Camera lenses explained

A camera lens’ specific details and capabilities have a particular use with a particular genre. In order to obtain a great picture, one of the best photography tips out there is to use the appropriate camera lenses to use for the type of image that you want to capture. Here in this article, we will be tackling the most appropriate camera accessories to be used on a particular photography genre as well as its recommended settings:

Lenses for macro / close-up

Macro or close-up photography requires intricacy and detail. This means that you have to be as close as possible to your subject in order to capture the littlest details of the subject. The lens used for this genre usually have fixed lens focal length (usually 50 mm fixed focal lengths) and are capable of putting an f/stop setting of f/2.8 or even higher. There are some camera lens that have variable focal ranges of up to 200 mm that can also be used for macro photography. You can choose whichever you want from these two types of lenses but make sure to equip yourself with appropriate camera accessories such as a lens hood to minimize or control light in order for you to capture the subject’s detail to your liking.

Lens

Lenses for portrait

Capturing portraits is fun as it captures drama and even emotion on each image. Portraits require the “soul effect” which is usually seen on the model’s eyes, thus it is best to use telephoto lenses when trying to capture portraits. You can choose between a telephoto lens with a 70-135 mm or one with 80-105 mm range. Going lower than 70 mm will risk having distortion on the facial features, which is a big no-no for portraiture. On the other hand, going over 135 mm focal length will make the subject appear flat and your image will turn out bland. There are certain ones that have fixed focal lengths that can still be used for portraiture, but make sure to choose fixed focal length lenses that are within the 70-135 mm focal length range.

Lenses for landscape

Landscape photography is actually a mere record of what you see all around when you go to a place where there is nature all around. With this, an appropriate camera lens should have a wide angle feature. Though it is nice to have a body with a full frame sensor as well as the camera lens with the same feature, it is not actually a requirement. There are a lot of landscape images that have used cameras and lenses without this capability but still produced stunning results. The one with a focal length of 18 mm or lower would do the trick and will produce equally stunning landscape photographs.

Photography is a fun and at the same time challenging hobby or even a profession, but you can lessen the challenge by choosing an appropriate camera lens. You can choose from the range offered by the brand of your camera body, or you can choose from cheaper options such as the Tamron camera lenses.   

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ND filters

ND stands for “Neutral Density” and its main use is to control the light coming on the camera. The ND filter actually reduces the amount of light thus allowing you to increase your exposure time without making your image look exposed. This is one of the essential photo filters in landscape photography where a “milky” white running water would add creative effect on the image, and an ND filter allows you to do that.

Graduated filters

This filter actually has two types – one is neutral and the other one is colored. Graduated Neutral Density filters are used mainly on landscapes, wherein you would want to control the light of the background against the foreground. As an example, in capturing a sunset image, it is almost always a difficult scene to capture as the background (usually the setting sun and the sky) has more light against its foreground. An ND grad will help you minimize that light gap, thus producing equal exposure. On the other hand, a colored grad filter has the same function a an ND grad filter  which is to control light gaps. The main difference is that a colored grad filter camera is mainly used for controlling the white balance and even the black and white settings in order to capture the best results.

With filter, without filter

Polarizing filters

Like any other camera filters, a polarizing filter has a light controlling effect on an image. It is usually used in capturing landscapes and it adds vividness and higher contrast to it. It is best to use during the afternoon, where the sunlight is at its peak, and there are not much light gap between the foreground and the background. A polarize filter will add drama to your images as it can make the sky bluer and more natural in the images. A UV filter can also be used in the afternoon, but you would still want to use a polarizing filter for a better look on your photograph.

Creative filters

Creative camera filters’s use is actually a feature that you can do on your image post editing using a software. But certain photographers would still want an in-camera filtering for doing creative images with the use of the play with colors. Creative filters can help you play around with colors. On the other hand, a star creative filter is mainly used at night in order to help create a “star effect” on fixed light sources such as light bulbs.

Camera filters are important camera accessories to maximize the potential of your image quality and content. Use the camera filters as you please but be sure to use them appropriately.

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First of all, it is a kind of photography technique wherein it involves a certain amount of time for the shutter to open in order to capture an element. It is often, if not always used in landscape photography and night photography as these genres mostly requires longer exposure times compared to other genres. With this technique, you will be able to capture light streaks, running clouds, create a wonderful sunset shoot together with the use of ND filter or even make running water look milky. These types of accents provide attractive elements that can make the composition of your photo.

In order to capture a great photo using the long exposure technique, there are essential items that need to be noted. Here are some photography tips in order to make a great long exposure photo:

1. Use a sturdy tripod

Using the technique captures a unique element in photography, and that is time. It literally means the technique captures time and everything that moves on the composition will be captured. If you will not use a tripod when capturing photos in long exposure, you will end up blurring everything, including the ones that you are not intending to blur and an ND filter will not put up with it. This is essential especially when you perform landscape photography or night photography.  Any type of unwanted movements on the camera while the shutter is open (or you are performing long exposure) will ruin your photo. So, as one of the important photography tips is to purchase a tripod that can fully handle your camera and make it sure to be steady. Use a tripod to achieve this cloud streak while maintaining the sharpness of other areas of composition during long exposure.

2. Use a remote shutter for long exposure

Taking from the notion of making the camera steady and sturdy during long exposure, using a remote shutter is very important.  The long exposure technique frequently uses the bulb setting of your camera. It allows to stop exposure at any time you need, and as long as you want. This is important because it can capture the right streak of light in night photography, the correct range of clouds, as well as the right mist of running water using and ND filter.

