Ultra-wide lenses are fantastic to use for fashion, glamour, and artistic work if you know how to handle them.

Conventional wisdom tells us that Ultra-wide lenses should not be used for portraits.

Why?  Well simple; they distort!  When I say distort, I don’t mean a subtle vignette effect I mean a real radial distortion.

Don’t get me wrong, you won’t get something that looks like a fisheye distortion, but clearly you will have a lesser effect of that.

There are basically two types of radial distortion you can expect:

1.  Barrel Distortion (See Example Below)

2.  Pincushion Distortion (See Example Below)

Barrel distortion creates an effect that brings the center “closer” to the viewer.

Pincushion creates an effect that “pushes” the center away from the viewer.

Barrel Distortion

Pincushion Distortion

Instead of trying to fix the distortion, why not embrace it!  I’m going to give you a number of examples that really leverage the distortion characteristics of ultra-wide lenses to their benefit.  I’m also going to include a select lighting diagram for a couple of the examples to give you a perspective of the technique.

Ultra-wide Example 1

Two things stand out when I look at Example 1.  First it’s the perspective. Ultra-wide portrait work is dependent upon perspective to make the image work.  Second is the model’s pose.  I would consider this far from a “beauty” shot however if you help the model pose to combine the ultra-wide distortion and the perspective you can call out attributes such as her long legs.

Lighting Dia. Example 1

Also the fashion aspect of this comes in from the use of the wonderful thigh-high boots.   What a fantastic way to highlight the boots in drawing them right into the viewer.  The low perspective, distortion from the ultra-wide, and model’s pose all bring the boots to the center of attention.

The leading lines of her legs draw your eyes up to her torso and ultimately to her beautiful face.  As editorial a pose this might be, the elements of fashion and art are still present and work well.  The finish is just to help blend the look into the environment.

Ultra-wide Example 2

This second example is more traditional fashion but still using the ultra-wide lens.

Notice the extremely low perspective once again. Through the distortion of the lens the illusion of a much larger scale draws you into the picture.  This is an example where the distortion clearly benefits the environment.

This is one of my favorite examples of fashion using ultra-wide angle photography because it leverages elements of the environment to create more interest.

My philosophy is to create an extreme amount of visual interest to make the viewer pay attention. Once you captured the viewer’s attention and draw them in, then it’s our job to highlight make sure that the rest is taken care of.  If it’s fashion, making sure the outfit is demonstrated appropriately.

When you first look at this picture your eyes are drawn to the model’s legs and move up her dress then ultimately to the fantastic tower at the historic Boise Train Depot.

Ultra-wide Example 3

This next example shows how the perspective plus the ultra-wide lens can work again for fashion and give an artistic flair as well.

This period feeling picture is featuring the model and wardrobe with her flapper style.  Because of the low perspective your eyes are drawn to the closest part of the picture which is the model’s legs.  As in Example 2, your eyes move up the model to her wardrobe, to the environment which is a vintage elevator.

The intent is to once again draw the viewer’s eye to what you want them to look at.  Lines lead the eye and what better lines to follow than a beautiful model’s legs!

Another added benefit of this type of technique is that you make the model look really long and tall.  This model is probably 5’3″ but the illusion of height is fantastic with the ultra-wide.

An added note is that the composition of this picture highlights the model of course, but also the great characteristics of the elevator such as the wonderful vintage floor indicator over the entry.

Ultra-wide Example 4

Next we have an example that is one of my favorites. Definitely editorial/fashion in nature, the “feeling” is what I was going for in this capture.

The model’s almost huddled pose and the gritty urban environment create an atmosphere of loneliness, desperation, and resignation.

The ability to use the ultra-wide lens enhances the drama in the sheer effect of distortion and perspective.

Your eyes being drawn to the decayed sidewalk in the foreground and then leading up to the model and her wonderful pose and expression creates the story.

The final touch to this picture is the high contrast, desaturated finish I applied.  This enhances the drama and makes the picture take on an almost surreal appearance.  The high contrast also creates the contrasting sky elements from the white to the blue which adds more visual interest.

Ultra-wide Example 5

Lastly and probably my favorite ultra-wide portrait is this fashion/editorial swimsuit work.  This has all the elements I discussed above but with some real flare…literally!

Challenges for this shot were definitely due to the lighting situation and balancing the sun.  I had to use a studio mono-light at 3/4 power to balance the light.  The angle and the position has to be correct in order to not over balance the sun or insert light onto the subject making it look artificial.

Lighting Diagram Example 5

As before, the low perspective is critical for these shots and the desire to get the sun in the frame made us have to be very wary of timing and the sun’s location.  Everything worked perfectly and with the lighting set-up in place I was able to capture my vision!

Visually we’re led to her foot and leg as it is in the foreground. Working up her perfect leg we get to the wonderful swimsuit and beautiful face and the icing on the cake is the amazing sun flare coming out of her left hand!

Again, my favorite ultra-wide portrait!

In summary, with the proper technique, ultra-wide portraits will create a tremendous amount of visual interest and really guide the viewer to where the photographer wants their eyes to go.

