Custom SLR Dual Camera Strap

To be honest, I thought the Custom SLR Dual Camera Strap looked like a dorky idea when I was first asked to review it. The idea is simple: sometimes you need to carry two cameras (especially heavy cameras) and the logistics of such a feat have always been cumbersome. One strap over this way and the other maybe off of the other shoulder? Double criss-cross?

Custom SLR, a company that got its start thanks to a number of successful Kickstarter campaigns, crafted a solution using one of their best selling camera straps, times two. They sent me a copy of the Dual Camera Strap to test during a small boat cruise with UnCruise Adventures in Alaska last month. I was excited for the trip as it would mean I could take both my cameras and long lenses (28-300mm and a rented 150-600mm) for both close and distant images of marine wildlife. Having that range from 28mm-600mm (on crop factor cameras) always available was important to me so I was willing to try the Dual Camera Strap, with hopes I wouldn’t always be fumbling for the right camera.

To be honest, I thought the Custom SLR Dual 

What is it?

The unit is really five parts in one. Two of those parts are copies of the traditional Glide One Strap System by Custom SLR, meant to hold one camera, over one shoulder. Then they introduced a unique buckle connector that fits in the middle of your back. Lastly, there are two small pieces of webbing that add a sternum connector.

The great thing about this setup is it uses two straps that can work alone. You’re not stuck with always using the dual setup when you only want to use one camera.

Let’s take a look at how it all fits together then I’ll tell you about my experience with the setup.

Anatomy of a Dual Camera Strap

The setup starts with the individual straps. Each has a piece of split neoprene to help evenly distribute weight on your shoulder. On the underside of the the split strap is a silicone print to provide traction, ensuring the strap doesn’t move around your shoulder.

Cameras are connected to a strap via a beefy quick-release clip attached to a tripod screw, with a loop to make hand-tightening possible (no need for tools). I have used one of these single straps in my daily photography and travels to over a dozen countries for the past three years. It’s now getting a little frayed but never once has the screw mount or quick-release failed.

Next there is a connector that attaches the two straps in the middle of your back. Simply disconnect each single strap and clip them into the connector. The clips are one-way, making the process fairly idiot-proof.

Lastly, to keep the system stable, you need to insert a sternum strap that clips the two single straps together in the front.

Having received my unit already setup, I took it apart, jumbled up the pieces, and tried to put it all together at a leisurely pace. It took me one minute and 50 seconds to go from two single straps to the Dual setup, and that included making a small error and correcting it. It’s pretty easy.

Attach Your Cameras

When changing from single straps to dual, the straps first need to be shortened. This is because each strap is simply looping around one shoulder and not across your body.

Next, screw in the tripod mount, called a C-Loop, to each camera. As Custom SLR likes to create a whole inter-functioning ecosystem, the C-Loop also works with their M-Plate tripod quick release system. This additional plate gives better stability when using long lenses, but is sold separately (shown in second photo).

Suiting-Up – Harness First, Then Cameras

Now to put it all together! It’s best to put on the harness first before attaching cameras. It can be done the other way around, but it is quite clunky and will bang up your cameras. Then, clip each camera into your preferred side.

How Does it Feel?

What I enjoyed about the Dual Strap was how comfortable it was with the weight. I was wearing about 16lbs (7.2kg) of gear and it was no different than using a solid backpack with cameras stowed inside. In fact, short of a waist belt, this setup is just like a backpack with two comfortable stretchy neoprene shoulder straps.

How Does it Work?

In practice the unit takes some getting used to during initial setup. Having two cameras dangling from your hips also takes a different sense of awareness when maneuvering in crowds, or around hard surfaces. Keeping your hands on your cameras helps with stability.

Each camera is free to glide up and down its own strap, yet is kept ready at your fingertips. When one camera is held up and the weight on that strap lessened, the second camera stays in place, without swinging to the side or sliding off your shoulder, as has been my case before using this strap.

  

I realize I look a little odd with this setup on my body. But the comfort and ease of use, quickly quieted my ego from worrying too much about what others think.

