DSLR – Pentax Body

Any luck reaching more than 1/180s? havent tried it yet

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Original (to discuss alternative crops/etc):

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I’m Benjamin and am a hitchhiking photographer. In my travels I quickly realized a need to make my own postcards for my friends and family.  

I wanted unique and personal postcards at a cheap price. Here is the result of that quest. This is a post for those whom aren’t familiar with Photoshop and editing their photographs. You should be able to make postcards that are one-of-a-kind and appealing at less than the cost of buying a postcard.

Read on and when you are finished, please share this post with others, whom would benefit from it. Also, check out my journey hitchhiking around the USA, sharing stories of the Goodness of People at my blog, Create Our World. 

Here we Go!!!

What You Need:

1. A digital camera.
2. Access to a Computer and the Internet.
3. About 15 to 30 minutes.
4. A Free Picnik Account. 
5. About 30 cents for the card and 44 cents for the stamp.
6. A Zip Drive.

Make Your Own Postcard (here is a photograph I took of my friend, Nai, in Austin, Texas)

1. Take a Photograph and Upload it to a computer

I love to photograph people. I love to remember places by the people I am with, so my postcards are of friends, either new or old. What do you want to remember about the place or what do you want to share? Be personal and be yourself. And take that shot and upload it to your own laptop or upload it at a computer lab.

After Editing

2. Edit your Photograph. (Optional.)

If you are a Photoshop expert, you can skip this page and just do what you do. Or if you don’t care about jazzing your photograph up a bit, then skip it as well. But with a few clicks, you can really improve how your image looks and trick your granny into thinking you are a professional photographer.

Open up your photo editor. I use iPhoto for my Mac. I have also used Picasa by Google, which is a free download and is easy to use. You can also do this in Picnik, which I am going to explain in the next step.

Here are two easy steps you can take to making the photograph look more vibrant. One increase the contrast of the photograph. Usually there is a little pointer that you can just drag. Contrast makes the darks darker and the lights lighter. The second step is to increase or decrease the color saturation. You can make the colors a little richer to improve the photograph or sometimes by lessening the colors, it will catch the eye more. Fool around with these two settings until you have a photograph that you are happy with.

3. Upload your photograph to Picnik

Picnik is an online photograph editor. Picnik is free for the basic edits and it has a lot of options to use. Sign up for a free account and follow the instructions to upload your photograph.

After the LOMO filter, adding a Border, and the 1960’s filter

4. Create Your Postcard

Here we are going to jazz our photograph up a bit more, add borders, and add our message. (Picnik has lots of options, so feel free to add any options that you want)

A. Open up the CREATE tab along the top of the border.

B. Click on the LOMO Filter under EFFECTS. (This simulates how a LOMO camera would take a photograph, which is toy camera.)

This increases the saturation of the photograph, adds a vignette (a dark shadow around the border), and blurs the outside of the photograph. Mess around with the settings until your photograph looks as you want.

C. Add the Border in Frames.

Every good postcard has a border. Choose a color for the border that goes well with the photograph. Go with black, if you can’t decide. Then, make it look like a postcard, by increasing thickness of the OUTER COLOR and leave the INNER COLOR alone. In my photograph of Nai, I decide on a Dark Orange and Black (University of Texas colors). Finally, increase the CORNER RADIUS too to give it an interesting look.

D. Go back to EFFECTS and chose the 1960’s effect.

I love the look of old film photographs. This adds a slight reddish tint to the photograph and also curves the outside edges. Tweak these settings again, till you like the look of your postcard.

E. Add Your Personalized Message in the TEXT tab.

Here is where you add your message. Anything you like works. “I love Mom!” or “Wish you were here!” are good. I am a huge fan of the “Greetings from…” postcard series that was popular a long time ago. There is a host of different fonts to chose from, so chose one or more that fit your style. For my photograph, I chose PANHEAD for “Austin, TX”, which is a western-looking font and then a bold font, IMPACT for the “Greetings from…” I keep my color theme similar as with the border colors.

F. SAVE your photograph & SHARE it.

Now you can save it to your computer or Zip Drive, share it on Facebook or email it.

5. Print Your Postcard

Save your postcard on something that is portable. I bought a Zip Drive for 15$ and I upload my postcards to this and head to a local store with a photograph kiosk. Walmart, CVS, Rite-Aid are very common options. However, more and more stores have a place that you can print your digital photographs on location.

Upload your postcards to the kiosk and chose the quantity, before hitting PRINT!

NOTE: Make sure your postcard fits and the border will not be cut off. Sometimes, I will lose my border by how the machine cuts the photograph, so you may have to make little edits at the machine.
Print off your new postcards!

