®
AMERICA’S DIGITAL GODDESS
Essential Guide to
TAKING GREAT PHOTOS A
Contents Essential Guide to Digital Cameras ........................... A Essential Guide to Taking Great Photos..................... B Essential Guide to Creative Photo Editing................. C B
C
The Kim Komando Show © 2012 All Rights Reserved.
®
AMERICA’S DIGITAL GODDESS
Essential Guide to
DIGITAL CAMERAS
Contents Introduction ..................................1 Digital Sensors ..............................2 ISO Settings ..................................5 Image Stabilization........................7 Digital SLR Cameras.....................9 Hybrid Cameras.......................... 11 Camera Lenses............................ 14 Point-and-Shoots ........................ 17 Controls & Modes.......................18 Advanced Controls..................... 19 Video Recording..........................21 External Flash..............................22 Tripods.........................................23 Photo-Editing Software..............24 Accessories..................................25
The Kim Komando Show © 2012 All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
From novice to pro, learn what to buy
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DIGITAL CAMERAS
You want to take great photos at your daughter’s
dozens of choices when selecting a camera. You’ll
soccer game and your son’s piano recital. You want
find cameras in all different sizes and shapes from
to take natural-looking portraits and group shots
a variety of manufacturers. The sheer number of
of family members. You want your vacation photos
camera models on the market can be daunting.
to wow. You don’t want to miss a moment of your precious family memories.
How do you find a camera that best suits your needs—and your budget?
You want to step up from the smartphone camera you’ve been using or the point-and-shoot you
That’s the point of this book. We’re going to go
bought a few years ago. What to buy? If you’ve
through cameras, bit by bit. You’ll have a good
visited an electronics store or shopped online
grasp on them when we finish and be able to
lately, you know this is no small task. You have
make an informed choice.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
1
Digital Sensors
Where the Magic Happens The sensor is the most important part of a
Don’t fall for the Megapixel Myth
digital camera. The sensor is where all the magic
When talking about sensors, many people focus
happens. As you can probably guess, the sensor is
on megapixel count. But don’t judge a camera’s
used to capture the image.
quality on megapixels alone.
Strictly speaking, the sensor doesn’t actually
Megapixels simply refers to the number of pixels,
capture images. Rather, it collects light. It then
or picture elements, on the sensor. One megapixel
translates this light into electrical signals. The
consists of 1 million pixels. Pixels are sites on the
signals are sent to the processor, which creates the
sensor that collect light. Multiply image height in
image file.
pixels by width in pixels to get megapixel count.
A camera may be fast and powerful. It may have all
All else being equal, a camera with an 18MP
the latest bells and whistles. But it’s a bad choice if
sensor will let you make larger prints than a
it has a bad sensor. After all, years from now, you’ll
camera with a 12MP sensor. The larger sensor will
care more about that photo of Aunt Mabel than
also give you better prints from photos that have
the camera used to take it.
been cropped during the editing process.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
2
Sensor size is more important than megapixels Here’s a shocker for you: A camera that has a full-frame 12MP sensor will take much better pictures than a point-and-shoot with a 16MP sensor. How can that be? Size matters when dealing with sensors. The full-frame sensor measures 36mm x24mm. The point-andshoot’s sensor is roughly 6mm x 5mm. The full-frame sensor is nearly 30 times larger! In general, larger sensors have less noise and better sensitivity in low light than smaller sensors. Noise is the term for off-colored pixels. It somewhat resembles film grain. It’s particularly apparent in dark areas of a photo. As pixel density increases, you’re more likely to see noise. Larger sensors generally have larger pixels. That means more light is collected at each pixel site. You’ll get more-detailed photos.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
3
Dynamic range is also improved. Dynamic range
Don’t worry much about sensor type
is the difference between the lightest and darkest
You’ll see a lot of technical specifications when
pixels. You’ll get more details in both highlights
looking at cameras. All the mumbo-jumbo can be
and shadows.
like reading Greek. Don’t feel bad.
Without the constraints of film, manufacturers are
One of the things you’ll see is sensor type. The
free to make digital camera sensors in a variety of
cameras you see will use CCD or CMOS sensors.
sizes. There are about a half-dozen sensor sizes in
Sometimes, sensor type is given star billing on
use in the most popular digital single lens reflex
shopping sites’ product pages. You’re led to
(DSLR) camera and hybrid cameras. Refer to the
believe that sensor type is terribly important.
chart for a visual comparison of common sensor sizes.
In reality, CCD and CMOS sensors are both very capable. Don’t worry about the differences.
Sensor Size Comparison Chart Type
1/2”
2/3”
4/3”
APS-C
APS-H
35mm Full Frame
Sensor W x H
6.4 x 4.8mm
8.8 x 6.6mm
17.8 x 10mm
22.2 x 14.8mm
28.7 x 19.1mm
36 x 24mm
Sensor Diagonal
8mm
11mm
20.41mm
26.7mm
34.5mm
43.3mm
Sensor Area
30.7mm2
58.1mm2
178mm2
329mm2
548mm2
864mm2
Crop Factor
5.41
3.93
2
1.62
1.26
1
The chart above illustrates various sensor sizes. Sensor formats of digital cameras are mostly expressed in the non-standardized “inch” system, which is approximately 1.5 times the length of the diagonal of the sensor. Due to inch-based sensor formats being not standardized, their exact dimensions may vary, but those listed are typical.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
4
ISO Settings Light Settings Pay attention to ISO range
In camera specifications, ISO is listed as a range.
Back in the days of film photography, we talked
For example, you may see 100-12,800. Each step
about film speed. We used ISO to denote film’s
up the ISO range increases the light sensitivity of
sensitivity to light. The higher the number, the
the sensor - less light is needed for photos.
more sensitive to light the film was. Low-light shooting is a major frustration for many We still use ISO to refer to the sensor’s sensitivity
camera users, and sensor makers are continually
to light. With digital cameras, you can select the
pushing the boundaries of sensitivity.
ISO you want to use for any given situation. This can be done on a picture-by-picture basis, if you
Top ISOs of 25,600 are commonplace now. Nikon’s
choose.
and Canon’s flagship, full-frame DSLRs max out at ISO 102,400!
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
5
Useable ISO is key You want a camera that has a good ISO range. But you also need to consider noise. As you increase the ISO, image noise increases. An image shot at ISO 25,600 will likely be extremely noisy. So, you need to think about usable ISO. To get a feel for a camera’s usable ISO, read the online reviews of photography magazines and photography blogs. Reviewers often post photos at different ISO settings for comparison. You’ll also find plenty of discussions about useable ISO in online photo forums. Most people who hang out in these forums know lots about cameras. They can spend hours discussing the finer points of their gear. Don’t worry if some of the terms and jargon go over your head. Just take what you need of their advice and ignore the rest. Look for a camera that has a usable ISO of 800 or better. That will allow you to conquer most dim rooms, school auditoriums and other low-light situations.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
6
Image Stabilization
Stabilize Your Image Beat the shakes with image stabilization
Stabilization can’t do anything for motion blur.
Any number of things can cause a blurry
That occurs when a shutter speed is too low to
photograph. But the No. 1 culprit is probably
stop a subject in motion. But stabilization works
you. No matter how hard you try to hold still, your
wonders to reduce the minor shakes caused by
hands shake. This can result in blurry, headache-
unsteady hands.
inducing photos. Stabilization technology gives you the ability to Image stabilization helps a lot. It’s perhaps the
capture a low-light photo at a slow shutter speed
best thing to happen to photography since digital
of 1/15 or 1/8 of a second without having to use a
cameras.
flash or tripod. (If you find yourself in that situation, take several pictures in continuous mode to improve your odds of getting a good one.) Without stabilization, it’s difficult to get a sharp picture at a shutter speed of 1/30 or slower. Bulky telephoto lenses require even higher shutter speeds to compensate for a shaky hand. Sensor-shift vs. Lens-based There are two ways to accomplish image stabilization. Some manufacturers put gyroscopic sensors in their lenses. Floating elements within
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
7
the lenses compensate for horizontal and vertical
You’ll see sensor-shift stabilization in Sony Alpha
movements.
and Pentax DSLRs and in Panasonic and Olympus mirrorless cameras.
Other manufacturers move the camera’s sensor instead of lens elements. This is called sensor-shift
Both stabilization methods work well. Keep in
or body-based image stabilization.
mind that a stabilized lens steadies the image on the sensor and in the viewfinder. The view through
Nikon and Canon DSLR systems use lens-based
a nonstabilized lens will be shakier.
stabilization, which makes sense if you think about it. They began working on the technology when
Some image stabilizer zoom lenses can cost $500-
film cameras were still prevalent. It wasn’t possible
$1,000 more than their nonstabilized equivalents.
to move the film up, down, left and right to
On the other hand, digital camera bodies go
compensate for shake.
obsolete at a much faster pace than lenses.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
8
Digital SLR Cameras
SLR - What to Buy Buying a Digital SLR
an electronic viewfinder instead of the mirror to
A digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) includes
compose your image.
a mirror that flips up when the picture is taken. The mirror and an internal prism allow you to
The first thing to decide when buying a DSLR is
frame your shots through the attached lens. The
whether to get a full-frame or a reduced-frame
mirror flips up to reveal the sensor when you press
sensor. Cameras with full-frame sensors start at
the shutter. Additionally, SLRs allow you to use
upwards of $2,000.
interchangeable lenses. Full-frame cameras appeal to pros and advanced Don’t confuse DSLRs with the fast-growing
amateurs because, in addition to their big sensors,
category of hybrid cameras, which I’ll talk about
the cameras also capture more frames per second.
in the next. These are fine cameras that also
That’s very important in sports and wildlife
offer interchangeable lens systems, but they use
photography. Mid- to top-range DSLRs are also
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
9
more weatherproof than entry-level DSLRs. A full-
Sony’s line of SLT Alpha cameras veer off from
frame sensor is the size of a frame of traditional
traditional SLR design. SLT stands for single lens
35mm film - 24 x 36mm.
translucent. The camera’s mirror is fixed; it doesn’t have to swing out of the way like the mirror in a
Reduced-size sensors translate to lighter, more
conventional SLR.
compact cameras with a price range starting at $750. With megapixel ranges between 12 and 18,
The SLT lets a majority of light pass through it
they’re very capable cameras. They can produce
to expose the sensor. But a portion of light gets
stunning 16 x 20 prints or better and gorgeous HD
reflected to the camera’s autofocus system. That
video footage that’s worlds ahead of point-and-
means you can look through the Sony’s electronic
shoots and smartphone cameras.
viewfinder and use autofocus while shooting video. In this way, SLTs have much in common with
Most compact DSLRs have APS-C sensors. APS-C
the mirrorless hybrid cameras.
sensors in Canons are 60 percent smaller than full frame. (Canon also makes an APS-H sensor,
When you shoot video with a DSLR, the mirror is
which is 30 percent smaller than full frame.) APS-C
up, so you can’t see through the optical viewfinder
sensors in Nikons and others are half the size of full frame.
or use autofocus. You can shoot beautiful video with a DSLR using the live-view LCD screen on the back of the camera. But you’ll probably find yourself using a tripod a lot and pausing to refocus. It’s something to think about when investing in a camera, especially if video is as important to you as still pictures.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
10
Hybrid Cameras A Camera ... Hybrid? Buying a hybrid camera
Hybrid cameras dispense with the SLR mirror
When Panasonic and Olympus invented this breed
altogether. Without the mirror, camera makers can
of mirrorless, interchangeable-lens camera in 2008,
make lenses smaller because they’re closer to the
most digital SLR shooters yawned and went back
sensor. The lack of a mirror and bulky internal
to taking pictures. Today, hybrids are the choice of
prism also allows manufacturers to downsize the
many pros that need small, lightweight backup
camera body.
cameras; travel photographers; and people who specialize in street and documentary photography.
While hybrid camera makers were shrinking lenses and camera bodies, they were also increasing
Of course, hybrids are also ideal for anyone who
sensor sizes compared to point-and-shoot
wants to upgrade from a point-and-shoot or
cameras.
smartphone camera and take better family and vacation photos.
Add to that the ability to switch high-quality lenses and you can see why hybrid cameras sales are surging. To see what a hybrid camera sees, you look through an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Some hybrids don’t have EVFs. To trim cost, they use only the live-view LCD display on the back of the camera. An EVF also gives you a live view, but it simulates the experience of an SLR’s optical viewfinder. You
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
11
can shoot with the camera up to your eye instead of holding it away from your face to compose as you do with a point-and-shoot. Some EVFs are built-in; others are detachable and fit into the camera’s hot shoe. EVFs can help you take sharper pictures because they allow you to magnify portions of the image to tweak focus. Most EVFs also let you fine-tune white balance and make other color adjustments before taking the shot. Most EVFs brighten automatically in low-light situations. Early EVFs were dim and a major weak spot of these cameras
lens, processes the view and projects the view
a few years ago.
onto a display. It takes only a fraction of a second, but that delay can translate into you capturing a
Shutter lag can still be a problem with EVFs, and
picture of a splash instead of your kid just above
that’s a turnoff for some photographers. You’ve
the water with a huge smile on his face.
probably missed a few action shots with your smartphone or point-and-shoot because of shutter
In the hybrid category, sensor sizes are all over the
lag. It’s the very slight delay that occurs when you
map. Sony packs an APS-C-size sensor into its
press the shutter and the camera actually takes
Alpha NEX line of hybrids. Seven E-mount zoom
the picture.
and single-focal-length lenses should cover all your bases. Some enthusiasts buy a NEX just for
Live view is a bit of a misnomer. In a camera with
the slim, pancake style wide-angle lens. It’s less
an EVF, the sensor records the view through the
than an inch long and weighs 2.5 ounces.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
12
Fujifilm’s X-Pro 1 also uses an APS-C sensor.
shoe that accepts Nikon’s popular Speedlights.
Fujifilm invented a hybrid viewfinder that lets the
The sensor in it and the J1 are about half the size
photographer switch between an optical
of a Micro Four Thirds sensor. So far, the company
viewfinder and an EVF. At the X-Pro 1’s release in
has made a versatile, all-purpose zoom lens for the
late March 2012, only three lenses were available
cameras. It has Vibration Reduction (VR), Nikon’s
for the camera. More will come.
term for lens stabilization. A pancake-style wide angle is also available. A third wide-telephoto
The Panasonic Lumix and Olympus PEN cameras
zoom lens was made especially for video. The lens’
use the Micro Four Thirds sensor. It’s 25 percent
VR and a 3-speed, silent zoom motor turn these
the size of a full-frame sensor.
cameras into very capable camcorders.
Lens connoisseurs love Micro Four Thirds.