In short, the Dual Camera Strap now goes with me wherever I take both my camera bodies. I can break it down quickly for single camera use (I typically leave the sternum strap section attached to make setup quicker) and when I know I want both cameras at hand, there is simply no replacing this unit.

Additionally, I could still wear my F-Stop Lotus backpack over this setup, although range of motion was slightly lessened, but not enough to stop me from using the two together.

Conclusion

Dorkiness be damned, this thing works, and it works well. I wore the strap for more than 40 hours in a month, and after I figured out the best way to put it on (straps first, then attach cameras), it was a piece of cake.

There is something empowering having two cameras at the ready, and no longer worrying about one of them slipping off your shoulder. The Custom SLR Dual Camera Strap performs as advertised, and is a great solution if you have a two camera carrying problem.

9 Helpful Apps for Photographers

A Post By: Shayne Thomas

Hopefully I’m not the only photographer in the world that tends to get quite excited when I discover a new app, or software that could definitely be used in my career. Yes I’m a bit geeky, but you know what – geeky is the new cool. Anyway, throughout my four years as a professional I’ve come across some really great Apps that you could use for your photography, even if you’re not a pro. What makes this more interesting, is that these Apps are not commonly talked about, so chances are they are probably new to you.

So, let’s get to it:

Quick Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with, paid by, or asked to list any of these apps/programs. I am not rewarded in any way from any of the software creators. This is purely a list of apps that I have found useful, besides the all too famous ones like Photoshop and Lightroom.

1) Instagram (Mac and PC – $0.00)

To get this app to work you need to download and install both parts:

• ARC Welder extension for Google Chrome
• Instagram App Direct Download:

Have you ever wanted to share some of your photographic work on Instagram? Well, with this little app, it all becomes possible. Besides the occasional bugs here and there, it does its job just like it would on a phone – and makes sharing your work a real pleasure.

Love:

• Posting images from my computer. It’s easy, accurate, and can be a huge plus to your workflow as a photographer.
• How simple it is to set up and get running
• You can comment, like, post, and update your profile – just like you would on your phone.

Love not so much:

• Occasional bugs where it doesn’t load correctly.
• I use a 27” screen, and it works there perfectly. However, when I’m using the 15” display on my MacBook, I cannot resize the window to show the bottom part (the most important part of the window). I’m sure there’s a solution for that somewhere. It does bug me sometimes, but a simple closing and reopening of the app normally fixes it.

Conclusion: Definitely worth testing as I’m sure they will release updates to fix the issues so, it’s worth having it and following along.

2) Blogo ($29.99 Mac Only in the App Store)

If you’re not familiar with WordPress as a place to build and hold your website, I’d definitely recommend you go and check it out. It’s such a great platform to host a website (although, there is a bit of a learning curve). But, you are already familiar with WP, then Blogo is for you, especially if you love to write articles on your blog.

Blogo presents you with a stylishly clean writing panel, with the ability to add images where you like, as well as easily add Alt-tags, descriptions, links, and other SEO necessities you would normally do directly in WordPress. The best part is, you can write away online and offline, travelling or at home. A simple Publish button will send your post directly to your website and voila, it’s done. Now, the cherry on the cake = it is INCREDIBLY easy to set up. It takes less than one minute to get up and running, plus, their support is second to none.

Love:

• The clean, stylish writing panel.
• The features and its offline ability
• Adding images and SEO tweaks to your images has never been easier
• Previewing your post on your website (from within Blogo) without actually publishing it
• Top notch support
• Very fair pricing

Love not so much:

I personally had some issues with WPML (A multilingual plugin for wordpress that allows me to have a German and English website). But, they were right on top of it and are keeping me updated weekly (via personal emails) to let me know how it’s going.

3) JPEG Mini (Free Trial, $19.99, Mac and Windows)

While we’re on the topic of websites, if you take pride in your website and use it as a highly-valuable business tool, chances are you’ve come across the dilemma of choosing between high-quality, sharp images OR website load speed. Putting it in the simplest form, the higher quality the image, the bigger the file size. The bigger the file size, the longer the page takes to load. So, catch 22? Not with JPEGmini.

