Free Xbox Games With Gold For June 2021
One of the great perks of being an Xbox live subscriber is the chance to have unlimited access to a wide range of free games each month, and you can use both platforms Xbox Once and Xbox 360. If you are an owner of Xbox One, it means that your console is also compatible with the Xbox 360 titles. This is an excellent opportunity for all people to discover new titles they may not otherwise play. Maybe you just don’t have enough money to buy a new game each month, or you aren’t familiar with indie titles, or they just slipped under the radar, whatever the reason is, now you have a chance to try new games each month.
Even if you don’t have enough memory, or time to spare right now, you should claim them every month because you have free access, as long as you have an Xbox live account. Considering this is a monthly event, you should create a list of games you have free access to because it will be easier to track. So, here are some games that will be popular in June 2021.
Trials of the Blood Dragon
Engage in an epic single-player experience, combined with top-notch gameplay and unique style of Blood Dragon. Once you take control of Rex Power Colt’s cybercommand kids, they travel, shoot and tame through different setting and environments. You get to play 30 missions across seven different worlds. Players have a chance to experience fully animated scenes, colorful characters and self-contained stories that are set in the future, precisely 12 years after the events of Far Cry Blood Dragon.
Unlike the previous installments, this game isn’t only about the bikes anymore. It contains a lot of running, shooting, tanks, jetpacks, and BMXs to test your skills and play with. Here you will have fully animated cut-scenes that are full of humor, but also the weapons. If you have an adventurous spirit, then this game will blow your mind away. Don’t miss a chance to use your gaming experience and start playing the Trials of the Blood Dragon. While you try to unlock the Ominous Locked Safe using the cryptic clues, you will have a lot of obstacles along the way, but it will be an excellent way to entertain yourself and test your detective skills as well.
Superhot
Blurring the lines between strategy and mayhem, Superhot is the FPS in which time moves only when you move, without regenerating the health bars. In this case, in just you against enemies and your ability to navigate through a hurricane of slow-motion bullets. The game has an excellent graphics, and it presents it presented something new and innovative on the market. With the minimal visual language help, the game lets you focus on the essential thing, and that’s gameplay and fight. Superhot has a couple of excellent features, such as endless mode – how long you can last against endless waves of enemies and challenge mode – the ability to play Superhot with your bare hands, without help.
It took thirty months to make this game and thousands of hours were put in development. This is one of the reasons why Superhot is an award-winning game, widely popular with gamers, innovative and simply said it’s a masterpiece. It is up to you whether you have the skills to plan your movement, dodge the bullets and win the battle. We can only confirm that Superhot is a game made for real adrenaline junkies who thrive on fighting and combat.
Brave – the video game
If you are a fan of Disney moves and cartoons, then this game will be the real refreshment for you. The Brave is a third person action – adventure game which was released 2012, the same time as the movie. The main character is Merida, and the game features her adventures, and this is a first female leading character released by the studio. The Brave has a family-friendly storyline and various types of combats which involve, bow and arrow, as well as sword and it is compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems.
Since it’s inspired by the animated fantasy, the Brave will make you jump, run and battle through rugged landscapes of mythical Scotland. The purpose of the leading character is to save a kingdom, so you will have to use different combat modes, defeat fierce enemies and break a magical curse. But, you are not only limited to a leading female character because you can choose other entertaining characters from the movie. They also have an ability to travel through mystical world, solve puzzles and discover secrets. The game features single and multi-player mode, but also play as bear mode, which can be exciting.
Quantum Conundrum
We all love to visit our uncles, especially when we are younger. But, what happens when your uncle gets kidnaped and transferred into another dimension? Well, that’s basically the storyline of the Quantum Conundrum. A young boy arrives at his uncle house, but he is not there to greet him, and the house looks weirder then it was the last time he’d been there. The first thing that greets him there is an explosion, and his job is to find his uncle, using his newest invention, the interdimensional shift device, go between dimensions, solve puzzles and try to save him. The IDS device will help you through the entire game. You can switch the dimensions, make things heavier or lighter, work your way through the complex mansion and rescue your uncle.
You will need all your wit and intelligence to solve complicated puzzles to save your uncle. This is a fun and challenging game for all ages. It will provide you a lot of entertainment, and you can play it together with your family.
The best spray tan products
With the breakthrough of micro-nutrient technology, a whole new generation of spray tan solutions has emerged. Sunless spray tan solutions can give you a bronze tan faster than you can blink and they are harmless to your skin. With this in mind, you do not have to ask yourself which product is the best because the answer is right before you. Norvell spray tan products are simply the best and they guarantee the wanted result.
