How to control digital noise

We first mentioned about digital noise a couple of weeks ago in this blog.

We were discussing ISO, and how the higher the number the more the noise in digital images.

And the longer the exposure, the more the sensor heats up. It is this heat that is responsible for most of the noise in digital photography.

Most of the time the heat issue is out of the photographer's control - especially in the warmer months.

All digital cameras produce noise - even the high end ones, especially at higher ISO settings.

So what is a photographer to do?

Once again, technology comes to the rescue, this time in the processing of the image on the computer instead of in the camera itself.

There are programs and plug-ins for programs that work with your photo processing software that can help remove this blasted noise that plagues us photographers.

Some of them let you isolate certain areas, and some of them will handle the entire image.

The one I use is Noise Ninja, a photoshop plug-in, and I would be so lost without it.

I evaluate my image several times during the processing of it so I can track the noise level each time I do something.

One reason I do this - processing the image too much can also add noise.

Sharpening is notorious for adding noise, both in the camera and in the computer processing too.

So, the less you manipulate the image, the less the noise.

But suppose there is noise that needs to be removed.

These programs work their magic, but as you know, if something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

Using too much noise removal will leave you with lost details and soft edges. Image quality can suffer when it is used too heavily.

Once again, a light hand and sometimes just using it in areas that are prone to noise - skies, shadows, and some textures, will yield great results.

It is all just a matter of experimenting and learning what works.

Basic Digital Photography: Taking Action Shots

Personal photography has gone through a sort of mini evolution in the past 20 years as digital cameras have become popular. With the ability to take huge numbers of pictures, save them on computer, and share them over the internet, the cost of film and developing are no longer limiting factors. Although group photographs, portraits, celebrations, and vacations are still common images, personal photography now captures more impromptu and daily types of events. Photographs of fast moving action are more common as well as people are able to experiment to obtain the type of images they want without fear of "ruining" a shot that requires more skill to take. Capturing action can be challenging for a beginning photographer and requires quite a bit of practice to master. The following outlines a few pointers that can get the novice started off on the right foot.

1. When trying to obtain shots of action, the photographer can use one of two approaches:

* Follow subjects with the camera as they wait for action to happen.

* Focus the camera on a particular spot where action is anticipated and wait for it to happen. An example would be focusing on the basketball goal or 1st base. When using this method it is often best to observe through the Optical Viewfinder and keep both eyes open so that it is easy to anticipate shots as action approaches.

2. Reduce lag time and latency:

* Shutter lag is the delay between the time the shutter button is pressed and the time when the camera actually takes the picture. During this lag time the camera is setting the exposure and focus. Shutter lag is particularly problematic when trying to capture action shots. One way of decreasing shutter lag is to press the shutter button halfway down, hold it, and then press the button down completely when ready to take the shot. This process allows the camera to perform some of the focusing function prior to taking the shot thereby reducing the shutter lag time.

* Latency is the time it takes the digital camera to write/store images before the next shot can be taken. To reduce latency, a photographer should use flash cards with fast write times. In some instances, a lower resolution setting can be used for the shot so that the camera has less information to process and store, but this technique of reducing latency must be used carefully as image quality can be compromised.

3. Follow the action; this is known as "panning". Panning involves tracking the motion of the subject horizontally to capture the movement as it goes side to side. As the photographer moves in the same direction as the motion, a slower shutter speed is often used to allow the subject to be focused and the background to blur demonstrating the action that is occurring. Panning is not necessary for all action shots but is one method of demonstrating the movement while keeping the subject in focus. The process of panning involves the following:

* Tracking is initiated prior to taking the shot.

* The shot is taken by squeezing the shutter button to avoid any downward movement of the camera.

* Tracking of the movement continues for 1-2 seconds after the shot is taken.

4. Use Burst Mode when wanting to capture a series of movements. Many digital cameras offer a Burst Mode which allows the user to capture a sequence of shots. The camera tends to set the focus and exposure on the first shot and then take remaining shots with these same settings. This allows the camera to take the shots in a more rapid sequence.

5. Action shots can be taken from any angle. However, staying parallel to the action generally produces the best demonstration of movement and allows the photographer to pan if desired.

6. Shutter speed reminder. A faster shutter speed generally freezes action to help eliminate blurring, however a somewhat slower shutter speed can better demonstrate movement by allowing some blurring of the arms, legs, and feet as the subject moves. The type of shot desired is what dictates the appropriate shutter speed to use.