6. Write on the back and Send it!

Write on the back like any postcard and send it off with a stamp in the top right corner. Your Mom and Granny will love you and tell all their friends!

Finished! Enjoy making your postcards and share this post with your friends. I will be blogging from all over the USA on my hitchhiking journey. I usually write about the people I meet and about the goodness of people, but I also share budget travel advice on my website, Create Our World. 

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

How To Make Your Own Postcards: Cheap!

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This is just a short note to remind all readers that our current forum competition ends in 24 hours time!

The competition has been running all month and centers around the topic of LIFE.

You’re invited to submit an image on this topic in our forum for a chance to win a share of $2900 worth of camera gear from our wonderful sponsors – DigitalRev.

You can get all the details of the competition here and then submit your entry for this week’s entry in this thread of our forum.

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

24 Hours To Go in Our Monthly Forum Competition

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Are you a photographer hell-bent on striking terror into your community?

One of my very first posts here on DPS was called “I’m a Photographer Not a Terrorist – How to Shoot in Public With Confidence“. Since the induction of Section 44 The Anti-Terrorism Act, photographers allover Britain have been treated like criminals by PCSOs and Police Officers.

There are loads of alarmist videos and blogs on the internet and I don’t get worked up about them all. But then this morning, there was this video from The Guardian of a man who filmed his own arrest under suspicion of anti-social behaviour. You can hear the officer claim that it was ‘the way in which he was holding his camera’ that caused the public and the officers to question his motives. When asked for his details, he denied them as a matter of principle and was then arrested.

This video has really shaken me up. It could happen to any of us. And did you see the little point and shoot he was using? Nothing close to the size of my 7D with 200mm lens! I don’t even own a point-and-shoot so I would certainly be questioned under this same suspicion. I was followed by three officers in Winchester last year while taking this photo of rhubarb. I doubt the fruits were feeling particularly terrified by my suspicious activity.

Please get in on this conversation and tell us: have your rights as a photographer ever been contravened?

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

Know Your Rights – A follow-up & a very disturbing video

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We’ve all heard it from clients before. “I don’t like formally posed pictures of myself. I always look so stiff. Can we get pictures without being formally set up?”

Fortunately for our clients – and for us – the world of formal portrait and people photography is now coming to a new era: Portrait Photojournalism.

Stiff, unrealistic, unnatural portraiture is no longer a Photographer’s only option.

A technique used by internationally acclaimed wedding photographers of Poser Image, Jim Garnier and Jerry Ghionis, Portrait Photojournalism combines the techniques of formal portraiture and photojournalism.

The Photographer will “set up the shot” by formally posing the subject[s], to include location, poses, etc. Then, in a seeming irrational move, the Photographer will either coach the subject through expressions by pulling out emotions through dialogue, or leave them to interact with one another.

Sound too simple? Don’t take my word for it. Organize your shoot with the following steps and you’ll find a technique that will revolutionize the way you take portraits – and your results.

1. Location. Location. Location.

Just as you would in a formal shoot, find a few locations that will facilitate the look and feel you want to achieve. This location should match the subjects personality, and be creatively stimulating [Read more about finding locations here].

2. Consider your Lighting

Watch your location for the kind and quality of available light. Is it harsh and contrasty, lending to a dramatic feel? Is it soft and subdued, more conducive to a nostalgic mood? If the available light isn’t sufficient to create the portrait you want, be sure to add light with a reflector, or an off/on camera flash [Read more about using flash in on-location photography here].

3. Set up your Scene

Place your subject within the context of your entire setting. Remember, you aren’t taking only mid and detail shots of your subject; with the photojournalism aspect, you are shooting to tell a story. The story of your subject will include their place and involvement in the scene, and the mood you are creating.

4. Pose your Subject

You don’t have to pose your subject in a complicated manner. At the least, pay attention to the placement of your subjects feet, knees, and shoulders. So long as you pose to achieve variance and levels of these joints, you will be set [More on posing here].

5. “Break” the Shot

Think everything is perfect? Now is the time to make it all natural. Tell your subject to “relax”. Allow them to settle into the pose by drawing them into conversation, or allow them to interact with one another. Achieve authentic expressions, natural posing, and artistic portraits by letting go the expectation of “perfection”. After all, nothing in life is perfect. The key to perfect portrait photojournalism is controlling which elements are broken.

6. Take the Shot

Watch for that “After moment” and “Spontaneous moment”. Oftentimes the most beautiful moments happen just after you take the camera away from your eye. Allow your subject to believe you are done with that set up, and take the shot that they are most natural and relaxed – pulling a hat down, tucking hair back, the cute shoulder shrug. You truly never know what you will be able to achieve.

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

Poser: Achieve Perfect Portrait Expression

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I was born and raised in Florida. Now I live in England. Could you get more of a stark contrast than that?

