Photography tips, tricks, etc.. – Page 2

Kato · 2016-02-28T13:48:32+00:00

People are asking for advice, tips, tricks, etc., so here we go with all of that. Rather than ramble on, the best thing to do is for someone to ask a question or questions, and I'll answer them. Makes it easier for me, and directly answers the questions. It'll also save me the pain of my arthritis, I won't have to do a lot of typing all at once. First off, the simplest thing to explain...camera choice. There's no such thing as "good" or "bad", if the desired result is a photo, then anything called "camera" will perform. Even a cell phone camera can produce good results if you have the right settings, environment, light, etc.. Canon-v-Nikon...don't buy into that nonsense debate. Both brands do exactly what the other does, they technical stuff may be different but they both produce great photos. Raw-v-jpg...don't buy into that debate either. You've seen some of my photos, and if I do say so myself they're excellent. I shoot primarily jpg, and have never had any issues doing so. I shoot raw occasionally, when I feel the urge, but it's not a necessity. If the camera has a lens, and a shutter button, that's all you need. I have a lot of photographer friends, and we all shoot different brands. Sony, Canon, Nikon, etc., and we all produce photographs. Some aren't as good as others, but that could be simply a matter of experience and skill. The camera doesn't have anything to do with that. Editing is important, you can take a mediocre photo and make it better with the right kind of processing. Clarity, lighting, color, sharpness, etc., are all things that you want to "get right' in-camera, but they're also things that can be created in processing. You should be able to cruise through programs like Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Zoner Photo Studio, Lightroom, etc.. I have a lot of photo editing software and I can use all of it easily. They all do basically the same thing, Paint Shop Pro will do the same things as Photoshop, but Photoshop will allow you a greater depth. Lightroom will do the same things, but it can also do a lot more if you use it right. Lighting is very important. With the proper lighting you can do a lot with your photos. Take for example the recent "low-light" drill photos. The low-light effect was achieved, but it would have been better and easier to shoot the subject against a black background with good lighting, and make adjustments in editing for achieve the low-light effect. Better detail and clarity would have been seen, and the color tones would be better. Not saying the photos aren't nice, but in my perspective regardless of the desired effect, I still want to see the true colors and details of the tools. Low-key as well as high-key photography takes the right kind of light, the right kind of environment, to be pulled off good. If I was going to do this type of photo I'd do it where I had the best lighting, maybe the bathroom. The bathroom typically has brighter lighting, and it's more uniform lighting because it's in a confined space. Unless you're a millionaire and you have one of those bathrooms that's the size of my house. I posted this photo in the chat... [External image (farm9.staticflickr.com), not copied] December 20 003 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr ...to show what a low-key photo can look like. This was shot with a single flash, which filled the room with light. All I did was shoot a typical product shot, on a black background, and then make simple adjustments in processing to give the effect of low light. This is anther example, although not as "dark" it still gives off the effect of having dimmer light... [External image (farm9.staticflickr.com), not copied] December 13 001 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr As a comparison, here is another shot on the same type of background, only it's "brighter"... [External image (farm8.staticflickr.com), not copied] April 13 004 by Edward Durbin, on Flickr Same type of background, same exact one-flash method, but different results due to processing adjustments. Stuff like this is easy, and even if you don't have equipment you can still get the same results. Let's say you're using your cell phone, turn the flash on if it has one, and put a spoon under it to direct the light into the room instead of at the subject. I'm going to grab my cameras and cell phone and do some "test" shots to show you what kind of results you can get with a spoon and cell phone. Okay, that's it for now, my hands are getting numb. Please ask questions, I love babbling about photography. Well, I actually like babbling about anything that I know a lot about, photography, astronomy, martial arts, knives, etc.. But we're talking photography here, so ask away. I will answer as many questions as I can, if I don't know an answer I'll research the question. Hopefully this can develop into a good resource for anyone looking for photo advice, tips, tricks, etc..

