Hyperfocal Distance

Hyperfocal Distance - call it a zone of focus - is the distance from the lens to the focal point, which from the focal point to the point of infinite distance (infinity) is sharp all. By using this technique we also get half of the hyperfocal distance point in the direction of the lens take sharp, in terms of photography is called acceptable sharpness.

From the picture above, if we peep from the viewfinder and put focus point at point A, then from the point A to infinity will be entered in the field of DOF (depth of field) . But we also get the sharpness that is half the distance from point A to the lens also sharp. Or in other words, from the point B to infinity will be sharp.

At the time of celluloid camera lens we get "zone of focus" by reading the enclosed space of the aperture used. See the pictures below:
 

If you want to make a landscape photograph with the lens and f16 aperture (smallest aperture), set focus about 6m, the closest foreground focus is about 2.9m. It means from the distance 2.9m to infinity will be sharp focused at f16 aperture.

The main goal of knowing the hyperfocal distance is to get the sharpness wide open from the focal point to the point of infinity in landscape photography. So the point is to find the right focus distance to get the focal plane broadest of foreground to background, because in landscape photography we often include foreground and background in the same photo frame in sharp condition evenly.

Thus, Hyperfocal Distance is a useful feature that is the function of the lens aperture (f stop), distance and focal length.

The use of a narrow aperture (e.g. f11, f16 or f22) is helping this process. This is due to the narrow aperture sharp space tends to expand. However, landscape photography is often even more demanding. Foreground that we use often is no more than 20-30 cm in front of the lens. Besides all the areas in the picture sharpness is very important for landscape photographers, they do not want any area that is not sharp. This requires precise autofocus point selection.

In these cases we use hyperfocal technique. This technique essentially select an object at a certain distance to be the focal point. By selecting an object with a certain distance we "maximize" sharp space available. This technique depends on the type of camera body (i.e. sensor size) that is used, aperture and focal length used.

In these cases we use hyperfocal technique . This technique essentially select an object at a certain distance to be the focal point. By selecting an object with a certain distance we "maximize" sharp space available. This technique depends on the type of body that is used, aperture and focal length used. To calculate you can use DOF Master Calculator . This software is available free of charge either online or on the iPhone and Windows Mobile. And you can make a table according to the device you want to take photography.
 

In the "DOF Master Calculator" you must first enter the "body type" that you use, "aperture" and "focal length". Once you enter this parameter is then seen in the red box no. 1 appears the number "hyperfocal distance". After that we enter the hyperfocal distance to the "subject distance" so "far limit" in the blue box no. 2 to "infinity". If it has not reached the "infinity" increase slightly to reach "infinity". The number "hyperfocal distance" is the distance obtained where we have to do focusing.

"Near limit" in the blue box no.2 is the shortest distance from the lens is still in the category of sharp. While "far limit" is the furthest distance that is still in the category of sharp. Or "zone of focus" were among the "near limit" and "far limit".

Reference to calculate hyperfocal distance can be found in en.wikipedia.org 

Tips:

• Hyperfocal technique is especially needed if we use the foreground within the "extreme" close to the lens. If the distance is far enough away from the lens (i.e. 3-4 meters) the technique is no longer relevant.

• Make a stop down to ensure sharpness. Suppose you use a Canon 50D body, 18mm focal length and aperture f11, resulting from the DOF Master Calculator 1.53m hyperfocal distance and near the limit of 0.76m. To assure sharpness, you set the aperture at f16 (1 step below), so the foreground with a distance 76cm in front of the lens certainly sharp.

Tips to Avoid General Fault in Photography

Tips to Avoid General Fault in Photography - In practice we usually see the results of our photos we did not expect, such as blurred images, photo speckled dark, or perhaps the subjects of our photos with red eyes. This post will provide information on how to avoid the common mistakes encountered in photography that produces images that we did not expect.

Reducing Shocks in Camera
 

Camera shake is caused by a combination of hand movements photographer or inability to keep the camera in a stationary or fixed condition, shutter speed and focus lens (focal length) long so that it will produce images that are blurry or out of focus. The focal length of the lens when combined with a slow shutter speed will create a situation in which the shutter speed is too slow to freeze the image.

Camera shake can be prevented by using a tripod, hold the camera with the right position or raise the shutter speed to a value greater than the focal length (focal length). For example, if the same focal length to 100mm so its shutter speed should be set to 1/100 sec or faster.

Note: Some lenses have image stabilizing features (eg IS Image Stabilizer on Canon lenses), which allows the photographer to take pictures with the shutter speed value is smaller than the focal length of the lens.

