Ten Tips For DSLR Shoppers

Even though technology has given the market affordable and convenient point and shoot cameras with all the fixings, like Image Stabilizers and large megapixel sensors, the DSLR is still a regular on the Christmas Wish List.

And now that prices for DSLRs are in the affordability range of many consumers, the larger camera format is being bought up at the fasted pace in history.

This "tip list" will provide some pointers for shopping for both new and used digital single lens reflex cameras, DSLRs.

TIP #1:   Buying used means be thorough. Do not buy DSLRs without chargers, and inspect cameras and lenses for defects. Don't buy foggy lenses or gear that is dirty. Test equipment and make sure everything works correctly. Check battery compartments for corrosion. Inspect viewfinders and shutter mechanisms. Inspect the sensor.

TIP #2:   Buy gear you need, and avoid impulse buys. If you know you need a telephoto lens and you own, say a macro 60mm, then don't buy a macro 100mm. Get the gear you need to enhance and expand your photography.

TIP #3:   Researching reviews is a great way to gain knowledge about camera, lenses, and gear. Websites like B & H Photo Store and Photozone.com, offer reviews and expert analysis of the gear you want to purchase. YouTubers such as Karl Taylor have informative videos about all sorts of gear. View these platforms diligently. Cameras with high ISO capabilities, or lenses with macro, are often reviewed regularly. Flash units and diffusers are in "how-to-use" format, and offer simple lessons. These videos can expand your consumer knowledge, use them.

TIP #4:   Ebay and Amazon are great outlets for bargain shopping DSLR gear. From closeouts to refurbished specials, these sites offer many outstanding deals. Camera manufacturers and superstores like B & H and Costco also offer awesome bargains. Search excessively and find deals that have good warranties.

TIP #5:   Craigslist is the best local advertising market for camera gear. Be ultra-picky as this site is very good but with some kooks thrown in. Be a smart consumer...

TIP #6:   DSLR cameras are getting more compact and with more features. The Canons and Nikons that used to dominate the DSLR landscape are now accompanied by Sonys and Sigmas. Test these cameras at your local camerastore to see which one you like best. Different ergonomics and user interfaces may provide the answers to questions like, "What should I buy?"

TIP #7:   Features are a dime-a-dozen. But the cameras these days are built for many specific uses. A person who wants to shoot sports or wildlife, will want to choose a camera that has a fast burst rate for the shutter. Cameras such as Canon's 7D, that shoot eight frames per second, are the most logical choice for the consumer who can afford the 7D's $1500 price tag. But if that is out of your budget range, knowing that the 70D, at almost half the 7D's cost, shoots six frames per second. Not bad...

TIP #8:   Understand that any DSLR is a complicated tool, and that a camera such as the Canon Rebel series, has "auto" settings for the consumer market. Cameras like the Canon 7D and the Nikon 600D, are professional cameras and do not have settings like "Sports" or "Close-up" macro.

TIP #9:   Renting gear can be a great way to test lenses and even camera bodies. A potential buyer who has wide-angle lenses on that wish list, can test Sigma's 10-20mm, Canon's 10-18 and 10-22mm, Tamron's 10-24mm, and whatever else is out there, Testing telephoto lenses will let the photographer know about quality and long zoom ends, and how these big lenses act on a tripod. Testing gear is an essential part of the buying process.

TIP #10:   Prices vary sometimes greatly for the DSLR market. Just a few months ago, I was printing some jpeg 4 x 6 photos, and Fred Meyer had a Canon T3 on clearance for $269. The kit lens is of course the EFS 18-55mm IS, but what a deal. Search every camera outlet, from Walmart to Costco to The Shutterbug. The results can be spectacular.




All photos COPYRIGHT  Ronald Borst

Ten Tips For Late Autumn Photography: Shooting Gray Skies

I live in western Oregon, where late Fall turns skies gray and dull. Photography may seem bland during those increasingly shorter days, but dynamic photos are indeed possible. Searching and finding provocative shots means diligence.

For any photographer, light is the key. Late Fall doesn't offer much light on cloudy, rainy days, and our first goal is to determine what time holds the best light for a particular photo. Landscapes, street shots, and portraits all require specific light, and the December weather tells us that mid-morning and afternoon are prime spots to catch timeless images.

