All Questions
27
votes
7answers
976 views
How should I pack equipment when travelling in countries with high crime rates?
I'm going to travel individually in Sub-Saharan Africa where the crime rate is high. Most of the time I will do landscape photography and only a few shots in urban areas. I've been there already, but ...
27
votes
2answers
2k views
What kind of camera do I need to capture deep space images?
By deep space image, I mean below kind. In the background it is space dust, I think.
Is it dependent on camera or location? If on camera, what kind of cameras are capable to capture this kind of ...
27
votes
6answers
2k views
What are the dangers of removing a lens while the camera is on?
The manual warns that you should turn the camera off to remove the lens, but it doesn't say why.
I suspect this may have to do with dust, but I could imagine there are lots of other reasons. I'm ...
27
votes
7answers
5k views
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using auto ISO on a DSLR?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using auto ISO on a DSLR?
Using manual ISO obviously gives you more control, but auto ISO may mean that you get "the shot" under quickly changing ...
27
votes
16answers
7k views
Do super-super-lightweight tripods exist?
Are there are any "ultra-portable" tripods out there? I'd like to find one for backpacking that weighs 500 grams or less, but none seem to exist... there are tabletop tripods that weigh considerably ...
27
votes
3answers
2k views
Unsharp mask - what do the parameters do?
I'm interested in getting into post-processing stuff, and I'm wondering about the Unsharp Mask operation. Specifically, there are 3 parameters involved:
amount
radius
threshold
What do these do? ...
27
votes
7answers
1k views
Do good lenses really last a lifetime?
I’ve heard people say “a good lens will last a lifetime” many times. Is this actually true of modern lenses? More specifically, will a good lens be usable for a lifetime?
With an inexpensive adapter, ...
27
votes
4answers
2k views
What is the 'Diagonal Method' and should I use it instead of 'The Rule of Thirds?'
I recently was in a discussion with a photography mentor who asserted that over the years he has composed most of his award-winning and/or 'most popular' photographs using the 'Diagonal Method,' and ...
27
votes
4answers
5k views
What's the difference between CCD and CMOS image sensors?
I keep reading articles about CCD vs CMOS image sensors. What is the difference between these two types? What exactly do these sensors do in terms of photography?
Is a CCD-based camera going to be ...
27
votes
4answers
5k views
What does it mean for a photograph to be “high key”?
As I learned the term, a high-key image is one where the shadows are effectively eliminated, and the mid-tone detail pushed into brighter zones. My question is simple: is this an accurate definition, ...
27
votes
4answers
8k views
What are the differences between Picasa and Lightroom, other than price?
I've heard about Adobe Lightroom before, but never really understood what's so great about it, or why you'd pay for it when you can get Picasa for free.
I know Lightroom probably has more ...
27
votes
3answers
858 views
How can I show a slope? Even mountain roads appear flat in my photos
During a bicycle trip, I wanted to take a pic to show how sharp the slope was (about 20%). The same applies downhill. See below, the viewer can't really tell whether it is downhill or flat or uphill:
...
27
votes
5answers
4k views
How do constant aperture lenses work?
Cheaper zoom lenses usually are faster at the wide end and slower at the long end (for example, the $150 Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6). More expensive constant-aperture zoom lenses have the same ...
26
votes
18answers
1k views
What software is focused on reviewing and organizing images?
If I wanted to just view, sort, and organize (via tags or folders or both), what programs are geared toward doing this quickly?
I know I could do this in most any photo editor, but it's not ideal for ...
26
votes
5answers
879 views
Is there a trick to shooting large group portraits without blinkers?
When shooting large group portraits, is there a trick to getting everyone to not blink (other than taking many shots)?
26
votes
1answer
7k views
How does one create the Dave Hill effect for portraits/action shots?
Inspired by the question here by sebastian.b, and the response to the subsequent meta question. I would like to ask how to achieve a specific photo effect.
There may be more photographers that pull ...
26
votes
3answers
2k views
What does a hexagonal sun tell us about the camera lens/sensor?
