How to focus a camera: set your AF mode, stay sharp and when to use manual | Digital Camera World In this quick guide on how to focus a camera we answer all of the common questions many beginner photographers have about setting the right AF mode and when to use manual focus. R Nelson / Getty Why do I need to take control of focusing when it’s supposed to be automatic focus on my camera? Like any other automatic feature of a camera, autofocus (AF) doesn’t always get it right. The AF system can end up focusing on the wrong part of a scene, and there will be times when it struggles to lock onto anything, with the end result of a blurred picture. Don’t get us wrong: today’s DSLRs and lenses can focus faster and more accurately than they ever could; but, as with metering and exposure, you need to be actively involved in the process to get the best results. In what sort of conditions is autofocus likely to get it wrong? Your camera can struggle to autofocus when there’s not enough light or when it’s faced with a low-contrast or uniformly coloured scene, such as a brown dog in a muddy field.
44 essential digital camera tips and tricks Our collection of top digital camera tips and essential photography advice will have you improving your photos in no time. Culled from experts and photographers who have been taking pictures for quite some time, they all agree that these 44 camera tips are essential knowledge for honing your craft. So feast your eyes below, check out some of our best photography tips on everything from setting up your digital camera to honing your photo composition, and by the end you will learn the secrets and shortcuts to getting high-quality pictures every time. Digital Camera Tips: 01 Always reset camera settings There are few things worse than taking what you think is a stunning picture, only to find your camera’s ISO and saturation were cranked right up from a previous shoot and you’ve missed the moment. Avoid this by checking – and resetting – all of your settings before moving from one picture-taking opportunity to the next (find out The right way to set up your camera).
Free portrait lighting guide: 24 essential studio lighting set-ups Become a master of professional portrait lighting with these 24 essential studio lighting set-ups. Our free portrait lighting guide offers everything you need to know to get set up, plus illustrations of the effects. Investing in a home studio kit is one of the best ways to take your portraits to the next level. You can light subjects from any direction, fix attachments to change the quality and spread of the light, and use a low ISO to ensure the highest image quality. But flash can be a difficult beast to master, not least because the burst of light is almost instantaneous. There are three main areas of control when using studio flash heads. Second, you can put the head wherever you choose: up high, down low, in front of or behind your subject, with each position changing the look of your image. Third, you can use the power settings on the flash to control the output, which becomes important when you start balancing the light from multiple heads.
How to clean a camera lens Cleaning your photographic equipment is essential, especially when it comes to lenses. In this photography tutorial we’ll show you in just four simple steps how to clean a camera lens so you can enjoy blemish-free photos. A lens is the one piece of gear that can cost you more than your camera, so it’s worth keeping it well-maintained so that it continues to create fine images for a lifetime. You’ll need a blower brush, a microfibre cloth and some lens-cleaning fluid, all of which you can buy from camera shops. Some lenses are weather-sealed, but avoid using your cloth dampened with water. For more on camera care, see our Perfectly safe guide to sensor cleaning Step-by-step how to clean a camera lens 01 Remove the filter A good way to protect the front element of your lens is with a standard UV filter such as the Hoya UV(0). 02 Blast away dust Dust on the lens can be a real issue, so use a blower brush to remove any loose dust or grit around the front element. DO or Di?
Best camera settings for sunsets (free photography cheat sheet) The key to choosing the best camera settings for sunsets is to make sure you capture the sunset’s colours as they are, not how the camera ‘thinks’ they should be. You might also need to adjust the exposure settings to suit the conditions, too, because in extreme lighting situations the camera might not interpret the scene in the way you expect. In our photography cheat sheet below we’ve provided some of the best camera settings for sunsets. Use these as a starting point and then let your creativity take over! Image by Chris Rutter It’s hard to resist the colours at sunset, but watch your exposure to make the most of them. Exposing for the sky gives you the best colours, but the foreground will become very dark. Best camera settings for sunsets Click on the infographic to see the larger version, or drag and drop to your desktop to download. Exposure mode Manual Focus mode Manual Shutter speed 1/30sec or longer Aperture f/16 ISO 100 or lower Lens 18-24mm Drive mode Single-shot White balance Daylight
You Only Need 5 Things to Make Your Own Home Studio Photography doesn’t have to be all about fancy gadgets and technology. (Though sometimes it’s more fun that way.) Like a master chef or Jackie Chan in a bar fight, it’s all about knowing what to do with whatever you have on hand. If you just want some great-looking product shots for your Etsy shop, or tutorial photos for that Instructable you’re writing, you only need a simple home studio. If you’ve got a tripod, a flash and a window, you’re more than halfway there already. The 5 Things You Need to Make a Studio p.s. p.p.s. Really? Yeah! Sure, you could get fancy studio gear, but why spend money when you don’t have to? Here are the basics: Set up near the windowPosition the camera on the tripodUse the flash as a secondary lightMake the background either interesting or inconspicuousFill in shadows with the bounce card Don’t have a flash or a tripod? 1: The Window Set up your studio area as close to a window as you can. The window will be your main source of light. 2: The Tripod 3: The Flash
21 Settings, Techniques and Rules All New Camera Owners Should Know Some are very basic while others go a little deeper – but all have been selected from our archives specifically for beginners and new camera owners. Enjoy. Introductions to Useful Modes and Settings on Your Digital Camera 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Other Basic Camera Techniques 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Camera Care and Maintenance 13. 14. 15. 7 Digital Camera Predators and How to Keep them at Bay – this tutorial talks you through 7 of the most common ways that digital cameras get damaged – what to look out for and what preventative action to take to avoid them. Composition Tips 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. Of course the above 21 Settings, Techniques and Rules for beginner camera owners just scratch the surface of all there is to learn about the art of photography. If you’re looking for a complete guide to getting control of your camera then you might like to check out our course – Photo Nuts and Bolts which walks you through everything you need to know to start taking beautiful photos.
8 Awesome YouTube Tutorials Every Photographer Should See Jimmy Mcintyre is a travel photographer, educator, and 500px ISO contributor. His photos have been published in local and national magazines, including the BBC. His online courses on digital blending and post-processing can be found on his official website. The Internet is awash in photography tutorials, some of which can truly revolutionize your photography. In this article I’ve collected some of the best YouTube video tutorials of the last 12 months, and put them in one convenient place. 1. I’ve shamelessly included two of my own tutorials here that I believe are of great value to all Photoshop users. After learning Luminosity Masks, you will no longer need HDR software! If you’d like to follow along with your own images, you can download my free Luminosity Mask actions (and access a wealth of Digital Blending articles and tutorials): Free Luminosity Mask actions 2. 5 Photoshop Blend Modes That Can Change An Image Within Seconds 3. 4. 5. 7 DIY Photography Tips Using Household Objects 6.