10 Simple Yet Effective Photography Tips

10 Simple Yet Effective Photography Tips Posted: 16 May 2013 04:25 PM PDT Final Reminder: Only 2 Days Left! in the deal on: Lighting & Editing Photography Guides 1. Move closer to your subject. Nothing kills a photo quicker than a distracting background. If you have a great background try bringing the subject closer to the camera so they don’t get lost. Remember this tip if nothing else. “chit-chat” captured by Raluca Mateescu (Click Image to See More From Raluca Mateescu) 2. Take lots of pictures. Digital photography is cheap and it is good! It is okay to shoot multiple photos with only slight variations…keep and share your best photos. Also you don’t need an expensive camera; I have photos from all over the world hanging on my walls that were taken with a $300 point and shoot. 3. Get creative. It doesn’t take much to enhance a photo. Pictures taken from 5 ½’ above the ground can look repetitious. Think about changing the perspective – get down on one knee or on your stomach if possible. Stand on a chair. Experiment with different lenses if you have them. Experiment with composition. 4. Rent equipment. Professional camera stores are not just for professionals. They have rental departments where anyone can pick up an exotic lens for a day or more. Many that can be used on non-professional cameras. These rental departments are manned by people with lots of photo knowledge and people are generally more than happy to “talk photography” if not too busy at the moment. Don’t be shy. “The Catcher in the Rye” captured by Arman Zhenikeyev (Click Image to See More From Arman Zhenikeyev) 5. Use the camera’s flash. Especially outside. Your eyes can look at a person in front of a sunset and see their smile but your camera can’t. It is either going to record the colors of the sunset and your subject will be a silhouette or your subject will be visible and the background will be overexposed. Be conscious of shadows on people’s faces – again utilize your flash. If your subject is looking into the sun they are squinting – turn them away from the sun and fill shadows with flash. 6. Think of your camera like a painter’s canvas. Be the artist. Is there a garbage can or other unwanted item in the frame that can be eliminated by simply moving a foot or so to the left or right? Look at the entire frame you are about to capture, not just the one main element you are focusing on. Sure you can fix it in Photoshop but it is better to capture it the way you want to see it. 7. Study Pictures. Pictures you like. Cut them out of your favorite magazines or newspapers. Keep a file on your desk and just take a moment to look at them and tell yourself what you like about them. Bookmark web sites that have photos you like. Go to them often. Develop your eye. Oh, and move closer to your subject ;) 8. Learn to take a little criticism. All photographers love their own photos. You put your heart and soul into them. You want to show them off. They are pictures of your kids, taken with the camera you always wanted and just bought. How can people not love them? Remember art is subjective. Not everybody is your mom. 9. Get your pictures published. Local newspapers have photography contests, generally centered on a theme: children, pets, travel. If you are in the right place at the right time, CNN might be interested. Don’t forget about the internet. There are always photo contests you can enter online. Publish your own website. There are plenty of free sites that will allow you to build a web site using your photos. They are a great way to share our art and these days you don’t need a degree from MIT to do it. 10. Learn from your mistakes. But don’t be afraid to break rules. Photography is fun and creative. Nobody is going to die if your snapshots are a little off or weird. What might not work one day may be a stroke of genius the next. And one last time, move closer to your subject. “Kelso Dunes” captured by David Urban (Click Image to See More From David Urban) For the amateur photographer, these are ten easy, non-technical tips to help you improve the quality of your photos. While there are many technical aspects of photography, great pictures usually begin with a confident photographer who has learned to master composition before worrying about F-Stops. About the Author Andy Templeton is a professional photographer located in Orange County, CA. Andy specializes in editorial, public relations and corporate photography. Find his site at http://atempletonphoto.com to see his photography, access articles on leveraging images to enhance your business or access his photography blog.