In this picture, we see that the sun comes out as a hexagon. I am sure it is not arbitrary. What does the hexagon tell us about the instrument that captured the image?
26
votes
3answers
850 views
What should one consider when choosing a style of tripod head?
What should one consider when choosing a style of tripod head? There are ball heads, 3-way pan/tilt heads, geared heads, even gimbal heads.
I'm not asking so much about brands, but styles... how ...
26
votes
12answers
6k views
How do I choose a title for a photograph?
I'm taking a lot of pictures and publishing them online even showing a few in a gallery but...
I have a hard time thinking up names for them! I'm not entirely comfortable numbering them, and I think ...
26
votes
6answers
2k views
How can knowledge of human perception of color be used in photography?
How does the human vision system perceive color, and how can/should this be taken into account when taking and post-processing photographs (both in color and in black and white)?
The bit above is ...
26
votes
5answers
3k views
Can anyone recommend a good open-source photo management platforms for power users?
Short version of the question:
Does anyone know of any good open-source photo management/editing suites, a la Aperture or Lightroom?
I'd want it to run on MacOS X, by the way, though options that ...
26
votes
4answers
1k views
How does aperture work without “cropping” the image hitting the sensor?
I've been teaching myself the various settings in cameras and now have a much fuller understanding of how to use my camera effectively, but one thing is still bugging me.
When the aperture size is ...
26
votes
10answers
4k views
Which focal-length lens is usually used for portrait photography, and why?
What focal length or range of focal lengths are usually used for portraits?
What is used by professionals? Why would one select a certain focal length? What are the advantages and disadvantages of ...
26
votes
6answers
1k views
Do sensors wear out?
We all know that shutters wear out and they have a limited number of actuation's.
The question I have is, do sensors wear out too? Do they suffer any kind of damage after each shot?
Should I be ...
26
votes
2answers
1k views
Why no zoom lenses below f/2.8?
I can understand that a zoom below f/2.8 would be difficult and costly, but it seems like something pros would kill for. Surely it can't be more expensive (if its possible) than some of the $10k+ ...
26
votes
7answers
19k views
Lightroom vs. Elements vs. Photoshop: Side-by-side comparison?
I'm a bit overwhelmed by the available options in regards to the three major photo editing apps from Adobe.
Does anyone know of an article or site that lists the features of Lightroom, PS Elements, ...
26
votes
2answers
2k views
How do I interpret an MTF Chart?
As part of how Canon (and other lens makers) give technical information about their lenses, they supply an MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) chart. How do I read and interpret what the chart is ...
25
votes
9answers
3k views
What's the difference between using black and white mode in-camera, and converting in post?
For black and white photography, will there be any quality difference between using the built-in black and white mode, or shooting in color initially and then removing the color later using Photoshop ...
25
votes
8answers
4k views
Should I shoot underexposed photos?
Someone more experienced than me said that he always shoots so that his photos are underexposed (darker) and I should too. The reasoning being that you can always increase the exposure in ...
25
votes
7answers
4k views
What are the major differences between these camera series by Canon?
Here is a shot of the different series of camras that Canon has to offer:
There's several models of Rebel, then there's the 50D, the 5D, and the 1Ds.
Broadly, which one is for whom broadly?
25
votes
5answers
2k views
What benefit does Lightroom 3 offer over Photoshop + Bridge?
I've been happily using Photoshop and Bridge to manage and edit my digital photos. I'm aware that Lightroom 3 was recently released, and decided to take a look at it, since Lightroom has been widely ...
25
votes
8answers
4k views
How can I recover deleted photos from an SD Card?
My technophobe mother returned from a European trip to discover she'd erased all but 15 images from a nearly full 2GB card. As I am the computer guy in the family, she posted the card to me and asked ...
25
votes
7answers
3k views
When to use shutter priority instead of aperture priority?
Under what circumstances would you use aperture priority vs. shutter priority and vice-versa?
I typically don’t use shutter priority (ever) and favor aperture priority to try to get a max aperture ...
