[Photography] ISO Has NOTHING To Do With Exposure! What?! (video)

The post ISO Has NOTHING To Do With Exposure! What?! (video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Off the back of one of our previously published articles about the exposure triangle, one of our readers shared his video with us stating that ISO has NOTHING to do with exposure! So technically, does it belong in the “Exposure” Triangle?

What? I hear you say.

Well, check out this video from dPS reader, Chris Lee, aka pal2tech.

Chris states that ISO has nothing to do with the light hitting the sensor. It is, instead, “amplifying the electrical charge in the sensor’s photosites…each photosite then sends the electrical charge into the camera’s analog to digital converter, which then turns the voltage into a digital value.”

What? I still hear you say?

Also, Chris states that ISO does not create “noise” but only amplifies what is already there in the image. Phew.

Just watch the video. It makes way more sense, and it has good humor!

Thanks, Chris.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Please share them with us in the comments below.

You may also like:

• What Your Camera Can’t See
• Your Camera’s Metering System Explained
• Image Resolution Explained – Seeing the Big Picture
• RAW Files: Digital Manifestations of the Emperor’s New Clothes
• Color Management Can Be Easy
• Understanding the Basics of Color

The post ISO Has NOTHING To Do With Exposure! What?! (video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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[Photography] Weekly Photography Challenge – Yellow

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Yellow appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

This week’s photography challenge topic is the color YELLOW!

Photo by dPS writer, Megan Kennedy © Megan Kennedy

This is a fun challenge. You can capture the color yellow in so many ways. You can use street photography, macro, flowers, landscapes, the golden hour, cityscapes (think the yellow cabs of NY), abstracts or people wearing yellow clothing. The yellow can be a major part of the composition or be more subtle. There are so many options!

So, check out these pics to give you some ideas, have fun, and I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Photo by © Caz Nowaczyk

Photo by dPS writer, Jaymes Dempsey © Jaymes Dempsey

Photo by dPS writer, Megan Kennedy © Megan Kennedy

Photo by dPS writer, Jaymes Dempsey © Jaymes Dempsey

Check out some of the articles below that give you tips on this week’s challenge.

Tips for Shooting the color YELLOW

Mastering Color Series – The Psychology and Evolution of the Color YELLOW and its use in Photography

5 Tips for Using Color to Improve Your Photography

The Ultimate Guide to Street Photography

How to Get the Most Out of Photographing at Golden Hour

5 Tips for Golden Hour Photography

 

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

If you tag your photos on Flickr, Instagram, Twitter or other sites – tag them as #DPSyellow to help others find them. Linking back to this page might also help others know what you’re doing so that they can share in the fun.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Yellow appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

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[Photography] How to Use Radial Composition in Photography to Create Awesome Images!

The post How to Use Radial Composition in Photography to Create Awesome Images! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Radial composition (also known as radial balance) is a tool used to influence balance and impact within a photograph. In this article, we’ll look at some of the in’s and out’s of radial composition in photography.

f/2.8 1/1000 ISO 500

What is radial composition?

The term radius refers to the distance between the center of a circle and its outer edge. Therefore, radial composition means imagery that radiates outward from a particular point.

One common example of this is the wheel, with spokes radiating away from the central hub.

Another example would be flowers, with petals fanning out from the flower head.

By using radially orientated lines, shapes and forms, the eye is attracted to a central point within an image, creating emphasis. In this way, radial composition can appeal to our sense of momentum, generating visual movement. Some radial compositions even trick the eye into perceiving actual movement within in a fixed image.

In addition, lines that diverge into a central point also cultivate a greater sense of depth within a photograph. However, keep in mind that not all radial compositions need to be constructed of circles!

In the right context, you can use rectangles, triangles, waves, lines, spirals, or other forms to cultivate radial composition.

The history of radial composition

Because of its visual energy, radial compositions have been an enduring presence in visual art and culture. For example, ancient petroglyphs carved into rocks depict spirals and labyrinths as well as lines radiating out from a central focal point.

Rich with symbolism and sacred meaning, the mandala features in numerous religions and beliefs. In Greek mythology, the Sun god Helios was often depicted with a crown of radiating lines. These lines were understood to indicate radiant light, signifying the rays of the sun.