5 Tips for Better Sunset Photography

5 Tips for Better Sunset Photography Posted: 19 May 2013 07:58 PM PDT Let’s wrap up our discussion of sunset photography with some tips that don’t warrant their own articles but are still valuable additions to your shooting arsenal. “Winter Sunset” captured by Jack McCallum. (Click image to see more from Jack McCallum.) Tip #1: Be Prepared Sunset times vary. The time is dependent on where you live, the time of year, and so on. The good news is there’s an app for that! And it is free. Download a good sunset times app so you can plan and be prepared. You should shoot EVERY sunset you can–at least until you have mastered all of the techniques we’ve been covering. Tip #2: Keep Your Camera Level We covered getting a level horizon in a previous article, but nowhere is it more important than in sunset photography. Use the leveling bubble on your camera or tripod to be sure. If you don’t have a level, go to the local hardware store and get one. They are only a couple bucks and are well worth the cost. Tip #3: Compose Carefully On the topic of horizons, make sure you don’t have the horizon line at the level of your subject’s neck (or their head). Cutting off a person’s head is never a good idea. Place the horizon either lower or higher. Ideally you do not want the horizon to intersect your model at all. If that is not feasible, have it crossing at the stomach or legs. It is slightly off the topic of sunset photography horizons, but on the subject of background elements cutting into your models, watch out for tree branches sticking out of their heads, too. The sunset icon on your camera is nothing more than an automatic setting. Your camera will try to guess at what the best shutter speed and aperture combination should be. We’ve previously talked about automatic settings–remember, your camera is a machine! It is NOT AT ALL CREATIVE! It will not EVER be a replacement for your creativity! Stay away from the sunset icon. Learn to shoot your sunsets on manual. That’s where the contest winners will come from! “Sugarloaf” captured by James T. Workman II. (Click image to see more from James T. Workman II.) Tip #4: Use Manual Mode Tip #5: Choose the Right Lens If you want a large sun in your sunset photography, use a telephoto lens. If you want a smaller one, use a wide angle lens. Be extremely cautious when looking at the sun through your camera lenses. Lenses can magnify the light’s intensity and cause damage to your eyes! Get yourself a free photo app so you can plan your sunset photos and get out there! Reading photo tips is all well and good, but you don’t learn just by reading. You have to actually get out there and shoot some sunsets. Or landscapes or portraits or whatever. It’s not hard. Try using these photo tips and you will quickly master sunset photography! About the Author: Dan Eitreim writes for ontargetphototraining dot com. He has been a professional photographer in Southern California for over 20 years. His philosophy is that learning photography is easy if you know a few tried and true strategies. For Further Training on Sunset Photography: As the sun nears the horizon – either at sunset or at sunrise – the light begins to dramatically transform the landscape before you. To capture this kind of light requires some skilled knowledge to overcome the limitations of your camera. That is what this eBook is for – a detailed guide on how to successfully translate what your eyes see during one of the most challenging times of day. It can be found here: Sunrise & Sunset Photography Guide