A lot of you have been asking about my runway work and how to approach the fashion world about shooting on their runways. I’m thrilled you like my Runway work and the girls will be too!  To be quite honest, the Runway was an accident, an optical illusion. I had a shoot I had hoped to rush through a couple of looks, so I setup two shots in advance.

I started off with a ¼” x 4’ x 8’ panel from the Home Depot. I laid it on the floor, overlapping the backdrop by approximately 2 feet and proceeding off the backdrop into the room.  I taped a 3’ wide piece of silver window insulation to the center of the white panel.  I had intended to use the ripple, reflective effect for an art shot and then remove it for my second look.

Once I was happy with the light, I showed my model the image on the cameras LCD. She went crazy, exclaiming it looked much better than any of her runway shots in her port. To add the final touch I moved the backdrop strobes in a bit, so that they would be included in the shot.

To enhance the elevated illusion, even more I added a graduate (black/clear) shadow effect to each side of my white panel board in Photoshop. That was the only photoshop required on this project.

The reflective window film has long sense worn out. Personally I was not as happy with it as I am the carpet remnant that I am using now. My next project will be to add white Christmas tree lights to both sides of the white panel board

Enjoy, have fun, be creative
Dave

The world of photography has continued advancing and new products are introduced seemingly every day. One of the companies that has continued to offer some great cameras found in the market is Nikon. The Nikon D4 camera is among their latest innovations.

This is among the most advanced cameras found in the market today.  With it’s 16.2 million effective pixels on its full-frame (36 x 23.9mm or FX format) CMOS sensor, the Nikon D4 should be capable of producing relatively clean images at high sensitivities.

The EXPEED 3 engine also enables 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit processing for better colours and smoother tonal gradations.

Another key upgrade from the D3s is the move from a 1,005 pixel metering system to a 91,000 pixel system. As before, this is linked to Nikon’s Advanced Scene Recognition System to help inform the white balance, flash exposure, face detection and AF system.

There are still 51 AF points, but the central 15 cross-type points are sensitive down to f/8. This means that the Nikon D4′s AF system will continue to work with long telephoto lens and teleconverter arrangements that have an effective maximum aperture of f/8.

Nikon has given the D4′s video system a substantial upgrade compared with the D3s’s. Full HD (1080p) movies may be recorded in FX- and DX- formats, as well as in a native Full HD (1920 x 1080) with a 2.7x crop factor.

When the included new Nikon WT-5 Wi-Fi transmitter is connected to the Nikon D4, the Live View image can be seen on an iPad. The iPad can also be used to control the shooting mode, select the AF point and trigger the shutter.

In summary, the Nikon D4 has just about everything that a jobbing photo journalist and sports photographer could hope for. We’re told that Nikon plumped for a 16MP sensor because this strikes a good balance between a high pixel count, for greater cropping or shooting in DX format, and good high sensitivity performance.

Find more details on Nikon D4 or go to Nikon D4 price to find great deals and lowest prices on Nikon D4 DSLR camera!

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The above mentioned camera gives very high quality images to photographers and clear images is what people in this career look for. If an image is not clear then one does not have a good image. This camera contains an effective pixel count of 36.3-million pixels (twice as much pixels than the Nikon D4). Experts and even professionals that have used this camera have stated that this is the lightest and fully framed camera that Nikon has ever made before.

The Nikon D800 provides the same video quality if not higher than a standard D4 however the former is lighter, smaller and even cheaper. This camera is capable of shooting full 1080p HD video in either FX or DX modes – yours to choose depending on your creative intentions. Combined with the processing power of the new EXPEED 3 processor, you can shoot broadcast quality video at 30 fps.

Imagine being able to shoot an entire movie by using a portable camera, or being able to record a live view just by the use of a camera, not a video camera such as a PD 175 or a VX 2100 but with a camera that has an option of capturing video. All these duties can be carried out by the D800 camera that has been the most recent addition to the DSLRs manufactured by Nikon.

The Nikon D800 gives you a new 91K-pixel RGB sensor. When a human face is detected in the frame, 3D Color Matrix Metering III bases exposure control on the brightness of that face so that the face is optimally exposed even with backlighting. In addition, the superior resolution of the metering sensor, that makes full use of an incredible 91,000 pixels, enables extremely precise analysis of the scene for more accurate control over autofocusing, auto exposure, i-TTL flash control, and also auto white balance.

This amazing camera has not let down any of its users and if a professional photographer is considering of upgrading their version of a camera then this camera has been highly recommended.

For more information on Nikon D800 , or check out Nikon D800 price to find great deals and low prices on D800/D800E!

Our Glamorous Cover model is: Shannon Kay Richards. To learn more please visit her here: GlamModel Shannon,  Shannon’s, photography was supplied by Jeff, of One Digital Place.

By Rick Trottier, of  RJT Images

Introduction – My greatest Photographic Passion is beach imagery, and since that season is rather short here in New England, I make it a moral imperative to be outside at all costs from June through September, earlier and/or later if possible. That allows me to focus the poor weather months on other loves, one of them being motorcycle photography. Since poor weather in New England forces us indoors, doing the “bike shot” correctly in the studio requires asking all the why, how, what questions.

