Information Addicts

Digital cameras are becoming more and more sophisticated, even basic digital compact cameras have more options than you will probably every use. Whether you use a compact digital camera or a DSLR, when it comes to camera mode’s, most people only use the automatic one.
Do we really need any of the other camera modes?
My latest camera which is the Canon G9 comes with around 17 modes, will I use them all? Never in a million years.
If you want to become more creative with your photography I recommend that you master 4 modes, and these are P, A, S, and M, (on some cameras it is shown as P, AV, TV, M.)
To be honest the rest you can ignore, because you can take any picture with these 4 modes.

In this article I will explain to you what they do and how to use them.

The first mode is the P or Program mode.
This mode is great for beginners as it is almost automatic, it sets the aperture and shutter speed for you. So whats the point of it? With the program mode you have the option to over ride the flash settings, exposure compensation, white balance and ISO speed, which gives you a little bit more control than the automatic mode, (please note that all camera models are slightly different so take the time to read the instructions.) If you want to learn more about your camera settings then this mode is a great way to start off.

Next is the TV or S mode (known respectively as Time Value or Shutter speed.) When you select this mode the camera automatically chooses the aperture for you. The TV mode is generally used for capturing motion, and a lot of sports photographers use it to freeze action shots. It can also be used to make your subject look like they are moving.
Setting a fast shutter speed will freeze your subject for example 1/500 or 1/1000 of a second will freeze a racing car, or let’s say you want to freeze someone playing golf then you will need to set the shutter speed to around 1/500 of a second.

Taken by Mulsanne

Conversely, there will be times when you want a slow shutter speed, such as for blurring moving water in a stream, a river, or at the beach—a speed of around 1/15 or 1/60 sec will do the trick.

Image by atomicpuppy68

The AV mode(or Aperture Value) is a great tool for setting the Depth of Field.
What is Depth of Field I hear you ask? It is the amount of distance between the nearest and farthest objects that appear in sharp focus. When you set the AV mode the camera automatically sets the shutter speed. A lot of photographers use the AV mode for portrait photography, where you may want the subject sharp but the background blurry. To achieve this you need to use a small f number for example f2 or f3 etc.

Image taken by babasteve

The AV mode is also used of for landscape photography where you may need the whole of the picture Sharp. To do this you would need a larger f number for example f11 or f22.

If you want total control over your camera then the M or Manual mode is for you.
In this mode you set the aperture and shutter speed, with options to change white balance, ISO and the flash settings. You need time and patience with this mode, but master this and you will know more about your camera settings than in any other mode.

Trial and error is the key to mastering modes, but once you get the hang of them you will find that you go back to the same mode over and over again.

I mostly use the AV and TV mode. Which mode do you use the most?

Give them a try and let me know how you get on.

Popularity: 44% [?]

Image by basykes

Pets are part of the family and everybody loves taking pictures of them, but getting that perrrfect picture (pardon the pun) of your best friend can prove harder than expected.
Whether you use a camera phone, compact camera, or DSLR, the tips below will help you improve your furry friends photographs.

1. Patience is a virtue. ‘Never work with children or animals’, or so they say. However if you are patient, and take your time, you can bag some fantastic pictures. Follow your pet around with your camera, if your pet is playing or is mischievous, try to capture them without disturbing their playfulness. Have plenty of toys and treats to get them relaxed.

2. Ground Zero. Most people take photographs of their pets standing up and looking down at them.
To capture your pets personality, trying sitting or lying down on the ground, and take the picture at their level.

Image by fazen

3. Avoid distracting backgrounds. TVs, kids toys, the ironing board, branches, etc are all very distracting in a photograph. Before you take your shot, check that the background is plain and simple. If you see something distracting than either move it, change your view point, or move your subject elsewhere, persuade them with a treat.
If you are using a DSLR, a long lens is better as you can sit further away from your pet, which will make them feel more relaxed, and you will also get a nice blurry background. If you don’t have a long lens, then use the widest aperture that you can, for example F2, F4, F4.5 etc.

4. Fill the frame. When taking a photo of your pet, zoom in or get close, the best portraits are either, head and shoulders, or all of the body. Try not to cut your pet off at the torso as it makes the shot very unbalanced.

Image by Seamusmurry

5. The eyes are the key. The most important part of the photograph are the eyes. It’s the light and the eyes that make the image. When taking a photograph of your pet, focus on the eyes to get them sharp.
Tip: if your camera has the ability to lock the focus, you can focus on to the eyes by pressing the shutter button half way, then recompose your picture then press the shutter button fully.

MJ Mac

6. Variety is the spice of life. Shoot your pet in both portrait and landscape mode i.e.
horizontal and vertical format.

7. Avoid flash. Photographs using natural light gives the best and most flattering pictures. If you are taking pictures of your pet outside, then keep away from direct sunlight as it is too harsh, try to capture them under some shade, in the morning, or later on in the day are the best times, as the light is more subtle.
If you are inside, try and use the available light from the window. Sometimes however, you will find it is just too dark indoors and you will need to use Flash. Using direct on camera flash will give you the worst results as you will get harsh background shadows, or an unnatural looking photo. If you can bounce the flash off the ceiling a wall or move the flash off-camera. Unfortunately for camera phones and most compact flash cameras this isn’t an option, so trying using a combination of the window and flash for more natural photos.

Last but not least as I always say, don’t be afraid to experiment, try different shutter speeds, apertures, angles, compositions, go lower down, shoot from higher up, the possibilities are endless.

Have I missed something, do you have any tips? Then share them with us in the comments.

Popularity: 93% [?]

Photo taken by Ctd2005

Are you a beginner to photography and need some help to improve your pictures, or are you just in need of some inspiration? Then read on. In this tutorial I am going to show you how you can take better photos by changing your composition.
When I look at friends and families photos they are usually all taken the same way, and that is horizontally. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, but after a while they all start to look the same.

The reason most people take photos in horizontal format is that our eyes are set horizontally, for instance televisions and movie screens are mostly horizontal and we naturally view the world approximately in this shape, rather than square or vertical.

Vertical Format.

Most cameras are designed to be used comfortably in horizontal mode and turning them on to there side can seem a bit unnatural, but in doing so you can dramatically improve your photos or at least make them more interesting.
Horizontal format in general is fine for portrait pairs, groups of people or landscape shots, however by changing the composition to a vertical format, you can often make a pleasing change to your photos, as shown below.

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is that they always hold the camera horizontally. Next photo you take, try turning the camera on to its side and taking some pictures, what a refreshing change.

Square Format.

One of the most popular photo subjects taken by photographers and beginners alike are portraits. Again beginners tend to take them using the horizontal composition, which can become dull and boring.
One way to enhance your portraits is by using the square format.
Take a look at the photo below.

Photo taken by Porcelaingirl

So how do you make the picture square, take the photo horizontally, and then crop it in your favorite image editor. Its very easy to do and it gives the photo more impact, and a less cluttered background.

Take a look around you to see what images would look better in a square format.

Below are a few ideas

Photo taken by aussiegall

Photo taken by Ctd2005

Photo taken by yomi955

As I have wrote before, don’t be afraid to experiment, portraits can look outstanding using the vertical format, and some landscape pictures can look more startling using the square format.

Popularity: 56% [?]