JPEGmini does an incredible job of reducing the size of your JPEGS, yet retaining a very acceptable image quality. The best thing is, it’s an application so you can optimize your images on your desktop, offline, and get them ready to be uploaded. I use this program religiously for our website.

750px size original image – 359kb

JPEGmini version 750px – 144kb

This original image was 359kb (fairly big for an image online). After JPEGmini = 144kb!!! Notice a difference in quality? Here’s what it did with the full sized file:

Love:

• Their lossless compressions and the speed at which it works
• Bulk optimizing. Drag as many images you want into the window and it’ll get right to work, showing you how much you’re saving
• Fair pricing (especially if you’re going to use it a lot)
• Options included to either overwrite the original file or make a copy of it.
• Lightweight program that works offline
• So easy to use
• Mac and PC compatible
• Free Trial
• Lightroom Plugin

Love not so much:

I can’t find anything wrong with it.

Conclusion: 100% worth it if you’re into blogging, and want to optimize images for your website, while keeping a fine ratio between size and quality. Do yourself a favor and at least try it, it’s quite incredible.

4) Pixieset (free options as well as paid subscriptions for more features and storage space)

There is a familiar battle between Pixieset versus PASS as there is the Nikon versus Canon debate. Both are great in their own ways, and both do the same thing. However, I personally use Pixieset. I have not really tried PASS, so please do not think I’m being negative towards it. I just found Pixieset to do exactly what I need, when I need it, perfectly every time. Why would I look for something else?

So, what is Pixieset? It’s a stunning, clean, and professional way to create client galleries and send them out. It is so good, that 100% of my clients love it (no lie)! You upload the high-resolution files (pro version only) to the online gallery, design it with a few clicks and some information, and voila, it’s done. It’s responsive, easy to use for anyone (even grandma), and allows your clients to download the high-resolution files (pro version only) or smaller web sized images whenever they want.

Love:

• The responsiveness: Works amazing on computers as it does on mobile devices.
• Allows downloads a range of file sizes (from Web, to high resolution, to Full resolution).
• Let’s face it, the world has shifted to Digital mediums. This is the perfect solution to delivering your work to your clients.
• Has a Lightroom plugin to automatically upload a set to Pixieset.
• Frequent updates and features being added.
• Password protected galleries to make them private.
• Clients can favorite images and send that list to you, as the photographer, very easily. Perfect for when clients choose images for albums, or to make adjustments on files.
• The above favorite list can be easily added into your Lightroom catalog to show only those files. Saves you having to manually go and choose the files.
• Amazing support! These people love their customers.

Love not so much:

You can’t really edit offline, but that’s okay, it’s not to serious. That’s it.

5) Automator (Built into OS X)

Ever stumbled upon this awesome little robot guy? Well, believe it or not – he’s actually very useful. Remember how I mentioned I always resize my images before compressing them with JPEGmini? Well, Automator is my go-to tool to resize (if I don’t want to do it in LR or PS). Why? Because it’s simple. That’s why. It does its job and it does it fast, and well.

How does it work?

Setting up Automations may seem a bit daunting at first, but it’s really simple once you get the hang of it. Here is the step by step guide:

1. Open Automator on your Mac (I use spotlight, so CMD+Space and type in Automator)
2. You’re presented with a drop down window giving you a list of documents you can create. For this purpose (resizing), create an Application
3. Now, you need to add something to this Application. Above the list of all the options you can choose, there’s a search box. Type in SCALE. The last choice, Scale Images, is the one you want.
4. Drag it over to the right into the open space.
5. You will be asked if you want to add another function to the application about creating copies of the original file. Add it if you like, or don’t, it’s up to you. I don’t, I normally copy my High Res from their HD place, put them in a folder on the desktop and resize/rewrite over them. Simple. Just make sure you have them all in full resolution saved somewhere else!
6. Under the Scale Images options on the right, you can choose between: To Size (pixels) or To Percentage (%). Choose Size, then simply type in how big you want your images to be (on the longest edge). I’ve created eight different sizes and saved them all on my desktop. This way, if I need a 750px image, I have the automation there already. If I need 2048px for Facebook, it’s there.
7. Choose your size and finally click on File > Export > Give it a Name > Choose Location > and BAM! There you go.
8. To use it, simply drag your image files onto the actual icon of the Automator and away it goes. Resizing all the images you dragged (it supports bulk drag too, awesome huh?).

