chanukah

The Photocritic guide to photographing children

There's an adage which suggests that your life will be easier if you choose not to work with children or animals. Eh... I disagree. While photographing both children and animals can be highly demanding and occasionally somewhat frustrating, it's also wildly satisfying. Some of my favourite photos in my archive are of my nieces and nephews or of the animals that have galloped and jumped and hopped and tumbled and gallumphed and snoozed through my life. And I've had immense fun doing it. Seeing as the holidays are pretty much upon us, thereby increasing the chances that you might want or need to take photos of small people, now seems as good a time as any to present you with the Photocritic guide to photographing children. There are two crucial attributes to photographing children. First, patience. You will require it in bucket-loads. Second, you need to remember to think like a child. I doubt that you sprang fully-formed from your father's thigh, like Athene, so cast your mind back and try to remember what thrilled and bored you and interested and irritated you as a little one. By getting into their mindset, you'll give yourself heaps more opportunities to capture great photos of them.

With those two factors at the forefront of your mind, let's move on.

Get down

The best photos of children come when you get down to their level. Apart from it being so much easier for little people to relate to someone who's on their level, your photos won't take on an awkward, condescending air. Sure, every now and again photographing from above works a treat, but mostly it's about capturing life on their level. That means getting down on your knees or belly and seeing the world from your subject's-eye view.

Kneel, crawl, and wriggle

Give them something to do

If you want natural smiles and pictures of unhibited child-like joy, for heaven's sake do not attempt to pose a little one and elicit a grin with the power of 'cheese!' It might look terribly sophisticated to have them dressed in their party outfits and posing as if butter wouldn't melt in their mouths, but I doubt that's an accurate reflection of them or the most fun way they've ever spent 20 minutes.

Let them play.

If they're opening presents, you have plenty of opportunities for looks of concentration, puzzlement, wonder, and excitement flooding their faces.

Or singing. Singing is good.

Be quick with the exposure settings

They're going to be moving fast—children usually do—so unless you want motion blur in your photos, it means that your camera will need to be moving fast, too. Think about a fast shutter speed, a fast aperture, and a fast ISO if you need it.

Someone was concentrating very hard

With a large aperture you can let plenty of light onto the sensor, which will allow for a fast shutter speed, and it'll keep the background blurred, too. You might not necessarily want an out-of-focus background, but if it's cluttered or untidy, it will draw your viewer's eye to your subject.

Auto-focus options

As with any other portrait, the eyes need to be in focus when you're photographing children. It's the first place your viewer will look and if the eyes are out of focus, her or his interest will wander. Rather than using one-shot auto-focus, you might find that your purposes are best served by either continuous auto-focus or intelligent auto-focus to keep the subject sharp even when it's on the move.

Child ii

Extra light

When you're setting up a shoot, sure some studio lights might be a good idea to help get the photos that you want. But for those times when you're sitting on the floor surrounded by scraps of wrapping paper? They're probably not what you want. I'm not that fond of on-camera flash around babies and small people, either. It can be far too harsh and startling for them. Make the most of the light that you have, and bring out a reflector if you need one.

Enjoy yourself

If you're not enjoying yourself, neither will the kids whom you are trying to photograph. And why should they? Smile, talk to them, take an interest in what they're doing. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed they'll be, which makes things better for everyone.

And sometimes breaking the rules totally works

Black Friday deals – what and where

Black Friday with its crazed rush for the shops and silly deals on sales is upon us. I've rounded up the best of the offers and listed the places that have sales happening. I'll add to it as I'm notified of any more. Take a look and see if you can grab a bargain! Glowing orbs smaller

Adorama

Adorama has an astonishing number of offers running over the Black Friday weekend. These include Canon 6D bundles going for $1,519 and 70D bundles for $1,149; the Pentax K-5 IIs for $469.95; and Sigma 70-200mm lenses for $1,099.

There's a whole lot more, though, so do check out the deals page.

Boomf

You can claim 20% off your Instagrammed marshmallows by using the code FALALABOOMF when you place your order.

