Moon Photography

1. Use Tripod – Although it’s a quick exposure, you’ll get the best results setting your camera on a tripod. Remember that you want detail and any kind of motion blurring can ruin the shot.

2. Use Telephoto lens – For a good moon shot you’ll need a telephoto lens. You don’t need an expensive one but for good detail a minimum of 300mm is recommended.

3. Use Shutter Release cable – Recommended. The pressure of your fingers on the shutter button will increase the motion blur. To avoid this you can get a shutter release cable and use the shutter delay feature of your camera. A 2 sec delay is more than enough to get your hands of the camera.

Start with the following settings:

- Aperture at f/11

- ISO 100 (you don’t want any noise on your photo and it’s so bright there is really no need to go above 100)

- 1/125 – 1/250

Now set your auto focus to point, aim at the moon, focus and turn the auto focus off. Don’t touch that ring anymore.

For good measure bracket your EV 1 or 2 units (if your camera allows you can get a few sequential shots with different EV values).

An example is shown below.

Nikon D90 DSLR: ISO 200, Aperture f/11, Shutter Speed 1/250.

Canon EOS Rebel XSi: ISO 100, Aperture f/11, Shutter Speed 1/125.

Read more: http://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-moon#ixzz2FVhHtabW

Pet Photography

Tips by: Simon Bray

1. Focus on the Features: One of the first things to consider is how you want to portray your pet in your photographs. Consider whether your pet has any particular traits, habits or physical that you could capture. This may well affect what posture you’d ideally like the pet to have in your shot.

Try and maximize the affect of the animals facial features, such as teeth or eyes. Maybe you can try and evoke a particular reaction from the animal, but a good rule to start you off is to focus in on the eyes.

2. Direction: It’s difficult to make a pet shot look natural, as they don’t necessarily follow directions and will behave unpredictably. But there are a few things you can do in order to get your pet to respond and make your life easier.

Try and get their attention – either call their name or use a treat or biscuit to get them to focus on you. If you’re not the pet owner, try and ensure the owner is present, as the animal will be far more receptive to their direction than yours.

If you like, you can try getting the pet to interact with the owner or other animals – this can produce some wonderful moments, but could also prove a major distraction, so it’s your call!

3. Get to Their Level: Make sure you've got a nice quick lens, as undoubtedly your pet will move around quite a bit. Try and be as mobile as possible, so don’t burden yourself with loads of equipment. You want to be able to respond to your pet’s movement.

Get down (or up!) to their level, and consider it the same as taking a portrait shot, you want to capture the face of the subject and any expression or posture that they hold. Also, if you can, try and get in close, so you can capture the detail of the fur or skin and fill the frame with your subject.

4. Environment: It’s also important to consider the context and setting in which you’re taking the shots. Try and get the pet to a place with a decent amount of light – this could either be out in the park, or at home near a window or strong light source.

You could also trying using props, positioning your pet by a particular piece of furniture or even in someone’s hands depending on how small it is! Remember that the environment you choose will affect your pets behavior. Somewhere familiar indoors will probably lead to them being quite subdued, but out and about, or even somewhere new to them, may lead to more excitable shots.

5. Doing Something Different: Hopefully you’ve gathered a few ideas together of how and where you might construct your shoot, but don’t be afraid of trying something creative or different.

Think about the context in which you usually see your pet and maybe try removing it from that setting and trying a new location or environment. I’ve got nothing against capturing a really detailed face on portrait shot of a pet, but please don’t forget there is the potential to be creative!

Portrait Photography-2

13. If you are traveling in a foreign land, learn at least a few phrases of the local language. Your reception and ability to make photographs—and your whole experience—will be enhanced.

14. Practice in your neighborhood. Go out into the street and make frozen, blurred, and panned images of passing cars.

15. When making environmental portraits, take the time to find out what your subjects really care about and have them show it to you.

16. When you first arrive at a new location, make note of any features that strike you. Try to find ways to incorporate them into your composition.

17. Be careful if you are using a wide-angle lens to photograph a group. The people at the edges may get distorted.

18. If kids want to look through the camera, let them. They will be more relaxed and cooperative. Just watch out for dirty fingers on the lens.

19. Anticipate kids' behavior. If they are playing tag, set up near the base, compose your image, and wait for them to come running in.

20. To avoid being too anatomical when photographing the human form, try using soft focus or a little blur.

21. When you are in people's homes or workplaces, carry as little gear as possible. You want to minimize the disturbance your presence causes.

Portrait Photography-1

1. Work your way into a situation. If you see something interesting, don't be satisfied with just a wide shot. Think about the essence of what you are photographing and work closer and closer until you have isolated and captured it. Don't be shy. People are usually happy to show you what they do well.

2. If you use objects other than your main subject in the foreground, be careful of placement. You don't want to obscure or detract from your subject.

3. Every time you hold your camera to your eye, look for leading lines, foreground elements, frames—anything you can use to lend dynamism to your image. Photographs are two dimensional but it helps if they look and feel three dimensional.

4. If you don't have a tripod and want to shoot with a long lens and slow shutter speed, use your camera bag to cradle the camera. If you're using a really slow speed, use a self-timer to avoid shake.

5. Don't just stand there—sit, squat, lie down. The angle from which you make a photograph can make a dramatic difference.

6. Create a catch-light in the subject's eyes with a small reflector, such as a dulled mirror, to add a bit of glimmer.

7. When using an electronic flash indoors, move your subject away from walls to prevent harsh shadows.

8. A piece of very light orange gel over the face of your electronic flash can warm up the light and give it a more pleasing cast.

