Photography Tips Guide

Archive for the ‘Photography Tips and Tutorials’ Category

Urban decay photography is the technique of photographing abandoned and rundown buildings. In many cases the buildings haven’t been abandoned for more than a few years. Often illegal, photographers of abandoned buildings typically bypass “no trespassing” signs to capture these spectacular shots.

sopra – first floor by Alice Sossi

The characteristic dark and somber coloring sets the mood of these once populated structures. Now they stand as mere memories of the past, luckily to have even one lone photographer wandering their halls once again.

Take a look and get inspired by 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography below. Also check out our recent post – How to Photograph Abandoned Places.

59660003 by Irina Souiki

Pile up by Irina Souiki

Strike by Xtreme Xplorations

beelitz by Jens Fersterra

Echoes of Avro by Mark Gagne

LOOKING OUT by METROFADER

by Ashley Estep

Growing In by WootenCreative

Abduction by Chris Smart

2009 Portfolio by Rob Dobi

Portal by Chris Smart

LOCKED WITHIN THIS DECAY by Grey Cross

untitled by Christina Tullo

mayhem in the stairwell by Irina Souiki

2009 Portfolio by Rob Dobi

Too Much to Handle by Wade Griffith

Tunnel to Nowhere by Zach Fein

2009 Portfolio by Rob Dobi

Hudson River Psychiatric Center by Rob Dobi

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography

Weekly Assignment

This week we wanted you to show us aMistake that turned out to be a shot that you really liked. The catch this week was that each shot also needed to explain the mistake that had been made. Our winner this week was monkey_soup’s guitarist. monkey_soup explains that it was a mistake because the shot ended up focusing on the hand instead of the singer. What made the mistake into a keeper was the setlist written on his hand, really creating a story. And it was that setlist that drew us into the picture and made it a winner in our books! Our first runner up was mpomeroy’s Bug Eyes. She was trying to take a self portrait, but forgot to zoom out, creating her “bug eye” shot. The reason she liked it was because of the reflection in the lenses. And guess what? That was the same reason we liked it (that and the neat kind of colour cast that it had). And last, but not least was schmelly’s water crown shot. The mistake was the strange reflection caused by the lights across her lens. And of course, the colours that were created by those lights were the reasons that we liked it.

We also started an assignment that we hope gets everyone laughing, because it is Humour. In order to be eligible for the mini contest to have your photos features on the blog, you need to follow a few rules. First, your photo must have been taken between 8 – 22 July 2009. Second, your post must include the words “Assignment: Humor” and the date the photo was taken. Finally, your EXIF should be intact, and if possible, it’s helpful if you include the main points in your post so that others can learn from what you’ve done. Next week’s assignment will be “Machinery”. Whether it’s old or new, where would we be without machines? Your challenge is to show us how you can take an interesting picture of a somewhat cold, inanimate object.

Hot Threads

• Auto Focus: Auto focus on a camera / lens can be an absolute godsend. But that raises the question of whether or not you should “always” use auto focus? Do you always use auto focus? Or do you use a mix of auto or manual? Come join in the discussion.
• Digital Unmasking | Ripping one’s face: One of the great things about the forums is the “How I Took It” area which shows you just what you can do with some creativity and time. This thread shows how one forum member created a mask from two pictures.
• Anyone joining the Worldwide Photo Walk?: On Saturday 18 July 2009, photowalks were held all over the world. This was the second year of the Worldwide Photowalk. If you participated in one in your area, why not come and post in the thread and even share a picture or two?
• What Would You Do: Come join in our weekly post-processing thread where you get a chance to edit the photo of another forum member. Whether you’re new to post-processing or you could post-process an old hat onto a dog, you’re welcome to join in the fun.

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

This Week in the Digital Photography School Forums (12-18 Jul ‘09)

Copyright w?odi

One of the best things about digital photography is the ability to easily share photos with friends, family and strangers alike.  There are a lot of options on the Internet for photo sharing including social networks that are more than just photo sites.

In this post I’d like to highlight a few of the more popular photo sharing sites along side the more popular photo editing tools.  Some tools are ready to use with their default photo sharing sites (think Picasa and Windows Live Photo), but for most of the tools a plugin is required to easily upload photos.

I use a number of tools and plugins and thought it’d be helpful to bring them all together in one helpful grid.  All of these plugins are free to use although some require registration.  I hope you can find something useful to make photo sharing a little bit easier for you!