6) Smart Albums 2 (free to try, $299.00, Mac and PC compatible)

Before you run away after seeing the above price tag, just hear me out. If you’re into designing albums for your clients, be it Wedding Albums that you sell, or session albums, Smart Albums fixes that all-to-common problem of using really bad, boring, slow and unappealing design software that 99% of the printing companies offer. I mean, some of them are appalling.

Smart Albums links up to some of the most popular printing companies around the world and lets you design your album the way you want, according to the sizes, spreads, and specifications of your chosen printing company. It does this in a beautiful, fast, and very easy to understand way. Yes, it’s expensive, but if it’s a business that you are running, you’ll make it back after one sale. Totally worth it, given the amount of time you save and how much more efficient the whole thing becomes. Of course, it’s free to try so give it a go before you decide if it’s really for you or not.

They have over 30+ printing agencies that are compatible with Smart Albums, on an international level. They work in the USA, Europe, Africa and Asia. They’re constantly adding new agencies to their list, so the chances are high that your favorite printers will be listed.

Love:

• The simplicity of the program and how easy it is to use.
• The humungous list of agencies that they can work with.
• The support. Great help from their team.
• Mobile support.

Love not so much:

The price is pretty heavy. But, the good thing is that it’s a one-off payment. No need to pay yearly (unless you want their cloud storage).

7) AstroPad (Mac and iOS only: Free, or $20 for Pro Features)

Own an iPad? Want a graphics tablet to edit your photos with, like a Wacom? Want a free solution that works surprisingly well? Then, AstroPad is for you. After downloading the App both on your Mac and your iPad, you can pretty much control your entire computer from your iPad. Using touch gestures and special movements, you can set this app up to work for you, not against you. If you happen to have a stylus for the iPad, then you’re even closer to having a free graphics tablet. Definitely worth trying, as it’s free, and you may even improve your post-processing, especially if you need delicate movements with the brush tool.

Love:

• The idea of using an iPad as a graphics tablet.
• That you can see your image on the iPad and paint/adjust/edit directly on it.
• That it’s free.
• That you can control more than just Photoshop.
• Use it wirelessly (Wi-Fi) or plugged in (when you don’t have Wi-Fi).

Love not so much:

It can have a little delay in terms of what you do on the iPad and what comes out on the computer – only slightly, but enough to notice.

8) Sunseeker ($9.99 iOS only)

Sunseeker is an app for the iPhone or iPad that augments reality into its software to track the sun. It’s surprisingly accurate, and is a perfect tool for photographers who rely on the sun for their shoots. It’s a great way to plan where the sun will be in the sky at a certain point in time. Can you imagine how easy it would be when location scouting?

Simply point the phone up to the sky and follow the trail until you find where the sun will be. You can move a slider to change the position of the sun at a certain hour of a certain day. What’s great is that it uses your camera and projects its overlay on top of what you’re seeing. So, if there’s a building in front of you, you’ll see at what point the sun will just start to hide behind it; giving you valuable planning information as to when is the best time to do something.

Love:

• That it uses the camera to project the sun’s future and past placement.
• That it’s simple, easy to use, and fits in your pocket (iPhone only).
• A great planning tool that you should have with you. Even if you don’t use it too often, it does come in handy from time to time.

Love not so much:

The sliders to change the time of day, and the position of the sun are quite small, and to pin point an exact day can be quite frustrating as you almost always overshoot it.

9) Tave (Free to try, $24 – $49 per month subscription)

Running a photography business can be quite chaotic if you don’t have a decent system or workflow. Keeping track of your clients, their anniversaries and important dates, logging your expenses and income, tracking weather, and planning the shoots can all add up to the mess.Tave solves that and 99+ things more. I was hooked on it the moment I set everything up.

