The Moon

Taken on a Nikon D7000 with an 18-200mm lens

So I decided to take this picture because the moon looked really neat last night. When I stepped outside the moon was surrounded with clouds that appeared to have a smokey look to it. When I grabbed my camera, I wanted to capture something different from how any other person would take a picture of the moon.

In this photo, I had my camera settings as followed:

Aperture: f/5.6

Shutter: 1/10

ISO: 2000

White Balance: Incandescent

Focal Length: 200mm

I chose to have an aperture of f/5.6 and an ISO of 2000 to allow for my camera to let in more light. The reason I chose 1/10^th of a second was because I did not want an exposure that was so long that it would make the moon look completely blown out. In the other sense, I did not want an exposure so short that the rest of the photo went completely black. I wanted to capture the brightness of the moon as well as the light coming off the moon in the sky. I left my white balance on Incandescent simply to get a different outcome in colour temperature then if I were to have had my settings on Cloudy or Auto white balance. The grain that has been added to the photo as due to my high levels of ISO helping to add the final touches to the photograph.

In the foreground you see tree branches. I chose to put the tree branches in the photograph because it made the photo more interesting to look at then just a shot of the moon. Due to having the tree branches in the foreground, I did not mind putting the moon in the centre of the photograph. Normally, I would not centre and object because it is to plain and boring in my opinion, but the branches changed the outcome of the photograph.

The only Photoshop that was done to this photograph was cropping it to a square sized image.

Nikon D7000

This past night I was given the opportunity to try out the Nikon D7000. The D7000 is an all around fantastic camera. The reason I wanted to test this model of Nikon out was because I have been looking around to get a new camera. So without further adieu, here is my review on the Nikon D7000.

ISO: the ISO capability on this particular model of Nikon series is absolutely amazing. Weather you are at 100 ISO or 1000 ISO, you will be very satisfied with the end results. Although it still does not have the capability of a full frame formatted camera, the quality of an image on ISO 4000 is unbelievable.

Taken By Joseph Brunner on the Nikon D90

ISO: 3200

Taken on the Nikon D5000

ISO: 3200

Taken by Joseph Brunner on the Nikon D700

ISO: 3200

Taken on the Nikon D7000

ISO: 3200

All images were taken by Joseph Brunner and Diana Chmay

Images were captured with no post production editing

In this examples above, you can see the effects of ISO ranges on different models of cameras. The noise level on the D7000 is fairly minimal considering the drastic change in light sensitivity. In the picture of the toy boat, you can still see the noise itself, but considering it is set to 3200, it did a very good job on capturing the image.

High speed: This camera is capable of taking 6 frames per second for up to 100 shots. This is more then your average popular camera such as the D90 at 4.5 frames per second, or even the full framed D700 at 5 frames per second. With its continuous high speed mode, I guarantee you will capture the image you are looking for.

SD slots: I found this option to be an extreme bonus to the camera. Not only does this camera have two slots for two SD cards, but you are able to set each slot to record the type of format you want. Example: In memory slot one, you can set the memory card to capture RAW files. In memory slot two, you can set the memory card to record JPEG files. For someone who loves to shoot in RAW/JPEG mode, this is the perfect solution for you. If you just prefer to shoot in one format, it allows you to store more memory without having to worry about running out of room during a shoot and having to switch cards.

Some other interesting features about this camera include:

-39 AF points

-3” LCD screen

-weather and dust sealed

-1080p HD video

-16.2 MP

and many more.

All in all this is a fantastic camera that I am very happy to write about. There is not a single thing about the Nikon D7000 I can complain about. The dual screen on the camera makes adjusting camera settings very simple. It allows you to have complete control of all your settings you need from the comfort of one screen and a couple dials. I would definitely recommend this camera to those who are looking to buy themselves a great quality camera and for those who are not looking to take that step yet to full frame.

