A Guide to Purchasing a DSLR Camera for Beginners

DSLR Cameras are becoming very popular as they’re now within reach of the average photographer as prices fall and as manufacturers produce easier to use models. In addition to price, there are a number of reasons why you might decide to invest in as dslr camera.

Reasons to Invest In a DSLR Camera for Beginners

Image Quality – As a result of the greater variety of image sensors in a DSLR, accommodating higher pixel sizes, a DSLR camera is able to utilize a faster ISO, resulting in a faster shutter speed and therefore less grainy.

Speed – DSLR’s are quick with respect to start up, focusing and shutter lag.

Adaptability – A DSLR’s capability to change lenses provides numerous possibilities for photographers. A DSLR camera can be used with a variety of quality lenses varying from wide angle to telephoto depending upon what you’re photographing and your budget. Image quality is impacted largely by the quality of the lens you utilize.

Optical Viewfinder – Due to the reflex mirror, what you see through the viewfinder will accurately represent the resulting image.

Large ISO range – This differs among cameras but usually a DSLR camera gives you a big range of ISO settings which allows for flexibility in shooting in numerous conditions.

Manual Controls – A DSLR is created in such a way that it takes into account that the photographer will want control over the settings. While s DSLR camera possesses helpful guide modes, the manual controls are usually built so they’re at the users finger tips as they are shooting.

Value Retention – The lenses you may own are usually compatible with other camera bodies of the same brand, so if you upgrade within the same make, you will not need to purchase a new lens.

Depth of Field – A DSLR camera will be versatile when it comes to depth of field, which allows the photographer to put everything from foreground to background into sharp focus through to blurry.

Quality Optics – There is a  substantial amount of variation in quality among DSLR lenses, but the lens that comes with a DSLR camera for beginners will be of better quality than that of a point and shoot camera. I suggest DSLR buyers get the best quality lenses that they can afford. If choosing between a high end lens for a medium range camera or a medium range lens for an advanced camera, choose the higher quality camera lens because they add so much to photos end result.

How to choose a Digital SLR Camera for Yourself

It depends a lot on a person’s profession and usage when it comes to choosing a digital SLR camera. There are many advantages of choosing a digital SLR Camera. One of the key feature is the lens attached is used for viewing and focusing the image. The other cameras don’t have such function; the object is basically seen through the viewfinder and not the lens. Whatever image is seen in the camera before clicking the same comes on the negative. SLRs are parallax error free. The SLRs have multiple features that can be implemented for various uses. Use of different lenses makes the camera usable in many situations. Keeping this in mind most manufacturers have come up with a wide range accessories and lenses for SLRs. For example some lenses come with very long focal lengths making the objects clear especially when a wildlife photographer uses it. As it won’t be possible for them to go near to the wild animals still the image is not blurring.

When you go for choosing a DSLR then first thing to click your mind should be ‘what you would like to photograph?’ What are your photography styles? Few of them are listed below:

  • Landscapes

A landscape photographer would like to click the beauty of nature. There is no human figure to be clicked so the main focus is on clarity of stationary objects.

  • Wildlife

A wildlife photographer would like to click only moving objects. As the focus will be on wild animals so the images to be captured are for running or moving objects. Overall sedentary objects are not to be captured.

  • Small objects

If a photographer likes clicking small objects for example a flower so very minute details of that flower is to be captured. And fine details of the surroundings are also focused. Another name for this is macro photography.

  • Availability of light

If you love to click objects during night then such lens are required which makes the objects clear irrespective the availability of light.

  • When you travel

While travelling no one would choose such a camera which is bulky or requires accessories for its use. It’s not convenient to carry loads of things when you travel. You should be able to click objects while biking, hiking etc.

  • When you want to click indoor

The light availability is the maximum if the objects are clicked at home. And most of the time the objects are stationary. So it’s very easy .The focus and clarity of objects is very easy.

  • Frequently moving objects

If you like photographing frequently moving objects then you need a different lens. For example if you want to photograph a small child then obviously small kids keep on moving and changing expressions. The SLR should be able to capture the moment which you want to capture for the lifetime.

  • Portraits

When you want to photograph the facial expressions of a person the clarity is a must.

