Composition in photography: Figure to ground relationship
The figure to the ground relationship is one of the most important, but often overlooked concepts in photography. Painters have been using it for ages, but with photography, the methodology is a bit different, so it’s not always easy to translate painting tools. A good figure to the ground relationship is considered when the line between the subject (figure) and the background (ground) is clearly visible. The line between the subject and the background is clearly visible Think shapes and contrast A photograph is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional space. The surface of a photograph is made [...]
Fun with Multiple Exposures
Cameras can capture all kinds of fun and my firm belief is that when we color outside the lines – play and not take things too seriously – we learn. I’ve been hand blending photographs for years. I love taking pictures of a subject from a lot of different angles. This method usually requires that I keep the subject in the middle of the frame and shoot anywhere from three to 20 shots. I load them as layers into Photoshop and then turn everything off visibly except the bottom layer. I then start blending from the bottom up until I [...]
365 Photo challenge: Take a photo a day – you will thank us for it later
365 Photo challenge: Take a photo a day – you will thank us for it later Why do a 365 Photo Challenge? Let’s be honest. New Year’s resolutions do not really work. We opt to do something, but as time goes by, this activity becomes less satisfying. However, if there was a way to improve your photography skills, would it be worth sticking to for an entire 365 days? This is where the 365 Photo Challenge comes in. The idea is to take and post a photo every single day. Whether you choose a certain genre to focus on or [...]
Perspective
Has Instagram ruined or helped photography? Like anything, it depends on who you ask. In my case, the question speaks to high quality photography – not the everyday snapshots which abound ad nauseam. It used to be that I could pack up my camera and travel near or far and take original photographs. Even if I was shooting iconic scenes or structures, I could do it in a way that made the image mine. Now things have changed. Everywhere I go there are people taking pictures with cameras or phones. If I go to a well-known site, there will be [...]
Don’t Waste Social Media – it’s a powerful tool!
Social Media – loved by some and hated by others – and not used often enough in the right way to benefit your photographic growth. Seven years ago, I was issued a challenge by one of the most gifted photographers I know. I was whining about how I couldn’t identify a genre to focus on – how I felt my work was stagnant – like I said – whining. He issued me a challenge that utterly changed my photographic path – accelerated my learning curve – and set me free to explore my own potential. I won’t issue that challenge [...]
ICM – Intentional Camera Movement
All of my life I’ve been chasing what I see out of the corner of my eye; those elusive visions, slightly blurred and a bit magical. But when I turn and focus on them, they disappear into ordinary. I wanted to learn how to capture that state of blur. It’s what caught my eye in the first place – I think it’s worth chasing. If you stop and think about it, most of what is in our field of vision is out of focus. Our eyes are only able to focus on a very small area. Our true [...]
Think Before You Shoot — Bring Home Photographs You Love
Travel photography always creates a sense of urgency in me. When I arrive at a new place I can easily be overwhelmed with awe. Sights, sounds, smells and fatigue all conspire to overpower my brain. My urge is to try and capture it all, and it takes conscious effort to slow down and organize my thoughts. The places I've been privileged to see are wildly amazing and it's a challenge to bring home images that match my experience. Itʼs also a challenge to bring home images someone else hasnʼt already taken – to find something original at places like the [...]
Top 3 Mirrorless Cameras in 2019
Mirrorless cameras are all the rage right now. Compact, portable and built around the same sensors used in DSLRs, mirrorless cameras are capable of fulfilling all your photography wishes. The main difference between a DSLR and a mirrorless camera is the lack of a mirror, needed to divert light to the viewfinder and show the scene. This makes mirrorless cameras smaller and lighter, giving them faster on-sensor focus and making necessary an EVF – electronic viewfinder, which shows real-time changes to the scene as you change camera settings. But with so many brands and hundreds of models, it [...]
The 10-Point Guide to Find the Right Trip At the Best Price Every Time
We know a lot of our users are avid travel photographers, so we asked one of our pros to give us his insight into what makes the best trip. These tips have been compiled by a travel photographer who has been all over the world, so these tips will definitely change the way you travel. — The SlickPic Team As a long term married couple, we are very lucky to be able to travel and go on long haul holidays at least eight weeks each year. In recent years, the way people travel has very much changed and the days [...]
Top 3 DSLRs in 2019
With new camera models coming out every few months, it is difficult to choose which camera to go with. However, one advantage of growing technology and increasing number of camera models is that now, it is also difficult to choose a camera that won’t suit your needs. Any average camera body today will give you the results you want. A megapixel count of more than 12, a decent autofocus system and additional features like Wi-Fi, touch screen LCD and shooting speeds of 6 to 8 fps – these are all common now. And if you really know how [...]