Step 1 – Purpose

Ask yourself the question, who is this image being created for and/or how will it be used? If your client is going to use it for strictly advertising purposes with a great deal of added graphic design, this means the model and the bike will likely need to be shot on a pure white background. As a result, the attire of the model, her skin tone and hair color and the method of lighting must all be coordinated in such a manner that bike and model can be easily extracted from the background so that graphic manipulation is made simpler. As long as the lighting highlights all the best features of the bike (engine parts, chrome and modifications, paint job and other exciting characteristics) and creates a degree of depth on the model’s face and figure and still leaves crisp lines and clarity, the problem is solved. As long as the lighting is not overexposed or horrifically underexposed and there are no immense differences in balance, intensifying all the best elements of the shot in the editing process is fairly simple.

If the image is being created for the artistic interests of the bike owner, for a model’s portfolio or for commercial purposes that call for a greater degree of creative license, now the questions of how the bike and model should be shot become far more complicated. That is where evaluation, drawing conclusions and executing plans become essential to “getting the shot”.

Step 2 – Composition

The premise seems fairly simple, even obvious, but this isn’t always the case to the initiated. The motorcycle must be pre-eminent in the image.  That means that background and model need to be subordinate, even if the image is bound for a model’s portfolio. The shot must still be done right and conform to some of the “rules” of composition. People will say, “why are there such rules?” Maybe there don’t have to be, but the reality of the industry is that photography must combine artistic merit AND commercial potential, otherwise it is “just art” and may not have useful qualities for clients. Returning to compositional thinking, just as earrings are an accessory to a lovely face, the model and the background are accessories to the bike and must enhance its beauty/compelling design and not detract from it. As such, the simpler the starting background, the better. The model can be in front of the bike, astride or on top of it, even lying in front of it, but her presence must complement the vehicle in every way possible.

Step 3 – Background Coordination/Wardrobe

It is my personal belief that the initial background should be black or so dark that details recede from general recognition. The human eye is drawn to anomaly and if there are distracting influences in the background, they will draw the eye away from the bike and the model. Backgrounds like brick, sheet metal, fencing, concrete, or even wood SEEM safe, but repetitive textures can call away the eye with their “movement”, while dull or uninteresting backgrounds hamper the “mood” of your piece. Atmosphere is essential in an artistic bike shot. As such, the black or very dark background is the canvas on which “paint” can be applied. From there I may add fog which will take color accent light very well and augment the background in such a way to draw the eye to exciting points of the bike or highlight the model in some fashion. The black or dark background allows for complementary colors to be introduced which can create accord with the primary paint colors of the bike, producing a harmonious composition between motorcycle and background.

The model must be properly attired, assuming that the image is not a full implied or a nude. It goes without saying that the colors of the attire must balance the hue(s) of the bike. From there, the choice of wardrobe depends on the style of the bike, its age and general design and the figure of the model. A classier and sleeker motorcycle may lend itself to a dress.  A more eclectic bike might call for more creative attire like country attire or active wear.  Edgier bikes will probably inspire the classic choices of leathers, lingerie or swimwear. Into all of these choices come the nature of the model’s build and what kinds of clothes look best on her. Choosing the right model and the right attire require even more thought than the background. A mistake at this point can be fatal to the happy outcome sought, so careful and honest appraisal of the model’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial.

Step 4 – Primary Lighting

The Bike Must Be Lit Properly. Having made that point clear, if the model is a blob of shadow, you’ve got a debacle of epic proportions on your hands. When planning the bike shot, I tend to reserve my tallest gridded strip box with strobe for the model. Positioned appropriately for angle and distance and powered to the right intensity, it will do the job admirably of lighting the model and the residual illumination from the other lights will produce the desired results.  The model light will also create residual light for the bike as well, helping solve more than one problem. I often use a smaller gridded strip box for the front of the bike and a gridded beauty dish for the back of the bike. The small strip box can do some rim lighting on the model and will highlight but not over light the usually more slender design/construction of the front. The beauty dish is focused on the exhaust, engine, back tire and other “heftier” components that only the power of a beauty dish can solve. People often ask “why gridded lights?” The answer is simple, I want to cut down on “spill” and preserve the darkness in the background where my “canvas” needs to be maintained so that it can receive “the paint”.

Step 5 – Accent lighting

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As was mentioned earlier, “mood” is an essential element in an artistic motorcycle shot. Bikes conjure up impressions of mystery, strength, danger and excitement in our psyches. Those concepts need to be enhanced by the photographic image and not dispelled by dissolute and mundane depictions. The primary lighting allows us to “see” the bike and the model and thrill to all the mechanical or feminine details. It is the accent lighting that establishes mood. I tend to use two accent lights. The more important of the two lights often serves two purposes. The hair light does just what its name suggests; it highlights the hair of the model and separates it from the background. If I am not using fog in a shot, that gridded conical reflector hair light can also produce enough residual illumination to pick up some details on the bike depending on how and where the model is posed. If I am using fog, the white light of the hair light, bending through the “white” fog will pick up blue tint in that fog that I can manipulate in photoshop to do my bidding to create some dramatic effects. Almost always, blue is a complementary or contrasting color with the primary color of MOST motorcycles, and thankfully blue looks wonderful as a highlight to the hair of a blond or brunette. And since you are not using a gel light (only “white light”), no discoloration of the model or the main frame of the bike will occur.