Fracture

You can claim 30% off your Fracture orders, using the code BF2014 at the checkout.

iStabilizer

Buy iStabilizer's flexible tripod, mount, & 360 degree lens for $29.95.

Lensbaby

Buy a special edition Lensbaby Spark for $99.99, rather than $129.99. Or purchase the Composer Pro kit for $599.95 instead of $749.95.

Lollipod

Buy a Lollipod and get a universal phone adapter (worth £9.99) for free.

Olloclip

Buy an Olloclip 4-in-1 lens and pick up either a 3-in-1 macro system or a telephoto lens (even both, if you want) at a reduced price.

Photobox

Photobox is offering 50% off of all prints and posters. You'll need the code BLACKFRIDAY, and you'll need to order before midnight in the UK.

Photojojo

Photojojo has reduced the prices on a welter of its products, including lens mugs, battery buddies, and iPhone telephoto lenses.

Triggertrap

Buy a Triggertrap mobile kit and a flash adapter in the Triggertrap shop and get 20% off your order. You'll need the code HIGHSPEEDFRIDAY to benefit.

Wilkinson Cameras

Here in the UK Wilkinson Cameras have a large selection of cameras, lenses, tripods, flashes, and bags available at discounted prices.

The Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide: books for photographers

You can't go wrong giving a book as a gift. Here's a round-up of our favourite publications this year (and two from last year), which would fit the bill for any photographer. Books, not as tasty as cake, but equally lovely

Books by Team Photocritic

As much as we'd love to tell you to go out and buy all of our books because they're amazing and beautiful, that might be verging of self-promotion over-dose. Instead we've each picked out one of our books that we believe makes a great present.

the-rules-of-photography-and-when-to-break-them-1-rules-cover-976x976 Haje has selected his The Rules of Photography and When to Break Them. We're both fervent believers in the notion of knowing the rules so that you can break them properly, and this book teaches you precisely that, from why horizons need to be level and how to tilt them successfully, to embracing the grain from high ISOs.

The Rules of Photography and When to Break Them is available for £17.99 as a dual print copy and e-book bundle.

Surreal-COVER I've chosen Surreal Photography: Creating the Impossible, a whimsical trail through in-camera and post-processing manipulation to produce images that combine reality with the farthest recesses of your imagination.

Right now, Surreal Photography: Creating the Impossible is on sale at the bargain price of £9.99 for a print and e-book bundle.

 

Screen Shot 2014-11-23 at 15.24.55

Artisans by Tim Allen

If you'd like to give a gift that will raise some much-needed money for a deserving cause as well as bringing pleasure to its recipient, do take a look at Tim Allen's photo book, Artisans. It explores the work of the violin-restoration, boat-building, stonemasonry, stained glass, and smithing professions in gorgeous black and white photos, while the proceeds go to the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society.

Recommended donations are £10. Details of how to order a copy (and more on the book itself) from Tim Allen's website.

 

30-second-photography-1-9781781579770-976x976

30 Second Photography by Brian Dilg

Take the 50 most important aspects of photography, explain them using 300 words and one picture each and you have the wonderful 30 Second Photography, by Brian Dilg. It's a perfect book for any photographer: novice or highly-experienced.

30 Second Photography is available for £14.99 in the UK and $19 in the US.

 

moodscapes-1-x-moos-lvcr-pbf-uk-976x976

Moodscapes by Rebekka Guðleifsdóttir

Moodscapes is landscape photography ramped upto 11 with beauty and wonder. You could just flip through it awestruck by the images, but Rebekka Guðleifsdóttir also shows you how to accomplish these gorgeous photos yourself.

Buy Moodscapes as a print and e-book bundle for £19.99.

 

Screen-Shot-2014-09-08-at-14.57.20

NY Through the Lens by Vivienne Gucwa

If New York is a street photographer's dream, then Vivienne Gucwa's collection of images taken in, around, and about the city is a dream of that dream. Explore Gucwa's city with her, through her words and through her pictures.

NY Through the Lens costs £20 for a print and e-book bundle.