Use a remote shutter to minimize touching your camera during performing the technique

3. One of the cool photography tips to capture light trails – wait for the right moment

Capturing light trails is a fun trick to do using this technique particularly in night photography. A nice way is to set up a sturdy tripod onto your camera and place yourself on a strategic location. Then you can capture moving lights in different colors and take in the right blend of them through your composition. There is no set amount of time in capturing these trails. It’s mostly done through experimentation which makes it more challenging and fun when using the technique in capturing light trails.

Place yourself on a strategic location where you can capture light trails in multiple colors

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1. Use the right accessories

In order to capture good night photos, long exposure is needed, and this method requires steady camera for a certain period of time in order to capture as much light needed. To make the camera steady, the use of tripod in night photography is a requirement. To add to the steadiness of the camera, you can use a remote shutter to avoid touching the camera while it is in use. Also, the best city images can be captured using a wide angle lens, so make sure to have this to have more coverage and create a composition that you want.

2. Look for a good composition and take it from there

Cityscape photography has a lot of things to offer in terms of composition. With the array of buildings lit at night or just about the blue hour starts, it is a delight for the eyes to see and record them through good night pictures. Roam around the cityscapes first on just about the golden hour starts to check the lightings and positioning. This way, you can find a good composition just in time to capture city images at night.

3. Additional light sources

Night photography requires light in the darkness, but not a lot of it. Putting much light at night will not make good night pictures but rather make it bland and too normal. Look for additional light sources to add drama to your city images – may it be from the rays from the golden blue hour or a light post.

4. Capture light trails for added drama on the composition

Shooting in long exposure mode at night gives out a chance to play with colors of light. Moving lights such as in a car’s headlight is a good additional enhancement to your composition. This is one of the good things in night photography in which you can play around to find the best composition for you.

5. Obtain a Starburst effect on non-moving lights

The long exposure method captures much light as it can with reference to the time the camera shutter is open. To add more drama to the cityscapes, use f/16 setting to have a starburst effect particularly on non-moving lights. This wills surely enhance your already good night photos that are worthy to be used for Christmas photos.

6. Shoot in RAW format as much as possible

Night photography has a number of drawbacks specially when capturing city images. A glare from a light post can ruin your supposedly good night photos requiring it to be removed during post processing. Shooting in RAW mode is essential in order to fully maximize your editing capabilities during post processing.

These are just some of the photography tips that must be followed in indulging in night photography. After all, there is more to it than shooting in long exposure method.

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1. Plan ahead

Since landscape photography is a type of genre that requires timing. Always ensure to plan ahead. A stormy day is not friendly to taking nature photos so make sure that the weather will be in favor of you on the location that you want.

2. Use appropriate accessories

Camera positioning and sturdiness is an important trait in landscape photography. In order to do this, install your camera on a strong and steady tripod. Select a kind that can withstand strong winds and at the same time secures your camera against its weight. Light is the most important in nature photography so it is best to put in filters to accentuate the sun during golden hour. Filters also allow you to increase exposure time which will accentuate the beautiful landscapes by creating cloud streaks.

3. Be patient

Good nature photos generally comprise of the sun, and it is always a visual treat if landscape pictures have them or even just a hint of the sun’s rays. Nature’s daily phenomenon such as the blue hour, golden hour or blue hour will surely accentuate your landscape pictures and make it stunning. Wait for the perfect and let nature emphasize the composition

4. Perfect composition for landscape photography

In outdoor photography, there are quite a number of compositions that you can use. Colorful trees during autumn or snow capped mountains during winter would do the trick. But putting up a lot of subjects in landscape pictures creates confusion for the viewer thus making it unattractive. Ensure that your subjects are kept to a considerable amount to avoid confusion and increase appreciation on the photos and always use the rule of thirds. This is important to create beautiful landscapes and emphasize what is the most important in the composition.

5. Shoot in RAW, if you can

Shooting nature photography in jpeg mode is fair enough but it is not friendly for capturing beautiful landscapes. In shooting for landscape pictures, there will always be unwanted scenes such as misplaced glare during golden hour or uneven lighting during the blue hour. These scenes require editing and shooting it in RAW is the best option.

Shooting landscape photography is a challenging task but produces satisfying results if done properly. By following the photography tips, outdoor photography will become easy.

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1. Choose which subject to emphasize, and focus on it

In bokeh photography, the subject is still the point of emphasis, much like any other photography genre. The main difference in capturing bokeh photos compared to others is the other point of emphasis is its background. Now here is the trick in order to create a best effect – look for a subject the fits your fancy, and then look for the best angle that has the best background that perfectly accentuates your subject. The bokeh background is as important as the subject. In creating bokeh photos so make sure you carefully choose both subject and its appropriate background.

2. Use the appropriate gears

In creating this effect, one of the best photography tips is to use the appropriate bokeh lens. There are certain types of lens that can maximize the blurring of backgrounds, and these are the types of lens that you should use in bokeh photography. In using these lenses, creating the perfect bokeh lights will be easy as these lenses can go up to an aperture setting of up to f/2.8 or even f/1.4. With this kind of setting, the blurring of backgrounds will be maximized which create very good bokeh images.

It is not always appropriate to set the camera to its highest aperture setting though, as there may be cases of getting the appropriate bokeh background in f/4.0 or even f/5.6 setting. It is sometimes a case to case basis, and it is enjoyable to play around with your camera settings in order to create the needed bokeh effect in your images.

3. Use the background wisely and get perfect bokeh effect

One of the perks and also the challenges in obtaining the best bokeh effect is using the background wisely. There may be instances where the subject is well emphasized and focused, but the background is not used well. This creates a bland  effect and could not create the right image. In photography, the background is almost as equal to the subject in terms of importance, specifically its blurring.

Creating a bokeh effect in images is fun. It will boil down to how you manage the subject and its equally important background.

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