tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6993906456059834492012-01-22T11:01:06.163-06:00Ericanoreply@blogger.comBlogger1371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-91122936108316979532012-01-10T00:31:00.000-06:002012-01-10T00:41:36.818-06:00

Many photographers carry a camera with them everywhere they go so that, whenever a photo opportunity presents itself, it can be captured.  For beginning photographers this is good advice.  Beginners can get plenty of practice at trying new angles and perspectives to learn to compose a shot well, or even just learn what makes an interesting image..  But as you become a better photographer you

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-78484823479986373052011-12-17T21:10:00.004-06:002011-12-17T21:11:39.991-06:00

This is a nice graphical manual mode cheat sheet.  It's much like my previous Manual Mode Cheat Sheet post, but prettier: http://livinginthestills.tumblr.com/day/2011/06/12

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-61580735969535302322011-09-13T18:47:00.001-05:002011-09-13T18:47:08.621-05:00

Let's start by defining two terms:-Shallow depth of field:  when only a small portion of the photo is in focus and everything in front of or behind the focus point is blurred.  Example:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/erica_marshall/852785112/in/set-72157625599893745 -Deep depth of field:  when a lot (or all of) the photo is in-focus and nothing is blurred due to being in front of or behind the

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-9213320647391585942011-06-08T20:59:00.005-05:002011-06-09T17:17:15.333-05:00

The easiest way to convert a photo to black and white is to choose the menu item or button in your imaging software that just converts it for you. In Gimp 2.6.3 you find this under the "Colors" menu and it's called "Desaturate". But like many other things in photography, the easy way isn't always the best way to go about things.I'm going to use this photo as an example for two different ways to

Ericanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-37045258141907742982011-02-14T22:18:00.002-06:002011-02-14T22:24:39.301-06:00

For those who subscribe to this blog, I apologize for the last few posts tonight, but they are part of a huge improvement for navigating the articles here on the Muddyboots Photography Blog!For the last 6 months or so it's become more and more obvious that finding the information you want on this blog can be frustrating at times, but I think I made great strides tonight with my "Quicklinks"!Now

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-10641056401898340672011-02-14T21:07:00.003-06:002011-02-14T21:52:17.453-06:00

Using gels for color correctionDIY gel holder

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-61562268333442461242011-02-14T21:02:00.003-06:002011-02-14T21:52:33.393-06:00

Cameras:My cameras (including reviews)Infrared converted camera rental, Part 1Infrared converted camera rental, Part 2Choosing a camera, what does "crop sensor" or "cropped sensor" mean?What kind of camera should I get?Lenses:Help when shopping for a new lensMy lenses (including reviews)Researching a budget all-around zoom lensCanon 50mm f/1.8 II "Fantastic Plastic" lensSigma 30mm f/1.4 and Canon

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-45161521730200008662011-02-14T21:00:00.004-06:002011-06-08T21:32:20.812-05:00

Many of the following are written for Gimp because it's free, but the steps are the same for Photoshop, PSE, Elements, Paint.NET, and any other image editing software that has layers.Gimp basicsAdjusting Curves based on a photo's histogramUsing Auto-LevelsUsing Levels (beyond the Auto button)Using CurvesCombining firework photos Creating a twinColor to black and white conversion (with Channels)

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-46200906577849679752011-02-14T20:55:00.002-06:002011-09-13T18:47:32.885-05:00

The importance of focusing on the eyes Getting everything in-focus in an image. Best time of day to take photos Light and it's direction Unusual = eye-catching Sometimes simple is better 1 minute Rule of Thirds tutorial Full Rule of Thirds tutorial DIY stock-type images Giving directional subjects "room to move"

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-59280167366860818042011-02-14T19:56:00.005-06:002011-02-14T21:52:49.256-06:00

Tutorials on using Manual Mode:Manual Mode Cheat SheetReasons to learn Manual ModeHow I taught myself Manual ModeAbout "Stops"of lightAbout ISOHow aperture & shutter speed relateCalculating for long exposuresTutorials on using your SLR more effectively:Avoiding blurry photosMetering modes explainedMaking backgrounds blurryHow to determine your depth of fieldWhite balanceHow to read a

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-24662512529864388152011-02-14T19:54:00.004-06:002011-02-14T21:53:03.366-06:00

Tutorials on using your camera more effectively:Avoiding blurry photosAuto mode cheat sheetMaking backgrounds blurryMetering modes explainedWhite balanceHow to read a histogramAnother post on reading histogramsHow to's for specific photo situations:Avoid dark people in sunset photosCreating silhouettesHow to photograph the moon

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-6991216598571441882011-02-05T20:36:00.006-06:002011-02-05T22:56:51.593-06:00

Whether you have a point and shoot or a big expensive DSLR, everyone has to battle blur in their photos from time to time. So, here's a short discussion on why you get blur, how to avoid it, and then some ideas on how you can use blur to your advantage creatively in case you want to experiment or if you get stuck in a situation where you just have to work with it.Why you get blur:Photos are made

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-39694604416820954352011-01-25T21:57:00.003-06:002011-01-25T22:27:13.926-06:00

