help with digital photography

[obsessis]

do you have any tips for me? i just got a canon powershot a520 and the flash on it is really bright for close-up pics. what suggestions do you guys have for taking good pictures? I'd like to contribute more but I have a hard time getting good pics.

what is a good way to set up a little area designed to take pictures in?

 

[zacharydz]

do you have any tips for me? i just got a canon powershot a520 and the flash on it is really bright for close-up pics. what suggestions do you guys have for taking good pictures? I'd like to contribute more but I have a hard time getting good pics.

what is a good way to set up a little area designed to take pictures in?

I usually just disable my flash if I'm taking a close up. As long as you have a decent amount of light in the room, you should be fine.


If you are really anal, you can put up a large grey foam board on one side and add a light source to the side (if I remembered that correctly- its been a while since Ive read it - the foam will reflect some of the flash and the side light will give a more uniform light.)

I have a how-to pdf for digital photography; if you would like it, PM me and I can email it to you.

-Zach

 

[Austin]

I also echo Zach's suggestion about disabling the flash.

 

[roughrider]

I put a normal white piece of paper in front of the flash sometimes. It diffuses it and gives a much better light.

 

[SSLStudio]

Yo Joseph,

dont know about your camera but the first thing to make sure you set your camera to is MACRO Shots . if im not mistaken its a very special configuration of your camera that will know your subject is really really close to the camera like between 3-30 cm. its a special focus lens calculation it will do. this is the way it works on the Fuji F601 Im sure you have to take care when going real close try the manual .

 

[Austin]

Yo Joseph,

dont know about your camera but the first thing to make sure you set your camera to is MACRO Shots . if im not mistaken its a very special configuration of your camera that will know your subject is really really close to the camera like between 3-30 cm. its a special focus lens calculation it will do. this is the way it works on the Fuji F601 Im sure you have to take care when going real close try the manual .

You are absolutely correct. I use the macro feature for the SOTD thread.

 

[roughrider]

A complete review for your camera can be found at the link below.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona520/

 

[Arby]

I too turn off the flash. This will increase the exposure time. Mounting the camera on a tripod will eliminate any camera movement, producing a sharper image. With the camera mounted on a tripod it is also easier to compose the picture.
A good looking model holding the item also add immensely to the finished picture.


Ron

 

[obsessis]

yeah, I don't have a tripod. whenever I don't use a flash it comes out blurry as I cannot hold my hands completely still that long.

 

[mark the shoeshine boy]

ebay has a wonderful set of free tutorials about taking close up pics. they show you how to set up lighting and turn your flash off, and etc....

Just look under the selling section and you will find it.

It really helped me with my close up...

mark the shoeshine boy

 

[guenron]

Greetings Joseph!
A simple, not too expensive approach is to buy a macro tripod. It is a smallish device with three legs that usually extend to about 5 or 6 inches. Be sure that which you purchase is compatible with the screw-in socket (usually) on the bottom of your camera. Then the name of the game is to turn off the flash, set up your shot and use the autotimer (or a remote release) to take the picture with available light. In that way you do not have the problem of shakey hands causing ripples in your photographic composition when the picture's exposure time is greater than a 30th or 60th of a second. The available light approach can be a great deal more fun than flash photography too. In the old days before PHOTOSHOP, folks would actually play with the natural light to get different artistic effects in their photos.
BTW, this kind of tripod usually can be purchased for around $10 give or take $5.