Cyril’s Press Pass

Having recently purchased a bridge camera (well, more of a point and shoot with some SLR capabilities), a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8, I’m slowly getting back into photography, which I enjoyed a few years ago until my old reflex film camera broke down. I’ve stumbled upon these useful photowalking tips from the Scoble Show, great for gaining some knowledge not only on taking pictures but also editing them.

Picked up a number of things. First of all, always try to shoot in RAW. This is the equivalent of negatives back when film was used. Shooting in RAW is great because it lets you adjust everything from contrast to white balance or exposure afterwards. Using Adobe Bridge to preview images and adjust them is great. I personally use Silkypix, which came with my camera and works fine, though. Afterwards, a few touch ups in Adobe Photoshop are always necessary.

Another thing: get to know your ISOs. This is probably the most important setting to understand on your camera. Depending on the lighting, you’ll have to know what ISO to choose so your picture is not either overexposed or too grainy, ie lower ISO when there’s lots of sunshine and higher for darker surroundings. If you’re lazy you can always set on Auto-ISO but you might not get the best results.

Stabilize your camera. If you don’t have a tripod then use whatever you can: a rock, a bridge, a panel. This will ensure that your shots are clear.

Don’t be afraid to redo your shot if it isn’t right. You have to be patient and try to ignore your surroundings, especially the people around you. At first you might feel a little awkward taking shots in public, but the more you take the less you’ll feel bothered by it.

Forget the LCD monitor, use the viewfinder to take pictures. Working with the monitor is fine if you have a simple point and shoot (and most of them only have a monitor nowadays) but when you’re working with an SLR it’s much better to take pics with the viewfinder. Not only do you focus more on what you’re taking, but you will also get a better idea of what the shot will look like. Pro photographer Marc Sibler says he tells his students to walk around with a cut out rectangular card, to get used to seeing the world in terms of pictures.

That’s all I can think of now. If I come across something new I’ll make sure to post it here.