Wednesday 31 July 2013

Discover the secret to perfect portraits

Advertisement

No images? Click here to display in browser

Email Newsletter

The Newsletter for
Digital Photographer Magazine

Editor's Letter - 1 August 2013

Editor Photo

Hello Photo

A great portrait should exude personality, express a mood or simply capture a memory. As one of the most popular photographic genres, it's no surprise that amateurs, enthusiasts and pros alike all embrace it. In our latest issue you'll discover how to improve your portrait-shooting skills as we offer up practical hands-on advice and share some top expert tips.

Inside you'll find plenty of other great features too, including 25 ways to master natural light and a detailed masterclass on how to shoot incredible infrared images with your own kit. You can pick up your copy of issue 138 now at all good newsagents or digitally for your computer, tablet or smartphone.

If you're keen landscape photographer and would like to learn more about shooting stunning mountain scenery, our friends over at Craftsy are now offering readers a fantastic discount on one of their online interactive classes with Rick Sammon this month. Enroll today and master professional composition, lens choice, and editing techniques to reach the peak of landscape photography. You can save $20 on the online interactive course, Landscape Photography: The Great Sand Dunes National Park with Rick Sammon, now with 33% off! To find out more, visit Craftsy's website.

Enjoy the issue,

April Madden, Editor

Share on Twitter Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Facebook

Sponsor's Message

Craftsy

Shoot stunning mountain scenery
Master professional composition, lens choice, and editing techniques to reach the peak of landscape photography. Save $20 when you enroll in the online interactive class, Landscape Photography: The Great Sand Dunes National Park with Rick Sammon, now 33% off!

Improve your portraits

Featured Gallery Image
Discover portrait shooting secrets
We preview some fantastic tips from issue 138!

Latest Digital Photographer news and events

Nikon makes history Nikon makes history
Nikon introduces a revolutionary new solution for photographers
Is a good photograph down to good luck? Is a good photograph down to good luck?
There are some common misconceptions about photography that can be frustrating to photographers.
Reza's Soul of Coffee Reza's Soul of Coffee
Photographer and humanitarian Reza marks the 10th anniversary of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program.
Are photographic competitions valid? Are photographic competitions valid?
Or are they merely
Canon unveils the EOS 70D Canon unveils the EOS 70D
A new DSLR for aspiring enthusiasts, set for release in August 2013.
Improve eyes in Photoshop Improve eyes in Photoshop
Don't let wrinkles ruin your photos, Dani Dixon shows you how to transform your portrait photos quickly in this Photoshop tutorial

We Recommend

The Portrait/Landscape Photography Book The Portrait/Landscape Photography Book
Packed with essential guides and features to help you shoot perfect portraits and landscapes, this book is full of top tips to help take your pictures to the next level
The Travel Photography Book The Travel Photography Book
Turn holiday snapshots into professional photos with this complete guide to mastering travel photography techniques. With tips on photographing landmarks, wildlife, landscapes and more
Digital SLR Tips, Tricks and Fixes Vol. 1 Digital SLR Tips, Tricks and Fixes Vol. 1
Digital SLR Tips, Tricks & Fixes is packed full of in-depth tutorials and tips for all models of DSLR. This expert guide takes you through every area of photography with practical hints and techniques to help you take even more impressive photos

In the Magazine

Digital Photographer

Inside this issue:
Improve your portraits

Master shooting techniques with expert advice and professional tips

25 ways to master natural light
Discover how to get great shots on location

Shoot infrared images
Capture stunning infrared shots using your own kit

Canon EOS 100D 
How does Canon's latest DSLR fare?

Also inside...

  • Guide to tilt and shift
  • Create anaglyphic 3D photos
  • Secrets of stock photo success
  • Interviewed: Ruth Rose, Reza
  • Reviewed: Canon EOS 100D, Fujifilm X20
  • The latest news and views from the photographic world

Free with this issue's cover disc:
• Expert video tutorials
• Photo video workshop
• Test shots and tutorial files
• And much more...

