Digital Photography How to Guide Book TWO: For the Artist in you!
I love iPhones and Instagram," says Olmos. What have they been replaced by? Twelve people at Instagram. I'm pleased there are no longer photography companies who got silver out of Congo by bribing Mobuto for their film, as used to happen. But there's a stronger reason that makes Olmos argue photography is dying. But who needs prints in a paper-free world?
The idea is to slow them down, to make them make — not just take — photographs. Guardian photographer Eamonn McCabe agrees: It took me back to the days when photography didn't make people like me lazy. Why is digital lazy? You snap away thinking, 'One of these shots will work', rather than concentrate on capturing the image. McCabe used to take two rolls of 24 exposures on a typical assignment. I don't think photography's dead, it's just become lazy. People are taking lots of pictures but nobody's looking at them. For a more positive sense of what digital and cameraphone technology has done to photography, I speak to Nick Knight , the British fashion photographer who's just done two big assignments entirely on iPhone — a book of 60 images celebrating the work of the late fashion editor Isabella Blow, and a campaign for designer clothes brand Diesel.
It's almost become my camera of choice. Indeed, Knight reckons the democratising revolution catalysed by improved mobile phone cameras is as radical as what happened in the s when fashion photographer David Bailey binned his tripod and started using a handheld camera. The same is true for me with the iPhone. For years I would shoot on an 8x10 camera, which wasn't intended to be moved. Now I have freedom. But what about the "crap" iPhone lens? The image isn't sharp? It's an inspiring and practical project-based course book that covers everything from basic composition to the latest digital darkroom techniques.
You can learn at your own pace and develop key photographic techniques through step-by-step projects on exposure, aperture, lenses, light, filters, colour, black and white and image enhancement; plus professional secrets and stunning shots from around the world. Today's photographers approach their craft in a multitude of ways, and with so many millions of people taking up the craft, there's a sizeable support group for every interest, from iPhoneography to expressive, humanitarian, or collaborative photography.
Narrative is one such popular field, as more and more photographers take an interest in creating coherent photo stories. Using Michael's own work, and that of many other great photographers, this unique book will show you how classic photo stories are shot and edited, and give you a wealth of ideas to unlock the potential of your most powerful storytelling tool: Need to know which digital camera to buy? Want to take better photographs and retouch images?
Ready to achieve professional results? This updated edition of The Digital Photography Handbook by Doug Harman will allow you to make the most of all the advantages your camera has to offer - as well as guiding you through the latest software to enhance your images, and get professional results with every shot. This book includes expert advice on the art of photography — think composition, depth of field and how to photograph a variety of subjects — editing and image manipulation software, how to print your images for the best results, developing a portfolio and mastering the rules of copyright.
It's such a simple question, but one that often leaves many discerning photographer confused and overwhelmed, but how do you choose the right lens for your camera? A Practical Guide for the Creative Photographer. It's not a simple catalogue of available lenses, as that would be impossible to keep updated with so many new models entering the market all the time.
Guy gives you all the information you need to make smart buying decisions. Optical technology is demystified, arcane terminology is decoded, and practical tips are provided. The Lens will help you build the perfect lens collection to suit your needs both now and in the future.
I took fewer than 20 photos with it over the four years I owned it! And then it was time to upgrade. I bought a new shiny smartphone. The day it arrived, Lauren challenged me to share a photo once a day for a year.
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I accepted and signed up for Instagram that afternoon. And over the past year, things for me have changed. I've taken over 8, photos on my phone. I've captured big moments — adventures, birthdays, holidays — moments that, as usual, were also recorded on my DSLR. More importantly, I've captured the small moments that tend to go unrecorded and so are easily forgotten, but that ultimately form the bulk of our lives: I've shared over photos on Instagram and looked at thousands of images shared by other people.
I've connected — even if only in a small way — with people I haven't seen in years. I've made acquaintances with photographers I've never met and been inspired and intimidated by their incredible work. Photography was exciting again. I started running more often, running further, in search of a great shot, getting to know my hometown better in the process.
I got up for sunrises, I stayed up for northern lights. I learned more about the technical stuff and experimented with new styles. I saw more, I experienced more. There was a cost, too. I've spent hours editing and captioning and re-editing and re-captioning photos. I've battled little insecurities about what I say and share online. But those costs are so small, compared to the record I have: The photos of family, friends and adventures, and the emotions and lessons attached to those images.
