Photography Education (Page 8)
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
In our new Quick Tips series, you get to watch and learn right from Canon Digital Learning Center experts!
Each video will feature a Canon Technical Advisor offering a helpful imaging tip, sharing a unique product insight, or explaining a key technology. New videos will be added regularly, so check back to keep expanding your Canon knowledge base.
Quick Tips Videos Available
- Highlight Tone Priority
- Dust Delete Data
- Wireless File Transmitter
- RAW Image Fundamentals
- High Speed Sync
- Quick Control Menu
- Picture Style explained
- Radio-Based Wireless Flash
- Radio Wireless Group Mode
- ...and more!
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
"This month, I [photographer Tyler Stableford] undertook a longstanding personal project: an attempt to create underwater fine art images of a beautiful swimmer arcing alongside enormous whale sharks. After a busy year of shooting, I’ve had a welling desire to create imagery that speaks to my deepest soul; and to forge a large-format print for my house.Read the entire article and see the amazing images at the Canon Digital Learning Center.The project is a co-creation with the swimmer model Ashley Mosher. I chose Ashley for the project as she is a former competitive swimmer (she competed in the U.S. Olympic trials) and has a beautiful grace that is only enhanced when she enters the water."
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
Autumn begins around late September, bringing with it a seasonal change that inspires photographers across the nation: Fall foliage. Autumn’s dramatic landscapes are stunning to behold and the challenge is how to preserve the impact in a still photograph that captures the unique quality of this season.See the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center.An autumn-colored tree is a subject unto itself. It is a time where a photograph of a simple tree can stand on its own and, in most cases, break all the rules of composition. There’s just something special about a tree (or landscape full of trees) turning brilliant colors this time of year. However, if you take it a step further — give the tree some dramatic lighting, throw in a compositional aid such as a creek or road, make use of color filter effects, and think carefully about framing and composition — then you’re on the right track to making a great photo that doesn't just rely on pretty colors.
In addition to the Flash and the EOS 7D Mark II article posted earlier, the Canon Digital Learning Center has posted several more informative articles on the newly announced camera.
Recently Posted CDLC Articles
- New Intelligent Viewfinder feature on EOS 7D Mark II
- Auto ISO operation in the EOS 7D Mark II
- First ever anti-flicker technology launches in an EOS DSLR
- Differences between Zone AF and AF Point Expansion
- Flash and the EOS 7D Mark II
B&H has the Canon EOS 7D Mark II available for preorder.
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
"Let’s start with the basics: there’s no loss of functionality when it comes to flash, compared to any previous EOS digital SLR camera, with the EOS 7D Mark II. Any EX-series flash unit can be used with it, for E-TTL automatic flash, as well as either traditional optical-type Wireless flash, or Radio Transmission Wireless E-TTL via the Speedlite 600EX-RT and its companion Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT. So if you already own E-TTL-compatible speedlite gear, you can go right ahead and use it with the EOS 7D Mark II.Read the entire article at the Canon Digital Learning Center.Consistency and accuracy: superior E-TTL flash exposure
Here’s an area where the 7D Mark II makes a huge advance over all previous EOS cameras, other than the EOS-1D X (which has approximately 100,000 pixel RGB metering). EOS 7D Mark II uses a brand-new 150,000-pixel RGB plus IR metering sensor, and we expect this high-resolution color metering system to provide superb, consistent flash exposure, whether using a single flash on-camera, or any number of off-camera speedlites via Wireless E-TTL..."
B&H has the Canon EOS 7D Mark II available for preorder.
Are you shooting a video and want a good illustration of how different camera and focal length combinations will render a scene? Check out this cool Field of View Comparator Tool on the Canon Digital Learning Center.
All you need to do is choose your focal length and the two cameras you want to compare. The tool gives you a visual representation showing the difference between the two setups – sample angles of view, crop factors and what focal lengths you need in order to match one scene to the other are all readily displayed.
