In simple form, a camera tripod is best explained as a three-legged stand used to stabilize and elevate a camera. A camera tripod can be used in either still or motion imagery. Most commonly used by professional photographers in a studio, a camera tripod is designed to capture the perfect image every time.
A camera tripod is available in several variations, including floor model or tabletop. The least expensive begins at $50.00 and goes up, depending on the size and features. A basic camera tripod is designed for consumers and is best used for amateur photography or filming. An expensive camera tripod features feet suitable for rough ground and the head of the unit is designed move smoothly for improved video recording. The most expensive, which are used is studios and professional filming, are made of wood.
A full-size camera tripod is much better equipped to handle heavier equipment, whereas a tabletop model can accommodate up to 50lbs. These portable units are ideal for traveling and where compact equipment is needed.
There are several ways that a camera tripod can be used, including a family portrait where you want to be included in the photo. Simply set the camera up on a tripod and position it so that everyone is in perfect view, set the timer on your camera, push the button to take a photo and get into place with the family. Other uses may include an instance where your hands are shaky and you want to stabilize the camera for a quality image or if you are responsible for taking school pictures. Do you remember the days of middle school when the photographer would come into the gymnasium, set up his/her background sheet and tripod? All he/she had to do was to situate the child, convince him/her to smile and snap the picture. A camera tripod makes it easy to take multiple photos, in which the subjects are in the same location, without having to worry about placement every single time. With a tripod, placement is always perfect so long as the subject is where he/she should be.
When shopping for a camera tripod, first consider the uses that you will need it for. The weight of your camera, the needed features and swivel capabilities, the locations that the tripod will be placed and the needed height. In addition, a realistic budget that you can afford will be best considered early before shopping for a camera tripod. Most photography supply stores, both online and local, may offer camera tripods. Before purchasing, be sure to check out the dealer’s reputation with the Better Business Bureau and also learn about their return policy.
Taking great portraits is as much about people skills as it is about technical ability, or using the latest and greatest photographic equipment. Sure, refining your technical skills and knowledge may expand the extent of your capabilities, and using superior equipment may indeed boost your edge. But, unless you can first see through your subject's eyes, and understand her as a unique individual, and then build rapport with her so you can unveil and accentuate her finest qualities, your portraits will remain mediocre at best. Some lessons learned along my journey as a photographer may help those who choose to follow.
1. If using a tripod, compose your portrait and then take one step just to the side and forward from the camera. Do not look through the viewfinder as you capture your subject's image. This allows you to make eye contact initially with your subject, and then direct her in mood, expression, position, and the angle of gaze you are aiming for. When your subject interacts with your camera, the result can be a cold or lifeless rendering, but when you engage your subject through eye contact, expression, gestures and words, the result can be a warm and candid reflection, charged with mood or emotion.
2. If you are not using a tripod, you really should redouble your effort to maintain constant interaction with your subject. Many photographers tend to keep their eyes in the viewfinder of the camera, but this leads to your subject interacting more with the front glass in your lens than with you. Again, you do not want the sterile and lifeless rendering that most often comes when the camera serves to isolate you the photographer from your subject. Interaction with an inanimate object (your camera) can never be a substitute for interaction with another human being (you), when your goal is to capture the essence of your subject, and reflect the attitude and emotion she was feeling at that moment in time.
3. Allow your subject to be herself. A little girl dressed up in fairy wings for a special picture is very cute, and I suppose there is a place in this world for cute. But, contrast this with the little girl who just loves to dance. You put her in her everyday clothes, stand her in front of a plain backdrop, put on her favorite music and say to her, "can you show me how to dance to this song?" You should have no difficulty in capturing timeless expressions there. Now imagine a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy whose true passion in all of life is sailing. You dress him up in a tailored suit; formally pose him in front of a low key backdrop, seated in a Chippendale chair, and use classic loop lighting. What would be said of this portrait years later? "Who was this guy, an executive?" But just suppose, you photographed this same guy in his favorite t-shirt and blue jeans, at the helm of his beloved sail boat, on a beautiful late afternoon, just as the boat was coming about? What would be said of this portrait years later? "This was Charlie, doing what he loved most! That was such a glorious day." The point is, "keep it honest". Fantasy can be cute, but your subject being herself, years later this will be much more meaningful.
4. Allow your subject's expression to be honest. A frown or a grimace that is genuinely felt can be more interesting than a smile that is forced. I try to never just pose my subject and then say, "Okay, now smile for me." If you want your subject to smile then tell a joke, put on a face, or perhaps merely smile at her and she will smile back at you. People generally tend to reflect in their face what they see in yours, but in my experience this is not always so. Nevertheless, interaction with your subject is the key. That being said, the next time you have a difficult subject ask him to tell you a joke, to bring out a smile, if that's the expression you are after. If you are a professional, you know that smiles sell, but if you're an amateur, you are under no pressure to sell, so make your portraits interesting. Not everything in the world is to smile about.
5. Direct your portraits. Take control of the composition of your portraits! Do not be afraid to tell or show your subject what you want. Sometimes showing is best. I often find that actually demonstrating a pose I have in mind, works better than trying to direct my subject through words alone. If you are photographing a group, your life will be easier, if you arrange and pose the adults first. Then, work your way from oldest (or more mature and settled) to youngest of the children. The point to remember is, as the photographer, you should take charge of the shot. The success or failure of the portrait will be your responsibility, so take charge.