Eliminate the Red-eye Effect
 

Red-eye effect caused by the reflection of the flash directly behind the retina subjects we photograph. Basically, since most of the built-in flash which made ??only one or two inches from the lens, flash sends light that bounces off the back of the human retina, and reflects directly back into the camera lens. Reflections are seen in the image as red, thus creating a red eye effect. Blue-eyed people are very prone to red-eye phenomenon because it has less pigment to absorb light.

There are several ways you can do to minimize or eliminate red eye in pictures:

1. Red eye reduction feature
 

Some cameras have a red eye reduction feature that forces objects iris shrink before the picture is taken. Almost all digital cameras have this feature. This feature causes the flash to light up twice in two micro bursts. The first little flash to cause your subject's the pupil to contract and shrink, which reduces the amount of retina affected by the flash. When the second flash is triggered, contracted retina produces almost no visible red-eye effect.
The main problem with this method is that it often forcing objects to deliberately turn a blind eye before the picture is taken and not always completely eliminate red eye effect.

2. External flash
 

External flash hot-shoe mounted on the camera, the direction can be changed in the direction of the ceiling, or even use it without mounting the camera body and steer a little to the right or left of your subject.

3. Post production
If the images have been exposed to the red-eye effect, the photographer also still be able to eliminate it, using computer software such as Photoshop or the other, which will be discussed in upcoming posts.

Reducing Digital Noise
Digital noise is the effect polka dots (spots) on the image for long exposures or high ISO images with the lack of lighting situations.
Digital noise can be reduced by using the ISO setting between 100 and 400. Setting ISO 400 will give you more exposure but ISO 400 reduces digital noise. In anticipation of a long exposure, you need a tripod to freeze the image.
 

Currently DSLR cameras usually have a noise reduction feature, if its noise reduction is turned on it will automatically be activated when taking pictures with long exposures. The negative side of this feature is the camera takes a significant time-lag between taking pictures. One way to avoid this time-lag is to turn off noise reduction feature on the camera, and use the aperture setting noise reduction after transferring images to the computer.

8 Steps Before You Shoot

8 Steps Before You Shoot - Good photo is not obtained because of luck, but more to the decision-making. Lots of things to think about before making a photograph. For beginners, it's hard to think so many steps. But with a continuous exercise, I'm sure we'll be able to do it naturally. Here are 8 steps before you take pictures that you can use as a reference:

1. Find an interesting subject
 
Try to choose a subject of interest, such as busy roads, try to take portraits of people, a building, a car or an activity. Be careful not to put too many elements in the photo. Too much detail will make the people who see the picture became confused about what you want to convey.

2. The quality and direction of light
 
Knowing the quality and direction of light greatly affect the atmosphere of the photo. In general, there are three types of light:

• Hard light: Usually obtained from a relatively small light source / concentrated. For example: the sun, the camera flash, flashlight.
• Soft light: Usually obtained from a relatively large light source. For example, soft boxes, reflectors, ceiling surface.
• Diffused light: This light comes from a light source is relatively very large. For example, in the cloud or the sky covered with clouds.

Direction of light (front, rear, side, top, bottom) is also an important aspect to give a certain impression. Look carefully at the direction and quality of light.

3. The Composition
 
The first step in making a good composition is starting from choosing the background. Background clean / plain is a good first step. Then position the subject in layers. Arrange in such a way that the composition of the picture looks interesting.
If you are just starting photography, you can always learn the formula composition as a reference. Many of the rules of composition that can help you create an interesting composition as the rule of thirds, golden ratio, scale, etc.

4. Choose aperture
 
Aperture determines how much light into the camera body. Aperture also adjust the depth of focus (depth of field). The larger the aperture, the thinner the depth of focus and vice versa. We must determine whether the photos we take have a thin depth of field or thick.
 
In general, for portraits, we want a thin depth of field so that it looks more artistic portraits, so that wide aperture should we choose. But if we shoot landscape, we usually want all the elements in the images look clear and focused, then aperture that we should choose small.

5. Choose shutter speed
We must determine whether we want to freeze the subject of the picture, or record the movement of the subject. If we want to freeze the subject, we need to set the shutter speed carefully.

To prevent blur due to hand / camera shake, we also have to follow the rules of the lens focal size. Then we observe how fast your subject moves. Your subject moving at high speed requires a very fast shutter speed. Read posting How to Avoid Blurred Photos

6. Choose lens with optimum focal length
 
Not all lenses produce the same results. There is a wide lens, standard lens and a telephoto lens. Each focal lens has its own characteristics. Wide lens gives the impression dimensions, distortion, and thick depth of field. On the other hand, telephoto lenses make photos into two-dimensional (compression effect), make a thin depth of field and enlarge the far subject.
Try taking photos with different lenses and different focal lens to better understand the effects caused by each lens.

