Twenty Four At Heart

Photography Friday: Your Questions, Answered

As I recently promised, I'm going to answer some reader questions regarding photography for today's Photography Friday post.

Laguna Beach night photo.

•  Do I have to take a class to improve my photography?  No, you don't.  Some of my favorite (and some very famous) photographers are self taught.  By the way, self taught doesn't mean they just did whatever when shooting - they made a concentrated effort to learn and improve.  There are all sorts of ways to learn photography and a classroom is just one of them.

Photography is a journey.  Even the best photographers never stop learning.  By the way, photography is an expensive journey.  (Just warning you!)  Picking up good condition, used, lenses, etc., is a great option.

•  What do I need if I'm just starting out?  I get asked this question repeatedly.  I would start off with a basic DSLR (digital) camera.  Learn the camera inside and out, and add a beginning software editing program as soon as possible.

Ahem, it bears repeating, learn your camera inside and out.  It does no good to have tools you never use, right?  Good photographers can operate their cameras on different settings at night in the dark, without thinking twice about it.  Can you?

(Also, Photoshopping something to death doesn't begin to make up for a bad photo.)

•  Do I have to shoot in RAW?  No, you don't have to.  You don't have to do anything.  The majority of professional photographers shoot in RAW though, and wouldn't consider doing otherwise.  If you don't have photo editing software, jpegs are the way to go.  There are other situations when jpegs are helpful too, but if you're trying to learn and improve you should understand RAW and the benefits it brings.

•  Why do I need photo editing software?  To answer that question, you need to understand how a digital camera works.  In film days, the photos were taken and then developed in a dark room.  How they were developed impacted the final look of the photo.  The same is true today with digital cameras.  The camera does some of the work, but not all of it.  If you really want to "finish" the process, you need photo editing software.

•  Do you ever use manual focus?  And if so, why?  Yes, I use manual focus frequently.

Macro photo of purple flower.

It isn't possible to take photos like the above purple flower on auto-focus.  Manual focus is your friend - acquaint yourself with it.  It's really very easy, I promise.

•  Can I use Lightroom if I don't shoot in RAW?  Yes, you can.  Lightroom is a great tool for organizing and sorting photos.  It also allows you to do some basic photo editing adjustments.  It doesn't allow you to do everything Photoshop allows you to do, however.  

It's a limited tool, but a good one.

•  What do you use to edit your photos?  I use Lightroom and Photoshop CS5. 

Photo of Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA.

•  People say I take nice photos, can I make money off of them?  Possibly.  A lot (!!) of people take "nice" photos though.  In fact, there are many amazing, spectacular, photographers making no money.

Be your own biggest critic - how can you make your photos better/special/different?  Start noticing photos you love - in magazines, in the newspaper, in books, on the Internet ... and then ask yourself why you like them.  

•  Nikon or Canon?  Either.

•  Finally,

Photography is art - find your own style and have fun!  

© Twenty Four At Heart

Photography Friday: How Much Touching Up?

How much you edit your photos is dependent on several factors.

Are you printing them?

Are they going to be viewed on a computer screen?

Are they going to be printed in a magazine?

A newspaper?

What are your personal tastes in photography?

The list is endless, and depending on the list - your editing needs will vary.

I've received comments from people saying, "Oh, you use Photoshop," in a disappointed tone of voice.

People?

Professional photographers are ALL editing their photos.

Today, I wanted to show you a quick example of some editing I recently did on a photo.

Here's the original, very beautiful, sunset shot:

The above photo has only had slight modifications.  I sized it for the web and converted the color profile to a web-friendly format for you.  Also, I watermarked it.  In other words, I've done nothing to the color or "look" of the photo whatsoever.  (Sizing it and putting it into a web-friendly color format are standard for every photo I put on the web and neither changes the "look" of the photo.)

When I was done editing the photo it looked like this:

The changes I made were minor, and depending on your monitor - you  may not even notice a difference.

Here they are side by side with the unedited photo on the left:

The photo on the right has had the color increased in depth a very slight (ten percent) amount.  The edges of the photo were very slightly "burned" to draw the eye in.

That's it.

(It's probably easier to see such subtle differences in the larger photos than in the side to side comparison.)

Do I ever get in the mood to "play" more with certain photos?

Sometimes I do.

Overall, I'm generally a "light" photo editor though.

It's a matter of personal preference.

I consider photography a form of art.

Whoever takes the photo has the "right" to do whatever they want/like to it.

For instance, I'm not a huge fan of HDR photography but I can still tip my hat to those who do it well.  (By the way, the vast majority of people DON'T do it well.  Just my opinion ...!)

So what kind of editing do you do to your photos?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Photography Friday: Camera Bags

* This is an unsponsored post. *

A reader recently asked me what camera bag I prefer.

It sounds like such an easy question to answer, but it's not.

The camera bag I take with me for travel is almost always the Lowepro Fastpack 350.  I bought it a year (or two?) ago thinking a backpack would be easier on my bum arm than a traditional camera case.

It holds a lot which is what I wanted in a travel camera bag. 

I can take it on a plane as carry-on luggage and it fits under the seat easily.  It holds my laptop too, which makes it ideal for traveling on a plane.  (The laptop compartment fits up to a 17" computer and, like the rest of the backpack, is well padded.)  

Having my Lowepro backpack with me allows me to keep my "valuables" right with me on the plane.

I'm not going to lie, whenever I can, I have someone carry it for me because it gets heavy when it's fully loaded with camera gear and a laptop.  (But, remember, I really only have one working arm.)

I also like the side entry.  When I'm wearing it, I can quickly access my camera.

I use this backpack more than any other bag when I'm home too.

I take it to the beach with me on a regular basis, etc.

In fact, I have abused (and used) my Lowepro backpack A LOT and it's still in great condition.

What is the biggest negative to the Lowepro Fastpack 350?  Well, it's BIG.  So yes, the very feature I love about it (lots of room), is also a negative at times. 

I also have a small Tamrac camera backpack.  I sometimes use it around town when I want a smaller sized backpack, but to be honest it doesn't compare to my Lowepro.  (I bought the Tamrac first, realized I needed something bigger, and then discovered/purchased the Lowepro backpack a few months later.)

But okay, if you're a female you might be wondering about all the CUTE camera bags.

There are a lot of companies making very attractive "purses" which are designed to hold/hide a camera and perhaps a lens or two inside.  Sounds perfect, doesn't it?

Well, for some occasions - they are.

I have an Epiphanie bag.  I've had it for well over a year now, but I've only used it maybe three times.  It's cute, it's well made ... there's absolutely nothing wrong (and a lot RIGHT) about it.

It's certainly more attractive to carry than my Lowepro backpack.

But?

I always seem to need more room.

Most people would probably be fine with its size, but I tend to want more lenses and photography stuff with me than my Epiphanie bag will hold.  

Of course, what works best for you might be completely different than what works best for me.  Regardless, I hope today's post helps you in your journey to find the perfect camera bag for you.