The second accent light is often a gel light set off to one side of the cycle, most commonly the front of the bike since there is less mass to affect with colored highlights. Some rim lighting of the bike and even the model is likely to occur and this can and often is of benefit.  By carefully adjusting the angle, distance and intensity of the gel light, “atmosphere” is introduced but you do not overwhelm the primary and secondary subjects. Playing with what gel color works best is probably the part of this endeavor that can be the most finicky. It should be in accord with the colors of the bike and work with the “blue” you are introducing with the hair light system mentioned before. Keep in mind that the human eye is easily bewildered by a multitude of color and such confusion leads to compositional collapse due to simple “overstimulation”.

Step 6 – Model Pose

All art depends on carefully arranging lines. Structure is the nature of the physical universe and the basis of structure is geometric principles. As a result, the vast majority of model poses, whether they are standing, lying, kneeling, sitting or any variation of the afore-mentioned must create parallel or intersecting lines with your motorcycle. Whether arranged at a slight angle or at broadsides to the camera, a bike will be oriented horizontally. As such, the model’s pose should then either complement the bike’s arrangement with parallel lines, or contrast by creating intersecting lines. The pose can be dynamic, and often times that dynamism will do much to create energetic lines that flow with the design of the bike. At all times, it must be recalled that the model is the accessory to the bike and her pose must not be distracting. Rather, the construction of the bike should lend itself to some very obvious methods of “positioning” or “draping” the model in, around or on the cycle. It might also be a good idea to know whether the bike owner wants the model to touch the bike, how expensive the metals or paint is so that if she does and scratches are left, what the in emotional cost will be.

In conclusion, a bike shoot can be a lot of fun. It can be exciting and exhilarating. Most models LOVE motorcycles, and if you are able to arrange a killer ride for them, you’ve just created a bond that may be life-long. If you bring that “monster shot” to your client, that image will last beyond the margins of your life and will go down as an example of artistry imperishable. That is what I seek each and every time I wheel a beauty into my studio.

I hope this helps!

Cheers,

Rick

All the wiring has good length and allowed for a nice quick install. We put this on our 2010 Tahoe in about 45 minutes routing wires thru the flex conduit on the hatch so absolutely nothing shows. The transmitter is behind the plastic panel of the hatch and the wireless display picks up the signal just fine.

The display mount is not the greatest but in our case we didn’t use it at all. We used some Velcro on the top edge of the display. The other piece of Velcro is on the underside of the center cubby hole where the 12 volt power outlet is located. Good location in that the wiring to the display is hidden, it is out of the sunlight for good contrast, and it is easily removed.

Another installation hint – if in California, you cannot put anything on the windshield, so you cannot use the suction mount supplied with the kit. So just purchase a mount from ProClip ([...]) that is specific to your vehicle and allows the mounting of a cell phone, GPS or the PEAK wireless backup camera on a bracket that you attach on the dashboard without damaging anything, and it can be removed if needed in the future. Once you get that setup you have the monitor problem solved.

So, for less than $100 you have a really nice camera system with a large3.5″ LCD Color Monitor with nice brightness and resolution.

Had it for a few weeks now with no issues…screen displays blue sometimes for a second or two when another wireless camera or other device on the same frequency is sensed. No big deal, it doesn’t last. We would definitely recommend this unit at the $80.00 price!! We ordered ours from www.click-deals.net and got free shipping!

P.S. Not to minimize the human safety aspect (although my wife insists on me not running over the kids or toys), but this camera works really great if your backing up to hitch your boat, camper, or utility trailer. This was our main motivation for making the purchasing.

Tony Gerali is just a regular guy that just wanted to share his experience with this product. Check out the Peak PKC0RB Wireless BackUp Camera System at www.click-deals.net?

The EOS 60D offers an 18-megapixel APS-C Sensor and 1040k dot 3.0” LCD, high levels of detail and a magnification of 1.6x the focal length of the lens to capture poster-size images in a variety of aspect ratios. Canon’s powerful DIGIC 4 processor rapidly processes image information captured from the CMOS sensor’s four-channel output, providing outstanding color reproduction, as well as high-speed shooting at 5.3 fps in bursts of 58 full-resolution JPEGs.

The Canon EOS 60D has increased ISO capabilities from 100 to 6400. When light levels fall, the Canon 60D offers an ISO range of up to 6400 and expandable to 12800 for those environments where using flash is undesirable. The EOS 60D can capture stunning images without flash during family milestone events such as wedding ceremonies, while still being equipped with a built-in pop-up flash for shooting the cake cutting ceremony and reception.

