Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Digital photography
How to use focus lock: Sometimes you don't want your camera to automatically focus on what is in the center of the screen. Firstly, aim your camera at the object you want to focus on, and let your camera use its auto-focus to focus on it. Then depress the shutter release button half-way, and keep it there to lock the focus on that object. Then, while holding down that button half-way, point the camera at the scene you want to photograph, and then push the button all the way down. The object you focussed on should remain in focus.
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Digital photography
Reducing wind noise in full-size microphones:
A foam wind-reducer (open-cell foam) that fits over your microphone will be okay for indoors, but for outdoors you will need to invest in a furry cover for your microphone. Even better is "blimp", which is a furry-covered cage, which houses your microphone, suspended in rubber bands.
Sometimes wind noise is caused by the wind passing over the point where your microphone connects with the cord, or at the point of switches on the handle of your microphone, so seal these with electrical tape.
If you still have wind noise in your audio, you can use a "high pass" filter, in an audio editing program, and using a cut-off frequency of around 200Hz. But by doing this you will lose some wanted sounds as well. You can also try other noise reduction filters if you have a part of your video that has wind noise and nothing else to use as a sample for the noise reduction filter to work from.
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Underwater photography
Camera settings:
If you are using a compact camera underwater, set it to use the "Cloudy day" white balance setting.
Use manual settings if you can. Choose a shutter speed setting like 1/60th or 1/125th of a second, and then vary the aperture as needed.
Know how to easily access your camera's macro mode. It's very useful underwater.
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Underwater photography
Light: There is normally much less light available underwater. In clear, shallow water, on a fine day, if you're looking at something close, then you shouldn't have much of a problem, but as you go deeper, or look at something further away, you will quickly lose light, colour, and contrast. Red light, especially, is quickly absorbed by the water, so everything will appear bluish. Extra lighting usually comes in the form of flash/strobes.
Try to get as close to your subject as possible, so as not to lose colour.
Use a flash
Use a wide angle lense or macro lens, to allow close focus.
When using a flash, you can keep the background brighter by increasing the ISO setting on your camera.
Ideally the flash should be away from the camera, to avoid back-scattering of light (light reflected off particles in the water)
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Underwater photography
Cheap camera housing: A cheap way into underwater photography is to puchase a camera housing. At their cheapest these are essentially waterproof plastic bags, with a polycarbonate window through which your camera can see clearly.
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Digital photography
Camcorder tips:
Reduce wind noise: You can make a windscreen for the compact microphone of your camcorder with the the gauze-like padding of an adhesive bandage. Taped over the mic’s tiny port, the “screen” does an admirable job of muffling, even eliminating, the sound of wind.
Reduce camera shake by not zooming so much, and by using a tripod, a monopod, or by leaning up against a tree or a wall.
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography
Poor man's tripod: Requires string, and a bolt that will fit the fitting in the bottom of your camera. Tie the string into a loop that is about the same height as you are. Tie the bolt onto the string loop, and then screw the bolt into your camera. To use, step onto the bottom of the string loop and hold the camera up to your eye, tensioning the string. The string acts as a tripod to keep the camera steady. This method is great if you don't want to carry a heavy tripod of monopod with you on long walks.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography
Cheap macro photography: You don't have to buy an expensive dedicated macro lens. Here are three cheap ways to get extreme close-up photographs:
1. Reverse your standard lens (put it on backwards) using a "reverse adapter ring" designed for your camera. This works best if you have a lens with a manual aperture ring or if you know how to make your camera lock-in a particular aperture.
2. Use extension tubes which go inbetween your lens and the camera, enabling greater magnification.
3. Use filter add-ons that screw onto the front of your lens. This gives lower quality than the above two methods, but is a lot easier, and enables you to use the automatic features of your camera, rather than having to control all the settings manually.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography
UV Filters?: A lot of people use these to protect the front of the lens. However, they can diminish the contrast of your shots under certain conditions. Putting a cheap filter in front of expensive lenses reduces the functionality of the expensive lenses. To protect your valuable lens, use a lens hood instead.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography
Gear check: If you have a large camera bag, with lots of gear, take a photo of all the gear laid out in your bag. Print it out and laminate it. Label the image if you want. You can use this as a check list, to make sure you don't forget something.
Kevin Solway (173)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography
Fixing sticky rubber grips on cameras. With age, rubber around a camera can break down and become sticky. Rub with degreaser (the type you use on your car engine) or acetone to remove the sticky surface.
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Digital photography
Reduce wind noise on a compact camera:
Cover the microphone port with sticky tape. There will still be audio, but the wind noise will be greatly reduced.
thesource (378)
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Main > Hobbies > Arts and crafts > Graphics > Photography > Digital photography
Camera stabilization:
Put a strap from the camera around your neck and keep it taught. This will reduce camera shake.
thesource (378)
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