© Twenty Four At Heart 

Photography Friday: The Problem With A Photography Addiction ...

I keep telling myself I'm DONE.

I will not buy anything else photography related.

Those of you who share my photography addiction know how impossible that thought is.

The problem with being a True Photography Addict is ...

Once I master one area, I feel compelled to challenge myself and learn another.

And by "area," I mean exactly that.

I might feel like I've mastered ocean-scapes (not as easy as they look!), and then feel driven to master street photography, or indoor portraits next.

I might become proficient with one lens, only to feel it's absolutely necessary to learn the intricacies of another.

It doesn't matter how good you are, or what level your photography skills are at, there is always so much more to learn.

I think, perhaps, that is one of photography's appeals for me.

I love a good challenge.

I love learning new things.

I like "real" photos.

I like photos that look like photos (except once in awhile when I don't).

I also know what I don't like in photography.

I don't like HDR photography.  (For those of you who are unfamiliar with HDR, it's a technique that (to me) looks way too FAKE.)

I don't like over-processed photos.

I don't like photos of people with orange skin.  There are a lot of "professional photographers" who have not mastered skin tones yet.

(Unless their subjects really ARE orange?)

I don't like "trendy" photos.

(Enough with the extremely staged outdoor shots, and enough with fading out the colors in every photo.  A little bit - once in awhile - is okay, a lot - all the time - is not.  You don't want to look back at your photos and say, "Wow, they are SO two thousand and eleven!)

(In my opinion.)

There was some really bad grammar/punctuation in that last paragraph!  Whew!

I like photos with a touch of artistry when it's subtle enough the viewer doesn't stop to consider the photograph "artsy."  I think the viewer should be noticing the subject of the photo more than the technique the photographer used.

Of course, there are exceptions to what I like.

Sometimes I really admire a funky, artsy, photo.

Isn't that part of the dichotomy charm?

All of these photography-related thoughts were brought forth due to a recent lens purchase I made.

I've just added a Canon 24mm/1.4 lens to my collection.

I'm so eager to spend the weekend shooting with it, I can hardly stand it.

I know some of my readers share my love of photography and will wonder why this particular lens was next on my wish list.

I find myself shooting with my wide angle lens a lot.

A wider angle is appropriate for a lot of the photography I do (beaches, etc.).

I also, ironically enough, love it for getting up close and personal.

I wanted to upgrade the quality of what I'm currently using and this prime lens seemed to fit my needs.  (I love it's low light capabilities too!)

I won't be using it exclusively in the next few weeks, but I will be using it the majority of time for awhile.

Why?

Because if it's on my camera and I'm using it constantly, I will learn the intricacies of this particular lens more quickly.  Sticking to one lens for awhile forces me to frame photos differently, think about my objectives with each photo, and stretch myself as a photographer.

I can't wait to share photos with you!

P.S.  For my U.S. readers - please have a fun and safe Fourth of July weekend!

© Twenty Four At Heart

A (Sort-of) Photography Friday: Photo Walk

Lately, more and more people have been asking me for photography lessons.

Knowing how to do something, and teaching it are two completely different things.

I think I'm becoming a better teacher though.

(Although, with photography there's always a lot more to learn no matter what level you're at.  Trust me, I realize I still have a lifetime of learning ahead of me.)

In any case, I thought you might like to see a few of the photos I took recently while on a combined photo walk/lesson.  In small print under each photo, I've added what aspect of photography I was trying to demonstrate at the time.  (For you non-photographers, just ignore the small print and enjoy the photos.)  

My student was a just-beginning photographer. 

(Go high or go low vs. taking all your photos at eye level.)

I intentionally let there be a little lens flare in the above photo.  I'm weird like that.

I love the sun-weathered sign.

(Difficult lighting - what do you do when metering isn't clear-cut?)

Morning light shining under the pier.  No, I didn't alter the colors in this photo ... the ocean really did look golden-ish with the morning sun on it.

The exact same photo in black and white ...

(How you post-process a photo can make a huge difference in the emotions a photo evokes.)

Do you, personally, prefer the above photo in color or black and white?

(Leading lines!)

Railroad tracks on the ocean's edge.

And what good are railroad tracks ...

(Object in motion, approaching you.)

Without a train?

© Twenty Four At Heart

Bokeh: Photography Friday, Week 12

I've received a few requests asking me to explain how to create the "bokeh effect" with photographs.

First of all, what is bokeh?

Bokeh is the blurry, or out of focus, area in a photograph.  Some types of bokeh are considered good because the blurred effect adds visually to the photograph.  Other types of bokeh are considered bad because the blur detracts from the overall appeal of a photo.

However, I know, the true question readers wanted answered was not how to create blur/out of focus areas but, "How do I get light/highlights to turn into those pretty round balls in my photos?"

Creating bokeh is easy; creating beautiful bokeh takes a little practice.

Sometimes bokeh is very apparent, as it is in this photo of my outdoor Christmas lights:

Other times, bokeh is much more subtle - as seen in the background of this photo:

In an effort to keep this brief, I'm going to keep this post very simple and basic today.  

First of all, you need pinpoint lights/highlights to create bokeh.  Taking a photo of the ocean at noon, on a bright sunny day, is not going to give you the bokeh "round balls" you want.

Second, you should open up your lens by adjusting your aperture.  

On the holiday light photo, I set my aperture to f/2.8.  On the flower photo, I had my aperture set to f/4.5.  You undoubtedly noticed, with the larger aperture of f/2.8, I got bigger "balls" (giggle).  In the flower photo, I used a smaller aperture of f/4.5 and the "balls of light" in the background are much smaller.

[If you're new to photography:  The smaller your f-stop, the larger your aperture.  f/2.8 is larger than f/4.5 ... a smaller number f-stop lets in more light.]

I often shoot bokeh shots on manual, but it's easier if you set your camera to Aperture Priority Mode and just dial in the largest aperture (smallest f-stop number) available for your particular lens.

Next, you want your focus distance to be short.  The shorter the better.

In the above photo, the figurines were at a short focus distance and the tree with lights was in the distance - about 9 feet away.  I shot this particular photo at f/2.8.  Manual focus isn't mandatory, but it's your friend when shooting bokeh.  It gives you better control over the final look of your photo.

The lens you use makes a difference too.  You want to create a shallow depth of field to create beautiful bokeh.

I was asked what lens I use for bokeh shots.  I use several, depending on what I'm doing.  Most commonly, I've shot with my Canon 100mm f/2.8, my 50mm f/1.2, or my 70-200mm f/2.8.    

Like any photographic technique, the key to success is practice, practice, and more practice.  

I'm sure in no time you'll be getting shots you're proud of!

