Photography Tips, Tricks, and Know-How

So exposure bias is a way of controlling what the "correct" exposure is. - Benjamin Golub

A good way to see this happen is to flip your camera to program (P) mode, look through the viewfinder, and watch the shutter/aperture change as you dial in different exposure bias. - Benjamin Golub

Is there much benefit to exp. compensation when shooting in Manual? I shoot manually and have never fiddled w/ exp. compensation but on one or two occasions, just to see if any change occurred. Did not notice anything so have not returned to it. - JA Castillo (جاسون)

No, there's no benefit to it in manual mode. In manual mode, you just look at the meter and underexpose or overexpose to do the same thing. - Wirehead

Ah, so it's more a function for those modes outside of Manual. Very well...thank you! - JA Castillo (جاسون)

Smart Sharpen Redux and GREYCstoration noise reduction are my go-to tools in Gimp. - John Flinchbaugh

Noise Ninja's the only one I use currently but I want to take a look at Topaz Adjust. - ronin

Alien Skin's Exposure (http://www.alienskin.com/exposur...) & OptikVerveLab's free "Virtual Photographer" (http://www.optikvervelabs.com/) - Nathalie

What everyone say that Noise Ninja (with your camera's profile files) is the best for noise reduction? I've used it in the past but think it's not free, right? - Kol Tregaskes

Noise Ninja is about the only plugin I use. It's not free, but it's really quite good. - Angelo

can't wait to see some answers on this one as I've been searching. I rarely use actions to touch up my shots. I have a lensbaby action that I use on occasion as well as a few "border" actions. - Nathalie

I cannot find the specific link but I've used the actions from EpicEdits for a while now, very good: http://blog.epicedits.com/ - Kol Tregaskes

Most used PS Action for me is probably Urban Acid; I just love the look. - Mark

Mark, yes I've used that a lot in the past too: http://www.flickr.com/search... - Kol Tregaskes

i second that. i'd love to do that too. - Roberto Bonini

:-) - Kol Tregaskes

Make that three people who'd love to do that :) - Holger Eilhard

Anyone else? :-) - Kol Tregaskes

A friend of mine was taken on as photographers assistant by a pretty well-known fashion photographer without experience. I think he's looking for someone new, but he's based here in Seattle. - Kevin Pedraja

Ah, cool. I think I'll be needing something a little closer to home. But good to know pro photographers take on inexpierienced assistants. :-) Thanks, Kevin. - Kol Tregaskes

I *really* want this job though. This sounds ideal!! A job I certainly would enjoy; travelling around London AND taking photographs. It honestly sounds bliss to me. - Kol Tregaskes

The only thing in my favour is my photography site: http://squashyfrog.com/, my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos... and that I've been around a lot of London photographing it already (be it more in a tourist kinda way): http://www.flickr.com/photos... - Kol Tregaskes

I don't have much to say on this, but I think the key requirement is not your photographing skills, but more your ability to edit and present photos. These guys produce brochures and you need to be able to help them with that. If you can show this in your CV, your coverletter, or through real-life examples (e.g. study some real-estate photos, make a brochure, and send it to them), then I think your chances are good. - Vincent van Wylick

Thanks, Vincent. Yes, very good point. - Kol Tregaskes

Kol - in the requirements, it says NOTHING about having prior experience as a photographer. So I agree with Vincent. Prove that you are right for the job by demonstrating the skills they do require in your CV and elsewhere. Do some research, find out what commercial photography is all about and go take some pictures, edit them and post them on a separate website just for sharing with the hiring manager of this position. Good luck! - Justin Korn

Thanks, Justin. - Kol Tregaskes

What do you think it means by GIS concepts? Geographic information system? - Kol Tregaskes

I suspect so, since the job description also mentions walking specific grids. I have GIS for dummies sitting here and it looks pretty good - Joelle Nebbe (iphigenie)

Darn, their online application didn't give me the option to post a covering letter and it went and posted my CV straight away upon registering! :-( - Kol Tregaskes