Samsung WB210

                                   Taken on the Samsung WB210 at 8x zoom

                                                                  Negative Filter

                                                                        Template

The Samsung WB210 is an amazing camera. When I first saw it I right away assumed I would not like it because it was a touch screen. I decided to have a look at it anyways and I am glad I did because this camera is probably one of my favourite point and shoot cameras that has been released in 2011. There are so many different features that the Samsung WB210 has to offer that makes the camera even more enjoyable to play with. It is a $299.99 camera, that consists of 12x optical zoom, 14 megapixels, and a large 3.5” LCD screen. The battery life is great ensuring that it will last through many shots on its Samsung BP85A lithium ion battery.

One feature I like that this camera offers is the smart filters. The smart filters consist of 12 different features that help to enhance and make taking photos that much more fun! Such options as the Negative filter, Sketch filter, Old Film filter, and Fish Eye filter are only a few of the many different effects this camera has to offer.

The Samsung WB210 I find reminds me a lot like the iPhone. The different camera settings are laid out on the screen in such a way that looks like the apps on the iPhone and which then allow you to scroll through the pages by sliding your finger across the screen. Another feature the camera offers that is similar to the iPhone is the “tap of the screen” to take a photo. By simply holding your finger down on the screen to focus, you can then snap a photo quick and easy.

Not only does this camera offer some really cool features like the iPhone, but it also offers SD video recording, HD video recording, special filters when recording a video, in camera photo templates, different in camera editing options and much more!

The only thing I do not like about this camera is that it takes a Micro SD memory card. The only reason I say this is because all the memory cards I have bought in the past are SD cards or CF cards so it would mean I would have to go buy a different card to store my photos on. Although some may consider this to be a downfall of the camera, it is also considered to be something unique that Samsung has to offer that no other camera company does. Some may not like the sounds of a different style memory card but I ensure you that Micro SD cards are very cheap, and reliable to buy. If you do not like the Micro SD cards for the size, most cards will come with an SD adaptor that you can plug your Micro SD card right into for uploading purposes.

All in all, the Samsung WB210 is a great camera and I would definitely recommend it if you are looking to upgrade your point and shoot for 2011.

Making an image with light

                                     Taken on the Nikon D5000

Painting with light is a very fun thing to experiment with. In order to do this task, you must have a DSLR camera. To get the greatest results, shut off all the lights in the room so it is completely dark. Next, grab a flash light or some sort of strong light source that is easy to move around. Once you have done both of these steps, turn your camera on and set it to a very, very slow shutter speed. When I paint with light I usually set my camera to about a 20-30 second exposure depending on what I want to achieve. When drawing something simple such as a shape, you can easily set your camera to a 5 second exposure. Once your exposure is selected, flash the light in front of the camera lens and start to draw.

In the picture above taken on a Nikon D5000, my settings were as followed:

S-13 seconds

A-F/22

ISO-600

I had my aperture set to a closed aperture so I could ensure a sharp end to end photograph. My ISO was set to 600 so I could let a bit more light in to make the picture stand out a bit more. Lastly, I set my shutter to a 13 second exposure so I could take my time drawing and to get the picture I had in mind.

It is very important that you keep in mind that since you are working with slow shutter speeds, you MUST put your camera on a tripod. If you do not use a tripod on these settings, your image will not turn out and rather look very blurry.

Photoshop Techniques Pt:1

In this photo taken on the Nikon D5000, I decided to play around with some effects to help enhance and create a feeling when looking at this picture. The first thing I did was upload this image into Lightroom where I then enhanced the exposure a little bit. After I did that, I moved the picture into Photoshop where I desaturated the colour so you could only see a little bit of blue in the clothes and so that the rest would remain in black and white. For the third and final step, I added the water colour effect to give it a grainy look.

I did this to the photo to add a more artsy feel to it and so I could create something different from all my other photos. I found by doing these few quick steps it changed the original photo drastically making it look more desirable.

Nikon VS Canon

After making a poll on my blog of which camera brand was most preferred, Nikon won with a total of 7-1 votes. I own both a Canon and a Nikon and I for sure have a preference over the two. To me, the main difference between a Canon and a Nikon is the menu systems. Just for my own entertainment though, I am going to go through the differences as to why I prefer one over the other.