7. Practice, practice, practice. Beginners can anticipate their action shots will not meet their expectations initially. Practice is necessary and will require many shots to be taken. However, with the ability to delete images on digital cameras, practice is only an investment in time.

SuperValue Saturday Deal !

Enjoy the following equipment at 50% discount this Saturday :
(no reservation, strictly first-come-first-serve, from 1:30pm to 3:00pm)

Available on 11th July 2009:

Canon Camera Bodies
Canon 1D II
Canon 50D * NEW *

Canon Lenses (Primes)
Canon 15mm f2.8
Canon 35mm f1.4
Canon 85mm f1.2 II
Canon 300mm f4 IS

Canon Lenses (Zoom)
Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8 II
Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8
Canon EF 24-105mm f4
Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 IS
Canon EF 70-200mm f4 IS

Canon Flashes
Canon 580EX II

Nikon Camera Bodies
Nikon D3
Nikon D700

Nikon Lenses (Primes)
Nikon AFD 16mm f2.8 Fisheye * NEW *
Nikon AFS 60mm f2.8
Nikon AFS 105mm f2.8 VR

Nikon Lenses (Zoom)
Nikon AFS 14-24mm f2.8
Nikon AFS 17-55mm f2.8
Nikon AFS 24-70mm f2.8

Nikon Flashes
Nikon SB900

For more information, please visit our website.

Creative Photography – Unusual Angles

At first time, I thought photography is all about taking pictures and capture the best moments and all that kind of things. Yes, that is the basic thing; without taking into account the importance of composition, lighting and angles.
I was keen to take pictures about everything, from scenery to scale model. After a while, I thought it was boring – sooner I realized I’ve lost interest in taking pictures. I let the camera stay in the box, and take it out sometimes to clean up the dust.

A couple of weeks ago, I got this email from Dave Peterson, a professional photographer because I subscribed to his website newsletter. He was talking about taking pictures from unusual angles. He realized most photos are shot at eye level. Come to think of it, this is because traditionally, you needed to have the viewfinder up to your eye to ensure you get everyone in the shot.

So this is his tips:
1.Hold your camera at waist height and click while walking around. Some photos will be blurred, but you can usually find some that are very good. This works particularly well in sunlight when walking around a tourist area.
2.When shooting any subject with a lot of straight lines (like someone on a fence), turn the camera 45 degrees to give a diagonal look to your image that enhances the mood of the picture.
3.Sometimes the best images need to be taken from unusual locations such as from the top of a building (for a birds eye shot) or right down on the ground. Also point the camera different ways .including straight up or straight down. Don’t be afraid to try different angles. Placing your camera at angles of 30 degrees from the horizontal or vertical lines work well.
4.When finding that great angle, don’t worry about looking the fool! Being self-conscious will affect your ability to find great angles, your concentration, and maybe even the quality of your photographs.
5.You don’t need to go to extremes to find a great angle – even standing on a step, or getting down onto one knee can make a lot of difference.
6.To make small things look large, lie on the ground and hold your camera towards the sky. This will make your small subject look like a giant! This also works well for tall buildings such as lighthouses.

SuperValue Saturday Deal !

Enjoy the following equipment at 50% discount this Saturday :
(no reservation, strictly first-come-first-serve, from 1:30pm to 3:00pm)

Available on 4th July 2009:

Canon Camera Bodies
Canon 5D II * NEW *
Canon 30D

Canon Lenses (Primes)
Canon 15mm fisheye
Canon 24mm tilt shift
Canon 300mm f4 IS
Canon MP-E65 f2.8 (5X macro) * NEW *

Canon Lenses (Zoom)
Tokina 10-17mm fisheye * NEW *
Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8 II
Canon EF 24-105mm f4
Canon EF 70-200mm f4 IS

Nikon Camera Bodies
Nikon D3
Nikon D300

Nikon Lenses (Zoom)
Tokina 11-16mm f2.8 * NEW *
Nikon AFS 10-24mm * NEW *
Nikon AFS 12-24mm f4
Nikon AFS 17-55mm f2.8
Nikon AFS 24-70mm f2.8

Nikon Flashes
Nikon SB800
Nikon SB900

For more information, please visit our website.

Filters and Photography

Filters can add special effects or abilities to your camera lens. Understanding how filters work will give you an extra arsenal of equipment to create that magical shot you’ve been looking for.