Take Pro-Quality photos with your DSLR camera

Take Pro-Quality photos with your DSLR camera

After our son was born I started noticing the amazing photos others were taking with semi-professional and professional digital SLR cameras and I knew I had to take the leap from “point-and-shoot”. Opening the box to my spanky new DSLR, I was overwhelmed with settings, options and buzzwords. I wanted to take awesome photos right away – not get an engineering degree in optics!

Once I finally sorted out all the jargon I was relieved to understand how simple DSLR photography really is. This is the quick-start guide I wish I had back then…

The goal is to get a shot that is sharp, bright and clean. In outdoor sunlight this is easy. (You could just use the camera’s “auto-mode”.) It’s really for low-light indoor shots that you have to know what you’re doing.

It turns out that the qualities of sharpness, brightness and graininess are trade-offs among each other. So the trick is to adjust the camera in low-light to get the right balance of each.

ENEMIES OF SHARPNESS:

1)      Poor “original” focus.

Auto-focus doesn’t always get it exactly right. You might have to use the manual focus to get the subject as sharp as possible.

2)      Camera shake

If you got the original focus exactly right, the subject will still come out blurry if the camera shakes even a little while the shutter is open. If the shutter is open for a long time, then you are more likely to see blur from camera shake.

To minimize camera shake on hand-held shots, you should use a “fast-enough” shutter speed. As a rule of thumb, “fast-enough” is 1/30th of a second for a 30mm zoom length, 1/60th of a second for a 60mm zoom length, and so on. Note how the numbers sort of match. (When the camera doesn’t have settings for these exact speeds, use the closest faster speed. e.g. 1/60th of a second for a 50mm zoom.)

3)      Subject movement

Even if your original focus is exact and you don’t shake the camera at all, the subject must be in the same place while the shutter is open, or you will get some amount of blur from subject movement. The longer the shutter is open, the more potential there is for motion blur. The faster the subject is moving, the faster the shutter speed must be.

4)      Large aperture

The aperture is the size of the hole in the lens that the light comes through. It turns out that a large aperture will produce blurriness for objects behind (and in front of) the original focal point. This can be an acceptable, even desired, type of blur since you can use it to make a sharp subject stand out from an otherwise blurry background. Using this effect for shots of people in particular will give your photos a professional quality that a typical point-and-shoot camera can’t achieve. [Read more...]

Wedding Photography Prices

Wedding Photography Prices

Understanding Wedding Photography Prices before Hiring

Weddings are so special that you need to keep memories of them with you forever. That is why wedding photography is one of the most important parts of your budget. Wedding photography prices do not come low though. So, you really usually need to allot a bigger chunk of your wedding budget for it.

Why Wedding Photography Prices Run High

To understand why wedding photography prices are high, you need to examine what wedding photographers need to put in to give you the best keepsake of your wedding. Take note that wedding photographers don’t simply go to your wedding to take simple snapshots. They are there to give you the best looking photos of your wedding. So if you want great photos you have to be prepared to pay for it. Take note too that wedding photographers put in a lot of time in order to give you the best photos. They will meet with you to go over the succession of events and your choice of shots and albums. Then after taking the photos, they would also have to spend more time to edit and retouch your photos. Aside from the time and effort, wedding photographers also have expenses. The camera and his lenses are quite an investment already. While they don’t have to be replaced after your wedding, they will be in a few years and they can really cost lot. Besides, art is needed to be able to produce the best wedding photos. And the talent of the wedding photographer cannot simply be bought. So, you have to pay for the use of this talent too.

What Affects the Price?

Wedding photography prices vary depending on the skill, experience and even the popularity of your wedding photographer. Of course, it generally follows that a professional and more experienced wedding photographer would have more high tech equipment. Then, again the more popular and skilled the photographer, the more in demand he would be. The size of your wedding could also affect the price.

How to Save on Wedding Photography

The key really is to compare wedding photography prices. This will give you an idea as to which photographer would give you the most services for your money. But then remember that one photographer is different from the other. His output would definitely be different from the next. So if you want to get the best service and you already have a preferred wedding photographer, you may have to opt for a more basic package instead.

