Canon Digital Learning Center (Page 3)

The Canon Digital Learning Center has added several articles on the newly announced EOS 77D and Rebel T7i DSLR cameras as well as an EOS M-series overview.

CDLC Articles

• What's New: EOS 77D Image Quality Enhancements
• What's New: EOS 77D HD Video Features
• What's New: EOS Rebel T7i's built-in Wi-Fi
• What's New: Expanding the EOS M-series line

You can find preorder links for the relevant gear here.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Joe Papeo

When am I am on assignment to cover a concert, I am generally photographing two bands, the opener and headliner, and usually get to shoot the first three songs of each act. Photographers tend to wait inside venues longer than they are taking photos, unless they are shooting directly for the band. We are usually anticipating the start of the show, trying to do things to pass the time. Sometimes we know other photographers there on assignment, but not always. And that gives you a chance to meet new people. Usually, it’s the fans standing against the rail waiting for their favorite band to start who strike up a conversation with you. They have waited for hours outside on the entrance line, sometimes in extreme heat, or extreme cold, to get the best spot up front. But then about 15 minutes before show time someone like me walks in, and gets right in front of them. And they want to know how…why…who they are.

So we strike up a conversation. These die-hard fans love music, and they, lots of times, have some type of camera on them, taking photos to keep as memories and to share with their friends on social media. And the question I always get from these fans is “How do I do what you do? How did you get started?” So today I am here to tell you the best way to be on my side of the rail.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Written by Ken Sklute and Dave Henry

North America will experience a wonderful astronomical event on August 21, 2017 - a total eclipse of the sun. This hasn’t happened in the United States in 38 years and is the first one to race across the entire country since 1918! This will be the first total eclipse in North America in the digital photography era, and that means that everyone from novice to professional photographers will be able to photograph it.

We are embracing this rare phenomenon and will publish articles, photos and videos between now and August to give you the necessary photographic skills and background information to capture this eclipse.

Considering the path of totality and partial eclipse phases, almost a half billion people will have the opportunity to view at least a partial eclipse. Millions will undoubtedly travel to the narrow path of totality stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. It’s estimated that about 225 million people live within a day’s drive of the path of totality.

Areas north and south of the totality path will see a partial eclipse. The partial eclipse will be visible as far north as the Arctic, and to the south as far as Ecuador and Brazil.

You don’t need to be a seasoned pro. Anybody will be able to shoot this with the proper precautions but if you really want to do it up right, you’ll need to plan ahead.

From the Canon Professional Network:

The EOS-1D X Mark II has won rave reviews since its launch back in February 2016 and to help users get more from its incredibly advanced focusing system, Canon has produced a handy downloadable AF Setting Guidebook for smartphone and tablets.

Update: Whoops! We previously posted the guidebook's availability when CPN made it available back in November. For some odd reason, the Guidebook available via CPN is only 12MB compared to 100MB for the CDLC version (maybe the CDLC version is significantly higher in resolution?).

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Rick Sammon

Photographers are storytellers: we tell a story within the frame of a still image.

What we include in the frame depends on our mood and feeling, as well as the mood or feeling we want to convey. The technique we use to tell that story often depends on several factors, including making a color or black-and-white image (a black-and-white image perhaps looks more creative because some of the reality of the scene has been removed), using a fast or slow shutter speed to freeze or blur the action, choosing a wide or small aperture to minimize or maximize what is in focus in front of and behind the focus point – and perhaps most important: the lens we choose.

In this article I’d like to share my story about a recent trip to the bottom of the world, which included stops in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica. To illustrate my story I’ll share with you the Canon zoom lenses I used and my camera settings on my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and EOS 5DS. My goal is to give you some ideas on how you can tell your story when traveling.

From the Canon DIgital Learning Center:

Welcome back to our “Introduction to Shooting Stars.” In Part I we covered the essentials of getting you ready to shoot. In the second part we are going to cover what to do when you are on location and ready to shoot.

Since we are talking about shooting at night, pulling focus is a little harder than during the day, so this will take a little more time and explanation to cover.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Author: Rick Sammon

Photography is more than just taking, or as I say, making, a picture. It’s about the entire photographic process (image capture and image processing) and the personal experience.

In this article I’ll share with you some of my favorite photographs and experiences from my recent trip to Sri Lanka – a magical destination – documented with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.

B&H carries the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Richard Curtis, Adobe Systems UK Principal Solution Consultant in Digital Imaging, writes exclusively for CPN on how to get the best from Adobe’s Lightroom for mobile app.

B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

The Canon Par Excellence Award recognizes imaging excellence through cooperation between Canon USA, Inc, and the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Announced in 2008 at Imaging USA in Tampa, FL, this award represents the pinnacle of achievement at the PPA regional level.

Canon USA is committed to recognizing and supporting the photographic efforts of the Professional Photographers of America. The criterion for this award set it well above awards initiated by other corporate sponsors, and make it highly sought after. It serves as both an inspiration and an honor to participating members of the PPA.

The Canon Digital Learning Center has posted an EOS 5D Mark IV Tutorial video series narrorated by Rudy Winston.

Topics Covered

• AF Area Select Button
• AF Area Options
• Built-in GPS
• Custom Quick Control Menu
• Basics of 4K Video
• Video AF: Operation and Features
• New Auto White Balance Otions
• Lens Aberration Correction
• Adding and Using IPTC Information
• AF with EOS iTR
• Live View AF

B&H carries the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

In recent years, Canon has expanded its high-end, G-series compact camera line. What was once a line of a single upper-end, full-featured camera, has grown into a line of five distinct, premium cameras. All take advantage of significantly larger imaging sensors than we typically see in compact digital cameras, as well as extensive user-control features which target the enthusiast user who (at least occasionally) wants control and input over various camera settings.
...
NEW: PowerShot G9 X Mark II
The most compact model in the premium G-series. An expert’s compact camera, with numerous user controls, but in a pocketable size and form-factor. 3x (28–84mm equivalent) zoom lens; still has the large 1-inch sensor size, for superior low-light imagery (compared to majority of slim, compact digital cameras).