Most lenses have the ability to add filters, primarily by screwing them on in front of the lens while some lenses require the filters to be attached at the rear end of the lens. Filters are used for several different reasons: increasing contrast, changing the exposure, capturing invisible light or minimizing reflections are just a few to name.

The use of filters has gone downhill in this age of digital photography. These days it’s simply easier to make these changes in post-production instead of using a filter during the photo shoot.

While that might be true, there are still some things we can’t change in post-production, and filters can become a necessity.

UV Filters

UV stands for Ultraviolet, which is light that is invisible to the human eye. UV filters were used to cut down on haziness, such as in mountains and around coastal areas, but the digital sensor isn’t as sensitive to this as 35mm film was. However the UV filters are still around, mainly because these filters are used for lens protection.

Having a UV filter attached to the lens at all times makes the lens more protected from scratches, dust, weather and accidentally dropping the lens. There are debates among photographers about the use of UV filters; some argue that they visually affect the outcome of the photograph while others argue that they don’t affect it and that the filter is a great insurance.

I personally always have a UV filter screwed onto every single one of my lenses, and I’ve had one of my lenses saved thanks to the attached filter. However, if you are going to use a UV filter, don’t buy the cheapest one you can find. If you have a good lens, buy something like a high-end B+W filter.
ND Filters

ND filters, or Neutral Density filters, are a great way to take control over exposure time. These filters are used to reduce the amount of light that reaches the sensor, which makes it possible for the photographer to use a larger aperture for a longer period of time then what would be normal under given circumstances.

An example of this would be the ability to photograph a waterfall with a slow shutter speed during a bright day. Without a ND filter most lenses would not be able to use an aperture small enough for long exposures but with an ND filter attached the photographer can mix and match just how he wants it.

Graduated ND Filters

These filters have the same principle as the regular ND filters but with one important distinction, they do not have the ND effect on the whole glass. The ND effect is gradual and is perfect if you want to have the sky darkened but not the foreground for example. These filters have their limits, such as the gradual transition is a straight line, which might not always be the case with nature… oh, and they are also rather expensive. Most of these filters are rectangular and uses a special holder to place them in.

Polarizing Filters

These polarizing filters have many uses, and are one of my favorite filters to use. Most of them are circular, often called Pol-Cir or CPL filters, and you change the level of polarization by rotating the outer layer of the filter. The polarizer filter affects the photographs in such a way that cannot be reproduced in post-production, which makes it a very useful tool even today.

What it does is reduces reflections on non-metallic surfaces, such as water and glass. Removing reflections can be very useful in both urban and wild life situations and have the ability to totally alter the outcome of the photograph.

Another effect the polarizing filter has is that it increases contrast and color saturation while at the same time reducing haze. This effect can clearly be seen in skies, in which the sky can be darkened and more colorful but keeping the clouds white.

A quick word of advice though is that a polarizing filter will, depending on brand and quality, not let 100% light through — which will affect the exposure. With most brands you will loose one full-stop.

Macro Filters

Macro filters, close-up filters or diopters, are not ordinary filters — they are more like an extra lens you place in front of another lens. This makes close-ups possible even with normal or telephoto lenses, although the result is often not true 1:1 macro. Several filters can be stacked on top of each other to intensify the effect.

I personally would recommend people look into getting an extension tube instead. Extension tubes change the closest possible focus length, without affecting the image quality as badly as macro filters do. The best option is obviously a true macro lens, but an extension tube is much cheaper and might be a good first step into the world of macro photography, and the extension tube can be used together with a macro lens to enhance the magnification.

Macro filters have many drawbacks such as softening up the image considerably, and these filters often produce lacking quality. Use with caution.

Color Filters

Color filters are rarely used anymore; they were primarily used for black & white photography to manipulate the contrast. An example is using a yellow, orange or red filter, which will increase the contrast between skies and clouds, making the clouds really stand out. These days the effects can quite easily be reproduced digitally with the help of levels and channels.

IR Filters

IR stands for Infrared, and these wavelengths are on the opposite side of the light spectrum from UV. To photograph in IR you need a filter that only lets through IR light, however there are some problems with modern cameras. The sensor is constructed to not record IR light, and unless you want to permanently modify your camera (or purchase specially designed cameras such as Canon’s 20Da) there are some restrictions. This technique is so unique and odd that I will dedicate an entire article about IR photography later on instead of writing how it all works in this one.