Their delivery of a potent blend of antioxidants and vitamins, minerals and other healthy ingredients will be the healthiest addition to your skin and it will boost the inherent glow of your skin. In other words, you will get that just off the beach look in just minutes. There is no need to mention that the products are tested and safe and the best thing about norvell products is the fact that they were made to be affordable.
The accent is not in quantity but it is rather on the quality of the products and the satisfaction of the customers. The Norvell tanning solutions were carefully mixed with a special tanning formula that perfectly matches the epidermis and creates a perfectly customized tan with each use. If you are looking for a perfect product that will give you the wanted results and go well with your tanning needs, feel free to check out the Norvell list of products.
The wanted shade of color is guaranteed and the products are beneficial to your skin. In addition to all this, it is also possible to get scented spray tan solutions as these spray tan products have been fragranced with the extract essence of almond and raspberry. Not only that your skin will get the glow you want but it will also smell extremely nice and pleasant to your senses. It has never been easier to get your ultimate spray tan but it would be good to prepare yourself for it.
The list of products
It is possible to get a perfect tanning system with ease and it is even easier to learn how it works but you need to be in shape if you want it to look the way it should. These tanning products are the best way possible how you can achieve tanned, firm and hydrated skin at home.
In order for the products to give you maximum effect, it is warmly recommended to know what type of skin you have and if you suffer any allergies to any of the ingredients in the products. Besides that and a little workout, all you need now is a good tanning system and you are ready to go.
The palette of products is really wide and it contains various tanning mousses and lotions, 4-faces sprays, body butter, body scrub for keeping your skin perfectly moisturized and the hydrating body wash that will re-energize your skin and entire body. Get your sun-kissed golden and bronze glow and enjoy yourself the way you should.
Lens – Which Type To Use And When
Every professional photographer will tell you that going pro costs a lot of money. And indeed becoming a pro isn’t all about experience and talent as money plays a huge role in it. Going pro means investments in a new camera, as well as learning and buying additional equipment that will result in high-quality products.
The lens is part of that equipment, and you will find that many different types of the same exist. You could buy just one kind of lens and focus on what they are good at, but that will limit the range of pictures you will take. You should know what every type of lens is suitable for, as that will make you more money. You should also buy all general lens types and use them when the need arises. Every pro does this, and you shouldn’t be the one that doesn’t.
Common lens – Standard and wide angle
All lens found in this article is for DSLR, and interchangeable camera as these are the only cameras you will use as a pro. Every device you buy will come with a standard lens aka Kit. They are highly versatile with focal lengths between 18 and 70mm (depending on the manufacturer). This one is the easiest to use, and its viewing angle is similar to the eye.
The kit is an all-around lens that is good for everything but lacks options that would take it to the next level. Travelling photographers prefer it due to its versatility. If you don’t have money for any other, then the standard lens will do the trick. Just don’t take pictures that are from medium to high distance. Zooming is also troublesome with the standard options as it won’t give you a clear picture of the subject.
Wide angle is capable of capturing a wider angle than a human eye can see. It has a focal length between 24 and 35mm, but there are exceptions with an ultra-wide-angle lens that can capture even wider angles. It isn’t easy to use these as the ends of the picture may turn out curved.
Wide angle lens is perfect for taking landscape pictures as they produce shots that express the vastness of the place. Better devices at the market are also able to capture a lot of small details in those landscape pictures, which is why many pros use them on a regular basis.
Uncommon lens – Telephoto and Macro
A telephoto lens is used for taking pictures of far-away objects. Many nature photographers use them to make images of wild animals. It produces high-quality pictures that eliminate the sense of the distance from which the photo is taken.
A macro lens is intended for taking photos of tiny objects. It produces a 1-1 product which makes it possible to capture details that would be impossible without Macro. Photographers tend to use Macro when they want to take pictures of small insects and flowers. The high amount of details you see in a picture of something small is thanks to the use of the Macro lens.
The Comeback Of The Monochrome Art In Photography
Colors define the mood in the art, and this applies to photography as well. Different shades of the same color can convey mixed messages, and thus it’s crucial for the photographer to know how to alter their works to express the feelings they have in mind.
There is something special in the minimalistic application of colors on the painting as you get to spend more time on little that the artists put on the canvas. Black and White aka monochrome pictures are same in that regard. They can convey more than photos that are packed with various colors. The reason for this is the attention to details that will have you admire the picture for a long time.
Why people love monochrome pictures?
I can list several reasons that monochrome became as popular as it is now. Some of them might be subjective, but that is what you get when you read a personal blog.
The most subjective part of this list is the mood that monochrome pictures give off. The lack of bright colors tends to induce relaxation, and that allows you to perceive the photo better than you would normally. It also allows you to pay more attention to the photo as there aren’t any bright distractions that would ruin the experience.
