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3 Penguins Photography

“by Joe Randeen”

Category Archives: Tips & Tricks

March 28, 2011 Using Transparencies For Delicate Shaped Bokeh Shapes

When it comes to Shaped Bokeh, it is all about the shape of the hole where the light goes through. Heart shaped hole creates heart shaped bokeh, stars shaped hole creates stars shaped bokeh and so on….

If you want your bokeh to be a little more elaborate you have to be pretty darn good with an exacto knife. So crude shapes are fine, but what if you wanted to do something more delicate, like writing a word. I mean, even Dr. Shepherd can only get that precise with an exacto knife. (lady readers in the audience?). [read]

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February 4, 2011 How To Tap Into Your Creative Mojo

Whether you’re a newbie or you’ve been a pro for years, there may be a point when you need a little help tapping into your creative mojo! Hey, even us right-brainers need to refresh our creativity from time to time!

Here are a few ideas to help boost your creativity:

Your camera is your friend

So take him (or her) everywhere with you!I know you’ve heard this before, but here’s the thing:it is easy to remember to bring your camera to scenic places or special events.Try taking it to places that aren’t obviously photogenic.This will train your eye to look out for beautiful things – light, patterns, mood, expressions, compositions – no matter where you are. Finding the best way to photograph different kinds of scenes, light and people is a great experience. [read]

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February 1, 2011 5 ways to stop being a luck photographer {and start taking pictures on purpose}

We’ve all been guilty of taking pictures with our eyes closed. Just go crazy, go on a shooting spree and see what happens. See what happy mistakes you can pawn off as well-thought out, purposefully captured portraits. Here are 6 ways you can identify yourself as a luck photographer:

  1. You take way too many pictures. A one hour session results in 500 shots to sort in your computer
  2. Your sessions take hours longer than they need to
  3. You feel panicky, nervous and out of control while you’re shooting
  4. You can’t explain to someone later on how you made a portrait or the settings you chose
  5. You either shy away from manual all together or you ‘wing it’ and take the same shot over and over with different settings ‘just in case’
  6. Your clients are confused as to why they spent hours with you, witnessed you taking a bajillion photos but they only ended up seeing 20 of them (note: clients will ask this anyway, but the less you rely on luck, the less they will ask)

I have been guilty of all of the above, and not even that long ago. Believe it or not, I’ve been a very good fake at times. [read]

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January 31, 2011 6 Ways to Enhance Your Creativity

No matter what your artistic interests, whether photography, drawing, painting, sculpture, etc., the underlying force behind your work is creativity. It’s much easier to talk about technical aspects of photography as it’s a tangible skill, unlike the more mysterious intangible skill of creative thought.  While every art form is unique unto its own, harnessing one’s creativity is a universal skill.

There are some that might say you either have it or you don’t in relation to creativity, but the truth is we’re all creative. Every child makes believe at some point and lets their imagination run wild, and if I’m correct you were once a child. Creativity is a thought process and one that can be strengthened with practice and exercise. Below are 6 ways I like to get my creative mind working. If you have techniques that work for you be sure to add them in the comments. [read]

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January 17, 2011 Tips for Using ISO Settings in Photography

When you as a photographer – amateur or professional, analog or digital – practice your craft or hobby, you will at one time or another become acquainted with the three letters ISO. If the camera does not get enough light onto the sensor or film, the images will be too dark.

To correct this you can set a higher value on the ISO. All photographers are dependent on light and lighting conditions can be very variable at different locations or times of day. The ISO value is for that reason an important tool that allows the photographer to be able to work effectively in many different lighting conditions.