 

the-photographer-s-master-guide-to-colour-1-o-pmgc_pb-flaps-uk-976x976

The Photographer's Master Guide to Colour by Jeff Wignall

We teach ourselves about exposure, about composition, about post-processing. How much do we know about colour? Enlighten yourself, and elevate the impact of your images, with Jeff Wignall's impressive The Photographer's Master Guide to Colour.

The Photographer's Master Guide to Colour is available as a print and e-book bundle for £17.99.

 

sc_cover-mocks-2

Photographs Rendered in Play-Doh by Eleanor Macnair

In autumn last year, we featured Eleanor Macnair's marvellous project, Photographs Rendered in Play-Doh: her Tumblr project recording the recreations of famous photos she fashions from Play-Doh, a pint glass, and a plastic spoon in her living room. Now it comes in a book.

Photographs Rendered in Play-Doh costs £20.

 

tumblr_inline_nab1z21ZM01slq49k

The Street Photographer's Manual by David Gibson

Street photography books are ten-a-penny. Enter ‘street photography’ into Amazon and the search will return 30 pages of results. When you find a compelling and practical but inspirational book on the topic, you take notice. The Street Photographer's Manual deserves a look.

The Street Photographer's Manual is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US for £15 and $22 respectively.

 


Gifts for photographers, big and small < < Holiday Shopping with Photocritic > > Gifts for beginners


The Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide: presents for landscape photographers

It's Day Five of the Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide. This means landscapes. We have suggestions for budding landscape photographers and a few treats for more hardened souls. 11276634243_b5ec67defd_z

rk122se_2

Wide-angle lens

Landscape photography and wide-angle lenses go together like strawberries and cream. While I've taken great pleasure using a Sigma 17-35mm ƒ/2.8-4.0, it's now out of production. However, the Tamron 10-24mm ƒ/3.5-4.5 is regarded as a great value-for money option that comes in a range of mounts. You can of course spend a whole lot more, or choose a prime instead of a zoom lens, but that's a good starting point.

Tamron 10-24mm ƒ/3.5-4.5 for Canon | Nikon | Pentax | Sony

Photographers with mirror-less cameras might want to consider the Samyang/Rokinon 12mm ƒ/2.0, which is cracking value for money and is available for plenty of different cameras.

Samyang/Rokinon 12mm ƒ/2.0 for Canon M | Fujifilm X | Micro 4/3 | Samsung NX | Sony E

gtvgr9265m2n

Tripod

Tripods suitable for landscape photography are awkwardly demanding. They need to be portable: doubtless you will be schlepping it and yourself up hill and down dale in search of shots. But simultaneously, they need to be sturdy and able to withstand wind, maybe rain, and uneven terrain.

We've picked out the Giottos Vitruvian at $200 for its height, weight, and strength. For something a little cheaper there's the Slik Pro 700DX.

pro77kit

Filters

Securing vivid colours and correctly exposed landscape photos often relies on the judicious application of a filter across a lens: maybe a neutral density filter, perhaps a polarising filter. Filters need to be the right size for the lens and they come in various grades, for example you can choose between one and 12 stops—with everything in between—for a neutral density filter.

A filter kit containing a UV, polarising, and neutral density filter is a good place to start. We've picked out two, at different price points, which should fit on the Tamron lens we've suggested. But do double-check!

There's the Vivitar kit at just over $16 and the $48 Pro-Optic kit.

If you like trying things that are brand new and shiny, take a look at the filters just released by VU and Mefoto.

cgdsb103

Camera bag

You need a bag that's easy to schelp about all day. It needs to be weatherproof. You should be able to attach a tripod with the minimum of fuss. And of course your kit should fit snugly. We think that the CaseLogic DSB-103 (can't they think of memorable names?) is great value at a little under $70. It's a backpack; it has a detachable waterproof cover; tripod storage shouldn't interfere with bag access; and it'll fit a camera and four lenses.

otrslf

Waterproof cover

It's all very well your camera bag being waterproof and you looking fit to go to sea in a Force 5 gale, but if your camera isn't protected from the elements, then your landscape photography expedition will be a fruitless endeavour. Or possibly a very expensive one if your camera suffers from water damage. Pick up a rainhood. They don't cost $10 and they'll let you take photos in the most inclement of conditions.

czcrp20

Remote shutter release

You have erected your tripod and ensured that it's stable on uneven terrain. You have composed your shot with a perfectly positioned horizon and delectably enticing leading lines. You have carefully calculated your exposure to capture the light and the intensity of the colours. And then you go an ruin it all by depressing the shutter button and introducing a fraction of camera-shake into the shot.