England can be gloomy. Really gloomy. And gray and cold and bitter. I do whine a lot about the English weather and it’s mostly tongue-in-cheek because England can also be the freshest, most glorious, fragrant place on earth in the summer months.

But for a girl with an obsession for getting out with my kids for a daily photo shoot, the gray conditions couldn’t be better. Why? No harsh shadows or flaming bright spots. No need to say “oh guys I really love what you’re doing could you please just come do it in the shade?” No squinting eyes. Just a beautifully diffused light perfect for photography.

There’s also another thing to love about gray, cloudy days.

Last week I was doing a school. In some down time, I followed the kids outside and took photos on the playground. I stood up on an apparatus and just waited for kids to walk by. “Hey look up here!” *snap* And they were all perfect.

The gray sky was a gigantic softbox, softly lighting their faces with the most beautiful light and, oh my, what beautiful catchlights in their eyes!

So the next time you’re down about the weather, take the kids outside, climb up high and just tell them to look up!

When was the last time you had a moment where you asked “why didn’t I think of that before?”

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

The Softbox in the Sky

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As we continue to wait out the aftermath of one of history’s worst economic disasters, it can be prudent to continue to cut spending where possible. The digital medium does mean shooting costs are substantially lowered, but equipment and accessory costs can be still high. We’ve compiled a few simple home remedies for creating kit on a budget…

1. Reflectors can be a useful photography aid as the reflective surface, usually available in white, silver and gold stretched fabric, can fill in, reflect or diffuse light where necessary. Top brands can be on the pricey side so if you’re on a budget grab a cheap substitute such as a silver car sunscreen, reflective tanning mat or wrap a circular sheet of cardboard in aluminum foil.

2. A snoot is a fantastic lighting accessory designed to creatively direct and control an artificial beam of light, perfect for a beauty shot for example. Try the technique before you buy with a DIY alternative. Roll a sheet of black card into a cone and place a strip of black or gaffer tape along the seam to hold it securely in place. Next lock the end of a torch with the smaller whole of the cone using tape and you’re done!

 3. Small plastic diffusers are used to soften the harsh light from a flashgun. They won’t cost a fortune but if you’d rather a free home made alternative then grab an empty and clean one litre plastic milk bottle. Cut off the base of the container a third of the way up. Measure the dimensions of your flash gun’s head and mould the base to fit – you may need to make a few cuts and bends in the opaque plastic to get the right size. When finished tape this cap to your flashgun.

4. Capturing Mother Nature at work is invigorating but exposing your kit to the elements definitely is not. You could buy a fully waterproof, custom fitted rain cover for protection in the rain but if you haven’t got the spare cash then opt for a clear plastic carrier bag (the thicker the better) so your kit is protected but the LCD, histogram and controls are still visible. Slice a small hole in the side of a carrier bag and stretch it over the lens hood, fastening with a rubber band to keep it in place. Create a second smaller hole where the eyepiece is and slide the eye-piece cover back on top to keep it in place.

5. Filters are fantastic for a plethora of reasons, but in particular the polarizer is superbly fun and effective. Photographers employ it for decreasing contrast, saturating blues and reducing harsh reflections. If a filter isn’t in your budget there is a household item that can be used as an affordable (yet less effective) substitute – sunglasses! This works best with a compact set on a tripod; simply hold a removed lens from the sunglasses’ frame as close to the front of your camera lens as possible. Results will vary and obviously images are unlikely to resonate the crispness that is achievable with the real thing – but it’s a start.

6. Underwater photography is becoming an increasingly popular genre but the equipment costs are extremely expensive. An achievable way to get started without shelling out thousands on specifically designed aquatic cameras, housing and strobes is to hire the equipment from a dive shop in tourist destinations, providing all the necessary gear at a fraction of the cost. Still not convinced? Camera manufacturers have really raised the bar in producing durable underwater compacts at affordable prices. In particular Olympus’ Mju: Tough range have a worthy reputation for shooting submerged scenes. Starting as low as £190 the Tough compacts are freeze proof, waterproof and shockproof.

7. Professional models can be expensive to hire so ask photogenic friends and family to pose for you instead. The additional benefit is their familiarity could produce more natural results. They may need more direction than their professional counterparts however, so have a stack of magazines on hand to offer posing guidance. Alternatively you could photograph an inexperienced model who is seeking head shots or a collection of images for his/her portfolio in exchange for their time. Gumtree.com and Starnow.com are great places to post ads or find willing subjects.

