Search Results for: blog invest in the lens

Investing in a Tripod

If the Easter Bunny hopped by your home and neglected to leave you the tripod you requested when you visited him at the mall, then I would suggest shopping on eBay. If you have the means, purchasing a new tripod is ideal, but if times are tight, then consider buying a used one. In most cases you can find decent deals and score a solid tripod in the process. The trick is knowing what to look for. With standard tripods you have two head options. The first is a pan-tilt head, which allows you to adjust it three different ways, … Continue reading →

Invest in the Lens

Recently I updated my camera system by purchasing the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AF-S lens from Nikon. This is a great prime lens and really delivers when it comes to taking portraits. It drastically improved the quality of my photos. They are sharper, brighter, prettier (thanks to the large aperture) and the bokeh is simply beautiful. I can’t wait to use this lens in my upcoming portrait sessions this month. Many people assume that it is better to upgrade your camera body when it comes to DSLRs, but I firmly believe that true quality comes from the lens, not the camera. … Continue reading →

Camera Investments

When it comes to camera accessories, owners of point-and-shoot cameras often feel left out. While it’s true that most of the latest and greatest camera add-ons are designed for expensive SLR cameras, there are still a number of cool accessories that will enhance the picture taking experience for point-and-shoot camera owners, such as camera bags, tripods, and media cards. Unless you are like my mother, who simply wants to press a single button and score frame worthy shots of her grandkids, then you probably enjoy experimenting with camera accessories that will enhance your digital photography. Camera accessories are not cheap, … Continue reading →

Why Invest in a Photo Scanner

So you finally moved into the 21st century and got yourself a digital camera. But what about all those boxes full of loose photos that are cluttering your basement. This might just be the perfect time to finally purchase a photo scanner. Spring cleaning can be made much easier with this simple piece of technology. For those of you who are not familiar with photo scanners they function like a copy machine, but instead of printing out paper copies they digitize photographs, slides, negatives and other records for you to store on your computer. Which means pictures of your son’s … Continue reading →

Why Camera Buffs Should Invest in Silica Gel

If you expose your camera to a variety of different elements then you probably have some silica gel in your home. Silica gel acts as a shield of dry air in an enclosed storage area such as a camera bag. It is a blue colored “desiccant” that adsorbs moisture and condensation. You can tell if it is working because it will change color from blue to white or pink. The color change indicates that the gel has absorbed the maximum amount of moisture. The beauty of silica gel is that even when it has absorbed the maximum amount of moisture … Continue reading →

Summer Shooting in the Great Outdoors

Summer weather is finally here; time to celebrate with outdoor family adventures. Whether it’s a trip to the beach, a picnic at the park or a backyard barbeque with family and friends, there’s no time like the present to get your camera out of hibernation and start shooting a slew of summer memories. However, before you take aim in the great outdoors, there are a few tips to remember so that your photos don’t come back underexposed, overexposed or blurry. For starters, most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a preset white balance setting. If you are shooting on a cloudy day, … Continue reading →

Encouraging Budding Shutterbugs

In addition to soccer camp, t-ball and swimming, this summer my 7-year-old will be enrolled in a photo workshop for kids. The opportunity presented itself last month and I jumped at the chance to sign-up. Fortunately, my daughter is as excited about the workshop as I am. She loves to take pictures and having someone other than mom giving her instructions on how to snap frame worthy shots is a golden moment in my book. This is not to say that parents make bad teachers. Rather, in many cases, having an expert in the field of photography work with a … Continue reading →

Alluring Camera Features

Point-and-shoot cameras have come a long way since the days of the Kodak Instamatic. These days you can program high-tech digital cameras to take photos for you while you simultaneously juggle bowling balls and sip tropical libations on the beach. There is virtually no end to the amount of fab features included on some cutting-edge cameras. One of the latest and greatest trends in camera features is the high-resolution touch screen. Located on the back of the camera, the flat screen allows you to simply tap an icon with your fingertip to change settings. This means no more fiddling with … Continue reading →

Documenting Game Day

If there’s one genre of photography that I find most challenging it’s action photography. For some reason I lack the quick reflexes and focus needed to capture the drama which unfolds on the court, field or in the water. However, summer is just a few weeks away and my daughter is signed up for soccer camp, so I am trying to complete a crash course in action photography in order to document her achievements. Here’s what I’ve learned so far: Camera: I’m all about making do with what you have, but when it comes to snapping high action shots, a … Continue reading →

Dealing with Unpredictable Photo Subjects

Young kids and hungry giraffes; you can’t get much more unpredictable. I learned this first hand during a recent trip to the zoo. My second grader loves animals and can’t resist the urge to feed the giraffes whenever we visit our local zoo. However, trying to capture the moment with my non-Nikon D800 camera proved to be next to impossible. I blame my camera, but there were a number of other factors that contributed to my lousy shots, including poor lighting and my bad vantage point. In addition, I was forced to deal with two very unpredictable subjects. Whereas I … Continue reading →