A couple of days ago I was watching a mother trying to photograph her child with a DSLR camera. Sadly, after a few frustrating minutes she looked to have given up. Noticing what the problem was, I gave her some useful advice that I will also share with you today. The advice was simple, Don’t Get Too Close!

Most DSLR cameras will not focus properly if you are positioned too close to the subject. When a photographer is too close to the subject, often the lens will swing back and forth trying to focus, making it near impossible to take the shot. Even if you could take it, you will see nothing more than a burred photo.

Take these two images below for example. The first shows an image that is very blurred. When I photographed that shot, I was standing too close to the subject for that particular lens to properly focus. So I repositioned myself physically further away from the subject and tried again. As you can see by the second example, this time the lens had ample room to focus.

Result of standing too close to the subject when taking the photograph

Standing further away from subject resulted in a sharper shot

If you haven’t already noticed, every lens has a minimum focusing distance. You can find this information on the user manual that came with the lens when you purchased it. If not, then you can usually find the information online by doing a quick search on Google. It’s handy to know your lens focusing distance.

Another useful tip for similar situations is to look on the side of your DLSR lens for a symbol something similar to: 1.8m – infinity or 6.5m – infinity. The distance isn’t important here as every lens is different. Furthermore, not all DSLR camera lens have the option to change the focusing distance. So if you can’t see it, don’t worry. However if you do see it, try setting the approximate distance you are to your subject and you’ll find your camera focuses much quicker than it normally would.

For example, last time I visited the zoo, I was trying to photograph a close up of a snake. I was shooting with a Canon EF 100-400mm lens, with it zoomed all the way out to 400mm. When looking through the viewfinder after each shot, I noticed they were all burry. The camera was also having trouble focusing and was constantly swimming in and out. It was then I noticed the focusing distance on the side of the lens was set to 6.5m-infinity. So I switched it to 1.8m and presto, the camera could more easily focus!

Photograph your own garden

As macro photographers, one of the main things we’ve missed since moving to the Whitsundays (Australia), is a botanical garden. It’s something we’d simply accepted, as we pointed our DSLR camera toward the beautiful seascapes surrounding us.

Then on a recent trip to Sydney, we visited an art museum and read an article on the famous artist Monet. It seems Monet’s own garden was the starting point for his fame, and in fact, a large majority of his most famous paintings were created from his own backyard! Now why hadn’t we thought of that! Not as artists of course, but as photographers. We couldn’t wait to return home and start our own garden for macro photography.

Do your research before creating your photographic environment

Flowers and insects are two popular subjects for macro photographers, especially in the beginning of their journey. Spend a day taking notice of flowers and insects already seen around your local neighbourhood. For our own garden, we wanted hardy tropical plants that would attract the hundreds of butterflies and dragonflies we see scooting through our backyard each day. It made sense to us that the best way to attract butterflies, was to find plants that the caterpillar lava like to eat.

Tips for creating a photographic garden

1. If you find a bird bath doesn’t attract enough winged subjects to photograph, try throwing in a few pieces of lemon and lime. The butterflies will love it! The riper the fruit the better.

2. Incorporating a water feature of some sort will help attract frogs and other Amphibians. It need not be a large pond, something as simple as a half barrel is sufficient enough.

3. A water feature of only 6 inches in depth can attract dragonflies. We also find leaving an area of long grass or perching sticks somewhere close by is useful for early morning dew shots like the one shown below.

Hopefully over the next couple of months we’ll start to see plenty of insects, frogs and flowers, ready to have their portraits taken

Our top 10 most sought after photography articles and lessons

After reading our Google analytics reports, we thought it would be useful to share our top ten tutorials and articles. Hence, the pages receiving the most visitors here on SLR Photography Guide.

1. ISO Camera Settings: Seems everyone wants to know more about the ISO setting on their DSLR camera.

2. Best Photo Editing Software: Compare the best photo editing software with this list of 14 photo editing programs including free and professional software.

3. Best Macro Lens: Macro is a favorite amongst readers of SLR Photography Guide. Here we discuss the best macro lens, and the difference between 50mm, 60mm 100mm and 105mm focal lengths.

Macro - Frog Feet

4. Night Photography: Digital SLR (DSLR) camera settings for night photography, with examples, how to take photographs at night.

5. Best Landscape Lens: A lot of our readers want to know what’s the best landscape lens!

Long Island in the Whitsundays (Australia)

6. USM Lens: What is a USM lens and what does it mean if your lens has the letters USM on it!

7. Beginner tips: Useful tips for those first starting out in DSLR photography. The things I wish I knew when I first started

8. Free Photoshop Actions: Photographers love free photoshop actions. This page offers huge sets of free actions to download.

9. AV Mode: What is AV mode and how to use Aperture settings on your digital SLR camera.

10. HDR Photo: HDR is another popular imaging technique amongst SLR photographers. This page offers HDR photography tips, including how to create HDR photo’s from landscapes, sunsets and beaches using Photoshop or Photomatix software.

For those who missed it last week, we now have an official iPhone Application: SLR Photography Guide

How to photograph Fireworks.

When photographing fireworks, always use a tripod and remote release. If your lens has Autofocus (AF) and Image Stabilisation (IS) / Vibration Reduction (VR), turn them off.

If possible, prefocus before the fireworks start. In other words, focus manually beforehand, take a few test shots and review them in your LCD screen. You won’t have time to do this once the light show has started!