The only major camera maker left with no hybrid
Panasonic and Olympus offer a wide range of
offering – Canon – is expected to introduce a
zooms and exotic primes, such as fish-eye wide
system sometime in 2012. In the meantime, the
angles. They also allow third-party lens makers to
company has launched an interesting contender in
get in the Micro Four Thirds game. On the low
another fast-evolving class of cameras - high-end
end, you can buy plastic “toy” lenses. They’re
point-and-shoots. I’ll go over those a bit later.
popular for their soft-focus, grungy look. If you’re a stickler for sharpness and top-notch image quality, you can pay big bucks for Leica Micro Four Thirds lenses. Nikon came late to the hybrid party at the end of 2011, but its two mirrorless cameras are attracting enthusiasts. The flagship V1 has an EVF and a hot
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
13
Camera Lenses A Lens for Every Occasion The ins and outs of lenses Earlier, I said the sensor is the most important part of a digital camera. Lens quality is crucial, too. When you shop for a DSLR or hybrid camera, you’re also getting married to a system of lenses. Make sure that system suits your needs now and in years to come. lens for 35mm because it gave a natural DSLRs and hybrids are sold as a camera body only
perspective, a field of view similar to normal
or as a kit with an all-purpose zoom lens. The kit
human vision. Focal lengths below 50mm were
zoom lens may not be the best in the
considered wide angle. Focal lengths above 50mm
manufacturer’s lineup, but it’s fine for most
were telephoto.
photographers who are just starting out. More advanced photographers who already have an
Landscape photographers love wide angles
arsenal of lenses buy camera bodies. As you gain
because they take in more than the eye can
experience, you’ll quickly learn which lenses will
normally see and make it easy to get everything in
help you grow in the hobby.
focus. Portrait photographers rely on moderate telephoto lenses in the 85-100mm range. They can
When camera makers invented new digital sensor
fill the frame with the subject’s face while standing
sizes, they also invented new focal lengths for
a comfortable distance away. Sports and wildlife
lenses. This can be confusing until you understand
photographers buy 200mm, 300mm or 400mm
the method behind the madness.
telephoto lenses depending on their needs.
In film days, 35mm cameras were often sold with
Let’s put that normal 50mm lens on a few cameras
50mm lenses. That was considered a “normal”
with smaller sensors. On a Nikon APS-C, the
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
14
50mm behaves like a 75mm lens. On a Canon
the crop factor is a bonus for a photographer who
APS-C, it’s like an 80mm. On a Micro Four Thirds,
uses longer lenses to capture sports action and
the 50mm doubles to 100mm.
wildlife.
How did that happen? Smaller sensors see less of
Fortunately, camera makers and retailers always
a scene than full frame. The smaller sensor crops
compare their lenses’ focal lengths to what the
the image, and that creates a magnification effect
equivalent would be in full frame, 35mm format.
similar to you having zoomed closer to the subject.
For example: Panasonic will say that it’s 20mm pancake lens is equivalent to 40mm in 35mm.
The ratio between a digital sensor size and the reference size of full frame is called the crop factor,
Crop factors are something you need to be
or multiplier. In the examples above, the Nikon
mindful of, but you don’t need to obsess about
crop factor is 1.5, the Canon is 1.6 and the Micro
them. I want you to be taking great pictures - not
Four Thirds is 2.0.
doing multiplication tables in your head.
In the early days of digital photography, shooting
When buying a new lens, you want to make sure
at wide angles was a problem. A
it’s sharp and doesn’t suffer from any distortions.
24mm lens behaved more
You can go into forums and read online reviews to
like a normal lens with
determine that.
digital sensors. Lens makers scrambled to
You also need to consider how “fast” the lens is. A
catch up. Today, it’s
lens’ speed is equal to its most wide-open
commonplace to see
aperture. Aperture is denoted by f-numbers. At a
10mm wide angles for digital cameras.
constant shutter speed, an f/2.8 lens is twice as fast as an f/4 lens. Put another way: It gathers twice the amount of light at the f/2.8 setting than the f/4
At the other end of the spectrum,
setting.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
15
That’s an important distinction if you like to shoot
Be careful of lenses with extreme zoom ranges,
portraits and indoor sports without using flash.
such as 18-200mm. By trying to do too much, they
With a faster DSLR lens, the viewfinder will also be
often come up short on image quality. Zooms that
brighter and the camera’s metering and autofocus
stay at a constant aperture throughout the range
systems will perform better. Of course, you’ll pay
are usually better quality than lenses that get
extra for speed.
slower as you zoom out - f/3.5-5.6, for example.
Landscape photographers often shoot at smaller
Be aware that Nikon DX and Canon EF-S lenses
apertures of f/11, f/16, and f/22 to get everything in
work only on their APS-C DSLR cameras. They do
focus from foreground to background. They can
this to make smaller and lightweight zooms for
save money by picking an f/4 lens instead of an
these cameras. All of Canon’s and Nikon’s full-
f/2.8.
frame lenses will work on reduced-sensor cameras.
Primes and zooms You’ll see primes and zooms available for DSLRs and hybrids. Prime lenses have a fixed focal length. You’ll find wide angle, normal and telephoto primes. Zoom lenses may be wide angle - 1735mm, for example - or telephoto 70-200mm. Prime lenses aren’t as convenient as zooms, but they’re less bulky and usually very fast and sharp. Less engineering goes into making a prime, so it costs less to make than a fast zoom.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
16
Point-and-Shoots
DSLR not for You? High-end point-and-shoots
video. Fujifilm even built a fun Film Simulation
Sometimes you don’t want to lug around a heavy
mode into this rangefinder lookalike that mimics
DSLR. Or maybe you don’t want to be bothered
the look of the company’s classic color slide films:
with interchangeable lens systems. You just want
Provia, Velvia and Astia. The Fujifilm X10 and X-S1
a compact, high-quality camera that’s simple and
have fixed zoom lenses.
fun to use. Leica and Sigma also make several models of high You should take a look at the new breed of high-
end point-and-shoots.
end point-and-shoots. They range in price from $600 to $1,200 and have larger sensors than
Canon just entered the category in 2012 with its
budget point-and-shoots. Some have fixed zoom
beefed-up PowerShot G1 X. Its 14 MP sensor is
lenses; others have a fixed prime.
slightly smaller than APS-C and can record 1080p video. The camera can be as automatic or manual
The Fujifilm X-100, for example, has a fixed 35mm
as you want it to be. The 28-112mm zooms lens is
f/2 lens. The APS-C, 12 MP sensor can shoot 720p
stabilized.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
17
Controls & Modes Automatic Exposure Controls and Scene Modes Cameras you can grow with The great thing about most entry-level and midlevel hybrids and DSLRs is they include a lot of automatic exposure controls and scene modes that can help you take great pictures right off the bat if you’re a beginner. Let’s take a closer look at some of these helpful features. Auto mode will go a long way to helping you get great shots. The camera adjusts all the settings for you. But, there’s a downside to auto mode. The camera may make the wrong assumptions about the scene. Plus, it can’t read your mind. If you’re trying to accomplish something specific, the
Common scene modes include portrait, night
settings could be wrong.
portrait, landscape, night landscape, macro and sports mode. These cover the most common
Scene modes aren’t all that different from auto
shooting situations. Other cameras have more
mode. The camera still makes the necessary
scene modes: beach/snow, fireworks, sunset and
adjustments. However, you get more control over
foliage. You never know what you might want to
the shot. You specify the situation. The camera
photograph. You’ll be prepared for virtually any
makes adjustments based on what you specify.
situation.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
18
Advanced Controls Be in Control Take complete control over exposure
want to lock in a high shutter speed to freeze the
When you feel ready to leave automatic settings
action at a basketball game. Or, you could select a
behind, you can take complete control over
very slow shutter speed to blur a waterfall.
exposure. In Aperture-priority, you set the lens aperture and Shutter-priority and Aperture-priority modes
the camera selects the most appropriate shutter
are especially helpful. In Shutter-priority, you set
speed. When taking a portrait, for instance, you
the shutter speed and the camera automatically
might want to set the lens at a wide f/2.8 aperture.
picks the best aperture. For example, you’d
That will throw the background out of focus and draw more attention to the subject’s face.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
19
In Manual, you set the shutter and aperture. When
buttons. These bring up settings that you specify.
looking at controls, you also need to consider
They’re more common on high-end cameras. But
placement and ease of use. You want buttons and
you may find them on mid-range models.
dials that are clearly labeled. The controls should also be easy to reach. They shouldn’t be too close
Likewise, look carefully at the camera’s menus.
together. The controls you will use most should
They should be easy to read, navigate and
be easily accessible. And look for programmable
understand.
This diagram shows how aperture (F-Stop) and shutter speed affect your image. A higher F-Stop restricts the amount of light that enters the shutter, but in turn, also brings more of your picture into focus at once. Likewise, a larger aperture (lower F-Stop) permits more light and enables you to focus on a single object in your photo, while leaving the foreground and/or background out of focus. Similarly, the faster your shutter clicks, the less time light has to enter the camera. A fast shutter freezes fast moving objects. A slower shutter speed, while allowing more light to enter, also gives fast moving objects more time to blur. Finding the right balance will depend on lighting conditions and the desired effect you are trying to achieve in your image.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
20
Video Recording
Hollywood has Nothing on You Making movies
there’s a danger of the sensor overheating. More
You’re buying a digital camera because you want
expensive cameras will let you shoot longer clips.
to take photographs. But digital cameras have an added bonus. They record video, as well. Hybrids
Consider frame rates, as well. You want to be
and DSLRs are capable of taking spectacular
able to record at 30 frames for second for smooth
video. And the ability to switch lenses is a budding
video. The ability to boost the camera to 60
videographer’s dream.
frames per second is nice for fast action. Some cameras will let you record at 24 fps, which
You may not plan to shoot video, but you might
can be interesting and arty. That’s the speed
be surprised how convenient the feature is. To
movie theaters use to screen the latest Hollywood
keep the cost down, some cameras shoot high
blockbuster.
definition 720p video. It’s pretty good. But if you’re serious about video, you’ll want a camera that
A few cameras record at 20 fps. I wouldn’t
records 1080p.
recommend this frame rate, unless you find jerkiness appealing. Those cameras aren’t taking
Some lower-end cameras will let you shoot only
video very seriously.
a very short clip - a few minutes. That’s because
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
21
External Flash Say Cheese ... Buying an external flash
work with the lenses you’ll be using? The flash may
If your camera comes with a small built-in flash,
not cover the entire frame in a wide-angle shot.
that’s good enough to start. It will do a decent
And a zoom feature is nice. It will adjust the flash’s
job for portraits and providing fill flash. External
output to the lens’ focal length.
flashes are more versatile, but they’re pricey. I wouldn’t buy a flash without tilt and swivel. As you Advanced flashguns give you room to grow, and
can guess, this allows you to point the flash. It’s a
their features will help you achieve better results.
must for bouncing the flash. Bouncing the flash will
Flashes made by the same manufacturer as your
give you softer, more pleasing light.
camera integrate with the camera’s metering system to regulate the light output and take perfect exposures. External flashes also offer wireless capability. You can place the flash elsewhere and trigger it from your camera. For example, you could use your camera’s built-in flash with an external flash off-camera for a more sophisticated portrait setup. Some flashguns receive only wireless signals. Others can also send them. Look for a flash with a high guide number and short recycle time. Do the focal lengths of the flash
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
22
Tripods A Photographer’s Must-Have Buying a tripod
If nothing else, this book just saved you $150!
If all you’re going to be doing is candid
Tripod legs and heads are rated by how much
photography, you don’t really need a field tripod.
weight they can support. Compare that with
It’s convenient to have at least a tabletop tripod. It
the weight of your camera and heaviest lens.
can help you get that low-light, blowing-out-the-
Obviously, you can save money and get by with
candles-on-the-birthday-cake shot. A monopod is
less tripod if you’re using a hybrid camera or
very handy if you’ll be shooting a lot of soccer and
compact DSLR. If you need to support a full-size
football games with telephoto lenses.
DSLR with a big telephoto zoom, you’ll need to make a bigger investment.
A sturdy tripod is necessary for serious landscape photography, macro photography, still lifes and
Many tripods come with a head, but it may not be
product photography. A lot of photographers
the best for your purposes. It’s possible to buy the
balk at spending $200 or more on a good one.
legs and the head separately. Aluminum legs will
So they’ll buy a $50 model and curse at it for a
save you money; carbon fiber will save your back.
few months until it breaks or gets thrown in the
Make sure the tripod will extend to your eye level
garbage. Then they’ll buy a $100 tripod. That one
so you can compose and focus without bending
might last a year.
over. Also make sure it is sturdy at your working height. Extending the center column defeats the purpose of the tripod. Pan/tilt and fluid heads are a good choice for many photographers, especially those who shoot video and panoramas. Some prefer ball heads, which can be moved into position and adjusted very rapidly. Quick-release systems let you quickly clamp the camera down and remove it from the tripod.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
23
Photo-Editing Software
Edit Photos like a Pro Don’t worry about software, for the most part Digital cameras typically include photo-editing software. The software is often listed on a camera’s product page in online stores. It’s probably also listed on the camera’s box. Often, you’ll find that the software is proprietary. It was created by the camera manufacturer. It will allow you to open the camera’s RAW files and do basic editing. More often than not, included software will be inadequate and unpleasant to use. If a quality program like Adobe’s Photoshop Elements is included, great. But don’t let the software influence your camera-buying decision. You can get plenty of free photo-editing tools online. These will often surpass the programs included with cameras. Photoshop Elements costs about $100.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
24
Accessories
Don’t Forget to Accessorize When you buy a digital camera, there are a few
these packages can be good or so-so. Accessory
accessories that you have to buy and a few that
kits often include a costly-to-you but profitable-
are nice to have. Many buyers get carried away
to-the-retailer extended warranty. Take a pass on
and spend a few hundred dollars more than
that. Here’s a rundown of accessories to consider.
they should and end up with stuff they never use. Others skimp and spend a few months in
Camera bag
photographic frustration before learning the error
This will keep you organized and protect your
of their ways.
camera, lenses, flash and filters from damage. There are a vast variety of shoulder bags and
Major retailers bundle accessory kits with cameras.
backpacks to suit your style.
These often include a couple of memory cards, a couple of lens filters, a camera bag, and maybe a
Rechargeable batteries
cleaning kit. The quality of the individual items in
Most hybrids and DSLRs come with a proprietary
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
25
battery and charger. Buy an extra battery or
Card reader
two. Batteries drain very quickly in cold weather
You’ll need a card reader if you buy a higher-
and also when you’re using flash, shooting video
end camera that takes the large Compact Flash
and using EVFs. Batteries always go kaput right
(CF) cards. A card reader is a very cheap USB
before you’re about to take the best photo in the
peripheral designed to transfer images from
history of the universe. An external flash will use
a memory card very quickly to your computer.
AA batteries. Get a charger and rechargeable
Hooking your camera up to the computer to
batteries for it, too.
download pictures is clunky and slow. Many hybrids and compact DSLRs use SD cards. Most
Memory cards
laptops have SD card slots.
Your camera will come with one low-capacity memory card. Buy several more. All you really
Air blower
need to know about memory cards is to buy the
This rubber gadget that you squeeze to produce a
correct size for your camera and buy high-quality,
stream of air will help you blast dust and particles
brand-name cards such as SanDisk and Lexar.
from your lenses.
Don’t skimp! These are your treasured family memories. Better and more expensive cards will write data much faster than standard cards. Keep that in mind when you’re shooting video or bursts of exposures to capture action. You’ll pay progressively more for storage capacity, of course. Don’t rely on just one card. What if it failed or you dropped it off a cliff? Get a mix of 4, 8 and 16 GB cards.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
26
Lens cloth/sensor swabs
A neutral density filter and a split neutral density
Some cameras can vibrate their sensors to shake
filter are nice to have. A neutral density filter
off dust, but you’ll still need to clean the sensor
reduces the amount of light that enters the lens.
occasionally. You’ll also need to clean fingerprint
It lets you use a slower shutter speed or a wider
smudges and the like from your lens. Resist the
aperture that wouldn’t be possible on a bright day.
urge to clean your sensor and lenses obsessively.