During the Renaissance, radial composition was used to emphasize important figures within a scene. In Assumption of the Virgin by Titian, subjects are seen to radiate away from the main figure (Mary) and a circle of radiant light frames her upper body. In Raphael’s School of Athens, famous philosophers are emphasized by the radial properties of the surrounding architecture.

f/4.0 1/640 ISO 320

Modern art

Inevitably, radial composition has been a strong compositional feature in modern visual art. A famous example is Kandinsky’s circle paintings that radiate pulses of color. Dada artist Marcel Duchamp’s Bicycle Wheel also takes advantage of the radial structure of the wheel to evoke both a sense of motion and stasis.

In photography, there are countless variations on the use of radial composition. Taken in 1920, Edward Steichen’s Isadora Duncan at the Portal of the Parthenon makes use of radial composition to emphasize the subject within the ancient Parthenon. In Henri Cartier-Bresson’s Children Playing in Ruins, the child subjects are framed by a hole in a wall within the ruins of a city.

How to cultivate radial compositions

Radial composition relates to visual elements that expand from or center around a central point in an image. Eyes, flowers, snail shells, doorways, fireworks, tree rings…there is an abundance of opportunities to capture radial subject matter.

Fluid radial elements create a harmonious flow throughout the image, whereas sharp, erratic lines generate a scene of energetic movement.

Archways, staircases, reflections, plants…you can find radial features in all genres of photography. You can even create radial imagery through camera movement or abstraction.

2 seconds f/4.0 ISO 100

You can also use radial composition as a tool to emphasize a given subject. Framing an aircraft aligned with the halo of the sun’s rays, or photographing a portrait with the sitter positioned within a window or door frame can seem easy enough. However, incorporating simple radial elements into your composition can add much more depth and impact to your image.

f/6.3 1/400 ISO 100

Conclusion

From landscapes to architecture and everything in between, radial composition can add impact and depth to your photography.

Keeping an eye out for radial compositional opportunities can lead to engaging material that guides the viewer’s eye around the image more effectively.

Do you make use of radial composition? Share your images in the comments below!

The post How to Use Radial Composition in Photography to Create Awesome Images! appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

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[Photography] How to Take Vibrant, Razor-Sharp Macro Photos of Flowers

The post How to Take Vibrant, Razor-Sharp Macro Photos of Flowers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ramakant Sharda.

Macro photography is a very interesting subject for photographers. People love to shoot small objects like insects, flowers, waterdrops, etc. With macro photography, a photographer can show the tiniest details about the subject – details that are not possible to see with the naked eye. Today, let’s find out how to amaze viewers by taking colorful and razor-sharp macro photos of flowers.

What you’ll need to capture razor-sharp macro photos of flowers

Camera body

You’ll be taking photographs, which means you will obviously need a camera body. But which camera body is good for macro photography – a full-frame or a crop-sensor camera?

Different photographers have different answers to this question. Each body has advantages over the other. With a crop-sensor camera, you can get a larger focal length with the same lens so that you don’t have to get very close to the subject. A crop sensor also gives you a deeper depth of field as compared to a full-frame body, which means you can keep more of the subject in focus.

On the other hand, a full-frame body reveals more details because of the larger sensor size. It also performs better in low-light conditions. So, ultimately, all bodies are good for macro photography, whether you have a crop-sensor camera or a full-frame camera, or whether it’s a DSLR or mirrorless.

Lens

Lens choice is important in macro photography.

A true macro lens gives you 1:1 magnification, which means the size of your subject can be the same as your sensor size. In other words, if you have a full-frame body that has a 36mm x 24mm sensor size, you can fill the entire frame with a subject that is 36mm x 24mm in size. This gives you the opportunity to get really close to the subject and capture all the details.

However, don’t worry if you don’t have a dedicated macro lens. You can use extension tubes or a reverse ring with two lenses. Alternatively, you can use a cheaper option called macro close-up filters.

Flash and diffuser

A flash is a very important piece of equipment in macro photography. It helps you take razor-sharp pictures and capture bright colors. It also helps you avoid blurry images resulting from the shake of the camera.