Quick Tips

1. Set your camera to manual mode. This gives you full control over the ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture.

2. Set a low ISO, for example 100. This will ensure no grainy images.

3. Pick a slow shutter speed of between 1 and 4 seconds. The slower the speed, the more you’ll capture in one frame, the longer the light trials.

4. Start with an Aperture of F/8.0. Beginners often presume they need a lower / faster aperture, however the opposite is true. This prevents overexposing the scenery.

Review the photographs after the first few shots. If the colours seem too white, change the Aperture to F/11 (up to F/16), and try again.

If on the other hand they are too dim, change the Aperture to F/5.6 or F/4.

Last tip for photographing fireworks

Try this: Set your SLR camera to bulb mode (check manual). This will allow you to leave the shutter open for as long as you hold down the shutter release (use a remote release).

When the fireworks start, press the shutter release to start the exposure. Hold the button down until the fireworks have burst into full colour, then release it!

SLR Photography Guide iPhone App

The official SLR Photography Guide iPhone App was released on iTunes today.

This App has been developed specifically with DSLR Photographers in mind, to help you understand the technicalities of your camera in plain English, and to teach you how to take great pictures.

Content is divided into five major collections of topics including:

Settings – Learn quickly and easily the basics of using a digital SLR camera. Topics include ISO, Aperture Setting, Shutter Speed, White Balance, Exposure, File formats and much more.

Quick Tips – For those wanting quick, no nonsense tips on how to take better pictures. Tips include macro, portraits, landscape, zoo, nature photography, composition, exposure and others.

Video Tuts- All the best Video Tutorials seen over on SLR Photography Guide blog can be accessed from this icon. Lessons include burring backgrounds on portraits, night photography, using grey cards, macro photography, sunrises and more.

Resources – Useful WEB resources for SLR Photographers

More – How to use SLR Photography Guide App, About, Twitter, Facebook. How to connect to the developer and other App users / photographers.

Also Includes:

* Lessons that are updated in real time. ie This App is not static. SLR Photography Guide will periodically display fresh tutorials, news and updates for your continued enjoyment.

* The ability to search downloaded content on your iPhone and receive a visual indication as to lessons that have not been read.

* Retina display support for iOS4.

* Multitasking support for compatible iOS4 devices.

SLR Photography Guide for the iPhone. Carry it in your pocket!

Download it on iTunes.

Free Internet resources and blogs that will improve your photography skills

Apart from our own DSLR photography tutorials over at SLR Photography Guide, listed below are 10 of our favourite resources for digital Photographers.

1. Strobist

The world’s most popular free resource for learning how to use off-camera flash.
http://strobist.blogspot.com/

2. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips

Photoshop Lightroom news, tips, tutorials, videos and more. Simplify Photography from shoot to finish.
http://lightroomkillertips.com/

3. Photofocus

An online magazine about photography, published by Scott Bourne.
http://photofocus.com/

4. PetaPixel

A blog about photography geared towards tech-savvy digital photographers. Their goal is to inform, educate, and inspire in all things related to photography.
http://www.petapixel.com/

5. Outdoor Photographer

Master outdoor photography techniques with advice from the experts. Whether you’re a novice or a pro, these photography how to articles cover all the angles you need to capture even more stunning images.
http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to.html

6. Photopreneur

Photopreneur is a useful blog for anyone who wants to earn income from their photography, whether as a full-time professional or as an occasional photographer. It’s for anyone who wants to turn their skills behind the lens into cash.
http://blogs.photopreneur.com/

7. Luminous Landscape Tutorials

One of the oldest and most prestigious photography websites around. Offers a comprehensive series of technical articles.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/

8. Ken Rockwell

Straightforward technical advice from a pro photographer. Information is broken down to target specific camera brands and lenses. Extremely useful!
http://www.kenrockwell.com/

9. Photoshop User TV

Online videos for creative photographers. The weekly Photoshop show featuring “The Photoshop Guys” Scott Kelby, Dave Cross and Matt Kloskowski. Presented by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP).
http://kelbytv.com/photoshopusertv/

10. PhotoRadar

Learn photography techniques and get the latest digital photography tips including Landscapes, Portraits, Photoshop, Camera Skills and more with PhotoRadar.
http://www.photoradar.com/techniques

What is the ISO setting for and how do you use it?

ISO determines how sensitive the image sensor is to light. If you set an incorrect ISO for any given light, you could find the resulting image looking either too light or too dark. If you find the time between pressing the shutter button and the camera actually taking the photo is too slow, then this is normally due to having an incorrect ISO setting. The challenge, is to choose the lowest ISO possible, that still allows you to use the shutter speed and aperture that you need.

The most common ISO speed settings are: 100, 200, 400 and 800. Depending on your digital camera model you may also have them in the range of 64, 100, 160, 200, 400, 640, 800, 1600 and other.

Good starting points for numerous situations

We don’t normally recommend going above 800 for those who own entry level DSLR cameras, because they can result in very grainy looking images. Although technology is getting better. If you own a medium to high-end DSLR then you should be able to set the ISO to 1600 with no problems.

To help you gain a good understanding of how ISO works, we recommend setting your camera to Program mode, usually marked by a P on your top dial (check camera guide if you can’t find it). This will allow you to choose the ISO manually, while the camera chooses all other settings for you. Shoot in all different situations, for example daylight, indoors, night time, changing the ISO setting to suit the available light.