Love:

• A complete business management tool that sits safely online, and can be accessed by more than one person (if you choose).
• Amazing reports and financial tracking.
• Huge customizations.
• Great support. Offers live Chat right in your dashboard.
• You can create questionnaires to send to your clients that will automatically record their answers, and place them in their respective job areas.
• Verified by accountants.
• Works internationally.
• Works on mobile devices.
• Tons of features!

Love not so much:

• It does require a fair amount of time investment to set it up. But once you do, it’s groovy.
• It doesn’t work offline.
• A little bit of a learning curve, but they have really great support, and are more than willing to help you along the way.

Conclusion

Those are the nine apps that I personally recommend and use. I hope that I’ve introduced you to some great things that you can use for your own photography. Again, I gain no benefit from listing these apps besides the satisfaction of actually sharing some information with you.

What are your favorite apps for photography that aren’t talked about too often? I’m not talking about Editing Apps, as they’re everywhere, but any apps that you know of that are worth checking out? Let me know in the comments below.

Post-Processing Tips for Beginners

A Post By: Karthka Gupta

They say photography is an art form, and I couldn’t agree more. There are so many elements that go into making a great piece of art. Not only do you need to know your gear and the environment you work in, but you also need to know how to put the finishing touches to your art, that takes it from good to great.

This can be quite challenging especially to a beginner. But like any great artist would say, all of this can be done with a lot of practice and patience. Great photos tend to have universal appeal. They are technically sound, and also have an editing style that appeals to the mass majority. While most photographers, including myself, advocate getting it right in camera, there are some basic steps that you may need to follow just to add the right amount of oomph to your images in the post-processing stage.

Choosing the right type of editing software

The type of editing you apply to your images does depend on the type of software you use. There are many different options for editing software on the market. Adobe Photoshop andLightroom are two of the most popular ones for serious amateurs, and professional photographers. But if you are an absolute beginner they might be cost prohibitive for your needs. There are some good free editing software, like PicMonkey and Picasa, that work great at a basic level. If you are a cell phone photographer, then most smartphones have built-in editing software that does the job fairly well too. Apart from the basic editing steps they also have a ton of filters for adding some really cool effects to your images. But just be careful of the audience and the purpose for these cell phone images before applying funky filters.

For the purposes of this article, I will be using Lightroom. Most of the steps are common to all editing software, just choose the one that works for you and your photography needs.

Adjust the horizon

One of the first things I do to any image is to adjust the horizon, also known as straightening the image. I am not a fan of tilting my images. I find that when I look at tilted images, I don’t know which way is up. Am I supposed to turn my head to the right or the left? Crazy tilts make me dizzy. I don’t see images in tilts in my day-to-day, so why would I want to click images that are tilted. This is just my personal preference. I know some photographers who consider it very artsy to have tilted images. If that is your thing, then go for it and do what makes you happy. For images that have the horizon or leading lines in them, getting the horizon level is an absolute must.

This was taken from the passenger side of the car – I really loved the leading lines but knew the horizon was way off.

In Lightroom, I adjusted the horizon, increased the contrast gently, and warmed up the image by adjusting the temperature slightly.

Adjust or crop out any unwanted elements

Nothing can be more distracting than an unwanted element in the frame. Before cropping or removing unwanted elements ask yourself whether the object is actually adding value to the image, or is it competing with the subject for attention. Removing unwanted elements can be done by using the clone/stamp tool in Photoshop, the spot healing brush Lightroom or a simple crop function in your photo editor of choice.

I loved the texture of the brick wall but hated the stains on the wall right near the chair.

I chose a closer crop for the chair, and cloned out the stains using the spot removal tool in Lightroom. I also brightened the image a tad.

Remove any dust spots

This is something that is prominent if you are photographing against a light background, or when converting to black and white. If your sensor is dirty or has minute dust specks, they appear in your photographs. You can use the clone tool or even the patch tool (Photoshop) and clean out these dust spots in the image.