You can apply monochrome effects to any photo, and it won’t ruin it. It doesn’t matter whether it is architecture or a portrait, black and white work everywhere. If you are skillful, then the result will be better than the original.
The modern art (including pictures) focuses on bright colors and the contrast between the same. Monochrome isn’t like that. Images that get monochrome facial are subtle, and only three colors play the part of telling the story, and they are black, white and gray. The sharpness of these three, as well as their shades, create different effects in the photos that range from dark (high contrast between black and white) to subtle (very little contrast that gives off a calming, almost fluid effect).
Monochrome photography – Where the moods matter
If you like expressing feelings through your photos, then black and white is for you. It allows you to adjust pictures that will set moods that viewers will be able to recognize and appreciate. Give it a try, and you will stick with it for a long time.
Studio Photography – An Essential Part Of Photographers’ Life
Some aspiring photographers belittle those that take pictures in studios because it isn’t same as going out and taking photos. They don’t know what they are talking about. Dream of almost every upcoming photographer to have the freedom to travel and take pictures and sell them to turn a profit. But, life isn’t as easy as that.
A professional photographer will have to use the studio in his career, whether they like it or not. So, it’s better to learn how to set up the studio for the photo shoot. Different types of photo shoots require different settings, and you should know about all of them.
Why is light so crucial for successful studio photo shoot?
Several prominent elements will decide whether your photo shoot will be successful or not. Lighting is one of them.
First of all, you must understand that there are two types of light in the studio, soft and hard. Dim light is achieved through the introduction of the light source that is larger than the subject or closer to the same. The other way to produce soft light is to bounce it off something. Soft photography is excellent for portraits as it doesn’t accentuate rolling contours of the face.
On the other hand, hard light is excellent for taking pictures of subjects that have a lot of textures and rolling contours. It brings out those irregularities, and that works excellent with landscapes and similar images.
The other thing you have to consider is the color of the light. If you want to take images of various products, then you should use blue. But human skin works best with warm yellowish colors.
How to set up the background
Many amateur photographers fail to create great studio shoots because they fail to create a believable background setting. The environment shouldn’t be too close to the subject and vice versa. A minimum of 6 feet should be between those two as it will give the picture the sense of depth.
The background setting won’t work if your subject isn’t in the mood for the shoot. It’s important to make the subject enjoy the photo shoot, and you can achieve it in several ways. Their favorite music is one of those ways, and joking is another.
Check the equipment before the shoot
You always have to know in what condition the equipment is. Checking it at least twice before the shoot begins. The first check-up should be at your home, where you should check whether all settings on the camera are right. The second and the final check should happen in the studio. All elements that could influence the shoot should be checked, and the shoot should begin only when everything is OK.
Using Flash In Photography – The Right Way To Do It
Flash is one of the most useful tools in photography, to those that know how to use it, of course. Professionals will avoid the use of flash as much as they can. Natural light is a better option as it makes pictures better. But, there are times when flash is the only option that can produce enough light to take pro-level pictures.
But you have to know how to use flash. If you don’t know, then the end product won’t be as good as it could be. This is especially true with studio photography as it requires the use of flash guns. They are a bit more complicated way to use flash for taking photos. It is also the best way to add flash to the picture shoot.
Why should every studio photographer use flashguns?
Flashguns are better than standard flash equipment. They are bigger, and you have better control over the amount of light you get. They are also complicated and have over twenty options. Some of them are simple, while others are meant for professional photographers.
TTL mode is an option that is automatic, and it works on your own. It adapts the flash to your camera. It contains several different options you can set to make it work better. For example, there are aperture priority and shutter priority options that make those elements better.
A great tool some latest flash guns have is the exposure compensation which works well in the neutralization of excessive white and black colors that tend to ruin the photo shoot. Buy newer devices to increase the number of options when it comes to the amount of compensation.
Another cool feature that every new flash gun has is the zoom. This is a zoom of the flash which is an excellent feature as it allows the photographer to zoom the light toward a particular part of the frame. This makes it easy to take pictures without worrying about dark spots. Latest flashguns offer automatic zoom which works well in the studio.
Panoramic Photography – Capturing The Beauty Of The World
Many people think about generic photos of nature when someone mentions panoramic photography. This is just a part of the whole reason that people don’t understand the real beauty of the scenic shots.
Panoramic shots are much more than your run-of-the-mill pictures taken by a regular camera. If you don’t believe in this then just go on and try to make a photo and compare it with a panoramic one. You will see what the real difference between these two is.
The secret is in the angle
The primary difference between a standard and a panoramic shot is the angle. You will notice that the latter has a wider angle that captures more than the former does. This is only possible with the use of wide angle lens.
Some photos capture even more landscape through the use of the extra wide lens. But you shouldn’t worry about this one as it is situational and buying it is a waste of money in the majority of cases.