This is a fairly easy project to accomplish. You need a camera with manual mode, a tripod (or somewhere steady to place the camera on), and image editing software like Gimp (which is free).If you aren't familiar with Manual mode, that's ok. You may need your camera's manual, however, if you don't know how to find out and change your ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.First, find your location and

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-39939460266667194992011-01-11T19:22:00.007-06:002011-01-11T20:09:53.951-06:00

With the funds I received from a rare and generous donation I was able to buy a Pullip doll that I intend on using for photography. That might sound really stupid, but as you can see from the examples of Pullip photos here, they really can make great subjects.So, the doll arrived the other day and I immediately started to think about how to photograph her. My first thought was to make it

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-18079754195793614232011-01-04T12:49:00.004-06:002011-01-04T12:53:24.544-06:00

Getting critique on your work is the only way to find out how others perceive your work. But, beginners are often hesitant to join in with critiquing because they don't think they have the skills to judge a photo yet. I strongly disagree. Many of us aim to one day be good enough to have their photo in a newspaper or hanging on someone's wall. But the people who will be buying your art

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-87739654974433756452010-10-12T19:35:00.003-05:002010-10-12T19:56:17.374-05:00

Since I lost my job a couple years ago I've had a lot more time on my hands. For the last year I've been volunteering and working a part time job, but that left plenty of time for photography. Funny thing is I lost my motivation or inspiration. I'm not sure which was the cause, but I just stopped taking photos. It frustrated me, but I'd pick up my camera and just have no idea what to shoot.

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-43327943052422191322010-07-08T00:40:00.000-05:002010-07-08T07:40:56.052-05:00

Canon 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6:This was the kit lens that came with the Elan IIe. It's lightweight and plastic. I don't use it much. I suppose it could be a decent walkaround lens, but I don't really do much "walkaround" photography. I can't really say much more -I don't use it because it's not wide enough for landscapes and it's not telephoto enough for wildlife photos.Canon 75-300mm f/4-

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-54931188252590155242010-07-05T09:46:00.007-05:002010-07-05T13:18:04.935-05:00

I took my first attempt at fireworks photos last night. I did okay with them, but I couldn't balance the light so that the fireworks came out looking good along with the foreground. Either the foreground was exposed well and the fireworks were blown out, or the foreground was all black and the fireworks came out nice. So, I went home a little disappointed.While going through my photos I had an

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-66587485957626383012010-07-04T00:40:00.004-05:002010-07-04T15:58:35.655-05:00

A commenter recently asked me to post my equipment list, so here's the first part:Cameras:Canon Elan IIe (film SLR):My Dad and I bought it while I was in college and we "shared" it for years when I lived at home, then he passed it down to me a few years after I moved out of the house. It is still an excellent camera with most of the bells and whistles that my Canon 30D has, aside from the

Ericanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-62378220660055649792010-07-01T21:02:00.004-05:002010-07-02T10:07:40.009-05:00

Much can be done with a simple point and shoot camera. SLR users choose between two creative settings, aperture and shutter speed, to control depth of field (AKA background blur) and the blur or freezing of motion. Point and shoot cameras give you some control over your depth of field and also allow you to freeze most motion with the standard modes available on all cameras. Blurring motion on

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-9681373252557200062010-06-26T19:35:00.008-05:002011-01-04T13:52:40.911-06:00

I recently made my first "big" photography sale to Bicycling Magazine who licensed two of my photos for their magazine. Below are some lessons I learned from the experience.1. Flickr's a great place to advertise and potentially sell your work.Active selling is not allowed on Flickr, but many people have found sales through the site and at least one member has even found a sponsorship by a

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-57318289396384406382010-06-21T13:36:00.009-05:002010-06-22T08:49:17.189-05:00

We're going to start with the basics of exposure. Your camera is pre-programmed to assume that every photo that you take should be of an "average tone". The word "tone" confuses some people, but it just means a shade of color. So, light blue and light purple would be the same tone as would dark blue and dark purple. Get it?The reason your camera makes that "average tone" assumption is pretty

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-74543301281528186122010-06-03T13:34:00.007-05:002010-06-03T14:20:18.831-05:00

As you get into photography you'll hear people talking about "stops" or "stops of light". Grasping what this actually means can be tricky, so let me attempt to explain it here...If you have an SLR style camera it probably has a graph that looks like this on it in the viewfinder and perhaps also on other displays on the camera:[-2...-1...0..+1..+2]* NOTE that on Nikons the positive numbers are on

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-61763975605101640482010-06-02T22:19:00.004-05:002010-06-02T22:42:13.313-05:00

Neutral Density or "ND" filters come in 2 types: graduated, where they fade from clear to gray, or normal which are all gray. This article will be focused on the more popular completely gray ones, but once you understand the concept it's not difficult to figure out how to use the graduated ones as well.As I said before, ND filters are completely gray and they come in different strengths. Many

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-27811691591288961972010-05-17T14:07:00.005-05:002010-05-17T14:53:10.776-05:00

Think about it. Light is what photography is about. So, it's really important to notice it. The color, the direction, the shadows that result.Next time you're driving an hour or so after sunrise or before sunset, notice the warm color and the long shadows. If you're driving North to South (or South to North), notice that one side of the road is in shadow and the other is bathed in beautiful