Use a remote release. Please.

You can pick up a Triggertrap mobile kit from £22. That affords a vast array of possibilities for camera-triggering. A basic remote release is about $10.

312rW886nsL

Torch

There are so many smaller accessories that I could have included in this list which make the life of a landscape photographer easier and more pleasant, the article would have run to the length of a post-graduate degree-level essay. I've opted for a torch, however.

(Okay, seeing as you asked, the leading contenders for this entry included a pocket knife, gaffer tape, and a bubble level.)

MacWet

Weather-appropriate clothing

I loathe cold feet. They make me incontrovertibly miserable. They can also be a curse of landscape photography. Buy your landscape photographer loved one some warm, waterproof socks and you will win yourself many favours. Head to your nearest outdoor shop to see what they've got on offer.

A good pair of gloves goes a long way, too. I love MacWet gloves: warm, waterproof, but they don't compromise on grip.

You might also want to consider hats, scarves, jackets, and trousers. Even boots. Or for the warmer months: sunscreen and insect repellant.

landscape-photography-the-four-seasons

Book

For inspiration, look no further than Ansel Adams. But to improve your technique, I rather like Chris Gatcum's Landscape Photography: the Four Seasons.

 

Kendal Mint Cake

For those moments when an energy boost is required.


Gifts for high-speed photographers < < Holiday Shopping with Photocritic > > Gifts for photographers, big and small


The Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide: presents for high-speed photographers

Some of the most fun that you can have in the dark with your clothes still on is high-speed photography. Capture balloons going splat and china being smashed with a little help from a flash and some relatively inexpensive kit. For ayone who's looking to have a go, we've compiled a list of the essentials, from kit to subject-matter! 41Anb+4NQRL._SY355_

Flash

High speed photography is nothing without flash. For anyone who's intent on capturing popping balloons, smashing plates, and exploding sweeties, they're going to need some manually controlled fire power. However, take one look at the range of external light sources that can be hooked up to a camera and it's enough to leave you running for a darkened cave. TTL, guide numbers, sync speeds, remote triggering: there's a lot to take in.

You can spend a lot or a little on external flashes. The Yongnuo YN560 III sells for about £50 here in the UK or $70 in the US and is compatible with Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax cameras. There are other third-party makes to consider, for example Phottix, or you could look for a manufacturer-specific flash.

Don't forget to order a stand and mount for the light, too.

TT-FA2

A flash adapter

High-speed photography relies on hyper-fast flash to ensure the perfect exposure. For that, it's best to use a specialist flash adapter, which allows you to trigger the flash directly, rather than relying on your camera's triggering mechanism, which can take an eon in high-speed photography terms.

Triggertrap produces a flash adapter, priced £20, to use in conjunction with its mobile dongles, TT v1, and the forthcoming Ada.

Triggertrap_Mobile_Kit_MD3-CB1_TopDown_1000px_02e4743e-de8c-4757-8e66-4591c15997e2_large

Triggertrap

If you decide to use the Triggertrap flash adapter, then you'll need a Triggertrap mobile kit to activate the flash using its sound trigger (or maybe one of its other sensors). Even if you don't go down the Triggertrap flash adapter route, having a Triggertrap to help you fire your camera, whether in blub mode or using one of its sensors, is mighty helpful for high-speed photography.

Triggertrap mobile kits start at £23. Don't forget to download the free app, too.

