Lesson #5 – Tips on how to backup photos

As a digital camera user, your pictures are stored on your computer. The ability to store pictures on a computer is a great feature. You can easily share your pictures with others and choose which photographs you want to print. With that said, have you backed up your photographs? Right now, if your computer got a virus and crashed, what would happen to your precious memories? If you do not have backup copies you are out of luck. Speaking from personal experience, this is a place you never want to be.

What exactly are photo backups? A backup is just a copy of the files that are on your computer (in this case your pictures). You can backup your photographs onto a blank CD that has media capabilities. These are available for sale at most retail stores and online; they are very affordable too. Once you create a backup, the key is to choose a safe place. You might want to make multiple copies of your photos on CDs. Keep a CD in your fireproof safe and give one to a close friend or relative to store. This may seem like going over-board, yet all of your bases are covered and you will never be without your precious photographs.

Years ago, making a backup of your photos or any document stored on a computer was not that easy. You literally had to be a computer expert to figure out what to do. Luckily, backing up media and data files on a computer is a lot easier now. In fact, you have two great choices. Those choices, which include backing your files up on a CD or an online backup service, are both outlined below for your convenience.

How to Backup Photos on a CD/DVD

To get started, you need to verify that your computer has a DVD or CD writer drive; it should because most computers now come standard with them. Even if your computer is without the needed drives, they can be purchased as external devices for around $100. Otherwise, all you need is a stack of blank CDs or DVDs. When you buy in bulk (like 25 discs or more in a pack), they will cost only a few cents each. Roxio, is a great burning software to use, yet (once again) your computer should of come with a program already installed. All you need to do is follow the instructions of the program in question and you have a backup of your photographs.

As mentioned above, you want to keep your backup discs in a safe place. It is also important that you mark each CD so that you know which photos are on it. A good idea is to create a new backup CD once a month if you take many photographs or once every two or three months if you do not. You can write the months and years the photos were taken on the disc. The only thing you want to do is remember when you created a backup disc so that newly taken photographs are not forgotten.

How to Backup Photos Using an Online Backup Service

An online backup service is easy to find online. If you are looking for a free service, you can easily find these, and you may be limited on the amount of storage space you get. In most cases, it is best to opt for a paid storage service that charges a monthly fee of $5 to $20; this way you have no worries about using too much space.

Each online backup service has different methods of uploading photographs to your account. Basically, you need to use their browse or search feature to find the files on your computer, select them, and wait for them to upload. Either way, you will be given step-by-step directions. You may find this approach easier as you can backup your photographs as you take them. There is no waiting until the end of the month or worrying about losing money due to half-empty CDs or DVDs. Your photos are still backed up, and they are stored online and that is also how you access them. In the event something happens to your home or your computer, the files are still safe online.

How To Backup Photos Using External Media

Frankly, one of the most popular backup methods used nowadays is the one using external media. As a photographer, I found it easier and safer to buy an external hard drive and store all my photographs there. Not only is it less expensive than backing up on DVDs; it is also safer and easier to access. I also use an online backup service as well.

In short, it really does not matter how you backup your photographs; it is just important that you do. Whether your pictures are of a trip with a group of friends, a family wedding, or of your new child; they are all important. Do not be devastated for years because you didn’t take a few minutes to backup your photographs to a CD or an online service.

Nature Photography: Five Tips for Great Wildlife Photos

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Wildlife photography can be one of the most challenging and rewarding fields of nature photography.

Most of the photography guides these days focus on the technical aspects of the camera: and really good photography relies more on composition, lighting, and sensitivity to your subject.  This means you can improve your photography by thinking creatively, not technically.

Here are five tips for taking better wildlife photographs.

Wildlife Photography Tip #1.  Get to the subject's eye level.  Wildlife photos are most effective if they create an intimate connection between the subject and the viewer. The best way to do this is to take your photo at the subject's eye level.  This way, your wildlife photo can create the illusion of sharing a moment inside the world of the subject, rather than from the outside looking in.

If, for example, your subject is low to the ground (like a lizard, frog, or even a pet), crouch or lie flat, getting as low as possible so you can take your photo at the subject's eye level.

 

Wildlife Photography Tip #2.  It's All In The Eyes.  The personal connection mentioned in tip #1 is really about eye contact, so it is important to get the eyes right.  If the eyes in your wildlife photo are sharp and clear, the photo will probably work.  If they are out of focus, lost in shadow, or if the subject blinks or turns its eyes away, the connection will be lost, and the photo will almost certainly fail.