Truth be known, most professional photographers use Program mode while walking around, so they are ready for a quick snap when an unexpected opportunity arises!

Note: You cannot choose ISO speed when your digital camera is in automatic mode, it is chosen for you to suit the level of light available at that particular time.

How to use your cameras Aperture Setting to control depth of field

The Aperture setting is used to control how much of the subject or scenery is in focus. For example, when photographing a landscape you might want to have everything from the foreground to the background in nice sharp focus. On the other hand, when photographing friends and family, you might want a nice smooth blurred background, so the main subject stands out better.

One of the best ways to control this depth of field, is to use the camera’s Aperture Priority mode. If you look on your cameras mode dial, you should see the letters AV or A, depending on your model. If you can’t see it, check your User Manual for Aperture Priority.

On your display screen, the Aperture resembles an F number (if you own an entry level SLR). Some models may just display the number. Common F stop numbers or Aperture as it’s known, could range from F1.2 to F22 and beyond. How low or high the Aperture number goes, is determined by your lens. All lenses offer different Apertures.

Important things to know about Aperture

1. The higher the Aperture F number, the more in focus. Therefore if you want to photograph a landscape where everything is in focus, use an F number of 11 or higher. Higher Aperture numbers also require more natural light. Perfect for landscapes and outdoor photography.

2. The lower the Aperture F number, the less in focus. If you don’t need everything in the image to be in sharp focus, change the Aperture to a low F number, for example F2.8 or F4.7 etc. Low Aperture numbers are also useful for indoor shots, or situations with low natural lighting.

Aperture Settings for specific situations

1. Landscapes

Use a wide angle lens with a focal length of say anywhere between 17 and 24mm. Set Aperture to F11 to get everything in focus. Then focus 1/3 of the way into the scene before taking the shot.

2. Portraits or closeup photography with the background out of focus

For portraits change the lens focal length to any range between 50 and 100mm. Set the Aperture to a low number, for example F4.

Position the person so there is as much space between them and the nearest background as possible. For instance, don’t have them standing up against a wall as that defeats the purpose. Hence the wall will be in the same focal range as the person.

When you take the shot, stand as close to the person as you can, yet still be able to focus the camera. Follow these steps and you should get a nice blurred background.

Note: This information isn’t fully reliable for photographers using dedicated macro lenses. Such lenses will still throw much of the scenery out of focus, even with an Aperture setting of F11. I’ll talk about this style of photography in another section.

New eBook written by David duChemin

In May 2010 David duChemin spent 5 days in Venice creating a series of images on themes of loneliness and solitude. The first in The Print & The Process series, this book contains over 30 inspiring images, accompanied by a discussion of how and why those images were created.

VENICE, A Monograph – The Print & The Process

If you missed an article I wrote a few days back talking about David’s first 4 books, you can catch up over at: 4 eBooks that will improve your photography. For only $5 each, these eBooks really are a great opportunity to get inside the mind of one of the world’s most respected photographers.

His new eBook, VENICE, A Monograph – The Print & The Process, is one of the most beautiful PDF books I’ve seen, truly inspiring as a photographer. The first 30 pages contain wonderful photographs, displayed simply without text or distraction, allowing them to stand on their own. He then follows up with notes about each image, how and why they were taken, including all relevant EXIF data for those more technically minded. However, when reading the eBook you tend to forget the technicalities, as you’re drawn into the emotion behind each image.

It’s easy to understand why David is proudly excited about the release of his new eBook!

VENICE, A Monograph is a 47 page downloadable PDF eBook, affordably priced at only USD $5.00

What is Bokeh

Bokeh is an adaptation from a Japanese word meaning blur. In photography this term is used to describe the quality of the areas in the picture which are not in focus.

Bokeh usually works best when taking a close up picture of your subject. Experiment with different positions. Photographing slightly into sun rays can result in wonderful Bokeh background patterns as seen in the caterpillar photograph below. Different lenses often result in different Bokeh patterns. ie some are more rounded patterns, while others hexagonal.

What aperture setting to use for macro photography

Just because your dedicated lens can shoot in F2.8 doesn’t mean that’s the best Aperture for macro photography. More often than not, using an Aperture of F2.8 on a dedicated macro lens, will result in only the eye being in focus.

Take this image of a tiny grasshopper for example. It was photographed with the cameras Aperture set at F/11. The higher the F number, the more in focus. Good light or flash is also required when photographing at higher F stop numbers.

Macro Photography Tip: What is the best time for macro photography?

No doubt, the best time for macro photography is early morning while the ground is still wet. It’s much easier to photograph insect macros at the crack of dawn, while they are still covered in dew and unable to fly.

How to blur backgrounds when photographing portraits

A question I get asked often from beginners to SLR photography, is how do I achieve a smooth or blurred background in my photographs. It doesn’t matter whether you’re photographing a portrait, flower or animal, the technique stays the same, and revolves around the Aperture setting on your camera.

This photography tutorial below by Cameralabs is no doubt one of the best videos I’ve seen to help those first starting out.

Digital SLR Photography Tutorial – How to blur backgrounds on portraits

Important Tip

Before taking a portrait, always ask yourself if blurring the background is the best technique for that particular situation. I’ll give you an example of what I mean. Last year while touring the Whitsunday Islands here in North Queensland Australia, I took this photograph of my parter John and daughter Danielle.