You might also notice that these wide angles are mostly used to take photos of nature aka landscape. Amateurs will have problems in capturing anything else but nature due to the curvature that happens at the far ends of the photo. If you try to take a picture that contains straight lines, then they will curve, and that is something that requires skill to correct.
Professionals that take panoramic photos use a broad array of tools to correct this curvature. Several tricks exist that make it easy to fix these, but this isn’t the place to discuss them.
Devil is in details
Pros prefer wide angles for landscape pictures because it allows them to capture features that wouldn’t be as visible in standard photos as they are in panoramics. They also use high-quality devices so you can zoom in at any part of the photo and get a clear view of the desired subject.
This way to capture the beauty of the landscape is also excellent because there isn’t any subject that takes the focus of the whole picture. Everything in the photo is there because it needs to be and thus there isn’t a single thing that stands out.
The combination of everything mentioned above means that a panoramic shot has the power to keep you interested in it for a long time as every part of the photo is worth observing.
The Best Place To Get Latest Photography News
People that are interested in photography and the most recent news in that industry tend to visit Digital PhotoPro on a regular basis. If you don’t know why that is so, then you are apparently oblivious to anything that is related to this industry.
What is Digital PhotoPro?
Digital PhotoPro is the most prominent site related to the photography, and it delivers all new things that appear on the market. This site is led by several individuals that understand what photography enthusiasts want, and they provide it with every new article they create.
I found this site back when it was just starting, and you couldn’t recognize it if you saw those old screenshots. It changed domains quite a few times, but I stuck with it because it followed everything that happened in the photography industry and I liked that. The site expanded their area of expertise, and they started introducing new columns as the time passed and every time that happened more people joined the community that followed Digital PhotoPro.
What can you read at this site?
In the beginning, this site was just a place where few people could write about their experiences with various cameras. This attracted many people as they wanted to know which device was suitable for what. This caused the owners to create several different sections in which they would review various cameras.
The start was slow, but soon various stores realized that these reviews were excellent for advertisement and Digital PhotoPro started reviewing latest products that hit the market. They still do this, and all those that want honest reviews about latest cameras can visit this site and check how those devices fare. Individuals that do reviews will tell you everything about a device, including whether it is worth the price tag or not.
This site also posts various tutorials that allow you to familiarize with latest options that new cameras have. You can also find posts about equipment that helps with photo shoots. This site has articles about anything which is why there is no need to search for other sources of info when it comes to photography.
Digital Photography for Beginners: Shutter Speed
Becoming a professional photographer is hard as you have to forget about the amateurish approach to the photography. You have to learn all the small things that will make you equal with other professionals. This isn’t hard, but it takes time and dedication.
You have to learn about many elements of photography and apply them in the field. Only this will allow you to create works that are at the same level as others in the industry. Shutter speed is one of those elements you will have to master to create images that will sell and make you some money.
What is shutter speed?
Shutter speed is the setting that tells your digital camera how long to keep its shutter open and let light pass through to capture an image on the digital sensor. Combined with aperture, and luminosity (ISO), the shutter speed will determine your final exposure. The fantastic thing about this mechanical setting is that, besides letting you create several cool photo effects, it’s the primary tool used to capture motion in a still photo.
On your digital camera, the shutter priority mode is marked with a‘S \’ on the mode dial and it’s a semi-automatic exposure mode that lets you go for your desired speed while automatically setting the aperture accordingly for a final correct exposure.
Some cameras also have a ‘B’ (from the bulb) setting available. This allows you to keep your shutter open for as long as you want to. There is, however, a catch because very long exposures come with increased image noise as a side effect. To avoid it, check if your digital camera has adjustable noise reduction and set that for long exposure shots when in ‘B’ mode.
Shutter speed, camera shake, and sharper images
Shutter speed is measured in seconds (1, 2, 10, 30) and fractions of seconds (1/60, 1/125, 1/250, etc.) – the smaller the number, the faster the speed. Under normal daylight conditions, the shutter speed will usually vary between 1/125th and 1/1000th of a second, which is quick enough to freeze movement and diminish the camera shake effects that would otherwise blur your photos.
Correct shutter speeds are always dependent on the available light at the moment you capture moments on your digital camera. Very long exposures (+2 minutes) in bright sunny days will result in extremely overexposed images while shooting the midnight sky using a breakneck shutter speed (1/3200 sec) will give you a 100{e95e7168ac36cbc54c3476bd6fb88bbda63d41f27b4d67613d4c54e1a2196ff7} black image.
There are times, especially in low light environments, when you have to use a slow shutter speed in which case a tripod, monopod or any other image stabilization tool comes in handy as they remove camera shake effects. Many modern digital cameras come with a built-in vibration reduction (VR) option that serves the same purpose.
