Blogging Amend (And Video): How To Cause Got Weblog Photos
Welcome to my Blogging Better series! Each calendar week I promise to come upwardly up amongst relevant together with fun topics to assist you lot popular off a improve blogger. I originally started this serial inwards my weekly newsletter but I stance it would hold out to a greater extent than fun to opened upwardly it upwardly to all spider web log readers.
Today's topic is going to hold out super long but (hopefully) actually helpful: How to Take Blog Photos! I'm no professional person on the topic, but I practice think I receive got some expert advice together with tips to percentage on the subject. I promise you lot enjoy!!
Camera Equipment:
When I showtime started blogging I shot all my spider web log photos on a Canon T3i with a 50mm 1.4 lens. It was a groovy showtime photographic boob tube camera together with for what I needed at the time, it was totally worth it. It’s a groovy identify to start, slow to role together with got the project done. When I actually decided that it was fourth dimension to invest inwards a improve camera, I moved to the Canon 60D with a 50mm 1.4 lens. I had that ready for a patch earlier I learned nigh the crop constituent on the photographic boob tube camera together with switched over to a Sigma 35mm 1.4 lens.
I loved this duo together with I could actually reckon a difference. I would advise this for anyone looking for cameras + lens because my photos were thence much improve later such a little fry upgrade. It wasn’t until I started to move to a greater extent than that I decided that I wanted something a footling smaller. I was looking into the Leica photographic boob tube camera but it was simply besides expensive for my budget. I did a lot of enquiry on dissimilar cameras together with decided to honor a mirrorless photographic boob tube camera together with ended upwardly amongst the Sony Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 series.
It was simply my luck that their novel model was coming out inwards a few months together with thence I decided to wait. I bought the Sony A7r II and novel lenses to accompany it (the create practice of switching over brands) -- the Zeiss 55mm 1.8 together with the 35mm 1.4 lens. After testing them both out, I instantly entirely shoot amongst the 35mm lens. While it’s bigger (and non every bit slow to move amongst every bit the 55mm) I honey it because it’s to a greater extent than versatile together with it takes some groovy photos.
Camera Settings:
As for the settings nosotros used to entirely shoot on Manual, which is groovy for having total command over all the settings but a friend of mine suggested trying out Aperture Priority together with nosotros never looked back. It nevertheless lets you lot command everything but it chooses the best shutter speed for your photo. As far every bit our settings go, they’re pretty much ever the same: ISO – 100, f-stop – 1.4, White Balance – Auto White Balance (AWB) together with and thence nosotros accommodate the exposure of low-cal depending on the conditions conditions (usually around +1).
Lighting:
90% of the fourth dimension I similar to shoot my photos inwards the sunlight, the other 10% of the fourth dimension is divided betwixt the shade (when the Sun is nevertheless out) together with an overcast shoot. Like inwards the video below, I honey to shoot amongst my dorsum to the sun. I think it makes the photos beautiful together with the lighting composition perfect. While it's non for everyone, it totally plant for me together with I honey my photos thence much to a greater extent than when I'm able to shoot this way.
With that, you lot demand to seat yourself thence your dorsum is firmly foursquare amongst where the Sun is. The signal behind all of it is to non receive got whatever weird shadows on your human face upwardly or body. There are a duo dissimilar ways to shoot amongst or without the Sun that I'm sharing below!
Shooting inwards a shadow: You're able to practice this facing the Sun or amongst your dorsum to it every bit long every bit all of your trunk tin check into the shadow portion. I similar this selection when I receive got a lot of footling flyaway hairs that I don't desire highlighted inwards the Sun but nevertheless desire the same photograph composition.
Shooting inwards the shade: Living inwards the city, this tin popular off your entirely selection because of the Sun together with the tall buildings, but non to worry! Shooting inwards the shade is simply every bit pretty (sometimes fifty-fifty better) than shooting into the sun. The colors tin popular off to a greater extent than vibrant, the contrast isn't thence high together with you lot tin human face upwardly whichever way you lot please.
Shooting when overcast: This is the most frequent during winter, but shooting inwards overcast conditions is simply a dissimilar way to await at the lighting. Some photographers honey it patch others (like myself) receive got come upwardly to larn simply how to bargain amongst it. The groovy thing nigh shooting inwards overcast conditions is that at that spot is no harsh lighting. For this, you lot ever desire to receive got a solid background (and non shoot into the heaven because it'll simply hold out white) together with honor the sun.