Besides its new still capture capabilities, the Canon 60D supports Full HD video capture. The Canon EOS 60D allows for three video recording modes – Full HD and HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio, all at selectable frame rates. The EOS 60D DSLR camera will record Full HD at 1920 x 1080 pixels in selectable frame rates of 24p (23.976), 25p, or 30p (29.97); 720p HD recording at 50p or 60p (59.94) and SD video at frame rates of 50p or 60p (59.94).

The Canon 60D lets users edit video in-camera: On- or off-site, unnecessary scenes can be deleted and the start or end points of video footage can be designated via in-camera editing functions without the need of a separate computer.

This feature can dramatically accelerate workflow by reducing the time needed to upload video clips to a computer for further editing and assembly.

The resulting High Definition video is a standout in its beautiful depth-of-field characteristics and remarkable capture capability under poor lighting conditions. Additionally, a Movie Crop function is included: An SD-quality video (640 x 480) can be cropped to the equivalent of about 7x magnification of regular shooting. Unlike the digital zoom feature found in many compact digital cameras, Canon’s Movie Crop mode crops the image directly from the CMOS sensor at full SD resolution to preserve image quality and still provide additional telephoto power.

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According to the U.S. Travel Association, family travelers, (those traveling with either children or grandchildren), made up roughly 30% of U.S. leisure travelers last year. Family travelers take an average of 4.5 trips each year. (Source: travelhorizonsTM, July 2009) How many pictures do you think were taken?

Well, the total number of digital cameras shipped in 2009 is estimated to have been about 105 – million. The forecast for 2010 estimates that about 109 – million will be purchased. The good news in a tight economy is – Families are still traveling and taking lots and lots of pictures! (Source: Camera and Imaging Products Association – CIPA.)

With FamilyMemories.com, turning your memories into tangible, hold able, loveable pictures is easy and fun! Bring your memories to life with a professionally bound photo book to share for generations! Create and order photo books one at a time or more. Great gifts for all occasions, a photo book made with Family Memories is one that will last a lifetime. Give to family and friends! And, a fabulous coffee table book, your photo book is sure to spark many conversations and drum up your most cherished memories! Also great for babies’ births, graduations, engagements, weddings, school yearbooks and more, photo books published by Family Memories are of the most superior quality and the most competitively priced on the market today!

Download, Create, Publish and Order! Easy as 1, 2, 3…order!

[User-Friendly Photo Book Software]:
We offer 30 Initial Pages, instead of the 20 offered by other companies. And with over 100 new templates available, you can place unlimited photos per page!

• Easy usage of system fonts. You choose which fonts you want to use. You are in total control of your creative project!
• The photo album software allows for the embedding of any fonts from your very own computer.
• Unlimited text boxes per page.
• Rotation of text and photos in any direction. Photos and text can be placed on top of each other.
• Integrated photo editor that gives you more control over your final product’s special effects such as sepia, negative, and b/w conversion. Also, for your convenience and to help maximize your specific creativity, the photo album software utilizes “layers.” This allows for the precise placement and layout of your images and text. And you can easily rearrange pages in any order.

~ Kim G Lain, Marketing Writer and Strategist, and the awesome InstantPublisher team FamilyMemories.com http://www.familymemories.com/ Visit us on Facebook! See you there! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Create-and-Print-Photos-Books-and-Gifts-with-Family-Memories/289676215662

Our Glamorous Cover model is: Tiffany. To learn more please visit her here: GlamModel Tiffany  Tiffany’s, photography was supplied by DaveDavisPhotography.

In March 2011, Canon introduced a new entry-level DSLR called the Canon T3i. It replaced the Canon T2i model that was introduced many years ago. Regarding its features, T3i Canon is more comfortable to handle as compared to the T2i and D60 model. If you want to have your own Canon T3i you should read on and know the technical specifications as well as the pros and cons of this unit.

Before buying the Canon T3i you should first know if the unit is perfect for you. When you buy this camera make sure that it could answer your photography and video needs. Thus, this unit is ideal for the following:

1. Average camera user – If you want to obtain quality pictures in just a point and click then the T3i is the best camera for you. It provides more options in such a way that the user can use his or her creativity.

1. Smart buyer – For buyers who are not satisfied with the performance of T2i you can consider the T3i Canon because it has all the features that you are looking for. Likewise, you can ensure to get the value of your money when you buy the Canon Rebel T3i.

1. Photographer – If you are looking for camera that can be upgraded, the Canon T3i is the best choice available for you. The good thing about this innovation of Canon is that it allows customization of filters, lenses and other features.

The Features of Canon T3i

The first time you take a look at Canon T3i you will be amazed by its style and form. While it has similarity with the mid-range DSLRs and other entry level DSLRs on the market, the T3i has the coolest features especially on its back. It has 3-inch vari-angle LCD and impressive 1 million pixels. It is more flexible as compared to Nikon camera and the user can press the shutter even holding the camera overhead or low. When you use the T31 Canon you can venture new angles when taking pictures.

Likewise, when you use the optical viewfinder you can protect the screen by turning it around. In addition, the lens is the most notable feature of Canon T3i. It has a built-in remote sensor, 4-pinhole mic and preview buttons. On the top of the camera is the hot shoe, the mode dial, ISO and display buttons. This makes the adjustment very convenient.

