Tips for Using Your Point & Shoot at Night

Hey fellow shutterbugs,

If you're like a lot photographers, you probably keep a camera somewhere close to you most of the time. For many, like myself, dragging around my main rig DSLR all the time just isn't very practical. But I have an Olympus P&S that takes great pictures. It's small & easy to carry just about anywhere.

Here's a few ideas to try next time you're out at night & get the urge to go looking for an image.

Shutter Speed Settings - Pretty much all point & shoot cameras have some means of adjusting the shutter speed. This is principally done in one of two ways. First, is an actual control that allows you to select a specific speed. If yours had a manual mode setting, that would be the first place to check. If yours does not allow for specific speeds, then it probably has different pre-programmed "scenes" or modes that you can choose from. Try some different speeds & see what effect they have on moving lights. You'll be amazed at what you get. The longer open shutter time will also force a smaller aperture to help bring distant objects into clearer focus.

No tripod? - That's OK! Most of us don't keep one of these real handy. All you really need a steady & sturdy to help you stay still. You might find that this object becomes part of the picture itself. You can buy or make a beanbag holder that is easy to transport. Finally, don't forget to take advantage of the timer feature that most all units have. That way, you won't even be touching the camera when the shutter fires.

ISO Selection - Here's another method you can use to effectively control exposure to get the look you want. Just note that with higher ISO rating, you will get increased noise, which may not be desirable. The level of noise-reduction capabilities varies amongst camera manufacturers and also depends on what the individual photographer likes.

So there you have it! Just a few ways you can use to improve the images you take at night. These work great & you will notice an improvement. Be sure to post some examples so we can check out your work too!

Happy shooting,
Tom

Shooting Portraits with Available Light

Hey everybody!

Here's a few tips to help you with shooting portraits using available light.

- Use reflectors & diffusers to 'play' with available light. You can makde adjustments to get it just to your liking.

- Try stepping out of the shadows! Use full outdoor light and shoot at different times of the day to get different effects. Be sure you try to put the source behind your subject so they're not squinting.

- Set exposure to proper levels for your subject & don't worry about the rest. Who cares if you can't make out the pretty cloud formations in the background. Check out Ansel Adams work for a better idea of how this helps focus attention on what matters in the shot.

- If you're using a flash indoors, bounce it off something rather than firing straight at your subject. Also try stopping down the recommended flash and slow the shutter speed. this will allow more of that precious available light shine in.

So get out there & practice using these handy tips. You will see better results.

Thanks & Happy Shooting,
Tom

I'm Making My Way Back

A chilly greeting to all my photographer friends! It has been a while & I do apologize for the absence. Sadly, my father became ill suddenly and passed away in late October. I know he missed Mom terribly after she left us in February. It's been difficult getting used to the idea of not either Mom or Dad her for Christmas this year. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to a much better 2010 without all the personal distractions of the last year and a half.

I can tell you that I've been getting more involved with the youth center & it's really been a blast. Just being around the kids brings me an energy that is difficult to describe. I just feel younger myself. I'm also going to start working with Big Brothers & Big Sisters in January (as a big brother, of course). I see a lot of kids out there without a positive male role model in there life so I think there's something I can do to help. Look for updates and pics in future posts.

As you may have seen, our area got hit with a blizzard last week. Here's a few pics I took around my house. Let me know what you think of them.


Thanks & I'll see you back again soon,
Tom

Digital Photo Tips - Ideas for your next outing

Hello everyone,

Hard to believe that we're getting into the middle of September already. The time just keeps going faster & faster.

Lately, I've been doing some reading about macro photography and thought I'd suggest a possible subject to consider.

With fall just around the corner, the leaves will be changing soon. I'm going to try getting some macro shots of a leave in it's different phases of color change. Hope it turns out & I'll post the picts when I get them.

So that's your assignment (I know I never assigned you one) if you choose to accept it. Go out, find an interesting plant of any type and photography really close up, as it transitions into it's winter stage. Make sure your post your shots so we can learn from your work.

Well cheers for now & happy shooting,
Tom

Shutterstock Seeks Photographers!

Greetings and salutations fellow photo enthusiasts!

I truly hope the day finds you well and busy. It's hard to believe that summer is already starting to wind down. Soon the leaves will start to turn here and the kids will be back off to school. As much as I do love the fall season, there is a certain amount of meloncholy for me too. Probably something to do with thinking about all the things I didn't get done yet. I guess that's what New Year's resolutions are supposed to be for.

Anyways, the reason for my post today is to let you know about an opportunity for you to make some extra money with your photographs. A company called Shutterstock (I'm a member) is looking for new photographers to start contributing to their stock collection. So I thought I'd pass the word along in case you're interested. It doesn't cost anything to join and if they sell your work, you get a big chunk of the proceeds. It's that simple. Just follow this link to sign up for your FREE account and start making money.

Thanks for stopping by and as always, Happy Shooting!

PS...I'm still working on a couple new article with even more digital photo tips for you so be sure to stop back again soon and feel free to tell your friends too.

Studio Lighting Techniques Article

Howdy friends,

Great news! I just got notification that my latest article about digital photo tips was just approved for publication.

I think you'll really enjoy this one because it addresses some issues that a lot of people have problems with.

You can read my latest piece by clicking on the post title above.

Thanks for stopping by. Don't be afraid to let us know what exciting projects you're working on now.

Cheers & Happy Shooting!

If you considering upgrading your equipment, check out these specials at Amazon.

Studio Lighting Techniques - Upcoming Articles

Greetings All,

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. Wow, the summer is sure flying by.

I just wanted to let you know that I have a new article coming out soon. This article will deal with studio lighting technique errors and easy ways you can correct them. Check back in a week to see if it's bee posted yet. I don't think it should be any longer then that.

Cheers & happy shooting!