On the other hand, if you are searching from scratch it is best that you compare wedding photography prices together with the services included in each. Each wedding photographer may offer various different services in every package. Some could give you a low price but actually offer you very limited services. While this may seem cheap at first, you could end up paying more as you add extra services. But then again, never forget to consider the output of each photographer. Ask to see each photographer’s previous works and choose the one whose style and output you like best. It’s the only way you will be happy and contented with the wedding photos you will get and feel that you actually got your money’s worth.

Advice and Tips to Sell Photography Online

The web has made it possible to sell almost anything online; in fact you might say you can sell anything at all.

For photographers it opened a market to sell your photography online which is an awesome extra avenue to ensure your photos reach a buying audience.

To sell your photography online it requires a marketplace or contacts who will buy or help you sell your photos. That’s where my quick and nifty guide to selling your photos online comes in handy.

First off you’ll need to understand that even if you find a great marketplace there will be competition but don’t let that put you off because you will find a marketplace that works for you.

Basics General Requirements for Selling Online

When you want to sell a photo on the Internet there will be requirements set by the sites (marketplaces) you choose to sell on. Usually these are general requirements that are based on what people want to buy. Also requirements set by the sites you want to sell on.

High Quality Images

The most basic requirement is having a high quality image in the correct file format and at the correct dimensions. Generally, requirements for the photo will range from its size and quality to what it contains. Depending on the website’s requirements will depend on what you can and cannot sell.

The rule of thumb is to have the highest quality image possible available at around 12000X1200 pixels. You may need to resize but having high quality images at a large size is what’s most important.

In order to get all your photos sold you may need to use a range of different marketplaces. Each site has different requirements and some may not accept your photos to be sold on their site while another site will.

Understand Copyrights

Copyright protection is also important for selling stock photography so you should learn about copyrighting your photos before you choose a marketplace to sell on. This will ensure you are happy with the available copyright protection options offered to you.

Have Your Own Website

I don’t recommend having your own website for the sole purpose of selling online because it’s more difficult to get an immediate presence. Though, I do recommend having a base where people can find the real you. Where they can see you’re a real person with a real agenda, and that is to take great photos and get paid for doing so.

Your own website is also great for picking up local clients, such as people wanting wedding photos and event photos. So if you do create a website, make sure it has details of your services and your photos for sale.

Apart from your own website, you can sell on marketplaces known as microstock sites or stock photography sites. [Read more...]

Technical Terms – Shutter Speed Basically Explained

Technical Terms – Shutter Speed Basically Explained

I’ve referred to shutter speed in previous articles, but for the sake of completeness I thought I’d write a quick entry on the subject.

What does ‘shutter speed’ mean?


The term ‘shutter speed’ refers to the time for which the camera shutter is held open while a photograph is being taken in order to allow light to reach the image sensor (or film in a non-digital camera). Shutter speed is measured in seconds – on the Canon EOS 400D the available shutter speeds range from a maximum duration of 30 seconds (very slow) to a minimum duration of 1/4000th of a second (very fast).

Shutter speed and exposure

A slow shutter speed will potentially allow more light to reach the image sensor than a fast shutter speed. In order to correctly expose the photograph you need to balance the selected shutter speed with the appropriate aperture size. Basically, if you are using a slow shutter speed the shutter will be open for longer, so you should use a narrower aperture to avoid overexposure, whereas if you are using a fast shutter speed a wider aperture is needed to avoid underexposing the photo.

The relationship between shutter speed and exposure is useful to know about if you are trying to take a photograph in low light conditions where a flash would not be appropriate, for example if you were trying to photograph London at night. In this situation you would need to use a slow shutter speed so that the shutter will be open for as long as possible in order to allow the maximum amount of light to reach the imaging sensor.


Shutter Speed and Camera Shake

The slower the shutter speed the more likely it is that camera shake will occur since it is incredibly difficult to hold a camera perfectly still for even a second. Therefore if you want to use a slow shutter speed without compromising on picture quality you will need to use a tripod to keep the camera steady.