Camera Systems Available in the Tool
- Canon EOS C100/C300/C500
- Canon EOS-1D Mark IV/1D C (4K)
- Canon EOS 6D/5D Mark III/1D X/1D C (HD)
- Canon EOS 60D/70D/7D/Rebel Series
- Canon XF300/305 / XF100/105 / XA10
- Arri Alexa/Amira
- Black Magic Digital Cinema Camera
- Film Super 16 16x9
- Film Super 35 16x9
- Panasonic AF100
- Panavision Genesis
- Phantom Flex / V642
- Phanton HD Gold
- Phantom Miro
- Red Epic / Red Scarlet-X
- Red Dragon
- Red One / Mysterium
- Red One / Mysterium-X
- Silicon Imaging SI-2K
- Sony F35/F3/FS100/FS700
- Sony F55/F5
- Sony F65
- 2/3" HD
- 1/2" HD
- 1/3" HD
- 1/4" HD
Eric Stoner has written an informative article for the Canon Digital Learning Center with helpful tips for capturing better cycling photos.
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
As a cycling enthusiast, I also really enjoy the opportunity to photograph a pro cycling event. Since 1985, there has been a pro cycling race in my hometown of Philadelphia every June. It’s sort of a yearly ritual for me to photograph the event and this year was no exception.Read the entire article at the Canon Digital Learning Center.Preparation is a major key to great sports photography and it certainly pays to do your homework before an event like this. Learning the road course BEFORE the race is the key to knowing where the best shots may occur. Knowing where the sun will be at certain locations on the course will prove valuable, so driving the race route will allow you to pre-visualize your shots..."
The Canon Digital Learning Center has published a lengthy Quick Tips page for Underwater Photography.
"With its richly colored landscapes and fascinating sea creatures, there are few places more beautiful to photograph than the underwater world. Whether you’re scuba diving among sharks or snorkeling along a reef, the photographic possibilities are endless and intriguing.Of course, underwater photography can be a little intimidating since it presents unique photographic challenges. But you’ll get immediate feedback with your digital SLR, so you can make adjustments when necessary and it won’t be long before you’ll be showing off images of your underwater adventures to fellow divers, snorkelers and land-locked shutterbugs. To help you gear up and grab those once-in-a lifetime shots, here are some guidelines and tips to get you started."
Check out the Underwater Photography Tips on CDLC for a tidal wave of information. :-)
Commercial advertising photographer Jim Divitale has written a short but informative article for Canon's Digital Learning Center: Perspective Control with Tilt Shift Lenses.
"When photographers want quality in their images, they know it starts with as much attention and detail as possible before the shutter clicks. We know we have post-production there to enhance the images, but it should be used like an artist with a fine brush, not like a construction worker with a jackhammer.I am a big believer in the nondestructive workflow to its fullest degree and refer to my approach to this as “the way of the fast retreat,” which requires being ready for any change with the least amount of backtracking as possible. It comes after a career of working with advertising photography projects that need to have as many options for last minute changes as possible. We used techniques like creating HDR images from multiple exposures, stitching panoramic images, and depth of field image stacking to increase both the quality and dynamic range of our images. But the most important factor is to get the best possible original image captured. One way to maintain the highest quality in a photograph is the ability to control the image perspective before the image is taken."
Check out the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center for more info and example pictures.
Related Reviews
From Canon Digital Learning Center:
"Everyone has a method of getting critical focus for a shot. There are no right or wrong ways to do it. If you can get the focus you are looking for, then you are doing it the right way for YOU.
Canon’s engineers have included a plethora of tools in recent EOS cameras to aid the photographer in getting that perfect focus. They have included great features such as more autofocus points, smaller Spot type focus points, three options for expanding the size of an AF point, and even a joystick to control them. While each AF Area setting has its place in different shooting situations, what if you want to use two interchangeably from shot to shot without slowing down?"
See the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center.
In a recent post on Canon's Digital Learning Center, photographer Jack Reznicki explains how Auto ISO enabled him to greatly improve his "keeper" rate when shooting street photography. Reznicki elaborates on the usefulness of Auto ISO and how it gives him "...maximum control over [his] camera in situations where the light changes dramatically and extremely quickly."
Check out the article – Auto ISO with street shots – on Canon's Digital Learning Center.
From Canon Digital Learning Center:
April 24, 2014 – In our new Quick Tips series, you get to watch and learn right from Canon Digital Learning Center experts!
Each video will feature a Canon Technical Advisor offering a helpful imaging tip, sharing a unique product insight, or explaining a key technology. New videos will be added regularly, so check back to keep expanding your Canon knowledge base.
