How to photograph fireworks on either iPhone or DSLR

The basics of photographing fireworks is down to knowing how to shoot a long exposure shot . I'm going to walk you through how to do this for either DSLR or iPhone (I'm sure there's an android equivalent, I just don't have access to one!). Set Up and Equipment Tripod - this is an essential tool in setting up your long exposure shot. If you don't have a tripod, you can set up your camera on stable surface like the hood of a car, table or chair. If using a DSLR, I find it helpful to scrunch up a jacket or something a bit soft to nestle your camera into so it doesn't slip around. The same thing goes for iPhones. Make sure the camera is stable and [...]

DSLR vs iPhone or Smart Phone Photography

I took an honest look comparing my DSLR vs my iPhone for photography. Teaching both a Basic Photography Class as well as a Smart Phone Photography class, I'm a fan of both! But, I’m also a photography nerd who loves her DSLR camera! I’ve paid big bucks for my cameras (multiple!), lenses, accessories and software that goes with it. In a word, I’m invested in the DSLR world! You still can’t beat DSLR's for the image quality and control…yet. However, here’s something I don’t hear my fellow pro photographers saying much; I kinda hope Smart Phones end up eclipsing DSLR cameras just like they have Point and Shoot cameras, at least the entry level versions. Frankly, I don’t think it’s fair that DSLR cameras can be so hard [...]

How do I get frozen action shots?

Controlling Your Camera’s Shutter Speed   Have you ever seen a cool shot of kids jumping into a pool and whomever was taking the photo captured them before they are fully submerged, water droplets are frozen midair all around them like little diamonds from the splash? So cool, right? And then you try and it’s just a big blur? I feel you! I’ve been so frustrated that I was tempted to just huck my camera in the pool with them! Before you destroy your camera though, if I can figure this out, I know you can too! I’m going to walk you though how to get that frozen action shots! (Shutter Speed 1/1600th of a second) Understanding Shutter Speed The first thing you need to know about is [...]

How to I get blurred action? Long exposure explained

Intentional motion blur or blurred action is an exciting trick to learn in photography! Photos with a long exposure or slow shutter speed can result in some interesting and creative photography. Most often this is done with something that is moving through a stationary scene creating an interesting image like a milky waterfall or a cityscape where the headlights and taillights streak white and red and the buildings twinkling behind. This type of image is achieved by slowing down the shutter and creating intentional “motion blur” meaning that the action happens while the shutter is still open causing the action to blur across the frame. The length of time that the shutter needs to be open to create motion blur depends on how quickly the subject is moving. [...]

Go to Top