7. Determine the optimal exposure
 
The camera is usually automatically determine the optimal exposure. But sometimes the camera settings made are not to our liking. For example, if we want to make the photo low key (dark-toned photo) or high key (bright-toned photo), we must adjust itself so that the optimal camera settings.
 

Determine the camera exposure settings depending on what you visualize the end result with manual mode or use the exposure compensation function, when using automatic or semi-automatic settings (P, S, A)

8. Timing
 
Decide also whether the time of shooting is important or not. For photos still life (the subject is not moving), the timing might not be too important. But for candid photos, especially sports, timing is very important. If so, practice can take photos with the correct timing. Exercise anticipation, patience and controlled camera / photographic equipment so you can take photos with the optimal timing.

Setting for Golden Hour

Setting for Golden Hour - Now that we know How to Get Golden Hour and Why Golden Hour is always awaited by photographers on previous postings, this time you should know these tips camera settings to get the golden hour.

Here are 4 tips that can be practiced to capture the sunset, but the settings are really right for each occasion is not the same, so you may need to shift back and forth setting the following tips to get the right settings for your moment.

Setting #1 - General Setting

The goal is to capture the nuances of orange that appears before sunset. All you need to do is determine the speed & aperture settings right. To obtain the approximate setting, I use:

• mode A, f/16, ISO 100, metering SPOT
• metering the bright spot under the sun
• review images obtained
• shift mode from A to M and adjust the speed.

In settings like this, the sun is usually obtained with a round orange and object in the foreground silhouette.

Setting #2 - Foreground Silhouette

After obtaining the best setting to devote the setting sun, keep your setting by using the mode M. Look for interesting objects in the foreground so that the images appear more attractive.

Setting #3 - Fill In Flash

If you want to display the object in the foreground, there must be an additional light to compensate for the strong light in the background. The use of flash to be alternative solutions so that objects in the foreground appear.
Noteworthy is the maximum sync speed (the highest shutter speed that can be achieved when the flash is on). It will be one of the restrictions on the setting and should be compensated by the ISO or aperture settings.

How To Avoid Blurred Photos

How to avoid blur in photos - After my post Tips for Sharp Picture and Some Causes of Blur Photos in previous posts, the following is my post how to avoid a blurred picture. These posts are very related.

There are two main factors causing blurry photo:

1. The shutter speed setting is too slow compared to the focal length

Generally to avoid blurred photos due to hand shake you should use the Shutter Speed reference:

Shutter speed = 1 / focal length

For example, if you use lens with 100mm focal length, your camera shutter speed should be set at 1/100 second or faster.
This reference available to DSLR with full frame sensor. If your camera has cropped sensor (APSC), such as cropped Canon camera uses factor 1.6x, Nikon Sony, and Pentax use factor 1.5x, Olympus and Panasonic use factor 2x.
So if you have Canon DSLR camera with cropped sensor and use 100mm lens, the save minimum shutter speed from blurred due to hand shake is 1/160 second.
The question is "Why longer focal length need faster shutter speed?" Because the longer focal length, the more sensitive sensor to capture the vibe.

2. The object you are photographing moved too fast

So that the shutter speed must also follow the rapid motion of the subject of the photo. For example, to freeze the motion of the person running a basketball player, you need a minimum of 1/500. For dancers and singers, usually 1/200 enough, and to photograph people who do not move 1/60 is usually pretty good.

How to prevent blur

There is technology in cameras and lenses designed to prevent blur. This type of technology is divided into two categories. The first one is in the camera, in the lens the other. The name varies, among other Image Stabilization (IS), Vibration Reduction (VR), Steady Shot (SS), Shake Reduction (SR) Mega OIS, Optical Stabilization (OS) and Vibration Compensation (VC). This technology can help you but can not help in total. For example, once you have to use a 1/200, but with the help of technology, you can use 1/100 or 1/60. This technology can not prevent blur when you are taking photos of people or objects moving quickly.

Another thing that can be used to prevent blur, among others, the camera holding technique and breathing techniques. By holding your breath while taking a picture, and put the body by meeting or leaning on walls, can help reduce the vibration that produces blur.

In addition to those mentioned above, there are still other factors that affect, among other things:

1. Direction of motion of moving subjects: Subjects were moving toward and away from the camera will be easier to freeze than the subject moves from left to right or vice versa.