Beginners’ guide to composing a brief and simple photo story
Brief simple photo stories - Visualizing the story and accordingly shooting appropriate photos. Photo stories till date remain one of the highest forms of story telling. Incidents portrayed in the form of a series of well composed, content rich photos, while aesthetically pleasing, continue to be one the most attractive and arresting form of documentary. The power of illustrations, even when simplistic, is self evident. I did this simple photo story on road layers as part of one of my projects. A common enough occurrence.....but several photos documenting the process of work and the people when strung together complete a [...]
Canon 77D: The best vlogger camera?
The Canon 77D created a lot of buzz when it was launched in February 2017. Packed with features from the beginner Rebel series in a 70D body – and named as if the younger brother of the advanced 80D – people were confused as to where exactly place this crop-sensor DSLR. But that is, in fact, the redeeming quality of this camera. A combination of the Rebel simplicity and price with advanced features like Dual Pixel AF and a Digic 7 processor, the Canon 77D really is an all-round camera for almost any type of shooter. This 24 MP camera [...]
How to create 365 Challenge on SlickPic, Step by Step instructions
Check out our blog post on why you should start the 365 Photo challenge: Take a photo a day – you will thank us for it later Click here for a short How-To video or continue reading for step by step instructions: 1. Go to Organizer – click Organizer on the top menu 2. Click Album Menu (1) and Create new album "Project 365"(2) Once created, refresh the screen and it will look like this: 3. Now Click the Project 365 album to open it and Create albums for the first month inside Project 365 album. Type in the month [...]
Introduction to Panning – Basic techniques and a beginner’s guide
Panning a moving subject properly....well it usually creates stunning results. A blurred background with a mostly crisp, slightly blurred around the edges, subject.....by definition a pan, is a matter of practice. Certain basic rules apply though.. SLOWER SHUTTER SPEEDS The most important rule. Shutter speeds by definition need to be slowed down to allow tracking a subject over a period of time. This creates the beautifully blurred backgrounds. Shutter speeds depend on the speed on the moving subject. Fast moving objects may need around 1/60th of a second. Most often 1/15th to 1/30th provide good results. But [...]
Composition in photography: Depth of field
If you are new to photography, you may have heard about something called depth of field, but you are not entirely sure what it means and how to take advantage of it. Depth of field is basically the zone of sharpness in a photograph. In every picture you take, a certain part of it is in focus and some of it is not. When the zone of sharpness is small, we call that a shallow depth of field. Otherwise, when a large part of the image is sharp, that is a large depth of field. Let’s take a look at [...]
Nikon D5600 Review
Combining the simplicity of the D3000 series with many advanced features of the D7000 series, the 5000 cameras have been a big hit for Nikon. Coming just 18 months after the release of the excellent D5500, the Nikon D5600 doesn't seem to be a big upgrade. Let us see if the new connectivity features and other minor changes add up to a camera worth buying. Nikon D5600 Body Body design and Controls The D5600 is a very compact DSLR, although it is still bigger than most mirrorless cameras. It weighs just 670 gm with the 18-55 [...]
Leica M10 Rangefinder Review
Leica, the relatively small German company, has been known to be unconventional. With different body designs, specs, menu systems and price tags, a Leica release always demanded attention. Beginning from the M9's raging success to the controversial M Typ 260 and the Monochrom, Leica experimented and kept coming closer to the perfect rangefinder mark. Let us see if the new Leica M10 rises up to the expectations and finally gives us the expensive but exceptional Leica M we've always wanted. Leica M10 Front Body Design and Controls As always, the new Leica M10 is a gorgeous [...]
Seizing the moment – Anticipating, identifying and capturing the right moment in street and documentary photography
Street and documentary photography is a genre of photography where the sense of timing, more than anything else, usually differentiates a good photo from a not so good one. Banks of Hooghly Photographers have continually stressed on getting the timing right and discussions continue to focus on anticipation, preparation and techniques. Similarities The all important sense of anticipation A term is often used....."working the scene". That's when you make sense of a scene by moving around, observing a scene from different angles, looking for interesting subjects popping into the scene and building [...]
Evaluate your photography to get better results
Before you fall in the trap of simply snapping away and wondering why your photos are nothing like the professionals, it might be time to evaluate your photography and look at some photo critique. By taking a step back, it might be a lot easier to determine what elements are missing from your work. Eventually it becomes much easier to read a photograph and distinguish between what works and what does not. Make sure you have one main focus point Before you press the shutter button to take your next photo, you need to ask yourself one question. What [...]
Photography exercises that can help you become a better photographer
Whether you are a wildlife photography lover, beautiful scenery takes your breath away or snapping people, it might not always possible to get out into the field and practise and improve your skills. That next holiday might still be a couple of months away, but this does not mean that you can’t shoot and become better. By looking at photography exercises for beginners, you too can improve in the comfort of your own home. ‘Practise makes perfect’ is an overused and clichéd phrase, could not be further from the truth. The more you use your camera, the better value you [...]