The upper half of a split neutral density filter
Wait until they are truly dirty.
reduces light while the lower half is clear. Say you’re shooting a mountain scene. The best
Lens filters
exposure for the mountains will overexpose the
Protect your investment in good lenses by putting
sky. The split neutral density will help tame the
UV filters on them. UV filters were used with film
contrast. This may also be called a graduated
to cut down on haze. They have no effect at all on
neutral density.
digital sensors or color balance. Everybody buys them just to protect lenses. It’s better to crack a $35 UV filter than a lens element. The front of your lens is a dangerous place. Use lens hoods, too, to prevent lens flare and stray light from reaching the sensor. A polarizer will help control the glare and strong reflections you often see on water and glass. It’s like a pair of good sunglasses for your lens. A polarizer is the one filter that can’t really be duplicated in image editing.
Kim Komando’s Essential Guide to Digital Cameras
27
®
AMERICA’S DIGITAL GODDESS
Essential Guide to
TAKING GREAT PHOTOS
Contents Introduction ..................................1 Photo Composition ..................... 2 Lighting ........................................ 7 Flash .............................................10 Focus ........................................... 14 Exposure ..................................... 17 Metering Mode ......................... 23 Portraits ...................................... 26 Group Photos ............................ 30 Landscapes ................................ 31 Macro & Panoramic ................... 34 Motion Blur................................. 38 Sports ......................................... 40 Fireworks .................................... 43 Halloween .................................. 45 Christmas ................................... 46 Public Photography ................... 49 Looking Ahead .......................... 51
The Kim Komando Show © 2012 All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
How to take the very best photos
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO TAKING GREAT PHOTOS In the first part of my Digital Photography Guide: The Essential Guide to Digital Cameras, you learned about cameras inside and out. If you’ve recently taken the plunge on buying an entry- or intermediate-level DSLR or hybrid camera, congratulations! You’ve already taken a giant first step on the road to taking great photos. Every photographer learns at a different rate and in different ways. Eventually, however, a great photo won’t happen by accident. You’ll know exactly why it happened. Then, great photos happen more often. One day, you’ll find that you even have your own distinctive style. Your photos have a “look” that says they were taken by you. That’s the goal of this book. It will get you to that point more quickly and easily. I know you can’t wait, so let’s get started!
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
1
Photo Composition
Good composition makes your shots more exciting The subject is the most important aspect of a photograph. You take a photo because you want to remember a particular moment. It may be your son’s graduation or your daughter’s prom. But many people concentrate too intently on their subject, letting other aspects slide. Paying attention to other details can take a photo from ho-hum to wow. Technical skill can make or break a photograph. But technical expertise doesn’t make a photo truly memorable. Composition is what makes a photo truly stand out. Composition is the way you arrange elements in a photo. Pay more attention to composition, and your photos will improve dramatically. Let’s look at some tips that will help you compose better photos.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
2
best. Then, you would place the sailboat along the left or right vertical line, depending on which direction it’s moving. (Place an object on the left vertical line when it’s moving left to right - and vice versa.) Many cameras can superimpose gridlines in the viewfinder to help you with composition. If not, it’s easy to imagine the lines as you compose. In time, the rule of thirds will become second nature.
Rule of thirds Many people place the subject dead center in the frame. It seems like the perfect way to draw attention to your subject, right? Unfortunately, this can make for a boring photo. Instead, you want to use the rule of thirds. Imagine the frame divided by two horizontal and two vertical lines. The lines create a 3 x 3 grid. Place important elements in your photo along the lines or near the four points where the lines intersect. For example, say you’re photographing a sailboat on a lake. You would place the horizon along the top or the bottom horizontal line, whichever looks
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
Balance The rule of thirds is one of the best ways to improve composition. But it can also lead to an unbalanced photo. The rule of thirds places your subject off center. That can leave a significant portion of your photo empty. Sometimes that’s desirable; most times it isn’t. Try balancing the photo’s subject with another object of less importance to create a stronger composition. For example, say you’re photographing your child on the beach. You’ve placed your child along the left vertical grid line. You could balance the composition by placing a sand pail to your child’s right.
3
Leading lines
vertically or horizontally. Each side is a mirror
Lines lead the viewer’s eye through the
image of the other. Both halves will have objects of
photograph. So, use the lines in your photo to
similar size, shape and color in the same location.
your advantage. Have them point toward the subject of interest. Or, use them to draw the
You will see symmetry virtually everywhere you
viewer deeper into the photograph.
look. For example, think of the human face. Or, think of the front of a house. It is common for
“S” curves are particularly effective. Their
windows to be positioned in the same place
rounded, meandering shape is pleasing to the eye.
relative to the door.
You’ve probably seen photos of a road or stream curving through a landscape. Think about how the
There is also radial symmetry, when elements of
photographer used the elements to draw you in.
the composition radiate from a center point in a circular fashion - a flower or starfish, for example.
Symmetry Symmetry can help make your photos more
A break in symmetry can add tension and interest
interesting. Imagine your photo divided in half
to a composition.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
4
Repetition
You’ll find frames virtually everywhere. Doorways
Repetition is a great way to add visual interest to
and trees make great framing devices. Just place
your photos. In fact, repeating patterns often make
the frame around the edges of your photo and
interesting subjects. Think of a skyscraper. The
focus on your subject. Then, snap your photo.
repeating window shapes can make an interesting abstract photo.
Experiment with framing to see what you like. You don’t have to frame your subject completely. In
But, be careful with repetition; you can have too
fact, you can frame your subject on only one side.
much of a good thing. Repetition is often more
For example, use branches to frame just the top of
interesting when the pattern is broken. For
your photo.
example, a row of windows is more interesting if one is open. Likewise, repeating shapes are often more interesting with objects of different sizes. Imagine a cluster of mushrooms photographed from above. The repetition of the round caps is interesting. But, if the caps are various sizes, they become even more interesting. Framing A great way to draw attention to the subject is through framing. You use an object in the photo to surround your subject. By framing your subject, you’re isolating it from the rest of the world. The viewer’s eyes will immediately be drawn to the subject.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
5
Triangles
Viewpoint
The triangle is one of the most helpful
You should also think about viewpoint when taking
compositional tools. It can be an actual triangle
photos. For the most part, human height doesn’t
created by solid lines. Or, look for a grouping of
vary greatly. Many people tend to take photos at
objects that is somewhat triangular. You can also
eye level. That means most photos are taken from
create an imaginary triangle from three points in
a height of 5 feet, 7 inches, give or take.
your photo. Make your images more interesting by varying The triangular shape can be interesting on its own.
your viewpoint. Crouch once in a while. Move to
But there are other ways to use it. You can frame
higher ground. You might be surprised at what you
and encapsulate your subject. Or, think of the
see
triangle as an arrow. Use it to point to your subject. Vary your distances from subjects, too. Many people tend to stand in one place when photographing a subject. If the subject is too far, they zoom to get closer. Instead, get closer to your subject physically, when possible. You’ll see things you may have otherwise missed. You may also discover a new angle for photographing the subject. When it comes to viewpoint, there are virtually limitless options. Experiment. Try to find a new way of looking at your subject. You may not always be successful. But when you are, it will be worthwhile.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
6
Lighting The importance of light Light is the most important part of photography.
As a photographer, you’ll want to pay careful
After all, the word “photography” is a
attention to light. Over time, you’ll get better at
conglomeration of two Greek words. It literally
making the most of light. You’ll also learn to spot
means “light writing.” A photo is created when
good lighting situations. You’ll also learn to
light hits a light-sensitive object, like a digital
compensate for poor lighting. But if you don’t
camera sensor. Painters use brushes to apply paint
think about lighting, you’re doomed to so-so
to a canvas and create an image. Photographers
snapshots.
use cameras to capture light to create an image. Use natural light Lighting can make or break your photos. It affects
Natural light is best for taking most photos. It is
the way objects in your photos will appear. And
the most flattering light for your subject. You’ll get
the right light can go a long way toward making
more accurate colors and better contrast in your
your photos more interesting. There are many
photos. That means your subjects will look more
ways you can use light. There are also many types
natural.
of light.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
7
When you’re taking photos, think about natural
hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. The
light. If you’re outdoors, natural light is all around
light will have a warmer, dreamier tone. The sun
you. But you can also use natural light indoors. Use
will be at a lower angle, so you won’t need to
a window to light your subject and create dramatic
worry about harsh shadows. And your photos
shadows on the other side of the face. If the light
won’t have too much contrast.
or the shadows are too harsh, soften the light with a diffuser and bounce light onto the shadow side
If you must grab a shot at high noon, position your
of the face with a reflector.
subjects in open shade. They’ll be lit by diffuse light, and you’ll avoid harsh shadows. If you can’t
In the evening, there isn’t enough natural light to
use shade, you’re not out of luck. Position your
light your subject properly indoors. Ambient light
subjects so that the sun is behind them. Use your
from lamps and candles is the next best thing. Try
fill flash to add light to their faces. This will help
to avoid a mix of color temperatures, however. A
eliminate unflattering shadows from their faces.
blend of fluorescent and incandescent lights in a room will create an odd color balance in a photo that will be very difficult or impossible to remove in editing. Avoid harsh light Harsh light is your enemy. It can cast ugly shadows. It can wash out colors and surface details, like texture. Harsh light will also rob your photo of depth. Objects will look flat and lifeless. If you’re taking photos outside, try to avoid midday. The best times are the golden hours - the
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
8
Overcast days work well for photographing people
Use a tripod. That will avert the shakes. You can
outside. The clouds will diffuse the light. You’ll get
use a standard tripod or a smaller, tabletop one.
consistent lighting without harsh shadows or
Tripods are less than ideal when shooting kids and
highlights. Your photos will also have pleasant
work best with stationary subjects.
color saturation and contrast. If you don’t have a tripod, stand with your feet Shooting in dim light
shoulder-width apart. Hold the camera in both
Dim lighting is the bane of amateur
hands, with your elbows against your sides. Better
photographers. Even many professionals struggle
yet, stand against a wall, pillar or similar object.
with it. Your photos can come out shadowy and underexposed. To get decent photos, you’ll have
Boost your camera’s ISO to its highest usable
to use a slow shutter speed. So, blurriness from
setting. This will make the sensor more sensitive to
shaking hands is a problem.
light. Of course, your flash can be useful in dim light. Keep reading for help mastering your camera’s flash.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
9
Flash Using flash the right way People tend to use flash in the wrong situations. They also neglect to use it when the situation calls for it. One of the best ways to improve an outdoor portrait on a sunny day, for example, is to use fill flash. Beginning photographers tend to use flash as a primary light. There isn’t enough ambient light, so flash illuminates the entire scene. In general, flash is a less-than-ideal primary light source. It has a limited range. On-camera direct flash often causes red eye and unnatural skin tones. Texture and depth disappears. Meanwhile, there are murky shadows behind the subject. Often, there are harsh hot spots in the background where the flash reflected off glass or a mirror. Try to think of flash as more of an indirect, secondary light source. Use flash to supplement other light. For example, it can soften contrast and shadows in harsh light. Or, use it to balance the light on the front of a backlit subject.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
10
Flashguns are more powerful and versatile than
If you still have trouble with harsh shadows behind
built-in flashes. You can bounce the flash. Or, place
your subject, move your subject away from the
it off-camera to get light in the right place.
background. The shadows will fall on the floor instead of the background.
Bouncing your flash is a great way to get better results. You’re less likely to bleach out faces. And
Some camera systems offer an optional accessory
hotspots will be less problematic with mirrors or
called an off-camera flash cord. One end of the
reflective objects.
cord slides into the camera’s hot shoe and the other plugs into the flashgun. This allows you to
Flashguns can usually be swiveled and turned.
hold the flashgun off to the side with one hand
That makes it easy to bounce light off a white wall
and hold the camera with the other. It gives you
or ceiling. Bouncing your flash isn’t terribly difficult.
more possibilities for bouncing the light.
Just keep in mind that light will reflect at the same angle it is transmitted. Try to avoid dropping light
Of course, built-in flashes don’t offer this luxury.
too far behind, in front of or off to the side of your
Shop around. You should be able to buy a bounce
subject. With practice, you’ll be placing bounced
attachment. You can make your own bounce card
light exactly where you want it.
by fixing a piece of white card stock to the flash with a rubber band.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
11
Diffusers are also made for most flashguns and built-in flashes. Diffusers soften the light, eliminating hot spots and deep shadows. Commercial diffusers are often made from plastic. If you’re handy, try making your own diffuser from a plastic container. Use white plastic to avoid tinting the light and experiment with different opacities. You may be able to attach it to the flash using tape, rubber bands or Velcro. It may be easier just to hold the diffuser over the flash. Remember that bouncing and diffusing the flash significantly weakens the light. If your images are under-exposing, bump up the ISO or increase the
1/3-stop increments. One full stop of light doubles
output of the flash if you have that capability.
or halves the light.
Flash compensation
Do not confuse flash compensation with exposure
More advanced cameras feature flash
compensation. Exposure compensation lets you
compensation. It lets you adjust the flash output.
make adjustments based on the light meter’s
That way, you can better mix the flash with
reading. It affects the entire frame. Flash
ambient light. You’ll get background details, and
compensation adjusts only the flash output. Lower
your subject won’t be so bleached out.
flash output if your subject is bleached out. Or, increase flash if your main subject is dim.
Flash compensation increases or decreases output by stops of light. You should be able to do this in
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
More advanced cameras feature several flash
12
modes. Understanding how they differ will
Rear-curtain sync
improve your results.
With rear-curtain sync, the flash is fired right before the shutter closes. A moving object will be frozen
Slow sync
at the end of the exposure. Say, for example,
Slow sync combines a slow shutter with a small
you’re photographing a moving car at night. You’ll
burst of flash. The slow shutter lets the camera use
see the trail of lights behind the car with rear-
ambient light to pick up background detail. It also
curtain sync. With front-curtain sync, the trail of
prevents the colors in your main subject from
lights will be in front of the car.
bleaching out. The camera uses flash to illuminate your subject.
Fill flash With fill flash, most of the photo is lit by ambient
Slow sync will dramatically improve your night
light. Flash is used to remove shadows from a main
portraits and other low-light situations. You’ll be
subject. For example, it will help remove shadows
less likely to get dark, shadowy backgrounds. You
around a subject’s eyes and nose in bright light. It
also won’t have to worry so much about bleaching
can also be used to illuminate a backlit subject.
out your subject. However, you may still want to use a tripod and have your subject stay still to prevent blur. Front-curtain sync Front-curtain sync is the standard flash mode. The flash fires the moment the shutter curtain is opened. It works great in most situations where you need flash. This mode is generally not ideal when there is motion, though. The motion will appear ahead of the subject.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
13
Focus
Getting it all in focus Most of the time, the autofocus (AF) systems on
subject, focus will be fine. But you won’t want to
modern cameras will focus more quickly and more
use it with moving subjects. By the time you press
precisely than you can manually. But you should be
the button all the way, the subject could be out of
aware of the different types of autofocus and the
focus.
occasions when it might be better to use manual focus.
Single servo mode has a distinct advantage when composing shots. You can aim the focusing point
Single servo
(usually in the center of the frame) at the subject.
In single servo autofocus, the lens focuses once
Press the shutter release button to lock focus.
when you partially press the shutter release. The
Then, reframe your shot while continuing to hold
focus is held until you release the button or press it
the button. Your subject will be in focus.
all the way. Better cameras allow you to customize focus and This is great for static objects. As long as you keep
focus lock to different buttons. Program whatever
the camera the same relative distance from your
feels most comfortable and natural to you. You can
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
14
also select off-center focus points to help you with
Manual
composition and the rule of thirds.
Manual focus lets you control exactly what’s in focus. In some cases, that’s the only way to go. AF
Continuous servo
systems often have trouble in low light. They can
Your camera will offer continuous AF. Like single
also be iffy when shooting macro/close-up photos.
servo, the camera will focus when you partially
You’ll save a lot of frustration with manual focus.
press the shutter button. But partially pressing the button does not lock AF. The lens will continue to
Rely on your judgment when using manual focus.
focus as you hold the button.
