Photography Articles

Article / Updated 07-26-2022

Many digital cameras can capture images in the camera raw file format, or just raw. This format stores raw picture data from the image sensor without applying any of the usual post-processing that occurs when you shoot using the JPEG format. Shooting in the raw format offers a number of benefits because you are capturing absolutely all of the data received by your camera's sensor. This makes the raw files superior to any other types of image files. But the downside is that if you want to have images printed at a retail lab or to share them online, you need to process the raw files and then save them in a common image format. Another downside of raw files is that you can't use them in a word processing, publishing, or presentation program — actually, in any program except photo software that can understand the particular raw language spoken by your camera. (Every manufacturer has its own proprietary raw format, and each new model from that manufacturer produces raw files slightly differently from the previous models.) You have a couple options for converting raw files: Some cameras offer a built-in converter. For example, take a look at the converter available on some Nikon cameras. Although convenient, these tools enable you to control just a few picture attributes. Additionally, there's the issue of having to make judgments about color, exposure, and sharpness on the camera monitor — a small canvas on which to view your work when compared with a computer monitor. Still, having this option is terrific for times when you need to process a raw file on location or when you're in a hurry. After downloading the raw files to your computer, you can process them using a photo program that offers a converter. The software provided by your camera manufacturer may provide a raw converter, and many photo-editing programs also offer this tool. The image below offers a look at the raw converter found in Adobe Photoshop, for example. (Pros in the photo industry refer to this tool as ACR, for Adobe Camera Raw.) How many picture characteristics you can tweak depends on the software, so if you're shopping for a program to handle this task, investigate this feature carefully. Some entry-level programs simply change the file format from raw to a standard format, applying the same picture-characteristic choices that the camera would have used had you taken the photo in the JPEG format originally. For specifics on selecting conversion settings, you will need to take a look at your camera manual or software manual. You also can find online tutorials for Adobe Camera Raw and other major photo-editing programs that offer raw conversion tools. But here are a few general rules to follow: Don’t erase your original raw file. You may someday want to convert the file using different settings, and retaining the raw file means that you always have an original image in pristine condition that you can return to, if necessary. The settings you use when making your raw conversion stay with the raw file, sort of like an invisible recipe card. The next time you reopen the file in the converter, you don’t have to go through all the adjustments again; they’re automatically applied as you did them the first time. But because your picture data still is technically “raw,” you can apply a whole new set of adjustments without doing any damage to the picture. To retain the highest image quality in the converted file, save it in the TIFF format. Tagged image file format, or TIFF, is a non-destructive format: It preserves as much of the raw file's original image data as possible. That translates to the best image quality, which is why TIFF is the standard format used for professional publishing. Most photo editing, word processing, and publishing programs can work with TIFF files, and most retail labs can print TIFF files as well. Other nondestructive formats include portable network graphics (PNG) and the Photoshop native format (called PSD, the one created for use in that program). PNG is compatible with many publishing and graphics programs, but few programs other than those from Adobe can work with PSD files. So make your life simple and, unless someone requires you to do otherwise, stick with TIFF. TIFF does have one downside: Pictures stored in this format are much larger than JPEG files. But that's the price you have to pay if you want to retain your image at its highest quality. If you want to use your converted file online, save a copy in the JPEG format. TIFF files don't work online; browsers and email programs can't display them. JPEG, on the other hand, is the universal online photo format and also is fine for taking photos to retail print shops. Just know that unlike TIFF, JPEG is a lossy format. To reduce file sizes, JPEG tosses away some image data as the file is saved. As far as raw conversion goes, the best practice is to save one file in the TIFF format and then save a copy in the JPEG format for online use. (You also may want to reduce the resolution of the JPEG version.) Before you do any raw conversions — or any photo editing, for that matter — calibrate your monitor. This step ensures that you're seeing an accurate representation of image color, contrast, and brightness.