Shutter Speed and Moving Subjects

When you are photographing moving subjects/objects (e.g. moving cars or running water) the choice of shutter speed can make a real difference to the type of photograph produced.
 Previously I only wanted to take photographs that simply capture the reality of my chosen subject and thereby preserve a scene or event for future enjoyment. However, whilst on holiday my boyfriend experimented with some of the settings on the Canon EOS 400D and produced some really interesting images – they no longer directly reflected reality, but were more ‘artistic’.

I shall certainly be playing around with shutter speed in the future!
In order to minimise/avoid overexposure of the photo, the camera compensated for the slow shutter speed by selecting a very narrow aperture size (f/36). Since this aperture value is towards the maximum size available on my current camera setup, the photograph may be slightly overexposed, which would account for the slightly irregular colours.

Continuous Shooting on the Canon EOS 400D

Continuous Shooting on the Canon EOS 400D

The Canon EOS 400D has the option to use a ’Continuous Shooting’ drive mode in the following Modes: Sports Mode, Portrait Mode, Program AE (P Mode), Shutter Priority AE (TV Mode), Aperture Priority (AV Mode), Manual Exposure (M Mode) and Automatic Depth of Field (A-DEP Mode). So I thought it would be handy to write a brief article exploring how continuous shooting works and when and why it can be helpful to use it.

How Many Photos Per Second?

According to the Canon Manual, continuous shooting allows “up to 3 shots per sec” to be taken. I have just carried out a crude test of ‘continuous shooting’ speed in two modes (Program AE – P Mode and A-DEP Mode) and using two different AF (auto focussing) Modes – One Shot Mode (camera will focus only once during continuous shooting) and AI Servo (focusing will be continuous during continuous shooting). The results were were as follows:

Program AE – P Mode

•    One Shot Mode
◦    Max duration of continuous shooting – approx 9 secs
◦    Number of photos taken – 24 photos
◦    Photos per sec – 2.6 photos per sec
•    AI Servo
◦    Max duration of continuous shooting – approx 8 secs
◦     Number of photos taken – 16 photos
◦    Photos per sec – 2 photos per sec

A-DEP Program

•    One Shot Mode
◦    Max duration of continuous shooting – approx 14 secs
◦    Number of photos taken - 34 photos
◦    Photos per sec – 2.42 photos per sec
•    AI Servo
◦    Max duration of continuous shooting – approx 28 secs
◦     Number of photos taken - 43 photos
◦    Photos per sec – 1.5 photos per sec

So, it does seem that in some modes it would be possible to take up to 3 photos a second. However, the number of photos that can be take per second will be affected by various factors, such as:

   1.    The AF (auto focus) mode used – if you use AI Servo AF whilst doing continuous shooting the number of photos per second will be lower. This makes sense since in this AF mode the camera is continuously adjusting its focus for each shot, which will inevitably reduce the shot speed. You can see this in the above figures – within both P-Mode and A-DEP mode less photos per second were taken when AI Servo was used as compared to One Shot AF Mode. [Read more...]

Candid Photography with the Canon EOS 400D

Candid Photography with the Canon EOS 400D

Over the weekend I went to a summer party and decided to take along my Canon EOS 400D rather than the smaller Nikon E4600 I usually use at social gatherings. This is because I’m now used to the incredibly high quality photos that can be produced by using the Canon with its 10.1 megapixel capability – the Nikon’s 4 megapixel capability just doesn’t come close. I also thought it would be a good opportunity to see how the Canon performs when taking more ‘candid’ photographs of people instead of the posed photos I’ve mainly taken so far.

What is ‘candid’ photography?

Candid photographs are those that are taken spontaneously without any posing or staging and with the aim of capturing people acting naturally. Therefore, when you are trying to take candid photos you need to take them quickly and inconspicuously since people’s behaviour tends to change when they are aware of cameras.

Technical settings for candid photography

Candid photography “focuses on spontaneity rather than technique” (Wikipedia). This makes sense; if you want to photograph people as they really are (without cheesy grins and model-like poses) you can’t afford to stand for ages messing around with the camera’s settings to get the perfect shutter-speed, aperture, ISO etc. The photo may not be technically perfect, but this is a situation where the photo’s content takes priority.