Engage your subject to establish and build rapport with her, to take your photos to a higher level. Make your portraits more meaningful by keeping them honest, and natural. We all know a fantasy photo can be cute, and a formally posed portrait can be graceful and dignified, if that is your subject's personality. But, a portrait that is true to the subject is always more meaningful. Allow your subject to be herself, and never force an expression. Learn to take charge and direct your portraits and you will move far ahead in your journey as a photographer. Practice your people skills with each portrait you take. People skills are the prerequisite to all else, if you want to take great portraits. Good day and happy clicking!
These days, with the advancements in technology, more and more people are buying cameras. It's very easy to own one because of the improvements in ease of use and maintenance. We don't have to buy rolls of film just to use a camera. It's also easier to take great pictures, because we can preview the image that's going to be taken and if it's not up to standard, it can be deleted in just a press of a button. No film is wasted, and the photos come out as we want them.
It's normal practice to bring a camera everyday, especially those that are compact and lightweight. This is so that every important moment is captured and thus, preserved throughout time. With this in mind, more and more people are getting interested in photography and enjoying it. Even non-professional photographers can take very good pictures, and there shouldn't be any surprise if there are more people who join photography contests, whether it's for the prize, the recognition, or just for fun.
If you're one of the many people who enjoy photography, and someday you hope to enter and win a contest, here are some photography contest tips and advice:
Follow All the Rules Of the Contest
There is always a different set of rules for every contest, and you should be aware of them first and foremost. Familiarize yourself with them and follow them to the letter. You might not understand why some rules are there, but don't assume you can just disregard them. They are there for a reason. It's better to follow the rules rather than have your work returned to you because you did not follow the rules.
Research on Past Entries
Researching on past winning entries will help you learn more about the contest that you want to join and its standards. If you know more about the standards and the judges' basis for a good photograph, you'll have a better edge against the other contestants. You also might get inspired from studying the past entries.
Study the Categories
There are different categories in every contest, and you must consider the requirements of each category before submitting an entry under the category that you've chosen. Your photograph should be focused on the category's topic. Many entries get disqualified for not following the requirements, and it's sad because the photographer may be talented, but the entry is not even seen by the judges because of a technicality. For example, there are categories that might require your picture to have a few items at the background of the photograph's main focus. One missing item may hurt your chances in the contest.
Consider Your Work With a Critical Eye
You might have a photograph that you're really fond of. You might even consider it as your best, because of its meaning to you. Remember, your contest entry will be judged by many different people who are strangers to you. They don't know the story and circumstances behind your favorite work, and they don't care. They are also given a set of guidelines in choosing entries, and each of them has unique standards. If you want a good chance of winning, better submit photographs that are good on all technical factors. For your entry to stand out, your subject should be doing some actions. A subject that is doing something is more noticeable and has more depth compared to a subject that is on a pose.
Send Only Your Best Work
There are contests that allow multiple entries, and if you plan on submitting more than one entry per category, it's better to submit just a few of your best work, rather than submit a lot of entries that include a few decent, but lackluster, photographs. This is to protect how the judges think of your best photograph. If you include a few second-rate photographs, chances are the judges' opinion on those photographs might dampen their opinion on your best entry. Instead of your best photograph standing out, it might get buried under the mediocre ones.
It's easier now to take pictures, and it's even easier to prepare for a contest if you only study how. Apply these photography contest tips and advice, and improve your chances of winning a photography contest.
Taking a good photo isn’t as hard as you may think. You don’t need the most expensive camera or years of experience, just 10 simple tips.
Enjoy !
Tip 1 - Use All Your Available Space
Don't be afraid to use all the space in your photo. If you want to take a picture of something, it's ok for it to take up the whole shot with no or very little background showing. Keep distractions out of your shot
Tip 2 - Study Forms
This is a vital aspect to photography. Understanding forms in your photos. Don't see an object, she its shape and its form and find the best angle to photograph it from. Form is all around us and I highly suggest you read as many books on it as possible.
Tip 3 - Motion In Your Photos
Never have motion in your photos if you are photographing a still object. If there is something moving while you are trying to photograph a stationery object, your photo won't turn out anywhere near as well. Also never put a horizon line in the center of your frame.
Tip 4 - Learn To Use Contrasts Between Colors
Some of the best photos have shades of white, gray and black. You can take great shots with just one color on your subject, but the contrasts between colors in a shot is what makes you a great photographer.
Tip 5 - Get Closer To Your Subject
This is one of the biggest mistakes most photographers make, not getting close enough to their subject. Get up and personal and close the distance gap. You can always reshape and re-size a good shot but you can't continue to blowup a distant object.
Tip 6 - Shutter Lag
Shooting action shots with digital camera's can be tricky due to shutter lags. What this means is, when you press the button to take the photo, it can take up to a second for the shutter to take a photo, by that time what you were photographing would have moved or changed somehow. This means you have to compensate for shutter lag by predicting what your subject is going to do and taking the photo just before it takes the action you want. More expensive digital cameras don't have this problem.
Tip 7 - Pan
If you are taking an action shot and your shutter speed is slow, pan with the object. Follow through with the subject, from start to finish and one of those shots will be a winner. You have more chance of getting a good shot if you take more then one photo.
Tip 8 - Continuous Shots
To pan like I suggested above you will need a camera that does continuous shots and doesn’t need to stop and process after every shot.
Tip 9 - How To Take Fantastic Night Time Shots
Night time shots can be spectacular, almost magical.... if done right! If not they can look horrible. Really horrible. Without adequate lighting, even good camera's can turn out crappy photos if the photographer doesn't know what he or she is doing.
Tip 10 - Study Your Manual
If your digital camera has a special night time mode, read the manual and follow their instructions on how to use it properly.
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