Nikon

I believe that Nikon sets up their camera in a more simple, and user friendly way where everything is fast and easy to find what you are looking for. On their point and shoot cameras, every single camera that I have seen (and I have seen a good fair amount of Nikon point and shoot cameras as I work with them) All their menus are exactly the same. From a cheaper $100 camera to the more expensive $300 camera, they are the same. I find this to be a bonus for Nikon because for the customer who is not big into camera knowledge, once they learn how to use one of Nikon's cameras, they can upgrade and still no how to work the others. For their point and shoot cameras, they do have nice quality products but I do find once you use the flash in an indoor setting, the image appears very warm and sometimes almost ruined.

For Nikon DSLR cameras, they make a great product. There is not a single thing I can complain about on these cameras. A feature I like that Nikon offers is the Quick Guide setting on a couple cameras which basically allows you to access answers to questions you have or if you are unable to find a setting on the camera, this Quick Guide setting will do it for you. I like the quality of the Nikon cameras and that the body and lens itself does not have a cheap feel to it and that you are actually getting your moneys worth. All in all, Nikon DSLR's are a great buy.

Canon

Canon point and shoot cameras I find to be a lot different from the Nikon's. Most Canons menu systems are the same just like Nikon's but what is nice about Canon is that you can find a cheaper camera with a spin dial feature where you can not on a Nikon. Canon has great quality point and shoot cameras that are made with an excellent quality lens that is perfect for great indoor shots. There pictures have a slightly cool tone to their images which is the opposite of Nikon's warm tone but still produces a fantastic image.

Canon's DSLR cameras are a lot different from a Nikon. One major difference between the two are not only the menu systems but also the direction of the way a lens goes on the camera body. This is not a huge difference but coming from someone who owned a Canon first and then a Nikon DSLR, it takes a long time to get use to. Now the Canon DSLR is still a great camera. The one thing I do not like about Canon's is the feel of the camera in my own hands. When holding a Canon compared to a Nikon, the body itself of the camera feels more cheaper in product. Now even though I feel this way about the camera body, does not mean the camera brand does not take an excellent photo. After taking a picture on a Canon, the quality and clarity is outstanding.

All in all, both makes of camera brands are amazing. All though there is slight differences in menu systems, colour tones and quality, both company's make a strong, durable, & reliable camera that I would highly recommend to anyone.

Aperture/Depth of Field

 
Image taken on Nikon D5000. Shallow depth of field to blur the background


Image taken on Nikon D5000. More depth of field to ensure a sharp, end to end image

 

Aperture priority is one of the settings on a camera that usually stands for “AV” or “A” on your spin dial. Aperture priority and depth of field goes hand in hand and is at first, a hard concept to grasp. Basically, you have the more common apertures of F2.8, F5.6, F8, F11, F16, and F22. In order to gain the more depth of field you want to be set at F22 to give you the most sharp picture from end to end. In order to achieve a shallow depth of field, you want your setting to be set to F2.8.

The best time to use a shallow depth of field would be when you want your background to be out of focus. A perfect example of this is when you are taking pictures of a flower. Using your focal points in your viewfinder you want to set the main focus on the flower so your background is soft and out of focus making the flower the sharpest in the image. A good setting that I enjoy taking my flower pictures at is F2.8 or F5.6 so I can ensure the background is completely out of focus and making sure the flower is the sharpest. Another example of when you want a shallow depth of field is when you are taking portraits. If you have your subject in a very busy background such as in a school setting, you want to blur out the background behind the subject so the background does not take away from your portrait. A great setting for this would be F5.6.

A time where you would want to use a great depth of field ensuring your entire image is in focus is in landscapes and product photography. The reason you want a sharp image for these two types of photography is because for landscapes you do not want to show any blur to the image because generally speaking, if clients are going to purchase your image, they want a sharp end to end photograph of the landscape. The reason you want a sharp product shot is because if an advertising agency is going to hire you, they do not want their product to be out of focus because they are trying to promote their product through captivating images that a photographer can produce. For both Product and Landscape photography I like to make sure my F stops are set to either F16 or F22 to ensure that the end result is sharp.