5 DIY Tips for Your Next Shoot.
Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017
You want your photos to stand out from the crowd, to really make an impact and tell the stories you want to tell. That doesn’t just begin with picking a camera that fits your ability and needs – it also extends to those all-important lenses.
There are an absolute wealth of camera lenses – and choosing the right one for the right moment is crucial for capturing the right photographs.
Your basic quick-and-dirty lens is the prime lens. With a single focal length (i.e. no zoom), it’s an easy lens for rookies and semi-pros to practice with apertures that are bigger than usual, to bring out the best in low-light conditions. You can always opt for the pancake lens is you want a fixed focal length lens that offers wide-angles as well as standard.
Get yourself a zoom lens if you’re not sure what type of subjects you’ll be snapping, and don’t want to lug about a multitude of dedicated lenses, then this particular lens is a nice catch-all for pretty much every occasion.
Or you could even go for the short zoom lens. Again, this is ideal if you want a lens that’s perfect for a variety of situations that require an all-round zoom.
If your target is at a distance, then of course you’re going to opt for a telephoto lens to get in tight to your subject. The alternative is zooming and cropping a picture, which, of course, will be detrimental to the quality of your images.
If you’re opting for nature scenes or urban landscapes (or even focusing on a single, stunning – or not-so-stunning – buildings) then you’ll want to invest in wide-angle or ultra wide-angle lenses. These prevent distorting an image, or having to create a panoramic collage.
Aiming for the super close-up? Pick up a macro lens. These lenses offer ultra-magnification, making it absolutely ideal for getting in tight and close on insects and the finer detail of products such as jewellery.
Which sort of lens you choose depends on both your particular style, and what you want to achieve as a photographer. It’s the difference between leaving your audience scratching their heads and making their jaws drop.
For more deets about finding the right camera and lens for you, get in touch with us online or call us on 0208 371 4179.
Some of our most beautiful photographs come not from land, but from underwater. With the play of light creating ethereal images out of ordinary objects- there are a couple of things to know if you’re searching to take that perfect underwater snap. (more…)
When it comes to capturing live action pictures, we want nothing but the best. We want the focus on our target object. We want a perfect crystallised image, frozen on our screen in fine detail. To help you capture great images time and time again, we’ve come up with a few tips. (more…)
Ah, celebrities. Is there a more photographed breed than actors? And for all their whining in the magazines and newspapers – and now Twitter and Facebook – about the paparazzi, some of them actually enjoy the flash, clack and whir of the camera. So let’s take a look at a few actors who’ve recognised the true art of photography. Let’s start with…
Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen may have made his name as Aragon in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but he’s actually done a whole lot more than reading lines in a script. Not only has he been a truck driver and flower seller, he’s also an artist, a poet and a well-regarded photographer. The photographs usually feature some form of scratching or scribbling, which can be seen in a number of books Mortensen has had published. Not bad going for the King of Men.
Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges has featured in some pretty awesome movies in his time, including Disney sci-fi Tron and starring as The Dude in the Coen’s cult classic The Big Lebowski. But he’s also kind of a big deal in the world of photography, having been honoured by the International Center of Photography. He says that his distinctive, blurred snapshots taken on film sets ‘is mainly focused on my work making movies. I think I have a perspective that not many people have.’ What a Dude!
Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen straddles that weird line between the brilliant and the terrible. For every stand-out character in Reservior Dogs there’s a phoned-in performance in Bloodrayne. But one thing he can’t be faulted for is his skills as a photographer. Madsen’s book, Signs of Life, shows his unique look at the many Americana signs across the United States. Oh, and his work has been exhibited all over the world.
Want to get to know the star in front of the camera? Get them behind a camera and all will be revealed. After all, whether you’re a professional or amateur, photography is irresistible. If you fancy upgrading your camera to a new model then let us know – here at the Camera Exchange Store we specialise in camera exchange. For more information about our services, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 0208 371 4179 or email us at info@cameraexchangestore.co.uk and our professional, friendly staff will be happy to help.
This month will see an exciting new exhibition open at the Natural History Museum in London, celebrating the art of wildlife photography. The exhibition, entitled The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2014, will be opening from the 24th of October and will showcase some truly awe-inspiring photographs of our natural world.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is jointly organised by the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide, and is one of the most exciting and prestigious photography competitions of its kind. The competition comprises a total of 10 categories, including mammals, underwater species, natural design, and birds, and receives thousand of entries each year from across the globe.
The finalists of this year’s competition were recently announced and include this dramatic piece, titled Dante’s Inferno by photographer Karen Lunney. The overall winner will be revealed later this month.
Interestingly, this year’s exhibition will follow a slightly different format from that of previous years. Indeed, with the competition now entering its 50th year, the 2014 exhibition will celebrate the achievement of 50 years of stunning wildlife photography. Visitors will have the opportunity to view some truly spectacular images of both new, and also historic award-winning photographs. In this regard the exhibition will also aim to demonstrate how wildlife photography has changed and evolved over the years and it’s sure to captivate and inspire both photography and wildlife enthusiast alike.