Both color and monochrome photography is alluring during these months. Color can be subjective and popping with energy, especially against a backdrop of gray skies and dreary landscapes. Black and white shots can show depth of contrast between say a gray sky and holiday shoppers on a crowded street.

The key is find contrast and lines. Architecture is a perfect example of this, but so is tall grass, flowers, raindrops on a car, etc...

Sunny days are of course great for any photographer, professional or hobbyist. But the same rules apply to sunny and cloudy days in Fall. The object of any shooter is to find interesting photos that tell a story. Look for the same contrast and detail. Find tension and lines that draw the viewer inside the photo. We want to viewer to say "Wow."

Here in the Pacific Northwest, humidity in Fall is mostly in the 90% area, and the weather while we are out photographing is often misty. This means that moisture can accumulate on the lens. Keep a constant eye on your gear and use microfiber cloth to keep lenses perpetually clean and clear. I even use lens hoods to keep water off the lens, especially in misting, showery weather.

On those days that are dark, looming gray skies and gloomy afternoons, use your camera's ISO to get faster shutters. I tend to use higher ISOs for black and white shots as well, as the grainy look sometimes portrays a certain grittiness about inclement weather and wide open settings. Street photography is a good example of this, as we often see the expressions that accompany fall and winter and the outdoors, whether it be a scene from downtown or a setting of nature.

Fall and even rainy winter days in Oregon's Willamette Valley, are photo opportunities. Use these ten tips to dial in bland days and capture dynamic images from those days. Remember, have fun!

Tip #1:   The first thing to do when you are shooting outdoors in weather, is be prepared. Carry gloves in your bag as well as raingear. This includes gear for the camera gear. I have a few "rainsleeves," and I use my ballcap to cover the lens if I use a timer and a tripod. Rubber boots are a great idea if you are shooting in nature. An umbrella is great for around town. You get the idea.

Tip #2:   Set your camera up as you leave the house. Meter ISOs until you find a range you are comfortable with. I usually start at ISO 800 for cloudy days.

Tip #3:   Use fast prime lenses. A fast lens is a lens with an Aperture opening of f1.8 or faster. Some lenses are simply not fast enough. My macro lens, the Canon EFS 60mm f2.8, is just too slow. Use fast primes like a 50mm f1.4, this tactic will allow for faster shutter speeds and potentially deeper depths of field.

Tip #4:   Framing photos is a very basic skill, and on our dreary and drab outdoor days, this fundamental skill can be the most important skill to have. Finding contrasting settings within these green-gray scenes will make photos pop with excitement. When metering a frame, use the viewfinder to examine all four sides of your shot. Do this obsessively.

Tip #5:   Set the tone. Fall is color fading to the icy blue of winter. Capture those stories, a windblown tree that has but a few leaves left, a macro shot of dewdrops on one of those missing leaves...these are the scenes of Fall.

Tip #6:   Faces. This is often a tip for any photography lesson. Faces are emotion. Find those candid scenes. Find the smiles and the scarves of people. Ask permission for photos if needed.

Tip #7:   Look for light. A dark downtown street with streetlamp light hitting foot-traffic in misty, blustery weather, can tell a story and provoke a wow response from the viewer.

Tip #8:   Know your sunrises and sunsets. The hours are getting shorter. Anticipate when and where the best light will be according to these times.

Tip #9:   Keep a journal of places where great light hits at specific times. In Portland, Oregon, a particular and photogenic streetcorner gets lit up at a certain and recurring time. Know information such as this, and keep it in a place that you can refer to it.

Tip #10:  Use a tripod and flash. Even with neat light, a flash can illuminate your subject and create a sense of closeness, regardless of the image tone. Exposing your subject is the key.

All photos COPYRIGHT Ronald Borst



Added 11-21-2016:

Telephoto Landscapes, and Why a 70-300mm Lens Can Shoot Nature Lanscapes

Traditionally, landscape photography has been reserved for wide-angle lenses.

When it comes to telephoto lenses, landscapes were hardly mentioned, if at all. That has changed in recent years. Today, long lenses are not only adequate for landscape photography, they are spectacular.

Photo 1

I own Canon gear. The 7D paired with the EF 70-300mm is mostly what this article will showcase, but lenses like the 70-200, 100-400, and Tamron's 150-600mm are also the focus of this article.