How to Photograph an Airshow

How to Photograph an Airshow Posted: 21 May 2013 04:26 PM PDT Each summer, at air shows across the globe, awestruck spectators enjoy the power and precision of aerial demonstration teams and individual performers. In addition to what is happening in the air, there are often static displays on the ground. For photographers, these events provide outstanding photographic opportunities. After you shoot your first air show, you will likely return each year as I do. The tips below are based on my experiences at air shows around the New York area. “Spitfire’s in the Sky” captured by Barry Price (Click Image to See More From Barry Price) Day of the Show It is recommended that you get to the show at least one hour in advance in order to find parking, and a shooting location. Air shows can be very crowded, with numbers reaching into the tens of thousands. By arriving early, you may be able to set your gear up in a prime area. Generally, the performers enter from the left and right, with their stunts done at “show center.” “Jet Blur Blue Angels” captured by Rob Hayashida (Click Image to See More From Rob Hayashida) A good viewing spot is important, as it allows you to focus and track the incoming jets. When possible, I try to pick a place that’s in the shade with a full view of the show center. However, many airports and military bases do not have trees to block the sun. To protect yourself from the elements, I strongly urge you to bring sunscreen. Lens Choices When I photographed my first air show many years ago, I used a 28-135mm lens. Yet, unless the plane was flying directly above me, I found that much more reach was necessary. Today, I use a 70-200mm for action that’s directly overhead, and a 400mm for tighter shooting. My camera does not have a full frame sensor, so a 400mm with a 1.6 crop factor is actually an effective 640mm lens. Just remember, air shows are usually several hours in duration, and longer lenses can get quite heavy. “Final Approach” captured by Rob Hayashida (Click Image to See More From Rob Hayashida) Image stabilization is a nice feature, but a tripod will give your arms a break and allow you to create sharp images consistently. While the majority of my aviation work is shot with longer lenses, I find that wide angle lenses are also useful for performance teams that are spread out in wide formations. By utilizing a few different options, you can capture more of the action, and will come home with a diverse collection of images. Shutter Speeds Attempting to freeze the motion of something traveling over five hundred miles per hour is no easy feat. In order to achieve this, a fast shutter speed of around 1/1000 is recommended. Yet, like most aspects of photography, there are exceptions to this. With older planes, a shutter speed of 1/1000 will freeze the propellers. The effect actually reduces the appearance of motion, and gives the image an unnatural look. “Diamond Jubilee” captured by Tatoune (Click Image to See More From Tatoune) To show the movement of the propeller, a shutter speed of 1/90 is a good starting point. However, you may have to adjust it slightly to 1/60th or slower, depending on the speed of the plane. Of course, with these slow shutter speeds you will want to pay close attention to your camera technique to ensure sharp images. In-Camera Metering Even today’s sophisticated DSLR metering systems can be tricked by certain situations. When exposing a jet against a clear blue summer sky, automatic camera settings will often properly expose the sky, and leave you with an underexposed plane. In order to have full control over the camera, I prefer to use the in-camera spot meter along with the manual exposure mode. Semi automatic modes can be effective as long as you are utilizing your histogram, and making adjustments as needed. “Mix of Pix” captured by Stevie Mc Teague (Click Image to See More From Stevie Mc Teague) Most often, I find myself around 1/1000th, ISO 400, and f5.6. Of course, this can change drastically depending on the weather conditions of that particular day. Focus Rather than trying to frame the perfect shot, I like to use a high speed burst mode and fire off many frames for each pass. This technique increases the percentage of keepers. Following high speed objects this way takes some getting used to. Thankfully, most cameras feature continuous focusing, also known as AI Servo. This mode will allow you to continually focus on moving subjects. To use this feature successfully, keep your center focusing point over the aircraft with your cable release or shutter held halfway down. “Southport Airshow” captured by Chris Jolley (Click Image to See More From Chris Jolley) As you follow the plane through your viewfinder, the camera will automatically adjust the focus as the aircraft gets closer. When you are ready to make an image, simply press the shutter all the way down. Luckily, air show organizers often arrange “photo passes,” where the pilot flies at a reduced speed. Don’t get too comfortable though, they return to full speed after just a few slow turns. Memory With all of this high flying, fast-paced action, you will likely go through many memory cards rapidly. I bring a portable hard drive with me, and download the contents of the card while continuing to shoot. Once I’m sure the images have been safely written to the drive, I format the card in camera and reuse it. “The-Red-Arrows” captured by Matt Sillence (Click Image to Find Photographer) I like to shoot in RAW format whenever possible. However, if you are short on memory cards, and don’t have a portable hard drive, you may want to consider shooting in the Large/Fine JPEG format. This will allow you to fit more images on the card than RAW. What to Look For Smoke trails and after burner effects are great additions to an aviation image. Be ready for them, as they happen quickly. The trails of white smoke are actually created by pumping oil into the exhaust pipe. This is particularly interesting when used by an entire formation of planes. “Red bull Air Race Porto” captured by myvista (Click Image to Find Photographer) The patterns of smoke can be used to make for a more artistic composition. In addition, it adds a bit of contrast to the otherwise plain blue sky. I also look to capture the interaction between two planes. When pilots are flying side by side with their wings nearly touching, a great deal of tension is introduced to the photo. By freezing this moment in time you are also showcasing the precision, and skill of the daring pilots. Enjoy the show! About the Author: Chris Corradino is a professional photographer based in New York City (www.christography.com). His photography, instructional videos, and informative articles can all be seen on his website.

Bracket Shots with White Balance

By Julie Adair King and Robert Correll from Canon EOS 60D For Dummies

You can take advantage of the automatic White Balance Bracketing capabilities of the Canon EOS 60D. With this feature, the camera records the same image three times, using a slightly different white balance adjustment for each one.

This feature is especially helpful when you’re shooting in varying light sources: for example, a mix of fluorescent light, daylight, and flash. Bracketing the shots increases the odds that the color renditions of at least one of the shots will be to your liking.

Note a couple of things about this feature:

• Because the camera records three images each time you press the shutter button, using white balance bracketing reduces the maximum capture speed that’s possible when you use the Continuous shooting mode. Of course, recording three images instead of one also eats up more space on your memory card.
• The White Balance Bracketing feature is designed around the same grid used for White Balance Correction. As a reminder, the grid is based on two color pairs: green/magenta and blue/amber.
• When White Balance Bracketing is enabled, the camera always records the first of the three bracketed shots using a neutral white balance setting — or, at least, what it considers to be neutral, given its own measurement of the light. The second and third shots are then recorded using the specified shift along either the green/magenta or blue/amber axis of the color grid.

These images were shot using a single tungsten studio light and the candlelight. White Balance Bracketing was set to work along the blue/amber color axis. The camera recorded the first image at neutral, the second with a slightly blue color bias, and the third with an amber bias.

To enable White Balance Bracketing, follow these steps:

1. Set the Mode dial to a mode in the Creative Zone (P, Tv, Av, M, B, or C).
2. Display Shooting Menu 2 and highlight WB/Shift Bkt.
3. Press Set.
   
