It'sChristmas, and we're betting that at least some of you received newdigital cameras (be they point-and-shoots or DSLRs). And if you're aphotography n00b, we've got a few tips to help. Turn On Burst Mode
It's harder to capture candid shots on point-and-shoots (let's call emPASs) than DSLRs, but in either format you should turn on "burst mode"or "continuous shooting." This allows you to keep the camera takingshots as fast as it can by holding down the shutter button. Even thegreatest photographers don't predict magical moments down to themillisecond—they let their camera do it for them. And with today'scheap and gigantic SD cards, you can afford to waste plenty of shots toget the best. Control the Color Temperature Yourself
Auto White Balance (AWB) does a good job on most cameras. But you knowwho can do a better job? You. Backing up for a moment, since everycolor has its own relative "temperature" that's measured in degreesKelvin, even the orangey glow of an incandescent bulb or the relativelybluish hue of the sun's light can screw with your photos. Your brainfactors it out when you're looking around, but it's important to noticewhether the light falling on your scene is more yellow or blue, and tocompensate.
Yourcamera uses auto white balance to get around this cacophony of color,but it's not always right. On some cameras, you can actually use"manual white balance" (MWB), shooting a white patch, such as a pieceof paper, in order to say "THIS IS WHITE." That's the most accurateway, though the simpler way found on most cameras is to manually selectthe best white balance by choosing the tiny icon that identifies yourlight source: a sun for direct sunlight, a cloud for cloudy, a roundbulb for incandescent, a rectangular bulb for fluorescent, etc. Keep ISO to 400 on PASs, 800-1600 on Low-End dSLRs
ISO, a carryover term from the days of film, essentially signals thesensitivity of the imaging sensor to light. A higher number meansgrainier (noisier) but better defined shots in low light; a lowernumber means smoother shots in decent light. Most cameras will crankthis number in medium to low light situations so that it can capture ashot without blurring, but you will get a grainy image. This may justbe a rule of thumb based on the cameras I've used, but for optimallycrisp shots, don't let the ISO exceed 400 on your PAS or 1600 on yourDSLR. (In some older DSLR models, you probably shouldn't exceed 800.)
Use Diffuse Flash, Or Just Turn it Off
Any way you cut it, flash is a problem. When used instead of ambientlight, it pulls the color and texture from skin, turns eyes red (aphenomenon caused when the flash is too close to your lens, which it isin most cameras) and often erases the background ambiance from yourshot. A few things you can do will help tame flash:
1. Check your manual for minimum and maximum flash distances—probably around 6 to 12 feet away—and stay in those constraints.
2. Diffuse the flash. A classic trick for DSLR owners is to put acigarette carton on large flash attachments, but in the absence of alarge flash—and a cigarette carton—try taping some kind of translucentpaper over your flash.
3. Turn it off. Even a grainier high-ISOshot is better than a washed-out flash explosion. If you use a tripod,you can get nice low light shots without resorting to flash or uppingthe ISO. Most cameras now have a flashless "night mode" to automatethis process. Carry a Pocket Tripod
Ultimately, if you want to take good shots in dark environments, youneed to allow light to hit your camera's imaging sensor for a longerperiod of time. And the only way to keep your shots sharp in thisscenarios is to stabilize your camera. Though even cheap cameras boastimage stabilizers of all kinds, a $7 pocket tripod trumps all thatmarketing speak, allowing you to use a solid surface to set up thecamera and then angle it to your liking. If you don't have a tripod,try resting your camera on the side of a table, or up on a (preferablyempty) water glass. Protect Your Images From Lens Flare
In any situation where sunlight or some other bright light source ishitting your lens indirectly (not associated with your subject), youmay lose part of your image to stray light. Sometimes this looks cool,of course, but not always. The best and most common solution is a lenshood. The second best solution (and the one that works for PASs) isyour hand, a piece of paper, anything, between that light source andyour lens. Exhale, Then Shoot
ISOs andtripods aside, maybe the best tip I've ever gotten to taking greatshots was to exhale, then take the picture. Right after you exhale, thetension is released from your body, and you'll find yourself, for abrief moment, at your stillest and most relaxed. In low lightespecially, it could be the difference between getting a clear shot andgetting a blurry one. Use Sepia Filter Whenever Humanly Possible
Sepia is well known for making your lousy photography "deep."Helllllooo precious moments! (OK, I sort of despise sepia because it'sbeen so overused, but that's just me. It can be beautiful, of course.)
For DSLR Owners...Shoot in RAW, Shoot in RAW, Shoot in RAW
There are many advantages to the average DSLR camera, but the best, byfar, unequivocally, is RAW shooting. If you save your pictures asJPEGs, they can be beautiful, but they've been compressed and packagedinto a product. If you save in RAW, you have a picture, but you alsohave the cold clay that shaped it.
RAWis the data pulled right off the imaging sensor of your camera, beforeit gets run through a bunch of optimizer and compression algorithms.This data allows for a complete do-over on many aspects of the picture,like color temperature. In other cases, it allows a lot ofroom for fudging, as with exposure. You'll need software that canhandle RAW images—most cameras come with something proprietary, butPhotoshop can also manage RAW from the major camera brands. Just don'tbe scared by it. It's why you're holding that shiny new DSLR you haveno idea how to use. And Your Own...
Irealize this list will seem too obvious to some, but the goal is tohelp those who didn't know much to start with. Since we have more thanour share of incredible photographers among our readership, I'dencourage any of you with pro tips to please offer them up in comments.
[Example images 1, 2, 3, 4]作者: xblues 时间: 26-12-2008 10:14
提示: 作者被禁止或删除, 无法发言
非常实用，非常好的几点建议，容易实现！学习啦！作者: diegolin 时间: 26-12-2008 13:41
召唤翻译啊作者: Microhard 时间: 26-12-2008 14:42 标题: 回复 #3 diegolin 的帖子 同召！作者: xblues 时间: 26-12-2008 15:06
提示: 作者被禁止或删除, 无法发言标题: 回复 #4 Microhard 的帖子 说跟着召唤，谁翻译！作者: cien98 时间: 26-6-2010 12:37
没有人翻译作者: zzoz 时间: 26-6-2010 13:34
都移民袋鼠国了，这点东西不用翻译了吧，当练练阅读也好嘛