9. Be patient. Street scenes change by the millisecond. Find a spot you like, get comfortable, and wait, watching all the time for the elements to fall together.

10. When photographing people interacting with each other or with pets, observe their behavior and think about what they might do to express the essence of the relationship.

11. While looking through your telephoto lens, scan around the scene looking for patterns.

12. Portraits of people from other cultures have to do double duty—they have to be honest about the exotic nature of the people while conveying our common humanity.

Shooting people: http://bit.ly/mQYZN0

Bird Photography

Bird photography is a constant challenge since the subject is usually small, may not stay still, moves rapidly, sits in less than favorable lighting conditions and is extremely aware of you approaching. However, here are some tips that might help you in clicking photographs of birds:

1. Passion for the Birds:

Since birds are a very tough subject to photograph, you must have a passion for birds. Bring along a pair of binoculars to locate and enjoy the birds. Even if you don't get that one great photograph, at least you'll get a day of bird watching in.

2. Bird Language: By learning bird language, you will see more, understand more and you will be able to have better bird photography opportunities. It will help you progress in your pursuit of bird photography.

3. Using Your Five Senses: Make mental notes of each day you go into nature and store them in your memory cards. Recall those memory cards when it is necessary to improve your bird photography opportunities.

4. Photograph Birds Near Where You Live: Practice first in your own backyard.

5. Photograph Birds Early & Late: Birds are active feeding early in the morning and late afternoon. Once you understand the rhythm of nature and the habits of the birds, you won't be anticipating bird photography opportunities that will not exist due to the time of the day.

6. Understanding the Light: You will have the benefit of more lighting in the early morning and late afternoon, which happens to coincide nicely with the activity of the birds.

7. Use the Longest Lens Available: Birds are small and you have two options for bird photography: Use the longest lens available to you or learn how to approach birds without scaring them away.

8. Treat the Birds with Respect: The safety of the birds is a prime goal to all of us. Do not put any birds at risk or in danger for the sake of a photograph as it will eventually hurt some birds as well as ruin your reputation as a photographer. Obey all the rules of the land and the laws of nature.

9. Go Alone: If you really want to increase your chances of bird photography opportunities, unfortunately you must go alone. The birds observe you in the same way as you observe them. However, the birds pick up more about you than you will ever pick up about them. If they observe body language that they don't feel comfortable with from the other person, no matter how good you are as a photographer and an observer, and you will not have the same bird photography opportunities. It will always be less.

Water Drop Photography

1. Change your viewpoint: Positioning the camera almost level with the surface of the liquid allows you to capture more of the drop’s reflection for an arty look.

2. Before the splash: You don’t have to capture the splash to create stunning images. Capturing the water droplets mid-flight can also result in beautiful images.

3. Inject some colour: Adding a food dye to the liquid is an easy way to add striking colour. You can also try adding different colours to the drop and static liquids.

4. Create multiple drops: Once you’ve mastered single drops you can try to capture images of the collision between two drops, with amazing results.

5. Try milk instead: Due to the very different viscosity and characteristics of the liquid, using milk instead of water will produce softer shapes.

6. Camera settings: With the camera on a tripod we used manual focus and exposure. Some test drops were used to set the focus by placing a ruler in the position where the droplets fell, then carefully pre-focusing on this point.

Photography by: Patrick Lindsay

The World’s Smallest SLR

Pentax’s Q-Black is the world’s smallest SLR.

How small exactly? It’s so small you can put it on your key chain (see pictured).

Not bad for a 12.4-megapixel camera that can shoot high-dynamic range, 1080 hi-def video and even in RAW (there’s also a JPG option). In addition, 

the camera has sensor-shift-shake reduction, Bokeh control filter and a 3-inch LDC monitor. This little sucker seems like a full-fledged camera even 

for dimensions of 3.9-by-2.3-by-1.2 inch.

The camera will arrive in the fall for about $800, according to Consumer Reports.

Note: This blog does not produce and market these products.

The intention is just to make you aware what's new and latest in the market.

This blog is not responsible for any of the merits and demerits of any individual product or technology.

The World’s Most Expensive Camera

At the WestLicht Photgraphica auction in Vienna, a Leica 0-Series was sold for a record-breaking amount. 

The bid began at 300,000 euros and was expected to fetch a handsome sum of 600,000 to 800,000 euros (US$791,000 to US$1.05 million). But by the time 

the auction ended, an anonymous bidder paid €2.16 million, or US$2.8 million, not including the buyer’s premium.

The camera is one of 25 produced in 1923 by Leica. The 0-Series cameras were made to test the market before the commercial introduction of the Leica A.

The model sold is in full-working condition with original parts and paintwork.

-Note: This blog does not produce and market these products.
The intention is just to make you aware what's new and latest in the market.
This blog is not responsible for any of the merits and demerits of any individual product or technology.

Quotes!!

Light Graffiti Photography

Light graffiti is a fantastic to way to get creative with light trails at night.

1. Set up your camera on a tripod, with ISO of between 400-800. 

2. During the exposure you’ll want to ‘draw’ an image or word with a beam of light such as glow stick, torch or sparkler for example.

3. Dial in an exposure long enough for you to complete the word or image, and start the release with the self-timer.

4. Get in front of the lens and start drawing. To finish the image hold the torch steady and turn it off, then move out of the frame. 