A flash diffuser is equally as important as the flash. It softens the light and brings out the details and colors. You can use a mini softbox or domes or MagSphere, or you can simply put a diffuser cloth in front of the flash or bounce it with a white card.

You can use the flash on the camera hot-shoe or, if you have wireless flash triggers, you can use the off-camera flash. This will give you better results, but you will need someone to hold it.

Things to remember:

1. Depth of field

The first thing to remember when it comes to getting razor-sharp macro photos of flowers is depth of field (DOF). DOF is very important in macro photography. If you are shooting with a true macro lens with 1:1 magnification and your aperture is f/4, you’ll get only 1-2mm of total DOF. So, chances are, you won’t get everything you want in focus.

The solution is a smaller aperture. With an f/16 aperture, you can easily get 5-6mm total DOF and have everything you want in focus.

However, with such a small aperture, you’ll need lots of light. That’s why a flash is necessary for macro photography.

2. Focusing

Many photographers suggest that manual focus is better for macro photography, but I disagree with them.

I always use autofocus when taking macro pictures.

Why?

Because it’s easy, it’s fast, and you have fewer chances of taking out-of-focus pictures because both hands are free to hold the camera.

Just make sure that your hands and camera don’t move between focus lock and taking the picture.

3. Background

To achieve razor-sharp macro photos of flowers, you should always consider the background. In most cases, the background will be blurred, but, still, it should be clean and have contrasting colors.

4. Look from different angles

When we take photos of flowers, we usually take them from the top or the side. However, sometimes a flower can be very beautiful from the back, too.

When you are searching for a subject to shoot, always look it from different angles so that you can see and click something extraordinary – something that others can’t.

5. Dead flowers can be great subjects, too

We always try to take photos of fresh flowers, but sometimes dead flowers can be great subjects, as in the following image. When a flower is dead, and all the petals have fallen, it starts preparing seeds.

Sometimes those seeds look very beautiful and can be good subjects to shoot macro.

6. Shoot in RAW

To achieve razor-sharp macro photos of flowers, always shoot in RAW format because RAW files contain more details. Therefore, when you sharpen the image and enhance the colors in post-processing, you’ll get better results.

When you open a RAW image in post-processing software, it’ll look dull and lack sharpness, colors, and contrast. Don’t lose heart after seeing this. After a little bit of post-processing, it can often be better than a JPG image from the camera.

7. Keep your hands steady

A tripod is not a useful tool in macro photography because you’ll need to click at unusual angles.

If you have a moving subject, like insects, chances are, they’ll go away before you set up your tripod. So, it’s better to take photos with a handheld camera. Keep your elbows inside, which will give you support and lower your chances of camera shake.

8. Practice and be patient

If, after doing everything you have read in this article, you take photos that aren’t coming out sharp, don’t be disheartened. Have patience, and keep practicing. Eventually, you’ll get razor-sharp macro photos of flowers.

Keep clicking and share your pictures here. If you need help, just ask me. I am always here to assist.

 

You may also like:

• 5 Quick Tips for Outdoor Macro Photography
• 7 Different Ways to Approach Macro Photography
• Just Dew It – Fun with Macro Dewdrop Photography
• How to take Great Flower Photos without a Macro Lens
• 5 DIY Macro Photography Hacks for Stunning Macro Photos (on a Budget)
• Reverse Lens Macro – How to Make Macro Photos with “Backward Thinking”
• How to do Extreme Close-Up Photography with a Macro Bellows
• 5 Camera Settings That All Macro Photographers Should Know

 

The post How to Take Vibrant, Razor-Sharp Macro Photos of Flowers appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ramakant Sharda.

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[Photography] Canon EOS R5 Is Being Developed, But Don’t Forget About the R1

The post Canon EOS R5 Is Being Developed, But Don’t Forget About the R1 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

The Canon EOS R5 hasn’t yet hit the shelves, but the rumors keep coming regarding Canon’s full-frame mirrorless line.

Rumors which promise something even more exciting (for those of us who can be patient, that is!).

