EXPERT TIPS

Email us

  Filters can help make a simple photo much more dramatic.  Here, a fluorescent-white conversion filter was used to give the sky a much more dramatic purple look.  Experimenting with different looks is half the fun in photography.  With a digital camera it is still easier to use a filter and do as much of the work "in camera" as possible as it can save you hours in front of the computer.  When using filters with a digital camera, just remember to preset the white balance.  When using a digital camera on an overcast day, try using a graduated neutral density filter to hold details in the sky.

(photo copyright Keith Brown)

 Tripods are a photographers friend The tripod allows a photographer not only stability in a scene, but in fact makes the photographer go slower at taking their photos.  This will allow the photographer to see through the camera, instead of just look through it.  The photographer will notice things they may have missed before.  The stability a good tripod provides also aids the photographer in making a sure there is no camera shake. Tripods are important in any type of photography but are absolute must haves for macro, night, and architecture photography.  With the expanding of digital cameras capabilities, in-camera photo stitching has revolutionized wide scene photography.  With a  tripod you can make seamless blends even with a compact camera.  Sometimes a tripod is too clumsy or too big to carry with you.  This is where a monopod comes in handy.  Monopods provide an extra layer of support versus just holding the camera by hand and again can be used with bigger cameras or small compacts.

Flash photography can look natural With all film or digital SLR cameras, accessory flashes are available that are just as automatic as the built in flashes.  There are two tricks with these flashes that can dramatically enhance the quality of the photos.  Firstly, we move the flash from right on top of the camera.  This can be accomplished with the use of an off-camera shoe cord. This moves the flash up to a metre away while preserving all automatic and manual functions of the flash.  Since the humans have yet to evolve a third arm, a flash grip allows you to hold the camera and flash at the same time.  Some of these grips allow you to "flip" an arm and keep the flash in the same orientation as the film or sensor is.  The next trick is to use a softening device.  A soft box softens the flash by diffusing the light so it is nowhere near as harsh. Used in conjunction, these two tricks can make your flash photos look like they were done with available light.  While umbrellas and stands are available for portrait studio use,  they are less portable than a small soft box and therefore less practical to the average photographer.  

Storing and printing your digital photos One side effect of the digital age is the fact we do not have shoe boxes full of  prints and negatives taking up room in the closet.  What should we do with all the photos we are taking with our digital camera seems to be the question of the day.  The last place you want to leave them is on the computer's hard drive.  Of all the options, this is the most volatile form of memory and if your hard drive crashes, you effectively say goodbye to your memories.  The obvious choice is storing them on cd or dvd.  Not all cd-r or dvd-r are made equally and the old rule of thumb "You get what you pay for," comes into play here.  On average your better quality standard disks last up to about five years, while gold disks last upwards of 10 years.  Always make a duplicates of your disks for archive purposes. Here at Turek Camera foto source, we stock high quality regular disks as well as the gold disks recommended for photographs.

Another tip to help extend your disks' life is to not label them. Many markers' ink will bleed through the disk and destroy the data surface. Likewise disk labels create air bubbles if not placed correctly and may also make your disk unreadable, both of these have happened to me.  It is best to either leave the disk in the jewel case and label the case, or if you use a binder system for storage, make a label for the disk sleeve.  

Having your pictures printed, either at home or at a photo lab, will ensure at least you will have a print so if your data disk is damaged, you still have the memory.  As of today, nothing lasts longer than a print for image achievability. 

  Genuine Manufacturers Inks vs.. Reloaded or Off Brand Inks While it is true that the reloaded ink tanks, or off brand ink tanks are less expensive than the manufacturer's ink, they do not come without any risks.  When I had a problem with my own printer's print head, I called customer support and the first question they asked me was, "Are you using our ink or an off brand ink?"  It is possible for the manufacturer to void a warranty if their ink, or ink they recommend, is not used.  There can also be a quality issue with non genuine inks as well.  We believe that the best print will come from the manufacturer's ink.  Many people may disagree and may never see a difference, but there is always the chance.  Another factor to consider is longevity of the print.  All the documentation as to how long the prints will last is only valid as long as the manufacturer's inks are used.  At Turek Camera foto source we only carry genuine Canon and Epson inks for their respective printers.

 While polarizing filters are designed to reduce or eliminate reflections, colour polarizing filters change the reflection's colour.  The most popular is the Cokin #173 yellow-blue polarizer.  While this filter is best used on water or glass, the fun comes when you begin to experiment.  As with the above tip, you can use this filter with film or digital cameras.  Ed recommends purchasing the P sized filter as it will fit to any lens whereas the A sized only works on smaller lenses.  

                Bond Falls first blue, then yellow.

  Note the reflections, one side is yellow, one is blue

  Another example of a building with 2 colour reflections.

(all photos in the section copyright Ed Goodfellow)

Check back for more tips regularly.