The more you use it, the better you’ll get at it. Some cameras’ viewfinders have an indicator to
Continuous servo is ideal when you’re
let you know when your subject is in focus. Check
photographing a moving subject. It will help you
your manual for details.
take sharp pictures when photographing fidgety children and pets, for example. Some cameras even have predictive autofocus. The camera tries to predict the subject’s next move. The camera will focus the lens accordingly. This can be handy when photographing sports, animals or anything moving fast. The trick with predictive tracking is to focus on your subject, then hold the shutter release button halfway. Wait a second or two before pressing the shutter release all the way. This gives the camera time to “learn” the direction and speed of the movement.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
15
Many lenses now allow the photographer to
will make objects that are a little closer and
manually touch up the focus while still in AF mode.
somewhat farther than 15 feet in focus. With
This is a nice, time-saving feature to look for when
practice, you’ll get a feel for which parts of a scene
buying lenses.
will be in sharp focus.
Zone focusing can come in handy in when
Zone focusing can also help you in sports
shooting parades and crowd scenes. Lenses
photography. At a basketball game, you’re
include distance markings for focusing. You can
guaranteed to capture some good action shots
set the focus for 15 feet, say. Anything 15 feet from
by focusing on the rim. At a race, focus on the
the camera will be in focus.
finish line or any spot you know the participants will cross. You can worry more about capturing the
Combine zone focusing with a small aperture
right moment than getting the focus right.
(larger f number) to increase depth of field. That
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
16
Exposure Understanding exposure You’ll hear a lot about exposure when reading
Shutter speed
about photography. It simply refers to the amount
The camera’s shutter opens and closes to control
of light that reaches your camera’s sensor. You’ll
the length of an exposure. It is activated by
also hear terms like overexposed and
pressing the shutter release button. The shutter
underexposed. If an image is overexposed, too
speed is the time between the opening and
much light hit the sensor. If it is underexposed, too
closing.
little light reached the sensor. Shutter speeds are expressed in seconds or It is relatively easy to spot overexposed or
fractions of seconds. For example, you’ll see 1/30,
underexposed photos. They will look washed out
1/60, 1/125, 1/250 and so on. Each increment halves
or dark and muddy, respectively. But it can be
the amount of time the sensor is exposed to light.
difficult to tell when you have the exposure exactly
Your camera may include 1/3- and 1/2-stop
right.
incremental shutter speeds.
Correct exposure is a matter of preference, at least to an extent. You want dark, yet detailed, blacks. You also want clean whites that have not lost their detail. And you want a range of mid-tones. Shutter speed and aperture are two of the most important elements of photography. An understanding of how they affect exposure is fundamental for any photographer. Let’s look at them.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
17
Some cameras offer a bulb (B) setting. It’s best
Full f-stop increments include: f/1.4, f/2, f/2.8, f/4,
used with a cable release and when the camera is
f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22 and f/32. Your lens probably
on a tripod. When you press the cable release
will offer a subset of these f-stops.
button, the shutter stays open until you release it. It’s a useful setting for shooting fireworks, lightning
Each full stop doubles or halves the light coming
and taking exposures longer than 30 seconds - the
into the camera. Say, for example, that you go
maximum timed shutter speed of most cameras.
from f/4 to f/5.6. The amount of light is cut in half. Going from f/11 to f/8 doubles the amount of light.
Aperture Aperture refers to the size of the opening in the
Importantly, aperture also affects depth of field, or
lens. This opening controls how much light comes
the area of your photo that is in focus. With a
through the lens. F-stops are used to denote
smaller aperture, more of the photo will be in
aperture.
focus; you’ll have a greater depth of field. Objects in the foreground and background may be in focus in addition to your subject. A wider aperture gives you a narrower depth of field. Wider apertures are often used to blur background distractions in portraits. Balancing aperture and shutter speed To get a properly exposed photo, you must balance aperture with shutter speed. Smaller apertures will call for slower shutter speeds. Wider apertures need faster shutter speeds. Your
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
18
camera’s light meter will determine how much light is in a scene. If you’re using auto mode, it will set the aperture and shutter speed. In aperture or shutter priority mode, you specify aperture or shutter speed. The camera then adjusts the other for you. And in full manual mode, it will indicate if the photo will be over- or underexposed. You make the necessary changes. photos change. Very quickly, you’ll be saying, Of course, you can use different combinations of
“A-ha!”
settings in any given situation. You can shift the aperture up or down a stop, if you adjust shutter
ISO
speed to compensate. For example, you may
ISO also has an effect on exposure. ISO settings
decide you want to use a wider aperture. In that
let you adjust the sensitivity of the camera sensor
case, you would increase the shutter speed to
to light. You can use a higher ISO to make your
compensate.
camera sensor more sensitive. Or, use a lower ISO for less sensitivity. Adjusting the ISO can help
If you have any difficulty at all grasping the
when you need control over both aperture and
concept of depth of field and the relationship
shutter speed.
between aperture and shutter speed, I highly recommend spending some quality time with an
You’ll see ISO settings like 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
online camera simulator. (Here are a couple of
and 3200. Each step doubles the sensitivity of the
good ones: camerasim.com and kamerasimulator.
sensor. Some cameras will have incremental steps.
se.) Adjust the simulator’s settings and see how the
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
19
Using the histogram We all like the ability to review a photo on the
The histogram’s horizontal axis shows the
camera’s LCD immediately after taking it. You
exposure latitude or the distribution of brightness
might see problems in the picture. Maybe a
across the image. The left side of the graph
telephone pole is growing out of Aunt Mabel’s
indicates dark pixels. The middle shows mid-tones.
head. The LCD is a great aid to composition, but
On the right are the light pixels. Don’t worry about
it’s a poor tool for judging exposure. For exposure,
the vertical axis. It measures the number of pixels
look to the histogram instead.
in each tone.
The histogram is a bar graph that displays the
Generally, you want to avoid an exposure where
exposure range and brightness values of an
the bars are all bunched up on the left or all
image. Learning to read a histogram may seem
bunched up on the right. That indicates the photo
complicated and confusing at first. However, it’s
will be woefully under- or overexposed. Although
actually pretty simple.
there is no such thing as an ideal histogram, an
HISTOGRAM
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
20
evenly distributed graph is desirable in most cases. It indicates an image with a good mix of tones and pleasing contrast. You don’t want evenly distributed histograms in certain situations. In a snow scene, for example, a majority of the bars will push toward the righthand side of the scale. As long as they aren’t pushing past the border and blowing out highlights, that’s OK. With a low-key image of a man in a dark suit against a dark background, most of the tonal values will shift to the left-hand side of the graph. Again, avoid pushing past the border or you’ll lose detail in shadow areas. In either of the above situations, a perfectly centered histogram would actually under- or overexpose the image. Checking the histogram after taking a shot is a good habit to develop. But don’t forget to also read what the scene is telling you.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
21
High dynamic range Sometimes, it’s impossible for a digital camera
This is a good time to shoot Raw because you’ll
sensor to capture the dynamic range of a scene.
need all the information you can get from the
The stretch from the darkest to the brightest levels
digital negatives when they’re blended together
is just too great. The correct exposure for the
later. Obviously, you must use a tripod and keep
mountain blows out the sky. Expose for the sky,
your aperture consistent. HDR won’t work if
however, and the mountain turns into a black
wildflowers are swaying in the breeze, boats are
silhouette.
sailing across the lake or waves are crashing against the shore. The blended images will never
A split-neutral density filter can often solve the
match up in post-processing.
problem. Not always. Often, you don’t have the option of waiting around several hours for sunset.
When done right, a merged HDR photo can be spectacular. If not converted correctly, HDR
Try producing a High Dynamic Range (HDR)
images can appear bland and washed out. Some
image. The HDR process starts in the field by
artists purposely push the boundaries of HDR
taking 3-5 pictures at different exposures. The
processing to create ultravibrant, surreal
differently exposed frames are blended together
landscapes.
later with specialized software. In our mountain scene above, you would take one shot that perfectly exposes the sky. You would also take a shot that gives you the best detail of the mountains. Finally, you will take at least one intermediate exposure. If the dynamic range isn’t too great, you might be able to get away with using a 2-stop deviation in auto-exposure bracketing.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
22
Metering Mode
Select the right metering mode Your camera’s built-in light meter is the brain
Of course, there are drawbacks to evaluative
behind the operation that simultaneously
metering. It does not let you expose for a
measures lighting conditions and determines
particular object in your photo. Say you’re
aperture and shutter settings.
photographing a white flower in bright light. You want the flower properly exposed, but you don’t
On top of that, your camera offers several different
care about the rest of the photo. Evaluative
types of light metering. Understanding how these
metering will try to get the right exposure for the
options differ can help you select the best
entire scene. It will look for mid-tones, which are
metering method for the situation.
neither bright nor dark. The white flower might be overexposed.
Evaluative Evaluative metering is also called matrix,
Likewise, evaluative metering isn’t right for
honeycomb or multizone metering. The camera
situations with tricky lighting. For example, you
will look at the entire scene. It sets exposure based
may be photographing a scene with a lot of
on the distribution of light. It takes color,
contrast. There are lots of dark areas and lots of
composition and distance into consideration.
light areas. But, there are few mid-tones. This can trip up evaluative metering.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
23
However, evaluative metering is sophisticated and
weathered barn wood, for instance. Sometimes, a
works well, for the most part. Of your metering
mid-tone may not be available. Advanced
options, evaluative works most like the human eye.
photographers often use a gray card in such
So, this setting is ideal for most situations.
situations. The card is placed in the scene, and the photographer spot meters it. Metering the card
On many cameras, evaluative is the metering
should yield the correct exposure for everything in
default. Beginning photographers usually should
the scene.
stick with it. If you want to get creative, look to other metering methods. Or, if you’re not getting
Center-weighted metering
the shot you want, switch to a different metering
Center-weighted metering measures light in the
method.
entire frame. However, it gives preference to the center part of the frame.
Spot metering With spot metering, the light meter does not consider the entire scene. Rather, it looks at a small portion of the scene. It usually measures light in 2 to 3 percent of the frame. On many cameras, you can use only the center focusing point for spot metering. That often requires you to meter something in the scene and reframe the shot. Check your manual to be sure. In tricky lighting situations, use the spot meter to read an object or portion of the scene that looks like a close match to middle gray - green grass or Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
24
Some cameras let you select the weight given to the frame’s center. You may also be able to select the area given the most weight. The size of the weighted area may vary between cameras. Center-weighted metering is more predictable than evaluative. It is ideal for high-contrast scenes - a landscape with bright skies and dark ground, for example. In that case, I would center weight the bright sky. Remember, the ground would also be metered. It would just be given less weight. Lock the exposure and reframe the shot. This will prevent overexposed highlights. Exposure bracketing Usually, your light meter will determine the right settings. But not always. You can ensure a usable shot with exposure bracketing. When you set the camera to auto-bracket, it will take three shots at different shutter speeds. You can specify the variance: 1/3-, 1/2- and 1-stop increments, for example. One shot should have the correct exposure. You generally want to avoid bracketing by aperture settings. That will affect the depth of field for each shot.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
25
Portraits
Taking stellar portraits Most people buy cameras to capture important memories. That means they probably will be photographing people often. Whether they’re shooting friends or family, they want the best shots possible. Fortunately, practicing is fun! And no special equipment is needed. In portraits, the subject should be the center of attention. Be wary of objects in the background that could distract or draw attention away from the subject. The last thing you want is an appealing background! Shooting against simple backgrounds will give you the best results. That’s not always possible, though, especially outdoors. Fortunately, you can minimize distractions by blurring the background.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
26
It’s easy to throw the background out of focus if
Using a moderate telephoto lens for portraits puts
you use a portrait lens or moderate telephoto
you at a comfortable distance of about 6 feet from
zoom in the 85mm-135mm range and shoot at a
the subject. The key to getting great shots of
wide aperture, such as f/2.0. Experiment with the
people is to make them feel relaxed. You don’t
lens you like to use for portraits. It might not be
want them to feel that you’re crowding them.
very sharp or pleasing at its widest aperture. If so, test it at f/2.8 or f/4.0.
Think about camera height, too. The best photographs are generally taken at eye level.
With portraits, you always want to focus on the
That’s not much of a problem when
subject’s eyes. At an extremely wide aperture,
photographing adults. But, if you’re
such as f/1.4, depth of field might become so
photographing kids, you’ll need to kneel or crouch
shallow that your subject’s eyes will be in focus and
to get down to their level.
the tip of the nose will be out of focus. You or your subject might not like that effect. Find the sweet
Remember the rule of thirds to help you with
spot for your favorite portrait lens.
portrait composition. Place your subject’s right eye at or near the intersection of the left vertical line
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
27
and the top horizontal line (vice versa for left eye).
Talk to your subject as you’re shooting. This can
That almost always results in a pleasant
help the subject become less self-conscious. You’ll
composition.
also get more natural facial expressions. When people feel tense, they usually show it in their face
For most people, a partial profile will yield the best
and shoulders. Pause occasionally and let the
results. However, if your subject has, um, a big
subject take a deep breath. Playing music often
nose, avoid this angle. It will only accentuate the
helps to relax models.
nose. Instead, shoot your subject more straight on. This will compress the subject’s nose, making it less obvious. Stepping back a little and using a longer focal length will also help. Portraits can be a little like shooting sports. You never know when the perfect photo is going to happen. You just want to make sure you don’t miss it. That means taking a lot of photos. The more you take, the more likely you’ll capture “the one.” Help your subject loosen up Cameras are often intimidating to the subject. That’s particularly true if you’re using a big DSLR. This discomfort can result in stiff and unattractive photos. To overcome this, you will need to help your subject loosen up.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
28
You’ll want to direct your subject for some of the shots. Tell the subject how to stand and how to pose. Avoid overly formal and stiff poses, if possible, unless you’re taking a business portrait. Candid shots are fun. Your subject’s guard will be down. The camera may catch something the person might not otherwise show. So, keep taking pictures when your subject isn’t aware of it. Have your subject stand, sit and change positions.
Outdoors, light is more pleasing in the early
Give those hands something to do, such as hold a
morning and late afternoon. Use fill flash to
book or a pair of glasses.
eliminate shadows on your subject’s face.
Take intentionally goofy shots. This can relax the
Try to use natural light when shooting indoors, too.
subject. And, you never know, these shots may be
Position your subject close to a window. The
more interesting than formal photos.
natural light will be more pleasing than artificial lights. At night, you may have to use a mix of flash
Get the lighting right
and lamplight. You can change the color of your
Lighting is important no matter what your subject.
flash’s light with accessories called gels. An orange
But correct lighting is particularly important for
gel will help you match the color of incandescent
portraits. You’ll want to avoid harsh lighting. This
lights. Green gels are made to match fluorescent
can bring out imperfections in your subject’s skin.
light sources. (A warming orange gel can also help
It can also cast deep, unflattering shadows on your
when you’re using fill flash to take a portrait of
subject’s face.
someone outside during sunset.)
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
29
Group Photos Taking group photos that wow Getting a good group photo is more challenging
That increases your chance of everyone having
than photographing a single person. You have to
their eyes open at the same time. If your camera’s
make sure that everyone is smiling with eyes open.
processor offers face-, smile- and blink-detection features, now’s the time to use it. When you’re
For groups, you’ll need to use a 50mm lens or
really struggling to get everyone’s eyes open, try
wider. Like a single portrait, the idea with group
an old trick. Tell everyone to close their eyes. Then,
shots is to fill the frame with the subject and to
tell them to open their eyes. Take the photo
avoid backgrounds that are distracting.
immediately.