25
votes
5answers
9k views
Is it worth to upgrade from Canon 50mm f/1.8 to Canon 50mm f/1.4 on 550d?
I'm a newbie in the world of DSLR photography, having played around with my Canon 550d for few months. After posting my first question here and getting some superb advices I decided to buy Canon 50mm ...
25
votes
10answers
3k views
How much benefit can one expect from a monopod?
I'm thinking about getting a combined monopod/trekking pole, as I use a trekking pole already and I can't really be bothered to carry a heavy tripod into the hills during daylight. I'm wondering how ...
25
votes
5answers
751 views
How do you protect yourself at protests?
When photographing protests and rallies, how do you show that you are not a protester and just a photographer to avoid police crowd control tactics? What do you do if the crowd you are in is getting ...
25
votes
5answers
877 views
What's a concise “I'm not dangerous” phrase for a business card?
Not being a street photographer, I find myself intimidated by onlookers when shooting in public. Given that and an increasingly hostile government attitude toward photographers, I'm thinking a ...
25
votes
9answers
1k views
How do I move my post-processing beyond Picasa?
Over time I've become fairly skilled in using Picasa to do post-processing starting with NEF files, but I'm thinking it's time to step it up a notch, and explore what I can do with a more ...
25
votes
4answers
5k views
What are the pros and cons of lab prints versus using a printer?
As newcomers to photography and printing we would like advice on the best way(s), regarding both quality and cost, of printing.
In the main my wife is photographing birds and insects, so natural ...
25
votes
3answers
1k views
What portrait posing rules do you recommend for studio photography?
What portrait posing rules could you recommend for studio photography?
How to pose (and not to) the head, body, hands, wrists, waist, hips, legs?
In what categories can the models can be divided ...
25
votes
2answers
1k views
How do I give someone a critique of their photograph?
I often read about giving and getting critiques on a photograph or series of photographs. Specifically how do I go about giving a critique? What do I say, what points do I want to hit, etc.
25
votes
8answers
2k views
What is the advantage to back-button autofocus?
I've heard some advanced photographers talk about using back-button autofocus. As I understand it, this involves changing one of the camera's custom setting to engage the AF when a button on the rear ...
25
votes
8answers
7k views
What should I consider when using DSLRs in cold weather?
What temperatures can consumer-level DSLRs and lenses typically handle? Are there any precautions one should take too minimize potential problems (e.g. condensating water)? What about moving in and ...
25
votes
5answers
3k views
Which software to assemble a time-lapse from images?
I own a Nikon D700, which has in-camera support for taking time-lapse photos, but I need advice on the easiest and best software solutions for processing the resulting heap of images. I accept that ...
25
votes
15answers
3k views
What options do I have for GPS/Geotagging with a digital SLR?
I would like to track GPS points while I am photographing with my Canon EOS (5D) camera.
What option do I have track them and what do you recommend?
25
votes
2answers
1k views
Does Auto White-Balance Really Work? How?
I don't understand how the camera can work out the white-balance to use in a given scene.
I could see it working if there is an obvious colour-cast (for example: under fluorescent lights).
Does it ...
25
votes
0answers
1k views
How do you select the 10 best images from a set of 300? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What's a good strategy for choosing which photos to keep?
I have read that photographers are rarely the best editors of their own images. As digital cameras make it ...
24
votes
9answers
13k views
What is the difference between EF and EF-S lenses?
This is specific to Canon, but what is the difference between EF and EF-S lenses?
24
votes
9answers
2k views
Why don't cameras capture dynamic range as our eyes do?
When sitting in a room with no lights on, and I look out the window, I can easily see the interior of the room even if I focus on a tree outside.
Why can a camera not capture a similar image to what ...
24
votes
7answers
781 views
Is it possible to be colour-blind and still be a good photographer?
Is it possible to be colour-blind (or color-blind, in the US) and still be a good photographer?
Are there any steps one can take to mitigate the effects of colour-blindness? Can you point me to any ...