5. Check the LCD for results and amend the shutter speed as required. It’s advisable to wear black so you do not show up within the photo and remember to move quickly or you’ll be captured within the scene.

6. Colored gels or colored plastic sweet wrappers can be taped over the end of the torch to add a variation of color.

Photography by: Ian Hobson

Dance Photography

1. Take your photos from a low angle position. This in its self will produce an exciting photo that will stand out. If you are taking photographs at a wedding, then the venue will often be decorated elaborately, so make sure you include the background detail in your photograph. You may have to stand among st the dancers to get the right shot.

2. To get the most dynamic selection of dancing photos, you need to move around the floor – don’t be tempted to only shoot from one side. Take photos from unusual angles.

3. You will need to use a flash, but don’t use the internal flash as they produce very flat lighting. Use an external remote flash unit, and get someone to move around with you while they hold the flash.

4. For some of your dancing photos, try using a slow shutter speed. With a slower shutter speed, you introduce a small amount of blur into the background of the shot, capturing the motion, yet still getting a clear picture of the dancers in the middle of your frame.

5. Always use a tripod. This is useful if you are following the movement of people across the dance floor, in a panning effect, and also produces better shots when using slow shutter speeds.

High-Speed Photography

1. Use a fast shutter speed - This is pretty common sense but the faster the shutter speed the more likely that you will rid the picture of all motion blur. You may have to increase your ISO to allow the use of this shutter speed in darker situations. We recommend at least 1/250th of a second for water droplet pictures.

2. Using a flash - A flash is great because it can fire a beam of light that only lasts a tiny amount of time. The extra light from the flash will help allow the use of a higher shutter speed. Trying experimenting with an off camera flash, or a bounce flash for more natural lighting. High wattage lighting setups can be very helpful if you are working in a controlled environment. Basically the more light on your subject, the better.

3.Use manual exposure mode - This is about the only time that I use the fully manual mode on my camera. For shooting things such as water droplets, you need to control the shutter speed, depth of field, and flash output independently. By using a very stopped down aperture, such as f/22, you can get the depth of field needed for the entire water droplet to be in focus. You will need to set your shutter speed manually to something very fast, and you will need to control your lighting output to match your other parameters.

4.Adjust your focus settings - Getting the focus right in these shots is one of the most difficult things about them. A use of a small aperture helps by increasing the depth of field (and thus your margin of error). Many cameras cannot auto focus fast enough to catch a water droplet in mid air. Most just end up focusing on the background. If you have a magic camera that can auto focus so fast it can catch a single droplet midair, please send me an email. For everyone else, you may find that it is easier to switch to manual focus when you know how far away your subject will be. Once you have the focus set properly, then all you need to do is nail the timing.

5.Take a lot of shots - Unfortunately this is a type of photography that demands a lot of trial and error. Nailing the timing perfectly is very difficult. Many of my shots are either taken too late, or before the droplet enters the frame. Adjust your focus area, depth of field, and shutter speed to see what works best for your setup.

Burst Mode Photography

Burst mode is a shooting mode in still cameras, most notably single-lens reflex cameras which allow several photographs to be captured in quick succession by either single pressing the shutter button or holding it down. This is used mainly in mixed-light conditions or when the subject is in successive motion, such as sports. The photographer can then select the best image of the group or arrange them in a sequence to study the transitions in detail.

1. Shooting images so quickly means your camera will not usually have time to directly save your images to your memory card. Instead most cameras have a ‘buffering’ system that stores the shot up until you finish shooting. It then sends them to the card. The more shots you take the longer it will take after you stop shooting before you can start shooting again as the process does usually take a fair bit of processing power from your camera.

2. Most cameras have a limit to how many shots they will allow you to take in this mode. The number of shots allowed will depend upon numerous factors including the format you’re shooting in (ie RAW files are bigger and you can’t shoot as many in a row) and the size of images you’re shooting.

3. Some cameras have a predetermined number of shots that they will take in ‘burst mode’. i.e it might take a sequence of 5 shots instead of just shooting until you release the shutter.

4. The more shots you take the quicker you’ll run out of batteries and the faster you’ll fill your memory card – so shooting all day in continuous mode will mean you will need backups.

5. When shooting a moving image you might need to think about your focusing strategy. Some DSLRs have a continuous focusing feature to help with this but in simpler cameras you might find that the focusing just can’t keep up.

6. It can take a bit of practice to use continuous shooting mode in order to get the right number of shots. Some cameras are more sensitive than others when it comes to their shutter release and in some cases it’s difficult to take just a single shot.

Tilt-Shift Photography

Refers to the use of camera movements on small- and medium-format cameras, and sometimes specifically refers to the use of tilt for selective focus, often for simulating a miniature scene. Sometimes the term is used when the shallow depth of field is simulated with digital post-processing; the name may derive from the tilt-shift lens normally required when the effect is produced optically.

"Tilt-shift" encompasses two different types of movements: rotation of the lens plane relative to the image plane, called tilt, and movement of the lens parallel to the image plane, called shift.

Motion Blur Photography

Motion blur is frequently used to show a sense of speed. You can artificially achieve this effect in a usual scene using cameras with a slow shutter speed. Also Adobe Photoshop can be used for this purpose, though sometimes images may look unnatural and unprofessional. Capturing movement in images is something that many photographers only need to do when photographing sports or other fast-moving events.

Tips for capturing movement:

1. Slow Down Your Shutter Speed: The reason for movement blur is simply that the amount of time that the shutter of a camera is open is long enough to allow your camera’s image sensor to ‘see’ the movement of your subject.