© Twenty Four At Heart

The Camera Strap: Photography Friday, Week 11

** This is not a sponsored post, but I wish it was. **

As most of you know, photography poses some serious challenges to me due to my post-car accident "disability."  It has taken me six surgeries and four years of physical therapy to be able to hold a camera again and I still only have about 20-25% use of my dominant right arm.  (My right hand, however, works perfectly - yay me!)  I can only shoot photos for short periods of time, and I'm always in significant pain after doing so.

Photography is one of the great loves of my life which is why I was so thrilled Black Rapid came out with a camera strap this summer specifically designed for women.  If you're male, or shopping for a man, don't worry - they already have an amazing strap for men.  (In fact, I almost bought it for myself, but I heard a version specifically for women was on the horizon so I didn't.)

To start with, I should clarify one thing.  There are a lot of companies that make cute, decorative, camera straps.  As pretty and fun as those can be, they aren't what I need with my injuries.  Decorative straps are probably great for "normal" people and especially those of you who only use your cameras on an occasional basis.  Personally, I need all the help I can get to make photography an integral part of my life.

Here's a photo of the RS-W1 Camera Strap I just bought:

And here's a closer look when I'm wearing it:

There are several things I like about this strap.  First of all, it's curved so it doesn't smash my boobs chest.  The curved design is the primary difference in the strap Black Rapid makes for women vs. for men.  Most of the other features are exactly the same in both straps, regardless of gender.

Second, if you're right handed, the strap sits on your left shoulder.  For me, that means no pressure, whatsoever, on my damaged right shoulder.  (Hallelujah!)  For all of us, it means we no longer have the heavy weight of our cameras pulling on our necks. 

I can't express how much more comfortable this strap feels on my neck, shoulders, and upper back.  There's simply no comparison to a traditional strap.  (If you have neck/shoulder problems your results might vary, but for me - this strap is an amazing help!)

The RS-W1 has a special fastener which screws into the tripod mount at the bottom of your camera.

When you're using a big lens, it screws into the tripod mount on the lens (vs. the camera body itself) as seen more clearly in this photo:

 

And no, the fastener doesn't come loose.  This strap is made for professionals and the camera is very safe and secure.

The camera hangs upside down at your hip, or if you wish, at the small of your back.

Why is it upside down?

The strap is designed for quick access to your camera.  It's made so the camera can swing up in a fast gliding motion allowing you to shoot in a split second.  In fact, the RS straps are touted as "the fastest straps around."  I admit, I feel a little like a gunslinger when I'm using this strap.  How fast can I shoot?

For those of you who care about such things (I don't), the strap also has a paisley design.

I used this strap for one full day of shooting in NYC last week and, for me, with my injuries, it was a remarkable improvement.  I know having this strap will be a tremendous help with the pain I experience every time I use my camera.

It does take a few minutes to figure out how to configure the strap when you first get it.  To help with this, you can find a video explaining the not-too-complicated process here.

I bought my new strap at B&H, where I purchase all of my photo equipment.

Again, I don't know if there's one product that can make every single person happy, but I love this strap and would highly recommend it to all of my friends.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Travel Tips: Photography Friday, Week 10

With summer upon us, it seemed like an appropriate time to talk about a few tips for your vacation photos.  In fact, a lot of you may take more photos while traveling than you do at any other time of the year.

First of all, a little preparation is key.  How much gear do you want to take with you?  Will you want to carry a lot with you at all times?  Will there be a place to store your gear safely without risk of theft when you don't want it with you?  Are you better off with all your lenses or one good multi-purpose lens?  Do you want to have a pocket camera with you for the moments you can't have your full size DSLR with you?  How many memory cards do you need?

Many of these questions need to be answered individually depending on your personal needs and desires for your trip.  I have a few suggestions, however, and you can decide whether my suggestions are applicable to you.

First of all, I always carry a pocket camera with me everywhere I go in addition to my "better" camera.  Second, memory cards can go bad and I always have at least one more with me than what I think I'll need.  It's often safer to split the photos you take onto multiple cards in case one goes bad.  That way you don't lose all your photos.  

If I take multiple lenses with me, they are almost always zoom lenses vs. prime lenses so I have more flexibility when shooting.

In addition, I always have a back-up, fully charged, battery.  I learned this is a necessity a long time ago and I strongly suggest you take my learnings to heart.  (Obviously you don't want to forget to bring chargers for both your DSLR and pocket camera batteries also.)  Having the necessary items to clean your lens(es) is a must also.  You never know when dust will get on your lens and ruin your photos.

Depending on how much equipment you have, there are other items you might also want.  For instance, a tripod can make the world of difference in the quality of your photos.  Reflectors, filters, flashes, etc. are all items you might want to bring also.

I'll be honest, my bum arm means I travel light.  I wish I had two working arms and could bring all my gear when I travel, but it's not something I can handle pain-wise.  Sometimes I only bring a good multi-purpose (18-200mm) lens, my external flash and not much else.  If I'm traveling with friends who are willing to help me out, I bring more.  

Here is a list of other travel photography tips for you to consider:

•  The best light of the day for shooting photos is in the early morning (sunrise) and late evening (sunset).  Low-light situations are also when you want to have a tripod with you for best results.

•  Make sure you capture the local people at your destination.  Often the very character of a city is found in the faces, clothing and jewelry of the locals.  (People also give a sense of scale to your photos of landmarks.)

•  Famous landmarks are famous for a reason - don't forget to shoot them.  If you can find an original angle/perspective that's awesome.  If not, you'll still be glad to go home with shots of the famous sights.

•  Take some shots of the local food.  Are you trying out a regional dish?  Are you wandering through a local Farmer's Market?  The local food can make for great shots.

•  Go high or go low ...!  What I mean by this is, your photos will be more interesting if you aren't always shooting straight at the center of interest.  Get up above it and shoot down or try getting below it and shooting up.

•  A polarizing filter is handy for seascapes or other photos of water where reflections might be a problem.

•  So the weather's not perfect?  That can be a good thing!  Clouds, mist, fog, rainbows, etc. can make for stunning photos.  Yes, you need to protect your gear from moisture, but if you do, you just might be rewarded with some great shots.

•  Nothing ruins a camera faster than sand - be extremely careful if you take your camera to the beach.

•  Extreme temperatures are not your camera's friend.  If you're at a hot location, try to keep your camera in the shade as much as possible.  If you're at an extremely cold location, try wrapping your camera to keep it warmer.

•  Photograph signs.  Advertisements, restaurant and road signs, etc. are often unique to a location and can add a lot of interest to your photos.  (I have a photo of the sign outside a Chinese restaurant in New York which read Fu King Chinese Food.  It still makes me laugh years later.)

•  Don't be afraid to take vertical shots.  A lot of people take all their photos horizontally, but many scenes are better shot with your camera turned vertically.

•  Close ups of your travel documents, passport, airline tickets, and event tickets all make for great photos.

This list should give you a lot of beginning tips for photographing your travels this summer.  

I know I've been busy lately and a little remiss at uploading my own photos, but I hope you will continue to share yours on our Flickr account.  (I'll get caught up myself soon!)