Try to put the group at ease. Start by taking some
Getting everyone in focus can also be a challenge.
fun photos to warm up. Give your subjects props
Try to place everyone more or less equidistant
or ask them to strike unusual poses. You may get
from the camera and use a small aperture, such as
some interesting shots. And having your subjects
f/11. This is one of those times when you might
laugh a little will loosen them up. Don’t be afraid
want to bracket by aperture rather than shutter
to experiment. That’s good advice for any
speed. Remember that you won’t be blurring the
situation.
background because you’re using smaller apertures and wider lenses. Make sure the
When photographing groups, take multiple shots.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
surroundings are interesting.
30
Landscapes
Capturing spectacular landscapes There’s nothing quite like capturing the beauty of
the scene should be in focus. That means objects
nature. Many photographers focus solely on
a few feet away in the foreground and objects
landscape photography.
hundreds of feet away in the background. You can accomplish this with wide-angle lenses and small
We’ve all seen dramatic landscape photos of
apertures, such as f/11, f/16 and f/22.
exotic locations in National Geographic and in books. But you don’t have to travel far to get great
Recall what I said in the portrait chapter about how
landscapes. There’s wonderful scenery near your
a lens’ widest aperture may not give optimum
home. You just have to see it. Good technique is
performance. That’s true at the other end. A shot
essential, too. You can’t just point your camera at a
taken at f/22 might be slightly fuzzier than one
breathtaking vista and expect breathtaking results.
taken at f/16, for example. This is known as diffraction. As light passes through successively
Depth of field
narrower openings, it tends to diffract, or scatter.
With landscape photography, you usually want
It’s good to know if and when a drop-off occurs in
tack-sharp focus. Most of the time, everything in
a lens’ image quality.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
31
Use a tripod Smaller apertures mean slower shutter speeds. With slower shutter speeds comes an increased chance of blurring. Landscape photography isn’t the time to be increasing ISO and hand-holding the camera. The best option is to use a tripod. Not only does it hold the camera still during longer shots, it also slows you down. It gives you time to think about composition and pay attention to details. Follow the lines Landscapes often include the horizon. As a rule of
bottom corners and meander through the
thumb, don’t place the horizon in the middle of
composition in an S curve.
your photograph. Ask yourself: What’s the most important part of this scene? If it’s the land, place
Conversely, try to avoid including a strong line that
the horizon high in the frame. If it’s the sky, move
offers the viewer a way out of the picture. That will
the horizon lower. The horizon should be level -
weaken the composition.
not tilting one way or the other. Create a strong foreground The horizon isn’t the only line in your photograph.
Many beginning landscape photographers
Pay attention to all lines. In particular, look for
become attracted to an interesting scene off in the
diagonal lines - a trail, a stone wall, a fallen tree -
distance and neglect the foreground. The
that will help lead the viewer into the photograph.
background and middle ground need to be
Have a stream enter the frame at one of the
strong, of course, but the foreground of a
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
32
landscape photo is just as critical. It’s where the
angle for landscapes. You’ll get warmer tones, lush
viewer starts. If the foreground isn’t interesting, it
color saturation and long, interesting shadows.
won’t draw the viewer in.
The light of golden hour also brings out the texture of trees and rocks and adds dimension and
Flowers, boulders, shrubs and other objects add
depth to the landscape.
interest to foregrounds. Try placing your camera low to the ground to make them look bigger. It can
Bad weather often equals great photography.
add real depth and impact to a photo.
Looming storm clouds or fog can turn an average landscape into an atmospheric wonder.
Choose the right time to photograph The best time to photograph landscapes is usually
Take advantage of an overcast day to shoot
during the golden hours. This is roughly the 60
streams and lakes. The water won’t reflect harsh
minutes after dawn and the 60 minutes before
highlights as it does in bright sun. A boring sky is
dusk. That’s when the sun is at the most pleasing
also a good time to try macro shots.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
33
Macro & Panoramic
Getting up close with macro photography Are you fascinated by close-up photos of flowers
The easiest and cheapest way to do that is to
and insects? Then you’re interested in macro
attach a close-up filter to that 100mm lens. It’s like
photography. “Macro” probably brings up images
putting a magnifying glass on the end of your lens.
of large, majestic photos. But macro shots are
Better close-up filters use two glass elements to
really close-ups of small objects.
reduce distortion.
Choosing your macro gear
You’ll get the best image quality with a dedicated
With a standard 100mm lens, the closest you can
macro lens. A macro lens is a prime lens that has a
stand to a subject and keep it in focus is about 3
lot of elements to correct for distortion. It usually
feet. In macro photography, you need to work 6-12
has an effective focal length of 100mm. For that
inches away from your subjects. That’s how you
reason, macro lenses often make very good
get small objects to fill the frame and appear
portrait lenses as well. If you have a zoom lens that
life-size.
claims it’s also a macro, don’t believe it. It won’t
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
34
have the magnification of a true macro lens or be able to focus as close. Taking macro shots Macro photography can take time to master. It’s a magnified world. It will magnify your focusing and composition mistakes. Don’t worry, though. You’ll get the hang of it with practice. Macro lenses are too heavy and bulky to handhold. Use a tripod and cable release. The slightest
using a flashgun with an off-camera cord to pop a
shake of the camera will cause a blurry photo. If
little fill flash into the scene.
you’re shooting flowers, work on a calm day. Let’s say one of your prized roses in the backyard Spend a little time walking around the subject and
has just bloomed. Treat it like a portrait and use a
looking through the viewfinder to find the most
wide aperture to throw the background out of
appealing camera position. Soft light coming from
focus.
the side or back of the subject can result in very dramatic macro shots. If the sun is behind you,
Careful, though. Depth of field is very limited when
take care that you or the camera doesn’t cast a
doing macro photography. If you focus on the
shadow on the subject.
stigma, for instance, the petals closest and farthest away from the lens could be way out of focus at
When the available light isn’t perfect, use a
f/2. You may need an aperture of f/8 or f/11 to get
reflector to bounce more light into shadow areas
everything you want in focus.
or a diffuser to soften harsh light. You can also try
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
35
You have to make these decisions and
panoramas while hand-holding the camera. It will
compromises all the time when doing macro. You’ll
be less hit-or-miss if you use a tripod with a
quickly develop the habit of bracketing your focus
panhead, however.
and bracketing your apertures. This will give you more options to choose from when you’re looking
For panoramas, it’s better to use a normal focal
at macros later on your computer.
length lens (50mm equivalent). With a wider angle of view, the stitching software will crop more. You’ll
Set your camera on aperture-priority so you can
lose detail and resolution.
let it worry about shutter speed and exposure. You’ll probably find manual focus easier. At close
You also actually want to avoid strong foregrounds.
range, autofocus tends to struggle.
You’ll be rotating the camera from left to right in a slight arc. Without a special panoramic head to
Seeing the really big picture
correct for parallax error, a tree or bush in the
Panoramic photography is a lot of fun and can
foreground will get misaligned by the stitching
produce some truly stunning prints. Like HDR, it
software. It’s like what happens when you look at
requires taking a set of good pictures in the field
an object with your left eye while your right eye is
and using specialized software in the digital
closed, then suddenly switch eyes. The object
darkroom. Unlike HDR, great panoramas are easier
appears to change position, even though it’s
for beginners and intermediate photographers to
stationary.
pull off. Scenic overlooks and mountain tops are good Stitching software now is so sophisticated and
vantage points for panoramas. You also want to
easy to use that you can often capture great
avoid having any moving objects in your
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
36
composition. Watch out for rapidly changing light conditions; that could lead to surprising exposure mismatches when your photos are stitched together later. Once you’ve identified a composition, set your tripod down and level it. Decide about where you want your panorama to start and where you want it to stop. You’ll want to take at least two photos, maybe as many as five or six. Take a couple of tests shots to determine the best exposure. Keep your aperture setting, exposure and white balance consistent throughout the sequence. Don’t use a circular polarizer. Although
Landscape photography is an area where
a polarizer can give you a more pleasing blue sky
minimalism and asymmetry can be your friend.
in a single shot, it will create inconsistent results in
Want to emphasize the isolation of a windmill on
a panorama. For best results, you’ll also want to
the prairie? Place the windmill on the far left of the
shoot in Raw.
frame and show nothing else but sky and negative space.
Focus on a distant object - at infinity or near infinity. As you take the series of pictures, make
Not everything has to be representational, either.
sure each shot overlaps the adjacent photo by
Look for interesting patterns, colors and textures
about 25 percent. This will help the stitching
on forest floors, sand dunes and creek beds that
software connect the photos and blend them
you can turn into abstracts with your macro lens.
together without visible seams.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
37
Motion Blur When blurry is good Generally, you don’t want blurry photos. Your want
But blur isn’t always a problem. You can use it for
your child’s face to be in focus. And you want your
creative effect. We’ve all seen photos of waterfalls
landscapes tack-sharp.
in which the water is blurred. The rocks and surrounding scenery, meanwhile, are in sharp
Blurring can be caused by poor focus. It can also
focus.
be caused by shaky hands. To use blurring creatively, you need manual Then there’s the third cause: movement. A fast-
controls or shutter-priority mode. Let’s talk about
moving subject will blur if the shutter speed is too
how a waterfall picture would be shot. You’d need
slow. Usually, you want to avoid motion blur.
to put your camera on a tripod. It would require a relatively long shutter speed - 1 or 2 seconds. This might be difficult to achieve on a sunny day. A neutral density filter will help. Because they are gray, they cut light of all colors. They allow slower shutter speeds. With a long exposure, the moving water will blur and look dreamlike. The background and rocks will be in sharp focus. This technique isn’t just for photographing moving water. Think of a Ferris wheel at night. Try to creatively blur a spinning ice skater or a dancer.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
38
Panning You’ve probably also seen photographs where a
Hold the camera close to your body. Press the
moving object is in focus but the background is
shutter release and turn your torso. Follow the
blurred. This effect is common in photos of
moving object with the camera. Make sure you’re
bicycles and cars.
moving the camera horizontally, not vertically. You can also use a tripod with a panning head. The
These photos are taken through panning. They’re
tripod will hold the camera level. You turn the
much more difficult than the long-exposure
camera with a handle.
waterfall shot. Beginning photographers may find panning particularly difficult. But keep trying.
Panning can be difficult with an SLR. While the shutter is open, the SLR’s mirror flips up and the
Panning also requires a long shutter speed. So,
viewfinder goes dark. Use Live View if your camera
put your camera in shutter-priority mode (or
has it; you can watch the action on the LCD. Or,
manual mode). Use a shutter speed of about 1/15
look over the top of the camera’s prism box while
of a second. Slightly slower or faster shutter
panning.
speeds might provide the effect you want.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
39
Sports
Sports photography Shooting sports is very challenging but also very
For outdoor sports such as soccer and football,
satisfying when you nail a great action shot.
you’ll appreciate the reach of a 70-300mm zoom. You can use slower lenses for outdoor sports.
You’ll want a DSLR if you find yourself shooting a lot of sports. Most DSLRs are capable of rattling
Camera settings
off four or more frames per second in burst mode.
You’ll probably use shutter-priority mode most of
You won’t see many sports pros shooting with
the time when shooting sports. Indoors, you may
hybrids because of shutter lag.
need to crank up the ISO to get a shutter speed of 1/500. That’s about the bare minimum for freezing
You’ll also need a good zoom lens or two. If you
sports action. If you’re close enough for it to be
shoot a lot of indoor sports, such as basketball, a
effective and it’s allowed, flash will also freeze
fast telephoto zoom is essential; 70-200mm is a
motion.
good choice.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
40
Use your camera’s continuous or burst shooting
lens. You need to anticipate the action. To do that,
mode. As you hold the shutter release button, the
it helps to understand the sport. Knowledge of
camera will continue to take photos. You’re more
your sport will help you choose the best locations
likely to get the shot.
for shooting. You’ll know where interesting action is most likely to occur.
Consider shooting large JPEGs instead of Raw files. In burst or continuous mode, you can shoot
It also helps to understand the team you’re
more frames without the buffer filling up so fast.
photographing. If you know the coach, you can
You’ll go longer between memory card changes,
better predict the next play. If you know the
too. You don’t want to be changing a memory card
players, you know who’s going to get the ball in
as a receiver plucks the football out of the air for
clutch situations.
the winning touchdown. Keep your eye on the ball Understand the sport
Sports are all about capturing strong, up-close
Timing isn’t just about having a fast camera and
action shots. You have to get as close as you can, even with a telephoto. If a majority of your shots include the ball in them, you’ll be pretty successful. Isolate opponent against opponent to demonstrate conflict. Do the best you can to get faces in focus and properly exposed, even if they’re hiding under helmets. Faces portray a lot of emotion during sports games. It’s a great feeling to capture your daughter scoring a goal. Often, a player’s expression after a score or a near-miss makes an outstanding shot, too.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
41
Look behind you Sports action isn’t limited to the playing field. The contest also electrifies the crowd. Take photos of the fans. Catch the excitement surrounding the game. You’ll also want to watch the cheerleaders, coach and mascot. They will also be showing emotion. It’s just another part of the game story. Be patient and keep shooting When starting out, you may not get good action shots. Even professional sports photographers often fail to get good action shots. So, keep shooting while the action is slow. You’ll at least have shots to remember the event. Slow moments are great times to get tight shots of players. And, if things explode, you’ll be ready. Remember, taking more shots increases your odds of good shots. You may get only one good shot every 20 or 30 frames. So, don’t stop at 10 or 15. Give yourself the chance to get something great.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
42
Fireworks
Photographing fireworks when using a wide aperture. Use a moderate Fireworks help communities celebrate national
setting of f/8 or f/11 to help intensify the colors
holidays and other special occasions. With a little planning and preparation, it’s easy to capture the
If your camera has a bulb (B) setting, try using that.
rocket’s red glare and great family memories.
If you don’t have bulb, take a mix of one- and two-second exposures.
Since fireworks require exposures of about 1 second, you’ll need a tripod and cable release for
Use manual focus. Fine-tune your focus on the
best results. Dial in a low ISO setting of 100. You
fireworks at the start of the show and forget about
don’t want noise to speckle the black portions of
it for the rest of the show. You’ll probably be at
the sky and distract attention from the colorful
infinity or near it. Put your camera in the vertical/
patterns of light. A low ISO setting will prevent
portrait orientation. You want to avoid cropping
that. Fireworks can also look a little washed out
the tops and bottoms of starburst patterns.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
43
Your camera’s auto-white-balance function will go crazy trying to correct the colors of fireworks. It’ll give you dull, de-saturated streaks of light. Set white balance to Daylight for better and more consistent results. (Daylight refers to color temperature - not time of day. It’s a cooler temperature setting than Shade or Cloudy.) With a 100mm lens, the fireworks should fill the frame. To capture city buildings and more of the surroundings, use a 50mm lens. A zoom lens can be adjusted as you like. Positioning is everything. Try to pick a spot where smoke from the fireworks will blow away from you. Smoke will make your photos hazy. You should also watch for distractions like street lights and tree branches. Timing can be difficult. Try opening the shutter as the rocket nears its apex, then closing it before the pattern breaks up. Take plenty of shots and check your results periodically. You’ll bring home plenty of keepers. Remember one more thing: Don’t fill up your memory card before the finale!