The one most important rule of thumb for safely shooting without a tripod is to choose a shutter speed equal or more significant than the reciprocal of the focal length you use. For example, if you have a 50mm lens, 1/60 is the most you can go to be sure that your handheld taken photos won’t come out blurry.
Shutter speed and how to get cool photo effects
- Milky waterfalls
A classic card shot of a waterfall is created with a slightly more prolonged exposure, which gives the water a milky effect. Depending on what you want to suggest, a different shutter speed and a shorter exposure would make the water look sharper (as is in the second image)
- Freeze movement
Always ask yourself what you want your images to say and freeze movement by using breakneck shutter speeds. Sometimes, the movement is the key to a great moment, in which case you no longer have to worry so much about shutter speed. It all depends on what the world looks like from behind the lens.
- Panning for speed
By using a slower shutter speed (1/200), autofocus and panning your digital camera with objects in motion, you will be able to blur out backgrounds and give the impression of higher speed and increased dynamism in your shots. It takes a while to learn the panning trick, but the results are well worth it.
- Paint with light
Very long exposures (30 seconds in this case) in dark environments let you play with different light sources and ‘paint’ with light.
Always remember to experiment and try out various exposures. Through constant testing and repeating you will get to make the most of your camera and shutter speeds. Until next time, happy shooting!
B & W Photography – The Right Way To Modify Pictures
By its very nature, B & W photography is an art that takes a lot of time and experimentation to master because it requires dealing with some challenges. When there’s no actual color to play with, lights, contrasts, and framing become highly significant in achieving great photographic results and in the era of digital photography, post-processing will help you get there.
But first, you should take advantage of your camera and its capabilities to shoot images that are pre-maximized for the black & white conversion process to be finalized through your photo processing software.
Tips to improve your Monochrome alteration skills
Here are five quick tips to do that:
- Always shoot in RAW and preferably in color – because it gives you the most control and most information to use and work with in post-processing. Even when you switch to black & white from your camera settings, shooting in RAW will conserve information – including colors – and will make your post-processing work easier.
- Always shoot with lowest possible ISO – to avoid increased image noise that automatically occurs when converting your images to black & white. Even if you love the film feeling given by granulated images, you can always add this effect in post-processing, but it’s incredibly hard and time-consuming to remove it.
- Take advantage of low contrasts – it’s said that gloomy, dark days add an extra something to your captured images, conveying a sense of softness and mildness to the result of your black & white story.
- Use the available light wisely – shadows, highlights, and different tones will make the difference in a black and white photo.
- Use framing wisely – to emphasize most important subject that will grab viewer’s attention in your black and white image. Use foregrounds and backgrounds to create depths and give more substance to your main subject.
Ways how to convert images into black and white
Now the easiest way to convert your image into black & white in a post-processing software is to go to Image->Mode->Grayscale and… that’s it. The possible lack of contrast in the resulted image is nothing that a curve tweaking (Image->Adjustments->Curves) can’t handle.
Another easy conversion method is switching to Black & White in the Image Adjustments menu and then fine-tuning contrasts with the help of the color sliders (see images above).
The more thorough way of adjusting your digital black & white images is by using the Channel Mixer and editing each color channel (red, green and blue) separately. Have a look at each color channel in turn and notice that, depending on the channel, your image can be slightly underexposed (as seen in the green channel in the example used) or even severely underexposed (as seen in the blue channel above). This will help you decide what you want to focus on when adjusting your black & white image.
Depending on what you want to obtain to increase details and contrasts of your black and white image, you’ll need to make the proper adjustments in the channel mixer. (Image->Adjustments->Channel mixer). When you’re happy with your result, press OK and voila!
If you prefer Lightroom to Photoshop, there are three convenient options to convert your image to black & white in the Saved Preset menu. Again, depending on what you want to achieve, you can pick the standard Grayscale setting or one of the more creative alternatives: B&W low contrast or B&W high contrast.
Why should you get into Black and White Photography?
B & W photography interested many people because it adds another layer of expertise to the photography. And as you have read above, it isn’t as easy to create a beautiful B & W photography as you might think.
The list from the previous paragraph contains options that will turn a regular picture into a monochrome. It doesn’t state how to modify the photo to make it more beautiful than it was. Many different tools exist that will allow you to adjust various settings and work on elements of the picture to make the simple B & W color palate shine more than it should.
Digital Photography For Beginners: Histograms
One of the revolutionary steps in the history of digital photography is being able to calculate and display an image’s histogram.
A graphic bar is showing the tonal distribution in an image, the histogram sorts and reveals the different luminosities of pixels distributed on a scale of brightness, from 0 to 255, or from black (left) to white (right), with 254 different shades of gray in between. The height of each bar corresponds to the number of pixels of the same shade.
