The Role of Fast Lenses: What They Are and Why They Matter
When discussing photography or reading about it, you’ll often encounter the term “fast lens” used to describe a camera lens. Essentially, a fast lens has a wide maximum aperture. This larger maximum aperture is what makes the lens “fast.” The majority of people tend to…
A Beginners Guide to Studio Photography
For new photographers, the idea of booking studio space can be a little intimidating. There’s a common misconception that studios are exclusively reserved for professional photographers, and the thought of dealing with lighting techniques, equipment, and posing might seem overwhelming. However, venturing into studio photography…
Point-and-Shoot or Camera Phone Flash Photography Tips
Higher end professional cameras will have a hot shoe (on the top of the camera body) mount that can attach a separate flash unit. This allows for more control over the flash. Users can do things like add diffusers to the flash, they can change…
Tips For Using the Sun as a Backlight
In photography, it is common advice when shooting into the sun to have the sun behind the photographer to light the subjects from the front. Yet sometimes breaking this rule can create a unique image with nice shadow or back-lit effects. Instead of taking a…
The Megapixel Myth
There is a long-standing myth among camera buyers that more megapixels are better. Each year, there are ads for the latest and greatest camera announcing the increase in megapixels. The idea has become ingrained in the public mind that we need to get the newest…
An Explanation of Camera RAW Files
Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) and some digital point-and-shoot cameras provide users with the option of shooting in either a .jpg or RAW file. A .jpg file is a standard and universal format for digital images; RAW files are not as standard and universal. Many…
Using the Camera F-Stop
Using the f-stop to adjust aperture is a good way to create selective focus and adjust the light when taking photographs. The f-stop is a camera setting that adjusts the size of the camera’s aperture, which has an effect on two things. The first is…
Tips for Keeping Your Photography Sharp
There are a lot of things that can be done in post-processing to improve an image, but even with the magic of Photoshop if a picture is out of focus there isn’t much that can be done to correct it. The best way for a…