2. The distance between the camera with a moving subject: The farther the distance, the more easily freeze the subject rather than a subject that is close.

In practice, we often can not use a high shutter speed to freeze the subject of the picture due to dark field conditions. Thus, by using these principles is our advantage.

If we are photographing people or objects approaching us from the front, then we can use the shutter speed a bit more slowly, so photographing subjects that are far from us. But be careful if your subject is near to us or movement from left to right / right to left camera, we need to increase the aperture / shutter speed if you want to freeze the subject movement.

Photograph A Dark Object

Photograph A Dark Object - Moreover if the object is dull dark color. It makes lens always moves to get focus picture. It's caused by lacking of light from the object.

Camera requires enough light to do focusing and metering. Focusing done when you half press shutter button, focusing motor lens will move the lens to get focused  shadow to camera sensor, while camera calculating aperture and shutter speed according to the light get in.

Dark object bounces a few light, thus sensor doesn't feel change of intensity when lens is moved. If focus is successfully found, low reflection of light will cause sensor arranging shutter speed very slow, sometimes more than 1 second.

This problem could be solved with a couple ways:

1. Apply setting manually:

• Find bright object that same distance with the dark object.
• Set exposure mode to P, do focusing until camera calculate exposure successfully. Read the value.
• Shift exposure mode to M, and set aperture, shutter speed and ISO with the value.
• Set lens to manual focus.
• Take photos from different angles.

2. If there is no manual setting, however AE-lock and AF-lock are available:

• Put bright object parallel distance to dark object.
• Apply AE and AF locks.
• Do focusing and metering to bright object.
• Take photos with AE & AF lock applied to the dark object at the different scenes to get best picture.

3. If there is no manual setting, AE-lock, nor AF-lock:

• Put bright object parallel distance to dark object.
• Do focusing and metering to bright object.
• Hold half press shutter button.
• Direct camera to the dark object, and take the picture.
• Repeat these ways with different scene program to get best picture.

Hopefully become useful tips.

Night Shot Tips

Night Shot Tips is continuation of Low Light Photography tips posting. This posting is talking about setting your camera before you photograph your night moments. Night give us volunteer lighting comes from spot light, vehicle beam, or many others. It could be an artistic picture if we know how to catch the nice moments.

Some camera equipped with 'Night Mode', however sometimes it doesn't give satisfaction. The causes are:

• 'Night Mode' sets higher ISO, so it makes higher noise.
• Wide aperture will make shallow DoF that blooming circular light.
• Shutter speed too fast, so moving light recorded in short time.

So it's required manual settings appropriate to the condition your photo object. The  way setting are:

• Set ISO at 100 or 200 to reduce noise.
• Set aperture at f/8 or higher to get deeper Depth of Field (DoF) and perform star effect of lamp light.
• The shutter speed is set according to the shooting early, typically ranging from 2 seconds or slower according to you need.

 

Another setting is applying 'P Mode', take one picture, see camera setting of the picture. Shift to 'M Mode' set shutter speed with calculating: 1 stop aperture wider is compensated by 1 stop shutter slower.

Additional tips:

• Try to take photograph at 15 to 20 minutes before sunset or 15 to 20 minutes after sunrise.
• You should equip with tripod or hold the camera on the fixed place.
• Apply timer or shutter release (wired or wireless) to avoid shaking camera while shooting.
• When human will be performed in the foreground, apply slow-sync flash.

Aperture and Depth of Field

Aperture is defined as the opening shutter lens while taking the picture. It is one of three photographic triangle in the Exposure Concept.

When we press the shutter button, the shutter in-front of camera sensor will open. The aperture setting decides how wide the shutter will opened. The light will enter to the camera sensor much more as the increasing of shutter opening.
 
Aperture or opening is stated in f-stop unit. If we read aperture 5.6, in photography could be stated as f/5.6. The statement is: f-stop become small makes aperture or opening becomes wide, it means more lights contact with camera sensor. See the illustration below:

It means wide opening is given by small number of f-stop or aperture and vice versa.

Depth of Field
 
Depth of Filed – DoF, is the measurement how far the field in focus area of the photograph. Wide Depth of Field (DoF) means the objects near to the camera to the farthermost will be sharp focused in the photograph. Shallow Depth of Field means only definite object will be focused and the rest will be out of focus or blur.

Deep Depth of Field will be got by setting the aperture to the biggest number or the narrowest opening, while Shallow Depth of Field will be got by setting the smallest number of aperture or the widest opening.

The Depth of Field Concept is useful in portrait photography and macro photography, however, all kind of photography will need this concept.