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-34494660691073344622010-04-14T21:33:00.004-05:002010-04-14T21:47:23.004-05:00

Your camera gets confused when you have a really dark background (the sky) with a really bright spot on it (the moon). -It doesn't know what's more important: the dark sky, or the bright moon, so it'll often "compromise", which will make the moon too bright.Fix #1: Spot MeteringUsing "spot" metering to tell the camera which part of the scene you want it to expose for (more info on how exposure is

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-62207115553664384942010-04-09T23:11:00.001-05:002010-04-09T23:26:23.892-05:00

There's more to background blur than aperture!Sometimes it seems like the amount of background blur that you get in a given shot is completely random. I mean, the guideline that the larger the aperture (or the lower the aperture value), the more blur you get is a good one, but it doesn't always work, does it? ...or when it does work, you get varying amounts of background blur, even when using the

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-974426129138288252010-03-09T14:27:00.005-06:002010-04-29T07:27:15.844-05:00

Have you ever driven down a residential street or looked at an apartment complex at night and noticed how orange or blue the light is coming through some of the windows? Of course, it doesn't look orange or blue when we're in the room. -It's funny how hard it is to see the color of the light that surrounds us, but in order to become better at getting white balance right, that's exactly what we

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-66334888512941383522010-02-18T22:02:00.001-06:002010-02-18T22:02:54.307-06:00

Intro:When you use a slow shutter speed light is recorded slowly. This is a great opportunity to get creative! You can use this simple technique to create a "ghostly" image, and after you master it you can use it for all sorts of artistic photography. The only limit is your imagination!Setup:You will need:Your camera, mounted on a tripod or set on something very steady.A low-light setting in

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-47504070292301021902010-01-05T12:49:00.004-06:002010-01-05T13:04:08.460-06:00

This gel holder is an easy and free way to use the Rosco gels (like these) on any flash.Just take the semi-stiff, clear, plastic that comes as a part of so many things that you buy these days and cut it into a rectangle that's about 3 times as wide as you flash head and about 2 1/2 times as high. Then fold it approximately (but not perfectly) in half so that it's easier to separate the two pieces

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-71302325615337292182010-01-05T10:25:00.000-06:002010-01-05T10:26:27.882-06:00

The situation is similar to my previous article -I have a model in a room. She's inches from a white wall and lit by a normal overhead light fixture that has a 60W tungsten bulb in it. Because she's so close to the wall, the overhead light creates a shadow on the wall to the camera's left (her right).Our eyes generally adjust for the yellow/orange cast of tungsten lighting so we don't even

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-68013086348389020752010-01-02T16:40:00.006-06:002010-01-02T21:08:52.153-06:00

Many times when shooting an event or while at a family function you'll be called upon to take a photo of a person or group against a wall; so this a good project for beginners to practice. I'm going to walk you through one sample situation and we'll discuss some different ways that you could take the photo and their good and bad points. Note that this is part one of a two part article. This

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-88352781175464942952009-10-25T20:44:00.003-05:002009-10-28T07:47:52.845-05:00

I'm offering my Manual Mode Course in one of two ways for November. You can take the course via email at your own pace or as a group starting November 9th. The cost, either way, is the same as always -$99.All you need for the course is a camera capable of Program Mode ("P" on your mode dial), Aperture Priority ("A" or "Av"), Shutter Speed Priority ("S" or "Tv"), and Manual Mode "M") and a

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-32305436011619847352009-10-06T13:10:00.006-05:002009-10-07T08:08:03.546-05:00

We connect with people (and other living things) through the eyes, so the eyes are the most important part of just about any portrait that you do. So, here's a few quick tips on getting better portraits by paying close attention to the eyes:The Basics:1. Make sure they are in focus. If you use autofocus, focus on the eyes. If you are focusing manually, then concentrate on getting them in

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-2604869242279246452009-09-21T08:46:00.003-05:002011-01-04T13:57:04.363-06:00

I realize that we all live hectic lives and many people can't commit to a fast-paced 4 week Manual Mode Course. For that reason, I'm now offering the course via email. You can start any time (email me to confirm there's room and that I'll be available), and the cost is the same, $99.The course materials are exactly the same, but the lessons will be emailed to you. Once you've completed the

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-72661181568180005092009-09-02T21:44:00.005-05:002009-09-03T08:48:02.717-05:00

After my latest vacation I realized something. My camera bag is full of odd lenses, mostly primes, that have built up for various reasons. In my walk around kit I usually have a Canon 10-22mm, Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. So, while my husband (who has a Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5) would photograph whatever was in front of us in a couple minutes, I'd take a few photos with one

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-55809083448164322912009-08-06T12:53:00.007-05:002011-01-04T13:57:21.786-06:00

Leave a comment, email me at (e-are-eye-sea-ay-at-muddyboots.org), or contact me on flickr to be put on the list. The cost is $99 for the 4 week course. All you need is a camera capable of Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, and Manual modes and a tripod (the $25 WalMart ones work just fine).A couple spaces are still available as of 9/2/2009, so if you want in, let me know!