Sometimes, I look back on those photos and wish I'd taken them with a better camera, but I know too that if I had only used my DSLR, so many of those photos simply wouldn't exist. So until the day arrives where I bring myself to tote around multiple devices, always at the ready, it's me and my smartphone. And I'm so excited to see where it takes me. Scroll through, and you'll get an idea of what you can and, in some cases, can't do with a camera phone. When I used a different camera or edited a shot on my computer, you'll see a note saying so. If you're in the market for a new smartphone, we unfortunately can't tell you exactly what to buy.
For one, we don't know everything there is to know about every smartphone out there! But even if we did, we couldn't say what's right for you, because we don't know you as well as you do! You'll need to think about what's available to you, what you want out of a phone, how much you're willing to pay and so on. But we won't leave you totally in the dark here. We can, at least, tell you a bit about what to look for in a smartphone from a photographic sense. In the box below, you'll find some of the main points you may want to consider from a photography perspective.
Don't think that every phone needs to be a winner on all of these fronts — we simply want to open your eyes to some of the features that are out there and relevant to photographers. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how to prioritize the things below! Image quality What do the photos coming out of the camera look like? Check for things like sharpness, contrast, saturation and color white balance and tint. Online reviews with photo examples are a great help here!
Megapixels If you're looking to share or print your images at larger sizes, as a very general rule more megapixels on a phone is better. Screen Consider things like screen size, resolution, and the quality of the contrast. These'll all make a difference in how easy it is to use your camera, especially in tricky lighting conditions, like low light and direct sun. They'll also influence how similar the image on your phone looks to that same image when it's posted online or printed out. Image stabilization These days, some smartphone cameras come equipped with image stabilization — a function that reduces blurriness caused by movement of the camera.
This can make a big difference in the quality of your photos and videos, especially in low-light conditions! Video quality Almost all camera phones can shoot HD video P. But some camera phones support shooting at faster frame rates for slow motion video. And a few cutting edge smartphone cameras can shoot at an ultra high definition 4K resolution.
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Popularity As a general rule, if you choose a more popular phone you'll have more options when it comes to apps and accessories, and you'll have an easier time tracking down replacement parts like USB cables and chargers. Our current phones have 32 GB of space, and we wouldn't want any less. Battery life Your battery life will depend on a lot of things like how much you use your phone and what apps you run in the background , but it's worth getting an idea of what the maximum battery life is.
Other camera features Do you care about having burst mode, exposure control, panorama capabilities, etc.? If so, do your research and see whether the phone you're eyeing comes with those features or a relevant app. Price As a general rule, the better the camera features, the more expensive the phone will be. If you're serious about smartphone photography, it may be worth it to pay the premium.
But don't lose sight of the fact that smartphones still don't match the quality of DSLRs or even advanced point-and-shoots the photos from which you can share on platforms like Instagram and Flickr. If you're not camera savvy or phone savvy , check in with someone who is! The internet is full of reviews by people who know their microchips from their megabites. Here are a couple of review sites we recommend checking out before you buy. This site will give you an in-depth review of the camera on almost every major smartphone out there.
We particularly like the intuitive design of the reviews, which awards a score out of for things like exposure and contrast, color, autofocus, noise, stabilization, noise and more — for both photos and videos! Here you'll find a ranking for the best smartphone cameras of , as chosen by the tech website, Tom's Guide. Each pick comes with a full review, so you can get a good sense of what makes each camera stand out. There are two main types of smartphones that dominate the market: In contrast, Android phones can be made by a bunch of different companies Samsung, LG, etc.
The name instead comes from the operating system those phones run — the Android system developed by Google. If you're not sure whether to get an iPhone or an Android phone, here are a few things to consider: Historically, iPhones have been the popular choice among smartphone users or at least users who are willing to invest in expensive gear and so companies have been eager to develop apps and accessories that are iPhone-compatible.
On the accessories front, this is helped by the fact that there are relatively few models of iPhone being used at any given time. Manufacturers can know that if they make an iPhone accessory, it will be compatible with a huge number of phones.
Now contrast that to Android phones. Though they occupy a larger share of the market than they once did, there are considerably more types of models out there — and so less incentive to make accessories. On the apps front, things are levelling out a bit, though iPhone users still seem to have a bit of an edge iPhone users enjoy higher quality uploads to Instagram, for example.
Finally, some tech gear is compatible only with certain phones. Anyone who wants an Apple watch, for example, will need an iPhone 5 or a newer model. Android phones tend to lag behind a bit, though the latest round of Android phones — especially phones developed by Google — are edging in.
Equivalent Android phones are considerably less expensive. We personally look for a smartphone that has a great camera and suits our other phone needs, prioritizing an easy-to-use operating system, great aesthetics, a good price and a fair warranty. A photo straight out of my smartphone's camera, taken in low light. On the camera front specifically, we want a camera app that's easy to use or to know that we can download a better alternative and great image quality.
