Tag: Photography Tips

How to: Make Better Images Indoors

Here in Europe, you can already feel it… Winter season is here. The days are getting shorter, it is getting colder outside, and in some parts it is already starting to snow. Of course, such conditions create perfect outdoor sceneries to capture in your photos, but shooting portraits and other pictures involving people or pets might be challenging due to the unpredictable weather. Therefore, it is time to move back inside and make use of the cozy vibes of our homes. Especially, since Christmas is around the corner, and we are about to take the perfect cheesy family pictures. For beautiful indoor images with perfect color, you need to know how to respond to available light.

Remember, what you see is what you get!

Utilizing your camera’s electronic viewfinder, or the main LCD screen, gives you an accurate view of how the picture will be when you hit the shutter, eliminating any kind of guesswork. Even if you make adjustments to exposure or other settings, you are able to see these in your viewfinder. Thus, you get the picture exactly the way you want to.

Did you know if you add a live histogram to the display, it shows how bright or dark the image you will make is? In your camera’s settings, simply go to ‘screen set-up > display custom setting > activate histogram’.

Make use of auto ISO

As always, available light is inconsistent and therefore, it is important to be adjustable. ISO is every photographer’s secret for that! For everyone who is lazy or as we like to call it ‘smart’, simply set the ISO to Auto, so it adjusts automatically, ensuring you get a good exposure every time. If you prefer adjusting the ISO to your specific requirements, you can as well do so manually by altering the ISO handle.

In addition, you can set a minimum shutter speed with the Auto ISO. Now, it will not drop below that setting – as you can see, all you need to do is tell the camera to do what you want it to do! By choosing one of the auto ISO modes you will be able to change the three settings ‘Default Sensitivity, Max Sensitivity and Min. Shutter Speed’.

Significant to note is that control over Auto ISO is only available in the Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual modes. In other options, the camera uses Auto ISO automatically.

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5 Ingenious Photo Tips For Your Christmas Celebration

Christmas is right around the corner and most of us want to capture the sparkle in the children’s eyes when unpacking their presents, baking cookies together and a delicious Christmas feast or simply to capture the great Christmas spirit. Thereby, Christmas lights and darkness are making it difficult to take the perfect shots. Here are 5 tips to catch the festive highlights in perfect quality.

1. Plan Your Photo Equipment

The better prepared you are, the more fun and successful your Christmas shoot will be. Before your family and friends arrive, or you leave to visit them, check if you have enough memory cards. Are the batteries charged? Do you need a tripod or a remote control for the self-timer? If everything is packed and prepared, you are ready to go!

2. Timing Is Everything

To be sure that every facial expression is captured when unpacking the presents, the serial image setting in combination with the sports mode for moving pictures will be the perfect solution. Simply hold down the shutter button to snap as many pictures as your card will hold.

3. Avoid Direct Flashlight

We recommend: Do not use the flashlight! Many of us believe that the flashlight function makes pictures in the cosy, dark light turns out brighter. Unfortunately, most of the time this is not the case. Instead, opt for the night setting together with a slower shutter speed, which will ensure that enough ambient light is captured and create a warm Christmas atmosphere.

4. Magical Christmas Photos With The Bokeh Effect

Christmas decoration creates many opportunities for you to experiment and work with interesting effects. The bokeh-effect is one of our favourites. The term bokeh comes from Japanese and means blurred or out of focus. In photography, it is intentionally blurred parts of a photo that are created by the lens. If you want to isolate a Christmas tree bauble from the background, use a large aperture (e.g., f/1.8). This creates bright circles or other shapes that create wonderful Christmas magic over your pictures.

5. Shooting On Christmas Markets

For most of us, taking a stroll on one of the local Christmas markets creates the perfect pre-Christmas feeling. Of course, it is also perfect scenery to take a nice picture. However, Christmas markets are usually packed. Therefore, ensure that the autofocus is switched off, otherwise the camera will not find a reference point for focusing. Pictures taken in RAW mode will give you the possibility to adjust the white balance afterwards with certain image editing programmes.

Now you are perfectly prepared to capture this year’s Christmas. Try things out and have fun taking images of your special moments!

A perspective on the wild side

By applying psycho-analytical theories, X-Photographer Chris Weston tells you how to alter your perspective as a wild life photographer, to create images which truly captivate the viewer.

By Chris Weston

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is making an emotional connection with the wildlife I encounter. One of the most challenging aspects of my job is conveying that connection in a photograph. To do that, I have to make use of a very important compositional tool – perspective. Continue reading “A perspective on the wild side”

Ten tips for capturing unforgettable travel portraits

Portrait photographer and X-Photographer Saraya Cortaville skillfully draws out her subject’s emotions and feelings, in a sensitive and empathetic way. Her portraits are an observation and moment of connection between two people, rather than photographer and subject. In this article, she gives us ten tips for capturing travel portraits you will remember forever.

By Saraya Cortaville

Portrait photographer and X-Photographer Saraya Cortaville skillfully draws out her subject’s emotions and feelings, in a sensitive and empathetic way. Her portraits are an observation and moment of connection between two people, rather than photographer and subject. In this article, she gives us ten tips for capturing travel portraits you will remember forever. Continue reading “Ten tips for capturing unforgettable travel portraits”

A guide to two point lighting for city street portraits

Contemporary portrait and X-Photographer Damien Lovegrove is no stranger to shooting portraits on-location. In this useful article, he gives you all the tips you need to create his two point lighting set up, specifically when shooting portraits on city streets.

By Damien Lovegrove

Contemporary portrait and X-Photographer Damien Lovegrove is no stranger to shooting portraits on-location. In this useful article, he gives you all the tips you need to create his two point lighting set up, specifically when shooting portraits on city streets.

The Equipment

Continue reading “A guide to two point lighting for city street portraits”

How to capture the true personality of your subject behind the lens

Commercial and editorial photographer James Bellorini is no stranger to portrait photography and has captured many faces on camera but how does he ensure that he always captures the true personality of his subject behind the lens?

Commercial and editorial photographer James Bellorini is no stranger to portrait photography and has captured many faces on camera, including entrepreneurs, performers, DJs and musicians. We wanted to ask James for his advice on how to capture a subject’s true personality behind the lens. Continue reading “How to capture the true personality of your subject behind the lens”