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
44
Halloween Taking ghoulish Halloween photos Halloween is always a fun family event. Too often, a family’s record of the evening is a series of pictures of kids and adults who have that washed out, deer-in-the-headlights look. Start taking better Halloween pictures by turning off the flash. Halloween is supposed to be dark and eerie! Boost your camera’s ISO setting and use wide apertures. Turn on the table lamps and light some candles. I told you in the chapter about portraits that candid photos are usually the best. That’s especially true on Halloween. Group shots are easy on Halloween because everyone’s having a good time and hamming it up anyway. Remember to kneel or crouch when shooting pictures of kids. Don’t wait until the kids are in their costumes to take photos. Get shots of them applying gloppy makeup and getting ready. Be ready to capture spontaneous saber fights and zombie attacks. Take shots of the kids inspecting their hauls at the end of the evening.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
Experiment with lighting faces from below. Use a table lamp, flashlight or off-camera flash. You’d never do this with a normal portrait because it has such a ghoulish effect! If it’s your job to follow the kids around the neighborhood with a camera, you’ll probably have to resort to flash. Go out at twilight if you can, before it is pitch black. Try using a slow sync speed and fill flash to capture a little ambient light and to illuminate faces and costumes. Get yourself in a position to get reaction shots of your child receiving candy. Don’t forget to take pictures of spooky jack-o’-lanterns and the houses of those neighbors who always go all-out on decorating for Halloween.
45
Christmas
Taking Christmas photos to remember Being together as a family is what it’s all about at
you have big windows and the room is bright
Christmas. You’ll want to remember everything
enough to take photos without a flash. Find the
about this most special day of the year with
ISO setting and aperture that will let you use a
photos.
shutter speed of about 1/125 or 1/60. That will let you capture most of the action.
There’s always so much to do during the holidays, but if you spend a little time preparing to take
If the room you keep the tree in is just too dim - or
photos, it’ll pay off with a Christmas album you’ll
if your kids get up before sunrise - you’ll have to
treasure for years to come.
take pictures with flash. Composition at Christmas can get a little tricky. You want to fill the frame and
You don’t want to be fumbling around with camera
minimize background distractions, but not lose the
settings on Christmas morning. You might miss a
context that this is Christmas day. You can crop a
few great shots of the kids opening presents. Take
photo later to create a really tight portrait if you
your camera into the family room on a morning
prefer. Remember to focus on the eyes. You’ll
before Christmas. What’s the light like? Hopefully,
probably be using a wide aperture. Parts of the
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
46
background or foreground might get a little soft. That’s OK as long as the eyes are sharp. When friends and family members visit, let them get comfortable for 15 or 20 minutes, then start taking candid shots of them while they’re interacting with the kids and other guests. If someone insists on a group shot, follow the old advice of putting tall people in back or in the middle of a single row. Let people put their arms around others’ shoulders or cross their arms whatever comes naturally. You’ll end up with a better result than the family portrait where everyone looks stiff and lined up like soldiers. Tell a story of the whole day. Take a picture of Christmas dinner, the kids enjoying an outdoor toy, the family going to church and the kids going to bed. This will give your story a beginning, middle and end. Finally, don’t become too obsessed with taking pictures. Take time to enjoy your family and celebrate!
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
47
Shooting holiday decorations
the lights will look washed out and will barely
Decorated Christmas trees and displays of
register. If it’s too dark, you’ll capture the lights but
outdoor lights add to the holiday magic.
little else. Use a tripod for best results.
Take a portrait of your tree at night with all its
This is another situation where automatic white
lights glowing. Put the camera on a tripod and
balance could lead to dull results. Try using your
expose for the available light. Your tree also offers
camera’s Shade or Cloudy setting to enhance the
a world of close-up opportunities. Get in there
warm glow of the lights.
with your macro or a portrait lens and compose vignettes of ornaments. Use a wide aperture to let
Your camera’s exposure meter might also get
branches and other background elements go soft.
fooled, especially if there’s a lot of snow in the scene. Keep an eye on the histogram and bracket
The key to capturing outdoor lights is shooting at
your exposures.
twilight with the flash off. If it’s too bright outside,
Know the rules for taking
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
48
Public Photography
photos in public Many people snap photos in public without thinking much about it. But this can lead to problems. The police may question you. Business owners may confront you. You may be told to stop. If you’re unsure whether you can take photos, ask. But I can tell you certain situations where it is generally OK. This should not be construed as legal advice. See an attorney for that. Remember, laws may differ from place to place. Say you’re vacationing in New York. You’ve found an interesting angle to shoot the Empire State Building from a sidewalk a few blocks away. You’re in the clear. It is legal to take photographs in public places. That includes sidewalks, public parks and streets. Just don’t obstruct passersby; this may preclude the use of a tripod. Things are different for military bases and nuclear power plants. It doesn’t matter if you’re on public property. The military and Department of Energy
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
can prohibit photos because of national security concerns. Standing on public property doesn’t give you the right to slap a telephoto lens on your camera and peer into bedrooms, changing rooms, or restrooms. People have a reasonable expectation of privacy in those situations. You could get into
49
legal trouble for invasion of privacy.
emergency workers. If asked to move, do so.
National, state and local museums and other
There are times when it’s just unwise to take some
public buildings can set their own rules regarding
photos, even if you have the legal right to take
interior photography. It’s best to check websites in
them. If you go around taking pictures of kids in a
advance for what is allowed. Some may ban flash
park without parents’ permission, you’ll raise
photography, for example, in order to protect
suspicion - and possibly ire. Likewise, you probably
historic documents. Some sites might allow
don’t want to specialize in photographing public
cameras but not tripods.
transportation, strategic bridges, chemical plants and oil refineries.
Private property owners can allow or restrict interior photography however they see fit. If you’re
Do you want to spend your time taking pictures or
snapping away inside a shopping mall and a
answering police questions?
security guard asks you to stop or leave, you must obey. He can’t, however, demand that you delete
As you’re out taking pictures, keep in mind that
photos or hand over a memory card. Most professional sports arenas restrict or ban photography. Look for posted notices. Don’t be surprised if point-and-shoots are allowed but DSLRs are not. You can photograph accident scenes, fires and emergency workers if you’re on public property. You cannot, however, interfere with the police or
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
50
Looking Ahead File Format you’ll likely want to make prints of your best images and share them online. Most advanced cameras let you shoot at a JPEG + Raw setting. This is very convenient. The JPEG image format is the standard for the Internet. The file sizes are small and compressed so Web pages load faster. You can upload and share a JPEG immediately. If it’s a large enough file size, a well-exposed JPEG can also make a fine
camera’s sensor captured. A Raw file gives you
print.
more flexibility in the digital darkroom. You can adjust white balance and make exposure
So why shoot Raw files, too?
corrections without degrading the image.
When you take a JPEG, the camera makes a
Of course, the tradeoff is larger file sizes. You’ll fill
decision about which data are going to get
up your memory cards and hard drives faster. Raw
discarded. That’s how the smaller file size is
images are more time-consuming and require
achieved. Subsequent edits and saves of a JPEG
specific conversion software to open and edit.
file will also degrade the image. This is called lossy compression. If you have a JPEG that’s
I think you’ll find that the advantages outweigh the
underexposed or has a bad color cast, it will be
disadvantages, however. And when you’re ready to
very difficult to save in post-processing.
take your photo-editing skills to the next level, I’ll be there with Part 3 of my Digital Photography
A Raw file is more like a digital negative. It contains
Guide: Creative Photo Editing.
every bit of data and dynamic range that your
Kim Komando’s Guide to Taking Great Photos
51
®
AMERICA’S DIGITAL GODDESS
Essential Guide to
TAKING GREAT PHOTOS
Contents Introduction ..................................1 Before You Begin ........................ 2 Photo Editing Sites ...................... 5 Build a Workflow ..........................7 Image Editors ............................. 12 Raw Image Editing ..................... 17 Using RawTherapee .................. 19 Layers .......................................... 24 The Three Rs .............................. 26 Sharpening ................................. 30 Printing ....................................... 31 Color Management ................... 33 About Kim................................... 34
The Kim Komando Show © 2012 All Rights Reserved.
Introduction
How to edit your photos like a pro
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CREATIVE PHOTO EDITING
In the first part of my Digital Photography Guide:
and share them in online galleries. To do that, you
The Essential Guide to Digital Cameras, you
need to develop your digital editing skills.
learned all about DSLRs and hybrid cameras and how they can help you take better photos.
After reading this book, you’ll be making swift and dramatic improvements to your digital captures.
And thanks to my Digital Photography Guide: The
You’ll also discover that you’re taking yet another
Essential Guide to Taking Great Photos, you’re
fun and creative journey - an adventure that began
shooting at a whole new level. You consistently
when you tripped the shutter.
bring home beautiful landscape images. Family members and friends love the pleasing portraits you take of them. You understand the rules of
Let’s get going!
good composition and know when to break them. You’ve reached a point now where you’d like to make expressive prints of some of your images,
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
1
Before You Begin Getting Organized Before you start working on digital photos, it’s a
the free Windows Live Photo Gallery. Google’s
good idea to have a filing system in place that
Picasa is an excellent third-party image-organizing
makes sense for you. I know - you’d rather spend
program that also includes very basic editing tools
time being creative. But it’s hard to be creative
such as crop and red-eye removal.
when you want to work on a photo you took a year ago and can’t find it.
What’s important is getting into the habit of arranging your photos into descriptive folders and
Most image-editing programs have very effective
sub-folders. Use a combination of dates and event
built-in organization tools that let you geotag and
names or location names. That works well for most
face-tag images as you import them.
photographers.
If you have a Mac, for example, you can use the
Let’s say you’ve made it a project to shoot the
included iPhoto software. PC users can tap into
Saturday Farmers Market over the summer. You
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
2
just got back from the first one of the season and need to get your 47 photos off the memory card and filed away on a hard drive. Create the folder Farmers Market 2012. Next, create a month-day sub-folder: 0526. At this point, you could choose to rename your 47 image files something like Farmers Market 2012 Week 1. The program will give each picture that name plus a sequential number, 1-47. That won’t help you much in a search later, but it’s
Sometimes, splitting an import into separate
better than the meaningless alpha-numeric
operations can help the organizational cause. Say
numbers your camera assigns to image files. It’s
27 of your 47 pictures from the first week are of a
too tedious to give every picture a unique name at
jazz band that was performing at the market.
this point. You’ll only end up working on a handful of them anyway.
It would be difficult to remember two years from now that those band photos are in Farmers Market
What will really help you find these photos later are
2012>>0526. Create a new top folder with the
keywords. Keywords are tags or descriptions that
band’s name. Select the 27 band photos and
become embedded in the image files.
import them to the folder. Then select the 20 vegetable/vendor photos and import them into
Maybe you took some nice photos of strawberries
0526.
and bunches of asparagus the first week. Add those as keywords when you import this batch.
If most of your photos are of family and friends,
You can add more keywords later to individual
you’ll definitely want to take advantage of your
images and groups of photos.
organizing program’s face-matching technology.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
3
As soon as you start tagging photos with names,
Organization programs always include a method
the software learns how to apply those name tags
for rating image files with stars or other labels.
to all your other photos.
While you’re reviewing, flag images you know you’ll want to work on later. Ratings can also be
When you’re done importing a batch of photos,
used as a search filter.
take a few minutes to review them. Delete obvious clunkers, such as those accidental shots taken of
Finally, don’t trust your computer’s hard drive to
your feet.
keep your image library safe. Hard drives can fail - often with no warning. Backup your collection
If you’re just beginning photo editing, however,
regularly to external hard drives. For the ultimate
don’t get too zealous about deleting photos.
in backup - and peace of mind - store your photos
Something that looks hopeless now might be
online at a photo-sharing site or use a cloud-
fixable down the road when you have more
based backup service.
experience.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
4
Photo Editing Sites Basic Online Photo Editing Thanks to online photo editing sites, you don’t
These tools alone are enough to save many family
need any software other than a browser to begin
snapshots and scenic travel photos.
working on digital pictures. These services are fine for editing small JPEGs that you want to share on
The most creative tool you have at your disposal,
social networking sites. They also provide a
however, is the humble crop tool. Many times, the
convenient way to retouch photos you’ve already
crop tool gives you a second chance to create a
posted online.
pleasing composition.
PicMonkey is a good example. It was created by
The tool superimposes a 3 x 3 grid over your
the same team behind the wildly popular Picnik,
image so you can crop with the rule of thirds in
which was gobbled up by Google. Photoshop
mind. Place important elements in your photo
Express condenses Adobe’s flagship Photoshop
along one of the two vertical lines, one of the two
program into a quick and easy online experience.
horizontal lines or the points where the lines
Signing up for a free account also gives you 2GB
intersect. This will keep your horizon line or subject
of online storage.
from being dead center in the frame.
For something a little more powerful, look at Pixlr or Phoenix. Phoenix is part of the Aviary suite of media-creation tools and the built-in image editor of Flickr. With a click of a mouse, online image editors allow you to straighten horizon lines and automatically enhance colors and exposure. You can also instantly fix red eye and remove other blemishes.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
5
Many casual portraits lack impact simply because
Be careful how much you crop, especially if you’re
the subject doesn’t fill the frame. There’s too much
going to be printing later. Today’s 16+ MP cameras
space around the person. Crop to remove
allow quite a bit of room for cropping. Just don’t
extraneous or distracting information and to
expect to make a decent print after cropping a
emphasize faces.
tiny portion of a photo. There won’t be enough pixels left to form a detailed image.
A landscape photo might benefit from a “panoramic” crop that reduces the amount of
Images that have a resolution of 72-100 ppi (pixels
visible sky and foreground. Just because a
per inch) are fine for the Web. Ideally, you want to
camera’s native aspect ratio is 3:2 or 4:3 doesn’t
be at 240-300 ppi for a sharp, detailed inkjet print.
mean you can’t crop to a dramatic 2:1 or 3:1 aspect ratio.
You can’t save every photo with a crop. But you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t - and this will
Stick to common aspect ratios, however, when you
impact your shooting. Soon, you’ll find that you’re
want to make standard 4 x 6-inch, 5 x 7-inch prints,
cropping less frequently because you’re creating
and 8 x 10-inch prints. The crop tool can be
better compositions in the camera.
constrained to preserve a specific aspect ratio and print size.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
That’s the true power of the crop tool.
6
Build a Workflow Building an Editing Workflow When you feel ready to use more-sophisticated
individuality and creativity. It’s just that it’s better
editing tools, you’ll want to step up to desktop
to perform some tasks before others when editing
software. There are several very good programs
digital photos.
that are open-source and free. Not all paid programs cost an arm and a leg; most also offer
For example: Adjusting a photo’s color balance
30-day free trials.
first often corrects poor saturation and contrast.
After test-driving free and commercial programs
Here are the general steps to take when editing a
for a few weeks, you’ll find the image editor that’s
JPEG photo. Keep in mind that every photo is
the most comfortable fit for your skills and your
different. You won’t need to perform every step on
budget.
every image. Always work on a copy of the file so you can return to the original and start over if
Whichever program you choose, you’ll edit more
necessary.
effectively if you follow a logical workflow. The workflow concept isn’t designed to stifle your
Crop If necessary, crop your image before moving on to more-advanced edits. When you adjust things like color balance, exposure and saturation later, your editing software won’t be influenced by unwanted pixels. You also don’t want to spend a lot of time correcting a flaw that ends up being cropped out of the image.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
7
Exposure It’s not always possible or practical to get a perfect exposure when you’re out shooting. If an image is slightly underexposed or overexposed, you should be able to save it.