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-38227638630453738192009-07-06T08:50:00.007-05:002011-01-04T13:53:48.261-06:00

I've taken my in-person Manual Mode lessons and developed an online Manual Mode course out of them. The first class will start July 20th. Cost for this first round of students will be $50 each for the complete 4-8 week course! (Due when the class list is announced.)This class is full! Add a comment or email me if you'd be interested in the next class to be offered starting either 8/31 or 9/7.

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-86564379525851444902009-05-09T09:02:00.002-05:002009-10-18T20:48:19.862-05:00

You frequently see these kinds of photos on the covers of magazines because, well, they're impressive. They work for all kinds of sports, and the effect isn't hard to do (although it does take some practice!).Use: Shutter Speed Priority ModeThe easiest mode to use for these kinds of shots is "Shutter Speed Priority" mode, since a slow shutter speed is what gives the motion blur effect.Start out

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-49785462049163040212009-04-24T22:00:00.001-05:002009-04-24T22:00:48.291-05:00

The above image illustrates an effect known as "Light Painting". It's an effect you can achieve with your camera alone -no special software knowledge is necessary! "Light painting" is a fun way to let your creativity flow. Kids love playing with it, but I've found that it's equally as entertaining to adults, turning them into kids after the first time they see the effect for themselves. But

Ericanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-4031341011795772652009-04-20T10:10:00.003-05:002009-04-20T10:20:41.708-05:00

If you are thinking or even just hoping to one day sell an image commercially, you should seriously think about getting this book:Pricing Photography: The Complete Guide to Assignment & Stock PricesIt tells you what kinds of questions you need answered before you come up with a price for your image and then gives you an idea of what price range is expected given it's anticipated use. It also

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-51948144843655059092009-04-19T11:28:00.007-05:002009-04-19T18:19:29.939-05:00

If you're without a tripod, at the highest ISO you're willing to shoot at and you're still getting shutter speeds that are too low to hand-hold your only options are to optimize your stance in order to be as stable as possible to eliminate camera shake. Here are some examples of stable shooting positions you can try:First, slowly squeeze the shutter button:The first thing to pay attention to

Ericanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-19742837957230318342009-04-10T20:42:00.003-05:002009-04-10T21:53:16.663-05:00

Jpg vs RAW:The jpg file format was created to make images smaller through something called "compression", and more specifically, "lossy compression". What this means is that it actually makes some changes to the file so it's smaller. So, if a patch of blue sky had 12 different shades of blue before your camera saved the file as a jpg, it'd end up with maybe just 4 different shades of blue

Ericanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-48597713630790664952009-04-02T07:53:00.001-05:002010-03-02T12:39:37.922-06:00

Set your camera up on a tripod Take the first picture. (These are self portraits, so I used my camera's timer to trip the shutter.) Change positions, clothes... whatever you choose, but leave the camera EXACTLY where it was for the first photo.Take the second picture. Open both photos in Gimp (free here or use whatever software you like)Select the clone tool (the icon looks like a stamper or

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-87960001579356589792009-03-11T14:50:00.005-05:002009-03-11T15:31:25.719-05:00

The following photo was taken by auntyre1 on Flickr and was used with her permission:(Click on the photo to view it larger, see the EXIF, etc.)I love everything about this photo from the perfectly white background to the soft shadows that define it's textures. The only thing wrong with it is the areas of lost detail in the highlights. When this banding and loss of detail occurs in a photo it's

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-64584130424225670132009-03-06T14:25:00.005-06:002011-01-04T14:08:24.296-06:00

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-50138545948984049462009-02-27T08:14:00.006-06:002009-02-27T08:28:25.439-06:00

"Backlighting" just means that there's light behind your subject. An example of this would be lining your friends up in front of a sunset to take their photo -the sun would be behind your friends, so they'd be backlit.What happens with a typical backlighting situation is that your camera sees all that light aimed towards it, so it makes the photo darker to compensate for the excess light. The

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-41847032004413310512009-02-17T09:17:00.002-06:002009-02-17T09:27:57.981-06:00

You automatically have copyright on your photo as soon as you click the shutter button on your camera. The problem lies in proving it if your image is stolen. If you have the RAW file, if the EXIF is attached and your camera's serial number is in it (although this can be faked), or if you only post a crop or a version that's smaller than the original and you keep the full size on file, you're

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-22706876740470200442009-02-10T10:54:00.005-06:002009-02-15T09:51:52.554-06:00

Because you can adjust the brightness of your monitor, how do you know if your photo is light or dark? Judging exposure on your computer monitor, unless it's calibrated, is not a good idea. Luckily, there's a tool that can help us judge if our photo is too light or too dark -it's called a histogram. If you are unfamiliar with reading histograms, read this article.So, let's open this photo in

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-19002921620874413402009-02-10T09:23:00.004-06:002009-02-10T09:27:37.074-06:00

Histograms don't look that hard. Many people make assumptions about them based on reading similar graphs in the past, but this leads to so many people thinking it's the shape of the data that matters when, in truth, all that matters most of the time is the far left edge and far right edge of the graph.So, let's start over. Here's what you need to know:The far left edge of the graph represents

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-60067384971719221912009-01-29T09:43:00.008-06:002009-01-29T11:25:02.501-06:00