According to The Independent wildlife photography is also growing increasingly popular among amateurs. A key reason for this is that, thanks to the development of new technology, wildlife photography is now easier and more accessible than ever. If you fancy entering next year’s competition, which is open to professionals, amateurs and young photographers alike, then admissions will be accepted from the 5th January until the 27th February 2015.
If this has inspired you to try out some wildlife photography of your own then here at Camera Exchange Store we can help. We specialise in camera trade-in services, and used camera exchange so you can get the equipment you need. For more information about our range of services please don’t hesitate to contact us and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help you with your enquiries.
For those photographers among us that enjoy the hectic life of rock and roll and fancy trying their trade in the pits of a rock concert, these top tips for shooting live music will be helpful and save you crucial time when shooting shows.
The first thing we recommend is to shoot in jpeg and RAW formats simultaneously on a DSLR. The RAW files are much easier to tweak whereas the jpeg files will provide you with a quick turnaround to send samples or if your client is in a rush for the images. RAW image files can be large so you would be wise to invest in a gargantuan-sized memory card.
The second thing to do is ditch the cameras automatic shot mode. With the stage lighting at a music concert always changing it is impossible for the auto mode to adapt fast enough. This means you will have to manually control your own aperture and shutter speed.
Photography pits at live concerts can be a horrible place to be, especially with other photographers all battling for your amazing shot. Using a lens hood on your cameras lens will not only protect the lenses glass from this barbaric pit but also stop stray light getting into your shots. This will then control that washed out milky look when shooting with bright lights.
As most events will only let photographers in for the first few songs of the concert it is crucial that you get your settings adjusted to the desired outcome as soon as possible. A great starting point with your settings is as follows; base exposure of 1/100 seconds at f/5.6 and with most events having a no flash policy, keep your ISO settings low. Remember to check your blacks; you want deep black’s not dark greys!
After you have mastered the live shot, don’t forget to make a name for yourself as bands and musicians always want more high quality content for various uses. Backstage shots and band portraits will always keep their fans interested and provide you with an opportunity to get some great shots too. Check out our portrait guide here.
If you are looking to sell your existing camera to upgrade to a more professional model, the Camera Exchange Store specialise in snapping up your old cameras. For more information on the services we have to offer please browse through our website and don’t hesitate to contact us.
One of the best ways of treating yourself well is taking regular breaks during the day and spending time in nature really helps. Love what you do. If you don’t, find it.
Life’s just too short to be doing work that destroys your essence. Find work you love and get busy changing your world with it. I really mean this. I was a very successful debt consultant, having worked in the industry for 7 years and won several awards including a nomination for ” The Debt Consultant” of the year in London however when I rediscovered my creative side and fell in love with painting, I knew I could not do anything else any more. We are encouraged to believe that our life should somehow fulfil the expectations of others. I believe our one and only responsibility is to listen to our inner self. Your heart screams out the purpose of your life…Don’t let the voice of our original self to be overwhelmed by the voices of other people’s expectations. When we find what we are really meant to do, we really want to do it. That is the clue!
I would like you to name your dream and perhaps write it down. I believe in the benefit of writing dreams down. Not just writing them but feeling them. Once you write them down have a think about what action you can take to move closer to your dream. Make an action plan and choose an action. Reading this article and making a list of your dreams is an action! We should write because it is human nature to write. Writing brings clarity and passion to the act of living.
I remember vividly taking some time off in magical Olympos, South of Turkey and making my 3 months, 1 year and 5 years dream list. One of the dreams was an opportunity to share my creativity with less fortunate kids and shortly after that trip, I was invited to Istanbul to Gunay Life Academy, Dragos to do a workshop with children who live in an orphanage. It was an amazing experience to spend time with them and share the beauty of Aboriginal art with them.
Creativity flourishes and groves among friends. I remember my very first painting and I am most grateful for the amazing feedback I got from my family and friends.
I am an artist and a talented artist and I accept creativity as a blessing. I would like my creativity to give people peace, love and hope. I am happy to share my creativity openly. You too can open the door to creativity!
Fulya Simavi
www.fulyasimavi.com
Free iBook on Panoramic Photography if you have an iPad…
http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/panorama/id497463957?mt=11
Panorama
by Richard M. Harrington
The National Media Museum is home to over 3.5 million items of historical and cultural significance, and our diverse Collection encompasses some of the finest and most compelling visual material to be found anywhere in the world.
Amongst the Collection are three pivotal firsts – the world’s earliest known surviving negative, the earliest television footage and the camera that made the earliest moving pictures in Britain.
Choose from the National Photography, National Cinematography, National Television and National New Media Collections to explore an online selection of artefacts.
National Photography Collection
The National Photography Collection is best regarded as a collection of collections, which comprises the Daily Herald Archive, the Royal Photographic Society Collection, and the Kodak Museum Collection, amongst other world-class objects and images.
The Collection incorporates both aesthetic and technical developments, from the earliest experiments to contemporary digital imaging, including the world’s first negative, an extensive collection of photographic technology, and key images by the most influential photographers of our time.
Diversity is a key strength of the National Photography Collection, in which all major genres, applications and photographic movements are represented.