The Performance and Use

The Canon T3i is enjoyable to shoot as it quickly focuses and respond. The menu system is very easy to follow that is why even new buyers can use it conveniently. The color of the picture is not affected even when shooting in direct sunlight. In like manner, the T3i is not only for photography but also for video.

 

Thank you for reading my review. The T3i is highly recommended in terms of performance and use. It is perfect for adventurous people who want to capture anything under the sun. Indeed, it is worth the money. However, if you still need to know more about this camera, you could visit my Canon T3i website.

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Our gorgeous cover model is Ayanna, may be reached on ModelMayhem. Ayanna’s cover photo was supplied by: Barney Lee Photography.

The more time and effort you spend discovering “layers” all around capabilities, the more you will eventually achieve. Layers were first introduced in Adobe Photoshop 3.0, and this single accessory completely changed Photoshop. For the first-time you could do difficult edits so easily that even a professional would be proud of. A layer in Photoshop is quite simply a single graphic put on top of another. Picture I have a piece of paper that’s violet. Then get a piece of transparent plastic and paint a ship onto it, and set it on the paper. At this point take one more layer of clear plastic and paint some text on it, and at this point place it over the ship. You end up with a (purple) background with 2 layers (ship and text).

Adobe Photoshop Help For Layers

Layer Effects (Styles) – Effects included with your picture layer. Located through the small f. Each effect added shall be listed, and multiple effects can be used simultaneously.

Type Layer – The same as a graphic layer, except this one has type that may be edited; (It is possible to change font, size, persona etc.)
History – That is always locked, and can’t be moved or even have results added. The symbol of the padlock on the right, means it’s locked.

The Most Frequently Used Layers Features

Blending Together Mode – Changes the way the layers work with one another. Play with different modes to give you some ideas in regards to what you are able to achieve.

Layer Opacity – This specific adjusts how transparent each level actually is. 0 is very transparent, 100 is completely opaque.

Lock All – If the box is checked the image will be protected throughout any image modifying.

Lock Position – You can make all adjustments except for moving the image.

Lock Image Pixels – You can not work on this picture if checked.

Lock Translucent – You are able to paint round this part but not where it’s really transparent.

Remove – May delete complete layers.

New Coating – Simply click to add a new blank web page. Or you may drag an existing thumbnail to produce a copy.

New Adjustment – Allows for non-destructive adjustment of colors.

Create A Fresh Set – Allows you to arrange your layers into folders.

Cover Up – Lets you scrub away parts of your layer with no damage to your primary graphic.

Styles – Effects for your layers. (Let’s you do some fairly cool enhancing)

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If you’re looking for ways to protect your expensive lens investment for your DSLR camera, then you’re on the right place. In this article, I will explore some ways that you can protect your lens from dust, mold and scratches. The first way to protect your lens is to use the included lens hood that comes with your lens when you buy it. The second way is to use a filter that you can screw on the front of the lens. And the final way is just to simply following good procedure of keeping your lens clean after every use and moving it out of harmful environment. By the end of this article, you would have the ability to choose which way is the best way for you to protect your lens given your preference.

The first way that we’ll look at is to use a lens hood. Not all lenses come with a lens hood. The cheapest lens usually don’t come with one. However, if your lens comes with one, you can put it on whenever you are shooting with that lens to protect it from bump and scratches. The advantages of using your lens hood is that it is cheap (because most comes with the lens itself) and convenient. When you are done shooting, just put the lens hood in reverse position and you are good to go. The downside of using a lens hood is that it extends the lens dimension. This is definitely a downside when you are trying to shoot discreetly as people will immediately notice your camera by the size of your lens.

The second way is to use a screw in filter. This is usually the most preferred method of protection that is used by many photographers. A filter is convenient to use because it does not add dimension to the lens and it saves you from removing it every time after use. A filter will not become a problem when you are trying to shoot discreetly. There are some downside of using filters though. A good filter can be expensive to buy and it decreases image sharpness. If you try to buy a less expensive filter, then it will decrease image sharpness more. Make sure you spend enough money to get a good filter as because your image quality won’t suffer as much.

The third and the best way is to follow a good lens cleaning practice. You need to be disciplined to do this. First, you’ll need to clean the lens after every use. Use a soft tips lens cleaner or a micro fiber cloth to clean the front element of the lens. Do not forget to clean the lens connector (the part that connects your lens with your DSLR) as well. Doing this will ensure your lens to be in top tip condition every time. Another thing that you need to pay attention to is to keep your lens out of nature’s harm. These are humid and sandy environment. If you have to bring your lens to such environment, make sure you bring enough protection to cover your lens. A weather resistant camera bag, or even a zipper plastic bag will do. This way your lens will be free of scratch, mold and dust.

In this article, you have learned three ways to protect your lens. First, we discussed protecting your lens using a lens hood. Second, we discussed using a lens filter and the importance of buying a good quality filter. And last, we discussed some best practices to follow when cleaning your lens and keeping it out of nature’s harms. Now you should be able to pick any of the methods that suits your photography needs and protect your lens better.