© Twenty Four At Heart

Fixing An Overexposed Sky: Photography Friday, Week 9

If you'd like to get caught up on previous Photography Friday topics, you can do so by clicking here.

Photography is all about light.

The aperture, shutter speed, and ISO all combine to determine how light affects your photos.  In a perfect world, we, as photographers, would have all of our settings perfect for every photo we take.  In reality, this doesn't always happen.

I'd like to point out, this also doesn't happen when you shoot in Automatic and the camera does all the thinking for you.  I'm not going into all the reasons why today because I'd like to keep today's post at a reasonable length.

It's common with outdoor photography to discover the camera has exposed for the foreground in your photo, and left the sky overexposed as a result.

There are several solutions for this, but I'm only going to discuss one very simple, after-the-fact, remedy today.  Please remember there are several ways to avoid an overexposed sky in the first place, or to correct it later.  Today I'm just discussing what I consider to be the easiest, quick-fix once it has already happened.  This quick-fix might not be appropriate for every photo you take, but I think it will help you with many of your photos.

First of all, let's take a look at this photo:

This photo was taken by one of my readers, Di.

She took this photo after reading about leading lines during Photography Friday, Week 5.  Di posted it on her blog as an example of what she had learned about leading lines here on Twenty Four At Heart.  There are several things "right" about this photo.  However, as you can see the sky is overexposed and washed out.  This photo was taken on Automatic.  The camera exposed for the foreground, but that meant the sky turned out almost colorless. 

Di and I discussed this photo via email and she was kind enough to let me use it as an example here today.

If you enjoy digital photography, I hope you've purchased a version of Photoshop so you can make the most of your photos.  For most of you, Photoshop Elements is all you'll ever need.  It's available for under $100 which, when you consider the cost of your camera and lenses, is a reasonable investment.  I use Photoshop CS4, but for today's conversation I'm going to refer only to Elements.  (And by the way, iPhoto and Picnik do not come close to Elements for post-production work.  Please treat yourself to Elements, you won't be sorry!)  

All right then, the first thing I did was pull Di's photo into Elements.

The second thing I did, was open one of my photos with a properly exposed sky in Elements also.  Yes, you can have multiple photos open in Elements at the same time.

This is what my screen looked like with both photos open at once:

 

The next thing I did was take a look at those two little white boxes on the bottom left side of the screen.  

 

The box on top determines foreground color and I certainly did not want to use the color white to fix the sky in Di's photo.

To change the color of this box, I moved my cursor over the box and clicked on it.  As you do this, you will notice the cursor becomes shaped like a medicine dropper.

The medicine dropper can be used to pick up colors.  To do this, I moved the cursor over to the properly exposed sky in my photo and clicked on the blue sky.  I then clicked "ok" in the color box which opened on my screen to confirm the change.  Instantly, the top "white" box became the exact color of the sky in the properly exposed photo. 

[Ideally, you would create a new layer to fix your sky (Command J on a Mac), but if you don't know how to work with layers yet, you don't have to.]

Next, type the letter "G."  G stands for graduated filter.  When you type the letter G, you will see a box that looks like this in the upper right part of your screen:

 

If the box on your screen doesn't look like the one pictured above, use the arrows on either side of the box to arrow up and/or down until it does.   

Press and hold the shift key and then click at the top (and in the center) of the photo with the underexposed sky, dragging the cursor straight down to just above the horizon line as you do so.

(Sorry that last photo is a little crooked.  It's not easy to put together one of these "lessons" one-armed.  Also, I kept dragging the cursor down after taking this photo so the line came down closer to the horizon.)  

Di's photo with the overexposed sky now looks like this:

 

Let's do a side-by-side, before and after, comparison of this photo.

I think you'll agree that the "After" photo looks a lot better than the "Before" photo. 

If you've put your graduated filter on a separate layer, you can adjust its opacity which is very helpful.  In fact, there's a lot of tips and tricks you can learn using graduated filters as you become more comfortable with them.

I know this probably seems a bit overwhelming at first.  Once you've tried this a couple times you'll realize how very simple it actually is.  An overexposed sky can be corrected in just a matter of seconds once you get the hang of it.

Thank you again to Di for allowing me to use one of her photos as an example today.

I wish all of you an enjoyable weekend with your cameras.  I hope you'll take the time to share some of your photos with the rest of us by uploading them to our Flickr group.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Shutter Priority Mode: Photography Friday, Week 8

If you own a DSLR camera, you have the option of shooting in Shutter Priority Mode.

Shutter Priority Mode is designated by Tv (time value) on a Canon camera, and by S on Nikon cameras.

In Shutter Priority Mode, the user chooses the specific shutter speed they prefer and the camera automatically adjusts the aperture accordingly.  Like Aperture Priority Mode, it is a semi-automatic mode of operation for your camera.

Why would you want to shoot in Shutter Priority Mode?

Shutter speed effects how you, as a photographer, capture movement.  Thus, Shutter Priority Mode is most often used to capture a moving subject.

A faster shutter speed "freezes" the motion of your subject.  A slower shutter speed will show motion as a blur.

Shutter Priority Mode is the mode for action.  When I was first learning, I used to think "S for sports; S for Shutter Speed.  It helped me to remember when I might want to use Shutter Priority Mode, although there are many types of action shots besides sports shots.

(By the way, I'm not using my own photos as examples today - I didn't have time to go through my thousands of photos to find perfect examples so I pulled some from stock photo sites instead.)

Here are some shutter speed guidelines you might find helpful:

1.  Use one second (or even much slower speeds) at night/dusk to make the water in a waterfall look like a smooth blur or to capture city lights or to get "light trails" of moving vehicles.  * Use a tripod! *

 

2.  Use 1/30 to 1/8 of a second for panning with the motion of your subject.  (Using a tripod works best here too!)  Panning is when you follow the subject as it moves.  The subject appears sharp and the background will be blurred.

 

3.  Use 1/500 to 1/2000 of a second when action is moving side to side or up and down.

 

4.  Use 1/250 of a second when action is coming towards your camera.

 

For the best results, Shutter Priority Mode is often combined with Al Servo AF Mode /Canon - Continuous AF/Nikon. 

It takes a little practice to get it right, but don't give up.  You can do it - I know you can!

Those of us living in the United States have a three day, holiday, weekend ahead of us.  I hope everyone takes lots of photos and then shares them on our Flickr site!

© Twenty Four At Heart

Aperture Priority Mode: Photography Friday, Week 7

Aperture Priority Mode is the favored setting of landscape photographers.  Aperture Priority Mode isn't just for landscape photography, however.  It's a great feature to use for many types of photography.  For example, Aperture Priority Mode is also often used to photograph both food and flowers.

You might be asking, What is it?  and/or Why? and/or What button do I touch?

On a Canon, you can find Aperture Priority Mode by turning your Mode Dial to Av.  On a Nikon, it's designated by the letter A.