I took my candid photos using the fully automatic mode on the Canon EOS 400D since it meant I could take reasonably good photos very quickly. However, the downside to using this mode is that the flash will always fire in low light – there’s nothing like flash photography to draw attention to yourself!!

While writing this article I have found a really helpful webpage (Digital Photography School) with tips on taking candid photographs, which I shall have to try in the future. One of the tips is to avoid using flash photography by setting a higher ISO value and widening the Aperture to allow more light onto the imaging sensor – therefore avoiding dark photos without using flash. However, I’m not sure this would have been enough in the dark marquee that I was photographing in on Saturday night!

Practical approach to candid photography

One practical problem I encountered when using the Canon EOS 400D to take candid photos was the fact that it was quite difficult to inconspicuosly take photos in the relatively small area in which the party was held. This was probably mainly due to the fact that the Canon was so much bigger than all the other digital cameras (simple point-and-clicks) being used at the party.

Additionally, the fact that I usually store it in a Lowepro camera bag didn’t help; by the time I had the camera out of the bag and ready to take photos people were very aware of its presence and therefore tended to strike poses or at least look less natural.

However, I got around these problems by carrying the Canon around my neck outside the bag for periods of time so that people got used to it being there and I could access the camera to take photos quickly.

Staged vs Candid Photos

Staged Photographs – advantages and disadvantages

I find that staged photos work well as formal momentos of an occasion, particularly if you are not very photogenic! The subjects of the photo can take the time to groom and pose themselves properly and the photographer can fine-tune both the lighting and the camera’s technical settings, meaning that the resultant photograph is much less likely to be a source of embarrassment for anyone.

However, people undoubtedly look less natural in staged photos – one example of this is the tendancy to adopt either a fake wide toothy smile or an uncomfortable close lipped grimace/smile. This means that looking at a staged photo will not give any insight into how the person in the photo was feeling that day and you often lose any true sense of the relationship between individuals.

Additionally, staged photos usually don’t capture the atmosphere of the occasion - when looking through my own and other people’s photos I have often noticed how people adopt the same pose in each picture with only their clothing and the backdrop changing! [Read more...]

Technical Terms – Aperture Basically Explained

Technical Terms – Aperture Basically Explained

Before I got my Canon EOS 400D I had only ever used point-and-click cameras and so never had to think about the aperture value on my camera. Being non-technically minded I genuinely did not know what the term ‘aperture’ meant when I first heard it, so I have done some reading and experimenting with my camera to try to get a better (if still somewhat basic) grasp of what the term ’aperture’ means, how it is measured and what effect it has on photographs.

What does ‘aperture’ mean?

The term ‘aperture’ refers to the opening in the lens that lets light into the camera. Adjusting the aperture value changes the size (diameter) of the aperture, which will affect the amount of light that reaches the imaging sensor in the camera (the digital camera equivalent of film). Obviously, if you set a wide aperture a lot of light will be allowed to reach the sensor, whilst setting a small aperture reduces the amount of light that reaches the sensor.

How do you change the aperture value?

On the Canon EOS 400D you change the aperture value by turning the dial behind the shutter button on the camera body. The new aperture size and any resultant changes in shutter speed will be shown on the LCD display in the camera’s viewfinder before you take the photo. You can change the aperture value in the following advanced modes:

1.    Av (Aperture-priority AE) Mode – aperture can be changed and the camera will attempt to set the appropriate shutter speed to correctly expose the photo
2.    P (Program AE) – turning the dial changes the shutter speed and aperture setting combination (as part of a program)
3.    M (Manual Exposure) – where both shutter speed and aperture values can be set as desired

Measuring Aperture Size

Aperture size is represented using f-numbers. A large f-number represents a small aperture – the lens will have a small opening and not let much light through to the imaging sensor. A small f-number represents a wide aperture – the lens will have a large opening and therefore let a lot of light through to the imaging sensor.

This is the case because f-numbers represent the ratio between the diameter of the aperture and the focal length of the lens. As an example:

•    if the aperture value is shown as f/4 this means that the aperture’s diameter is 1/4 (25%) of the focal length of the lens
•    if the aperture value is f/32, the aperture’s diameter will be 1/32th of the focal length of the lens – a much smaller diameter than the 1/4 size.