Now, the Canon EOS R5 is plenty thrilling in its own right. It was officially announced by Canon earlier this month and is positioned to correct a number of the much-criticized flaws of the Canon EOS R and EOS RP, Canon’s two major full-frame mirrorless offerings.

In particular, the R5 promises to feature some form of in-body image stabilization, which is considered by many to be a defining aspect of mirrorless technology.

The R5 will also offer dual card slots, 20 frames-per-second continuous shooting with the electronic shutter (this drops to 12 frames per second with the mechanical shutter), and an incredible 8K video recording capability. The R5 is rumored to begin shipping sometime this July.

Canon is calling the R5 its “most advanced full-frame mirrorless camera ever,” and they’re undoubtedly right, though some might claim the EOS R/RP duo set a low bar.

That said, Canon seems determined to push their mirrorless lineups to greater heights. According to Canon Rumors, the R5 is “definitely not the ‘professional’ EOS R mirrorless camera” that Canon is developing, in reference to an action-focused mirrorless camera teased by Canon, one that would potentially rival the Sony a9 Mark II, as well as the Nikon D6 and the Canon 1D X Mark III.

Canon Rumors states that the “professional” camera, dubbed the “EOS R1,” should appear in 2021, and suggests that there may be a reveal in the final months of 2020.

In a sense, this Canon EOS R1 is only interesting as a marvel of innovation. We all want to see Canon push its mirrorless development to the next level (though advanced features do have a tendency to trickle down to lower models). But the EOS R1 will almost certainly be prohibitively expensive, and it won’t be the type of camera the average photographer wants or needs. Instead, it’ll be like its potential competitors, the 1D X Mark III, and the D6: interesting in concept, but relevant only for a niche audience.

The EOS R5, on the other hand, may be positioned much like the Canon 5D Mark IV. The 5D Mark IV is an impressive camera, and while it’s not Canon’s “true” professional option, it’s a body used by plenty of professionals. Many of these photographers hoped to see an upgrade in the form of the Canon EOS R and were disappointed by its lack of IBIS and single card slot.

So maybe, with the EOS R5, Canon will finally produce what was hoped for over a year ago.

What do you think? Are you excited about the EOS R5? How about the R1? If so, why? Let me know in the comments!

The post Canon EOS R5 Is Being Developed, But Don’t Forget About the R1 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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[Photography] How to Use Exposure Compensation and When You Should Use It

The post How to Use Exposure Compensation and When You Should Use It appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

Sometimes, no matter what you do, your photos seem to keep coming out too dark or too bright. If only there were a simple way to tell your camera to make them a bit brighter or a bit darker. Well, there is! In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use exposure compensation so you’ll never have to struggle with stubborn brightness levels again.

Take control over the whole look of your photo with the exposure compensation button.

Using exposure compensation is perfect for people who love aperture or shutter mode but want more control over the brightness of their photos without having to overthink settings. If you aren’t ready for manual mode yet or prefer not to use it, then you’ll love the exposure compensation feature.

Exposure compensation can help you to refine your landscape photos. ISO 250, f/4.3, 1/500 sec.

 

This is the exposure I was hoping for. I didn’t need to think about ISO, aperture or shutter speed. I merely need to use the +/- button and the camera did the work. ISO 800, f/4.3, 1/500 sec.

The point of exposure compensation

If you’re shooting in auto mode, then your camera makes all the decisions about how bright your photo will be. You know from experience that you’re often unhappy with how your photos turn out in auto mode.

Even if you’re using a partial-auto mode such as Aperture or Shutter Priority, then your camera still makes the final decision about how bright your photo will be.

If you’re frustrated that your pictures keep coming out too bright or too dark, then you should use exposure compensation. It tells your camera to make the picture a little brighter or a little darker than it thinks it should be.

Suppose you take a picture that turns out too dark, simply use the “+” part of the button to make the next photo brighter.

The first photo was underexposed, so I used exposure compensation to increase the overall brightness of the next photo I took.

If your pictures are coming out too bright, simply use the “-” part of the button to make the next photos darker.

The first photo happened to come out overexposed. So I decreased the exposure compensation for a better exposure.