[Please excuse all the dust and dirt on my camera in the above photo.  I haven't had time to clean it since I got back from my trip.  (How embarrassing!)]

When your camera is set to Aperture Priority Mode you control the depth of field.  That means you decide how sharp you want the background area of your photo.  Do you want the whole photo to be crystal clear?  Or would a blurred background be more impactive?  

You determine this by selecting the f-stop ( f-stop = aperture width).  In Aperture Priority Mode, the camera calculates the correct shutter speed needed for the aperture you've chosen.  

Why would you want to use Aperture Priority Mode?

Well, maybe there are distracting items in the background and you don't want them to take attention away from your subject.  If that's the case, you can blur the background by choosing a wide aperture (from F/5.6 to F/1/2) and make those distracting details disappear.

In the above photo, there was a chair and a counter with a glass on it in the background.  I wanted to focus the viewer's attention just on the Fiji water bottle.  I blurred the background to make the distracting details disappear.  I chose F/1.2 for the photo of the Fiji water bottle.

On the other hand, there are times when you want your photo to show an extensive depth of field with sharp detail.  For those times, you would want to set a narrow aperture (from F/8 to F/32). 
 

 

In the above photo, I wanted the ocean, the pier, and the bluffs behind the pier all to appear sharp to the viewer.  I wanted you to be able to see the beauty of the scene as vividly as I did when I took the photo.  I chose to use F/16 for the beach photo.

Aperture is fun to play with.  There are times when you want a little blur to the background, but you want the viewer to still be able to discern what the background is.  Perhaps, you are striving for a little "softer" feel to your image, but you don't want to blur it out completely.

 

In the above photo, the squirrel is the subject.  He's nice and sharp.  A squirrel, however, is only part of the story.  This squirrel was having a snack right where a wave was about to hit him.  I wanted the ocean and waves visible, but not as sharp as the squirrel itself.  I chose F/6.3 for the squirrel photo.

Aperture Priority Mode allows you to be creative.  The actual ranges available to you are determined by the minimum and maximum aperture of your lens.  The best way to understand the different "looks" you can create with your images is by experimenting with different apertures.

How do you change your aperture?

Well, once your camera is set to Av (or A for Nikons), you then move your Main Dial to whatever aperture you want.

 

Remember, a wide aperture (which lets in more light) is designated by a smaller number F-stop.  As an example, F/2.8 is wider (more open) than F/16 which is narrow and will let in less light.  Wide apertures (small number f-stops) will give you blur.  Narrow apertures (higher numbered F-stops) will give you a sharper background.  Many cameras also have a button you can press to preview the depth of field.  I'm not going into a lot of detail about it today because I've already given you a lot to digest for one day.

This weekend try experimenting with your camera in Aperture Priority Mode.  Take some photos at the lowest F-stop you can with your lens.  Then take a few at the highest F-stop and notice the difference.  Try experimenting with the mid-ranges also until you're comfortable with how aperture width affects the look of your photos.

As always, I look forward to seeing your photos.  You can share them with me, and other readers, by uploading them to Flickr.  It's easy!  Just click here.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Program Mode: Photography Friday, Week 6

This week I had two separate friends ask me what they could have done to improve photos they had taken.  One of them showed me a very overexposed photo and the other showed me an underexposed photo.  Both of them said at some point in the conversation, "But I had the camera set on automatic."

Their thought, of course, was that if the camera was set to automatic, the camera would instinctively take a perfect photo.

This is a common assumption, but it's also wrong, wrong, wrong!

Sure, you can get a great shot once in awhile with the camera doing the majority of the thinking for you.  You can also get a lot of so-so shots.  In fact, I will go so far as to say, if you shoot with your camera on automatic all the time, most of the photos you're taking are probably only average shots.

Wouldn't we all like to get better photos on a more frequent basis?

Also, if you have a DSLR, there's a reason why it cost more than a point and shoot.  Why waste the features you paid for by not using them?

To get the most of your camera, you need to get braver and learn more about photography and your camera itself.  I'll be taking on the explanations of some of those other buttons on your camera during various Photography Friday sessions.  Even if you use a point and shoot camera, you'll find a lot of the information applicable.

One of the friends I mentioned earlier asked me if I ever use the auto function on my camera.

The answer is ...

Yes, but very, very, rarely.

Sometimes, if I'm in a situation with complicated lighting, I will shoot one frame in automatic.  Then I'll take a look at it.  I'll see what I like and don't like about the shot and what settings the camera used.  Then I set the camera the way I want it and shoot again.  To be honest, I don't remember the last time I did this, but I know I have.

For today, let's take the first leap and move your camera setting from automatic, to Program Mode.  

C'mon ... you can do it!  

Even most point and shoots have a program mode these days.  All you need to do is move your dial to "P" and you will be ready to go!

Program Mode is actually better than automatic.

Why?  

Well, assuming you have a DSLR camera, your camera will still do most of the thinking for you if you want.  You can use the camera in Program Mode almost exactly the same way you did when it was set in automatic.  The most immediate, noticeable, difference is your flash won't work in Program Mode unless you tell it to.

Now, you have control over the flash, which is a good thing, plus you have the option of adjusting some of your camera's other settings.  (Which settings you can change may vary depending on what camera you have - check your camera's manual!)  For my camera, I now have the option of adjusting exposure, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, metering, and more.

Don't worry, you don't have to change any settings initially, but remember - you can.

Right off the bat, you've gotten rid of your camera's pop-up flash.  Have you ever noticed it comes up at the most annoying times?  Or it washes out the very subject you were trying to take a great photo of?  Or oftentimes, your photo would have looked better without it?

On the other hand, if you're in a situation where you NEED the pop-up flash, you can still use it.  You'll tell the camera you want the flash when/if you do by using your flash button.  

This is what the flash button looks like on my camera:

It's simple! 

I realize this is a very beginning level "lesson" this week, but from the feedback I've received, I've got a lot of readers who are new to photography and want to start at the beginning.  I hope those of you with more advanced photography skills will be patient as I try to get a few of the basics covered.

This week, take at least some of your photos in Program Mode.  It would be great if you stayed away from automatic for the entire week.  Learn how to turn your flash on if you need it.  If you're more advanced, experiment with adjusting some of your other camera settings while you're in Program Mode and see what results you get.

After you've experimented a little, make sure to upload a few photos for me (and other readers) to take a look at.  Your photos don't have to be perfect or near-masterpieces ... it's just fun to share!  

Remember, it's easy to upload your photos - just click here to find the Twenty Four At Heart Flickr group.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Leading Lines: Photography Friday, Week 5

What makes a photo catch our eye?

We've already talked about one "rule" of composition, which is The Rule of Thirds.  The Rule of Thirds doesn't apply to every photo we take.  Remember, composition "rules" are really just guidelines.  Once you understand them, it can be fun to break them.  On the other hand, there's a reason why the guidelines exist - they often help us take photos which are more pleasing to the eye.