So the number one tip in capturing movement in an image is to select a longer shutter speed.

If your shutter speed is fast (eg 1/4000th of a second) it’s not going to see much movement (unless the the subject is moving mighty fast) while if you select a longer shutter speed (eg 5 seconds) you don’t need your subject to move very much at all before you start to see blur.

2. Secure Your Camera: There are two ways to get a feeling of movement in your images – have your subject move or have your camera move (or both). In the majority of cases that we featured in last week’s post it was the subject that was moving.

In this type of shot you need to do everything that you can to keep your camera perfectly still or in addition to the blur from the subject you’ll find that the whole frame looks like it’s moving as a result of using a longer shutter speed. Whether it be by using a tripod or have your camera sitting on some other still object (consider a shutter release mechanism or using the self timer) you’ll want to ensure that camera is perfectly still.

3. Shutter Priority Mode: One of the most important settings in photographing an image which emphasizes movement is the shutter speed (as outlined above). Even small changes in shutter speed will have a big impact upon your shot – so you want to shoot in a mode that gives you full control over it.

This means either switching your camera into full Manual Mode or Shutter Priority Mode. Shutter Priority Mode is a mode that allows you to set your shutter speed and where the camera chooses other settings (like Aperture) to ensure the shot is well exposed. It’s a very handy mode to play with as it ensures you get the movement effect that you’re after but also generally well exposed shots.

The other option is to go with Manual mode if you feel more confident in getting the aperture/shutter speed balance right.

Water Sports Photography

Shooting water sports can be a challenge. Here are some tips that might help you when shooting water sports:

1. Planning is key: What separates a great photo from a mediocre snapshot is the careful planning that goes into taking photos. When taking photos of extreme water sports, you will encounter many situations that will need careful planning for the strategy for shooting and the equipment you carry. For many of these photo pursuits, you must determine environmental hazards to yourself, the subjects, as well as your equipment. Safety must be your highest priority.

2. Protect your camera: This is critical when shooting water sports. Salt water, and even fresh water, is very corrosive. Thus you need a waterproof case or bag when shooting rafting, surfing, and other paddle sports. You also have to clean and dry your camera carefully every day.

3. Expect the unexpected: On a paddle or rafting trip, you will be on the water four to five hours daily. If you are careful and have a waterproof camera case, you can shoot while sitting on the boat. Ask the raft guide if the approaching rapids are splashy or if a complete dousing should be expected. Expecting the unexpected will help you prepare for the best shots.

4. Make use of creative tools: Use a wide-angle zoom lens (for example, the 17-35 zoom). Set your camera to slower shutter speeds in order to see what you like the most. Another creative tool that you might want to use is reflection. Observe carefully the water reflections on water during sunrise and sunset. They become even more pronounced when the water lies between you and the sky’s brightest part.

Travel Photography

When doing travel photography, there are things that you should look for – interesting things that would make a great photo. Here are some of them:

1. Capture extraordinary things: Look for something out-of-this-world. For example, capture photos of cows strolling the streets of Mumbai. Or a man taking a leak on the wall with "No Pissing" sign. Or your friends doing the belly dance in Egypt. An interesting photo means a good photo.

2. Find shapes: Cultures use shapes, lines, and curves in architecture very differently. For example, the      Taj Mahal in India. Look for triangles and angles. They help create a sense of perspective, putting your viewers in the photo. Look for curves. They help create a sense of movement in your photos.

3. Seek the light: Lighting makes or breaks any photo. Make your images dramatic with dynamic lighting. Turn off the flash when taking photos inside basilicas and cathedrals. Skylights, rose windows, and stained glass windows give stunning effect. Using the flash can ruin this beautiful lighting. Seek out the Golden Hour when shooting outside. Photographers refer to this as the first and last hour of daylight. Under the right conditions, it can lead to a warm and soft glow on anything in its path.

4. Look for contrast: Contrast in photography is an effective way to directing your viewers’ attention to the subject of the photo. Position subject elements to create contrast. It gives added emphasis. Whether in tones, textures, position, or the subject itself, contrast will keep your images interesting.

5. Look for textures, colors, and content: Unify all photographic elements to a picture that will visually "make sense". Capture an image that shows extreme diversity of textures, colors, and content.

Baby Photography

1: Tone Down the Props: It's great if a prop compliments the shot, but if you find that the baby isn't the first place your eyes land when looking at the photo it is probably too cluttered. Babies are cute enough on their own without needing much extra decoration.

2: Don't Forget About the Best Parts!: While it's always cute to get full pictures of babies you shouldn't forget about the rest of them. It can be great to take macro shots of little feet and toes. These close up shots are not taken as often so they can make a big impact. Plus, baby's little hands and feet are just so adorable.

3: Get a Good Lens: You'll want a fast, sharp lens for taking shots of babies. A 50mm 1.4 is an excellent option as it is a prime lens. It's great for taking close up head and shoulder photos during use with a fill-frame camera.

4: Use the Right Settings: It is generally easiest to get started in aperture priority. In this setting you'll basically choose your aperture and the camera will automatically select a shutter speed.

It's also a good idea to keep the shutter above 1/250. This is a great setting to make sure you get sharp pictures. Decide what's best with the camera you are working with based on the settings described in your users’ manual.

5: Practice Makes Perfect: It's great if you want to move into professional baby photography, but you can really do well practicing on your own children first. That will help give you the confidence you need to adjust your camera settings according the light source, subject, theme and /or various other elements that go into making a great photograph.