4. Rotate the Quick Control dial to set the amount and direction of the bracketing shift.
   Rotate the dial as follows to specify whether you want the bracketing to be applied across the horizontal axis (blue to amber) or the vertical axis (green to magenta).
   • Blue to amber bracketing: Rotate the dial right.
   • Green to magenta bracketing: Rotate the dial left.
   As you rotate the dial, three markers appear on the grid, indicating the amount of shift that will be applied to your trio of bracketed images. You can apply a maximum shift of plus or minus three levels of adjustment.
   The Bracket area of the screen also indicates the shift. As you can see, even at the maximum shift (+/- 3), the difference to the colors is subtle.
   If you want to get truly fancy, you can combine White Balance Bracketing with White Balance Shift. To set the amount of White Balance Shift, press the cross keys to move the square markers around the grid. Then use the Main dial to adjust the bracketing setting.
5. Press Set to apply your changes and return to the menu.
   The bracketing symbol appears in the Shooting Settings display. The Camera Settings display, which you bring up by pressing Info when any menu is visible, also reports the bracketing setting.
   

The bracketing setting remains in effect until you turn off the camera. You can also cancel bracketing by revisiting the grid screen and either rotating the Main dial until you see only a single grid marker or pressing the Info button. Either way, press Set to officially turn off bracketing.

How to Enable Mirror Lockup on a Canon 60D

By Julie Adair King and Robert Correll from Canon EOS 60D For Dummies

In any SLR camera (including the Canon EOS 60D), whether digital or film, light travels through thelens and is sent to the viewfinder by way of a mirror. When you press the shutter button all the way, the mirror flips up so that the light goes directly onto the image sensor, rather than being diverted to the viewfinder.

The problem with this system is that when the mirror flips, it causes a small amount of vibration. This vibration may introduce slight blurring in the photo, depending on the shutter speed you select. In general, slower shutter speeds (1/60 second and slower) are most susceptible to mirror-induced blurring, but many landscape and studio still-life photographers use their mirror lock-up feature religiously, no matter what their shutter speeds are, to capture the clearest, sharpest photo.

To reduce the effect of mirror slap-induced vibration, the 60D camera offers mirror lockup. When you enable this feature, the mirror movement is completed well before the shot is recorded, preventing camera shake.

To enable mirror lockup, take these steps:

1. Set the Mode dial to a mode in the Creative Zone.
   Mirror lockup isn’t available in the fully automatic exposure modes.
2. Press Menu and navigate to the Custom Functions menu.
3. Scroll down to C.Fn III: Autofocus/Drive and press Set.
4. Press left or right on the multicontroller until you see C.Fn III-5, Mirror Lockup; then press Set.
5. Press up or down to highlight the Enable option.
   
6. Press the Set button.

After you enable mirror lockup, you take a slightly different approach to picture taking. Use this technique:

1. Frame your shot.
2. If you’re using autofocus, press and hold the shutter button halfway to focus.
   Or, if you prefer manual focusing, twist the focusing ring as needed to focus the image.
3. Press the shutter button all the way down to lock up the mirror. Then release the button.
   At this point, you can no longer see anything through the viewfinder. Don’t panic; that’s normal. The mirror’s function is to enable you to see in the viewfinder the scene that the lens will capture, and mirror lockup prevents it from serving that purpose.
4. Press the shutter button all the way again.
   The camera takes the picture.
   Remember to disable the feature when you’re finished unless you plan on using it the next time you pick up your camera.

Using a tripod or another type of support is critical to getting shake-free shots when using slow shutter speeds, whether you are using mirror lockup or not. (Fireworks, night photography, and even shots in dimly lit interiors all require slow shutter speeds if you don't boost ISO through the roof.). For even more protection, set your camera to the 2-second self-timer mode, and take your hands completely off the camera after you press the shutter button in Step 3. The picture is taken two seconds after the mirror lockup occurs. If you purchased the remote control unit for your camera, you instead can trigger the shutter button using it.

Tips for Photographing a Mountain Landscape

By Doug Sahlin from Digital Landscape and Nature Photography For Dummies

Some mountain ranges give you a wide variety of subjects to photograph. The Smoky Mountains include waterfalls, rivers, lots of trees, and wildflowers. Yosemite National Park also gives you a well-rounded venue of trees, waterfalls, and animals in the valley or venture into the High Sierra and capture wonderful pictures of mirror-smooth lakes with reflections of mountains and the sky.