If you are looking at getting a new lens, no matter what kind it is you might be overwhelmed by the lens descriptions. Do you need a Canon 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM IS AF for $600 or will a Canon 100-300 f/5.6-6.7 AF for $130 do? And what will you get if you go for a Sigma 100-300 f/4 EX DG IF HSM for $1065?Hopefully, if you're lens shopping you have a purpose in mind. Make sure you really think

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-40850641268967046772009-01-27T09:32:00.002-06:002009-01-27T09:34:05.358-06:00

Day 223 - O BrotherOriginally uploaded by Aaron CourterThe poses for both children are perfect here. As a "big sister" to a "little brother" this really conveys what I felt many times in childhood -annoyance at my little brother!The lighting is suberb. Just like the flower photo, there's enough definition with shadow to show contours, but no sharp shadow lines -they are all very soft and not

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-40935021791335527932009-01-27T09:31:00.002-06:002009-01-27T09:34:22.967-06:00

A cala copoutOriginally uploaded by ejbSFThis is a simple flower shot, but what makes it exceptional in my mind is the fact that most of us would never think to let such so much of the flower fall outside the frame like the photographer has done here.The reason that cropping the flower is okay here is that the flower isn't so much the subject as is shape. -It's almost an abstract. That gentle

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-20817033230805952012009-01-23T09:19:00.005-06:002011-01-04T14:08:53.134-06:00

Here's a secret for all of you who are frustrated trying to learn manual mode. ...it took me at least 3 REAL tries (in addition to numerous half-hearted attempts) before I learned how to use manual mode. Know how I finally did it? I tackled it one piece at a time. I limited my reading to what the numbers meant for aperture and shutter speed and with the aim that all I cared about was how the

Ericanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-34211294688946175952009-01-06T21:43:00.005-06:002010-06-25T07:35:20.886-05:00

Exposure & your light meter:* Exposure means how bright or dark your photo is.* "Correct" exposure means that the photo came out as dark or light as you intended.* The light meter on your camera will show you your exposure.* The light meter on your camera looks like this:[-2...-1...0..+1..+2]* "0" on your light meter usually gives you a "correct exposure".* Exposing for positive numbers

Ericanoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-34984053495485222962008-12-17T09:27:00.003-06:002008-12-17T10:02:08.668-06:00

About a month ago I started looking for volunteer work since it looked like finding a new job would probably be difficult until after the holidays and I was going crazy being at home all day with nothing but soaps and court shows on TV all day. While trying to find volunteer work like I've done in the past -maybe preparing or serving food for the homeless or cleaning kennels at the humane

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-76771603946020777932008-12-15T20:57:00.003-06:002008-12-15T21:04:46.003-06:00

My local hardware store had these can cozies on sale for thirty-eight cents and, since the inside is white, I figured that I might be able to make a snoot for my flash out of one of them, so I picked one up. It ended up fitting on my Canon 580EX perfectly and works well without modification since it has a hole in the bottom already. Here's some photos of the setup: (click on photo for larger

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-50052526461637741332008-12-10T09:48:00.000-06:002008-12-10T09:49:54.878-06:00

Okay, so we're going back to the Levels tool today to experiment with different ways to use this tool beyond just the "Auto" button.To start, this where you can download the photo I'll be using in this tutorial if you want to use it to follow along:www.flickr.com/photos/15059459@N02/3097360115/sizes/l/After opening the sample photo (or your own), the next step is to open the Levels tool from

Ericanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-10310964798292077202008-12-03T15:57:00.001-06:002008-12-03T15:57:56.041-06:00

For this exercise we'll be using this photo:Feel free to download the photo here if you'd like to follow along with the exercise.The problem with this photo is that it's dark, so the logical thing we might thing of to do would be to bring up the "Brightness/Contrast" tool (from the "Colors" menu) to fix it like this: ...but notice how increasing the brightness on the photo brightens the WHOLE

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-50039781094691234762008-12-02T19:31:00.003-06:002011-01-04T14:05:25.061-06:00

Digital SLR owners (and perhaps some digital point and shoot's as well) have the ability to view photos they've taken along with something called a "Histogram". This article will explain what a histogram was and how it can be used to improve your photography.What is a histogram?Well, it's a graph, so let's start with an example: (Click on the photo to view a larger version.)Below the graph, you

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-66543566919611206892008-12-01T15:41:00.002-06:002008-12-01T15:45:40.614-06:00

One of the most common issues I see in photos on Flickr is a dullness -a hazy gray look to images. This is often very easy to fix. We'll use Auto Levels to fix the dullness seen in this photo:Feel free to download this photo at it's full size here to follow along with the steps to fix it:www.flickr.com/photos/15059459@N02/3074716327/sizes/o/After downloading the photo, open it in Gimp. Do you

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-71307810573693923102008-11-28T21:09:00.002-06:002008-11-28T21:16:23.303-06:00

When you open Gimp for the first time you'll get 2 seperate windows, the toolbox window is the one with all the little icons all over it; the image window is the one that's mostly gray with the menus at the top ("File", "Edit", "Select", etc).-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you go to the "File" menu and open one of your photos it'll look

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-1514086676088948782008-11-09T21:43:00.003-06:002008-11-09T22:09:43.175-06:00

Vignette is that effect you sometimes see where the corners of a photo are a little darker than the rest of the photo. Here's an example from Aaron Escobar's photostream on Flickr (click on the photo to go to the Flickr page):Here are the steps to create this effect in Gimp:* Go to the "Layer" menu and choose "New Layer" -make sure the default layer type of "Transparency" is selected, then

Ericanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-43804416023036026582008-11-07T09:28:00.004-06:002011-01-04T13:58:12.812-06:00

There are billions of people around the globe who take pictures. There are hundreds of millions who give honest effort to taking GOOD pictures. There are millions who'd love to be professional-level. So, what separates the people who get stuck in the "better than average but not great" category from those who really excel? I follow many successful photographers who got their start online.

