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A.Miguel Oliveira
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 18:02
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As I had promise Ruud~, here they go, my ten tips (sorry to all those experienced members who won't learn anything new from them):
1. Choose the early hours in the morning, and the late evening time, to take the most pics you can. At midday go for contrasty b/w graphics' effect pics.
2. Whenever you can, carry a tripod (even those small ones that can hold your compact in almost every location) and always a closed bag of dry beans in your car (you can adjust it to many situations and positions). If you missed them and your pic is not pin sharp (besides those situations you want it to be blurred), then go for sharpening with your software (Picasa2 from Google is free and easy, if you can't afford Adobe Photoshop Elements 5, or similar)
3. For sharper and well defined pics, mind that it's easier to get them with a small aperture (semi-automatic :Aperture Priority mode at your camera), that is to say higher numbers for f: (i.e., f:11 is a smaller aperture than f:5.6), and so you'll get greater depth of field (more of the pic in focus); neverthless, you must remember that smaller aperture means, on the other hand, a slower shutter speed to compensate for the light loss. This way, without a tripod it's better to go the other way round: faster shutter speed (not to be noticed the shake of your hands), choosing the semi-automatic Shutter Priority mode at your camera, for instance no less than 1/125 of a second (it depends on the light amount, your hands firmness, etc).
4. Carry 3 basic filters with you:
- Polarizer (to boost colours and cut flare)
- ND x6 (to cut light and so have the possibility a) to use slower shutter speeds ; sometimes you'll like them: to make the waves look like "cream" b) to use a larger aperture, like f:2.8 ; when you want to put a background out-of-focus, for instance)
- Gray Graduated (to darken just only a flat white sky, or to compensate from a very contrasty sky; this means you can use it upside down to achieve this second situation).
5. For portrait photography or macro just think that an out-of-focus background normally (not ever) looks better. This means you must choose a small aperture (not too much at macro, as the lens closer position to the object already shortens the depth-of-field and you may have a very very small sharp part of the object) or use a tele-lens (300mm are great for portrait, as you emphasize the models's face against a blurred background, and you are not so obstructive as being too near to the model; and even for macro, when you don't own a special macro lens).
For landscape try more extreme lenses: both 300mm (to compress space and get nearer the main subject) and 28 or 24mm (to widen your horizon and make panoramas' style pics, and to get advantage of a greater depth-of-field just from an interesting foreground) are very nice.
6. Be VERY careful with the skyline (or any kind of horizon line) not to get it tilt! If you only notice it after the picture taking, just do correct the line at Picasa2 (fast, easy and NECESSARY).
7. Be sensible with composition. Normally (but not always!) the main subject looks better at the "1/3 rule" position, either horizontally or vertically speaking. When a visible obstructive "object" spoils the pic at a corner, up or down, distracting our look from the main point, cut it off with Picasa2 again.
8. Correct the contrast, if needed, and also the amount of fill-in light, also with Picasa2. Remember that light is the most important part (one of them, at least) of picture taking. So, correct when needed. When you think the pic doesn't look good in colour, try to see it in b/w (Picasa2 again, for begginers and when you don't have a more powerful software). And buy some monthly magazines for looking and looking at great portfolios!
9. ALWAYS carry a camera with you, even if it's only a compact (you never know when it happens;) ) [just to tell you that all my pics from Italy, at Woophy, were taken with a 3 Mp compact, the wonderful out-of-production Canon Powershot A70, 120€] !!! Besides, when you're travelling anywhere, even in your daily environment, look at "objects" with camera-eyes! Try making compositions without the camera, everywhere, even at home! Look for angles, details, framing!
10. Choosing the final pic (among all those with a "correct" compo, light, sharpness, and subject) to the Woophy Unofficial Contest, don't go necessarily for your own favourite. See what other members view, comment and vote for, at your gallery, and try to conciliate both worlds.
Good luck!!!
Greets from Porto,
Miguel
(a.miguel oliveira)
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devish
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 18:47
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Thanks, very useful!
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TBM
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 19:34
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Good advice Miguel.
No. 9 is the golden rule!... And Canon Powershot A70 is also my camera! All digital pictures in my collection were made with it.. The only problem is that you cannot even think of using the zoom lens, every setting diffrerent from the wide angle causes a terrible loss of definition...
And thanks for teaching me the Trick of the Dried Beans! Simple, cheap and useful. And you have something for dinner just in case...
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pansa
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 19:39
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Thanks Miguel for sharing your "tricks" with us. I think that 9 is the best. Always carry a camera. I have a Nikon Coolpix 5900 for that.
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Ruud~
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 19:57
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Great tips!
Especially the bag of dry beans. It will really come in handy in museums or other places where you can't use a tripod. I should have known this before! I will sow myself a bag and fill it with beans. I think the beans should be smallish and rough skinned... Would peas be a good choice, or lentils?
And I'm going to explore the early and late hours of the day, for better light. That's a really good tip!
Thank you, Miguel.
It all makes sense !
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A.Miguel Oliveira
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 21:03
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Ruud, I think the peas would be smashed ;)
Mario, I don't agree with you about the zoom! If it's only the optical 3X to be used, I think it's still great! Will be yours with some problem? They are always different...
Pansa, nice camera (recognized by a Canonist...)!
Devish, thanks to enjoy the tips!