Color balance Color Balance controls usually include a Temperature slider to make a picture’s overall ambience cooler or warmer. A Tint slider will correct images that shift too far toward magenta or green. Color casts occur when you take photos in shade or inside using fluorescent or incandescent light. If there’s a white fence, white shirt or similar object in
The image’s histogram will identify clipped shadow pixels in blue and clipped highlights in red. For an underexposed photo, use the exposure compensation slider to slightly increase exposure. Don’t overdo it. If you increase exposure too much, noise will get worse in the shadows. Try using the Shadows slider on an underexposed photo if your software allows it.
the photo, examine it closely. If it looks a little reddish-yellow or greenish-blue, your photo will benefit from a color balance adjustment. If the software offers a “dropper” tool, take advantage of it. If there’s an area of the picture you know should be white or neutral gray, click on the appropriate dropper and click on that point in the picture. This will re-balance the entire image.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
8
For a slightly overexposed photo, decrease exposure and use the Highlights slider if available. Decreasing exposure too much will draw even more attention to blown highlights. At this stage of the workflow, you’ll know whether you can move on with an image, or stop and try a different photo. Raw images and Raw image editors give you more leeway in recovering detail from overexposed and underexposed images. We’ll take a closer look at that in the next chapter. Contrast controls When you hear someone say “that photo really pops,” he’s talking about contrast. Unless you’ve purposely captured a moody fog or rain scene,
Levels Tool from GIMP
most low-contrast images feel flat; the colors seem
Levels allows you to remap the histogram. Move
washed out. It’s time to unleash the magical Levels
the white point slider to the left and the black
and Curves tools.
point slider to the right. The image will now have a full tonal range and exhibit dramatically better
In an overexposed image, too many pixels bunch
contrast. (Be careful not to go too far and
up against the right boundary of the histogram. In
introduce clipping.) To fine-tune, adjust the mid-
an underexposed image, too many pixels bunch
tone slider slightly to the left or right.
up against the left boundary of the histogram. In a low-contrast image, the pixels tend to bunch up in
Feel like the image could still use a little more
the middle of the graph.
oomph? Open up the Curves tool.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
9
Although it doesn’t look like it at first, Curves is very similar to Levels. The anchor point (small square) in the lower left corner of the graph is the black point. The anchor point in the upper right corner is the white point. Go ahead and click on the middle of the curve. You’ve just created an anchor point that corresponds to the mid-tone slider in Levels. Unlike Levels, Curves allows you to put as many as 16 points along the curve. That’s rarely necessary, of course, but it demonstrates why Curves is such a powerful tool. Even tones that are very close to each other on the curve can be teased apart. For now, put an anchor point on the quarter point and an anchor point on the three-quarter point. Moving these anchors up or down with the anchored mid-point will create a gentle S curve or an inverted S curve. Saturation The S curve will darken the shadows a bit in the
Boost Saturation if the overall colors in your image
quarter tones and bump up the three-quarter tone
still seem a little dull. Don’t overdo it, though.
highlights. The inverted S curve will do the
Oversaturation seldom benefits either landscape
opposite. This simple adjustment alone will rescue
photos or portraits. The Vibrance slider, if your
many images.
image editor has it, is a terrific tool. It increases or
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
10
decreases the saturation of skin tones and other
wish to lighten. The dodging tool is also a good
less-saturated colors without affecting colors that
way to whiten teeth and brighten smiles. Do the
are already saturated. The Saturation slider adjusts
subject’s eyes seem a little fuzzy? Spot-sharpen
all the pixels in an image.
the area with a brush.
Selective Enhancements
Create a master file
Up to this stage, all your edits have affected the
By now, you should feel as though you’ve taken
image globally. Now it’s time to inspect the image
this image about as far as it can go. This is a good
for smaller areas that can benefit from local or
time to stop and save it as a master file. Let’s call it
selective enhancements.
Sylvan Lake MF (for Master File).
Get out the healing brush or clone tool to remove
Everything you do subsequently to Sylvan Lake MF
blemishes such as dust specks that were on your
will involve downsizing it for sharing or optimizing
camera’s sensor. (They look like UFOs in the sky.)
it to make a print. You don’t want to repeat all the hard work you’ve just done. Work on copies of
If an area of the image is a little too hot exposure-
Sylvan Lake MF to create Sylvan Lake Web, Sylvan
wise, tone it down with the burning tool. Grab the
Lake 8x10, etc.
dodging tool if there’s an area of the print you
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
11
Image Editors Popular Image Editors Photobie
Photo Editor
Photobie
This is a good step-up program for photographers
Cost
• Free
who outgrow Windows Live Photo Gallery. It has
Compatibility
• PC
Some of the Best Features
• • • • •
Photo Editor
Photoscape
Cost
• Free
GIFs in addition to other standard file formats.
Compatibility
• PC
It contains most of the photo-editing tools you
Some of the Best Features
• • • • •
Photo Editor
Pixelmator
Cost
• $15 after 30-day free trial
Curves and a host of other color-correction tools
Compatibility
• Mac
to perfect your photos. There are also dozens of
Some of the Best Features
• • • • •
tools for all the most-needed picture-editing functions. More-advanced users can work in layers for more precision. Photoscape Another good intermediate photo editor for Windows users. It supports Raw files and animated
need, plus fun templates for creating comics and collages. Pixelmator A full-featured, layers-based image editor that appeals to the artistically inclined. Use Levels,
tools for making selections, drawing, painting and retouching. Create special effects with more than 150 filters. 30-day free trial.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
Basic photo editing tools Layers Photoshop filter plug-in support Photo image browser Templates and scrapbooking
Intermediate photo editing tools Layers Batch editor Special effect filters Raw image converter
Advanced photo editing tools Painting and drawing tools Layers 150 special effect filters Sharing to social sites
12
PaintShopPro X4
Photo Editor
PaintShop Pro X4
Despite its paint-centric name, this is powerful
Cost
• $80 - $100 after 30-day free trial
Compatibility
• PC
Some of the Best Features
• • • • • • • • • •
Photo Editor
Adobe Photoshop Elements 11
Cost
• $100
Compatibility
• PC and Mac
Some of the Best Features
• • • • • • • • • • • •
photo-editing software that supports a Raw workflow and adjustment layers. With this version, Corel added HDR tools and a tilt-shift effect to create miniatures and photos with extreme selective focus. 30-day free trial. Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 This slimmed-down sibling of Photoshop allows you to quickly and easily fix common photo flaws. More-advanced tools offer sophisticated blending and layering capabilities and support for Raw editing. There’s also a stitching function for panoramas and a basic tool for creating a High Dynamic Range photo from two exposures. Guided Edits walk you through some of the more involved editing tasks. Family memory keepers love Elements for its organizational powers and ease of creating text and scrapbook pages and cards. Aperture 3 Aperture combines the streamlined Raw workflow
Advanced photo editing tools Photo organizer Layers High Dynamic Range tools (HDR) Raw image editing 162 effects and adjustment filters Screen capture Batch editing Sharing to social sites Learning center
Advanced photo editing tools Photo tagging and organizer Layers 100 effects and adjustment filters Batch editing High Dynamic Range tools (HDR) Panoramic stitching tools Raw image editing Templates and scrapbooking Video support Sharing to social sites Adobe online services
that busy pros need with the easy learning curve
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
13
of iPhoto. With the unified photo library, you
Photo Editor
Aperture 3
can move back and forth between iPhoto and
Cost
• $80
Compatibility
• Mac
Some of the Best Features
• Advanced photo editing tools • Advanced photo tagging and organization • Nondestructive environment • Raw photo editing • Set auto buttons and quick tools • Batch editing • Expansive effects library and custom effects • Photo books and slide shows • Video support • Sharing to social sites
Photo Editor
Adobe Lightroom 4
editing environment encourages experimentation.
Cost
• $150
The newest version offers superior lens-correction
Compatibility
• PC and Mac
and noise-reduction tools, plus enhanced highlight
Some of the Best Features
• Advanced photo editing tools • Advanced photo tagging and organization • Nondestructive environment • Raw photo editing • Special effect filters • Advanced hue, saturation, and luminance editing • Batch editing • Photo books and slide shows • Video support • Sharing to social sites
Aperture without having to import, export or reedit photos. Aperture includes powerful one-click white balance and curves adjustments, plus brushbased edits on selective portions of photos. Lightroom 4 Photoshop has a lot of stuff that professional graphic designers, 3D artists and illustrators need - and photographers don’t. Adobe built Lightroom from the ground up for photographers. It’s a powerful catalog management program and Raw image processor in one. The nondestructive
and recovery algorithms. A new module makes it easy to create photo books. ACDSee TThis program has been around a long time and is a favorite of many photographers. The Pro 6 version for PC ($100) and Pro 2 version for Mac ($100) aim to compete with Aperture and Lightroom with nondestructive Raw editing and
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
14
speedy workflow. Look at ACDSee 15 (PC, $50) if
Photo Editor
ACDSee Pro
you want a home photo editor and organizer more
Cost
• $140 after 30-day free trial
akin to Elements.
Compatibility
• PC and Mac
RawTherapee
Some of the Best Features
• • • • • • •
curves and highlight and shadows. There are also
Photo Editor
RawTherapee
multiple ways to sharpen and enhance details, as
Cost
• Free
well as reduce image noise. RawTherapee works
Compatibility
• PC and Mac
Some of the Best Features
• • • • • •
without taking your credit card there, too, give
Photo Editor
GIMP
GIMP a try. It’s a free photo editor originally
Cost
• Free
Compatibility
• PC and Mac
Some of the Best Features
• • • • • • • •
This is a robust Raw editor. Better yet, it’s totally free to use. It sports a lot of the same features as pricey programs like Lightroom and Aperture. Make sophisticated adjustments to exposure, tone
with most DSLR Raw files, but check compatibility with your camera before downloading. GIMP If you want to take your pictures to the next level
created at UC Berkeley. It has many of the same features as Photoshop, but it’s 100 percent free. In the past, GIMP was notorious for its steep learning curve and hard-to-use floating window palettes. Thanks to a recent overhaul and a new singlewindow mode, the user interface is easier. The next upgrade should provide support for 16-bit image editing.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
Advanced photo editing tools Photo tagging and organization Nondestructive environment Raw photo editing Special effects and filters Batch editing Sharing to social sites
Basic photo editing tools Photo tagging and organization Advanced color correction tools Raw photo editing Special effects and filters Batch editing
Advanced photo editing tools Advanced color correction tools Drawing and painting tools Layers and channels Customizable interface Special effects and filters Edit Photoshop files (PSD) Extensive plugins and support
15
Adobe Photoshop CS6
Photo Editor
Adobe Photoshop CS6
Photoshop is the gold standard and the
Cost
• $700
professional’s choice in image-editing software.
Compatibility
• PC and Mac
Some of the Best Features
• • • • • •
Content Aware technology allows photographers to patch, move objects and retouch images with incredible ease and precision. Automatic Saves in the background speed up the workflow and reduce the chance of losing edits. Add creative blurs to images with new tools. Photoshop includes Adobe Camera Raw - the same Raw editing engine that Lightroom is based on - and Bridge for organizing your photos.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
• • • • • •
Advanced photo editing tools Raw photo editing Drawing and painting tools Layers and channels Auto corrections Superior High Dynamic Range imaging and toning (HDR) Preset migration and sharing Special effects and filters Customized workspaces Video Support Auto-recovery Adobe Marketplace and Community Help
16
Raw Image Editing Raw Workflow & Nondestructive Editing When you shoot a JPEG, your camera sets the white balance, sharpens the image and makes some decisions about color saturation and contrast. Depending on the level of compression you choose, pixel information may get thrown away in order to make a smaller file. A Raw file is more like a digital negative. It contains every bit of data and dynamic range that your camera’s sensor captured. A Raw file gives you more flexibility and editing latitude in the digital darkroom.
Let’s see why
Aggressively manipulating the histogram of an 8-bit image with Levels and Curves runs the risk of causing posterization. Unsightly bands run across a posterized image because there’s too little tonal information and the tones are too far apart. Posterization is revealed in the histogram, too, as spaced vertical spikes that resemble the teeth of a
First of all, a Raw file starts its journey in the editing
comb.
process as a 16-bit image. A JPEG is always an 8-bit image. An 8-bit image can produce 256
Even if you don’t want to work in Raw, editing in
unique colors, while the 16-bit image has 65,536
16-bit mode where possible will minimize the risk
discrete colors available in its palette. The 16-bit
of posterization. If you have a JPEG that needs
image is capable of producing a lot more subtlety.
some hard editing, for example, change it to a
Because it contains more information, it also holds
16-bit TIFF before you begin, if your image editor
up better in processing.
supports it. (TIFF is a standard file format in
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
17
publishing and can be either uncompressed or
You can change white balance and perform other
compressed without losing information.)
edits without destroying any of the image’s pixels. Your changes appear in a live view of the image,
In our basic JPEG workflow, everything we did to
but the adjustments aren’t actually applied until
fix blemishes and correct color and contrast
they’re exported from the Raw imaging processor.
destroyed pixels and degraded image quality.
Everything you do in Raw is reversible - and you always have that pristine, data-rich Raw file to fall
That sounds scarier than it actually is. A well-
back on.
exposed, large JPEG that has been minimally compressed won’t require a lot of editing. It will
In a Raw editor, you can take advantage of built-in
contain more than enough information to make a
tools to reduce a photo’s noise, apply sharpening
fine print.
and correct lens distortion.
For those times when you need it, though, a Raw,
Here’s how to adapt your workflow using a Raw
nondestructive workflow really comes in handy.
editor such as RawTherapee.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
18
Using RawTherapee
Edit Raw Images Using RawTherapee RawTherapee is a robust - and totally free - Raw
Once you’ve chosen a photo to edit, you can start
editor. Getting started with the program is simple.
adjusting it. Click on the Transform tab to bring up
Once it’s installed and opened, you’ll see it’s made
the crop panel and to experiment with different
up of a few different parts.
options. You can also rotate, flip and straighten the image.
First is the file browser in the lower-left corner. Use it to search your computer for your Raw files. In the
Next, click on the Colour tab (the program uses
center is the main image viewer. Here you can see
British spelling). You can adjust White Balance
the picture you’re editing. And finally, on the far
quickly and easily by using the Spot WB button.
right is the adjustment panel. This is where you’ll
Click a portion of the photo that should be white
tweak most of the settings to edit your photos.
or neutral gray. You’ll see the image automatically fix itself. This typically does a pretty good job on
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
19
its own. But you can adjust the Temperature and Tint sliders to fine-tune it. Under the Exposure tab, you’ll see a long list of tools for fixing exposure. The big ones here are Exposure, Tone Curve and Shadows/Highlights. Using the different sliders in Exposure will help brighten or darken photos. Keep in mind that this isn’t the same as adjusting Brightness. Instead, Exposure works to simulate the picture if more or less light hit the sensor. It will give you more or less detail. Tone Curve is an advanced way to control contrast for the overall image. Like Curves in other programs, you just click and drag on the curve to create gentle S-curves and other tonal adjustments. Each point on the curve affects a certain tonal range. As you move from left to right, you affect darker to lighter tones. Shadows/Highlights will let you adjust the brightest and darkest areas of your photos. In this section, you can make the blacks in the photo
Exposure tab from RawTherapee
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
20
darker. Inversely, you can make the whites in the photo brighter. Now is a good time to reduce noise if the image needs it. If you took the shot in low light at a high ISO setting, it’s likely that the image will benefit from de-noising. Click on the Detail tab. You’ll see two noise reduction options: Luminance and Colour. Luminance Noise Reduction will blend noisy pixels based on their brightness value. Colour Noise Reduction will blend noise based on the pixel’s hue. The goal is noise reduction - not noise elimination. A little noise adds character and increases the perception of sharpness. An absence of noise will make your subjects look unnaturally smooth. All Raw images benefit from “capture sharpening,” so this important function is built in to Raw editors. Unlike JPEGs, Raw captures are not sharpened in the camera. Don’t get the idea that you can save
Detail tab from RawTherapee
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
21
an out-of-focus photo with sharpening. All you’re doing is bumping up the acutance level of your photo. Despite its name, the Unsharp Mask tool is the classic way to sharpen an image. Derived from an old darkroom technique, Unsharp Mask lays a fuzzy copy of the image over the original to help the algorithm detect the presence of edges. The unsharp overlay is subtracted away and contrast is selectively increased along these edges. The result is a sharpened image. You can control the overall effect of Unsharp Mask with the Radius, Amount and Treshhold sliders. Radius affects the size of the edges; too much Radius will produce halos around edges. Amount controls the strength of the sharpening. Threshold controls the minimum brightness range that will be sharpened. If set to 0, everything is sharpened, including noise. A value of 0.8 to 2 works well for most pictures. Enabling Sharpen Only Edges will prevent any sharpening of noise pixels.
