all brands and models of digital slr camera. It doesn’t matter whether you shoot a Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony or Olympus, there is the perfect sports lens for your particular digital slr camera.

For some of the best sports and action photography lenses currently available check out the lenses below:

Best Canon lens for sports photography – Canon 100mm – 400mm L IS USM

Canon 100mm – 400mm L IS USM Lens

My most used lens for motorsports photography is the Canon 100mm – 400mm f4.5 – 5.6L IS USM lens, which is awesome. This lens is tough, durable and built to last. This lens is also fully sealed, which means it is weatherproof making it excellent for out in the field. This lens isn’t particularly fast but then given the affordable price tag this is to be expected. Besides, the image stabilization technology is awesome and helps to ensure tack sharp shots each and every time.

One of the best things about the Canon 100mm – 400mm is the push/pull zoom which makes it super quick and easy to change between focal lengths. With this lens it is possible to zoom right in close and personal or pull back to capture more of the background.

The image quality of this lens is simply superb and it is possible to capture some awesome images. If you want the best sports photography lens to go with your Canon digital slr camera the Canon 100mm – 400mm f4.5 – 5.6L IS USM lens is the lens to buy.

Top rated Nikon sports lenses

If you shoot a Nikon digital slr camera there are a few long reach zoom lenses available to buy, although the best (and most popular) are detailed below.

nikon 70 – 200 2.8

nikon 80 – 400nikon

nikon 300

Top rated Sigma sports lenses

Canon and Nikon branded tele lenses are expensive however there is a cheaper alternative, which is a Sigma lens. Sigma lenses are tough, durable, well made and the image quality is very good. Sigma produces lenses that will fit both Canon and Nikon digital slr cameras, so it really doesn’t matter what you shoot.

For the best Sigma sports and action photography lenses check out the products below, all of which are worth looking in to if you want to buy a Sigma sports photography lens.

Sigma 70 – 200Sigma

Sigma 150 – 500 Sigma

Sigma 120 – 400Sigma

An essential bit of kit of sports photography

The Monopod
Sports photography with big zoom lenses requires some support, otherwise you are going to experience camera shake and get some blurry photos. There’s no doubt about it, a tripod is the best type of camera/lens support you can buy however a tripod is not ideal for sports photography. Focusing on a moving object using a tripod is nigh on impossible, besides most sports venues prohibit the use of tripods.

The best camera/lens support for sports photography is the monopod, which is an upright pole that screws in to the bottom of the camera or the lens ring. The foot of the pole is place on the ground, hence providing a support for big and heavy lenses. The monopod is small (when collapsed), light and easily transportable, which makes is a doddle to carry around all day long. The monopod is a simple but very effective product that doesn’t cost much but will improve your sports photography photos no end.

Compared to other types of photography monopods aren’t expensive however it does pay to get the best one you can afford. Cheap monopods are heavy but made out of inferior materials that tend to flex and bend once loaded up with a heavy camera/lens combo. The best monopods are made out of carbon fibre and these are both lightweight, but most importantly strong.

Manfrotto are well known for making top quality tripods and their range of monopods is equally as good and the 680B is one of Manfrotto’s top rated monopods. This monopod is very strong and can easily support the heaviest of camera/lens combinations. I always use a fully gripped 7d combined with a 500mm prime (a seriously heavy set up) and the 680B can easily cope with this and never bends or flexes.

The weak part of all monopods is the joints, however this is not the case with the 680B . The joints on this monopod are second to none. The isn’t the cheapest monopod but it is worth every cent.

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