Craftsy style=

Try 3 Issues For Only £1

Great deals in our new Amazon Photo Store

Follow Digital Photographer

FacebookOn Facebook

TwitterOn Twitter

Craftsy

©2013 Imagine Publishing, Richmond House, 33 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth BH2 6EZ

Find out how to guarantee newsletter delivery

To opt out of the emails from Digital Photographer click here

Abstract Photography Tips and Techniques

Abstract Photography Tips and Techniques

Link to PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Abstract Photography Tips and Techniques

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 04:23 PM PDT

Creating beautiful images is easier when you know a few photographic techniques. This is especially true for abstract photography. Therefore, this short article covers four techniques that work very well for creating abstract images. The techniques that will be covered are selective focus, light and shadows, curves, and texture. Each one of these techniques can be utilized with many different types of subject matter. The real key is to practice these techniques on all sorts of objects. The more you practice, the better you’ll become.

abstract photography tips

“abstract” captured by abeer (Click Image to See More From abeer)

The Power of the Selective Focus Technique

If you’re searching for an easy but effective abstract photography technique, selective focus is the technique for you. A narrow depth of field is achieved by the selection of a large aperture. The camera is then focused on the center of interest of the image. The rest of the objects in the image will fade into a soft blur.

There are two things which can be done to make your images even more notable when utilizing this technique. First, the color of the background should be different than the center of interest. The second point is that the center of interest can be made even stronger by using curves to point toward the center of interest.

The Use of Light and Shadows

Using the interplay of light and shadows can create drama in an image. Now, some photographers tend to think only in terms of light. This is a mistake — for light is nothing without shadows. Shadows are not just a lack of light. Instead, shadows function to make the light come to life. It is the shadows that shape the light, that draw attention to the light, and that integrate with the light to produce striking photographic opportunities. This is especially true with abstract images.

So, what is the shadows’ role in this technique? The primary role of the shadows is to help to define the forms. In other words, the shadows’ role is to help the forms to stand out. Consequently, it should come as no big surprise that the more interesting the objects in an abstract image, the more likely that the image will be successful. The shadows then function to make the more prominent.

abstract photo techniques

“Abstract” captured by Joe Lohr Photography (Click Image to See More From Joe Lohr Photography)

For instance, the shadows may surround the center of interest so that the viewer’s interest is naturally drawn to that point.

The Power of Curves

When it comes to abstract photography, curves can be utilized with powerful effect. For this technique to be effective, the curves must be the dominant characteristic of the subject matter. In a way, the curves almost become the center of interest.

Curves that display grace or a touch of the dynamic work best. It is essential that the curves flow together smoothly. Simply having a lot of haphazard curves running in every which direction will not work.

The Use of Texture

A technique that is very similar to the use of curves is the use of texture. In fact, texture and curves are often used together. When used to create impact in an abstract image, the texture should be a very strong characteristic of the primary subject in the image.

In addition, the texture must work in harmony with any curves that are present.

how to take abstract photography

“The Dome” captured by Richard Crowe (Click Image to See More From Richard Crowe)

In Conclusion

These abstract photography techniques provide a good foundation for capturing abstract images. Then again, there is much more to the subject of abstract photography.

About the Author
Ron Bigelow (www.ronbigelow.com) has created an extensive resource of articles to help develop photography skills.


Go to full article: Abstract Photography Tips and Techniques

What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+

Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Updated – Essential Development for Lightroom 5

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 02:44 PM PDT

The industry leading photo editing program, Adobe Lightroom 5, can be very powerful once you learn the lay of the land. And presets can help you apply professional touches to your photo instantly which saves tons of time in post-processing.

essential development

Updated: Essential Development (Click to Learn More)

This updated eBook & preset bundle is designed to help you learn some of the most effective techniques that can be done with Lightroom tools, and equip you with some professional grade presets for your arsenal.

It can be found here: Essential Development

Develop is the heart of Lightroom. It's where the photos come to life. The left panel is more about management: Presets, Snapshots, History and, of course, Collections. The right panel is about the settings that control the look of the photo. Together they make a really powerful tool to draw the very best from your photos.

The aim of this eBook is not to have a rundown of what a tool does, but rather what we can use it for. Obviously there needs to be some explanation, so there is some of that. Even if you do understand a tool, there will be additional things like shortcuts that aren't commonly known, so you'll still pick up something as a more experienced user.