Transform tab from RawTherapee
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
22
When you’re done with sharpening, correct for
the horizontal and vertical perspective tools to
lens flaws if your image needs it. Some lenses
straighten up buildings.
cause vignetting, chromatic aberration and distortion that can be corrected - to varying
Once you’ve finished all of your edits in
degrees - in RawTherapee’s Transform tab.
RawTherapee, you can either save the image or export it to another editor to make selective
Vignetting often occurs when using a low f-stop,
adjustments. Save it as a 16-bit TIFF if your image
such as f/1.8. Light falls off at the corners, making
editor supports it; make it an 8-bit TIFF otherwise.
the corners darker than the center of the image. A little vignetting can be desirable in some cases,
To do this, click on Preferences. A new window will
since it tends to draw attention to the subject. If
pop up. Select the Output Options tab at the top.
you want it gone, however, this tool will take care
In the file format area, use the dropdown menu to
of it. Be aware that this adjustment can increase
select your desired format.
noise in the corners. Bargain lenses often suffer from chromatic aberration, a failure to correctly focus different wavelengths of color. It appears as purple fringing along boundaries that separate dark and light parts of an image. This tool will reduce the fringing - but don’t expect miracles. Extreme wide-angle lenses can distort horizontal and vertical lines in an image. This usually only presents a problem in architectural photos. Use
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
23
Layers Working with Layers By using layers in GIMP, Photoshop and some other image editors, you can make further nondestructive changes and create composites by combining different photos. Layers can be a little puzzling at first, but once you get used to them, they will become one of your most powerful editing tools. Layers are like sheets of plastic that you stack over an original image. You can increase or lower the opacity of a layer to show less or more of an underlying layer. Brushes that paint black (to obscure) or white (to erase) can be used to block or reveal an element from a different picture. This is how black-and-white photos with selective areas of color are usually created. Levels, Curves, Brightness/Contrast, Hue/ Saturation and other adjustments can also be done on layers. In programs such as Aperture, Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw, you can fix sensor dust spots and other local blemishes nondestructively. You
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
can’t make selective corrections like that in RawTherapee. In Photoshop or GIMP, however, you can create a duplicate background layer to perform tricky healing, cloning and patching edits without damaging the original background pixels. If you edit yourself into a corner, you can always delete the layer you’re working on and try again. Layers can be turned on an off with a click so you can make quick judgments about the effects your actions are having. With layers and your available selection/extraction tools, it’s possible to pluck a nice shot of a bird or a cloud formation in one photo and paste it into a
24
layer for a landscape photo that needs added
A duplicate background layer is a great way to
interest.
selectively sharpen parts of an image. Sharpen the entire image on this layer. If you overdo it, scale
When an object’s shape is simple and well-defined
back the layer’s opacity. Next, add a black layer
against the background, it’s pretty easy to remove.
mask. Use a soft-edged brush and a white
If the subject blends into the background or is very
foreground color to reveal portions of the image
detailed - you’re trying to trace around a person’s
you want sharpened. If you make a mistake and
hair, for example - you’ll be looking at hours of
reveal too much, switch to black and re-paint.
painstaking work. Layers don’t permanently take effect until you That’s why pros who know a background will be
flatten the image. If you wish, you can save the
removed later shoot against a green backdrop.
master image file with all its layers open. That way,
That way, they can select the background color
you can always fine-tune the adjustments. When
with a single click and remove it.
you go to print, save a copy of the master and flatten the image.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
25
The Three Rs
Resizing, Resolution & Resampling Images The Three Rs confuse many photographers who
18MP.) A Small/Normal JPEG will come into your
are just beginning to upload photos to the Internet
editing software with a pixel dimension of 2592 x
and make inkjet prints. With a little practice,
1728.
however, you’ll get to the “aha” moment in no time.
Even the small JPEG is overkill for posting on the Web. You need to downsize and resample it.
Every digital image contains a specific number of pixels along its width and height. The pixel
In Adobe Photoshop or Elements - GIMP handles
dimensions are governed by your camera’s sensor
resizing differently, which I’ll explain later - open
size and the capture quality settings you chose
the Image Size dialog box.
when taking the image. You’ll see an upper box for Pixel Dimensions and a Let’s use an 18MP camera as an example. When
lower box for Document Size. The boxes for
image quality is set to Raw or Large/Fine JPEG,
Constrain Proportions and Resample Image
your image size will be 5184 x 3456 pixels. (Multiply
should be checked.
those numbers and you get 17.9 million pixels, or
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
26
It’s OK to throw out data for Web pictures. You want them to be a small file size so they’ll load fast on a webpage. Adobe offers a variety of interpolation methods when resampling. These algorithms more or less intelligently decide which pixels are best removed or added. Bicubic Sharper usually works best when reducing image size for the Web. Click OK and Image Size box from Adobe Photoshop
you’ll have an image that’s resized for Web use.
Change the Resolution value to 100 ppi (pixels per
Use GIMP’s Image Scale dialog box to accomplish
inch). Specifying a resolution any higher than that
the same thing. Make sure the interpolation
won’t improve the display quality of the image on
method is set to Cubic. GIMP uses a separate Print
a computer monitor.
Size dialog box for printing, which disables resampling.
Most Web images don’t need to be any more than 600-800 pixels on the longest side. Enter a value
Now let’s run down how to prepare an image for
for the longest side, and Constrain Proportions will
printing. Although a digital image contains a
automatically adjust the other side to preserve the
specific amount of pixel data, its specific output
photo’s aspect ratio.
size and resolution is negotiable.
Resampling instructs the software to throw away
Return to that 18 MP image with a pixel dimension
pixels - or add them when you’re upsizing.
of 5184 x 3456. If you uncheck Resample Image,
Whenever you add or take away pixels, image
you’ll see that you’re now prohibited from adding
quality deteriorates to some extent.
or throwing away pixels. To keep the total number
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
27
of pixels the same, the image editor compensates by increasing or decreasing the resolution and document size. At a resolution of 240 ppi, an 18 MP image will make a very nice print measuring 21.6 x 14.4 inches. What if you want to send this image to a custom lab, and it requires a resolution of 300 ppi? Change the resolution to 300; print size decreases to 17.3 x 11.5 inches. What if you just want to print a 6 x 9 on your home photo printer? Adjust the width and height; resolution will increase to 575 ppi. When resolution increases, pixels become smaller so more of them can be packed together. The tradeoff for smaller physical size is a smoother, higher-quality print. The trouble is that a 575 ppi image looks exactly like a 100 ppi image on your computer monitor. Because it looks like resolution doesn’t matter, many beginning photographers think they don’t Image Size box from Adobe Photoshop
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
28
need to shoot at higher resolutions; or, they
Smoother interpolation method usually works best
downsize and resample an image at the beginning
for upsampling.
of the editing workflow. This can compromise the image for printing later on.
If your image editor allows, switch your document size measurement from inches to percent and
For most prints, it’s best to resize your image
enter 110, then repeat. It doesn’t take much
without resampling. Depending on the quality of
enlarging before a picture starts looking blocky
the printer, most larger prints will look good at 240
and blurry.
ppi. Aim for 300 ppi or higher if you’re making a photo book or making smaller prints that will be
Adding pixels is a much more complex job than
viewed at a close distance.
removing data for editing software. If you’re really keen on making poster-size images, check out
Many images can be enlarged 10-20 percent
third-party programs, such as Perfect Resize
without too much harm. In this case, you want to
(formerly called Genuine Fractals).
resample the image to add pixels. The Bicubic
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
29
Sharpening Output Sharpening Before printing, your image will benefit from one last sharpening pass - especially if you upsampled. Be aware that effective output sharpening can take a lot of trial and error and will often make an image appear oversharpened on screen. It can be done on a duplicate background layer. For an average image - one that’s neither high detail nor low detail - a Radius setting between 1.0 and 1.5 is a good starting point. Set Amount between about 125 and 175, and Threshold between 4 and 8. Tweak from there. A finely detailed image requires a much lower Radius - under 1.0 - to avoid halos. You may have to go down to 0.3 or 0.4 for some images. To compensate for the smaller radius, increase Amount to 200-300. Set Threshold at 4 or less. It’s important to not oversharpen a portrait or a smoothly textured image. Use a low Amount setting of 75-125 and a high Threshold of 8-12. You’ll probably need a larger Radius of 2-3 to find and bring out those edges, though.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
It’s not a coincidence that automated sharpening solutions are among the most popular plug-ins for GIMP, Photoshop, Lightroom and Aperture. These complex algorithms calculate optimum sharpening based on print size, resolution, and the type of printer and paper you’re using. Topaz InFocus, PhotoKit Sharpener and Sharpener Pro are some of the leading commercial contenders in this category. If a plug-in undersharpens or oversharpens to your taste, “trick” it by telling it to sharpen at a slightly higher or lower resolution.
30
Printing Basic Inkjet Printing It’s very satisfying seeing one of your images come to life on paper as a finished print. Thanks to huge improvements in paper quality and inkjet printer technology, it’s easier than ever to make large, professional-quality prints from the comfort of your home office. The first step to success is buying a photo printer. You can make good prints with multifunction 8.5 x 11-inch inkjet printers in the $100-$200 range from HP, Canon and Epson. Stepping up to a dedicated
Once you decide on the size of your printer, you
13-inch photo printer offers a corresponding leap
need to make a decision about ink type - dye or
in quality, and price - $300 and up. A 13-inch
pigment. Pigment inks can’t quite match the color
printer can handle cut paper sheets of 13 x 19 and
gamut and high saturation levels that dye inks can,
11 x 17 in addition to 8.5 x 11. Some printers in this
but they’re much more stable and archival.
class can also use roll paper 50-100 feet in length. Paper Choices Although small printers handle standard photo
Most color landscapes and portraits look best on
papers OK, they’ll balk at heavier premium papers.
semi-gloss papers. These are more subtle than
Prosumer photo printers have 6, 8 or more ink
glossy papers and may even include a bit of a
cartridges in their arsenals to produce exhibition-
textured surface. You’ll also see them described as
quality prints. Ink cartridges are larger, too, making
luster, pearl, silver or satin. They’re capable of a
larger format printers cheaper to operate than
wide color gamut and produce deep, rich blacks.
smaller printers over the long haul.
Matte papers offer wonderful surface textures,
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
31
which benefit some photos, but produce more
After you’ve made some great prints this way, go
muted colors and weaker blacks.
ahead and dive into the wonderful ocean of thirdparty inkjet papers. Vendors supply profiles of their
When you first start printing at home, buy paper
papers for the most popular printer models. Most
from the same manufacturer as your printer. The
of them are good but may require some tweaking.
major manufacturers go to great lengths to develop profiles that will help you make prints that
Printing an Image
match what you see on your computer screen.
Printing is handled in your editing software’s print
When you call up a specific paper profile in your
dialog box. First, check that your document is set
print menu, it tells the printer how much ink to
to the right color space - sRGB or Adobe RGB.
spray on the paper and how fast the print head
Next, make sure your editing software is in charge
should pass across the paper.
of managing the color - not the printer. If the software allows you to choose a rendering intent, Perceptual works well for images with intense colors. Portraits and prints with more subtle tones will benefit from the Relative Colorimetric setting. Make sure the Black Point Compensation box is checked. Don’t hit Print yet. It’s also very important to go to the Print Driver dialog box and make sure that the printer’s Color Mode is turned Off. If On, the printer will take over color management. The Print Driver dialog is also where you choose your paper type and print quality.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
32
Color Management Color Management 101 Entire books - and an entire industry - have sprung up to help photographers get a grasp of color management. The goal of color management is to get a very good approximation - not a perfect match - between what you captured with your camera, what you see on a monitor and what comes out of your printer. It starts with your camera. Most DSLRs and advanced hybrids allow you to set a color space when taking photos - either sRGB or Adobe RGB. sRGB is the standard for color on the Internet and works great for a JPEG workflow and all-in-one printers. Most online printing services also prefer the sRGB color profile. Adobe RGB is a wider color space that produces vivid greens and reds. It’s a good choice for landscape and travel photographers who edit in a 16-bit workflow and use mid- to upper-range inkjet printers. If you shoot Raw, color space doesn’t matter until
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
post-processing. You can decide on a color profile when you take your photos from Raw to JPEG or TIFF. When prints come out of the printer with a sickly green cast, the computer monitor is usually the culprit. Calibrating it using your computer operating system’s built-in controls is better than nothing. You’ll get better and more consistent results if you invest in a calibration software package with a colorimeter. Calibrate your monitor two or three times per year. Don’t fiddle with any contrast or brightness settings after you calibrate. The last stop in the color management journey is the printer. However, advances in printer technology have largely eliminated the need for custom printer and paper profiles. Using profiles supplied by printer manufacturers and third-party paper vendors usually provides excellent results.
33
About Kim Kim Komando’s interest in the digital landscape dates back 20 years to include both her first business venture and her college education. Ms. Komando attended Arizona State University, which offers one of the leading Computer Information Systems degrees in the nation. She left her first major in architecture when research convinced her that the opportunities in CIS were better. During her college years, Ms. Komando started her first business. She taught people how to use personal computers. In her classes, she realized how confusing these machines were, especially to adults. She knew that if she could make things easy and fun, people would listen. After college, Ms. Komando accepted a position with IBM selling computers. She later marketed computerized phone systems for AT&T, then mainframe computers at Unisys. But her dream was to go on the radio and teach many more people to improve their lives through computers. Ms. Komando’s reality far exceeded the dream. Her network radio shows run on more than 470 stations in the USA and around the world on American Forces Radio. Her Digital News Network delivers more than 10 million informative and up-to-the-minute digital newsletters to subscribers each week. And, as the digital world has expanded far beyond computers, so has Ms. Komando’s coverage, unraveling the mysteries of smartphones, apps, tablets, Wi-Fi and more. Leading a multimedia empire, Ms. Komando, in addition to hosting radio and television shows, offers a deep, informative and newly redesigned website; offers the best of digital solutions in her specialized boutique shop online; and is a prolific writer of books, e-guides, and author of two weekly columns appearing in more than 100 newspapers including USA Today.
Kim Komando’s Guide to Creative Photo Editing
34
Check out my store for the perfect accessories for your new digital camera. Visit my Store
Facebook facebook.com/KimKomando
Twitter twitter.com/kimkomando
YouTube youtube.com/kimkomandoshow
Why Kim’s Club? • Listen to Kim on your schedule • Get free downloads and access to past shows and videos
Are you in?
• Ask Kim and her expert staff for advice on anything digital • Be entered in Kim’s contests everyday automatically • Plus so much more!
Join Today