We all like to take photos with a "wow factor" at least some of the time, right?

Another way to do this is to use leading lines when composing our photos.  A leading line is a line which leads the eye in a manner the photographer wishes.  Sometimes leading lines are used in conjunction with The Rule of Thirds, but not always.

Leading lines can be straight, diagonal, or curved (like a C or an S).  

Here's an example of a photo with leading lines:

The photograph just pulls you in, doesn't it?  The eye has no choice but to follow the leading lines.

Here's an example of a photo with a C-curve used as a leading line:

Here's an example of a diagonal leading line:

Sometimes you can create a diagonal just by tilting your camera.  As simple as it seems, it can make for a much more interesting photo.

There seems to be a trend lately of people really over-doing this.  Photographing with your camera at an angle isn't the wonder-all some people seem to think it is.  Tilting your camera to give you a diagonal leading line doesn't turn a bad photo into a good one.  Keep that in mind and try not to overuse this technique. 

Here's an example of a photo with an S-curve as a leading line:

You might have noticed using a diagonal, a C-curve, or an S-curve is more effective when the leading line begins in the corner of your frame.

I hope you will try incorporating leading lines into your photos if you aren't already doing so.  I'd love for you to share some examples of your photos with me over the next week.  You can do so by uploading your photos to the Twenty Four's Shutterbugs Flickr group.

Good luck practicing with your cameras this weekend!

© Twenty Four At Heart

What Lenses Do I Need? Photography Friday, Week 4

** I'm hosting a giveaway on some fantastic skincare products.  Entries are open until 9 p.m., Pacific time, tonight.  Click here for details! **

When I first broached the idea of Photography Friday, I asked readers to submit photography-related questions they'd like to see answered.  One question I saw, repeatedly, concerned what lenses to buy.

It's a tough question because the lenses you need are determined by what type of photos you plan to take.  Really, only you can answer the question for yourself.

In addition, you could possibly ask five photographers their opinion on this same question and come away with five different answers.

Nonetheless, with that disclaimer, I will give you my thoughts and opinions on lenses today and you can take them or ignore leave them.

To start with, you should know (if you don't already), a few lens basics.  There are two categories of lenses:  zoom and prime.  A zoom lens offers a range of focal lengths in a single lens.  A prime lens has a single, or fixed, focal length.  

Within the two categories of lenses, you will find lenses grouped by their focal length:  wide angle, normal, or telephoto.  The focal length determines how much is captured within the frame of your photo.  (There are also macro lenses which have macro capability and also do double duty with either normal or telephoto abilities.)

Confused yet?

What makes a lens "high quality" vs. average?

In brief, a high quality lens is fast (a maximum aperture of 2.8 or faster), has great optics, and delivers a sharp photo with excellent contrast.

I could do several posts just on the variations in lenses, but the above basics should be enough to help with today's Photography Friday question.

You should also know, many lenses are interchangeable between Nikon and Canon these days.  Also, both companies make very similar sized lenses.

Good lenses are expensive.  Some of you might be in a position to buy every lens your heart dreams of right off the bat, but most people have to accumulate them on a more gradual basis as their budget allows.  I have many years of photography behind me, and at this point I've settled into a few lenses which seem to cover most of my needs.  If you are a "little bit of everything" type of photographer like I am, you might have similar needs.

As an aside, I buy lenses with Image Stabilization whenever possible.  I'm a one-working-arm photographer.  I need all the help I can get.

These are the five lenses I would have on my wish list if I were starting out, but with the exception of the first one, they aren't necessarily listed in the order of importance.  Also, keep in mind, most of us have to acquire our lenses gradually over time.  

Think about how you use your camera and prioritize your needs accordingly.

1.  A high quality every day lens.  I use a 24-105mm.  This is the lens I walk around with on my camera on a day-in and day-out basis.  I end up taking more photos with this lens than any other, so I felt it was worthwhile to invest in high quality glass.  (However, when I was just starting off, I couldn't afford high quality.  I went with the best I could afford at the time.  Later, I sold my average lenses and upgraded them as my budget allowed.)

2.  A telephoto lens.  I use a 70-200mm.  (I eventually added a 2x extender to my collection too, which allows me to go up to 400 when I need to.)  This is the lens I've used time and again for years at sporting events for my kids, or when trying to bring mother nature a little closer.  It's a fantastic lens, but it's also very heavy.  This is probably not a factor for you but I'm, for all intents and purposes, a one-armed photographer now.  It's very difficult for me to use this lens except for short periods of time.

** If you only had the two lenses listed above you could capture the majority of the shots you will (most likely) want.  You would have coverage from 24-200mm with the two lenses combined. **

3.  A wide angle lens.  I use a 10-22mm.  As lenses go, this one wasn't as expensive but I absolutely love it.  Looooooove it.  A wide angle is great for groups of people, cityscapes, landscape photography, shots of clouds and the sky.  It's also the lens I go to when I want a different perspective on what would otherwise be an every day shot.

** The three lenses above are capable of covering a very wide range of distances (10-200mm) and most of your every day needs.  And yes, you can use the telephoto lens for great close-up shots which means purchasing a macro lens is not as critical right off the bat. **

4.  A multi-purpose lens.  I have an 18-200 mm.  I know some of you will disagree with me, but if you can only afford one lens this is the one I would recommend.  Why?  It does just about everything from wide angle to long distance.  No, it isn't the highest quality, sharpest, glass out there, but the average person on the street won't notice a difference.  It also isn't as expensive as many lenses are.  This is a great go-to lens when you can't, or don't want to, lug a bunch of camera gear with you.  (Think about the times you have to travel and simply can't take a lot of gear with you ... this one lens can do it all when those situations arise.)  

** This will most likely be the only lens I'll take with me on my upcoming (very likely) trip to Cambodia. **

5.  A macro lens.  I have a 100mm.  Not all of you would want, or use, a macro lens.  If you want to concentrate on close-up photography, however, this is the lens for you.  A lot of flowers, bugs, and food shots are taken with macro lenses.  Macro lenses can also be used for portrait photography.

------------------------

Do I have any other lenses?

Yes, I do but the ones listed above are the lenses I return to time and time again.  Your needs might be different, but hopefully this list helps many of you.

Remember, you can join in with other Twenty Four At Heart readers and share your photos on Flickr by clicking here.

© Twenty Four At Heart

Photographing People: Photography Friday, Week 3

Woo hoo!

I'm so excited!

Today I'm lucky enough to have one of my readers, and professional photographer, Shay Voorhees, from Photography By Shay here to host Photography Friday.  I've visited, and oohed, and ahhed over Shay's photos for quite some time.  

I hope you will join me in giving Shay a warm welcome.  

I'm so honored to have her here today!

Howdy 24 readers,

 

I’m super excited to be guest posting for 24’s Photography Friday!  Suzanne asked me to talk a little about photographing people.  Since we have a wide range of photography levels I thought I would start with some basics first.  So, if you’re an advanced user you may want to just go ahead and ignore this post my ramblings.