Shutter Speed Concept

Shutter Speed is defined as the moment of opening the camera shutter. This means Shutter Speed is the time of camera sensor contact to the light from the object to be photographed.

Shutter is a part of camera to shut light way to the camera sensor or celluloid film. In camera equipped with viewfinder without live-view, shutter is closed in default position until shutter button is pressed when take photograph. In camera equipped with live-view, shutter default position is opened or just a peeping point opened to let light enter to sensor. The sketch of shutter position in the camera as follow:
 

Using the Shutter Speed Concept on the camera applications as one of photographic triangle:

• Shutter speed setting to 500 is mean the camera sensor contact to the light from the object to be photographed only a five hundredth second (or exposure time 1/500 second). If you set the shutter speed to 30 seconds, it means exposure time of the camera sensor is 30 seconds.
• Shutter speed setting in the camera usually multiplied by 2, so we usually see the sequence as 1/500, 1/250, 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, and so on. Some cameras have 1/3 stop setting to get shutter speed setting closer. We can see the sequence as 1/500, 1/400, 1/320, 1/250, 1/200, 1/160, etc.
• We should apply correct shutter speed to get sharp and clear photos. The save shutter speed usually 1/60 or faster. To void blur or out of focus photos sometimes we should use tripod or Image Stabilization feature of the camera.

  

• Another save shutter speed definition is shutter speed should me more than vocal length. If we use 50mm lens, the shutter speed should be 1/60 second at minimum of setting. If we use 17mm lens, minimum shutter speed is 1/30 second.

• Shutter speed for freezing movement should use shutter speed as fast as possible. Faster movement needs faster shutter speed to freeze the movement. Shooting the flying bird, for example, uses shutter speed at 1/1000 second and Shutter Priority mode. ISO ideally sets to auto option to get sharp picture. Sport photographers usually use the Shutter Priority (S/Tv) mode.
• Shutter speed to show movement effect. When we take picture of dynamic objects, we can slow shutter speed to show the movement effect. We should anchorage our picture to the static object. See the picture below:

Picture source: en.wikipedia.org

ISO Concept

ISO Concept is analog with ASA setting in celluloid film photography. ISO is defined as the level of sensitivity of camera sensor to the light. ISO Concept is one of three angle photographic triangle. Higher ISO setting makes the sensor more sensitive to the light.

Parable of ISO Concept we can imagine the bees community:

1. An ISO is a worker bee. ISO 100 setting means we have 100 worker bees. ISO 200 setting means we have 200 worker bees, and so on. 
2. Each worker bee will get the light entering to the camera to make the image. If you and me use the same camera and we set the aperture to f/3.5. I set the ISO to 200 but you set the ISO to 100. Whose image completely finished faster?

Outline of ISO Concept:

1. Upgrading ISO setting from 100 to 200 in the same aperture (we can set aperture to f/3.5 or lock the aperture with Aperture Priority Mode – A or Av) will reduce the time to make image to the camera sensor two times faster. The Shutter Speed will change from 1/125 second in ISO 100 to 1/250 second in ISO 200.
2. If we set ISO to 400, it will make the Shutter Speed become 1/500 second, and so on.
3. Reducing exposure time into half value is called exposure 1 stop up.

In case of aperture you can set the shutter speed constantly at 1/125 second for instance, by setting the Shutter Priority mode – S or Tv), and try to change the ISO setting from 100, 200, 400, and so on. Look at the aperture of each ISO setting.

Exposure Concept

Exposure Concept is the basic knowledge of photography. If you want to make creative photographs, you have to know the Exposure Concept for the first step.

We frequently enjoy with auto mode for long time after we bought a camera, even if Digital SLR or point and shoot. This mode give us ease and satisfaction, however, it can't develop our creativity in photography, so we have to leave this mode. The initial step for creativity is understanding the Exposure Concept.

There are three elements to understand the Exposure Concept called Photographic Triangle. Each of element has closed relation to the light, how the light go into the camera and interact with it.

The three elements are:

1. ISO, the level of sensitivity camera sensor to the light
2. Aperture, the lens opening while taking photograph
3. Shutter Speed, the moment of lens opening.

Picture source: motoyuk.com

The interaction of the three elements of Triangle of Photography is called Exposure Concept. The change of each element will change the other elements.

I always use parable to understand the Exposure Concept as water tapping:

1. ISO is how strength of the water flow from the source.
2. Aperture is how wide we open the tap.
3. Shutter Speed is how long we open the tap.

This is not the perfect parable, however, I got the basic mind of the Exposure Concept. You can read Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson for detail of the Exposure Concept. How do you think about it?