How to use exposure compensation

It’s the little +/- button on your camera that controls exposure compensation. If you need help locating it, just search your camera model and “exposure compensation” on Youtube. You’ll find a tutorial showing you where it is and how it works on your camera.

You’ll need to press this button to activate exposure compensation. Search Youtube for tutorials on how to use it with your camera.

That little button will help you take better pictures, save time editing, and feel more competent as a photographer.

Exposure compensation may not work in auto mode. You may or may not be able to use it in scene mode. It may not be compatible with auto ISO too.

If you’re working in full manual mode, then you don’t need exposure compensation since you’ve already taken full control of your camera.

Begin by choosing either Aperture or Shutter Priority mode.

Aperture Priority mode.

 

Shutter Priority mode.

If you’re using Aperture or Shutter modes, the exposure compensation button will allow you to adjust the look of your photo without getting confused about the other settings. It’s like a secret shortcut to manual mode without having to actually be in manual mode.

If you are already using manual mode a lot but find yourself getting frustrated with constantly adjusting ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, then exposure compensation will simplify everything for you and reduces the need for full manual mode.

Using exposure compensation to solve exposure problems

Use exposure compensation as a problem solver or to refine your photos.

This photo was taken at dusk. Even though the scene looked right to my eye, the camera’s eye saw the scene as much darker and naturally wanted to brighten up the photo for me. Unfortunately, it was quite overexposed. This happens to me all the time at dusk. ISO 6400, f/1.8, 1/60 sec.

 

This photo is now properly exposed. Yes, the photo looks a little dark, but it really was this dark in reality. ISO 6400, f/1.8, 1/320 sec.

When your camera always seems to under/overexpose your photos, try exposure compensation. My Olympus Tough TG-6 always overexposes the photos, so I always have exposure compensation activated to darken the photo. My Nikons and Fuji’s always underexpose the photos, so I’ve always got exposure compensation activated to brighten the exposure.

This white blanket appeared very bright to the camera, so it naturally darkened the exposure for me. ISO 1600, f/2.4, 1/500 sec.

 

I increased the exposure compensation to get a better exposure. ISO 1600, f/2.4, 1/125 sec.

Using exposure compensation for creative effect

Exposure compensation works well to help achieve or avoid silhouette photos.

When you photograph somebody against a bright background, you are almost sure to get a silhouette. I used exposure compensation to make this silhouette even darker. ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/500 sec.

 

You can increase the exposure compensation to force a brighter exposure and avoid the silhouette look. ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/250 sec.

Exposure compensation is great for a technique called “exposing for the highlights.” It’s when most of your photo looks dark, but the highlights are bright and stand out.

This is a nicely-exposed photo, but I had wanted something more dramatic looking. ISO 800, f/3.5, 1/150 sec.

 

I used exposure compensation to darken this next photo. Now, just the highlights are shining. ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/500 sec.

 

This photo was exposed so that the highlights would look just right while the rest of the leaf falls into darkness.

 

This photo was exposed to capture the highlights on the water while letting everything else fall into darkness. The person in the foreground turns this into a silhouette as well.

Most photographers would rather think about the creative elements of the photo rather than camera settings (although camera settings do contribute to the creative look of the photo).

Using exposure compensation lets you focus more on creativity and less on settings. Save brainpower – don’t think about settings and creativity

I knew that I wanted the sunlight properly exposed, and I wanted her traced in highlights. A combination of composition and exposure compensation helped me achieve that quickly.

As you can see, exposure compensation can help solve a lot of problems when you’re taking pictures. You’ll be amazed at how your photos look better with a little exposure adjustment. And in time, you’ll find it easier to discern when you prefer to use manual mode or exposure compensation.

Checklist

Now that you know how to use exposure compensation, keep this checklist in mind. Exposure compensation works:

• To achieve better exposure in your photos
• While in aperture and shutter mode
• To achieve or avoid silhouettes
• For creative effects like exposing for the highlights

Once you know how to use exposure compensation (and when is the best time to use it), you’ll simplify your process as a photographer. Simplicity is good because it helps you get back to what you really love doing; taking pictures.

The post How to Use Exposure Compensation and When You Should Use It appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mat Coker.

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