ISO value has influence on the shutter speed and aperture for any photo shoot. Deep in the rain forest, to a concert or a moonlight walk, where there is little light available, it will by using this tool will be possible to get excellent pictures without using a tripod. This is one of the reasons why the digital cameras has made it much easier to be a photographer. [read]

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January 10, 2011 Tips and Tricks for Better Portrait Photography

Photo captured by Daniel L (Click Image to See More)

We love to look at stunning portraits. The subject may be our friend, family member, a model, or a perfect stranger. A well taken portrait tells us stories, creates some mystery or brings out some memories. Good portraits also reveal the true personality of someone. So how does a photographer capture a good portrait? Below are some tips and tricks.

…8. Get high or get low: Taking portrait is not always shooting at the eye level. Positioning the camera high or low while keeping the focus on eyes brings out interesting features and add different flavors to the portraits. So make the model sit, stand up, climb up to the stool or ladder or stairs and shoot. Or you go high, climb up or position your camera high and shoot. You will have more and more interesting options. [read]

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January 7, 2011 10 Tips to Help You get the Most out of Your New DSLR

With the holiday season now over perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to receive a new DSLR camera as a gift. But once the wrapping paper’s off, you might be wondering where to start.

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your new camera, especially if you’re new to DSLRs:

1) Read the Manual

I know it can be dull as dishwater, but reading the manual will really help your confidence and flexibility when using your new camera. Knowing what each feature or button does can get you out of a jam when you need it. And the chances are your new beast does a lot more than you thought it could.

2) Learn the basics of shutter speed, aperture and ISO

One of the greatest strengths of DSLRs is the level of manual control they offer, which helps you craft each image exactly the way you want it. This is powerful, but it can also seem daunting when you’re confronted with a jumble of numbers and icons on the displays.

The only real way to take advantage of this control is to understand the basics of how shutter speed, aperture and ISO effect each other and the shot you’re taking. [read]

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January 5, 2011 Night Photography Tips and Techniques

"Cable Car" captured by Thomas Hawk

Whether you’re using an expensive SLR, a digital point-and-shoot camera, or a cell phone, you’ll take much better photos when you learn more about lighting and your camera.

Taking photos with a flash often gives ugly results. Washed-out, flat, phony-looking faces with monstrous makeup can ruin your memories of any special occasion. Everything else is so dark it’s useless. Here’s how to take great, natural-looking portraits and photos in low or very low light.

While written for digital cameras, many old film cameras can use these tips, too.

The overall strategy is control or compensation for low light, and using some simple built-in controls on your camera. As with any new tool, the key to getting them to work the way you want is practice, practice, practice.

For light, you can deliberately set your camera to flash, or not to flash. Learn how to turn off the flash and use natural light to obtain better results. The standard icons are a lightning bolt (flash always fires) and a lightning bolt with a bar through it (never flashes). Take one photo with flash, then another without flash, and you’ll instantly see the huge difference. [read]

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January 3, 2011 Edward Horsford Creates Amazing Bursting Balloons Photographs (Interview and Tutorial)

London based photographer Edward Horsford photographs balloons in a very unique way. He freezes them as the leave his hands to explode.

The pictures are taken with a “high tech” DIYed sound trigger, Strobes, and one rusty stick.

The following post which bounces from interview to tech details outlines the way to take such photographs.

DIYP: Can you tell DIYP readers a little bit more about yourself?

Edward: Myself – ha! – I live in London, and work in service design / informatics for an energy company. I previously studied industrial design, so the electronics / build involved in making a trigger isn’t an issue. Photography is usually just a hobby, though I have done the odd bit of commission work. I’m very interested in capturing shots that are unique and not the run of the mill. My high speed trigger was just one way of achieving this. [read]

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December 28, 2010 Don’t Become a Photo”saur”

A lot of people tell me that I’m way ahead of things since I got into video/motion over ten years ago. Most still photographers weren’t even thinking about video ten years ago. Neither was I. Nor did I have a crystal ball. But I am a visual communicator and that means that I am always be looking for the best way to communicate the message or tell the story. And twelve years ago, it became possible and affordable for me to deliver the message with another medium. Not instead of still photography but in addition to it. [read]