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Rik Herrygers
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 21:03
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Miguel,
Thanks for sharing your 'golden' tips. Maybe now we have a little chance to compete with you. ;-) But I am afraid that experiance, trial and error is point 11. Enfin, speaking for myself. I am glad you are sharing with us your experiance. There are a several points where I never thought about. To be honnest I copied your 10 points in a worldfile, so i can check regullary what I am forgetting ;-)
So once more Miguel,
gracias, Rik
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Wilfrid
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 21:22
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Thanks for your useful tips Miguel,
but i think you've forgotten tip 11-13
11. practice
12. practice
13.practice
;-))
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A.Miguel Oliveira
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 21:28
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Rik, my friend, you're right about #11 ;)
I stopped at #10 not to bother and to... keep some "secrets" (I hope I still can win one of the 2008 contests... ;) ).
Oh, I'm very friendly towards our spanish neighbours (truly, very much, indeed) but let me tell you that "thanks" in portuguese is not "gracias" but "obrigado" ;)))
Ik dank u zeer!
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Rik Herrygers
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 22:09
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Miguel, you are really a teacher to me, ... a 'master' sounds better hé ! ;-) First in fotography and now you are teaching me portuguese. And even you're speaking dutch too. Well, well. And then you keep still a few secrects hé ;-) I don't doubt you will win now and then Miguel. Although we will trying to beat you by winning the contest I wish you good luck.
Obrigado Miguel, Rik
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Geoffrey McElwaine
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 22:24 - Edited by: Geoffrey McElwaine
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Miguel. Thank you for taking time to share you knowledge. In photography, there's always something new to learn - no matter how long you've been trying to take pictures. At the risk of seeming presumptuous, may I add one more point to your excellent list -
" Train your eye to see possible pictures in every location. "
I think that the human eye is the most important element in photography.
Regards
Geoff. ( Geoffrey McElwaine )
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ergoe
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jan 08 23:04
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Golden tips you give Miguel, thanks a lot.
as TBM and Geoffrey mentioned, point 9 has for me an absolutely major importance.
That means: keep your eyes wide open, look around you from different angles.
The one who takes pictures of landscapes must love those places because it will be reflected in his pictures, the same way as the photograph of people must be attracted by his "models".
Regards
Erwin
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A.Miguel Oliveira
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 08 01:39
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@ Wilfrid, you are right and I meant that in # 1 ...take the most pics you can.
@ Rik, thanks for your friendship and good sense of humour ;) . Oh, dutch was the fifth language in my life at 17, but ... ;( ... I only remember how to count till twenty, to thank and say that magic sentence... "ik hou van je" ;)
@ Geoff, I completely agree with you and maybe I didn't express myself well enough in english. I really meant that at #9 with "look at "objects" with camera-eyes! Try making compositions without the camera, everywhere, even at home! Look for angles, details, framing!".
@ Erwin, you have added a thought with which I identify myself: "to take pics of landscapes you must love those places"! I can assure you that I've travelled around my country much more than most politicians ,even in campaign, and I have a long term project, since 1990, for taking photos at all the 23 Natural Parks and Reserves (also quite a lot of landscapes through Spain, France mainly, and Britain, and some more). That because I do love nature, love wandering around, listening to the rumour of waterfalls and birds singing. I'm so sorry that I still only have those thousands of pics in Fuji Velvia and Provia slides! Digital only came to me 3 1/2 years ago ;). Portraits I also love to take, mainly b/w and the majority is a bit personal (as you say, "must be attracted by his models") to be posted at Woophy ;)
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Vidar S
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 08 10:54
Reply
Okay. Print, and put in photobag!
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M. Knegt
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 08 11:26
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Very usefull!
No way you're going to winn this time, hahaha.
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zerega
Member
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# Posted: 30 Jan 08 16:43
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Dry beans, yes, great idea!
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Scoonie
Member
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# Posted: 31 Jan 08 12:43
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Excellent tips, Miguel. Especially the beans! Thanks for sharing!
Regards
Lorraine
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Bernadette
Member
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# Posted: 31 Jan 08 19:52
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Dear Miguel (or should I dare to say Dear Mr Bean?) don't be upset, this is joke!!!
So funny to imagine a bag of bean in my hand bag, because my family and friends are always joking about the size of my handbags (and now this is worst,because with the camera, back up battery etc... they are quite like suitcases) But this is a great idea, (and for those who always carry a bag whith a lot of things (obviously very useful), may be the bag by itself could replace the pocket of bean in order to adjust the camera in right position....)
Any way, i stop joking, this is very kind of you to share with us a part of your secrets. I'll have to read it carefully (especially the point regarding tilded horizon, I should be tilded myself because I must correct all my pictures...)
But I'm sure that your greatest secret is the way in which you look at everything around you! A lot of things deserve to be pictured assuming you look at them with interest .
I will do like Rik, to copy your tips in Word and continue to learn.
So, thanks again,
Obrigado Cher Ami.
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Eljon
Member
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# Posted: 31 Jan 08 20:55
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You are a great teacher Miguel, you are the Master... of the universe.
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A.Miguel Oliveira
Member
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# Posted: 31 Jan 08 21:12
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Bernadette, je vous remercie de votre amitié! And if you find tilt skylines at your collection, please do the correction at Picasa because it's quick and easy and, as my own opinion, it's the basic condition for a potential good pic! And when you can't carry the beans with you... ;)... at least carry your camera! Mine, at least my smallest, the good old Minox GT, is with me EVERYDAY, for the last 30 years (exactly!)!
I also thank you the most recent friendly approaches from Vidar, M Knegt, Zerega,Scoonie and Eljon!
Greets to everyone,
Miguel
(a.miguel oliveira)
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