KatoMember since Jan 2014Mar 5, 2016 10:17 AM CT

Edit of the Casio photo. Typical issues that come from point-n-shoot cameras, artifacts, noise, etc.. But, a pleasing photo from a not-so-pleasing one, due to better light…

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Hugh JassMember since Feb 2015Mar 5, 2016 10:33 AM CT

That’s a cool trick. I really like your bench top too.

KatoMember since Jan 2014Mar 5, 2016 10:42 AM CT

Thanks. I swiped some of the cutoffs from our new floors, makes a great surface to work on, and pretty too.

The spoon trick I learned a long time ago, when I read it on a photo forum I tried it out, liked the idea so much that I started carrying a spoon in my camera bag. Comes in handy, and works great with the pop-up flash on a DSLR.

KatoMember since Jan 2014Mar 5, 2016 11:05 AM CT

Another set of examples, with and without spoon, adding a background, and another trick…

So, I’m wanting to show off my new tools, or I’m wanting to sell something. I wonder to myself, “Self, where did you put your camera?”. I find my camera, a cheap piece of junk, and I start to wonder about how to take good pictures. I say “Hey, you’ve got some vinyl-backed foam in the garage, I’ll bet that will make a great background. It’s even-colored, and neutral.”. So, I go out into the garage, dig out a piece of foam, and use two clamps and two batteries to hold it down. I put my new impact on it and think “Nah, laying down is boring, and standing up makes everything in the background show up. What can I do?”. So I think to myself what I can do to prop the impact up at an angle. “Hey, I know, I’ll use a screwdriver!!”.

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So now I’ve got it setup, all I need to do now is shoot. I grab a stool and stand on it to give me a nice “artsy-fartsy” angle, and I snap away. I grab my trusty spoon, and there ya go.

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All there is to do now is edit. With the neutral background editing is easy, and I can clone out anything I don’t want in the shot.

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Hugh JassMember since Feb 2015Mar 5, 2016 11:12 AM CT

Can you do a video demonstrating your cloning technique?

KatoMember since Jan 2014Mar 5, 2016 11:30 AM CT

I sure can, give me a few minutes to get something for you. I will show two techniques, one cloning and one using the blemish remover. Both can accomplish the same thing, the blemish remover is good for random spots, while cloning is good for larger areas and for blending

KatoMember since Jan 2014Mar 5, 2016 11:48 AM CT

Clone tool: Right-click your source, then left click and run the brush over what you want to get rid of. Blemish removal tool: select your size and simply click the spot you want removed. The Blemish tool samples the area around the spot, and duplicate it to remove the spot.

Video (YouTube)

KatoMember since Jan 2014Mar 5, 2016 5:12 PM CT

Another bare minimum setup, this time it’s a pizza box top and aluminum foil. I fold a piece of foil and make it stiff, then tape it under the flash on the camera. I go out to the recycle bin and grab a pizza box, and cut the top off. I fold it, then stick it in front of my desk on the floor. I put my subject on it, then I shoot. Standard processing again, for exposure and clarity. Of course the typical issues are still there, artifacts, noise, etc., but this would be good for eBay auctions, forum posts, etc..

Original photo…

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Results…

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KnarlyCarlMember since Jan 2016Mar 5, 2016 11:01 PM CT

Kato wrote:

12 hours ago, Kato said:

Thanks. I swiped some of the cutoffs from our new floors, makes a great surface to work on, and pretty too.

The spoon trick I learned a long time ago, when I read it on a photo forum I tried it out, liked the idea so much that I started carrying a spoon in my camera bag. Comes in handy, and works great with the pop-up flash on a DSLR.

PROTOOLNUT wrote:

44 minutes ago, PROTOOLNUT said:

Kato, that is badass man! I really like the way you got so much out of a point and shoot camera. Where did you learn the spoon technique?

KatoMember since Jan 2014Mar 6, 2016 7:43 AM CT

The spoon technique I learned a long time ago, and I forget exactly where. I’m pretty sure it was on a photo forum. I thought it was such a cool idea that I started carrying a tablespoon in my camera bag. I got a lot of ribbing when I’d use it, until people saw the results. I know of at least two of my photo friends who use the trick now after seeing me do it.