Why should you care about the technical details? Because understanding the way, a histogram works allows you to review all your shots, check out exposure and whether some details have been lost in shadows or burnt in too much light.
If you open your Adobe Photoshop and select Window->Histogram or Image -> Histogram (depending on the soft version you use), you’ll see your image’s histogram and be able to clear out any luminosity and color problems.
When do we have a problem?
Although the answer to this question might seem obvious, no actual recipe guarantees a perfect image if you have a perfect histogram. The rule of thumb says that a correctly exposed image is observed in a histogram with smooth, gradually ascending and descending curves towards its extreme limits (0 and 255), as is the example on the left. Does this automatically exclude all the other possible histograms for being bad ones? Technically, yes, but don’t delete half of your images just yet.
Technical precision isn’t always satisfactory, nor is it mandatory, but understanding it will help you overcome common issues and will prove useful knowledge when you want to break the rules and capture different, unique perspectives through your photos.
With many pixels quite close to 0 value indicating plenty of dark areas, some of the details in the shadows are lost forever. There are also few to none pixels in the highlight area (255), turning the histogram above into a definitive proof of an underexposed image.
Combined histogram – How it helps us?
And there’s always the combed histogram, a unique example that only appears when image post-processing has been done in either Photoshop or some other similar soft. Why does this happen? Because playing with Levels or Curves (two settings available in all post-processing programs) involves contrast adjustments that cause a redistribution of tones with tone losses in the process, determining a comb-like histogram, hence the name.
The great thing is that most of the modern DSLRs have a histogram option available in their settings, allowing you to snap judge the quality of a shot on the spot and take another one if necessary.
Although an accurate exposure – underlined by a smooth histogram – confirms that your camera captured all details from both highlights and shadows, remember that people don’t care about pixels and tab graphs. They are impressed by the originality and authenticity they find in your images.
So learning the language of histograms will probably be enough to master perfect exposures, but learning when to say “No” to perfect exposures will get you one step closer to mastering photography.
Histogram – A tool every photographer should master?
You can’t consider yourself as a pro photographer if you don’t master all aspects of photography. You will have to use various settings to get excellent pictures in a wide array of situations and mastery of all tools at your disposal is a must if you want to succeed in this line of business.
The histogram is just another tool you should learn how to use. It isn’t anything new but it improved over the course of time and you should have improved with it. If you don’t know how to use it then you won’t sell many pictures you make as they won’t be as good as they could be with the use of the histogram.
Aperture – Digital Photography For Amateurs
A camera gathers the light that determines how good the picture will be. Better cameras will collect more light, and the photo will be clearer and thus better. The lack of aperture makes pictures dark and grainy, and that isn’t something you would want in a photo. You could compare aperture with how the human iris works as it has adjustable blades that determine the amount of light that is needed for the picture. Latest models work better than some previous devices as their settings can adjust this at a better rate and with more precision.
Maximum aperture and what it represents
You can manually adjust the aperture on the device, and it will change how the picture turns out. But every device has a limit that prevents opening the blades too much, and that is the maximum aperture. However, this doesn’t mean that you should keep the lenses open at all times.
In some situations, it is important to open them entirely to get the best quality in the picture, while in other cases the length of exposure precedes the openness of the aperture. This short tutorial will address situations in which you will want the maximum aperture. If you are interested in taking perfect pictures, then you should keep on reading.
Maximum aperture under natural light
Three ways for taking pictures under natural light exist. The first one is to use flash, but that isn’t advisable, and no professional would do this. Flash ruins perfect pictures and thus avoid it. The second option is to open the aperture to maximum and take a photo in a short period. The third option is to keep the shutter open for an extended period as it will gather more light and thus allow you to take beautiful shots.
Fast shutter speeds and how they affect the maximum aperture
You will be recognized as a pro in the world of photography if you can take excellent pictures of moving objects, including the bad weather (rain, snow and so on). The combination of the maximum aperture and correct shutter speed is what will create a perfect picture of a fast object, and it will propel you into the world of photography.
Reduced depth of field
Aperture wood
Wide maximum apertures have shallow depths of field (DOF), allowing you to focus on something special, while leaving blurry backgrounds for a stronger emphasis on your central subject.
Having a lens with maximum aperture of 5.6, for example, doesn’t let you reduce the DOF as much as you’d like for perfect portraits or simply stunning nature photography.
When you wade through all the numbers while shopping for lenses, you can stumble upon either something like: 50mm f1/8 or something like 18-55mm f/3.5-6.3.
The first set of numbers – 50 mm and 18-55mm represent the focal length (a topic to be detailed in another photography tutorial). The second set interests us the most as they indicate the maximum aperture of a lens.