Hope it works out Kol. :) Property photography isin't my thing. But I must take a look at photography jobs in general. - Roberto Bonini

Article written by Holger: http://friendfeed.com/holgr - Kol Tregaskes

Hope you don't mind posting the photo again :) - Holger Eilhard

Who's blog is that? Who contributes to it? Where does it state what author wrote the linked article? Where on that blog does the author tell you who they are? - Matthew DeVries

@Kol: did you get permission to use this screenshot? ;) j/k - Sean McGee from iPhone

Sean ask Holger. ;-) Holger, you'll probably get a takedown notice. ;-) - Kol Tregaskes

Kol: Guess what, I already have a version with a black bar lying around... ;) - Holger Eilhard

Ah good. :-) - Kol Tregaskes

So that's why that picture has been showing up so much. - John

I deleted the one I'd shared. - Jan - @wordsforliving

Depth of field, FTW. - Derrick

It's what I missed the most since I lost my last SLR... and the excitement of opening up the package of prints to see which ones turned out ok. For the record, 15 out of 24 turned out almost perfectly in focus and the meter seems to judge pretty wisely for most of the shots as I just did my best to center it. - Adrian Culici

I love the top one! - Anne Bouey

I'm sure you've been told a bagillion times...your children are gorgeous! Beautiful pics! - Anna Haro

@Anna - Yeah, the kids tell us everyday. :) - Adrian Culici

The sixth one down is *money*. - Cecily

The chair picture is wonderful, not disparaging any of the others. - Dave - SustainedEuphoria

Thanks Dave/Cecily, I'm starting to like that one a great deal myself. I just started messing with the overall levels and the green channel curves, as it's a bit overexposed and to try to rein in that green and it's responding very well. Nothing beats dynamic range of film. :) - Adrian Culici

Adrian that is geek talk to me, but if it were me I don't think I would touch it. I like natural and flawed things. Such is life. - Dave - SustainedEuphoria

Thing is, it's only a subtle change that's needed. Our backyard is an overgrown jungle with a lot of different colors which are a bit lost in the photo but can be teased out. Levels are essentially brightness/contrast and curves are basically color controls. Sort of... anyway, let me post what I have so far in a sec. It's pretty cool as it's closer to the real thing at that late hour. - Adrian Culici

These are really nice (and you have a lovely model)! That first test roll is always equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking, isn't it? - vicster

My first (and only) SLR was a Minolta 400si, which I lost on the way to the airport to Kansas City. :( - Adrian Culici

That Mamiya is... a REALLY nice camera. I am sad for you! Do you have photos from it that you've shared? - Adrian Culici

Ok, went and got a few rolls of film. Kodak High Definition 400, Kodak Ultra Color 100, Kodak Tri-x 400 (black and white), and Fuji Superia X-tra 800. Shot the Kodak HD roll and so far so good, but we'll see how the prints turn out tomorrow. As far as the shooting experience goes, the Olympus OM cameras are the only SLR's that have a shutter speed ring where the lens attaches to the... more... - Adrian Culici

Hm. Shoot a roll of Fuji Velvia. Eye-opening experience. - Wirehead

I looked for it but the camera shop did not stock it. There is heavy Kodak bias around these parts it seems (Southern California, but I'm pretty sure we live in Kodak Country too) - Adrian Culici

Hm. You need to go to a *good* SoCal camera store. Like Sammy's or Freestyle. - Wirehead

I was at Alhambra Camera which is the closest place to me, but there is a Sammy's in Pasadena not far and I haven't heard of Freestyle but will look it up. :) - Adrian Culici

put a Zuiko 21mm/2 on that for beautiful available light pictures indoors. not cheap but definitely awesome. Eugene Richards used that particular Olympus superwide/superfast lens to make his amazing book 'Cocaine True Cocaine Blue' - Brian Hendrickson

21mm/2 eh? Sounds good I'll look around for it. I've been mostly looking for the 24mm/2.8 (which is readily available on ebay) and a macro lens but I get most of my macro jollies out of my Pannie FZ28 so a fast wide angle lens is much more tempting to me. - Adrian Culici