3ltx21dvbl

Tripod

Heavens, we must sound like tripod bores, but a tripod is essential for high-speed photography work. High-speed photography means working in the dark, so look for something that's sturdy, just in case it's accidentally knocked. Have a look at Dave, from 3 Legged Thing.

 

71KvCt1QEUL._SL1500_

Balloons

Purveyors of high-speed photography will be in need of high-speed subjects. Pick up some packets of balloons to be used for popping—water-filled or otherwise—and capturing the moment they go bang!

These water balloons are bio-degradable, and coming in a pack of 100, are relatively cheap at $3.99. In the UK, these ones are £1.99.

8611403990_ca08a01211_m

Crockery

Rootle around at jumble sales and in charity shops for chipped plates, cracked bowls, and ugly mugs that can be smashed with hammers or shattered by bullets without worrying that you're blowing the family's inheritance. You might want to pick up a hammer and a pair of safety goggle, too. Just in case.

 

A Lindt Chocolate Reindeer

Perfect for smashing, and then you get to eat it.


Gifts for smartphone photographers < < Holiday Shopping with Photocritic > > Gifts for landscape photographers


The Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide: presents for macro photographers

Mulled wine Day Two of the Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide takes us into the world of the the close-up, and macro photography. We've compiled a list of suggestions for people who might be starting out and want to give macro a try, or who've been at it a little while and might need some kit to help them along.

vnvs443d

Tripod

You might be wondering why anyone who already has a tripod might need a macro-specific version. It's not at all compulsory; however, for those photographers who are serious about their macro work, some tripods are preferable compared to others.

Something like a Velbon VS-443 D allows for an inverted centre column that brings the camera close to the ground, for example. Take a look here in the US and here in the UK.

knaetsdnkaf

Extension tube

Instead of spending money on a dedicated macro lens, inserting an extension tube between camera and existing lens can have a similar effect. We understand that not everyone wants to have a go at making her or his own extension tube from a Pringles can, but thankfully commercially produced extension tubes are in abundance, manufactured by both the likes of Canon and Nikon as well as third parties.

You can pick them up in a variety of lengths and prices. Take a look.

isosel30m35

Lens

For anyone who's particularly in love with macro photography, a dedicated macro lens will be high up on her or his wish-list. You can spend anything from a couple of hundred dollars to several thousand. Some are zoom; many are prime. They're produced by both camera and third-party manufacturers. They come both with and without image stabilisation.

I love my Canon 100mm ƒ/2.8L and wouldn't be without it, but if you've not quite that much spend, take a look at these options.

fppr5142

Reflector

All photography relies on light, but macro photography is especially light-hungry. To help manipulate and direct illumination precisely where it's needed, no macro photographer should be without a reflector. Reflectors come in a variety of sizes and colours, but we've picked out this 5-in-1 reflector that incluces gold, silver, white, and black surfaces as well as a diffuser to help evenly spread light across your subject, too.

In the US it's about $30; a similar reflector in the UK is about £30.

bowsfdrf

Ring flash

The shadowless light produced by ring flashes makes them ideal for macro photography. They're also relatively simple to use and start out with very reasonable prices, too, which makes them ideal for both beginners or as gifts.

Take a look at this Bower ring flash priced at $70 as a starting point.

1553097

Plamp

One never seems to have sufficient hands when it comes to macro photography. Or flowers have an inconvenient habit of swaying in the breeze creating nothing but blurry images. This is where a plamp comes in handy. Attach one end to your tripod (or anything sturdy and reasonably close) and use the other to secure a plant stem, angle a reflector, or hold a backdrop in place.

Try Wimberley direct in the US to find out where you can buy a plamp, or they're about £40 in the UK.

index

Book

Haje's excellent Macro Photography Workshop is now only available as an e-book. If you'd rather purchase one of the dead-tree variety, take a look at Digital Macro and Close-up Photography by Ross Hoddinott.

 

A gingerbread house kit

Tasty and great for macro photography!