 

If y’all were around for the last Photography Friday you’ll know Suzanne talked about composition and specifically, the Rule of Thirds when photographing landscapes.  Guess what? Surprise, surprise, that rule applies to photographing people too!

 

What that means is, generally speaking, your goal is to put the important item (the thing that’s drawing the viewer in) at intersections of the Rule of Thirds grid.  So, when photographing people, this typically means putting the eyes of the subject at those intersecting points (or at the very least in the upper third of the frame -- just as Suzanne showed us with the horizon shots).

 

For a quick example, take this image of my daughter who I bribed volunteered to model for me. 

 

Cute right? 

 

  

In this shot we see that although she is the most adorable girl on the planet :D the photo’s composition is pretty boring.

 

See how she’s smack in the middle of the frame?  Boooooring.

 

However, if we move her eyes into the top third of the frame, the shot instantly becomes more pleasing.

 

 

Here you can see how the Rule of Thirds grid is applied to the picture.

 

But wait, did you see what happened?  Applying the composition rule resulted in something else that’s important when photographing people – getting in close!

Check out the before and after side by side:

This brings me to the next tip for the day: don’t be afraid to get in close to your subject and really make them the focus (no pun intended) of the photo.

Think you’re close enough?  Get closer still.  Even closer. 

 

   

Ok, so now that y’all understand the rule, don’t be afraid to break it if the situation calls for rule breaking.  Don’t ever miss a shot because you feel like you must follow the rules.  After you understand and execute the rules effectively and consistently, you can successfully break them too.  Every shot can’t be a masterpiece, but that doesn’t mean we should stop striving for it. :)  

 

Happy shooting!

 

~Shay

 

Shay’s work can be found at photographybyshay.com and utahboudoirphotography.com.

Wow - thank you Shay for doing such a fantastic job!  I hope all of you shutterbugs out there will click over to Shay's sites and check out her beautiful photos.  They're stunning.  If you're located in Shay's vicinity?  For goodness sake, hire her!  I'd give anything to have someone as talented as Shay clicking away at my family.

In addition, I'd love to see your photos too!  You can share them with me, and with other 24 readers, on Flickr by clicking here.

Thank you Shay!  xo

© Twenty Four At Heart

The Rule of Thirds: Photography Friday, Week 2

I'm excited Photography Friday has been so well received!

It became apparent very quickly, we need a place where people can share their photos, discuss what's working (and what's not), ask questions of other readers, etc.  As a result, I've opened a Flickr group called Twenty Four's Shutterbugs.  It's a public group, which means you're all invited to become group members, upload photos, join into (and lead) discussions, etc.

This group is for everyone who has an interest in photography.  You can be a total newbie to photography or a professional photographer.  Everyone, at every level, is welcome!

You can find the 24 Flickr group by clicking here.

The other thing I realized very quickly is the readers interested in Photography Friday have extremely varied levels of experience.  I thought today I'd cover a very basic, beginning, photography tip.  Some weeks the topics will be intermediate level or advanced.  I'll try to change it up so there will, hopefully, be something for everybody on different weeks.

The Rule of Thirds 

This is one of the most basic "rules" of photography, and yet like all photography rules, it's okay to break it sometimes.  I think of this rule merely as a composition guideline.  The rule suggests the best place in a photo to position your subject is usually at one of the points located one third of the way from the top/bottom/sides of the frame.

The four points where the line intersects are key spots to position the subject of your photos.

The above grid also provides the photographer with four lines to use as guidelines in composing his/her shot.

Your photos will often be more interesting if you aren't centering the subject smack dab in the middle of the frame.  Ideally, the primary subject of your photo should be located where one of those four green dots are in the above grid.  Of course, this "rule" won't work if your subject is large.  It also isn't useful if your goal is to show symmetry or if having your subject centered is necessary to communicate what you want with your photo.

Let's compare this photo I shared with you a couple weeks ago:

The ladybug is on the right third of the frame.  She takes up about two thirds of the space, leaving one third above her.

This is what the same photo would have looked like if I had centered the ladybug:

I think the first ladybug photo is more interesting and pleasing to the eye.  

I use the Rule of Thirds a lot in landscape photography.  With a landscape, the subject is large, but the Rule of Thirds still comes into play.  Most good landscape shots have a foreground, a middle ground, and a background, with each taking up approximately one third of the frame.

In the above photo the sand and the little girl are in the foreground, the rocks are in the middle ground and the sky is in the background.  Also, if you were to slide the grid of nine squares over my photo, you'd find the little girl located about one third of the way into the frame from the left side.  She isn't centered in the middle. 

This seems like a good time to mention two other landscape photography tips which go hand in hand with The Rule of Thirds.  First, avoid putting your horizon line dead center of your photos.  Is your photo of a beautiful sunset or sunrise?  If you're trying to draw attention to the sky, your horizon line should be towards the bottom third of your photo. 

 

If it's a photo where the sky is not very important, put your horizon line around the top third of your shot.  

 

Second, make sure your horizon is straight and not tilted.  This seems pretty basic, but as a beginner it's easy to make this mistake.  Maybe you're so busy trying to capture the beautiful flowers, you don't even notice the boring horizon when you click the shutter.  Later you look at your photo and see this:

You can see what a difference a tilted horizon line makes when you compare those last two photos.  It should become second nature for you to shoot straight horizons and position them at the bottom or top third of your photos.

Yes, there are always exceptions - but, in general, you'll have more interesting photos if you follow the Rule of Thirds.  Add in the guidelines I've given you on your horizons and you'll be off to a good start on composing nice photos.

Here's one more example of a photo that demonstrates the Rule of Thirds fairly well.

The sky and ocean take up the top third (the background) of the photo, the buildings and trees the middle third (middle ground), and the flowers (the foreground) take up the bottom third of the photo.  In addition, the horizon is nice and straight which makes the whole photo more balanced and appealing to the eye.  Because it's a landscape photo the four intersection points on the grid are not as important.  However, if you slid the grid over this photo, you'd notice those four green dots are at key points even in a landscape photo such as this.

Once again, I invite all of you to join in and share your photos on Flickr.  I'd love to see you sharing shots to demonstrate the Rule of Thirds over the next week.  (Or perhaps shots which successfully break the rule!)

Have fun and happy shooting this weekend!

© Twenty Four At Heart

Flowers: Photography Friday, Week 1

Today kicks off a series of Friday posts on photography.  I've got a stack of questions sent in by readers and you're always welcome to email me with more.

To start with, I want to recap again, I'm not an expert on everything photography related.  In fact, I think even professional photographers would agree there's always more to learn.  I took a photography class from Canon awhile back and the instructor told me I'm an "advanced level photographer."  Whatever that means.  I guess I know a lot, but I mainly know I still have a lot to learn.  (To be honest, a lot of time I'm rushing and take "snapshots" which, to me, are totally different than taking photographs.)