Yes, it’s a photograph I’ll treasure forever. However, my first reaction when I returned home, was one where I was wishing I’d also photographed the beautiful tropical background for memories of where they had enjoyed their day together.

Just because you know how to blur backgrounds on portraits, doesn’t mean you have to do it every time!

Photography eBooks written by world known photographer David DuChemin

A few weeks back I came across a set of eBooks written by David DuChemin. I’m not normally one to purchase eBooks, however considering each cost as little as a cup of coffee, I thought I’d give them a read.

All I can say is Wow! I was blown away by the quality of the information found in these books that I’m certain readers of SLR Photography Guide would also find useful. Here is a quick run down of each.

1. TEN (10 Ways To Improve Your Craft. None of Them Involve Buying Gear)

This is the first book of the series and still his most popular.

TEN is an exploration of ten techniques and ideas that can improve any photographer’s work. It gives you 10 solid steps to take on your photographic journey, each with accompanying creative exercises, and none of them asking you to buy new gear.

I’ve also found they are perfect for transferring to an iPhone or iPad as well for reading while on the go.

TEN is a 32 page downloadable PDF eBook priced at only $5.00 USD.

Anyone who’s ever read a photography book by David DuChemin will understand how insanely cheap that is from a photographer of his level.

2. TEN MORE (10 More Ways To Improve Your Craft. None of Them Involve Buying Gear)

This eBook is a followup to the first one, making a great addition to the collection.

TEN MORE is the follow-up to TEN and picks up where TEN left off. The question it addresses is still the same – how can I improve my photography without spending a pile of cash on big lenses and the latest must-have widget?

These eBooks are also a great photography resource you’ll find you’ll read over time and time again. That’s why I keep a copy on my iPhone!

TEN MORE is a 34 page downloadable PDF eBook priced at only USD $5.00

3. DRAWING THE EYE (CREATING STRONGER IMAGES THROUGH VISUAL MASS)

Drawing The Eye is about understanding and using the ways in which the eye reads a photograph in order to create more powerful images, and it’ll change the way you look at your craft. Broken into 4 parts, it looks at this concept of visual mass, in concept, in camera, in post-processing, and then through creative exercises.

DRAWING THE EYE is a 32 page downloadable PDF eBook also priced at only USD $5.00

4. CHASING THE LOOK (10 WAYS TO IMPROVE THE AESTHETICS OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS)

CHASING THE LOOK is about making intentional choices about the use of our gear and the settings on our cameras based on their aesthetic effect. It begins to answer the question we all ask at some point while looking at the images of others – “How come my photographs don’t look like that?”

CHASING THE LOOK is a 48 page downloadable PDF eBook priced at only USD $5.00

These are only four of several eBooks available for download. I know personally I’ll be purchasing the whole set. For only $5 each they’re a great opportunity to get inside the mind of one of the world’s most respected photographers.

Click here for the full list of available eBooks.

Free sunset iPad wallpaper to download

To download this free iPad wallpaper picture, simply touch the sunset photograph to load the full size version. When the wallpaper has loaded in the browser, touch and hold on the image and select ‘save image’ from the pop up menu.

Then click on your ‘Photos’, and you’ll find it in the ‘Saved Photos’ album. Tap on the sunset image to open, then choose ‘Use as Wallpaper’ then press ‘Set Both’ button.

Click your home button, and you should now see a beautiful new iPad wallpaper =)

Sunset iPad Wallpaper

Click this image above to load the full size version

Alternatively, copy this URL: http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/images/sunet-iPad-wallpaper.jpg then paste it into the address bar of your Safari browser to load the full size image. Follow the steps above to save and set as a wallpaper image.

Shutter Speed is the amount of time a digital cameras shutter is held open for when taking a photograph. In other words, the time it takes from when you first press the shutter button, to when the camera completes the shot.

To experiment with Shutter Speed, first set your camera to Shutter Priority using the turn dial. If you are a Canon user, it will be represented with the letters TV, for Nikon cameras it is a letter S. If you see neither of these, refer to your cameras User Manual.

Shutter speed is measured in seconds and looks similar to 1/500 ( as in 1/500th of a second). Some camera brands will just display the number, for example 500 as in 1/500th of a second. Refer to your cameras User Manual on how to read your shutter speed. It can range anywhere from 1/8000 to B for bulb. Bulb keeps the shutter open for as long as the shutter button is pressed down.

Important things to know

1. A general rule for achieving sharp images when hand holding a camera, is to set shutter speed no slower than the reciprocal of the focal length value. For example, if your lens focal length is set at 50mm then don’t use a shutter speed any slower than 1/50th of a second and so forth.

2. A slow shutter speed, slows motion. Whenever you set a slow shutter speed, it’s a good idea to use a tripod.

3. Fast shutter speed, takes the image almost instantly as in frozen in time.

Shutter Speed settings for specific situations

1. To freeze motion, use a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second or faster if possible.

2. To blur running water, such as a waterfall, set a slower shutter speed like 1/4 of a second (make sure you use a tripod as well). You may need to experiment with slower shutter speeds until you see the desired result.

3. Panning is when the main subject is in focus, while the background looks blurred to emphasise motion. You see this a lot in sport photography like car racing. To achieve this yourself, set the Shutter Speed to 1/30th of a second, then pan with the moving subject as it goes past you. It takes plenty of practise and often you’ll need to take 100 photographs to get one perfect shot.