Gifts for beginners < < Holiday Shopping with Photocritic > > Gifts for smartphone photographers


The Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide: presents for beginners

We have received our first Christmas card here in the Bowker household. We're putting its early appearance down to a combination of my aunt's ruthless efficiency and her desire to ensure it made it from the Antipodes before, rather than after, Christmas. Despite the fact that I try my hardest to push Christmas from my mind until my birthday, which is at the beginning of December, has passed (Chanukah often falls over my birthday; it has a pass-card), it's probably about the right time to unveil this year's Photocritic Holiday Gift Guide. 11467984695_25afbebfd0_z

We've put together seven bundles of suggestions for all types of photographers, ranging in price and practicality. We're kicking things off with ideas for beginner photographers. Assuming that they're set up with a camera, any of these items should be on a newbie's wish-list.

gpg2015

Tripod

No photographer should be without a tripod. I happen to have more than one. And a monopod. But a beginner doesn't need such an extensive collection. Just the one will do, and the Manfrotto G-2015 is excellent value for money at $30.

 

ca5018afu

Prime lens

The first lens I acquired for my first dSLR was a 50mm ƒ/1.8. That camera has long gone, but the lens remains in my camera bag. It's battered and bruised, but still my go-to lens. I wouldn't be without it, and neither should anyone with a camera.

Their affordability and ready availability, as well their photographic adeptness, makes them great gifts.

gtck

Lens cleaning kit

Yes, it's terribly mundane, but it's also terribly useful. Don't let anyone out without a lens cleaning kit. You can pick up this nifty one, which includes a brush, blower, and microfibre cloth, for a little over $10.

 

 

lpups250bk

Camera bag

My camera bag criteria are extensive and demanding, but high up the list is for it not to look like a camera bag. Apart from having an obsession with bags that's marginally milder than my obsession with shoes, I'm in no way inclined to mark out the contents of my bag as being a desirable target for nefarious types. For a versatile, not-too-obviously-a-camera-bag-camera-bag, we'd recommend the Lowepro Urban Photo Sling 250. Right now, they're also cracking value for money, at about $45 in the US and £37 in the UK.

For something much more discreet, and definitely aimed at a mirror-less camera, have a look at the Cosyspeed system. Haje recently gave one a run for its money with very positive results.

wdep1tbbk_3

External hard drive

Twenty-plus megapixel images have a habit of eating up computer hard drive capacity as Team Photocritic does ice cream. Storing them on an external hard drive (or two or three for security purposes) is a far more practical solution. A portable terabyte of storage might not excite anyone, but the recipient will be grateful for it. If not immediately.

You should be able to pick up something in the $65 or £50 region.

ablrv5mw

Editing suite

When you're shooting in JPEG, an all-singing and all-dancing editing suite might not seem a necesity. But it soon becomes one when you make the switch to Raw. And if you've a Raw-capable camera, why wouldn't you? It gives you unprecedented control over the appearance of your images. While I'm no fan of Adobe's Creative Cloud, it is still possible to purchase a stand-alone copy of Lightroom. And I do love me some Lightroom.

It's about $140 or £100.

the-ilex-introduction-to-photography

Book

Once you have the bare bones of a kit, the most important investment you can make to improve your photography is in yourself. That comprises books, courses, and time spent practising and evaluating your skills. We know we're biased, but we do believe that Haje's Ilex Introduction to Photography is a fabulous starting point.

Terry's Chocolate Orange

Because why ever not?


In the beginning < < Holiday Shopping with Photocritic > > Gifts for macro enthusiasts


Home Alone meets camera traps in this fun video

Every year, I find myself hiding away my annual-festivity-presents, and I do sometimes wonder... Is anyone going to start looking for them? The other day, on the bus, I found myself day-dreaming about what it might look like if you did a Home Alone-style set of camera traps.

So imagine my surprise when I was sent this video:

https://vimeo.com/111126307

Yep, that's right, that's those photographic wizards over at Triggertrap, using their Triggertrap Mobile app and dongle to capture a set of would-be Christmas present sleuths in action. Great idea, and I'll definitely be playing more with camera traps in the upcoming months!

Now if only Father Christmas would bring me one of their Triggertrap Mobile kits...