I do have a few readers who are professional photographers.  I hope they feel free to join in whenever they'd like.  A few of them have already agreed to stop in to guest post, now and again, so we can all benefit from their expertise.  (Squee!!)

Before we focus on flowers, I'd like to share some of my basic rules of photography.  Your personal rules may differ, but these are mine.

1.  The best camera is the one you have with you.

2.  Getting the shot is more important than getting the perfect shot.

3.  Keep it simple.  The simpler, the better as a matter of fact.  The goal is to get nice photos, not to make the process as complicated as possible for yourself.  [If you're a professional photographer, feel free to make it as complicated as possible for yourself.  Ha!  : ) ]

4.  The best shot is often not the one you thought you were out to capture - be flexible and SEE your surroundings.

5.  Photography "rules" you learn in classes/books are GUIDELINES.  It's okay to bend and even break them once in awhile.

6.  Don't over think it.  This goes hand in hand with keep it simple.  I think the number one mistake of newbie photographers is to over think everything.

7.  Be creative.

8.  Give yourself permission to make a lot of mistakes.

Okay, now let's talk about photographing flowers which is our topic for today.

 

First, lets cover a few flower photography basics.

You can get great flower shots even with the simplest of cameras.  Here are the things I keep in mind when shooting flowers:

1.  Shoot at flower level (vs. shooting looking down on them) for the best results.

 

2.  Pick a good and/or interesting flower.  I know this advice carries the "duh" factor, but a lot of flowers have imperfections or are just ordinary.  Find the best one you can.  (No flowers blooming near you yet?  Why not pick a couple up from your local grocery store or florist to practice with?)

 

3.  Harsh/direct light doesn't work well for flowers.  Just after a rain, or cloudy days are ideal.  Yes, this may give you a washed out sky when the sky is included in the photo, but there are some quick fixes for that in photoshop and/or elements.  As is the case for all outdoor photography, dawn and dusk provide magical light.

4.  Bugs/bees/raindrops on flowers are a bonus and make your photo more interesting.

 

5.  If you're shooting with a point and shoot, you most likely have a macro function on your camera.  You can get some great shots with a shallow depth of field.  Go in tight and fill up the frame with the flower.

 

6.  I have a professional photographer friend who has taken some beautiful flower shots.  Guess what?  She says she "often" uses Aperture Priority Mode with the smallest number f-stop her lens allows when shooting.  Yes, you read that right.  She isn't fiddling with her settings on every shot.  Does she always use Aperture Priority Mode?  No.  It depends on the situation.

With Aperture Priority Mode the camera does most of the thinking.  The photographer can focus (ha!) on composition and depth of field.  The results are a beautiful, in focus, flower with a soft blurry background.  You can make it more complicated and go completely manual, but you don't have to.  Keep it simple and get beautiful photos in the process!  (Seriously, you don't have to always have your camera on manual mode!)  If you're focused on experimenting and learning and also want the "perfect" shot ... get the shot you want first and then start moving your settings around to see what changes.

This was taken with a macro lens, with my smallest number f-stop:

 

By the way, I don't always use the lowest f-stop ... I often want a little more of the background showing through.

  

Have fun experimenting with your aperture (f-stop) for a look you like!

7.  Having a tripod set low (flower level) is key to using your macro lens outdoors.  I didn't take mine to The Flower Fields last weekend and the ocean breeze wreaked havoc on my macro photo attempts.  Yes, I tried increasing shutter speed to freeze the motion, but it seemed like a gust of wind would always occur right as I was about to shoot.  I did get some great photos, but I ended up taking far more with my other lenses.

8.  If you're taking flower photos indoors, try for natural lighting.  Awhile back I shared some photos of daffodils with you.  I positioned them near a window for some soft, natural, light.  It worked beautifully.

 

Kelly sent in this question:

What's the best way to do close ups of flowers with a blurry background? Do I have to have a macro lens?

No, you don't.  I only recently purchased a macro lens because I primarily shoot landscape photos and having a macro lens wasn't a huge priority for me.  A good zoom lens (I use a 70-200) does an excellent job on flower shots.  Take a little time experimenting with it, but you can use a low f-stop and get a beautiful, in focus, close up shot of a flower with a nice blurry background like this:

 

Judi sent in this question:  

I have issues trying to shoot macro pics of flowers and such. Do I hold my camera close to the object or farther away and zoom? Neither seems to work consistently. Is it normal to have to try both ways?

I'd need to know what lens you're shooting with to answer this question.  Some macro lenses are designed for you to be a little further away so you can take the shot (perhaps of an insect) without being as close to it.  As an example, this is helpful it you don't want to scare that bee (or whatever) off the flower your photographing.  Without having details, I would suggest you spend a lot of time practicing with the lens to see what works best.  And yes, what works best will depend on your subject, settings and lighting.

There are shelves and shelves of books written about photographing flowers.  I hope we covered enough today to get you off to a good start photographing flowers.  If you have questions or suggestions or tips, feel free to leave them in the comment section.  

My friend Jan suggested I add in a link-up on Photography Fridays.  Would others of you have the same interest?

Last of all, I'd like to remind you to step out of your comfort zone now and then.  Traditional flower photography calls for a macro lens.  Despite this, my favorite photo from The Flower Fields the other day was taken with my wide angle lens.  I absolutely love this photo:

I'd love to see some of your flower shots.  If you have some you're proud of, send them to me via email!  Depending on how many I get, maybe we can showcase reader photos once every few weeks on Photography Friday.

© Twenty Four At Heart 

Photography Book Winner!

Happy Saturday everyone!

I ran the Random Integer Generator software program and it came up with this:

Congratulations to Liz Tee for entering the 41st comment!  Liz, please email me with the mailing address you'd like your new book sent to and I'll get it off in the mail to you as soon as possible. 

A lot of you left really good questions in the comment section of the contest post.  I realized pretty quickly I can't address all of them in one post.  

As you know, I love photography.  Many of you love it also, but I realize not all of my readers share this interest.  I've decided to try out "Photography Friday" for the next few weeks.  You can send in questions, tips, suggestions ... and I'll pick one (or more) each week to open for discussion.  It would be fun if we all could learn and share together ... everyone from beginners to more advanced photographers.  We can start with some of the questions you've already sent in.

Sound good?

For today, I thought I'd take on one of the quick questions Tami and Judi (and perhaps more of you?) asked:

My question is this: What book do you suggest for a beginner?

Personally, I think Scott Kelby's The Digital Photography Book, Volume 1 is awesome.  Scott writes in a very conversational, easy to follow, style.

There are also subsequent volumes for those of you who are further along in your photography knowledge.  

If you have other suggestions for a beginning photography book, feel free to leave the title in the comments section so we can share ideas.  We can also discuss some photography basics on upcoming Photography Fridays.

Congratulations again to Liz Tee on winning the landscape photography book!

© Twenty Four At Heart