Photo editing software is listed down the left side of the table and photo sharing sites are listed along the top.  Match the resources you are looking for and then click on the link in the grid.  If you see a missing plugin, please feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to add it.  All the links below are not hosted by Digital Photography School and are subject to change.

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

Plugins For Online Photo Sharing

Copyright moonsheep

Being one of the most unpredictable forces of nature, lightning storms present a unique challenge for most photographers.  We’ve all seen powerful photos of lightning in action and you may be wondering how you can capture the majesty of a storm the next time you’re fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to witness one.  While a lot matters on what Mother Nature decides to do with all that electricity, the tips below should help in capturing a great shot of lightning.

1. Use a steady surface – While a tripod typically works best, in reality any steady surface will work.  Some people use a beanbag or other malleable item, like a pillow.  This will be import as #2 is….
2. Long Shutter Times – While lightning is unpredictable, it’s extremely hard to make a decent capture by tripping the shutter when you see a flash.  There are some fancy remote controls that have the ability to trip when the flash is sensed, but I’m guessing you don’t want to invest in these types of gadgets.  Depending on your cameras ability to manage noise on slow shutter speeds, using a timing of 30 seconds can work well. The bulb setting can also be handy if you have a way to keep the shutter open.
   

   Copyright Elsie esq.

3. Horizon Up – It’s safe to say most of the lightning action you will see will in the sky.  I know it’s obvious, but it needs to be stated that your field of view will be skewed toward the sky then.  Depending on how close the lightning is, you’ll be including more blank looking sky than normal.  But fear not; that sky becomes far more exciting when the lightning starts
4. But Include Something Interesting – While the action will be in the sky, don’t forget to keep something in the frame to give relevance and perspective to the shot.  Buildings are a favorite, but really, anything that can give an idea of the size of the storm works well.
5. Manual Focus – It’s best to use manual focus when shooting in lightning situations.  Mainly because the view will probably be at night (but not always) with a fair amount of darkness.  Rather than allow your camera to hunt around for something to focus on with each new shot, get a good manual focus on the sky and leave it there.
6. Manual Shutter/Aperture Too – As mentioned in #2, if your camera has the ability to set the shutter speed, pick a long shutter time and a fairly wide aperture.  The action will be far from you so a wide aperture and shallow depth of field won’t be a problem (unless you have some very near objects you’d like to include).
   

   Copyright akeg

7. Stack ‘em – If you can keep your camera in a steady spot, shot after shot, you can use stacking software to combine multiple strikes into one image. You’ll often have many unexciting shots with maybe just a single strike or faint action between clouds.  These can all be combined to make a spectacular image.
8. Be Patient – This is a big one and a key to success.  Get familiar with your gear and settings so when there is a lightning storm you can set up the camera and then let it do its thing while you enjoy the show.  You’re going to have a number of times when you miss “the shot” for one reason or another.  Don’t sweat it.

Shooting lightning storms can be a very enjoyable experience but it takes a little practice to get it just right.  Follow the steps above and you’ll be well on your way to creating electrifying photos (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun!).

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

How To Photograph Lightning

Photo Manipulation is, in my opinion, among one of the most fascinating photography techniques out there. Photo Manipulation is the process of editing a photograph in such an extreme way that it takes on an entirely different look. Photo Manipulation goes beyond mere enhancements or corrections. Often using PhotoShop or other photo editing software and combining various elements from several photographs and other resources, Photo Manipulation blends reality with illusion to create something truly remarkable.

Check out 20 incredible Photo Manipulation examples below for inspiration in your own work. All images can be found at Imagekind.com.

Desperation by Josh Sommers

No One Wanted To Be Sued by M Fortune

Dizzy crowd by Martine Roch

Limits by Stephanie Bennett

Corsairs from Sirocco by Bartlomiej Jurkowski

Anatomy by Lisa KC

Hope Springs Eternal by PhotoDream .

Everything inside never comes out right. by Karen Biggs

Untitled by Sarolta Bán

The Whisper by Neil Carey

squid,seashell and crab by Pawel Wewiorski

One With the Earth by Day Seriani

DREAMING AGAIN by METROFADER

Storm by Lydia Marano

the loss of innocence by Ana Fagarazzi

My dream is to fly by Amalia Iuliana

The Last Angel by WanderingSoul

Day 144 – Little darling, it feels like years since by Miriness Photography

I am not a perfect man by O O

Little Fae by Tara Naomi Boliek

See more Photo Manipulation artwork at Imagekind.

Post from: Digital Photography School – Photography Tips.

20 Incredible Photo Manipulation Examples