How to make iPad wallpapers to suit both horizontal and vertical dimensions

Even if you don’t yet own an iPad, creating wallpapers for those who do, is a great way for getting a portfolio of photographs noticed. As most users are aware by now, the iPad has a 1024 x 768 pixel screen. However, since it can be used horizontally as well as vertically, this also changes the vertical and horizontal dimensions to 1024×768 or 768×1024 respectively.

Horizontal display 1024x768

Vertical display 768x1024

The Problem with two orientations

If you’ve ever tried to use a 1024 x 768 pixel image for your iPad wallpaper, you’d have noticed when you hold it vertically it will cut the photo off on both sides. There will also be ample space at the top and bottom as it won’t stretch to cover the whole screen vertically either.

The solution for cropping photographs to suit both horizontal and vertical orientations of your iPad

If you create a 1024×1024 image in your photo editor, it will be automatically cropped to 768×1024 or 1024×768, depending on the orientation of your iPad. Yes, that’s right, it needs to be a square image. But keep in mind there will always be some parts of the image that will never be seen, depending on how the user holds their iPad.

Therefore, the safe area for the main part of the subject to sit, is within the middle 768×768 as noted by the two images shown at the start of this post. Furthermore, I’ve been careful to place the cheetah’s eye / head within this 768×768 area so it stays the main focus when the iPad is being held in either orientation.

Download a free cheetah iPad wallpaper

Click the image below to load the full size wallpaper, then save to your iPad. If you’re reading this from an RSS feed or iPad application that doesn’t allow you to load the full resolution, copy and paste this URL to your Safari browser: http://www.slrphotographyguide.com/images/cheetah-iPad-wallpaper.jpg

Cheetah photograph copywrite John Hodgkin at Funtours Travel Blog, used with permission.

More free iPad wallpapers coming soon!

How to use metering modes on your digital SLR camera.

Metering systems work by measuring the amount of brightness within a scenery or object, then sets the exposure accordingly. However, the camera can often get the exposure wrong if the onboard metering mode has been set incorrectly. Photographers need know how to select the most appropriate metering for use in a variety of lighting conditions.

Common metering modes include: spot / partial, center-weighted average, or multi-zone metering modes such as Matrix /Pattern /Evaluative (depending on your camera brand and model).

Please refer to your cameras user guide on how to change the metering mode for your specific camera model.

When to use Matrix / Pattern/ Evaluative metering modes

Matrix, Pattern and Evaluative (depending on camera model) are considered good all-round metering modes. The camera sets the exposure automatically to suit the scene, taking into consideration both dark and light area’s. It’s considered good for evenly backlit subjects like portraiture and landscapes. It’s also the way to go when you’re not sure which metering mode to use. This is the reason why it’s the default setting for fully automatic camera settings.

Matrix metering works by dividing the frame into zones, taking separate readings from each one. The camera then takes a guess at what parts of the scene are important and exposes accordingly. For the most part, it does a pretty good job at picking the correct exposure.

When to use Center-weighted metering

Center-weighted metering assigns the greatest weight for exposure from the middle area of the frame. Therefore, it’s good for times when your main subject is in the middle of the frame and you want to take a quick exposure.

Center weighted metering would be effective when you have a bright background or backlit subject. For example, if you were taking a photograph of a persons face on a sunny day at the beach. You wouldn’t want the strong background light, or the white sand, to effect the exposure on their face. As long as the persons face was correctly exposed, that’s all that matters. It’s times like this, you would choose center weighted metering.

When to use Spot or Partial metering

Spot (Nikon) or Partial (Canon) metering should be used when you want to take an exposure reading on a specific area. It takes the reading from a very small area in the middle of your composition.

You would use spot or partial metering for example, if you had a slightly shaded white bird, against a darker background. You would then take the exposure from the birds feathers and the darker background wouldn’t effect the coloring.

Digital SLR tips for night photography

How to take photographs at night? It’s no doubt one of the most popular questions we receive from beginners to SLR photography. What at first seems like a hard technique, in practise is much simpler, as this video tutorial demonstrates.

The trick to successful night photography is all about light. No, I’m not referring to light from an onboard flash! I’m referring to finding the correct camera settings that will allow enough light into the cameras sensor to enable you to take a good night photograph. Or in other words, setting the correct exposure. In my personal experience, using Auto modes for this style of photography doesn’t achieve the best results. Therefore, this workshop will show you what you need to know to take a good night photograph using manual mode.

The next important step, is to use a tripod and a remote control. Without these, your images will look shaky. As strange as it sounds, it’s also important to temporarily switch off any anti-shake or image stabilisation systems when using a tripod. Not turning these off can in turn result in wobbly looking images, as your camera will be looking for shake that simply isn’t there while it’s sitting on a tripod.

Shooting in Manual Mode.

Setting your digital SLR camera to Manual Mode allows you to control both the shutter speed and aperture.

Nowadays there is a belief that no one uses this mode except in complex conditions. That is both true and false. Certainly don’t believe anyone that says you’re less of a photographer for not using Manual settings. Professional photographers use all camera settings for different purposes.

Personally I enjoy using it for landscapes, as I find the colours seem much bolder in this mode.

Note: Before looking at manual mode, it’s recommended that photographers first have a good understanding of Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO. It’s important that you understand how each of these settings effect the other. I won’t go into that here as we already explain those settings in other articles.