Topics Covered (125 pages):

  • Introduction
  • Understanding the Histogram
  • Back to Basics
  • Camera Profiles
  • Making White White
  • Beauty Retouching
  • Dodge and Burn for Beauty
  • Cross Processing
  • Achieving a Filmic Look
  • Image Toning
  • Cropping Inside & Outside the Image
  • Straightening Photos
  • Fixing Skies in Lightroom
  • Tilt Shift
  • Effective Sharpening
  • Reducing Image Noise
  • Correcting Lens Issues
  • Drawing eyes in: Vignette
pages from essential development

Pages from Essential Development (Click to See More)

  • Presets: Making, Using and Saving, Presets as Building Blocks
  • Fixing More than One Photo
  • Edit in Photoshop
  • Conclusion
  • 100 presets with previews and explanations

These 100 presets comprise a range of building blocks and looks to help you get to your final image quickly. The whole premise of using a set like these is that you can see what the effect will be by hovering over the preset name and viewing the result in the Navigator window.

“Retro is big right now. Maybe we're all nostalgic for the summer of '76 or something, but the faded and toned looks of the past are really in. Instagram bagged a fortune when it sold, so somebody somewhere thinks it's worth a packet. Lightroom offers a few ways to get these awesome looks.” Instructor Sean McCormack

How to Get a Copy:

The guide comes in PDF format that can be read on computers, phones and most tablet computers. And presets are included in the download bundle and includes instructions on how they are easily installed.

It can be found here: Essential Development for Lightroom 5 + 100 Presets


Go to full article: Updated – Essential Development for Lightroom 5

What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+

Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Interesting Photo the Day: Amazing Perspective & Perfect Timing

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 12:51 PM PDT

Sometimes perspective can make all the difference, especially when photographing well-known structures like the Eiffel Tower, or in this case, the Arc de Triomphe. There’s no shortage of typical, straight-on shots of world landmarks, but this photo combines several elements—including a unique perspective—for a striking composition.

Arc de Triomphe, National Day, Bastille Day

A unique perspective of the Arc de Triomphe (click to see larger size, imgur)

Taken on July 14th, France’s National Day (La Fête Nationale, sometimes referred to as Bastille Day) this photo by Anthony Gelot of A.G. Photographe has a very patriotic feel, with the French flag waving in the sunlight and the vapor trails from the aviation demonstration overhead streaming the national colors in perfect formation.

The photo was captured with a Nikon D800.


Go to full article: Interesting Photo the Day: Amazing Perspective & Perfect Timing

What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+

Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips

Creative Couple Documents Pregnancy with Stop Motion Photography

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 11:03 AM PDT

Looking for an innovative way to document your family over time? You can spend many days and weeks scouring Pinterest for original photo shoot ideas to try, or you can look beyond a one-day photography session and capture changes that occur over days, weeks, months, or years. The couple in this video took their creativity to the next level by making an entertaining video of their entire pregnancy (for those of you reading this by email, the video can be seen here):

Though it’s not unusual for the terms timelapse and stop motion to be used somewhat interchangeably, the video above actually features stop motion, or at least a hybrid including both stop motion and timelapse sequences.

stop-motion-pregnancy-3

stop-motion-pregnancy-2

stop-motion-pregnancy

What sets stop motion apart from timelapse photography is the intervals between shots. Timelapse usually refers to photos taken at consistent intervals and played back at a speed fast enough to create the appearance of flowing motion. However, the photographer could also take photos at longer intervals and play the consistently timed frames back more slowly, which makes the finished video look like stop motion.

Stop motion technique does not require consistent intervals between frames. The subjects can move or be moved and photographed whenever the photographer sees fit. Stop motion movies are often played back at a slower frame rate, such as 10-20 frames per second, which makes for a more jolting, rather than smooth, transition from frame to frame.

Both methods of making movies that record the passage of time allow photographers to record their lives in engaging ways. Whether you’re recording your pregnancy, your child’s advancement through elementary school, or your puppy’s growth, stop motion and timelapse photography give you many creative options.


Go to full article: Creative Couple Documents Pregnancy with Stop Motion Photography

What are your thoughts on this article? Join the discussion on Facebook or Google+

Article from: PictureCorrect Photography Tips