6: Newborn shots are often the Most Rewarding: Babies are beautiful at any age, but getting newborn shots are often the most rewarding. It's a unique stage and the shots that can come from this age are just lovely. An added bonus is that newborns love to sleep so you'll have a much easier time posing the babies and getting the shots you want to get.

Happy Clicking!

The longest zoom lens

The longest zoom lens is the MF Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8.0 P ED IF.

Weighing 16kg and measuring 880mm in an overall length and there is just no comparing optic to match this lense in its basic spec - that is not exaggerating to replicate a famous slogan from Saddam Hussein to quote here, huh ? Since most of us have not and rarely will have any chance to see this lense in its physical form (guarantee will make your eye-brows raised straight up !), so let us don't waste time talk about how well it can perform optically or how smooth the zooming action is blah blah blah etc. .. but rather, simply based on its spec sheet, we will confine the discussion on other aspects relating to its viability, possibilities,development history and future expectation.

This lens is not for the ordinary. Not even professionals in their own capacity because pros usually have the ability to adjust themselves and reverting any unfavorable photographic situations (added the fact, most successful pros with conventional wisdom in the profession are usually also smart in financial management). So, only large and established media/press houses and/or governmental agencies can afford such kind of investment (I don't entirely write off people who has nothing to do such as those super rich individual(s) who may be curiously want to record on film on board his private yacht who is with his recent "identified target(s)" on another yacht a mile away from his etc...). Joke aside, some proper applications of this spectacular super-tele zoom could be on scientific research, wildlife observations, solar or lunar photography, surveillance, headlined political events, major international sport meets and other kinds of situation where they are inaccessible for photographers to close in during shooting such as reporting for rocket launching, rioting, air strike bombing in a possible war (again ?) etc.

Specifications:

IMPORTANT: As information relates to this lense is scarce and hard to acquire through normal means, the creator of this site cannot ensure 100% accuracy in its content posted herein. If you have any other helpful resources (images, press-kit  original announcements etc....) pertaining to this rare Nikkor zoom (or for that matter, any interesting Nikkor optic), please mail me. Please refer to manufacturer for further detail for any potential purchasing or acquisition.

Focal length/Aperture: 1200-1700mm f/5.6~f/8.0

Lens Coupling: Ai-S

Lens construction: 18 elements in 13 groups (3 x EDs)

Picture angle: 2°-1°30'; Diaphragm: Automatic. Built-in CPU

Aperture scale: f/5.6 ~ f/22 on both standard and aperture-direct-readout scale

Focusing and zooming control: via dual rings. Two removable quick zooming handles provided. Dual focusing/distance indexes provided: Orange (1700mm) 

and Green (1200mm).

Exposure measurement: Via full aperture method; meter coupling ridge NOT provided. CPU integrated for Matrix Metering with applicable Nikon SLRs.

Distance scale: Graduated in meters and feet from 10m* (35ft.) to infinity 

Focal Length Markings: 1200mm (green), 1700mm (orange).

Depth of Field Scales: Orange for f/22; Attachment size: 52mm rear drop-in

Tripod Mount: Mounting Collar Supplied; Weight: 16,000g

Dimensions: 237mm dia. x 880mm long (overall); Filters:52mm rear drop in

Front lens cap: Slip on type; Lens hood: Built-in

Tripod mounting/carrying: Via socket in a Fixed tripod mounting collar. Handle built-in on top.

Lens case: CT-1217 metal case supplied.; Usable Teleconverter(s): Not advisable; 

Note: Serial number for this Ai-S ONLY Zoom-Nikkor lense was believed 

to have been started from 200001. 

Source: Nikon System Hand Book. Nikon USA product code: 1448 NAS

The world's most expensive lens

The world's most expensive lens is this $2 million Leica 1600mm. It's owner, one of the world's wealthiest photography-lovers, uses a dedicated Mercedes to transport it from place to place.

And the Owner is... His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr al Qasimi !!

Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Thani of Qatar had this lens specially designed and shipped to him for a cool $2,064,500. This 1600mm 5.6 lens is the biggest and heaviest Leica has ever made and although it is a one of a kind product, you can see the prototype of this lens in Leica’s factory showroom in
Solms, Germany

Beach Photography

We all love the beach, but getting a decent photograph from your beach trip can be a little tricky. Here are a few quick tips on beach photography that should help you improve your results.

1. Be Early or Be Late – In general the best photos you will capture at the beach will generally be taken before the light becomes too powerful. That means shooting during t

he golden hour.

2. Know The Limitations of Auto – If you’re shooting in auto mode at the beach in the bright sun, your camera will probably be predisposed to under-exposing your images. If you’re having problems with the auto setting, then switch to manual and experiment with your exposure settings.

3. Mind Your Exposure Settings – A beach during the day throws up all types of exposure problems. Generally, in such bright conditions, you’re going to need a low ISO setting (think 100 or 200) in combination with a narrow aperture (somewhere between (f14 and f22) with a moderately fast shutter speed. This can all change though. If you want a narrower depth of field (for a portrait for example), then you will need to open up the aperture and make the shutter speed a lot faster.

4. Use the Sunny f/16 Rule as a Yardstick – If you don’t know the sunny f/16 rule then it’s a good yardstick for shooting in bright conditions. It probably won’t work perfectly in beach conditions every time though. A beach at midday is just about brighter than any other landscape so you will have to adjust for that, possibly with faster shutter speed or an even narrower aperture.

