ART 247- Blog 8

Article:https://www.slrlounge.com/workshop/crop-vs-full-frame-cameras/

For this week's blog i found an article that discusses the differences between a crop frame sensor camera and a full frame sensor camera. I have always owned a crop frame sensor camera because they are cheaper bodies and the glass for crop frame are cheaper as well. I hope to someday purchase a full frame camera body, but I want to be able to make good photos with my crop frame before i invest in something new.

The main difference between crop frame and full frame cameras is the sensor size. A full frame sensor will be 35mm. Crop sensors can be any size that's smaller than 35mm. The other difference between the two sensors is the field of view. When taking a picture with a crop frame camera and taking a picture with a full frame camera with the same lens both images will appear similar but the crop frame camera will produce a narrower field of view and the entire scene won't be captured in the image (as represented in the image below)

Most Crop frame sensors have a 1.5 to 1.6x multiplier which means that whatever focal length is used is multiplied to the magnification of the image. So for example if you took a picture with a crop frame camera and used a 50mm focal length, then the actual focal length would be 80mm.

ART 247- Blog 7

Article: https://expertphotography.com/snow-photography/

For this weeks blog post I decided to research tips and tricks for snow photography. Since winter is right around the corner and the majority of my landscape shots this semester will be in the snow, I felt that it would be helpful to find ways to improve my photography this coming winter. This winter I plan on going outside a lot to take pictures in the snow, because I have a durable water proof camera, and I won't be able to find any landscapes that aren't covered with snow.

This article outlines 15 different tips that will help improve winter photography. One of the tips that I found most interesting was going outside during snowstorms to capture pictures. During snow storms, people tend to stay indoors and they end up missing out on all the good shots. Taking photos early in the morning is one of the best times of the day to get photos of fully developed snowflakes because the temperature is colder and the snow hasn't melted yet.

Another tip that I found helpful is creating bokeh images with the snow. This can be accomplished by focusing on an object and having a swirling/blurry effect in the background. I have experimented with bokeh in the past and I have found that it's only effective to create bokeh with a wide aperture lens such as a 50mm F/1.8. I never use the flash on my camera, but the article states that using the flash can bring out the contrast in falling snowflakes. Lastly, the article states that using a high shutter speed with a slightly higher ISO can freeze the motion of snowflakes creating a really pronounced image. 

Share 2 and Critique - #1

Here are my two photos for this week's share 2 and critique post!

ART 247- Blog 6

Article: https://www.theschoolofphotography.com/freebies/nd-filters-in-depth-guide-for-beginners

For this week's blog I decided to find an article that discusses the use of neutral density (ND) filters in photography. I have seen many people using ND filters on their lenses but I wasn't entirely sure what purpose they served. This article discusses reasons why photographers use ND filters as well as how beginners can use ND filters to improve their photos.

The article describes neutral density filters as being "sunglasses" for your lens. It doesn't entirely block out the light, but it blocks it in a way that causes the light to be less intense (more neutral). When you take a landscape photo without a filter the sensor will be exposed to light for a longer time, so you'll have a faster shutter speed. When you use an ND filter, you are blocking more light from entering the sensor and therefore you have to use longer exposures/slower shutter speeds.

The article then shifts to discussing ND grad filters. Grad filters are used by photographers to darken the skies in pictures and help balance the exposure of brighter subjects. Sometimes you may have taken a great landscape photo but the skyline is the only component of the photo that is over exposed, and that's where ND grad filters come into play.

The most important aspect of ND filters is that they are created in "stops".  In photography, the term stop refers to reducing the amount of light in half. For example, if you are trying to take a 2 second exposure shot without a filter, you will need to reduce the amount of light exposed to the sensor by using a 1 stop ND filter. After putting on the 1 stop ND filter, you will have to adjust the exposure/shutter speed to 4 seconds in order to compensate for the loss of light.

This chart helps the beginner photographer like myself delineate which type of ND filter to use in terms of "stops" according to the exposure time required for the shot.

ART 247- Blog 5

Article: https://www.colesclassroom.com/6-types-camera-lenses-explained/


For today's blog I decided to find an article that talks about the different kinds of camera lenses and the pro's and con's for using each of them. I have three different lenses for my camera. One is a fixed focal length prime lens, one is a super wide angle lens, and the last one is a mid-focal telephoto lens. With my three lenses, I am able to get the shots that I want based on the scene/object I am taking a picture of. I believe that it is not the gear you have that makes you a better photographer but rather the creativity and imagination you have to make great shots.

The article discusses the pro's and con's of Fish-eye(ultra wide), Wide-angle, standard prime, zoom, macro, and telephoto. Of all the lenses the ones that I am most interested in are wide-angle and standard prime, because I take the majority of my pictures with these type of lenses. Listed below are the pro's and con's of each as well as some sample pictures I have taken from both prime and wide-angle lenses.


Prime Lens:
- Fixed focal length
- 24, 35, 50, 85, 135 etc.
- Type of Photography: Portraits, Weddings, Street Photography

Pros

• Sharper images due to fixed aperture
• Lighter weight
• Less moveable components
• Easier to maintain
• Better in low light environments
• Great for landscape photography

Cons

• Fixed focal length (won't zoom in/out)
• Have to physically move body in order to get the shot
• Have to carry extra lenses in addition

Sample Image:

Wide-Angle:

- Adjustable focal length

- 19-35mm/24-35mm

- Types of Photography: Interiors, Landscapes, Forest Photography

Pros

• Lightweight
• Great for hiking, easy to carry in backpack
• More depth of field
• Wide area coverage

Cons

• Can't achieve compression or Bokeh effect on image
• Won't be able to create images that look distorted

Sample Image:

ART 247-Blog 4

Article: https://expertphotography.com/make-money-from-photography/

I have always wondered what kind of photography jobs are out there and if I would have the skillset to get paid for my photographs. Even though I am not a skilled photographer yet, my curiosity led me to research what jobs I could get as a photographer. This article outlines 11 ways someone can make money for their photography in 2019.

The article starts off by saying that someone interested in making money for their photography has to first start off by getting their name out there and advertising for themselves. The author suggests starting small at first by selling photo books or postcards because they will provide meaning as well as becoming a small advertisement for your potential business.

People that are more computer oriented may find themselves interested in editing pictures rather than taking pictures, so the article suggests that people with this skillset should edit other photographers pictures and make money that way. This would be a good job because some photographers aren't able to edit their photos when they are on a busy photoshoot.

The best option for me to make money with my photography would be to start small at first and print my photos off on post cards. This will help me advertise my photography and if it becomes popular, then I will know if this is something I could pursue as a side job in the future. If my photography became more popular than I had expected, then I would probably start up a small business and sell bigger items like prints!