Adjust the exposure and contrast

After you have straightened the horizon and removed any unwanted or distracting elements from the frame, next adjust the exposure of the image. This adjusts the brightness. If the image is too dark, add light in and if the image is too bright, reduce light. Keep in mind that often times adjusting brightness will affect the contrast of the image as well. This can be fixed by adjusting the Contrast Slider in Lightroom. It makes the brightest parts of the image brighter and the darkest parts darker, and improves the overall look of the adjusted image.

While I adore this pose of my clients, the image is a little too dark (underexposed) as the light was changing very fast.

As part of my edits to this image, I increased the exposure, warmed up the image by increasing the temperature and also adjusted the contrast a bit to add a little more umph (punch) to the image.

Adjust saturation

Typically if I have adjusted temperature and contrast in an image, I do not adjust the saturation slider. But this is a personal preference for most people. Adjusting the saturation value of an image can add a certain punch to an image, but use this tool with a light hand as you don’t want you image to look too processed.

I love this image of fresh snow on the blades of tall grass near my home. But, because everything was so dark and gloomy due to the snow, the image appears a bit flat and dull.

I wanted to exaggerate the colors of the blades of grass to show that they were extremely dry and also pop-out the white snow on the grass. So I adjusted the saturation and vibrance sliders in Lightroom, and also warmed up the image by adjusting the temperature.

Export for web or print

Depending on what is the final treatment for your images, you can either save them as low resolution JPEGS or high resolution JPEGS. There are many other formats as well like TIFF, BMP, and GIF. JPEG are more universally accepted, and is the format that I use for all my images – the ones for print as well as for the web. Typically an image approximately 72PPI (pixels per inch) is considered as a low resolution image, ideal for the web (but on the web only the actual pixel size matters so 1000px on the long side is usually a good choice for the web). An image of 150DPI or 300DPI is considered a high resolution image ideal for print. DPI stands for Dots per inch. Per wikipedia, it is used to describe the resolution number of dots per inch in a digital print.

Ultimately how you process your images is an extremely personal decision. Choose the style and the tools that best describe your photography style. It is okay to experiment with the latest fads, filters, and looks but keep in mind that you may want your images to have a timeless look and feel so that years from now when you look at them, they still evoke an emotion.

How to Create and Use Hard and Soft Light in a Studio Setting

When setting up your lights for studio photography, you first need to consider what lighting setup will create the look you are going for. Is your light going to fall into the category of hard light – or will it be soft? What’s the difference?

Let’s first look at the basic characteristics of hard and soft light sources, and the different feel each creates when shooting the same subject.

HARD LIGHT

In general, a single-point light source, aimed from a distance is referred to as hard light, much like our sun on a clear day or a streetlight at night.

This hard light source creates a high contrast look, where the transition between highlights and shadows is sharp and well-defined.

In some cases, this contrast can look harsh (and unwanted).

SOFT LIGHT

On the other hand, a soft light source is a larger, broader, light placed relatively close to the subject. A cloud-covered or overcast day, where diffused sunlight reflects off a large concrete wall would be one example of a soft light source.

The light tends to be flatter in contrast, and the highlights hold more detail, with the shadow’s edges being soft and open.

Generally this is a more pleasing light, but not necessarily the only light-source.

Many factors go into choosing light quality and the type of light source on set. One may be the direction given from an art director or client where you may be asked to match images from an existing campaign. They may want you to recreate a natural lighting condition (such as hot harsh desert sun on a pair of boots, or cool early morning light falling on a table setting).

The subject matter itself can also have a strong influence on your choice of light source. A highly reflective (like glass or chrome), or high-contrast product can be quite the challenge if you try lighting it with a hard light source. Fighting spectral highlights, or holding detail in the shadows and highlights, can be a pain if you have to use hard lighting alone.

If you’re lucky enough to be given creative freedom by the client, or working on a personal project, you might be illustrating a mood or an emotion and will use appropriate lighting needed to create it. Careful choice of lighting, and mixing your hard and soft light sources, will allow you to achieve that.

How to set up for a hard light shoot

For the studio hard-light set, place the key (main) light (a strobe head with a 12” modifier) to the left and slightly behind the subject. The initial beam may be too broad, so to concentrate the light you can add a 35-degree grid to the modifier.