While the harsh lighting may hold out gone, it's nevertheless pretty dim out together with you lot desire every bit much lighting every bit possible. I ever attempt together with human face upwardly toward the Sun on overcast days thence whatever footling low-cal at that spot is tin hold out reflected on my human face upwardly together with whatever weird shadows around my eyes together with olfactory organ tin hold out gone.
Shooting direct into the sun: I rarely ever (ever practice this) because it tin hold out thence harsh but when you lot practice shoot direct into the low-cal create certain to function closely amongst your photographer. You desire to create certain at that spot are no weird shadows on your human face upwardly together with that you're lined upwardly every bit good every bit possible amongst the sun.
Location Scouting: Location is a large constituent (I think) when shooting your photos. You desire it to hold out cohesive amongst the await your presenting together with you lot desire it to also heighten yourself together with your photos. I'm lucky plenty to alive inwards New York where at that spot are thence many dissimilar locations together with backgrounds I could never capture them all.
Your location helps your outfit tell a even out -- nigh what you're doing, the fourth dimension of twelvemonth you'll article of apparel this outfit, the emotions you lot desire to bring (aka the pump wall) or nigh where you lot are. I volition acknowledge that this is i of the hardest things for me to do. Especially since I attempt together with shoot multiple outfits on the weekends it's hard to run all around the metropolis looking for the perfect location.
There are ever "safe spots" for locations if you lot honor yourself having a major encephalon fart: beautiful homes, parks, or street trend (aka inwards the street). I constitute that these are pretty slow to shoot together with tin hold out constitute no thing where you lot live. All of these places also lend themselves to having multiple places to shoot thence you lot tin honor the correct lighting.
One inquiry I acquire asked a lot from readers is if I receive got permission to shoot inwards all of these places (more specifically inwards front end of homes together with at dissimilar businesses) together with my respond is yes. That is until someone says otherwise. There of course of education is ever a fourth dimension together with identify for photos but I've never meet whatever problems before. Maybe it's because I alive inwards the metropolis together with everyone else is doing the same but if whatever i ever asks I simply tell them it's for a personal spider web log together with they commonly don't mind. But I would justice it's upwardly to (and dependent on) each private person!
Time of Day: Time of twenty-four hr current is a large constituent when finding ideal lighting for your photos. For the most part, I similar to shoot early on to mid afternoon but recall that's because the Sun is "different" here. While it rises at the same time, you lot receive got to recall that it mightiness non hitting the due west side until the belatedly morn because of the tall buildings. Same for the Sun setting. While it sets at 6pm everyday the sunlight is gone on the avenues around 4-4:30.
I receive got been known to chase the Sun at times when I'm running behind or when I got a belatedly start. The farther due west I popular off inwards the city, the to a greater extent than low-cal I find! The metropolis also causes some problem when I desire to honor "the golden hour." The golden hours compass twice a day: an hr earlier the Sun is rises together with an hr earlier it sets. It creates a golden glow together with is said to hold out ideal for photos (especially spider web log photos).
And patch I back upwardly that claim together with honey the golden hr myself, it's simply non really viable for me. The golden hr is form of a hitting or immature lady province of affairs together with if you lot immature lady it together with thence your SOL. For me taking that endangerment sometimes isn't worth it. Especially amongst all of the function that would popular off into getting this lighting (trekking to the waterfront for photos isn't every bit slow every bit it sounds without a car).
But for those of you lot who don't alive inwards the city, who receive got a automobile together with who don't entirely receive got times on the weekends to shoot, attempt together with honor your golden hour! It's a lot of fun together with makes for beautiful photos! (Hint: Google volition tell you lot the exact infinitesimal the Sun sets inwards your area)
People: This is some other topic that my readers constantly inquire about: how practice you lot avoid people inwards your photos? And it's a groovy inquiry I never would receive got stance to address. Especially inwards the city, at that spot are people everywhere together with making certain they're non inwards your shot isn't an slow feat. But I practice receive got some tips together with tricks!
1. Find Less Trafficked Areas: If you lot don't desire people inwards the background of your photos you lot acre don't popular off to Times Square -- thence honor a spot inwards the expanse where a lot of people aren't near. Some hither together with at that spot are fine, it's non the terminate of the world!