Quick Tips Videos Available
- Wireless File Transmitter
- RAW Image Fundamentals
- High Speed Sync
- Quick Control Menu
- Picture Style explained
- Radio-Based Wireless Flash
- Radio Wireless Group Mode
- Custom Pictures
- Evaluative Metering
- GPS with EOS Cameras
- Properly Holding a Digital SLR Camera
- Exposure Modes and Flash
Want to know the history and evolution of Canon's cross-type and high precision AF points? Canon pro Rudy Winston has written a great article for the Digital Learning Center that covers the subject quite thoroughly.
From Canon Digital Learning Center:
"One of the important design goals for Canon’s engineers in developing the new 61-point High Density Reticular AF system in the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS-1D X was to truly optimize the performance of each point on the autofocus sensor. It’s easy to toss around terms, but if a photographer is not clear on what they mean, they may miss out on a lot more than a marketing pitch. Knowing the characteristics of the AF array in these cameras puts the photographer in the position to get the most out of the AF system.Cross-type AF points: what are they?
Certainly a fair question. And all the more so, because it's not something the photographer can see just looking through the viewfinder. Perhaps the easiest way to answer it is to take a trip down memory lane in AF SLR design..."
Read the information-packed article on the Canon Digital Learning Center. (thanks Stuart)
From Canon Digital Learning Center:
Have you been intrigued by the possibilities of close-up and macro shooting, but felt limited by your understanding of lighting? Canon has long provided the EOS photographer with two specialized flashes for close-up shooting, but their operation and possibilities have been a bit of a mystery to users who haven’t experienced them first-hand.
With the launch of Canon’s latest macro flash — the Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX II — Canon, Inc. has developed a guide that explains the unit’s operation and how it can be realistically applied in different situations. Whether you simply want to document a hobby, photograph small objects to display or sell on-line, or even shoot portraits, the combination of this new Macro Ring Lite and a Canon macro lens may be all you need to get creative results.
Written for the photographer who is new to macro shooting, this opens the door to how macro flash may be a lot easier to use than he or she may have previously thought. Examples are as easy to understand as the manner in which the guide is written. Canon’s hope is that with this guidebook, the possibilities and fun of macro shooting with flash will be even more within reach of the casual EOS photographer, as well as the dedicated macro enthusiast.
Download: The Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX II Guidebook (5 MB, PDF)
B&H has the Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX II available for preorder.
From Canon Digital Learning Center:
Join Explorer of Light Vincent Laforet on location in New York City as he shares practical examples of how to use Canon's tilt-shift lenses for architecture, portrait, lifestyle, and tabletop photography. Learn how a tilt-shift lens can correct, enhance and dramatically change a composition.
In Episode 1, Vincent gives an overview of what a tilt-shift lens is and how it differs from other lenses in the EOS lineup.
In Episode 2, Vincent talks about the shift property of the lens and how it can be used to correct distortion and also aid in multi-shot stitching by showing a few practical examples from around the city.
In Episode 3, Vincent shows a few examples of how the tilt functionality of the lens can shift the plane of focus to create a miniature look as well as increase the focus plane.
You can watch the entire series at the Canon Digital Learning Center.
Tilt-Shift Lens Reviews
From the Canon Digital Learning Center (<---click to see video):
Join wedding cinematographer, Joe Simon, as he shares his views and techniques for shooting a stylistic wedding video using Canon’s Cinema EOS and HDSLR cameras. Joe also discusses his experiences using the new Dual Pixel AF feature upgrade available for the EOS C100, and how it has improved his shots by opening up the potential for more dynamic camera movement and focus effects.
In this video you will also learn:
- One-shot AF improvements with the Dual Pixel AF feature upgrade
- Continuous AF improvements with the Dual Pixel AF feature upgrade
- AF Lock and unlock functionalities, and how to take advantage of them
- Joe's approach to camera setup for filming the ceremony and first dance
- Which camera support systems Joe uses for weddings, and why
B&H carries the Canon EOS C100 Cinema Camera and the EOS 70D DSLR Camera.