For this setup, final adjustments to the height and position of the key light were made, in order to modify the angle and length of the shadows on the table and floor, as well as to illuminate the edges of the computer screen in a pleasing manner. A 4’x8′ sheet of black foamcore was placed to the right of the set to deepen the shadows and remove unwanted reflections. Two smaller sheets of white foamcore were set low, in front and to either side, to control the amount of detail in the front edge of the table and legs.

A second strobe head with a 7” grid modifier was set high, and to the back of the set. Its angle was adjusted to illuminate the upper right corner of the background, which you can see in the photo (right).

How to set up for a soft light shoot

To create the soft-light look, the key light is set in the same place, but a 4’x4′ full diffusion panel is placed between the light and the subject, just out of the frame. Remove the grid from the key light to broaden the light. The black foamcore is replaced by a sheet of white to fill or open the shadows (but the two sheets out front remain). The background light is pulled back, the grid removed, and a diffusion disk added to soften the beam and cover the entire background. In this way the whole set appears bright and soft and with a lot of ambient light filling the image (left).

How to change a hard light source into a soft one

You may get into a situation where you’ve set up your light source and find you actually want to go the other direction with it. In this case, it is quite easy to change one type of light source into the other. You can diffuse a hard source into being soft, by placing diffusion material between the lighting and the subject, which allows you to control the angle and light gradient. You can also just attach a softbox to the light to soften the light and make it into a broader, even source. You can also take a soft source that you’ve set up and change its distance from the subject in order to make it a harder, more focused light. You can also bounce the light around more using reflectors, umbrellas, or a handy wall in order to soften it and make it less directional.

Combining hard and soft light

The ultimate tip for studio photography is to be flexible with your lighting setup regardless of your years of know-how. You may have an idea in mind for the final look you want for the photograph, but you may find that on set the product looks quite different under various lighting conditions. Be prepared to play around and try things – because often a mixture of both hard and soft light can show the product to its full advantage.

Soft light example with a hard light rim (kicker or accent) light from behind. Notice the hard shadow on the table in front of the cups – that is created by the hard rim light.

Once you have a full understanding of hard and soft light sources, you can combine the two lighting techniques. For example, the set might have a general, overall softness to its light, but you might use a rim (or accent) light to give the shot more mood or dimension, or to accent certain elements of items in frame. Mastering both types of light allows you to have the ultimate control over your lighting, and the final image that comes out of the camera.

A Post By: Craig Wagner

Photography Tips for Absolute Beginners

So you have decided you might like to try getting into photography, you have either just acquired a new camera or are about to, where do you begin?

Here are some photography tips for absolute beginners to help get you started:

Buying gear

Your gear does not make you a good photographer. If you are just starting out, a top of the line camera is likely to not ony be be a waste of money for you, but also make your learning process a bit trickier. A bit like buying a formula one race car to learn to drive.

When you do want to buy gear, research first. It’s really helpful to take a look at some photography forums or articles here on dPS to find tips on beginner cameras. Once you find something that sounds viable and fits your budget, read reviews, and again look to forums such as Flickr, where there is a chat group for nearly every brand or model of camera, and they are often more honest about any issues.

The same applies to other gear like lighting. You don’t need to set yourself up with professional soft boxes to try studio lit portraits, you can try some of these DIY lighting tips, or find some cheap beginner setups on Amazon or Ebay.

Take lots of photographs

“Your first ten thousand photographs are your worst” – Henri Cartier-Bresson

As with any skill, the more you use it, the better you get. As you progress with your photography and look back on those early beginner shots you thought were fabulous, you’ll be able to see Mr. Cartier-Bresson was very right.

Read the manual

Camera manuals are at best, the most boring thing you have ever read in your life, with the possible exception of that friend that wanted you to read all 600 pages of their poetry about love and skin rashes.

Camera manuals are not exactly a riveting read.

It’s a good thing both in the beginning, and to refresh down the track, to know how this wonderful instrument (your camera) actually works. Even if you don’t recall all of it, that doesn’t matter, you will learn or be reminded of something helpful.