5. Consider Filters – There are three filters that you might want to consider using if you have access to them.

An ND filter will allow you to reduce the intensity of light hitting your camera’s sensor.

A polarizing filter will reduce reflections and help darken the sky.

A UV filter is probably the least useful by blocking short wave UV light (which used to cause loss of detail on film). Many photographers don’t like them as they can introduce lens flare.

6. Don’t Forget Flash – If you’re shooting people and faces when the background is really bright, then you might need a little fill light to make sure the faces aren't underexposed. Force the flash to fire in this situation.

Jewelry Photography

1.Use a closed photography setup with soft wrap-around continuous lighting.

2.Perform a custom white balance according to the light you are using.

3.Be sure you have set your camera to manual mode.

4.If you are going to photograph rings or bands, set your maximum aperture to the highest f/stop in order to get the maximum depth of field.

5.Turn off the flash on your camera, and if you can, connect the camera to the wall using a power adapter. This will ensure that you not run out of batteries during the shooting session.

6.If it helps, add a prop!

7.Use a model for making it a better picture.

Sunset and Sunrise Photography

Tips by: Lipi Bharadwaj

1.Plan Ahead:

• Timing is a vital factor in photographing sunrises and sunsets. It is important that you arrive on your location early. This will give you time to inspect the surroundings and to look for a spot to photograph the sight from. Try to visualize how your shot is going to be before it all starts.

• Another reason why it is recommended to

arrive at least an hour early is because of what is known as the magic hour or the golden hour. It is the first and the last hour of sunlight in the day, which results in dramatic lighting of the sky, helping you to create beautiful images.

• Stay Late: Many photographers pack up their equipment and leave as soon as the sun rises or sets. But you can get stunning shots of the sky even after this. Clouds change colors every minute. Twilight after a sunset looks beautiful. It can be a beautiful photographic opportunity if you hang on at the spot for a couple of minutes longer. Don’t miss it!

2.Equipment:

To take good sunrise and sunset photographs, you need minimum photographic equipment. All you need is:

• a Camera (duh!)

• a sturdy Tripod or a place to set your camera.

Set up your camera:

• Exposure: Instead of shooting in auto mode, switch to aperture or shutter priority mode. The best thing about shooting sunsets and sunrises is that there is nothing like a ‘proper exposure’ and you can get stunning shots using a variety of them. When you point your camera towards the sun, it fools your camera and the picture is under-exposed, the good thing is underexposed shots of sunrise and sunset can look pretty good.

Using different exposures will create different kinds of images each time, so take many shots.

• ISO: Set your ISO to the lowest. The sky during sunrise and sunset is bright enough to shoot with a low ISO.

Any noise in the image would surely show up during post-processing of an under-exposed image, hence, it is recommended to shoot in low ISO to avoid this.

• White Balance: Switch off the ‘Auto’ in the camera’s white balance and try shooting in ‘cloudy’ or ‘shade’ modes. Auto mode sees too much of red and tries to balance it out, you might lose the colors and the warm golden tones of the sunrise and the sunset.

In case you want to have cooler tones in your picture, you can experiment shooting in the auto mode and with other white balance settings.

3.Composition:

• Rule of Thirds: You can use the ‘rule of thirds’ to compose your image. It suggests that the subject or any major part of the image should be placed in one of the areas dividing the frame into thirds. This can be from either edge of your frame. Try avoiding placing the horizon directly in the middle of the frame, dividing it into two equal halves. If you lower the horizon to the lower third of the frame, it will give more emphasis to the sky.

However, you can always break this rule. Do not limit yourself to this rule. Experiment with different compositions and angles, see what looks best and capture the image.

• Introduce elements in the foreground and use silhouettes. Introducing elements like trees, hills, and people adds to the perspective and makes your photo more interesting.

• The reflection of sunlight on the clouds can create really dramatic images. Look for interesting shapes and take plenty of images from different angles and perspective.

Flower Photography

1. Get up early: Before the sun heats up the land there is usually far less wind, enabling you to get close without risk of your 'daffodils dancing in the breeze', causing blur. Also, there is often dew on the plants (or frost in winter), which can add another dimension to your pictures.

2. Don't take flower pictures in direct sunlight: This is the most common

mistake that beginners make. Plants look great in the sun with the naked eye, but neither film nor digital can cope with the increased contrast. Overcast conditions are usually best, colors then saturate and your pictures will still look really bright, but even more colorful. There are exceptions to this though - for example, sunlight can create dark shadows behind your sunlit subject, creating an excellent non-distracting background. If you are going to take plant pictures in sunlight, try using a polarizing filter to reduce glare and enhance the colors.

3. Get a 1:1 Macro lens: If you want to get close, to really show the amazing form of plants in their full glory, you need the right lens for the job.

4. Use a tripod: Getting close increases the chance of camera shake, so it's best to use a tripod whenever possible. It also slows down the picture-taking process, which means you have more time to concentrate on the composition.

5. Ignore the 'everything must be pin-sharp' rule: You may have read in photo magazines that all close-up pictures must be pin-sharp. Plant images can often look really good with only a small amount of the image actually in focus. Obviously, some pictures do look better sharp all over - experiment and practice.

6. Blur your backgrounds: Use a large aperture (small number like f5.6) to avoid fussy, distracting backgrounds. However, using your camera's depth of field preview feature is the best way to ensure that you've blurred the background - and still got enough of the plant in focus.

Black and White Photography

1.Shoot in RAW: Shooting in JPEG doesn’t stop you shooting in black and white – but if it’s an option, give RAW a go, you might be surprised by what it offers you in post production.