This is probably the very minimum you need to know about aperture and f-numbers in order to have a basic understanding of what you are doing with your camera and why. There is a lot of advanced information available on this subject on the internet (see for example wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number) and in books.

Aperture, Shutter Speed and Exposure

By adjusting the aperture value and shutter speed of a camera you change the exposure of the photograph you are taking.
‘Exposure’ is defined in Wikipedia as “the total amount of light allowed to fall on the sensor during the taking of a photograph” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_%28photography%29).

Clearly if you set a wide aperture a lot of light will be allowed to reach the sensor, which in turn means that the camera can use a faster shutter speed in order to obtain the correct exposure. This is because the sensor only needs to be exposed for a shorter period of time before it will have received enough light to expose the photograph.

Conversely, setting a smaller aperture reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor and means that a slower shutter speed must be used if the camera is to properly expose the picture – more time is needed to ensure enough light reaches the sensor.

Therefore if you are in a dark environment and want to take a properly exposed photograph without using a flash and with the shortest possible shutter speed (to minimise/avoid camera shake) you should:

1. Set the widest possible aperture (bearing in mind the affect on depth of field discussed below) and
2. Select a higher ISO speed (bearing in mind the potential affect on quality discussed in the previous article).

Aperture Size and Depth of Field

Making changes to the aperture value also affects the depth of field of your photograph:

•    If you set a wide aperture the background of the photograph will be out of focus resulting in a shallow depth of field.
•    If you set a small aperture, both the foreground and the background will be sharp so your photograph will have much greater depth of field.

Technical Terms – ISO basically explained

My current photography goal is to get comfortable using the Advanced Modes on the Canon EOS 400D. However, for me it is helpful to know some of the theory behind relevant technical terms before I actually try to put anything into practice, so in the next few blog entries I am going to attempt to get a basic grip on some of the technical features I have encountered when playing around with the various Advanced Modes.

ISO – changing the camera’s sensitivity to light

The ISO figure indicates the sensitivity of the camera’s imaging sensor to light. In the Basic Modes examined in the previous blog entry the ISO speed is automatically set within ISO 100 – 400 as appropriate to the light levels. However, when using the Advanced Modes the Canon EOS 400D has the following ISO Speed options: 100, 200, 400, 800 or 1600. Basically the higher the ISO number you select the more sensitive to light the camera will be and vice versa. Therefore if you are taking photos in a dark room then you should select an ISO figure towards the top of the range (since higher light sensitivity will enable the camera to make the most of any available light there is), whereas if you are in a sunny park you should select a lower ISO figure. This is the very minimum you probably need to know to effectively use the ISO setting in Advanced Modes.

ISO and shutter speeds

Additionally, changing the ISO will affect the shutter speeds that are available for taking the photograph. For example, if you are taking a photo in a low light and you select a high ISO number the camera will allow you to use a faster shutter speed than would have been the case with a lower ISO number. This is because the increased light sensitivy of the camera’s imaging sensor means that the shutter can be open for a shorter period of time and still get enough light to properly expose the picture. Having a faster shutter speed in such situations is good since it means that the camera will take the photograph more quickly, which really reduces the likelihood of camera shake occurring (particularly useful if, like me, you lack the steady hands of a surgeon and do not carry a tripod around with you wherever you go!). The shutter speeds (example) you can use in the photos:

  • Photo (ISO 1600) – a shutter speed of 1/15th of a second, which is very fast and accounts for the much sharper image produced.
  • Photo (ISO 100) – a shutter speed of 0.8 seconds – this is quite a slow shutter speed – I actually had to wait for the camera to take the photograph after pressing the button – in that time clearly my hands weren’t still enough!

ISO and picture quality

One disadvantage to using a high ISO speed is that it may result in slightly grainy images – therefore it is important to experiment with the whole range of available ISO speeds in order to find the lowest one that works in the light conditions rather than just opt for the highest ISO all the time.

Additionally, according to the Canon Manual using a high ISO speed may cause irregular colours in the image. I don’t think there is such an effect in the photos above, but when playing about with ISO settings previously I have noticed that if you set the ISO speed too high in already light conditions it does affect the colours. I’ll try to get an example up here soon.