We recommend looking at reviews that show how image quality changes under different conditions, paying attention to things like contrast, color quality, saturation and sharpness. A photo straight out of my smartphone's camera, taken in direct sunlight. All that being said, your priorities may be different from ours — it's your call! But if we can recommend one thing above all else: See if you can play with a friend's phone, or head to a store to try out a test model. Is it intuitive to use? Do you like the look of the photos?
Does it seem like the right fit for the price? When it comes to accessories, all you really need to get started with smartphone photography is a smartphone with a camera app and a charger. But a case and screen protector should be bought ideally the same day you get your phone. Make sure you set yourself up with a good phone case and screen protector. You'll kick yourself if you scratch your pricey phone because you were unwilling to shell out a few extra bucks for the protective gear! A quick Google search of your model plus the terms 'case' or 'screen protector' will help you track down good options.
We bought ours at Best Buy. As mobile phone photography becomes more popular, all kinds of new accessories and gadgets pop up. Here are a few usually non-essentials that you might want to consider, beyond the run-of-the-mill case and screen protector. This lens magnifies x18 so distant objects appear extremely close. It attaches to the phone's lens by using a clamp.
It also comes with a tripod that helps steady the phone to avoid blur caused by camera shake. I took this lens for a spin in the zoo, and you can see the results below. You can get this lens from Amazon here. A portable battery pack allows you to recharge your phone from a battery. It's a great extra for campers, hikers, travellers and anyone whose phone runs out before their desire to take photos does! A fully waterproof case will allow you to submerge your phone in water for a period of time — you'll be able to snap shots without a problem in rain, snow or even in a pool or the ocean!
Some of these heavy-duty cases are so thick that they may reduce the responsiveness of your touch screen, so read reviews before you buy. These days, you can find a whole suite of lenses specifically designed for smartphone photography, including wide-angle and macro lenses. We haven't tried them ourselves, but reviews abound! Alright, so you've got yourself a fancy smartphone — congrats! You're probably itching to start taking awesome photos, but first things first: Let's make sure you've got the best camera app for the job.
In some cases, this app will be exactly what you need! And in some cases To evaluate the quality of your camera app, first make sure it has all its features enabled in some cases the default setting may be for the extra features to be turned off. Once your camera app is fully enabled, test it out to see what it lets you do. If you like the functionality, awesome! If not, you might want to try an alternative from your app store. Not sure what you should be looking for? Here are a few things we think a camera app should allow you to do: There are some camera apps out there now that allow you to gain even more control over the look of your images.
For example, some let you adjust your settings manually, shoot in High Dynamic Range, and even shoot in. You can definitely get by just fine without this level of control, but feel free to experiment with these more advanced camera apps if that sounds like your kind of thing! And note too that some editing and sharing apps like Instagram include a camera function as well.
There's a lot of choice out there! When it comes to our smartphone photography, our general philosophy is to see the camera's limitations as its advantages. Here's what I mean. Camera phones are not nearly as powerful DSLRs. They're not even as powerful as some point-and-shoots out there. For the most part, they lack the manual controls or the hardware you need to say, create a dreamily shallow depth of field, get a crisp shot of someone in motion, or produce a shot in low light that's not peppered with noise.
Here's the good news: When you're limited technically, you have to push yourself in other ways to make a shot work. And, as you'll soon see, in pushing yourself to get great shots from your camera phone, you'll be developing fundamental skills — some of the nuts and bolts of great photography! So let's dive into it, and learn how to take compelling shots with your smartphone camera.
Once we've got the basics down, we'll hook you up with some ideas of what to photograph, to help you dive right into smartphone photography. Get to know your camera. Test out its various modes panorama, video, etc in different conditions — like low light, direct sun, and when your subject is moving — to see what the different modes excel at and where they fall a little short. For example, my phone has both a standard mode, where I can manually adjust my exposure, and an high dynamic range HDR mode , that produces a single shot from several images taken at different exposures.
My default is to shoot on HDR, as the resulting shot looks more true to life in its gradation of light to dark tones and its color counterintuitive, but there we are! I switch over to the standard mode whenever I need to seriously increase or decrease the exposure, or in low light conditions where the HDR mode struggles to focus. My camera also has a lens blur function that allows me to mimic a shallow depth of field, but it's a bit clunky so I don't use it much. Knowing how your camera's different modes work will help you have more control over the final look of your shots. All it takes is a little bit of practice!
And don't forget that you can download 3rd party camera apps that can give you additional functionality. Spend a bit of time on Instagram, and you'll discover that photographers with big followings have something in common, whether they photograph fashion, families, wildlife or waterfalls. A great compositional style. What is composition, you ask? In essence, when you compose a shot, you're choosing how to arrange the visual elements in your frame — elements like lines, shapes, colors and light.