Article / Updated 07-26-2022

When it comes to checking exposure, the image shown on the digital camera monitor can be misleading. The actual image may be brighter or darker than what you see onscreen because the display is affected by the ambient light in which you view the image and on the brightness of the monitor itself. For more reliable exposure guidance, find out whether your camera offers an exposure meter, histogram, or highlights display mode. Reading the meter An exposure meter offers before-the-shot assistance. This simple bar graph indicates whether the camera thinks your current settings will produce a good exposure. When you see a single bar at the 0 mark, as in the third illustration, you're good to go. Bars appearing on the side of the meter that sports a minus sign indicate underexposure; bars on the plus-sign side predict overexposure. The more bars that appear, the greater the potential exposure problem. (Note that some cameras place the positive end of the meter on the left while other models put it on the right, so inspect the meter closely to see which is which on your camera.) A few pointers about the way exposure meters operate: You may need to press the shutter button halfway to display the meter. Your half-press wakes the exposure system and tells the meter to do its thing. Where and when the meter appears depends on your camera and shooting mode. The meter may appear in the viewfinder, monitor, or top LCD readout, depending on your camera. But on most cameras, the meter appears only when you shoot in manual exposure mode. In other modes, the meter typically appears only if the camera anticipates an exposure problem or if you enable Exposure Compensation, an autoexposure adjustment feature. The meter readout depends on the metering mode. This setting determines which part of the frame the camera analyzes when calculating exposure. Normally, the entire frame is measured. Keep the lens trained on your subject while checking the meter. If your camera displays the meter only in the monitor (or if you prefer to view the meter there), don't move the camera after pressing the shutter button to display the meter. All too often, people frame the shot, press the shutter button halfway to activate the meter, and then point the lens at the ground so that they can get a better look at the display. The problem is that most cameras continue adjusting exposure settings until you take the picture, so as soon as you move the camera, it takes a new reading. So when the lens is pointing down, you're viewing the proper settings for photographing the ground and not your subject. For this reason, you should rely on the viewfinder meter if your camera offers one. Interpreting a histogram A histogram is a chart that plots out the brightness values of all pixels in the photo, using a scale of 0 (black) to 255 (white). For example, the histogram shown below represents the accompanying butterfly photo. The horizontal axis of the chart displays brightness values, with shadows on the left and highlights on the right. The vertical axis shows you how many pixels fall at each brightness value. A spike at any point indicates that you have lots of pixels at that particular brightness value. Some cameras can display a histogram on the monitor in shooting mode, helping you suss out exposure settings before you snap the shot. Most models, however, offer this tool only during playback; you may need to change your camera's default playback settings to display it. Normally, a histogram that resembles a bell-shaped curve, or something close to it, is a good sign because well-exposed photos typically contain more midtones (areas of medium brightness) accented by highlights and shadows. This fact has led some photographers to believe that their exposure decisions should be based on generating this so-called perfect histogram. But unless you plan to frame and exhibit your histogram instead of your photograph, this idea is hogwash. Here's the thing: You have to interpret a histogram with respect to the brightness values of your subject. You're just not going to see a ton of pixels at the dark end of the scale when you're photographing a polar bear against a snowy backdrop, for example. However, if you look at your camera’s histogram and it has a big spike to the left, it may be that your photo is too dark, in which case you need to adjust the exposure settings or add a flash. If it’s spiked to the right, your photo may be too bright. It’s normal to have a few odd spikes here and there, though. Displaying playback “blinkies” The problem with both the meter and the histogram is that although they can indicate an exposure issue, they don't tell you which parts of the image are under- or overexposed. To provide this information, many cameras offer a playback mode that causes any pixels that are pure white — that is, the ones that have a brightness value of 0 — to blink in the display. Most photographers refer to this as “blinkies” mode, but the official name on most cameras is Highlights Display mode. Again, consider the blinkies display with respect to your subject. When you shoot a portrait against a very bright background, you may see lots of blinkies in the background. If your subject is well exposed, ignore those blinkies — it's the subject that matters. But if the blinkies occur on the person's face or hair, that's a signal to adjust the exposure settings or find different light in which to shoot your subject and try again.

