SLR Photography Guide

Quick Photography Tips:

Quick photography tips for those who don’t like reading or just don’t have the time!

#10 Why you should buy a cable release for your SLR camera

Tip 9 talked about turning off the image stabilization on your lens when you have an SLR camera sitting on a tripod. If you followed this advice, you should have noticed sharper results.

“Hey, I want even sharper photographs” I hear you say! Instead of pressing the shutter button down yourself, invest in a cable release for your SLR camera.

I can’t count the amount of times I’ve seen photographers with tripods, but no cable release. Doesn’t this defeat the purpose? The reason photographers use tripods, is to reduce camera movement when taking photographs. So why touch the camera at all? Use a cable release instead!

Quick Photography Tips:

Quick photography tips for those who don’t like reading or just don’t have the time!

#9 When to turn off IS (image stabilization) and VR (vibration reduction)

Many DSLR camera lenses now come with an option to turn off IS (image stabilization for Canon) or VR (vibration reduction for Nikon). You’ll find this on / off switch on the side of the actual lens. One thing I’ve noticed with friends and family who are just starting out in SLR photography, is that they tend to turn this on and never touch it again. However, there are times when you should turn it off.

For example, I was photographing the Sydney Opera House recently with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lens, and for the life of me, I could not get a sharp image. Then it hit me, because I had my camera sitting on a tripod, I turned off the image stabilization and bam I suddenly got sharp photo’s. When IS / VR is turned on, it causes the camera to look for vibrations, which in turn, can cause vibrations.

So next time you have your camera sitting on a tripod, turn off that IS / VR switch on the side of your lens for sharper results.

Quick Photography Tips:

Quick photography tips for those who don’t like reading or just don’t have the time!

#8 Read your digital SLR user manual from your iphone

Before I purchased an IPhone,  I use to carry around manuals in my camera bag for numerous pieces of equipment, including: camera EOS manuals, lens manuals, flash manuals and so forth. Then I discovered a neat little IPhone application called, PDF Expert, which in short is a professional PDF documents reader.

Now whenever I purchase a new piece of equipment, I transfer the PDF user manual into my IPhone documents reader. Saves carrying around extra weight in my camera bag. The IPhone application also has a good search function, so no more looking through the manual book for exactly the information I’m after.  It’s fast, efficient and very user friendly. Click the iTunes button below to download the application.

Quick Photography Tips:

Quick photography tips for those who don’t like reading or just don’t have the time!

#7 How to better focus with a macro lens

Anyone who’s purchased a dedicated macro lens, will understand what I’m talking about when I mention ‘the lens swimming’, if set on auto focus. This is especially true when photographing moving bugs and insects. One of the best ways to overcome this is to turn off your lens automatic focus, placing it in manual mode instead. It’s really not as hard as it sounds to focus manually, it just takes a little practice.  Personally I support the DSLR, with my left hand underneath the camera, moving the focus ring with my fingers.

Quick Photography Tips:

Quick photography tips for those who don’t like reading or just don’t have the time!

#6 How to get a smooth or faded background in your photo’s with a telephoto lens

Achieving a smooth background in your photographs isn’t as hard as it first seems for beginners. Firstly, set your camera’s F-stop to a low number, for example, 4.0. Secondly zoom your telephoto lens out. In the example below, I had mine zoomed out to 200mm focal length. Then move as close to your subject as possible, while still allowing you to focus properly and take your shot. The lower the F number, the more zoomed out your lens, and the closer you are to your subject, the nicer the smoothness.