Photographing Fire

Technique of making an impressive fire image is very simple. Firstly, you should take a photograph.An easy way to do that is to go to a family picnic. Use an "A" (aperture) mode and set the aperture setting from f/5,6 to f/11. When you're using this values, you will take really good sharp images. Then set exposure compensation to -1 EV due to have a dark background. I recommend to use telephoto lens, because you can use it away from bonfire and your equipment will be intact. The best way to have good final image is to shoot in raw.

The second step is postprocessing. In Photoshop your raw image firstly opens in Camera Raw module. The main option here is Blacks. Set it to 40 or higher to make background almost black. Also you can use temperarture to change hue of the flames.

(above you see settings, which I'm using in 90% of firey images)

To complete this postprocessing you can darken the background using Burn Tool and increase contrast using Curves or Levels. And it's done!

Concept Everywhere!

Concept... You hear this word in every photography genre. In any photography style you can made a concept photograph. But sometimes we don't see that concepts is everywhere around us. And the main thing is that you can made concepts yourself.

What is a concept photo? I think that concept is your personal idea which you are including in your art. What are you thinking about now? What problems you think you can include in a photo? These questions is the main in making such type of pictures.

So, just make your ideas live!

One Flash - Many Ways To Photographing

If you have only one flash or you can't use more flashes there is several means to use it and make pictures with good lighting.

The most simple is to raise up your strobe (it only works, if you're shooting in the room or hall with white ceiling). You'll see how soft the light is. But the disadvantage of this method is that you can't use it in big halls or outdoors.

The second way is to use that small equipment. Bouncer card helps you to make a fill light if you're taking photographs outdoor. Just place the speedlight in front of the model and direct it upward on 45 degrees to horizon. 

If you want to use only one flash and use some lighting schemes you can use the this small diffuser or big diffuser like this. Also you need a silver or white reflector (to hold it you must use a tripod or you call an assistant to the shooting time). The reflector is using to make shadows more softer.

Simple Photography Equipment

You know that all professional photographers have some simple gadgets whish helps them. Many of these little things you can make yourself.

One of them is bouncer card, which you can use on your speedlight. It is simply made of cardboard, white paper, glue and elastic. To make it, you must glue paper and cardboard together and put it on your strobe and fast it with the elastic.

The second great thing is used to make the light from your strobe more ambient. It is small diffuser. The materials you need are translucent fabric, and sticky tape. Made a cubic shape using your fabric or other material, than strengthen it with the sticy tape.

These stuff you can do at home and this costs more cheaper than the analogues, which you can buy at the photography shop.

Night Photography

Everybody knows the magic of photography shoots made in the silence of the night. There are some types of this great art.

The first popular type is photos of street and highway traffic. The most dramatic effect on this pictures is many moving lights on the road. To shoot such photographs you must have a very strong tripod and wish for walking with your equipment. You can shoot interesting pictures from the bridges or place your tripod near the ground. To take the good sharp you must use f/11 - f/22 aperture settings and long (from 5 to 30 seconds) shutter speeds. So, if you are creative, your photographs will be very impressive!

The other type is photographs of fireworks. It is simple because you mustn't choose the composition - you must only find the place to shoot from.

There is to ways to find this place. First way is to take your pictures from the high hill or other upland and use a telephoto lens. Or you can stand just in 20-50 meters in front of the place of launching and use a wide-angle lenses.

So, we're standing in the place we choosed and the question is: "How can I shoot this?". There's also two ways: to use blub mode and or the manual mode with the 2-8 seconds shutter speed. In both ways the better setting of aperture is f/11 (many professional photographers choose it to make great photographs of the fireworks).

Winter is a really right time to take such type of photographs. I can only say to you: "Catch the moment!"

Travel Photography Stuff

Hello everyone! You maybe like take photos in your trips. I think they are not bad, but…

I think you can improve your photographs yourself! A few alterations can improve your photographs at all.

First of all, you must have a tripod. Now, you exactly think: “Why the previous sentence contains must? Because you can shoot without tripod (or monopod in some situations), but you don’t have ideal sharp. In situations, when you can’t use a tripod (especially in some historical or religious buildings), try to use this tip. And, don't  forget about good head for your tripod. As for me I prefer ball head, because of it's flexibility in use.

So, you take sharp. “What about composition?” – you may ask. But here is next tip: composition is your personal conception. You can combine your picture as you want yourself. It’s your private opinion about this world. Thus, you can “say” it!

Secondly, you must find the place, which you would like to be in the photograph. I think that there are many pictures, which was taken in all good tourist places. And some of them are really good. What to do after all good pictures was already taken? Find a new place where you can set your tripod and make very cool photos with fantastic composition!

In such a way, you have a very pleasurable day and took lots of photos. So, your memory card is full now. To continue shooting you can buy more cards or simply use such device as Epson P-6000. It has a huge 80GB hard drive and 4 inch display. I’m not an Epson promoter, I told about Epson product because of it quality (I simply like it :-) ).

To be continued...

Stock Photography - Isolated Objects

If you don't know what is "stock photography" or you are not professional stock photographer, look here!First point is "What is stock photography?" It is simple. If you think that your photographs can be used in some designs or in commercial advertising you can sell it and earn money!

Second point is that in stock photography there is a broad variety of styles. The most simple is isolated objects. I'm sure you have many small and big objects, which can be sold on stock photography sites. You can use a flash or sunlight from the window(with a tripod). You can place your objects on sheet of white or black paper(this background colors is the most popular in stock photography) or use some type of textile.

But some objects are copyrighted by their owners(example: Pepsi bottle), so you must sell only photographs of simple objects.

If you are not stock photographer yet, use my referral links to sell your images right now.

• Shutterstock.com
• iStockphoto.com
• Fotolia.com
• Dreamstime.com
• Stockxpert.com
  

Small Image Stabilizer

First of all, all professional photographers always use tripods. Therefore, their images looks very good.

But, there are some situations, when you can't use a tripod or monopod. So, you can use this cheap and small image stabilizer, which can make it yourself at home. It is made of a rope, bolt(it must be the same size, that socket in the bottom of your camera) and big washer.

Combine it like on an image at the top of this text, and you can use it just after that!
But remember, that good tripod is mush better.

Shoot The Show!

Hi everybody! Here is some notes about taking really nice pictures on concerts or shows.

Firstly, you mustn't use a flash. In big concert halls is fantastic colourful light. So, use it!
Secondly, there are two ways to take good place: close by the stage(shooting with wide-angle lens) or from the long distance(of course you must have a telephoto lens). if you use wide angle, your pictures will be very dramatic! But if you want to have portraits of musicians(or actors) you way is big distance and telephoto lens.
One of the most important in taking photographs of the show, that you really need camera with low level of noise when you using high ISO. But if the noise level is high you can use Adobe Photoshop with such plug-ins as Neat Image or Imagenomic Noiseware.

I'm sure, that now your photographs from a concerts and shows will be looking better!