You don't even need your whole subject to be in focus. Your animal could be mostly hidden by leaves, in shadow and out of focus.  The picture could still work...as long as the eyes are open and captured sharply in the picture.

Wildlife Photography Tip #3.  If The Background Doesn't Help, Get Rid Of It. Many wildlife photos are spoiled because the background is cluttered, distracting, ugly, or just plain inappropriate.  For example, seagulls on a beach can be quite beautiful, however seagulls at the local strip is a different matter.  Also, wildlife photos look far less natural if you can tell they were taken in a zoo.  Apply this principle: "Anything that does not make my photo better, makes it worse."

This does not mean you can't take a good wildlife photo at the zoo, at the strip, or anywhere else for that matter.  You just need to manage it.  If your background is spoiling your shot, zoom right in on the subject to eliminate as much of the background as possible.  By zooming in, you will also reduce the depth of field to a minimum, so any background that does appear in your photo will be out of focus and less distracting.

Wildlife Photography Tip #4.  If Your Background Is Working For You, Use It Well.  A wildlife photograph that captures the subject in a beautiful natural setting can be even more effective than a simple close-up.  My photos (below) of the bird, for example, shows the subject in an expected context, making a more interesting image than a close-up portrait style photo.

If you take your wildlife subject as part of a wider landscape, you need to consider all the techniques of composition that apply to landscape photography.  Remember the rule of thirds (which may or may not help) and be careful to position your animal so that the subject and the background work together to make a more effective composition.  In particular, try to position your wildlife subject so that it looks toward the center of the picture, not towards the edge of the frame.

Wildlife Photography Tip #5. Capture your subject in the best possible light. Even the most perfectly composed wildlife photo can fail because of bad lighting.  Losing your subject in the shadows, glare reflecting off shiny feathers, and shadows across the face of the subject are all simple mistakes that can ruin a photo.

There is no single rule for lighting in a wildlife photograph, but here are some suggestions.  I often find the best results when the sky is lightly overcast with thin cloud.  This produces light that is bright, yet soft and even compared to full sunlight.  Your subject will be well illuminated, and you avoid harsh contrast and heavy shadows that rob the image of important detail.

If the weather is sunny, try to take your photos early and late in the day when the sun is low.  At these times the light is soft and warmly colored.  It is also easier to catch the full face of your subject in sunlight, rather than half-obscured by shadow.

Animals move, blink, flap their wings, and generally find ways to frustrate the wildlife photographer.  Don't forget, with digital photography it costs you nothing to keep snapping.  So practice, practice, practice.

©2012 Crossfire Photography, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Lesson 3 - Shutter Speed

Shutter speed can be defined as a length of time required for a shutter to be opened; in this the total exposure is directly proportional to the interval of light reaching images or film sensor.  The shutter speed can also be defined as the amount of time the shutter is kept opened.  The upper diaphragm of a lens big or small values and timing of the shutter curtain.  These two perform the work of regulating the light entered in to the camera and exposed.

How to Measure the Shutter Speed?

The measurement of shutter speed is done in seconds. The photograph which is taken in daylight is 1/125^th of 1 second.  The way the movement appeared in the picture is changed by shutter speed.

To freeze fast moving object short shutter speed is used, for example at sporting events.

To blur a fast moving object for artistic effects very long shutter speed is used.

Camera shutters also include two other settings for long exposures that is:

•    B for bulb - As long as the shutter release is held it keeps the shutter opened.

•    T for time - Until the shutter release is pressed again it keeps the shutter opened.

To short exposures time the term "speed" is referred to as fast, and slow for long exposure times. Reciprocal time is often designated for shutter speeds, for example 60 for 1/60 s.

•    Very slow shutter speed is given to very few cameras that are measured in seconds and not in fractions of seconds like a second, 10 seconds, 30 seconds etc.

•    The option to shoot in B or BULB mode. The shutter is opened for as long as you hold down this mode.

Factors that affect the total exposure of a photograph /shutter speed:

1) The scene luminance.

2) The aperture size (f-number),

A fast shutter speed requires a larger aperture (smaller f- number), for any given total exposure.

A longer length of time can be compensated by small aperture (larger f- number) for a low shutter speed

Different kinds of work performed by shutter speeds

Different selection of shutter speeds will give you different kind of visual effect on a final photograph.

Actions can be frozen by using fast shutter speed, whereas images can be blurred using slow speed.

More powerful visual impact sometimes can be created by slow shutter speed, than images taken with action-freeze high shutter speed.

Precautions to be taken for taking better pictures

1) While shooting the pictures of individuals, turn the camera on its side. This helps in reducing the wastage of lots of film on the background.