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-12353054476327281162008-10-15T19:05:00.007-05:002011-01-04T13:58:36.432-06:00

My workflow is:Take photo in RAW formatOpen in DPPMake any large changes to brightness, contrast, saturation and brightness that are necessary in DPPConvert the image to jpg(Optional) Open the jpg in noise reduction software, reduce noise, re-save as jpg.Open the photo in Gimp and make the rest of the changes that are necessary.As you can see, I often save an image in jpg format 2-3 times (

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-36219513358709846402008-10-15T18:47:00.004-05:002011-01-04T13:59:09.231-06:00

I've encountered a lot of misconceptions about shooting RAW vs Jpg. I've heard people say that they've taken a shot in RAW format and another shot in Jpg and compared them and found no difference. This is true -there's little difference between the two as they come straight from the camera. The difference is clear, however, when you need to change the photo's brightness, white balance,

Ericanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-65588123044877800482008-10-13T09:18:00.005-05:002011-02-14T20:26:54.983-06:00

The other day I was watching the sun rise over the lake in Chicago. It was a beautiful sight and while I was taking photos of the buildings reflecting the beautiful orange light, most of the people around me were lining their friends up in front of the sunrise and taking their photos.There are thousands of people who do this every day, but unfortunately I think most of their photos will come out

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-79226494296564021542008-10-08T08:49:00.003-05:002008-10-08T09:05:27.200-05:00

Many times we go out to take photos during mid-day when it's convenient for us, but photos taken at this time when the sun is it's brightest and high in the sky can result in a washed out look for colors as well as overly bright and overly dark areas because of the great difference in brightness of areas in the sun vs shade.So, a little extra thought about lighting and it's effect on your photos

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-68633224580249870362008-08-17T19:36:00.002-05:002008-08-17T19:38:27.262-05:00

My photos can be found here:http://gallery.muddyboots.org/gallery2/v/2008DSMShootout/

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-84486505570599515872008-07-31T10:09:00.002-05:002008-07-31T10:15:10.188-05:00

I find it really interesting to take two photos and ask friends / family which they like better and why. Photos I throw out because of technical problems or distractions, etc are sometimes overwhelmingly the favorites of my non-photographer viewers. I've learned a lot from those kinds of discussions. It's a great way to find your weak spots as far as composition goes. The secret is to present

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-88125290010040456552008-07-08T08:38:00.005-05:002008-07-08T11:05:24.863-05:00

(larger versions of all photos in this article can be seen by clicking on them)I'm going on a 25 Mile bike ride that starts at midnight next weekend (the "LATE Ride" in Chicago) and, in order to get some photos during the ride, I've been thinking about bringing my camera. The problem is that my tripod is heavy and bulky and 25 miles isn't easy to do without all that weight and bother. But, my

Ericanoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-36467278929854739372008-07-02T10:39:00.003-05:002011-01-04T14:02:05.692-06:00

Common photography advice about not centering your subject, not putting the horizon in the center, not taking photos of flowers from straight on, not shooting from eye-level, and so on are all about one thing: breaking habits.It's everyone's natural tendency to take photos with the subject centered, from eye-level, etc so we've already seen those photos time and time again. They are the same as

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-68333111646306017572008-07-01T11:36:00.002-05:002008-07-01T11:38:55.627-05:00

The blog itself seems very Yosemite-centric, but the 2 (Non-Adams) photos in this post are fantastic and I figured I'd share:http://theanseladamsgallery.blogspot.com/2008/06/contrast-exhibit-of-photographic-work.html

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-1975588809249063722008-06-30T17:58:00.003-05:002008-07-01T08:13:10.767-05:00

The real issue here is that your camera has no idea what you are taking a picture of muchless what you want it to end up looking like. To determine how light or dark your photo will be, it's programed with a very simple goal in mind -make every photo average out to a pre-defined "average" tone (about the same shade as the palm of your hand). This works well most of the time, but not so much when

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-66682641304967965882008-06-20T13:16:00.005-05:002011-01-04T13:49:18.760-06:00

round the bendOriginally uploaded by rex dart: eskimo spyI saw this photo on Flickr and thought it was a great example of why I so often I've encourage new photographers to go out and seek others' work to get inspiration as well as to develop their own eye for what makes a photo good.This photo caught my eye because it shows a side of the world and a culture I'm not familiar with. I like the

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-66900544701212967452008-06-16T09:46:00.004-05:002011-01-04T13:56:36.836-06:00

Auto modes do a good job of capturing the world as you see it. Most of the time, though, these kinds of photos are seen as "snapshots". The semi-manual modes (the "priority modes") on your camera can give you considerable control over your photos to produce the end-result that YOU want rather than just taking whatever comes out of the camera as-is.So, here's some inspiration. (You can click on

Ericanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-57284527984393890032008-05-27T07:47:00.005-05:002008-05-27T07:55:58.814-05:00

Pictures of the cars that competed in the drag race event on May 24 and 25 in Norwalk, Ohio can be found here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/15059459@N02/sets/72157605255646747/If you participated, there's a good chance I got a photo of your car!

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-48509202886002768552008-05-15T11:17:00.004-05:002011-01-04T14:06:13.215-06:00

I took the photo above on my lunch break yesterday. It was an enlightening day. Because the camera's exposure meter measures visible light while the sensor's been converted to see infrared light, it's not very accurate. I wrote about this yesterday, but at that time I was under the impression that the difference would be fairly standard -like if you always over expose by 2/3 you'll generally

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-18812911546677859912008-05-14T10:53:00.002-05:002008-05-14T11:15:17.561-05:00

I'm unsure if this will be helpful to anyone or not, but I figured I'd write out everything from the time I first received this infrared converted camera (Rebel XTi) to when I get the hang of it.After unboxing it, inserting a memory card, and grabbing a lens for it, I turned it on. I immediately got an "Error 99". I removed the battery as it suggested, but it didn't help. I googled the error,

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-31536445395873534762008-04-25T21:57:00.004-05:002011-01-04T14:09:30.508-06:00

Over the winter I started to see more and more infrared photography popping up in magazines and on the 'net and I became interested in dabbling in it myself. I did a bit of research, joined the Infrared_Photography yahoogroup (which has some amazing resources!), and decided that the most wise way to start out would be with the most minimal investment, an infrared Cokin filter, even though I was

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-70749939665366257032008-04-24T21:52:00.000-05:002008-04-25T21:57:38.201-05:00

Video tutorials are a pain to do and mine, I realize now, pretty much stink. So, I'll leave them to this guy. He seems to do a pretty good job:http://www.michaelthementor.com/I think I'll stick to typing.

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-47509270638709063642008-04-13T09:21:00.002-05:002008-04-13T09:24:17.208-05:00

I've posted about this experiment you can do before, but this time I'm posting about it in video form! :-)This lesson will teach you why pictures of snow scenes tend to come out with the snow looking gray as well as why other pictures that are taken of overly light or dark scenes often don't come out the way we'd expect. I also go over how to compensate for it.

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-61393642598813799472008-04-10T19:45:00.002-05:002008-04-10T20:24:54.328-05:00

I took this photo in the middle of the afternoon in harsh sunlight so getting the exposure right was difficult. I tried several different exposures using exposure compensation and watching the histogram, but because much of the deer was in shadow compared to the full sunlight that the foreground was getting, I had to choose to expose for the deer and let the rest get a bit blown out. According

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-22057670819880062742008-03-31T09:26:00.002-05:002008-03-31T20:34:29.069-05:00

I took this panorama in Saskatchewan this winter, but it took me about two hours to edit in software due to a few mistakes I made while taking the photos that make it up. I'll explain those mistakes here in an attempt to help others avoid having to learn these lessons the hard way like I did.First, the focus. It'd be best to have a large depth of field. When I took this shot it was getting

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-89116028713037610972008-03-30T10:39:00.004-05:002011-01-04T13:54:47.261-06:00

This is kindof a personal post for me, I'm looking into renting a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens before I run out and purchase one for $2k. So, I'm looking for the best price and I plan to test it over my upcoming vacation (in a few months). But I figured the prices are probably similar for other lenses, and at the very least I could compile a list of places for people to go if they want to rent

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-29199920287443081522008-03-29T23:09:00.001-05:002008-03-29T23:12:50.076-05:00

I got the original version of the photo above printed by Flickr and I chose the "8 x D" option, which was supposed to print it at it's normal digital size of 8x12, but when I got the print in the mail, it was cropped as you see here. What's worse is I couldn't find an email address or phone number to call about the issue. Oh well, I'm only out a bit of money, but I won't be ordering prints from

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-80858687278523364192008-03-28T07:13:00.006-05:002011-01-04T13:51:32.219-06:00

This article is kindof an extension of this one here. You may want to read the previous one before continuing.When you want to take photos at night that require shutter speeds of over 30 seconds, you're left to calculate the settings on your own. If you grab your camera and put it on Manual Mode, set the shutter speed to 30sec, and then go one more setting down, you'll see "Bulb" or "B". When

Ericanoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-37099439730210661052008-03-25T19:30:00.006-05:002011-01-04T13:50:07.096-06:00

I was on a tour in St Thomas that let us off at Megan's Bay for 2 hours before continuing on to other destinations when I came across a boat chained to a tree near the beach that I really wanted to capture on film. The problem was that the bright caribbean sun was in full force and it was the middle of the afternoon. As a result, there were harsh shadows from the tree all over the boat.I knew

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-42287874817643466132008-03-24T14:27:00.005-05:002010-06-04T19:40:31.855-05:00