Advantages of Manual Mode

Manual mode allows you to set both your aperture and shutter speed separately, without the camera automatically changing the other to suit. In other words, your creative potential when using manual setting is limitless.

Shown below is an example where I’ve photographed a beach scape with an Aperture of F/22, ISO 100 and a Shutter Speed 0.2 sec (1/5) to slow down the movement of the waves.

It was photographed with a Canon EOS 400D / Rebel XTi. The Aperture and Shutter Speed resulted in an image that was slightly under exposed, but I wasn’t too worried as I knew I could fix that later on with Photoshop. The point being, in Manual Mode, I was able to use extreme settings to slow down the water while shooting in mid afternoon light.

How to use manual mode

1. Set your camera’s top dial to M mode.

2. To set the exposure, look through your viewfinder and press the shutter button half way down to focus on an object or scenery. You will then notice at the bottom of the screen what is referred to as a light meter, that looks similar to the image below:

Turn the rear rotating dial until this exposure line shows 0 exposure.

That is, it is neither on the right or left side, but rather set in the middle. If you don’t like looking through the viewfinder, you should also be able to see this exposure line on the back LCD display. Take the shot and you’ll find a well balanced exposure.

Notice that rotating the dial for exposure, is actually changing the shutter speed?

3. If you prefer to set the exposure by changing the aperture (f/number) instead, press and hold down the exposure compensation button while turning the rotating dial. An exposure compensation button looks like a +/-.

Hence, before setting the correct exposure, it’s important that you ask yourself which setting is more important to keep for your specific shot. Is the aperture more important or the shutter speed?

If you’re shooting a landscape, then I recommend using the +/- button and keeping the aperture (f/number).

If you are photographing a moving object like a bird for example, then I recommend keeping the shutter speed setting.

When to use the Manual setting on your SLR camera

Before reading head on into this subject, we’d like to recommend that new photographers understand how these 3 settings work singularly first, before trying them altogether with the Manual setting: Program mode (ISO), Aperture setting and Shutter Speed.

Hard facts about Manual mode

1. Manual mode requires the photographer to manually choose all 3 settings: ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed. If you learn how to use those 3 separately for starters, you’ll better understand the how to’s of Manual Mode later on.

ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed all rely on each other to achieve desired results. However, you do need to make a decision on which setting is of most importance for any particular shot. If you change one of these three settings, it will effect how you need to set the others. In well lit situations, this should be no problem.

On the other hand, in low light this can cause much frustration.

For example, if you take a photograph and find the camera is shooting too slow, you need to do one (or more) of these 3 things: set a faster shutter speed, set a lower Aperture F number, or set a higher ISO.

To set a faster shutter speed, you also need to choose a lower Aperture F number, or set a higher ISO (or both), otherwise the image will look too dark. Now remember, setting a lower Aperture means less of the scenery is in focus. Setting a higher ISO results in less quality, and more grain seen in the photograph.

2. It’s important to know at this stage that not every shot is technically possible. Take this scenario for example:

Your photographing your child’s basketball game at an inside stadium. You have your lens focal length zoomed out to 200mm for a great close up action shot. Your lens only allows a F4.0 Aperture at it’s fastest speed.

After taking a few test shots, you realise you need to set your ISO much higher than you would have liked, at 3200. Worst still, maybe your cameras ISO doesn’t go high enough for you to take a well balanced exposure!

What’s a photographer to do? You could go and buy a high end F/2 lens + a professional model SLR camera that allows you to shoot at 6400 ISO with very little viewable grain.

Alternatively, you could set your camera to Manual Mode, keeping the Aperture F number as low as possible, set the ISO as high as it needs to go. If your images are still far too dark, make sure you’re shooting in RAW file format and fix the exposure and grain seen in the photographs, in post processing software later on.

My point is, Manual Mode isn’t the answer to every photographers problems. It is however, a work around for those technically impossible shots. Your other choice is to keep a slower shutter speed and have every movement blurred, with every shot a throw away.

Free PDF / Ebook tutorial for photographers

A Photographer’s Guide to Depth of Field (DOF) is the first photography downloadable guide from ‘Light Stalking’, but don’t let that fool you! It might be their first guide, but it’s full of excellent advice for beginners.

It starts off explaining why Depth of Field is important, showing stunning visual examples with each point. It then goes on to discuss how to apply good DOF principles to your photographs, camera presets and depth of field in post production.

Unlike other free tutorial guides, you’re not required to hand over your email address or personal details. Simply download the PDF file and start reading. To download your free PDF guide explaining depth of field, visit: http://www.lightstalking.com/dof/

The guide does presume you understand how to use your digital SLR camera, more specifically how to set your Depth Of Field, better known as Aperture or F/Stop. If you’re unsure about this camera setting, I suggest you start with this article: What is AV aperture mode on your digital camera.

Why it’s important to manually set your cameras focal point?

One of the most useful skills for a beginner to learn from the start, is how to focus properly. Photography can become very frustrating if you don’t understand how to set the focus on the exact object you’re trying to photograph. How many times have you looked back at your images to find the main focus was on a foreground or background object, instead of the subject you were intending to photograph?

Try this:

1. Set your camera to a mode other than automatic, for example P (program mode) and turn it on.

2. Look through the viewfinder as though your going to take a photograph.

3. Press your shutter button half way down and look for a red blinking focal point. The object in your scene that the focal point is positioned over when it blinks red, is what your camera is focusing on.