2. Be Patient (and kind): You actually receive got to larn a lot of patience when taking spider web log photos (especially inwards the city). I constitute that people tin acquire actually weird when they reckon someone taking photos. They're non certain what to practice together with a lot of times form of freeze up. You tell them it's fine to continue walking (they halt every bit to allow you lot receive got the photo) together with give cheers them for beingness considerate. Some people also simply don't fifty-fifty notice they're inwards your shot together with that's fine too. You receive got time, you're beingness patient! So allow them practice them together with and thence receive got your photos in i trial they've moved on.
3. Timing: This is crucial for when your taking photos on a sidewalk or inwards to a greater extent than crowded places. Wait for the perfect fourth dimension when no i is inwards your shot. You tin commonly receive got a handful inwards betwixt people walking inwards front end of or behind you. Just create certain you lot together with your lensman are aware together with know when to snap away!
Camera Must Haves: Just also wanted to percentage some photographic boob tube camera essentials that assist me take, compose, shop together with percentage all of my photos!
External Hard Drive: I role this to shop all of my spider web log photos since I receive got thence many together with since my figurer can't concord them all. This is a super slow plug-and-play hard drive where you lot literally simply drag together with drib whatever you lot need!
Eyefi SD Card: While my photographic boob tube camera has a wi-fi connection already, I nevertheless honey to receive got this eyefi SD retentivity bill of fare around. It makes it thence slow to connect together with percentage all of your photos to your telephone (or your friends' phone!)
Polarizing Lens Filter: I don't popular off anywhere without this filter on my lens! It helps inwards pretty much all conditions conditions to create your photos clear together with colorful. I originally bought it to role on overcast days together with shooting against H2O (so the background isn't blown out) but I constitute I honey it for pretty much all my photos!
Video: And what would Th hold out without a novel video! Filmed this during i of my video shoots for those who are to a greater extent than visual learners! Be certain to subscribe if you lot guys desire to reckon to a greater extent than videos similar this!
If you lot receive got whatever other questions or topics that I forgot to cover, allow me know downwards below together with I volition create certain to acquire to them!
With that, you lot demand to seat yourself thence your dorsum is firmly foursquare amongst where the Sun is. The signal behind all of it is to non receive got whatever weird shadows on your human face upwardly or body. There are a duo dissimilar ways to shoot amongst or without the Sun that I'm sharing below!
Shooting amongst your dorsum to the Sun (my preferred way):
Shooting inwards a shadow: You're able to practice this facing the Sun or amongst your dorsum to it every bit long every bit all of your trunk tin check into the shadow portion. I similar this selection when I receive got a lot of footling flyaway hairs that I don't desire highlighted inwards the Sun but nevertheless desire the same photograph composition.
While the harsh lighting may hold out gone, it's nevertheless pretty dim out together with you lot desire every bit much lighting every bit possible. I ever attempt together with human face upwardly toward the Sun on overcast days thence whatever footling low-cal at that spot is tin hold out reflected on my human face upwardly together with whatever weird shadows around my eyes together with olfactory organ tin hold out gone.
Shooting in reflecting light: This is i of my favorite ways to shoot but also i of the hardest. Finding reflecting low-cal basically way finding a wall or budding that the Sun is bouncing off of together with tin hitting you lot inwards the best way. In professional person shoots this is made yesteryear using a circular reflector. It creates a brighter dependent area together with makes the photos await amazinggg but it's thence hard to find, particularly inwards the city!
(In the photograph below the Sun was reflecting off a white budding amongst paneling together with and thence bouncing off onto me)
Your location helps your outfit tell a even out -- nigh what you're doing, the fourth dimension of twelvemonth you'll article of apparel this outfit, the emotions you lot desire to bring (aka the pump wall) or nigh where you lot are. I volition acknowledge that this is i of the hardest things for me to do. Especially since I attempt together with shoot multiple outfits on the weekends it's hard to run all around the metropolis looking for the perfect location.
There are ever "safe spots" for locations if you lot honor yourself having a major encephalon fart: beautiful homes, parks, or street trend (aka inwards the street). I constitute that these are pretty slow to shoot together with tin hold out constitute no thing where you lot live. All of these places also lend themselves to having multiple places to shoot thence you lot tin honor the correct lighting.