I have many tranny's and black & white prints but not many have been scanned. I'll see what I can find - Rodney Forte

Good start Russell. Thanks! - Justin Korn from IM

I took Shooting Street People from Marc Turnley several years ago. He said say away from the homeless because they are unpredictable, and some will follow you around. Therefore, I started shooting the homeless. Marc's Flickr page. http://www.flickr.com/photos... - Russellreno

The more outlandish the clothes, hair and look the more they want to pose. - Russellreno

I am more comfortable approaching woman in small groups. Stay away from children and anyone under 21. (But you knew that). - Russellreno

Great tips. I've really been enjoying the BW$P Project (http://bit.ly/tNrfX) I've been doing, which tends to be mostly homeless. I really want to expand on that and have been having trouble working up the courage to ask for a portrait....not sure why. - Justin Korn

Justin. I saw a video by Frederick Van where he interviewed a guy who was offering free lollipops in exchange for a portrait. - Johnny Worthington

Johnny - Thanks! I believe I saw that once upon a time. I should go find it a watch it again... - Justin Korn

I remember seeing a video of a photographer who would just go around, pretty much jumping in front of people and taking their photo. Pretty funny. - Beau (והאראסי) Liening

Beau - I don't want to get killed, so I think I will stay away from that technique :) - Justin Korn

Justin, when you go to a wedding or large family gathering, who do you hang with the most. Find that type in a park and start a conversation. Also, ask the stranger for advice. Tell them about your project and ask them how they would approach someone. People love to give advice. You haven't asked them to pose directly so they are guarding against a sales pitch. In a few minutes you say thanks, can I get of shot of you before I leave? - Russellreno

Interesting tips I just found at this link: http://www.100strangers.com/TipsTep... - Justin Korn

bring donuts - Geoff Schultz

mmmm....donuts. I might eat them all before offering them up :) - Justin Korn

do what liber does. buy a little portable printer and go to street fairs and offer to do portraits of people giving them an instant print out print in the process. - Thomas Hawk

Bring a female friend. - Kevin Fox

Thomas - interesting idea. - Justin Korn from iPhone

This is something that I have been thinking about quite a lot lately as I am trying to build a webpage for my photos. Would love to hear more of your ideas. - John Ford

John - I haven't really thought about it in depth yet, but it would be a major project. I'll be thinking more about it over the next few weeks.... - Justin Korn

Thanks, Justin. Unfortunately, there are no instructions for me to go by and the verbiage in the box just describes what the device does. Hoping to figure this out so shooting w/ my Brownie and Mamiya C330 will be a bit better than "lucking out"! :) - JA Castillo (جاسون)

DIN is what we call ISO today. I have a Sekonic meter that looks like it might date back to the same time as this one; I'll check the manual when I get home to see if I can come up with some instructions. - Cecily

Looks like you might be able to dig up a printed manual -http://www.oldtimercameras.com/stock... - Ken Sheppardson

@Cecily - thanks, that would be much appreciated. I am not able to sort this one out yet! Quick question...if DIN is what we would refer to as ISO today, what is the ASA equal to? - JA Castillo (جاسون)

@Ken - I may have to look into something like that if Cecily is unable to provide some insight. Thanks! - JA Castillo (جاسون)

I'm still looking! - Cecily

OK, here goes nothing (I couldn't find the manual). It looks like first you need to find a DIN/ISO equivalent chart - http://www.film.project-consultant.net/html... - the DIN/ASA/ISO is basically the speed of your camera (or film). Then point the end of the meter toward the center of your light source. The needle on the dial should point to a particular value. Set the... more... - Cecily

I can't make everything out from the photo (I need to see it larger) but you might follow along with the manual for my meter here: http://www.butkus.org/chinon... (don't worry, it's free). - Cecily

Try this link... http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3341... - JA Castillo (جاسون)

It still looks like my suggestion might work, but then again you might be better off trying Ken's link for a specific manual. - Cecily