If you see more than one blinking focal point, your camera is set on automatic focus. Automatic focus is often frustrating for photographers because the camera is choosing what part of the scene to focus on. We never recommend automatic focus.

It’s best to refer to your cameras User Manual for how to manually set your focal point, as it would be impossible for us to cover every brand of camera. Each model also differs in how many focal points are available.

Focal Points for specific situations

1. For animal, active children and macro photography, it’s best to set the middle focal point, then keep the subject in the middle of the frame when you’re composing the shot.

2. For landscapes set the bottom middle focal point. This is usually the point that is positioned 1/3 into the scenery when looking through your view finder.

3.When photographing portraits, set the focal point that’s positioned over the persons eye area. Sharp eyes are important when it comes to portrait photography.

2 Final Quick Tips

1. When you have a non moving or very slow moving subject, try half pressing your shutter button down a few times before accepting the final focus and taking the shot.

I personally have photographed with 3 different SLR cameras and find that each of them will sometimes lock sharply into focus. I can physically feel a ‘lock into sharp focus‘ through the camera body and or lens. It rarely happens the first time, but if I keep re-focussing a few times before taking the shot, I’ll usually feel it.

It’s these images where you’ll see the sharpest results.

2. You can always hold the shutter button half way down to focus, then while keeping it half down, re-compose the shot before pressing it fully.

Setting the White Balance on your digital SLR camera.

White Balance is how you set the color balance. Color balance, is critical to every image. Have you ever taken a photograph and found it looked too blue, yellow or green? This is usually a result of the camera’s White Balance not being set correctly for the available light.

To understand why White Balance is important, take the 3 photographs below for example. The first was photographed with the cameras White Balance set on ‘Daylight’, the second with a ‘Shade’ setting, and the third with a ‘Fluorescent’ setting. Notice the difference in the coloring?

White Balance settings for many Digital SLR cameras include:

Auto: The Automatic White Balance setting on todays SLR cameras do a pretty good job when photographing outdoors. If you’re a beginner to SLR photography, keep your White Balance set on Auto to start with until you get the hang of other important settings. Truth be told, many professionals keep it on Auto White Balance as well. One day when you’re not photographing anything special, take a few shots of the same scene, all set on different White Balance settings to see the difference for yourself. You’ll find 9/10 times, the Auto setting will end up the best choice.

Daylight: Use this White Setting for bright sunny days.

Cloudy: Overcast and cloudy days. Cloudy is also great for twilight and sunsets.

Shade: Used in the shade, for example in a shady area of a park.

Tungsten: Normal indoor lighting.

Fluorescent: Indoor fluorescent lighting is one of those rare times when experienced photographers manually choose their White Balance setting. Don’t rely on the Auto setting for indoor shots, this is normally the time your camera will get it wrong.

Some Digital SLR Cameras may have others as well.

Have you ever read the term Mirror Lockup in your cameras manual and wondered if it’s something you should be using? The short answer, very rarely. Unless you take lots of photographs at dawn or dusk with long shutter speeds (keep reading).

What is mirror lockup?

When you press the shutter button on your digital SLR camera to take a photograph, the first thing that happens is the mirror flips up and out of the way to expose the digital image sensor. Mirror lockup is when a photographer sets their camera so the mirror is locked into that position from the very start.

When is mirror lockup useful?

If you have a long telephoto lens connected to your cameras body, regular mirror flip can cause a slight vibration. This vibration can result in a blurred photograph similar to the effects of camera shake. Hence, photographers can choose to use mirror lockup to help avoid this problem.

When to use mirror lockup?

If you take a shot with a long telephoto lens and notice photo blur (or loss of image sharpness) even after trying a sturdy tripod and remote release, then it’s time to try mirror lockup.

Any Disadvantages?

The main disadvantage of using mirror lockup, is that you cannot look through the viewfinder when the mirror is locked. For this reason, mirror lockup is implemented most often with long shutter speeds. For example, when taking a photograph of a landscape at dawn.

SLR cameras nowadays usually have an option for the photographer to choose between JPEG or RAW photo file formats. Many also offer both JPEG and RAW, therefore automatically saving two images every time you take a photo. As each model provides a different way of choosing these formats, it’s best to consult your User Manual for your specific camera menu.

What is the difference between JPEG and RAW?

JPEG files are processed inside the camera as soon as the photo is taken. Much of this processing cannot be altered later on, for example White Balance. If the camera gets the White Balance wrong, then too bad, your stuck with it.

On the other hand, RAW file format refers to raw unprocessed data. Think of it like old school negatives. This means after transferring the photo file to your computer, you can use available software to fix pictures that weren’t exposed properly. You can change settings like White Balance, Exposure, Sharpening and others. This format allows a lot more room for error when taking the photograph, as exposure problems can be corrected later on.

JPEG files are common, however RAW files are better!

JPEG files deteriorate over time. They also loose data the more they are edited by programs such as Photoshop etc. Even straight from the camera, it is clear to see how much more data a RAW file contains. Take the two images below for example.

Most printers nowadays will print directly from a RAW format. If not, then it’s best to save the RAW photo file to JPEG format only after all editing has been done, directly before printing. Better still, save the image in TIFF format for greater detail.

If RAW is better, why use RAW + JPEG?

