Photography Tips

What is bokeh and DOF? Depth of field (DOF), refers to the area of an image that is in focus. You have most likely seen images where the main subject is in focus, while the background is out of focus or totally blured. The area that covers the focused area is the DOF (depth of field). Bokeh on the other hand, refers to the appearance of the light that is seen within the blured part of the photograph. Bokeh and DOF are important to consider for photographs when you need the main subject to stand out on its own and not be lost in background distractions. Isn't Bokeh and DOF the same thing? No, bokeh and depth of field is not the same thing, although they do work together. DOF is seen in a photograph where there is an obvious focus area, set against a blured background or foreground. Bokeh on the otherhand, refers to how your camera lens renders the light that is seen within the blured parts of the image. ...

Shutter sp eed is measured in seconds - or in most cases fractions of seconds. The bigger the denominator the faster the speed (ie 1/1000 is much faster than 1/30). In most cases you’ll probably be using shutter speeds of 1/60th of a second or faster . This is because anything slower than this is very difficult to use without getting camera shake. Camera shake is when your camera is moving while the shutter is open and results in blur in your photos. If you’re using a slow shutter speed (anything slower than 1/60) you will need to either use a tripod or some some type of image stabilization (more and more cameras are coming with this built in). Shutter speeds available to you on your camera will usually double (approximat ely) with each setting. As a result you’ll usually have the options for the following shutter speeds - 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, 1/8 etc. This ‘doubling’ is handy to keep in mind as aperture settings also double the amount of light that is let in...

What is Aperture? Aperture is ‘the size of the opening in the lens when a picture is taken.’ When you hit the shutter release button of your camera a hole opens up that allows your cameras image sensor to catch a glimpse of the scene you’re wanting to capture. The aperture that you set impacts the size of that hole. The larger the hole the more light that gets in - the smaller the hole the less light. Aperture is measured in ‘f-stops’. You’ll often see them referred to here at Digital Photography School as f/number - for example f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6,f/8,f/22 etc. Moving from one f-stop to the next doubles or halves the size of the amount of opening in your lens (and the amount of light getting through). Keep in mind that a change in shutter speed from one stop to the next doubles or halves the amount of light that gets in also - this means if you increase one and decrease the other you let the same amount of light in - very handy to keep in mind). Depth of Field and Aperture There are a...

A basic guide showing the principles of flash photography.

Use " manual metering " for this setting. This is the standard setting when taking photos for manual metering. Just remember this few settings and you will be on your way to take great photos.

Stock photography agents are companies that represent photographers and sell their photographs "right of use" graphic artists, news papers and advertising companies. One of the evolving domains in stock photography is called "micro stock". A micro stock agency, as the name implies, is a stock agency that deals with low (micro) price - about a dollar - photographs. Usually the micro stock agencies will restrict the uses allowed for a photograph. Filtering and Choosing Photographs When you are choosing your portfolio, consider the following point: Does your photograph has a value as an illustration or as a concept or idea that a customer can benefit from? For example, a photograph of a businessman in a suit climbing a mountain will sell better that a macro shot of a mosquito on a pinhead. A lady holding a disk in one hand and a handful of dollar notes on the other hand, will sell better the a photograph of a hippopotamus chasing a koala bear. This has nothing to ...

Horizontal or Vertical? Many photographers never think to turn their cameras on their sides to capture a vertical image. Horizontal photographs are sometimes referred to as "landscape," while vertical photos are referred to as "portrait." If you are taking a photograph of a single person, then it's probably a good idea to take it vertically. This will prevent the person from being surrounded by blank space. Even when you are shooting actual landscapes, you might find that a vertical view makes for a more dynamic composition. Always ask yourself if horizontal or vertical would be better before you take a photograph. It may be readily apparent, based on your subject and its surroundings. If it isn't, take one of each shot and decide which you like better when you see the prints.

The Buddhist temple of Kek Lok Si is situated in (H)Air Itam, a suburb of Georgetown. You can make that by local bus from the Komtar, but you can also make it by taxi. I prefer taxi, because the taxi takes me up the hill (the Kek Lok Si is halfway on a hill). I like to walk down, but not to walk up the hill in a tropical climate. Taxi ride from the KOmtar in Georgetown will cost you about RM20.- The temple was begun in 1890 and, from all appearances, construction really hasn't ever stopped. And it's still going on! The temple is supposedly the largest in Malaysia. The Kek Lok Si project was inspired by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple of Pitt Street. With the support of the consular representative of China in Penang, the project received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Kuang Hsi, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras.

Shoot at the highest resolution you can While high-res pictures will take up more space on your digital camera's memory card, shooting big gives you the most flexibility later. Shooting at a higher resolution guarantees that when the magic strikes, you've captured the picture at the highest quality level. So whether you want to crop the picture to show a special detail or print at a large size, you'll have plenty of detail to work with. Get comfortable with your digital camera settings In addition to auto, most digital cameras have a variety of settings calibrated for special situations-like the bright light of the beach, or the muted light of a museum. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with these before you start shooting. This will let you adjust settings without consulting your manual. Take lots of pictures The best way to get good photos is to shoot often. Try shooting the same subject from a variety of angles: low, high, side view, close up and far away. If your ca...