Landscapes such as rural farm-fields and mountain passes, often provide gorgeous scenes to photograph, and are frequently accessible by car. In the barn scene above, I shot from the road, twenty feet from where I parked.

Urban settings, such as a falling sun above a city skyline, are perfect for the long zoom lens. Even at 300mm, shots that invoke a big perspective, are numerous. In the same breath, a forest mountainside shrouded in fog, can solicit responses normally reserved for wide-angle lenses.

Photo 2

Landscape photography has historically shown us huge scenes, with massive foregrounds and towering backgrounds. To be fair, the long end of telephoto lenses are at a disadvantage in this regard. But my 70-300mm is not useless at 300mm, in fact, it is quite capable.

Settings that offer contrast and tension, and a sense of dramatic fury, are best photographed at 200mm and 300mm, if you are shooting the long telephoto. Traditional wide-angle use is good, no doubt, but in the scene above(Photo 2), the long angle works better, and captures the setting precisely. We see the fog burning off, swallowed up by a sun-drenched conifer forest, one that is recovering from logging. The photo leads us to believe that the sun was not shining bright here an hour ago. The scene was gray-green, shrouded in fog. Bland and almost colorless is becoming sunshine before our eyes.

Of course, nature provides us with large, expansive scenes, rich with color and detail, and spread out in a panorama view, as we stand on mountains. In those moments, a wide-angle lens is most useful. The fertile Willamette Valley where I live, offers farmlands full of wide landscapes, picturesque flower fields, and still-life photography that cannot be beat. Having the wider lenses is ultimately useful here.

Photo 3

The above photo of the Alsea Valley in the Oregon Coastal Mountains, was shot at 27mm with Canon's standard consumer kit lens, the EFS 18-55mm. The picture illustrates the scenery at wider angles, but also shows us that photos exist within this photo. Zooming in here to 200 or 300mm might add some drama to a photo by establishing a defined subject. An example is the aspen trees and the homestead. The presence of logging in the hills so starkly placed, may create a more expository setting. Descriptive photos tell a story, and as photographers, we should try and remember that.

Photo 4

Understanding our lenses is crucial to finding settings for the camera to capture. Flowers and plants, for example, can be perfect subjects for a zoom lens to shoot a landscape. Even at 70mm on my 70-300, landscapes are vivid and large. The scenes are typical photography. Meaning, photos are perspectives of the world around us, and capturing those moments means using whatever lens you might have on the camera at that time.

70mm on a Canon 7D.

Ten Tips For Beginner Wedding Photos

Weddings are fun and ultra-memorable for everybody in attendance. But in regard to photos, the bride and groom are the only critics. Making them happy about their wedding photos can be both satisfying and stressful.

These ten tips will help you get going:



Be prepared. Knowing your gear is crucial, but know your wedding party as well. Meet with the bride and groom, and discuss details like when to do portraits, who the parents are, what photos are important to them, etc.

Know the venue. If the wedding is outdoors, scout for portrait backgrounds. Inspect where the sunlight will fall during the ceremony. Use this light to your advantage. If your venue is indoors, check the place out. Knowing what you are up against will help you prepare.

Of course, shots of the bride and groom are most important. But the wedding is an event, treat it like you are documenting it. Photograph scenes that will be reminders of the beautiful day.

Hire a second shooter. Even if it is another friend with a camera. Angles and perspectives are important. And two photographers are better than one.

Know the shots. What this means is, get the ring exchange, the "You may kiss your bride," and the signing of the marriage license. These shots are most important.

Work Hard. Generally speaking, there are no breaks for a wedding photographer. Even when food is served, photos may be available. Don't take a break, just keep looking for shots.

Posed photos are easier than shooting candids, and will offer a better look back at this wonderful day. Don't be shy, pose your subject.

Like I said, candid photos are awesome. But don't overdo it. Let real-life shots come to you, as forcing the photo will result in useless shutters and poor photos. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunity.

Guests are important to the bride and groom. Capture these people for lasting memories.

Diversity and creativity is important. Photographs of different people, different angles, and different light, can lend perspective to this forever event. Make the memory last vividly, by shooting a wide range and by shooting black 'n' white. Be creative.