Sometimes a RAW file is not immediately usable, requiring it to be transferred to a computer first. Therefore the JPEG version would be useful for example, if you’re a tourist who enjoys printing photo’s while on holidays.

Note: RAW files take up more storage space on your memory card. If you know it’s not a photo you’ll be wanting to keep longer than a couple of years, then you might consider shooting in JPEG format. For example, often I’ll shoot in JPEG if I’m photographing a hotel room or nice meal to show family back home, but don’t necessarily want to store them in my important photo library.

Handy tips for using this App.

Welcome to SLRGuide iPhone application.

Please Note: The first time you open SLRGuide, users need to have a network connection. The application is updated in real time. When there is an Internet connection, it will periodically check for new articles and add them automatically to your App. When a new article has been posted, you’ll visually see which ones are yet to be read. Any articles you have already read, are also available for offline viewing. They’ll be updated often to keep the application interesting.

Quick Tips

1. Along the bottom you’ll see 5 icons. Settings, Quick Tips, Video Tuts, Resources and More

‘Settings’ and ‘Video Tuts’ explain how to use numerous settings on your digital SLR camera.

Once you have read a lesson under the Settings tab, it will be also become available for offline viewing. Handy for when you’re out in the field.

To save hard drive space, all Video Tutorials will only be viewable while you have a network connection. When you press the Play arrow, the video will play in full screen. To close it and return to the article, press the Done button in the top left hand side.

Articles under ‘Quick Tips’ and ‘Resources’ will be updated regularly. Over time, these two tabs will grow, offering up to 100 helpful tips and resources each.

2. When viewing each of the 5 tabs, if you look along the top toolbar you’ll notice two icons.

On the left side is the Refresh button. If for any reason your App doesn’t seem to look right, press this button and it will refresh the screen. It’s also good for manually checking for updated articles.

On the right side, you’ll notice a Search button, which of course is the best way to quickly source out specific information.

3. When viewing an article / lesson you’ll see a top navigation bar that looks like the image below.

The first button that shows an arrow pointing left, will take you back to the main folder.

The 2nd button will allow you to post any articles / lessons to Twitter so your friends can see an online version of it. It also has options to email the article to a friend or open it in Safari browser.

The 3rd and 4th buttons will take you to the previous and next articles.

Calculate hyperfocal distances with this DOF calculator.

As a photographer, you can use DOFMaster to calculate the depth of field in your photographs. You’ll be able to select the lens and f/stop combination that provides the zone of sharpness you need. It is especially useful in calculating the hyperfocal distance for landscape photography. If you’re unsure what hyperfocal distance is, you can read a great article on it over at http://www.dofmaster.com

Click the image below to open the WEB application on your iPhone:

Pro Photographers who enjoy sharing their photography secrets

1. Matt Brandon (The Digital Trekker)

Quote: ‘I shoot for mostly NGOs and nonprofits. I photograph images of the unknown, the forgotten and the helpless. These are often the stories that most people overlook.’

You can visit Matt’s iPhone friendly website over at http://www.thedigitaltrekker.com/

2. David duChemin

Quote: ‘David duChemin is a world & humanitarian photographer, best-selling author, and international workshop leader. David uses his powers for good and not for evil.’

You can read David’s blog over at: http://www.pixelatedimage.com/blog/

3. Syl Arena

Syl Arena’s photography webzine. Includes the excellent ‘Lessons I didn’t learn in photo school’ series.

Quote: ‘PixSylated provides honestly-biased insights on the trends, tools and techniques that are shaping the world of digital photography today. Randomly… PixSylated wanders through photography’s past and also peers into photography’s future.’

You can read his webzine over at: http://pixsylated.com/

4. Rick Sammon

Learn digital imaging from start to finish with Rick over at http://rickrawrulessammon.blogspot.com/

5. Joe McNally

The thoughts, notions, and ideas from Joe McNally’s blog come from thirty years in the field as a shooter, as well as twenty plus on the road for National Geographic.

Read Joe’s blog over at http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/

This photography application has been developed by Tanya Puntti, editor and founder of SLR Photography Guide (www.slrphotographyguide.com). Tanya lives in the beautiful Whitsundays of Australia and also runs a personal blog Tanya Ann Photography (www.tanya-ann.com). She is partnered by John Hodgkin from Fun Tours (www.funtours.com.au) who also contributes some of the photographs that you’ll see within the guide.

ABOUT SLR PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE

SLR Photography Guide (www.slrphotographyguide.com) is devoted to helping those who are new to digital SLR photography, to better understand their cameras and photography in general. It is our hope that adding this iPhone application to your arsenal of tools, will fast track your enjoyment of this wonderful craft and keep you up to date there after.

ABOUT SLR PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE APP

This application is updated in real time (via RSS feeds). Initially, a network connection is required to download all available articles / lessons. Once viewed, the content is then available for offline viewing.

We have chosen this method of delivery, as it is our experience that there is no long term advantage with an application that displays static information. Nothing is worse than an app that becomes obsolete once you’ve read every article. SLR Photography Guide will periodically display fresh tutorials, news and updates for your continued enjoyment.

LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES AND BLOGS

We may make content or services from other websites and blogs available to you from posts located over at slrphotographyguide.com. The information is simply being made available within the application via a RSS feed linked to our SLR Photography Guide blog. We take no responsibility for the content of these external websites, blogs or youtube videos. However, we have made every endeavour to ensure the information is related to SLR photography and family friendly.