Tag: Photography tips

Photography Tips Wide Angle Lenses

A lot of people who start photography think they need a wide angle lens, especially for landscape photography,as part of  a new series I want to start,  photography tips, so I am going to do this one on using a wide angle lenses.  I have to admit I was one of those.  I thought it would be great for everything, I would be able to fit in so much.  I got it and then I started using it and I was disappointed.

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The thing many of us don’t realise when we decide to get a wide angle lens is that while it fits in a lot of the scene, it is also makes everything a lot smaller.  It isn’t as easy to use as you may think.

When I first got my full frame camera to use with my 14-24mm, I thought I was in heaven, but after using it a bit I started to realise what the person who told me how tricky it was to use actually meant.

They are easy to use, but it is best to use them in with specific goals, like emphasising something in the landscape.

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With this I was trying to show the flowers in a burnt environment.  I went up close to the flowers, and it is a good way of using the wide angle.  I think if you are using a wide angle, then getting in the face of what you want to take photos of is the best way to go.

You can enlarge what is in the foreground, but still have something in the background.  It is great for showing the foregrond and the background.  I’ve seen some great images of something in the foreground, and then mountains in the background.

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Filling the foreground with the flowers that lead you to lots more flowers and then the burnt trees in the background.

I think before you get a really wide angle lens it is good to consider how often you think you will do this sort of photography.  I hardly use my 14-24mm now.  I tend to use my 24-70mm a lot more.  I do like the wide angle for architecture, I can get a whole skyscrapper in an image with it.

So if you have a wide angle and want to use it for landscape, remember to get up close to things in the environment and fill your frame with it.

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Predicting Sunsets and Sunrises

Everyone wants to take photos of sunrises and more want to get a good sunset. I did a quick post last weekend on how I get the colours of those, and today I thought I would give you some tips on how to predict whether you will get a sunset or a sunrise.

One of the things you need to keep an eye on for sunrises, and sunsets, is the weather.  You really need to watch the weather forecast.

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Sunrise

To get a good sunrise the weather for the day you want to take photographs has to be bad, or will be changing for the worse.  If the forecast is for a storm that day, or rain, or something that will be worse than the previous day, then the chances are good for a great sunrise.

The other thing you need is some cloud.  Not so much that they block out the sun as it comes up, but scattered clouds.  If you wake up and can see that the sky is overcast, then chances are you won’t get much.  I usually stay home then.  If you see that there are no clouds in the sky at all, you will get some colour near the horizon, but it won’t be brilliant.  Remember the colours are the sun reflecting off the clouds.

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Sunsets

Sunsets work the same way with the clouds, if you want the ribbons of colour, or the brilliant colours in the sky, then you need the clouds.  Overcast and too think clouds will show nothing.  scattered clouds are the best.

Unlike sunrises, the forecast has to be for brilliant weather the next day.  I think it is good if you have a good day and the forecast for the next day is even better.  The better the weather the next day, the better the sunset.

Of course this is what we predict, it doesn’t actually mean it will happen.  It can all seem like the perfect conditions, and then nothing happens, or not much. Then there will be days where you thought you woudn’t get anything and you get something spectacular. You will also get better sunsets or sunrises depending on the time of year and where you live, that is something that you will have to experiment with.

Good luck, I hope this helps you get some great photos of the colours in the sky.

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