Center of interest in your photo

To create a great image of a mountain range, you need to direct the viewer’s eye to your center of interest, just like with any other photograph. Mountain ranges are vast compilations of peaks and valleys. Here are seven tips to find a center of interest for your mountain scenes:

• Use a tree as your center of interest. If you’re photographing a mountain range from a valley, use a tree as your center of interest, as shown in this image of Half Dome from Cook’s Meadow.
  
• Look for a recognizable peak. Many mountain ranges have signature peaks. In Rocky Mountain National Park, Longs Peak is recognizable because it’s been photographed so frequently. Yosemite has El Capitan, Cloud’s Rest, and Half Dome. Compose your image in such a manner that the recognizable mountaintop is the center of interest.
• Look for an unusual rock formation or prominent peak. If the mountain range doesn’t have a signature peak, look for an interesting-looking mountain peak or graceful rock formation to use as your center of interest.
• Wait for the clouds. Clouds can make an otherwise dull image look interesting. If you photograph a scene with clouds, use your polarizing filter. Remember that a polarizing filter has the best results when you aim the camera 90 degrees from the sun.
• Find a winding mountain road or path to direct your viewer’s eye. It can be the path in front of you or a path that comes in from the side of your picture. Move around until the path is in a position to draw your viewer into the scene.
• Draw the viewer to your center of interest with diagonal lines. The lines can be tree shadows, a fallen tree, a path — see the line with your mind's eye. The diagonal line can also be the side of a mountain.
• Use curves to lead the viewer to the most important part of an image. A path, a river, an unusual grouping of trees — nature throws curves at you from every angle.

The perfect vantage point

When you find a vista that you want to photograph, assess the scene and find a center of interest. Walk around the scene, looking for an ideal vantage point — this depends on what you’re taking a picture of. As you move around, you see possibilities, and then a picture starts to take shape in your mind’s eye. Here are five suggestions for vantage points when photographing mountain ranges.

• If the mountains rise high above you, photograph the scene from a low vantage point and place the horizon line in the lower third of the frame. This vantage point gives your viewers a sense of how high the mountains are.
• If you’re using diagonals to draw your viewer’s attention to the center of interest, choose a vantage point that places the diagonal at one of the corners of the frame.
• If you’re using a path to draw your viewers into the image, crouch low or lie down on the ground for a snail’s-eye view. Let the path fill the bottom of the frame from edge to edge.
• If you’re high in the mountains and you have a lovely cloudscape, climb a little higher and shoot straight ahead to place the horizon line in the lower third of the image. This gives your viewers the sense that you’re high in the mountains.
• Another alternative for when you’re high in the mountains is to point the camera down into a valley. This also gives your viewers the message that you’re at a high altitude.

How do I set a primary email address on a federated domain

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Pete

After creating a new user ensure that they are in the correct OU “Business Name”>”Users”, dependant on what your AD is synced to the cloud this may take up to 6 hours to synchronise.

To start first, RDP to your primary DC then go to start and type “adsi”

Select the ADSI Edit application, then navigate to your OU “Business Name” > “Users”. As shown below.

Now select users and you should be able to see all the users in the right hand column, if the newly created user isn’t there, make sure you are in the correct OU. Once you find the user you want to give the user a a primary or alias email address. To do this right click (shown below)

Then click Properties.

Now you should have a screen like this below.

You now need to navigate (scroll down) to “proxyAddress” shown below.

Now if this is a new user it will show “NotSet” if your adding an alias you will see their primary address.

To Add a primary or secondary address click Edit on the bottom right. You will be displayed with this below:

If this is a new user there will be nothing in the bottom text field, if it is a current user with an address you will see that entered. To enter a new primary email address type “SMTP:username@domain.co.uk” in the “value to add field”, now if this is a new user and your entering their primary address the “SMTP:” the SMTP part must be in capitals and don’t forget the colon. Once this is done click “Add”.

You will now see a primary user in the values field now to add an email address alias you need to enter in lower case in the “value to add” field “smtp:username@domain.co.uk” the lowercase distinguishes between the primary and alias address. Once done click add.

Now you should see this (below), both a primary and alias address. Now double check everything spelling domain etc. and click “OK” then “OK” again and close down ADSI edit, unless you have another user.

Now this may take up to 6 hours to sync as it can depend when the user was created to when the user was modified to have their primary domain, all of this is required to stop the user using the username@domain.onmicrosoft.com, when sending emails.

After 6 hours have passed check to see if the user is synchronised and assign them their licenses.

http://blog.the-it-blog.co.uk/2012/06/06/365-how-do-i-set-a-primary-email-address-on-a-federated-domain/

Share this: