Cameras & Camcorders

[Allan-BBY Community Connector]

More Photo-Taking Tips   

Get extra memory cards

If more than one person will be using the same camera buy a separate memory card for each person; this way, everyone can keep their photos separate, and you don’t run the risk of deleting someone else’s pictures.  

Memory cards for video

If you plan on taking a lot of video, it would be a good idea to use a memory card with a good amount of memory (at least 2GB) with a high write speed. With this being said most digital cameras do an average job of capturing video, but I would suggest getting a camcorder if video is a priority to you.

Pet Photography

When photographing pets, I would suggest using as much natural light as possible. To avoid red/green eye reflection I would suggest not using a flash or at least using an off camera lighting source. Get down to the pets level when capturing your image (would you get onto a ladder to take a portrait of a person).

Lens flare

To eliminate lens flare, use a lens hood on your camera or curve your hand around the outside of the lens.  If you want to read a more detailed post about lens flare you could click here.

 

Magic hour

The best natural light is the light right after sunrise and right before sunset, and this light typically lasts for about an hour. Magic hour is when the majority of professional natural light photographs are taken, and you will be very surprised how much better your images look when taken during Magic hour. When photographing sunsets don’t use a flash and mount your camera to a tripod. 

Shooting through glassWhen shooting objects through glass, don’t use a flash and use a polarizing lens filter if your camera is a DSLR. I would also suggest switching your camera to manual focus (if your camera has this option) since the autofocus system of your camera could easily be fooled into focusing on the glass (especially if the glass is dirty) and not your subject.

More Printing Tips  

Printer settings

Most printers allow you to change its setup depending on what type of output you are going to be printing too, and what type of quality you want. I would suggest setting your printer to Photo Paper and the best quality setting before printing your photos.

Photo paper

 Not all photo papers are created equal! I would suggest investing in a high quality photo paper before printing your images.

 

Photo ink

I would also suggest making sure you are using photo-quality inks. You will be astonished by how much better your prints look when printed with high quality photo inks.

Archival

Lastly I would make sure that the paper you are using is archival if you want your images to last your lifetime. I would also suggest always handling your prints by the edges since the oils from a person’s fingers can cause your images to fade and discolor over time. If your prints are intended to be framed or put in an album I would suggest getting a few pairs of white cotton gloves which can be purchased at most art stores.

Allan

Community Connector

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