Anthony Weiss

Monday, July 9, 2018

11 Tips for Beginner Photographers

tips-beginner-photographers As a new photographer, these are some of the ideas that have helped get me going. Update: Also check out our Digital Photography Tips for Beginners Page.

1. Don’t go crazy buying the most expensive equipment right away.

It’s possible to get very nice photos with an inexpensive point and shoot. See these examples on Flickr. The more photos you take, the more you’ll know about what kind of camera to get when it’s time to upgrade.

2. Consider a tripod.

On the other hand, an inexpensive tripod is worth getting, especially if you have shaky hands like mine. When I got a tripod, my satisfaction with my shots skyrocketed. For even more stability, use your camera’s timer function with a tripod (read our introduction to tripods).

3. Keep your camera with you all the time.

Photo ops often come when you least expect it. If you can keep your equipment relatively simple – just a small camera bag and a tripod – you might be able to take advantage of some of those unexpected opportunities. Or, if your phone has a camera, use it to take “notes” on scenes you’d like to return to with your regular camera.

11 Tips for Beginner Photographers posted first on https://seanmurphyphoto.wordpress.com

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

How to Photograph Fireworks

Photographing fireworks can be challenging but it's not impossible. Here we share tips and tricks for taking the guesswork out of shooting this nighttime event, and getting inspired to capture your own unique perspective.

Turn off your flash and set your camera to manual mode.
This allows you to control the exposure and aperture yourself. A good starting place for your settings is ISO 100, f/11, at 1/2 second. If the photos are looking too dim, vary the shutter speed while keeping the aperture the same.

Arrive early to scout out your location and choose your vantage point.
Before the show begins, think about the foreground and background elements of the scene and how you might want to incorporate them. Manually set the focus for your scene before it gets dark. Focus on an area of sky where the fireworks will be, or on an object the same distance away. Once the fireworks start, you’ll be ready to start shooting.