2) While taking sunset pictures turn the flash off to avoid a result that's dark.

3) If you are carrying a camera to a beach see that it's well protected inside a carry case, because the slightest contact of sand with the camera can jam up the camera.

4) When you are taking photos in the dark interiors such as clubs or pubs tell the person to move towards bright light for few moments before you take a flash picture.  By doing so one can reduce the risk of red- eye.

Shutter speed helps in taking good pictures even in unfavorable climatic conditions. It also helps in taking photos of the moving objects.

 

 ©2012 Crossfire Photography, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Lesson 2 - What is a histogram good for?

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Do you know what a histogram is good for? Unfortunately the histogram is something a camera's manual does not give a good description about. It is a tool for evaluating the exposure of your photos and to help you adjust your lighting levels for better results.

The histogram is one of the most useful tools you have included with your digital camera. And it is often the tool that most photographers least understand. If it is used correctly it will help you deal with your exposure problems. Every digital camera has a histogram function that can be displayed directly or superimposed over the picture you have just taken on the back of the LCD screen.

 Here are few basics to help you understand the histogram means on your camera:

1. Histogram goes off the edge on the right-hand side. This will result in a loss of highlight detail and, in a worst case scenario; you will see a tall line at the right-hand edge of the histogram.

2. Histogram goes off the edge on the left-hand side. This will result in shadow that is unrecoverable and will mar your jpegs. You will see there is no or little exposure to the right side of the center of the image and there is a pile that peaks at the left-hand edge of the photo.

3. Histogram reaches right across the photo (the entire left or right sides of the photo can be almost a straight line). An image with this type of histogram is hard to print without any image manipulation. You will see small lines at the edges that will mean a scene's exposure is outside your camera's ability to capture, but what your camera did get was captured in low contrast.

4. Histogram peaks in a narrow area and does not reach towards the sides. This is a low contrast image that will have you manipulating the image to highlight the detail. In the worst case the peak is in the lower ¼ scale, indicating underexposure, which would only get worse if you try to correct the exposure with imaging software.

Here are a few histograms examples to take a look at.

The first histogram shows normal exposure. During normal exposure the camera's sensor records a wider range of tones and will give you more flexibility when manipulating your image with software on the computer. You can enlarge this image as much as you like without losing any quality in the photo results or any pixilation.

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The next histogram has low exposure. In this histogram there are fewer unique tones captured which can lead to banding on the resulting images. Keep in mind that trying to lighten shadow detail that is too dark (e.g. making shadowed eyes visible) then a lot of graininess will be added to the photo.

 

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Experiment to help you get better results as you learn to use your digital camera's histogram function to get top quality photos every time.

©2012 Crossfire Photography, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Lesson 1 - Taking Photos in Direct Sunlight

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There are photography tools that help utilize light. We have polarizing filters, lens hoods, and spot metering. Almost anyone who takes photographs has experienced the problem of photos being too dark or having glare. Extremely bright sunlight can exasperate this problem. If you have ever thought you saw a great shot through the lens of your camera and realized you missed an opportunity because the lighting was not estimated properly, you know what frustration is.

Taking photos in Direct Sunlight

One way to avoid this is to check the exposure meter on the view finder, on a bright day it will read 125 16 or 500 5.6. The first number is the shutter speed; the second number tells you the size of the aperture (an opening through which light travels), this is known as the f stop. Set your camera to shutter speed priority that way the camera can decide how much light is needed for a photo.

Polarized filters

Make use of polarized filters they give you some control over the reflection of light. During the height of the day the light is at its brightest. This can make taking pictures difficult, but you can help yourself out by taking pictures in the shade.  Move near a building or a tree, or get an umbrella or canopy.

How to set the ISO

Use something to block out the sun.  Setting your ISO speed at 200 will help.  The faster the action the higher the ISO should be set.

Taking photos in direct sunlight you tend to squint and you would like eyes open when you take a photograph. Don’t be afraid to change your angle.  Move around.  If the object you are shooting can be moved, change the location, if not, move yourself.

If all else fails take several of the same shots using lots of light, very little light, and normal lighting.  This is called bracketing.   Try to use a reflector flash to fill in shadows the sun may make, 1.5 to 2 should be enough.  You want to bring out the best in your photographs and the proper use of the settings on your camera is an important part of this process.

Lens hood

Try using a lens hood around the camera to block out light, if the sky is not that beautiful blue just leave it out all together. There is a little trick of allowing the sun to reflect on an object sideways, at this angle you get some very interesting shots. Amazing how a position can change the whole mood of a photograph.

 ©2012 Crossfire Photography, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.