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Simply put, photography montage is the process of making a composite photo from several different photographs. The process has been in use since the mid eighteen hundreds and took place in the photographer’s darkroom. These techniques were untried and new and no doubt took a great deal of patience, trial and error. The photographer’s skill was paramount as he manipulated negatives of different subjects and printed them on to the same piece of photography paper. The end result was a picture of illusion where people and things printed on the photograph were not really there.

Although the darkroom is fast becoming a thing of the past with the digital age of photography, the techniques are still in use albeit in an altered state. Photos are ‘stitched’ together to produce a panoramic view of the subject (typically a landscape), people are added or erased from a picture and, as in the past, a number of pictures can be combined into a photograph montage before the printing stage.

The sort of effect that this type of editing produces has been popular for as long as photographs have been accessible to everyone and makers of photo frames have tried to pick-up on this by producing frames where multiple photographs can be displayed within the same frame. It works well for families where several children can be featured or where the age progression of just one child can be seen at a glance.

However, back to the digital age of photography and modern day techniques. Software such as Photoshop or The Gimp allow us to manipulate images, so with the right skills it becomes incredibly easy to produce a photography montage that is plausible and worthy of any collector of photographs. But then a paper photograph is just a paper photograph and unless it is put into a frame it is unlikely to ever be on display.

New techniques are being developed all the time where photos can be printed on media other than paper such as photos on mugs and plates, metal and canvas boards and more – the process is so dynamic and progressive. The printing process is what separates amateur from professional as specialised inks and commercial products are likely to be needed, and they are just not cost effective for occasional use. The comparison between what you may print on your standard inkjet printer and what the professional prints will therefore be vastly different and will potentially spoil your whole project.

A very popular choice of medium is canvas which looks fantastic and gives an air of luxury to your photos. You still have the option to do this for yourself, but take in mind the difference between a domestic and a commercial printer and the result each will produce. If you want a photograph montage for either yourself or to give as a gift, it is possible to find quality and affordable options from the professionals who will always help you out with your choices and provide you with a piece of artwork to treasure.

Take a look at Criss Cross Canvas for option to have your own photograph montage created and printed. You will find quality products at affordable prices.

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Even poor-quality cameras and photos from decades ago now have something of a cult fan base, with many old-school camera models often selling for hundreds of dollars on online auction sites. Thankfully, with modern technology and a huge, ever-growing range of fun applications, anyone can get instantly-artsy retro photos. Aside from the huge number of mobile applications available, here’s a list of options to make your photos a little more interesting:.

 

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• Pre-set camera modes – Forget simple black & white, negative, or sepia colour effects. Many people don’t realise that digital cameras available today, such as the Canon EOS 60D, still offer built-in creative art filters such as soft focus, toy camera, grainy black & white, and Polaroid effects, so you can easily take unique, vintage-style photos on your compact digital camera ordigital SLR.

• Photo editing software – depending on how in-depth you want to go with your vintage photo apps, there are a number of programs that you can download to your Mac or PC. Poladroid is a free downloadable desktop program for making random, old-style photographs with a white instant border. For more control over how your photos turn out, CameraBag is an inexpensive program which lets you layer different effects and borders, with additional filters available on their website.

• Free online services – Services such as Phix and Picnik offer in-browser options for those who don’t want to download programs onto their desktops. There’s a huge range of customisable editing options, or you can just hit the ‘random’ button and let the program do all the work.

This article is brought to you by Canon Australia – Going Retro with Vintage Photos. For more great Canon products, including EOS cameras, visit their website.

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One of the big problems with taking up photography as a hobby is the fact that it can be such an expensive past time. No sooner have you splashed pout several hundred dollars on a new DSLR than you start to crave some additional lenses to add to your camera bag. The more you learn about photography the more you begin to understand that simply having more mega pixels in your camera doesn’t make your shots better and in fact the real benefits can be obtained by upgrading your lenses.

Choosing new lenses to upgrade to can be a daunting task. First you’ll need to decide the type of lens you want (wide, telephoto, zoom etc) which will be dictated in part by the types of shots you like taking. For example if you shoot sports or wildlife then a telephoto will probably top your wish list. If however you don’t have a clearly defined genre you shoot the decision can be more difficult.

In my opinion there is only one answer to the which is the best value lens for a Canon DSLR, the Canon 50mm f1.8 Mark II. Available for a little over $100 (at the time of writing this article) this is by far the cheapest lens in Canon’s range.

The Negatives

OK so when buying the cheapest lens out there there are always going to be some downsides so lets get these out of the way before we discuss the huge positives about this lens.

First off, it is a fixed or prime lens meaning there is no zoom whatsoever. In order to change the scene you capture you either need to walk forwards or backwards. Secondly the build quality of this lens is a little plasticy which makes the lens feel almost like a toy rather than an advanced optical piece of kit and the focus ring is right on the end of the lens making it a little awkward if you’re manual focusing.

