[Pirate!!]

Ahoy!

Thought I might start something here which EVERYONE might find useful. So, here's a tipette:

If you find yourself out and about (and assuming you have a pair of half decent shades on) with your camera in bright conditions and no filters in your sky rocket, remove shades from noggin and hold in front of lens. It will afford a degree of filtering.

Depending on camera type, this might be easier/difficult, but if you experiment first, if the need arises, it may be a means to an end.

[Liquid101]

Instead of spending money on expensive telephoto lenses, simply stand closer to the subject you wish to photograph.

[cedmondson]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

Instead of spending money on expensive telephoto lenses, simply stand closer to the subject you wish to photograph.

UR (or were) a VIZ reader AICM5P

[Liquid101]

Originally Posted by cedmondson

AICM5P

You've seen my car then

[Pirate!!]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

Instead of spending money on expensive telephoto lenses, simply stand closer to the subject you wish to photograph.

Liquid,

Fair play my old chum, but have you tried taking a photo of a jet aeroplane taking off? The jet-wash kinda ruins yer day. Mind you, if you like the smell of kerosene on yer face . . . :o)

[tontoshorse]

I seem to have stumbled into Anacronym Corner, imo.

HTH

[Liquid101]

OK, getting this excellent idea for a thread back on track:

For indoor portraits, Set your camera to an exposure compensation of +1 and hold a peice of white paper at 45 Deg in front of the flash. It will soften the flash, and give a more pleasing balanced light.

[danburbridge]

Classic one from Robert Capa on a similar theme (re war photography!):

If your photos aren't good enough, your not standing close enough.

From Tony Ray Jones - Street Mantra:

'Be more aggressive.' 'Be more involved.' 'Talk to people.''Stay with the subject.' 'Be patient.''Take simpler pictures.' 'Don't take boring pictures.''Get in closer.'

[Pirate!!]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

OK, getting this excellent idea for a thread back on track:

For indoor portraits, Set your camera to an exposure compensation of +1 and hold a peice of white paper at 45 Deg in front of the flash. It will soften the flash, and give a more pleasing balanced light.

Been there, done that, and it works. Good suggestion my ol' chum! And appreciate the 'excellent idea' mention.

Kitchen roll works too if you fold it a couple of times and wrap it around the flash.

[stevegreen]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

For indoor portraits, Set your camera to an exposure compensation of +1 and hold a peice of white paper at 45 Deg in front of the flash. It will soften the flash, and give a more pleasing balanced light.

I wrapped mine in bog roll

KTHNXBAI

[Pirate!!]

Originally Posted by stevegreen

I wrapped mine in bog roll

KTHNXBAI

Mr Green enters the building and lowers the tone . . . Alright mucker?

[Alphatoner]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

OK, getting this excellent idea for a thread back on track:

For indoor portraits, Set your camera to an exposure compensation of +1 and hold a peice of white paper at 45 Deg in front of the flash. It will soften the flash, and give a more pleasing balanced light.

Is this instead of bounce and or diffusers? or as well as

[blackbrickblock]

Use a camera and maybe a lens

[RobDickinson]

Pro's remove the lenscap before shooting.

[Curious Yellow]

Check the ISO, metering mode and exposure compensation before you shoot.
Every time.

[bodoman]

Originally Posted by stevegreen

I wrapped mine in bog roll

KTHNXBAI

Hence the rule of turds in your your photos
ITYIWGYFT

[lightpainter]

Originally Posted by Curious Yellow

Check the ISO, metering mode and exposure compensation before you shoot.
Every time.

And make sure you have not left it in self timer mode!

[stevegreen]

Originally Posted by lightpainter

And make sure you have not left it in self timer mode!

How many times have I done that!!!

[sim667]

Here's my tuppence worth

when shooting still life next to a window stick tracing paper to the window and it will produce a softer light.

[ush flynn]

If you break your fingers, tape a remote shutter release onto your camera somewhere that you can reach it with a functioning digit, for example on the back of the camera for your right thumb.

Leave your quick release plate on your camera at all times.

A decent tripod invites you to hang your camera bag inbetween the legs for extra stability... if its windy.. this sometimes means less stability due to swinging bag!

Check what image quality setting your camera is on before shooting. Ive shot a whole day of casual snaps at 2mp and iso 3200
NICE PICS!!

[Tobers]

Look at the background first and your subject second. A great subject can look rubbish with the wrong background (e.g. tree sticking out of subject's head).

[pixelpixel]

A camera is only as good as the battery.

Get a spare or remember to charge the night before

[tontoshorse]

Originally Posted by ush flynn

Check what image quality setting your camera is on before shooting. Ive shot a whole day of casual snaps at 2mp and iso 3200
NICE PICS!!

and only until you've done it do you realise what good advise that is!

[rizingstar]

Screw on CP users,always turn the CP the way it screws onto the lens when changing the effect you want.

I was turning mine the wrong way and it fell off

[tontoshorse]

Handy hint #362

Buy a torch.

[danburbridge]

f.8 and be there!

[vulkan75]

Heres one or two:

#1 when shooting in manual mode most Dslrs have and exposure scale in the viewfinder,which is really handy when learning to shhot in manual mode or in poor light.It has a nice litlle -/+ scale which when you adjust the shutter speed or aperture will indicate exposure based on availible light.

#2 The black card trick

Because of the huge contrast of the picture, it is not easy to have normal exposure on all parts of the picture.

The most common way of shooting this kind of picture is by doing double exposure or HDR, but it has to be taken more than twice before getting a satisfied photo.

a popular way of capturing good landscape picture is called "shaking the black card". Capturing a good picture can be done in one shot.

A black card is just a regular cardboard paper. The key point is the color black. Black absorbs light. Therefore, the camera will not capture the black card.

When shooting, use spot metering to measure the sky and the sea level. In the same aperture value, Its been found that the sky needs four seconds shutter time, but 40 seconds for the sea level.

If you use a 40 seconds shutter time to make sure the sea level is exposed normally, the sky will be over exposed.

To solve this problem, I use a black card. First, I covered the sky using a black card. Shook the black card gentlely in front of the camera for 36 seconds. Removed the black card, exposed it for 4 seconds and then closed the shutter. By doing so, I got a photo with normal exposure.

You may want to know the reason why I shook the black card. If you don't shake the black card, it will leave a very clear line on your photo.

When using a black card, an abundant exposure time is needed. Filter ND8 or ND64 is suggested while using the black card.

#3 sunsets
F8 1/250secs

[andy_fozzy]

Originally Posted by rizingstar

Screw on CP users,always turn the CP the way it screws onto the lens when changing the effect you want.

I was turning mine the wrong way and it fell off

WAHEEY!!

Me too!!

[ush flynn]

like the filter one, im sure i have had that problem too!

if you travel, keep a spare lens cap, nikon style centre pinch ones are best if you use lens hoods.
Lens Pens are awesome of cleaning your lenses despite seeming like a gimmick, microfibre cloth comes a close second but keep it in a pouch where it wont get dirty

Leave the silica gel in your new camera bag!

[Torpedo]

When at the zoo (or similar), take pictures of the plaque to remind you what animal you are shooting. Prior to this, i was writing in a pad, when the wife then says, why do you do that? Why don't you just take a picture of the plaque. Pretty obvious now!!