One inquiry I acquire asked a lot from readers is if I receive got permission to shoot inwards all of these places (more specifically inwards front end of homes together with at dissimilar businesses) together with my respond is yes. That is until someone says otherwise. There of course of education is ever a fourth dimension together with identify for photos but I've never meet whatever problems before. Maybe it's because I alive inwards the metropolis together with everyone else is doing the same but if whatever i ever asks I simply tell them it's for a personal spider web log together with they commonly don't mind. But I would justice it's upwardly to (and dependent on) each private person!
Time of Day: Time of twenty-four hr current is a large constituent when finding ideal lighting for your photos. For the most part, I similar to shoot early on to mid afternoon but recall that's because the Sun is "different" here. While it rises at the same time, you lot receive got to recall that it mightiness non hitting the due west side until the belatedly morn because of the tall buildings. Same for the Sun setting. While it sets at 6pm everyday the sunlight is gone on the avenues around 4-4:30.
I receive got been known to chase the Sun at times when I'm running behind or when I got a belatedly start. The farther due west I popular off inwards the city, the to a greater extent than low-cal I find! The metropolis also causes some problem when I desire to honor "the golden hour." The golden hours compass twice a day: an hr earlier the Sun is rises together with an hr earlier it sets. It creates a golden glow together with is said to hold out ideal for photos (especially spider web log photos).
And patch I back upwardly that claim together with honey the golden hr myself, it's simply non really viable for me. The golden hr is form of a hitting or immature lady province of affairs together with if you lot immature lady it together with thence your SOL. For me taking that endangerment sometimes isn't worth it. Especially amongst all of the function that would popular off into getting this lighting (trekking to the waterfront for photos isn't every bit slow every bit it sounds without a car).
People: This is some other topic that my readers constantly inquire about: how practice you lot avoid people inwards your photos? And it's a groovy inquiry I never would receive got stance to address. Especially inwards the city, at that spot are people everywhere together with making certain they're non inwards your shot isn't an slow feat. But I practice receive got some tips together with tricks!
1. Find Less Trafficked Areas: If you lot don't desire people inwards the background of your photos you lot acre don't popular off to Times Square -- thence honor a spot inwards the expanse where a lot of people aren't near. Some hither together with at that spot are fine, it's non the terminate of the world!
2. Be Patient (and kind): You actually receive got to larn a lot of patience when taking spider web log photos (especially inwards the city). I constitute that people tin acquire actually weird when they reckon someone taking photos. They're non certain what to practice together with a lot of times form of freeze up. You tell them it's fine to continue walking (they halt every bit to allow you lot receive got the photo) together with give cheers them for beingness considerate. Some people also simply don't fifty-fifty notice they're inwards your shot together with that's fine too. You receive got time, you're beingness patient! So allow them practice them together with and thence receive got your photos in i trial they've moved on.
3. Timing: This is crucial for when your taking photos on a sidewalk or inwards to a greater extent than crowded places. Wait for the perfect fourth dimension when no i is inwards your shot. You tin commonly receive got a handful inwards betwixt people walking inwards front end of or behind you. Just create certain you lot together with your lensman are aware together with know when to snap away!
Camera Must Haves: Just also wanted to percentage some photographic boob tube camera essentials that assist me take, compose, shop together with percentage all of my photos!
External Hard Drive: I role this to shop all of my spider web log photos since I receive got thence many together with since my figurer can't concord them all. This is a super slow plug-and-play hard drive where you lot literally simply drag together with drib whatever you lot need!
Eyefi SD Card: While my photographic boob tube camera has a wi-fi connection already, I nevertheless honey to receive got this eyefi SD retentivity bill of fare around. It makes it thence slow to connect together with percentage all of your photos to your telephone (or your friends' phone!)
Polarizing Lens Filter: I don't popular off anywhere without this filter on my lens! It helps inwards pretty much all conditions conditions to create your photos clear together with colorful. I originally bought it to role on overcast days together with shooting against H2O (so the background isn't blown out) but I constitute I honey it for pretty much all my photos!
Video: And what would Th hold out without a novel video! Filmed this during i of my video shoots for those who are to a greater extent than visual learners! Be certain to subscribe if you lot guys desire to reckon to a greater extent than videos similar this!
If you lot receive got whatever other questions or topics that I forgot to cover, allow me know downwards below together with I volition create certain to acquire to them!
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