If the first case is pretty much self-explanatory, the second one is a standard example for zoom lenses that have a variable maximum aperture in our case:
- At 18mm the maximum aperture is f/3.5
- At 55mm the maximum aperture is f/5.6.
For different lighting conditions, you need different maximum apertures. You can use the following as reference:
Once you begin to master the use of apertures, you will begin to see a big difference in the quality of your pictures. Companies like Lulu offer the option to design and create photo books using your favorite photos, which you can have delivered straight to your home, or to your friends and family as gifts.
Photography Sharing – Two Sides Of A Coin
The internet isn’t as regulated as some would like you to believe and this, in many cases, is a good thing. Strict regulations would hamper the freedom people have, and this would have adverse effects on many virtual communities.
Photography is a field that flourished due to the vastness of the internet. This also means that photography as an industry experienced both food and bad things that internet brought. An excellent example of this is the photo sharing.
Sharing photos – It can be both good and bad
If you go out, take a picture and post it, the photo in question is your creation, and thus you own it. But if you post it on a form then someone else might download it and use the photo without asking for your permission or paying you for its use. Now, you won’t care about this if you aren’t making money through photography. But, if selling photos are your source of income then it is reasonable to assume that you will be upset by this.
You can find dozens upon dozens of forums that allow posting and download of all pictures on the same. A forum like that is an excellent place to see some exciting pieces and to learn something about photography in general. It is also a great place to learn about directions in which the photo markets are moving and to get some basic idea on what can make you some money at the moment. But these forums aren’t suitable for the sale of your work as no strict regulations exist that would prevent illegal use of the same.
Use forums to advertise your work
The best use you can get out of unregulated forums is an advertisement. You can’t prevent others from using your work in their pursuits of the profit, but you can deter them through the use of some personal additions to the work you create.
You shouldn’t post more than a few works on a forum. Remember, a forum isn’t an online gallery, but a place where you can showcase your skills. Photos you post should tell people about our work, and those interested in it will buy your products. Be sure to set up an account on a site that focuses on the photo sale. Sites like that have regulations that prevent others from illegal use of works that are sold there. A place like that is an excellent starting point for an inexperienced photographer.
Digital Photography Tutorial Shapwick, “Develop Your Style And Retouch For It”
“Develop Your Style And Retouch For It” is the central theme of this tutorial. It addresses the issue where you shoot something that does not fit your vision then hoping Photoshop will come to the rescue will not produce fulfilling imagery. You probably found yourself in situations where you took a photo, but it failed to satisfy your taste. You try to address it with Photoshop and other similar software, but it fails to produce a satisfying result.
What this tutorial has to offer
This tutorial is in the form of a video that will take you on a trip I took a year or so ago. It will show me and several other people and our trip into nature where we took photos of the same. We all took photos of things that interested us and then we returned in the city and sat down to review what we did. Comments about photos ensued, and there was a lot of useful critique on how to improve various pictures and what would make them better than they were.
We head off before dawn and head out on location to Shapwick Heath on the wetlands of Somerset in England.
Here we explore several promising locations where we attempt to capture images that are in keeping with my vision/style.
We discuss what I’m trying to get the shots and explain why some don’t work for me although I try as I might produce something from them anyway.
Back in the studio, we view some of the images we captured and look at some of the finished files before being taken step by step through the retouching of one of the photos.
During the screencast, we see how the various adjustments can help accentuate what you have captured with the camera.
Relive the experience you see in this tutorial
You might get the urge to repeat the experience from the video you see, and I can help you with that. An excellent thing about being a blogger and a photographer is that many people approach me with similar ideas. I connect those people with those that share their thoughts and organize groups that can repeat what we did on this occasion. So, contact me, and I will connect you with individuals that want to experience the same thing me and the group of people from the video experience.
Why I Love Panoramic Photography?
Many exciting forms of photography exist, and a lot of professional photographers decide to focus on one, or in some cases several types of photography. Some do this out of love for a photography type, while others decide to go for the most profitable option. The ultimate goal a photographer should strive toward is to find something at which they are good at as well as something they love to do as it should become the primary source of their income.
I have chosen panoramics as a focus in my line of work due to my love toward it. I can’t say that profit didn’t cross my mind, but the primary drive that got me invested in this form of photography was love.
What is my goal with panoramic photography?
Panoramics as a form of photography are considered more of an amateur art rather than a business that can produce a steady stream of profit. And in a way this is true. But my goal isn’t to be an unknown photograph who gets his 15 minutes of fame every once in a while. My goal is to spread the love toward panoramic photography and to create photos people will buy and use in their projects.
What panoramics mean to me?