Learning how aperture and shutter speed (and ISO) relate to one another is an important thing to know when you're learning to use manual mode as well as the priority modes. But, this too is easy!If you find a combination of settings that gives you the magic "0" reading on your meter (which means the photo should be exposed properly), and then you want to change the aperture value to get more

Ericanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-33827834982088767642008-03-05T20:09:00.001-06:002008-03-05T20:09:45.600-06:00

I was going through photo withdrawl and it was icky cold outside, so I went on a scouting trip through the house looking for things to take photos of. I played with some alternative ways of lighting a model car, which worked well, but not well enough to post, so I got bored with that and started looking for something else. I'm not sure why, but I had this feeling that I wanted to do something

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-19576636166450456922008-02-29T14:37:00.007-06:002008-02-29T15:57:49.040-06:00

Let's say you took the following photo:http://www.flickr.com/photos/38517801@N00/2300096065/Would you consider this to be a good photo? Why or why not? Seriously consider this photo as if you had taken it. What would you try to improve on your next try?Let's say this is your second try:http://www.flickr.com/photos/russeth/2300846140/How do you think you did this time?And your third try?http://

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-69765622890608398712008-02-20T12:44:00.004-06:002011-01-04T13:58:52.794-06:00

I have a couple of ways of explaining how a camera determines exposure and why it sometimes gets it wrong, but despite my best efforts it seems to be a concept that continues to elude many people. Well, I've come up with a new way. A way that requires few words and should demonstrate the concept in a matter of minutes. Curious? Do the following:Grab your cameraPut it on "Auto"Take a picture

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-4716927734354712142008-02-20T08:33:00.004-06:002011-01-04T13:51:06.056-06:00

Generally this blog's been aimed at beginners, but I found this Google TechTalk series on photography on YouTube and I had to share it. It's definitely advanced stuff, talking about exactly how lenses work, how a digital camera sensor works down to the atomic level at times. There's also some stuff on printing, HDR, and other topics as well (even one about eyesight).There are 26 videos in all,

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-26831880709736966732008-02-15T21:14:00.004-06:002011-01-04T13:54:13.229-06:00

This will be my first workshop of the year! And in anticipation of jumping back into the photography season I’m offering this workshop at 50% off, or $50 per person! Reserve your spot now by sending me an RSVP by email. (The date is subject to change due to weather.) Bemis Woods is very close to I-294 and Ogden Ave, just south of I-88 -near Brookfield Zoo. This boot camp was designed to

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-62642280739053877572008-02-09T14:28:00.001-06:002008-02-20T12:44:15.380-06:00

Aperture -How large the hole is when you open the shutter when you take a picture. The size of that hole will vary with your aperture. (Also known as "f-stop".) As the f-stop number gets larger, the hole gets smaller. Larger holes will allow you to gather more light and therefore achieve a faster shutter speed. The effect of aperture on your photo will be that the smaller the number, the

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-77509983822235246872008-02-08T21:56:00.002-06:002009-04-13T08:34:45.630-05:00

* Open your photo in GIMP* Go to the "Layers" menu and select "Duplicate Layer". This is like taking two copies of your photo and setting one ontop of the other.* Go to the "Windows" menu, choose "Dockable Dialogs" and then choose "Layers".* A new (small) window should open and you should see the two layers you now have in the "Layers" box. * Click on the top layer in the "Layers" box (it should

Ericanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-16637086576253477172008-02-02T23:45:00.000-06:002008-02-02T23:46:38.717-06:00

* Open your photo in Paint.NET* Go to the "Layers" menu and select "Duplicate Layer". This is like taking two copies of your photo and setting one ontop of the other.* Now you should see the two layers in the "Layers" box in the lower right hand corner of your Paint.NET workspace. Click on the top layer in the "Layers" box to make that layer the "active" one that you'll be working on. * Go

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-6016866688915587252008-01-29T07:23:00.000-06:002008-01-29T11:30:01.771-06:00

Some call it the "fantastic plastic" and given the build quality, you'll know why. The Canon 50mm f/1.8 II is the lightest lens you're likely to ever hold in your hands (except for maybe the lens baby); the lens cap is laughably small, the focus ring is too! Also, it's autofocus is quite noisy and doesn't perform well in low-light or low-contrast conditions at all.BUT!This lens is quite sharp

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-88302524400247317562008-01-15T19:29:00.000-06:002008-01-16T19:02:42.288-06:00

If you read my previous article, you know that one of the advantages of having the camera save your files as .jpg's instead of RAW is the size of .jepg's are much smaller. That comes with the downside of loosing some of the detail that you get with RAW files, though, because jpeg's use what's called "lossy compression". The size difference is substantial because RAW files record exactly what

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699390645605983449.post-86389158796439835132008-01-10T10:00:00.000-06:002008-01-10T10:45:13.943-06:00

Sorry for the pun in the title, but I've noticed that there's a lot of confusion over file formats and resolution. Let's see if I can help clear things up:First, think of your camera's sensor as a grid with millions of tiny squares on it. Each square records the color that it sees when you take a picture, and all of them together make up the photo itself. This isn't abstract -it's really how

Ericanoreply@blogger.com0