The resulting arrangement is your composition. A shot of a several pedestrians crossing a street may not catch your eye, but a shot of a single pedestrian could convey a range of feelings or ideas, from loneliness to adventure. With smartphone photography, composition is key because, for the most part, everything in your frame will be in focus. You can't adjust your aperture to blur out all the background details, so you have to work a bit harder to make sure the elements in your frame make for a great shot that communicates your message.
Plus, chances are that if you're posting to Instagram, you're going to be doing the bulk of your editing with a not-so-powerful editing app, rather than Lightroom or Photoshop. You have to get it right in-camera — your app's not going to save you from bigger mistakes! Here are a few things we look for when we compose photos with our smartphones: Light can have a big impact on the look and feel of your images.
Imagine the same scene lit by the soft golden light of sunrise versus the harsh, shadow-creating light of midday. Light can also help direct attention. We tend to look first at things that are brightly lit, or lit in way that differs dramatically from the rest of the scene.
Light can change the color of your shot, too! For example, daylight tends to be neutral or slightly blue, sunrise and sunset light tends to be warm, and the light before sunrise and after sunset is much more blue. Because cameras don't adjust for changes in the color of light as well as our eyes do, these colors can show up quite strongly in your photos. After sunset, natural light tends to have a blue cast. My eyes knew that the snow was white, but my smartphone camera registered it as super-blue — no editing applied! Keep the different effects of light in mind as you shoot, and look for light that enhances your message.
If you don't like the effect a light source is having on your image, change it up — turn off an overhead light and shoot only with window light, come back to your shot at sunset instead of midday, or reposition yourself or your subject until the light falls where you want it to.
Lines are hugely powerful elements! See, our eyes love a good line. Whether it's wavy, straight or curved or implied like a line created by loosely spaced people , our eyes will latch onto the line and follow it to the end. Here's what that means for your photos: If you want your viewer to look at your subject, place them at the end of a line or a series of lines, for even more attention-directing power! The diagonal lines of the staircase are a magnet for your eye! Place your subject at the end of those lines, and your viewer is sure to see them!
There are all kinds of lines out there, and they do different things for our photos. Horizontal and vertical lines tend to feel static, diagonal lines tend to feel dynamic, and wavy or curved lines are both dynamic and a little gentler. If you want to create a particular feeling in a shot, incorporate the types of lines that enhance that feeling! In the first image, the diagonal lines of the trees and picnic table give the shot a more dynamic feel.
In the second image, when those lines are straight, the shot feels much more static. Look at the two photos below. Which photo makes the subject stand out more? It's the one with all the empty space!
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Against a stark blue background, the branches and leaves of the tree really grab your attention. In the second shot, it's not as clear where you're supposed to look first. When you surround your subject with empty space — or negative space , as photographers call it — it simplifies your frame. There are fewer things to distract from your subject, so that subject really pops.
The sky makes for great negative space, but look for non-distracting space elsewhere too — in architecture or even nature! Just make sure there aren't any major elements like bursts of color or major lines that draw your eye away. There are tons of elements at play in the shot above, and no real negative space.
If we dropped a subject in there — like a person — all of those elements would likely distract. But, on its own, it's an interesting shot full of details! And sometimes, you may want no negative space at all! An image that's purposefully brimming with elements can be interesting too! Like empty space, frames can help put the focus on your subject. They seem to shout out: This thing here is so important that it gets its own frame! Placing your subject in a frame — in this case a literal one the doorframe — is a great way to draw attention to them!
Frames have the bonus feature of adding cool visual interest to your shot. Get creative with your frames, finding them in trees, architectural features — you can even make frames with your hands! Color can play a huge role in your images! Just think about it! Color can change the mood of your scene: Color can also direct your viewers attention: Even though the texture is pretty similar across the frame, your eyes can't help but jump to the bright pop of red.
So pay close attention to the colors in your scene. Do they enhance your message, or conflict with it? Do they direct attention to your subject, or distract from it?
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If the colors aren't working, and you don't intend to convert to black and white, consider recomposing! Some Instagrammers take their consideration of color a step further by paying attention to how the colors mesh across different photos in their gallery. You'll find people who chase particular shades, and some whose galleries seem to change color over time.
It takes work and restraint to post only photos that fit within a color scheme, but it's a great way to push yourself to get out and look for a shot! Reflections and shadows are great elements to play with in your photos! In this photograph of a puddle flipped upside down , the reflection of the trees serves as the subject and allows the viewer to imagine the scene that exists outside of the frame.