Yet it’s such a hard thing to read that manual! So it’s best to place it somewhere where you can push through it in small instalments while you are passing some time such as: the bathroom, in the car if circumstances have you often sitting there waiting for the kids, or at work during lunch break. Just as long as you give that thing a good going over.

Workshops and courses

So you’ve got the photography bug. You might be thinking, “Ooooo! I’ll sign up to a bunch of courses, workshops, buy online courses.” It might seem like a good idea and while they can be fantastic, I don’t recommend going nuts with your enthusiasm, and signing up for courses and workshops the moment you get the photography buzz.

You are currently reading one of the most useful photography sites on the entire internet. There is more information, tips and tutorials on this site, and others, than you will ever need to get you started and beyond. Once you get the hang of things, then you will have a better idea of the type of courses and workshops that would suit you. So I’m not saying don’t take a course – just wait until you know what suits your needs.

Connect with other photographers

This is invaluable, whether you sign up to an online group that use your brand of camera, or join a local camera club, your photography will progress faster, and it will be more fun with the help of fellow shutterbugs.

Connecting with other photographers is a great way to learn more and get inspired.

Camera clubs often have monthly competitions to practice with and sometimes organize photo tours, exhibitions and other activities. Talking with knowledgeable photographers or even fellow beginners can not only inspire, but also keep you motivated.

Sign up to some reputable photography newsletters and Facebook pages, or even approach photographers you admire to ask questions. Most professional photographers don’t mind answering a few questions, as long as you are respectful and polite, and don’t demand too much of their time.

Try everything

You may have taken up photography with a certain style or subject in mind, but it can be helpful to try all styles. You never know what you might have a knack for, or what you will learn along the way.

Getting feedback

Your friends and family may love you but they will lie to you about your photography. Unless you have a very honest friend or family member who actually knows a bit about photography, it’s often more beneficial to get feedback from strangers.

Signing up to a photo sharing site where others can comment on your work will get you mostly honest feedback, sometimes brutally so. I posted the image below on a feedback site some years ago. Aware the image had faults, I was keen to hear what someone else could point out for me, that I might not have seen after working so closely on the image.

A fellow submitted a lengthy comment , basically pulled it apart, pointing out several (million it seemed) faults, he really went to town on it. But while the comments were brutal and borderline unkind, it was useful advice. All of which I ignored in regards to that image, but was useful for later attempts.

Enter free competitions

If you have loads of money to spend, and confidence in your work, by all means as a beginner enter some of the big competitions. You wouldn’t be the first to take out a major prize in the first few months of picking up a camera. But there are loads of free competitions out there for you to throw some images, at and see how they go. Have a read of this helpful guide to entering competitions.

Aim to get off Auto settings

If you really want to be a good photographer, this is vital. No rush though! Just enjoy photographing in Auto Mode, and experiment with the settings as you go. Manual settings are not nearly as difficult as some beginners think. It can be a bit like learning to drive. In the beginning, it can be challenging to manage gears, indicators, and steering, all the while trying not veer off the road. But, with a bit of patience and practice, it becomes second nature. When you are ready to try manual settings there are plenty of beginner guides and cheat sheets here on dPS.

The digital darkroom

If you are really into your photography, you will need some sort of editing program. In the days of film photography you needed a darkroom and the use of heavy chemicals. But these days, thanks to modern technology, you can edit almost anywhere.

These days your darkroom can even be in bed with some accompaniments.

There are free and simple programs like Picasa, which have their limits, but are good for those just starting out. Then there are the big guns like Photoshop and Lightroom, which can be daunting for beginners, but it’s worth learning even just the basics of these programs, if you intend to get serious about your photography at some point. As with getting off Auto settings, it’s not as difficult as it may seem at first, and the internet is bursting with free tutorials on pretty much any program you choose.

Have fun

This is the best and most important part of photography, the enjoyment of it.

Don’t get bogged down by unsuccessful attempts, or by comparing yourself to professionals. Even the best photographers in the world were beginners at some point. Just keep taking photographs, keep learning, keep challenging yourself, and above all keep enjoying the fun you can have with photography.