Article / Updated 07-25-2022

Have you ever looked through the photos you shot during a vacation or important family get-together and wished you had better pictures to frame, share online, or use in a photo book? For example, that really cool picture you took of your husband in front of the Eiffel Tower? Not so cool after all. You can’t really see him; he’s way too small in the frame. And in another shot, he has horns sticking out of his head because of some strange, unidentifiable object in the background. It's frustrating when you end up with less-than-ideal pictures. But you can improve your photo-taking skills by incorporating a few simple techniques. Give the following tips a try. Pay attention to the whole frame As illustrated above (the horns), it’s important to pay attention to the entire frame of your photo when you’re getting ready to click the shutter button. Whether you’re using a smartphone or something fancier, what’s around your main subject and in the background matters. You might have to change your position, your camera angle, or wait a few seconds, but it will be worth the trouble. Fill the frame This tip is related to the first one because it’s also about paying attention to the entire frame of your photo. One of the best pieces of advice for better photos is to get closer to your subject and fill the frame with it, or them. The photo below shows an example of this. The photographer moved up close to the woman and filled the frame with her and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Identify your focal point and compose around it Before you snap a picture, first, identify your focal point, or main subject. It could be a person, a fountain, a tree, a building , or anything you’re interested in. Then, compose your shot with that focal point in mind. Even in scenes where a main subject isn’t obvious, try to identify something. For example, in a busy outdoor market, is there an interesting person or eye-catching tapestry you could use as your focal point? In the photo below, the photographer noticed the wacky shaped, bright-colored peppers and chose them as the focal point. If the photographer had stood way back and shot more of an overview of the scene, with nothing in particular as the main subject, the result would have been a much less interesting picture. In this shot, the photographer also chose a fairly shallow depth of field to blur the background. This further emphasizes the focal point, while also showing the environment. Dummies.com has many articles and books on photography, including lots of books on specific cameras. Use the rule of thirds Often, if we don’t take a moment to consider composition, we end up placing our main subject right in the center of the frame. The result, most of the time , is a boring photo. You can significantly improve your photos by using the rule of thirds when you compose your shot. The rule of thirds is a method of composition. Imagine a grid (see image below) over your viewfinder (on many cameras and smartphones, this is an option you can actually turn on) and place your subject along one of the lines or at a point where the lines intersect. As you can see in the image of the golden retriever below, the dog’s head is near one of these intersecting points, and it results in a beautifully balanced shot. This photo would be far less dramatic if the dog was placed right in the center of the frame. Keep in mind, the rule of thirds is a guideline. There are many examples of beautiful photographs featuring the main subjects in the center of the frame (like the next photo featured in this article). This decision, like so many aspects of photography, is an artistic one. Where is the light coming from? Take note of where the light source is, whether you’re indoors or outdoors. For example, if you take a photo of a person with the sun coming from behind them, it’s likely their face will be darkened and they might appear silhouetted. This is because your camera’s light meter is trying to simultaneously deal with the very bright and very dark areas in the scene. That’s not to say that shooting toward the sun is wrong. Many photographers do this intentionally for artistic effect, which requires a bit of technical know-how and some experimentation. Also, pay attention to whether there are harsh shadows falling across your main subject. Try changing the angle of the shot by moving yourself or the subject, if possible. Meter the light on your main subject Digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, and others, include different ways to measure light coming into the lens to ensure a good exposure — meaning the picture will not end up too dark or too light. Make sure you are measuring the amount of light on your main subject. Even smartphones allow you to do this by tapping a specific area of the image on the screen. The point on the screen you tap is where the phone’s camera will measure the light. It will then adjust the exposure for that point rather than trying to balance the exposure for the entire scene, which can result in your main subject looking too dark or light. Try playing with this on your phone, and you will soon understand how to make it work for you. Keep your camera level and hands steady This tip may seem obvious, but we all sometimes forget to do these two simple things when we’re shooting photos. You can easily ruin what would have been a great shot by not holding steady and making sure you have your horizon straight. Look for leading lines and patterns In photography, leading lines are shapes in the scene that help lead a viewer’s eyes to your focal point. These could be train tracks, a line of trees or lampposts, a fence, buildings, or even shadows. In the photo below, the planks and rails of the pier lead your eyes out to the clouds and mountains beyond. You can also look for other elements, such as shapes and colors, that make patterns in a scene to add interest to your photo. Frame your subject Many times, if you look carefully, you can find ways to frame your main subject with other elements in the scene. For example, a rowboat just offshore in a lake could be framed by the trees on the shoreline. In the photo below, the photographer saw an opportunity to frame the subject with the arched window. Try a different angle For fun, try framing your subject with a different angle. In the photo below, a different perspective, shooting up toward the statue’s face, and using the architecture on the ceiling to frame the head, creates a much more interesting picture than it would have been just shooting this static subject from farther back and straight on. (Photo credit: Home page image by Dylan Hargraves, Unsplash.com)

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-04-2022

Capturing beautiful landscape images isn't always easy, and ticking off items on a checklist might not seem like a useful technique in photography, but ensuring you have all equipment with you on a photo shoot ensures you can focus on snapping pictures instead of discovering you've left something behind. By the same token, readying your equipment upon your return lets you grab your camera bag and go capture more landscape and nature pictures.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-27-2022

With the D3100, Nikon proves once again that you don't have to give an arm and a leg — or strain your back and neck — to enjoy dSLR photography. This addition to the Nikon family of dSLRs doesn't skimp on power or performance, offering a great set of features to help you take your photography to the next level. To help you get started using your D3100 camera, we've provided a handy reference to your camera's buttons and dials and automatic and advanced exposure modes.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-25-2022

Your Canon 80D camera has so many features that it can be difficult to remember what each control does. To help you sort things out, study this handy reference to your Canon camera's external controls and exposure modes. Print out this guide, tuck it in your camera bag, and get a head start on taking great photographs!

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-20-2022

With the D5600 camera, Nikon proves once again that you don’t have to give an arm and a leg — or strain your back and neck — to enjoy advanced dSLR photography. Although the Nikon D5600 price is reasonable, it doesn’t skimp on power or performance, offering a great set of features to help you take your photography to the next level. And for novices, the camera offers plenty of easy-to-use, automated modes. To help you get started using your camera, here’s a handy reference to your camera’s buttons, dials, and exposure modes.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-07-2022

Lighting is a very important aspect of digital photography. As a photographer, it’s your job to use that light in the best possible way. The lighting process starts with being able to measure the light and determine the best settings to correctly expose for the available light, using a flash to add some light to a scene when needed, and using light to illuminate or hide areas in your images.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-18-2022

Photography is a fun and gratifying hobby that can make you very popular with the people in your pictures — or very unpopular. To get the most of a point-and-shoot camera, digital or not, the first skill to master is locking the focus. You can fine-tune your photography skills so that your photos come out sharp, colorful, and more interesting. Occasionally, your camera may not let you take a photo, and knowing what to do when that happens can save time and frustration.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-18-2022

Your Canon EOS 7D has a stunning 20.2-megapixel capture, Live View, high-definition video, and much more. But all this technology can be a bit daunting, especially if this is your first real digital SLR (single-lens reflex). Discover how to get the most out of your camera’s shooting and metering modes, as well as how to assemble a makeshift tripod. In addition, find out the steps to take after a photo shoot to ensure your camera is ready for the next one.