Preorders
B&H | Amazon | Adorama | Canon USA Store

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

By Ted Hesser

This article will detail practical lessons learned in the vertical pursuit of rock climbing photography. Special attention will be paid to the task of carrying a DSLR around in the mountains and up on the rock wall.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center.

By Michael Joseph

Earlier this year, Canon published my two-part series of articles geared toward photographers that are either working pros or aspiring to eventually make a living in photography, “Photographing People & Pets for the Advanced Amateur or Aspiring Pet Photographer” and “MJ's List of Top 10 Professional Tips on Photographing People and Their Pets.”

This article is geared to help an even larger segment of the population… sharing some practical tips with anyone that would love to do a better job at photographing their four-legged members of the family!

Let's say you have a camera or two and you obviously love your pets just as if they were members of the family. And try though you may, you have the toughest time getting the results you would ultimately like to have. You try and try and your patience runs short… so, you throw in the towel and just give up. Or, maybe you haven't completely given up but you would admit that you are not totally satisfied with your results and realize that there is plenty of room for improvement. If you fall into either one of these two categories or even somewhere in between, please read on and you just might eventually find yourself doing a much better job at photographing your four-legged members of the family... and creating better images without having to accumulate a bundle of equipment, attend classes or apprentice with an expert! Sort of a no fuss-no muss, approach… here we go!

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

In July 2016, Canon released an important firmware update for the C300 Mark II. It turns out they were just getting started. To make things even better, this December 2016 Firmware offers improved camera functions for both the EOS C300 Mark II and, just in case you thought they had forgotten about it, the original EOS C300 as well. This is not a firmware to pass up or ignore because it represents a direct response to requests from users for new or improved camera functionality, and Canon’s overall continued support for Cinema EOS products.

So, let’s take a look at these new updates and how they just might help you on your next job.

B&H carries the Canon EOS C300 and EOS C300 Mark II cinema cameras.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

December is a great month to photograph bright, festive decorations. One of the most eye-catching decorations is also the most challenging: holiday lights. There are many different tricks and techniques detailed below to capture the beguiling colors, glitters, and twinkles – pick the one(s) that work best for you and your equipment, and make the most of this beautiful holiday season!

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Eric Stoner

In my last article “Top Tips for Small Product Photography” I shared with you some very simple techniques and ideas centered around making your product photography stand out from the pack. Whether you’re selling your products online or in person, it’s helpful to have great product photos. The problem for many is that hiring a professional photographer to do this type of work can be costly, time consuming and even more importantly, the final images may not convey your artistic vision. So the old adage of “if you want something done right, do it yourself” comes into play.

The focus of my last article was predominantly based on the premise of using natural light to illuminate your product. It’s free and you can accomplish a lot by simply using window light and reflectors.

This time around I want to expand your palette by introducing flash into the mix. There are several advantages to using flash over window light including the ability to work just about anywhere, anytime and shape the light in limitless ways to enhance your product. There’s no need to rely on daylight so for those of you who “burn the midnight oil,” this is a perfect option for you. In addition, using flash will significantly reduce the chance of blur from camera shake and with the wireless flash options that exist in the Canon system and a plethora of light modifiers available, you’ve got plenty of opportunity to be creative with your lighting.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Rick Sammon

As a professional photographer, I am often asked, “Hey Rick, what is your specialty?” I reply, “My specialty is not specializing.” That’s because I like to do it all, which includes taking studio portraits (illustrated by the opening image for this article), outdoor natural light portraits, indoor and outdoor shots, landscapes, scenic images, HDR and so on — all illustrated throughout this article.

When novice photographers come to me for advice, I suggest not specializing, because I feel that not specializing makes for a well-rounded photographer — a photographer with pictures that might attract a range of potential sales or clients. Plus, getting good at one specialty can help getting good at another.

Lately, I have been photographing with the Canon EOS M5 compact interchangeable lens camera, which I call the lightweight and compact camera for photographers who don’t specialize — because it can do it all.

B&H has the Canon EOS M5 available for preorder.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Keeping yourself constantly inspired as a visual artist is essential to building a portfolio and to creating better, stronger, more interesting work. However, artistic inspiration doesn't always exactly fall from the sky.

Taking on a daily, weekly, or monthly project can really help to enhance creativity and add excitement to your photography.

Try this 30-day photo challenge with yourself or with friends. Maybe you belong to a camera club, an online photographic community, or a friend group with several other photographers. You can use this challenge as a tool to learn from one another by sharing your work for gentle critique and you’ll see how even with the same photographic subject, each person has a unique perspective.

This 30-day photo challenge is a perfect way to expand your photographic style, enhance creativity, and inspire. Play! Experiment! Follow the rules, break the rules, relax, and most importantly have fun!!

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

When’s the best time for photography? When others are sleeping.

Yes, yes, that extra two hours or so in the morning may be tempting. But don’t fall victim to the siren song of sleep – this really is the best time of the day to photograph.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Photographing siblings takes practice, patience and a bit of silliness. Once you know your way around your camera, you can focus on being playful and doing what you need to do to get your kids to play along, so you can get that shot of your little ones together that you’ve been hoping for.