2.Shoot in color: If your camera doesn’t allow you to shoot in RAW (or you

choose not to) – shoot in color and do your conversion to black and white later on your computer.

3.Low ISO: Shoot with the lowest possible ISO possible. While this is something that most of us do in color photography it is particularly important when it comes to black and white where noise created by ISO can become even more obvious.

4.When to shoot: When you find yourself with a dark and gloomy day – shoot some black and white shots! It’s the best time to shoot b/w photographs.

5.Right Composition: Train yourself to look at shapes, tones and textures in your frame as points of interest. Pay particularly attention to shadows and highlights which will become a feature of your shot.

http://bit.ly/mPoqKk

Macro Photography

Tips by Wayne Turner.

1.Switch on Macro Mode: This is usually represented by a small flower on the settings dial, but make sure you know where it is on your individual camera. This setting allows you to bring the camera lens closer to the subject.

2.Use a Tripod: It is essential for any form of close-up or macro photography. It will help limit any form of user induced vibration which will give a sharper image. Camera shake is more noticeable the closer you get to the subject. Getting the best should be your priority so a good tripod is the key.

3.Use Flash: It’s not always necessary to use flash but often it is essential as shadows are a macro photographer’s enemy. Try shooting where possible in bright available light and if necessary use some form of reflector, to fill the shadow. This can be the white back cover of your camera manual or a proper reflector from a photo shop. It would be ideal if your camera gave you control of the flash but if it doesn’t use a piece of tracing paper and tape it over the flash to diffuse the harsh strobe light.

4.Focusing: The ability to focus manually is a big bonus when shooting macro. Because you are working with such limited depth of focus you need to be able to determine what you want in focus. Allowing the camera to choose by auto focusing will interfere with where you want to focus. So set it to manual focus and focus on the part of the subject you want in sharp focus.

5.Aperture: The ability to set your aperture manually is a big advantage as this allows you to control the depth of focus. The technical term for this is depth of field and it determines how much of your image is in focus in front of the subject. Some cameras won’t allow changing the aperture once the setting has been changed to macro mode. If you can change the aperture you’ll probably use a large aperture in order to blur out the background which is very effective for close-ups.

6.Composition: Don’t forget the rules of good composition like the rule of thirds. Placing your subject and making it the focal point are essential to good macro photos. Often when people shoot close-up composition goes out the window because they are so focused on the detail.

7.Self-timer: The use of your camera’s self-timer is essential in limiting camera shake and vibration when pressing the shutter button. This is basically a delayed shutter release allowing vibrations to subside before the photo is taken. Check out your manual to see how it works on your particular brand of camera.

http://bit.ly/aeSc6z

Still-life Photography

1. Use an simple backdrop: Wrinkles and ridges in a still life photograph – unless a part of the setting – will be distracting to your main subject. Be aware about keeping your backdrops smooth and simple.

2. Make your lighting contrast : Whether you are using strobes, speed-lights, or LED’s, it’s important that your “ratio” from one light to the next is varied.

3. Light directions: Side light is always most effective for bringing out texture and creating dynamic variation between the highlights and shadows. Whether rings, or floral, side light will enable you to give dimension and depth to your still life imagery.

4. Experiment with your angles: Two things to think about when faced with a studio lighting scenario. a). The position of the lights to your subject and b). the position of your subject to the camera. Don’t be afraid to experiment and change up angles. A photo is most interesting when you give a new perspective to something that is ordinary.

5. Light for shape: We see life in 3 dimensional . Lighting for shape will be most emphasized by side light, when your highlights spread along the edge of your subject and add that 3rd dimension.

More tips on www.shariblog.com/category/tricks/

Landscape Photography

For all you nature lovers, some tips on landscape photography:

1. Explore: Take time to explore. Part of the joy of landscape photography is being out in nature. Wander around and get a sense of the place. It will take patience to discover the best!

2. Use your imagination: Create the image in your mind the way a painter would

create it on a canvas. Then think about the time, light, and composition that will translate what you see in your mind into a photograph.

3. Friends! : If you are with friends, don't be shy about using them in images to get a sense of scale. But remember that the photos are about the place, not the people.

4. Self-timed: When making long exposures, use the camera's self-timer. And be mindful of any breeze that might be moving your subject.

5. Its all about lenses: Lens flare can be a problem with wide lenses. Use your hand or a piece of cardboard to screen the lens from the sun-but keep the screen out of the frame.

6. Light: Go out before sunrise and stay out after sunset-the times when the light is best. Use the harsher light of midday to scout.

6. Experiment: Never be content with what you see in the viewfinder the first time you raise it to your eye. Move around, lie down, find a different angle!

Continue reading: http://bit.ly/kDtCv0

Tricks with landscapes: http://bit.ly/9q2pqD

1 to 100 Years Project

by Edouard Janssens

The project "1 to 100 Years" consisted of photographing 100 women and 100 men, aged from 1 to 100, all of different ages, to show the ageing process in a positive manner and to visualize the continuous link between generations.
The smile and their looks that have so much to tell us are the key points of this big gallery.
Participants were not chosen, they just registered on the project’s website.
No selection criteria was used.

The photographer :
Edouard Janssens is a belgian Fine Art and Portrait photographer, born in 1961. He can be found in the 50th place, in the middle of the project.
www.edouardjanssens.com.

Use your iPhone 4 as a DSLR Camera..!!

