Browsing all posts in photography 101.

RAW vs. DNG

The debate on whether to import and post-process files as RAW or as DNG (Digital Negative) is almost as heated – and opinionated – as whether to shoot with Canon or Nikon. The long and short of it is, “it depends,” and “it’s up to you.” There is no “right” answer. RAW files are digitally [...]

Noise Reduction in Lightroom

The technology contained within today’s DSLR cameras enable us to take startlingly clear photographs in near-darkness. Sensors are more sensitive, ISO’s go up to 12,000+, and lenses get faster and faster. However, that capability to take photos in low light costs us in the way of increased noise. Noise is that “grain” you see, which [...]

Sharpening De-Mystified

We all want absolutely tack-sharp photos. We all know that sharpness begins with the shot itself – there is no saving a blurry photo in post-production. We are somewhat familiar with sharpening techniques in Lightroom or Photoshop, but what is the best way to apply sharpening for landscapes? Portraits? Cars? Street scenes? When is the [...]

Understanding Light in Photography – Beginner Level

The word “photography” comes from the Greek, photos – light – and graphos – writing, delineation, or painting. In other words, photography is light painting. As humans, we don’t see color, we see light. The retina of our eyes contains two types of photoreceptors (light receptors) called rods and cones. The rods are more sensitive [...]

Review: Studio Lighting 101 Workshop by SnapFactory

Last month I had the opportunity to attend the Studio Lighting 101 Workshop hosted by Mark Wallace and Snapfactory in Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Wallace is a fixture in the photography world, well known for his approachable and engaging instructional videos on Adorama.tv’s Digital Photography One on One series, Pocket Wizard tutorials, and more. The one [...]

Photography 101 – Exposure Bracketing

The term “exposure bracketing” refers to taking a photograph at a baseline exposure, then “bracketing” that shot with one that is slightly under-exposed, and one that is slightly over-exposed. This method is used to increase the odds that you have captured the shot with the best exposure, which is especially helpful in tricky lighting situations [...]

Intermediate Tips for Better Photography

Continuing where the first article, Beginner Tips for Better Photography, left off, now we’re on to Intermediate tips! For this article Steve and I will be combining our knowledge to give you a broader spectrum of advice. ———- Now that you’ve mastered the basics of photography and have gained a good amount of experience, you [...]

Beginner Tips for Better Photography

This is the first in a three-part series on improving your photography at every level of ability. This “beginner” article will be followed by “intermediate” and “advanced” articles over the next couple of weeks. ———- Congratulations! You’ve purchased your first digital camera and are ready to jump right in. Maybe you’re a little intimidated by [...]

Lighting – Where To Begin

One of the most intimidating things to venture into in photography is studio lighting. At one point or another we all feel a bit limited by using only ambient light or light from our pop-up or external flash, and we begin to entertain the thought of getting a few lights. So we start to research, [...]

Back to Basics: Five Tips to Freeze Action and Motion

Freezing action or motion in a photograph results in an image in which the subject and the background are “frozen”, sharp and in-focus. This is accomplished by using a fast enough shutter speed to stop the action, while using an aperture that is both tight enough to keep the entire scene in focus, but wide [...]