As some will already be aware I shoot my fair share of Digital Panoramic Images and I’m probably not alone as I can name many landscape photographers who do also love this format.
The benefits for me are that…
- I can get a wide view of the scene but often not have to resort to using 24-28mm lenses.
- Using slightly longer lenses compresses the scene slightly which is a look I favor.
- Using Digital Photography and stitching techniques also have the benefit of extra image resolution.
A slight downside to the above is that sometimes panoramics can be a little tricky to get a strong composition from (or at least I think so).
If you are interested in shooting this format of digital photography check out my video tutorial.
Origins Of Inspiration.
I’ve mentioned before (probably several times) that I learn’t my photography by spending many hours exploring and shooting out and about on the Somerset Levels here near my home in the South West of England.
Now you’d think after spending so much time exploring one area I’d have had exhausted any kind of inspiration the area had to offer but this could not be further from the truth.
Today I spent a beautiful spring afternoon walking with my family on Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve on the heart of the Somerset Wetlands near Glastonbury.
Exploring an area I had not seen or at least remember seeing for many years it once again made me remember why I fell in love with photography as a teenager and why I still love my home here in Somerset.
A few times during those early years I wondered if I should head to London to live and assist which was and still is the route many others take to try and further their photography learning and careers.
I didn’t take this route preferring to assist (albeit for a very brief time) closer to home and base my business here but have an agent to represent my work in London.
I now realise this was probably the right choice to make.My main inspiration in those early years as a photographer came from the landscape that surrounded me and had I decided to make the move to London I suspect I’d had fallen by the wayside without that inspiration to keep me motivated to shoot and continue my interest in photography as a career.
Photography can be a tough business with long periods of little shooting but plenty of work behind a desk marketing or retouching.
Getting out behind the camera and back capturing the things that first inspired us to pick it up in the first place can charge us up creatively and give us a fresh boost of enthusiasm which we all are in need of every now and again.
The images here where shot for pure fun on my iPhone but also serve as a reference to the places I’m now planning to return to shoot sometime in the next week or so.
Photography Vision, What Are You Saying ?
Next time you pick up your camera to shoot what’s in front of you why not pause for a second to ask yourself why ?
Why are you drawn to shoot what is in front of you? and what are you looking to convey in the image? Why bother ? I can hear you saying
Well asking yourself what makes you tick when you pick up a camera can reveal a lot about yourself and that unique thing called vision that we all posses but can rarely explain.
This is not only an enlightening exercise to do but can help you understand and develop your vision further which in turn can allow your images stand out from the crowd from everyone else’s.
Your vision is made up of your personal experiences of life growing up and is constantly evolving as we grow and experience more in our daily lives.
My own work compared to several years ago has in the main changed tempo as I tend to seek out quiet moments (probably due to having a hectic home life with 3 young kids :] !) Most of it is captured in colour (as it always has been) and I use colour to help convey the scene as I saw and felt it rather than show a neutral or faithful colour balance.
I prefer slightly longer lenses where possible and look for clean uncluttered compositions often shot under soft light as opposed to contrasty direct light which I sought out in my early work.
I could go on but I don’t want to bore further about my vision but I think you can see it can be an interesting exercise to do.
Why not sit down and print off some of your favourite images and see if you can find similarities running through them and if so write them down.
Maybe you will find that most of your favourite shots use motion,soft back light and subdued colours to convey what you captured and these could well be a few of your tools that you use to express your vision.
Abandoned Airfield
As I have mentioned in other recent posts we have had a significant amount of snow here in the U.K during the last few weeksThe other night the cold clear sky promised a stunning sunset so I decided to brave the cold and set out to take some images at an Airfield called Merryfield. I chose this location not only as it was within walking distance from my home (using the car was not an option) but also because I knew the light would be beautiful and in an ideal position for the image I had (very loosely) planned in my head.
Merryfield Airfield was opened in 1944, and used during the second world war by both the Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force. It’s still used today for training helicopter pilots but this particular winter’s evening all was very quiet and presented quite an eerie atmosphere
As the sun dropped so did the temperature and in the distance I noticed some icy cold mist starting to build and roll towards me across the deserted runway which further added to the atmosphere.
It was a thrilling sight viewing this mist build up backlit against the golden setting sun and I was so transfixed I forgot the cold temperature being only concerned with watching and capturing everything happening before me.
The position I took up to capture the image shows the Guard Hut at the entrance of the airbase and the view across the historic runway complete with mist and fading winter light.
As with most of my Digital Photography I don’t care to purely document a scene but to represent it as I saw or felt it .Sometimes this can involve removing objects,compositing new elements into the scene or simply manipulating the colour.
With this shot I did all of the above including enhancing the mist to make it stand out better.I also decided the wind sock would be better suited a little further to the left than where it was originally placed within the scene.