“This case-adapter combo lets you mount your Canon EOS or Nikon SLR lenses to your iPhone 4 giving your phone powerful depth of field and manual focus. Telephoto, wide angle, macro, or your fixed-fifty lenses all attach to this mount giving you a full range of lenses at your iPhone loving fingertips.”

While this adapter gives you a world of different choices for phone photography, there are a few drawbacks, including the fact that because the iPhone camera is mirror-less, all photos will be upside down (which can be solved using an app), and it is necessary to manually focus so that you’re not just taking close-ups of the focus screen on the mount. But considering how much more amazing your phone photos will be, those are pretty small drawbacks.

There are two versions of the mount adapter, an F-mount adapter for Nikon, said to work with all Nikon lenses, and an EF-mount adapter for Canon EOS lenses. Made from aluminum, the iPhone SLR Mount also has two loopholes on each end of the case for a camera strap, and costs around $249 .

-Note: This blog does not produce and market these products.
The intention is just to make you aware what's new and latest in the market.
This blog is not responsible for any of the merits and demerits of any individual product or technology.

All in one screen...

About Histogram...

A histogram is a chart that represents the distribution of pixels in each image. It is visible on the rear LCD screen during Live View shooting, or during playback, and is a very useful way to evaluate exposure. Histograms are sort of mountain-shaped; the height of each peak indicates how many pixels were recorded at particular brightness levels. The left side of the chart represents shadow areas; the right side represents highlight areas, and the center represents mid-tones.

Reading a histogram properly helps photographers determine the appropriate exposure for the scene, and whether they are at risk of severe under- or overexposure.However, if your histogram shows portions of the graph that appear to get cut off on the right, that means portions of your scene are severely overexposing to the point that detail may be lost. This is a warning that your exposure should be adjusted. Try applying minus Exposure Compensation, until you see that no part of your histogram is cut off at the right edge.

Another way to check for overexposure during playback is with a feature called Highlight Alert. When active, this alert shows all portions of the frame on the verge of overexposing with a blinking indicator. This is an optional feature that can be enabled or disabled,although Digital Rebels use it as a default during histogram playback.

About Metering system...

Camera meters measure the light reflecting off of subjects in the frame, and use those measurements to determine the appropriate exposure settings such as shutter speed, f-stop, or ISO.

This system is universally designed to render subjects as ‘middle gray’ or ‘18% gray’.

Just to clarify what that means: Middle gray is roughly the midtone on a gray scale – appearing to fall exactly between pure black and pure white.

Subjects of this tone reflect about 18% of light (comparatively, white objects reflect nearly 100% and black objects reflect nearly 0%).

In-camera light metering works reasonably well with most subjects, in most lighting situations.

However, there are tricky scenes that will baffle most meters – and snow is a classic example.

Most cameras have more than one metering mode (though they all use the basic reflective approach described above).

Evaluative: 

Metering is directly linked to, and concentrated on, the active Autofocus (AF) point.

Light values measured at the active AF point are compared with light values measured from the metering segments surrounding the active point, and the camera's metering system attempts to provide an accurate exposure based on that comparison.

This metering pattern is often effective when photographing people, but may not be quite as effective when photographing snowy landscapes depending on other elements in the scene.

Note that because Evaluative Metering is linked to active AF points,focusing on a different subject may result in a very different exposure – even within the same shot. Note: In the simulated viewfinder,Evaluative mode is shown with the left-most AF point active.

Spot: 

This metering mode gets exposure information only from the single exposure zone in the center of the frame (approximately 3% of the total picture area)

Partial: 

This metering mode is similar to Spot Metering, but covers a slightly larger area, reading only the cross-shaped central five metering zones (approximately 10% of the total picture area)

Center-weighted Average: 

This metering mode averages the exposure for the entire picture area, but with greater emphasis on the center metering zones.

When photographing snow, If the overall scene is evenly lit and of generally even brightness, than Center-weighted Average will work well to give a good overall exposure.

Spot and Partial metering will work well with subjects that have more extreme contrast, and/or when you don’t want one part of the shot to ‘confuse’ the meter.

These modes are very useful when used in combination with the Auto Exposure (AE) Lock button found on most digital SLRs.

Unfortunately, even when the camera ‘accurately’ determines the correct exposure using the metering mode of your preference,

with a subject like snow you are likely to see underexposed results. You can compensate by adding about one or two stops of exposure through Exposure Compensation in most of the Creative Zone AE modes (more on that below),

or by using a slower shutter speed, a wider aperture, or a higher ISO speed setting in Manual exposure mode

Exposure Compensation

Exposure Compensation (EC) is an easy way to get around your camera’s tendency to underexpose bright subjects, and overexpose dark ones.

It’s also very useful for photographers who are new to Creative Zone shooting because it doesn’t require extensive knowledge of f-stops or shutter speeds.

Exposure Compensation is available in P, Tv, Av and A-DEP shooting modes only (in Manual 'M' mode,

EC is completely disabled, and you have to make all exposure adjustments yourself)

   

About White balance...

The white balance is basically color correction right in your camera.

If the light you are photographing has more cold/blue tones,you will want to raise the white balance to a warmer/redder color temperature to even out the tones.

The basic white balance presets should be on your DSLR and are probably ordered in the exact same way:

• Incandescent/Tungsten (2500-3000K)

• Fluorescent (~4000-5000K)

• Daylight (~5200)

• Flash (~5400K)

• Cloudy (~6500-8000K)

• Shade (~8000-10000K)

• Custom / Saved Preset / Set Color Temperature