8. For many of us shooting models in a fancy studio backed with an encyclopaedic range of lighting equipment maybe more of a dream that a reality but that doesn’t mean beautifully lit portraits aren’t achievable. Natural daylight isn’t only free it’s very flattering, especially for portraiture and still life shooting. For the best results position your subject next to a large clean window. If the sun is too bright, drap a thin veil of white fabric (such as a cotton bed sheet or net curtain) in front of it to soften the effect.

9. Forget expensive printing services there are tonnes of websites offering free prints and bargain photo gift ideas so you have no excuse not to get creative. Popular choices like: Jessops, Snapfish and Photobox offer free print credits for every new customer and gifts that start from low price points. 

10. Photoshop is one of the best editing apps on the market but it steep price tag isn’t, but there are plenty of cheaper and even free alternatives out there. Adobe’s Lightroom or Elements, Apple’s Aperture, Corel’s Paint Shop Pro Photo or Painter are all under half the cost of Photoshop. Many of these even offer a free 30-day trial, so be sure to try before you buy! And if you like free then don’t forget Picasa, a free editing app perfect for quick fixes and online album creation making sharing shots with friends, family and the world a piece if cake.

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

10 Tips for Creating a Photography Kit on a Budget

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There are may ways an image can be made unsuitable. Camera shake and poor focus are two of them. How does it happen? How can you prevent it? And what if you don’t even have one of those ‘fancy schmancy’ cameras?

When first setting out to research this subject, of course, the top of Google for ‘blur camera shake’ was a post from DPS. In it, Darren Rowse explains the difference between camera shake and poor focussing.

Today, I’ll talk about how to prevent them from happening.

{Camera Shake}

As Darren said in his post, camera shake and the resulting motion blur are a result of the camera moving during the time of exposure. Which means that there is movement while the shutter is open and the sensor is gathering information. For particularly long exposures (like evening landscapes or trying to capture a waterfall in soft, beautiful motion), a tripod will be necessary. But even the movement caused by putting your finger on the shutter button can cause blur so you can use a remote control or set the self timer and take your hands off.

If you use a point-and-shoot, camera shake and blur could be a problem if you’re not operating in the appropriate mode. For instance, trying to capture running children in portrait mode will probably result in motion blur. Try sports mode.

For the DSLR users, the heavier the camera, the more stable it will be and less likely to be moving about due to hand tremor. Research proper camera holding and stance for maximum stability.

Some lenses have IS (image stabilisation) options which help to reduce camera shake (and battery life!)

Camera shake becomes less and less a problem the faster your shutter speed and the more light is available. If you’re in low light, opening your aperture to let in more light will allow you to quicken your shutter speed, but then you might have to battle poor focussing.

{Out of Focus}

My pet peeve is improper focus. I’m sure the majority of photographers operate in auto focus mode, unless they’re photographing still life. This means that we allow the camera to focus for us and it does it in a variety of ways.

If you use a point-and-shoot, the solution it pretty simple. You hold down the shutter button halfway until focus is achieved and then push it the rest of the way down. The only reason you’d be likely to end up with poor focus is, as I said before, you’re shooting in an improper mode. For example, you’re shooting a landscape in macro mode.

For us DSLR users, focus becomes another monster all together. Consult your camera’s manual and familiarise yourself with the focus modes and the focus areas because both of these factors result in proper focusing. And you might find this post useful too

On the subject of pet peeves, what’s your biggest photographic annoyance?

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

Camera Shake & Poor Focus

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I’m going mountain ski resort this weekend, and, obviously, want to take my camera with me and take pictures!

But… How should I prepare for that? My camera’s not sealed (K-x), nor is the lens I’m planning to take with me.
I’m only going to shoot if it doesn’t snow (hopefully!) – so falling snow shouldn’t be a problem.
What I’m worried a bit about is the temperature difference (lodging and outside) and condensation – but that can be solved with ziplock bags if I remember correctly… If anyone can comment on that, would be great.

Another thing I’ve been pondering is – how do I carry the stuff when I come out skiing? Right now I see three options: 1) Leave everything home – works, but I want something to take photos with 2) take a tiny backpack and stuff camera inside (I’d guess it would fit my K-x, a 200mm prime and maybe a wide angle) and somehow make it less prone to snow – don’t have a clue how, though; and finally, 3) just take my regular backpack that I take to school… It’s not waterproof, but it’s got layers – and I can stick camera somewhere in the middle.

So… If anyone has any experience shooting while out on a mountain, I’d appreciate it if you could share your experience! Also, maybe your lens selection, general advice, etc

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Just got my Kx back fro Spencer’s in Utah. Converted to IR with a CLR filter and a heat tranfer system for long exposure night photography to keep out the noise. Here’s a few samples.

590nm filter with channels swapped

590nm filter straight.( I hate it when the colors don’t translate on the screen!)

and the necessary 87c

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Attached Images

   

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