The Positives

The first and most obvious benefit of this lens is the incredible sharp images it produces. The huge aperture of f1.8 means it blurs backgrounds wonderfully and allows you to shoot without the flash in very low light. This was the second lens i used after the standard kit lens that came with my DSLR and i still remember the feeling of amazement when I saw the pictures I was taking with this 50mm lens.

While the lack of zoom takes some getting used to, after a while you adjust and in fact i think it make you think about composing your shots more and forces you to be more creative which in turn makes you take better photographs.

If you can’t afford this lens then I’d simply say to you, sell you kit lens and buy one of these. Dollar for dollar this is by far the best value lens available.

 

If you would like to read more about this lens I have written a more in depth review of the Canon 50mm f1.8 here. I really would encourage any DSLR owner to buy this lens.

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The Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens delivers incredible pictures and can truly capture life’s cherished moments in the most interesting way. Surely when you are into digital photography, you would want to invest your money in something that can deliver a good and quality image.

The Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens can truly provide you with what you are looking for in a fisheye lens as this is an ultra-wide angle as well as frame filling fisheye lens. The Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens is also exclusively designed for utilization with the DX format that is provided by Nikon. The Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens is also capable of delivering great images in an angle of view that measures 180 degrees.

Moreover, the Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens’ 35mm focal length is equivalent to a 16mm focal length. This fisheye lens from Nikon is also designed with CRC or Close Range Selection that will help you capture images up close without having to worry about the quality of the result as this feature provides high performance and sharper image quality.

The close range focusing of this fisheye lens can measure up to 5.5 inches or 1.2 inches and this makes capturing images at extreme close up distances possible. The design of the Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens permits the combination of a wider angle view together with optical characteristics optimized for the camera sensors that the Nikon digital SLRs have. Since the Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens has a rounded diaphragm, the out of focus elements are going to look rather more natural in the captured image.

The Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens also has a flower type lens hood that is built in. Since the wide angle of this fisheye lens measures 180 degrees on DX sensor, there is going to be a smaller image circle that is going to be produced and this enables a rather smaller measure on the lens diameter as well as lighter weight. This feature is also able to produce optimal image quality that can touch the center, edge and the corner of the entire image. The glass of this fisheye lens from Nikon is made with extra low dispersion glass that will help eliminate chromatic aberration. Moreover, DX-Nikkor lenses like this fisheye lens is capable of offering compact as well as lightweight design. Likewise, this feature also offers fast aperture and fast autofocus brought by the Silent Wave Motor design by Nikon.

With all those great features, you can truly say that this fisheye lens from Nikon is a great buy considering that you are looking for a fisheye lens and not just some ordinary lens. Sometimes, it is best to understand what a fisheye lens is able to provide before buying yourself one as this can limit the confusion and disappoint. You need to embrace the value and most especially the effects of the Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye f/2.8G ED AF DX Nikkor Lens before you can truly consider what a fantastic lens this is.

Still searching for the perfect lens? I know finding the perfect lens for your photography needs can be a tedious and arduous process. You can easily spend hours or even days searching for that perfect lens and end up with no result. What is even worse, you can buy the wrong lens and end up wasting a lot of money in the end. That is why I created this Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye lens review to help you out.

If you don’t think this is the right lens for you, check out my Nikon 105mm VR lens review for an alternative.

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Create better photographs capturing both the subject and background with clarity. Exposing your subject is what most people think of first, however, by also properly exposing your background you can created a more pleasing or breathtaking photograph. Imagine your subject at sunset, with the proper settings you can enhance the sunset instead of just your subject.

To achieve better lighting place your camera on a tri-pod (in case you need a slower shutter speed), this will help keep your picture from blurring due to the slow speeds. Next you will want to decide what F-stop your subject is best photographed at with your flash. Then with that same F-stop adjust your shutter speed so that it will absorb the correct amount of light for the proper exposure of the sunset.

Your F-stop that you use for the flash on your subject will stay the same, the only variable should be the shutter speed. The flash will expose your subject the same no matter what the shutter speed. Try several different shutter speeds and you will see the subject stay the same with the sunset changing brightness. Experiment with different speeds until you see the background that you like the best. Remember the faster the speed the darker your background will be, the slower speeds will absorb more light making the background brighter.

This same thing can be done when shooting indoors and want to balance the light coming through a window. By adjusting the stutter speed you can control how much available light is captured, the higher the shutter speed the darker the outside light will be. However you do need to be careful, with SLR cameras your flash will not sync with higher shutter speeds causing part of the picture to not be exposed at all because the shutter is moving too fast for the flash. If part of your picture is missing slow the shutter speed down.

You should also try using your flash outside when photographing people even if it is a bright day outside, by doing so you can reduce the harsh shadows on your subjects face thus balancing the light and creating a more pleasing portrait. For better portraits try to keep the sun at your subjects back or in the shade from trees or other objects. Your flash can also enhance shadow areas on other photographs that could lose detail if additional lighting is not added.

Most of all practice with your camera, with digital it is cheap and easy to see what different settings do to change the photograph. Most of all have fun.

Brian Smith Photography,
Wedding Photographer Evansville, IN,
Photographer Evansville, IN,
http://www.BSmithPhoto.com

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