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
"As photographers, our goal is to recreate the scene before us using both light and color. As advanced as digital cameras are these days, they don’t yet match the complexity of the human mind so we have to work with a few technical limitations when trying to record a scene as our eye sees it. Snow covered winter landscapes, in particular, can present some very specific challenges when it comes to getting accurate looking colors.If you’ve ever looked at one of your winter images and thought that things look a little blue, then you’ve discovered one of the challenges of photographing snow: getting the right white balance or color temperature. White balance is a fundamental camera setting that adjusts color rendition to give a neutral appearance, without any obvious overall color tints or shifts. Cameras come with several White Balance presets (Daylight, Tungsten, Flash, etc.), but difficulties can arise when there are mixed light sources all adding their own color cast. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be a direct source either because all reflected light will have a color cast that’s dependent on the color of the object the light just bounced off of. If there are objects in your image (quite likely!) then you’ve got multiple color casts, in some way."
Check out the entire article on the CDLC Blog.
The Canon Digital Learning Center (CDLC) has updated its EOS 1D X AF Setting Guidebook (PDF, 12.2MB) to reflect changes implemented in the 1D X's newest firmware (v2.0.3).
Before the firmware update, nearly all of the information in the 1D X Settings Guidebook applied to the 5D Mark III as well as the 1DX. After the update, the 1D X AF system differs from the 5D Mark III in the following ways:
From CDLC:
- Improved low-light AF performance, with AI Servo AF
EOS-1D X now offers even better AF performance at the start of focus-tracking and for the first shot in a sequence; no special menu settings need to be activated for this once Firmware V. 2.0 is installed in the EOS-1D X. - Expanded range of Accel./Decel. Tracking settings for steadily moving subjects
EOS-1D X adds new “-1” and “-2” settings to extend AF stability with subjects moving at continuous, steady speeds. These also help AF not be slightly thrown-off by sudden but minor changes when focus-tracking a distant subject. - Wider range of “priority” choices — faster shooting speeds or more time for AF
AI Servo 2nd Image Priority expands its range of choices with new “-2” (maintain fastest possible fps speed during a shooting sequence) and “+2” (slow down or even stop continuous shooting until sharpness is confirmed) settings. - Orientation Linked AF: option to link same AF Area type to pre-selected AF points
EOS-1D X now offers the option to have memorized horizontal and vertical AF points with AF Area type linked — if one is changed, the other changes automatically. - Instantly change AF settings, or jump to 14 fps shooting, with a back-button
New option to select an entirely new AF “Case,” change AF mode (One Shot AF to AI Servo or vice versa) or instantly switch from standard 12 fps hi-speed to 14 fps super hi-speed shooting by pressing either AF-ON or AE Lock button. Another option for these buttons: toggle from One Shot AF to AI Servo (or vice versa) only, while one of these back-buttons is pressed. - Register/Recall shooting function: instantly change major settings with a back-button
EOS-1D X users can memorize an entirely different range of exposure, White Balance, AF Area type and AI Servo AF settings — and apply them to the AF-ON or AE Lock button. Without even removing the camera from the eye, a moving subject can continue to be tracked, even if (for instance) it moves from sunlight into shade or from steady, continuous movement to erratic, stop/start type movement. - Automatic AF point selection can start from last manually-selected AF point
New EOS-1D X option to maintain same starting point for Automatic AF point selection, in AI Servo AF, as was being used during manual AF point selection. - Auto ISO enhancements
Pre-select a faster minimum shutter speed (all the way up to 1/8000th second), under which Auto ISO will automatically be raised, and new EOS-1D X ability to intentionally apply Exposure Compensation when Auto ISO is used in Manual exposure mode. - Automatic exposure adjustment if Manual lens aperture suddenly changes
EOS-1D X now has the option to shift either shutter speed or ISO (user’s choice) if a preset lens aperture in Manual exposure mode suddenly changes — for instance, if shooting wide-open with a lens alone and then adding an EF 1.4x or 2x Extender or if shooting wide-open with an f/2.8 lens and then changing to a slower f/4 or f/5.6 lens.
Even considering the recent changes reflected in the text, most 5D Mark III owners will find most of the information in the 1DX AF Settings Guidebook to be illuminating, relevant and useful.
Download the EOS 1D X AF Setting Guidebook (PDF, 12.2MB) for more information.
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